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glowing charcoal。 This； it must be remembered； was in the broad light
of day。 No fancy may picture the sublimity which might have been
exhibited by a similar phenomenon taking place amid the darkness of
the night。 Hell itself might have been found a fitting image。 Even as
it was； my hair stood on end； while I gazed afar down within the
yawning abysses； letting imagination descend； as it were； and stalk
about in the strange vaulted halls； and ruddy gulfs； and red ghastly
chasms of the hideous and unfathomable fire。 I had indeed made a
narrow escape。 Had the balloon remained a very short while longer
within the cloud that is to say had not the inconvenience of
getting wet； determined me to discharge the ballast； inevitable ruin
would have been the consequence。 Such perils； although little
considered； are perhaps the greatest which must be encountered in
balloons。 I had by this time； however； attained too great an
elevation to be any longer uneasy on this head。
〃I was now rising rapidly； and by seven o'clock the barometer
indicated an altitude of no less than nine miles and a half。 I began
to find great difficulty in drawing my breath。 My head； too； was
excessively painful； and； having felt for some time a moisture about
my cheeks； I at length discovered it to be blood； which was oozing
quite fast from the drums of my ears。 My eyes； also； gave me great
uneasiness。 Upon passing the hand over them they seemed to have
protruded from their sockets in no inconsiderable degree； and all
objects in the car； and even the balloon itself； appeared distorted
to my vision。 These symptoms were more than I had expected； and
occasioned me some alarm。 At this juncture； very imprudently； and
without consideration； I threw out from the car three five…pound
pieces of ballast。 The accelerated rate of ascent thus obtained；
carried me too rapidly； and without sufficient gradation； into a
highly rarefied stratum of the atmosphere； and the result had nearly
proved fatal to my expedition and to myself。 I was suddenly seized
with a spasm which lasted for more than five minutes； and even when
this； in a measure； ceased； I could catch my breath only at long
intervals； and in a gasping manner bleeding all the while
copiously at the nose and ears； and even slightly at the eyes。 The
pigeons appeared distressed in the extreme； and struggled to escape；
while the cat mewed piteously； and； with her tongue hanging out of
her mouth； staggered to and fro in the car as if under the influence
of poison。 I now too late discovered the great rashness of which I
had been guilty in discharging the ballast； and my agitation was
excessive。 I anticipated nothing less than death； and death in a few
minutes。 The physical suffering I underwent contributed also to
render me nearly incapable of making any exertion for the
preservation of my life。 I had； indeed； little power of reflection
left； and the violence of the pain in my head seemed to be greatly on
the increase。 Thus I found that my senses would shortly give way
altogether； and I had already clutched one of the valve ropes with
the view of attempting a descent； when the recollection of the trick
I had played the three creditors； and the possible consequences to
myself； should I return； operated to deter me for the moment。 I lay
down in the bottom of the car； and endeavored to collect my
faculties。 In this I so far succeeded as to determine upon the
experiment of losing blood。 Having no lancet； however； I was
constrained to perform the operation in the best manner I was able；
and finally succeeded in opening a vein in my right arm； with the
blade of my penknife。 The blood had hardly commenced flowing when I
experienced a sensible relief； and by the time I had lost about half
a moderate basin full； most of the worst symptoms had abandoned me
entirely。 I nevertheless did not think it expedient to attempt
getting on my feet immediately； but； having tied up my arm as well as
I could； I lay still for about a quarter of an hour。 At the end of
this time I arose； and found myself freer from absolute pain of any
kind than I had been during the last hour and a quarter of my
ascension。 The difficulty of breathing； however； was diminished in a
very slight degree； and I found that it would soon be positively
necessary to make use of my condenser。 In the meantime； looking
toward the cat； who was again snugly stowed away upon my coat； I
discovered to my infinite surprise； that she had taken the
opportunity of my indisposition to bring into light a litter of three
little kittens。 This was an addition to the number of passengers on
my part altogether unexpected； but I was pleased at the occurrence。
It would afford me a chance of bringing to a kind of test the truth
of a surmise； which； more than anything else； had influenced me in
attempting this ascension。 I had imagined that the habitual endurance
of the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the earth was the
cause； or nearly so； of the pain attending animal existence at a
distance above the surface。 Should the kittens be found to suffer
uneasiness in an equal degree with their mother； I must consider my
theory in fault； but a failure to do so I should look upon as a
strong confirmation of my idea。
〃By eight o'clock I had actually attained an elevation of seventeen
miles above the surface of the earth。 Thus it seemed to me evident
that my rate of ascent was not only on the increase； but that the
progression would have been apparent in a slight degree even had I
not discharged the ballast which I did。 The pains in my head and ears
returned； at intervals； with violence； and I still continued to bleed
occasionally at the nose； but； upon the whole； I suffered much less
than might have been expected。 I breathed； however； at every moment；
with more and more difficulty； and each inhalation was attended with
a troublesome spasmodic action of the chest。 I now unpacked the
condensing apparatus； and got it ready for immediate use。
〃The view of the earth； at this period of my ascension； was beautiful
indeed。 To the westward； the northward； and the southward； as far as
I could see； lay a boundless sheet of apparently unruffled ocean；
which every moment gained a deeper and a deeper tint of blue and
began already to assume a slight appearance of convexity。 At a vast
distance to the eastward； although perfectly discernible； extended
the islands of Great Britain； the entire Atlantic coasts of France
and Spain； with a small portion of the northern part of the continent
of Africa。 Of individual edifices not a trace could be discovered；
and the proudest cities of mankind had utterly faded away from the
face of the earth。 From the rock of Gibraltar； now dwindled into a
dim speck； the dark Mediterranean sea； dotted with shining islands as
the heaven is dotted with stars； spread itself out to the eastward as
far as my vision extended； until its entire mass of waters seemed at
length to tumble headlong over the abyss of the horizon； and I found
myself listening on tiptoe for the echoes of the mighty cataract。
Overhead； the sky was of a jetty black； and the stars were
brilliantly visible。
〃The pigeons about this time seeming to undergo much suffering； I
determined upon giving them their liberty。 I first untied one of
them； a beautiful gray…mottled pigeon； and placed him upon the rim of
the wicker…work。 He appeared extremely uneasy； looking anxiously
around him； fluttering his wings； and making a loud cooing noise； but
could not be persuaded to trust himself from off the car。 I took him
up at last； and threw him to about half a dozen yards from the
balloon。 He made； however； no attempt to descend as I had expected；
but struggled with great vehemence to get back； uttering at the same
time very shrill and piercing cries。 He at length succeeded in
regaining his former station on the rim； but had hardly done so when
his head dropped upon his breast； and be fell dead within the car。
The other one did not prove so unfortunate。 To prevent his following
the example of his companion； and accomplishing a return； I threw him
downward with all my force； and was pleased to find him continue his
descent； with great velocity； making use of his wings with ease； and
in a perfectly natural manner。 In a very short time he was out of
sight； and I have no doubt he reached home in safety。 Puss； who
seemed in a great measure recovered from her illness； now made a
hearty meal of the dead bird and then went to sleep with much
apparent satisfaction。 Her kittens were quite lively； and so far
evinced not the slightest sign of any uneasiness whatever。
〃At a quarter…past eight； being no longer able to draw breath without
the most intolerable pain； I proceeded forthwith to adjust around the
car the apparatus belonging to the condenser。 This apparatus will
require some little explanation； and your Excellencies will please to
bear in mind that my object； in the first place； was to surround
myself and cat entirely with a barricade against the highly rarefied
atmosphere in which I was