Up in the Clouds | Page 7

they determined to have the experiment repeated, set a subscription on
foot, and appointed a scientific man named Charles, and two brothers
of the name of Robert, to construct a balloon. This they did, but instead
of applying the Montgolfier motive power--heated air--they used
hydrogen gas, procured by the action of diluted sulphuric acid upon
iron filings. Their balloon, which was made of thin silk, varnished with
a solution of elastic gum, was a much nearer approach to the balloon of
modern days than that of Montgolfier. It was a great success; it rose
and remained suspended at a height of 100 feet, in which state it was
conveyed with acclamation to the Place des Victoires, where it rested
and underwent some repairs. At midnight it was conveyed in solemn
procession by torchlight, and guarded by a detachment of horse, to the
Champ de Mars, where, on the following day, the whole world of Paris
turned out to witness another ascent. The balloon went up to the sound
of cannon, and in two minutes reached a height of 3000 feet, when it
was lost for a time in a dark cloud, but speedily reappeared still higher.
After a flight of fifteen miles, performed in three-quarters of an hour, it
sunk to the ground in a field near Ecouen, where it was secured by the
peasants.
The Parisians now appeared to become balloon-mad. The Royal
Academy of Sciences invited Joseph Montgolfier to repeat his
experiments, and another balloon was prepared by him of coarse linen
with a paper lining, which, however, was destroyed by incessant and
violent rain before it could be tried. Undeterred by this, another was
constructed by him, which ascended from Versailles on the 19th of
September 1783.
This balloon deserves peculiar notice as being the first which carried up
living creatures. A sheep, a cockerel, and a duck, were the first
aeronauts! They ascended to a height of about 1500 feet; remained
suspended for a time, and descended some two miles off in perfect
safety--indeed we may say in perfect comfort, for the sheep was
discovered to be quietly feeding when it returned to the earth!
The practicability of ballooning being now fairly established, men soon

began to venture their own persons in the frail cars. A young and
enthusiastic naturalist named Rozier leaped into the car of another of
Montgolfier's balloons soon after this, and ascended in safety to an
elevation of about 300 feet, but on this occasion the balloon was held
down by ropes. The ice, however, was broken, and bolder attempts
quickly followed.
CHAPTER THREE.
EARLY ATTEMPTS AT AERIAL NAVIGATION.
The first free and unfettered balloon voyage was performed very soon
after the event mentioned at the end of the last chapter. It was a daring
attempt, and attended with great danger.
A balloon made by Montgolfier was used. It was 75 feet high, 45 feet
wide, and spheroidal in form--heated air being the motive power. The
bold aeronauts, on this occasion, were the naturalist Rozier and the
Marquis d'Arlandes, a major of infantry. From the gardens of the
Chateau of Muetta they ascended on the 21st November 1783.
In the car there was a quantity of ballast, and a provision of straw to
feed the fire. The balloon mounted at first with a majestic steady
motion, gazed at in breathless wonder by thousands of spectators, who
assembled not only in the neighbourhood of the Chateau, but clustered
on every point of vantage in Paris.
When the daring voyagers reached a considerable height, they took off
their hats and waved them to their friends below, and the multitude--
realising, perhaps, that that which in former ages had been deemed the
dream of visionaries, was at last an accomplished fact--responded with
enthusiastic acclamations until the balloon passed upwards through the
clouds and was lost to view.
It would seem that these first aeronauts were of different temperaments;
for, after they had reached a height of nearly 3000 feet, and the earth
was no longer distinguishable, the Marquis began to think that he had
seen enough of the upper regions, would fain have descended, and

murmured against his companion, who still kept feeding the fire.
Apparently his alarm was justifiable, for Rozier continued recklessly to
heap on fuel, until he almost set the balloon on fire. On hearing some
cracks from the top, and observing some holes burning in its sides, the
Marquis became so alarmed that he compelled his companion to desist,
and with wet sponges stopped the conflagration, which had actually
begun.
When the fire diminished, however, the balloon began to descend much
quicker than was safe or agreeable, and the marquis himself began to
throw fresh straw on the fire to enable them to clear the roofs of Paris.
This they did very dexterously,