the dominion of the air-第15部分

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uously　strove　to　keep　it　down；　and　at　last　the　former　party　prevailed；　and　the　balloon；　being　fairly　cast　into　the　air；　grazed　a　neighbouring　chimney　and　then　plunged　into　an　adjacent　plot；　not；　however；　before　the　distracted　traveller　had　flung　away　all　his　little　stock　of　sand。　　There　now　was　brief　opportunity　for　free　action；　and　to　the　first　bystander　who　came　running　up　Wise　gave　the　task　of　holding　the　car　in　check。　　To　the　next　he　handed　out　his　instruments；　his　coat；　and　also　his　boots；　hoping　thus　to　get　away；　but　his　chance　had　not　yet　come；　for　once　again　the　crowd　swarmed　round　him；　keeping　him　prisoner　with　good…natured　but　mistaken　interference；　and　drowning　his　voice　with　excited　shouting。　　Somehow；　by　word　and　gesture；　he　gave　his　persecutors　to　understand　that　he　wished　to　speak；　and　then　he　begged　them　only　to　give　him　a　chance；　whereupon　the　crowd　fell　back；　forming　a　ring；　and　leaving　only　one　man　holding　the　car。　　It　was　a　moment　of　suspense；　for　Wise　calculated　that　he　had　only　parted　with　some　eighteen　pounds　since　his　first　ineffectual　start　from　the　filling　ground；　but　it　was　enough；　and　in　another　moment　he　was　sailing　up　clear　above　the　crowd。　　So　great；　as　has　been　already　shewn；　is　often　the　effect　of　parting　with　the　last　few　pounds　of　dead　weight　in　a　well…balanced　balloon。

Such　was　the　first　〃send　off〃　of　the　future　great　balloonist；　destined　to　become　the　pioneer　in　aeronautics　on　the　far　side　of　the　Atlantic。　　The　balloon　ascended　to　upwards　of　a　mile；　floating　gradually　away；　but　at　its　highest　point　it　reached　a　conflict　of　currents；　causing　eddies　from　which　Wise　escaped　by　a　slight　decrease　of　weight；　effected　by　merely　cutting　away　the　wreaths　of　flowers　that　were　tied　about　his　car。　　A　further　small　substitute　for　ballast　he　extemporised　in　the　metal　tube　inserted　in　the　neck　of　his　fabric；　and　this　he　cast　out　when　over　the　breadth　of　the　Delaware；　and　he　describes　it　as　falling　with　a　rustling　sound；　and　striking　the　water　with　a　splash　plainly　heard　at　more　than　a　mile　in　the　sky。　　After　an　hour　and　a　quarter　the　balloon　spontaneously　and　steadily　settled　to　earth。

An　ascent　carried　out　later　in　the　same　summer　led　to　a　mishap；　which　taught　the　young　aeronaut　an　all…important　lesson。　　Using　the　same　balloon　and　the　same　mode　of　inflation；　he　got　safely　and　satisfactorily　away　from　his　station　in　the　town　of　Lebanon；　Pa。；　and　soon　found　himself　over　a　toll　gate　in　the　open　country；　where　the　gate　keeper　in　banter　called　up　to　him　for　his　due。　　To　this　summons　Wise；　with　heedless　alacrity；　responded　in　a　manner　which　might　well　have　cost　him　dear。　　He　threw　out　a　bag　of　sand　to　represent　his　toll；　and；　though　he　estimated　this　at　only　six　pounds；　it　so　greatly　accelerated　his　ascent　that　he　shortly　found　himself　at　a　greater　altitude　than　he　ever　after　attained。　　He　passed　through　mist　into　upper　sunshine；　where　he　experienced　extreme　cold　and　ear…ache；　at　which　time；　seeking　the　natural　escape　from　such　trouble；　he　found　to　his　dismay　that　the　valve　rope　was　out　of　reach。　　Thus　he　was　compelled　to　allow　the　balloon　to　ascend　yet　higher；　at　its　own　will；　and　then　a　terrible　event　happened。

By　mischance　the　neck　of　his　balloon；　which　should　have　been　open；　was　out　of　reach　and　folded　inwards　in　such　a　way　as　to　prevent　the　free　escape　of　the　gas；　which；　at　this　great　altitude；　struggled　for　egress　with　a　loud　humming　noise；　giving　him　apprehensions　of　an　accident　which　very　shortly　occurred；　namely；　the　bursting　of　the　lower　part　of　his　balloon　with　a　loud　report。　　It　happened；　however；　that　no　extreme　loss　of　gas　ensued；　and　he　commenced　descending　with　a　speed　which；　though　considerable；　was　not　very　excessive。　　Still；　he　was　eager　to　alight　in　safety；　until　a　chance　occurrence　made　him　a　second　time　that　afternoon　guilty　of　an　act　of　boyish　impetuosity。　　A　party　of　volunteers　firing　a　salute　in　his　honour　as　he　neared　the　ground；　he　instantly　flung　out　papers；　ballast；　anything　he　could　lay　his　hands　on；　and　once　again　soared　to　a　great　height　with　his　damaged　balloon。　　He　could　then　do　no　more；　and　presently　subsiding　to　earth　again；　he　acquired　the　welcome　knowledge　that　even　in　such　precarious　circumstances　a　balloon　may　make　a　long　fall　with　safety　to　its　freight。

