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myself and cat entirely with a barricade against the highly rarefied
atmosphere in which I was existing； with the intention of introducing
within this barricade； by means of my condenser； a quantity of this
same atmosphere sufficiently condensed for the purposes of
respiration。 With this object in view I had prepared a very strong
perfectly air…tight； but flexible gum…elastic bag。 In this bag； which
was of sufficient dimensions； the entire car was in a manner placed。
That is to say； it （the bag） was drawn over the whole bottom of the
car； up its sides； and so on； along the outside of the ropes； to the
upper rim or hoop where the net…work is attached。 Having pulled the
bag up in this way； and formed a complete enclosure on all sides； and
at botttom； it was now necessary to fasten up its top or mouth； by
passing its material over the hoop of the net…work in other words；
between the net…work and the hoop。 But if the net…work were separated
from the hoop to admit this passage； what was to sustain the car in
the meantime？ Now the net…work was not permanently fastened to the
hoop； but attached by a series of running loops or nooses。 I
therefore undid only a few of these loops at one time； leaving the
car suspended by the remainder。 Having thus inserted a portion of the
cloth forming the upper part of the bag； I refastened the loops
not to the hoop； for that would have been impossible； since the cloth
now intervened but to a series of large buttons； affixed to the
cloth itself； about three feet below the mouth of the bag； the
intervals between the buttons having been made to correspond to the
intervals between the loops。 This done； a few more of the loops were
unfastened from the rim； a farther portion of the cloth introduced；
and the disengaged loops then connected with their proper buttons。 In
this way it was possible to insert the whole upper part of the bag
between the net…work and the hoop。 It is evident that the hoop would
now drop down within the car； while the whole weight of the car
itself； with all its contents； would be held up merely by the
strength of the buttons。 This； at first sight； would seem an
inadequate dependence； but it was by no means so； for the buttons
were not only very strong in themselves； but so close together that a
very slight portion of the whole weight was supported by any one of
them。 Indeed； had the car and contents been three times heavier than
they were； I should not have been at all uneasy。 I now raised up the
hoop again within the covering of gum…elastic； and propped it at
nearly its former height by means of three light poles prepared for
the occasion。 This was done； of course； to keep the bag distended at
the top； and to preserve the lower part of the net…work in its proper
situation。 All that now remained was to fasten up the mouth of the
enclosure； and this was readily accomplished by gathering the folds
of the material together； and twisting them up very tightly on the
inside by means of a kind of stationary tourniquet。
〃In the sides of the covering thus adjusted round the car； had been
inserted three circular panes of thick but clear glass； through which
I could see without difficulty around me in every horizontal
direction。 In that portion of the cloth forming the bottom； was
likewise； a fourth window； of the same kind； and corresponding with a
small aperture in the floor of the car itself。 This enabled me to see
perpendicularly down； but having found it impossible to place any
similar contrivance overhead； on account of the peculiar manner of
closing up the opening there； and the consequent wrinkles in the
cloth； I could expect to see no objects situated directly in my
zenith。 This； of course； was a matter of little consequence； for had
I even been able to place a window at top； the balloon itself would
have prevented my making any use of it。
〃About a foot below one of the side windows was a circular opening；
eight inches in diameter； and fitted with a brass rim adapted in its
inner edge to the windings of a screw。 In this rim was screwed the
large tube of the condenser； the body of the machine being； of
course； within the chamber of gum…elastic。 Through this tube a
quantity of the rare atmosphere circumjacent being drawn by means of
a vacuum created in the body of the machine； was thence discharged；
in a state of condensation； to mingle with the thin air already in
the chamber。 This operation being repeated several times； at length
filled the chamber with atmosphere proper for all the purposes of
respiration。 But in so confined a space it would； in a short time；
necessarily become foul； and unfit for use from frequent contact with
the lungs。 It was then ejected by a small valve at the bottom of the
car the dense air readily sinking into the thinner atmosphere
below。 To avoid the inconvenience of making a total vacuum at any
moment within the chamber； this purification was never accomplished
all at once； but in a gradual manner the valve being opened only
for a few seconds； then closed again； until one or two strokes from
the pump of the condenser had supplied the place of the atmosphere
ejected。 For the sake of experiment I had put the cat and kittens in
a small basket； and suspended it outside the car to a button at the
bottom； close by the valve； through which I could feed them at any
moment when necessary。 I did this at some little risk； and before
closing the mouth of the chamber； by reaching under the car with one
of the poles before mentioned to which a hook had been attached。
〃By the time I had fully completed these arrangements and filled the
chamber as explained； it wanted only ten minutes of nine o'clock。
During the whole period of my being thus employed； I endured the most
terrible distress from difficulty of respiration； and bitterly did I
repent the negligence or rather fool…hardiness； of which I had been
guilty； of putting off to the last moment a matter of so much
importance。 But having at length accomplished it； I soon began to
reap the benefit of my invention。 Once again I breathed with perfect
freedom and ease and indeed why should I not？ I was also agreeably
surprised to find myself； in a great measure； relieved from the
violent pains which had hitherto tormented me。 A slight headache；
accompanied with a sensation of fulness or distention about the
wrists； the ankles； and the throat； was nearly all of which I had now
to complain。 Thus it seemed evident that a greater part of the
uneasiness attending the removal of atmospheric pressure had actually
worn off； as I had expected； and that much of the pain endured for
the last two hours should have been attributed altogether to the
effects of a deficient respiration。
〃At twenty minutes before nine o'clock that is to say； a short
time prior to my closing up the mouth of the chamber； the mercury
attained its limit； or ran down； in the barometer； which； as I
mentioned before； was one of an extended construction。 It then
indicated an altitude on my part of 132；000 feet； or five…and…twenty
miles； and I consequently surveyed at that time an extent of the
earth's area amounting to no less than the three
hundred…and…twentieth part of its entire superficies。 At nine o'clock
I had again lost sight of land to the eastward； but not before I
became aware that the balloon was drifting rapidly to the N。 N。 W。
The convexity of the ocean beneath me was very evident indeed；
although my view was often interrupted by the masses of cloud which
floated to and fro。 I observed now that even the lightest vapors
never rose to more than ten miles above the level of the sea。
〃At half past nine I tried the experiment of throwing out a handful
of feathers through the valve。 They did not float as I had expected；
but dropped down perpendicularly； like a bullet； en masse； and with
the greatest velocity being out of sight in a very few seconds。 I
did not at first know what to make of this extraordinary phenomenon；
not being able to believe that my rate of ascent had； of a sudden；
met with so prodigious an acceleration。 But it soon occurred to me
that the atmosphere was now far too rare to sustain even the
feathers； that they actually fell； as they appeared to do； with great
rapidity； and that I had been surprised by the united velocities of
their descent and my own elevation。
〃By ten o'clock I found that I had very little to occupy my immediate
attention。 Affairs went swimmingly； and I believed the balloon to be
going upward witb a speed increasing momently although I had no
longer any means of ascertaining the progression of the increase。 I
suffered no pain or uneasiness of any kind； and enjoyed better
spirits than I had at any period since my departure from Rotterdam；
busying myself now in examining the state of my various apparatus；
and now in regenerating the atmosphere within the chamber。 This
latter point I determined to attend to at regular intervals of forty
minutes； more on account of the preservation of my health； than from
so frequent a renovation being absolutely necessary。 I