Mr。　Wise's　zeal　and　indomitable　spirit　of　enterprise　led　to　speedy　developments　of　the　art　which　he　had　espoused；　the　road　to　success　being　frequently　pointed　out　by　failure　or　mishap。　　He　quickly　discarded　the　linen　balloon　for　one　of　silk　on　which　he　tried　a　new　varnish　composed　of　linseed　oil　and　india…rubber；　and；　dressing　several　gores　with　this；　he　rolled　them　up　and　left　them　through　a　night　in　a　drying　loft；　with　the　result　that　the　next　day　they　were　disintegrated　and　on　the　point　of　bursting　into　flame　by　spontaneous　combustion。　　Fresh　silk　and　other　varnish　were　then　tried；　but　with　indifferent　success。　　Next　he　endeavoured　to　dispense　with　sewing；　and　united　the　gores　of　yet　another　balloon　by　the　mere　adhesiveness　of　the　varnish　and　application　of　a　hot　iron。　　This　led　to　a　gaping　seam　developing　at　the　moment　of　an　ascent；　and　then　there　followed　a　hasty　and　hazardous　descent　on　a　house…top　and　an　exciting　rescue　by　a　gentleman　who　appeared　opportunely　at　a　third　storey　window。　　Further；　another　balloon　had　been　destroyed；　and　Wise　badly　burned；　at　a　descent；　owing　to　a　naked　light　having　been　brought　near　the　escaping　gas。　　It　is　then　without　wonder　that　we　find　him　after　this　temporarily　bankrupt；　and　resorting　to　his　skill　in　instrument…making　to　recover　his　fortunes。　　Only；　however；　for　a　few　months；　after　which　he　is　before　the　public　once　more　as　a　professional　aeronaut。　　He　now　adopts　coal　gas　for　inflation；　and　incidents　of　an　impressive　nature　crowd　into　his　career；　forcing　important　facts　upon　him。　　The　special　characteristics　of　his　own　country　present　peculiar　difficulties；　broad　rivers　and　vast　forests　become　serious　obstacles。　　He　is　caught　in　the　embrace　of　a　whirlwind；　he　narrowly　escapes　falling　into　a　forest　fire；　he　is　precipitated；　but　harmlessly；　into　a　pine　wood。　　Among　other　experiments；　he　makes　a　small　copy　of　Mr。　Cocking's　parachute；　and　drops　it　to　earth　with　a　cat　as　passenger；　proving　thereby　that　that　unfortunate　gentleman's　principle　was　really　less　in　fault　than　the　actual　slenderness　of　the　material　used　in　his　machine。

We　now　approach　one　of　Wise's　boldest；　and　at　the　same　time　most　valuable；　experiments。　　It　was　the　summer　of　1839；　and　once　again　the　old　trouble　of　spontaneous　combustion　had　destroyed　a　silk　balloon　which　was　to　have　ascended　at　Easton；　Pa。　　Undeterred；　however；　Wise　resolutely　advertised　a　fresh　attempt；　and；　with　only　a　clear　month　before　the　engagement；　determined　on　hastily　rigging　up　a　cambric　muslin　balloon；　soaking　it　in　linseed　oil　and　essaying　the　best　exhibition　that　this　improvised　experiment　could　afford。　　It　was　intended　to　become　a　memorable　one；　inasmuch　as；　should　he　meet　with　no　hindrance；　his　determination　was　nothing　less　than　that　of　bursting　this　balloon　at　a　great　height；　having　firmly　convinced　himself　that　the　machine　in　these　circumstances　would　form　itself　into　a　natural　parachute；　and　bring　him　to　earth　with　every　chance　in　favour　of　safety。　　In　his　own　words；　〃Scientific　calculations　were　on　his　side　with　a　certainty　as　great　and　principles　as　comprehensive　as　that　a　pocket…handkerchief　will　not　fall　as　rapidly　to　the　ground　when　thrown　out　of　a　third　storey　window　as　will　a　brick。〃

His　balloon　was　specially　contrived　for　the　experiment　in　hand；　having　cords　sewn　to　the　upper　parts　of　its　seams；　and　then　led　down　through　the　neck；　where　they　were　secured　within　reach；　their　office　being　that　of　rending　the　whole　head　of　the　balloon　should　this　be　desired。　　On　this　occasion　a　cat　and　a　dog　were　taken　up；　one　of　these　being　let　fall　from　a　height　of　2；000　feet　in　a　Cocking's　parachute；　and　landing　in　safety；　the　other　being　similarly　dismissed　at　an　altitude　of　4；000　feet　in　an　oiled　silk　balloon　made　in　the　form　of　a　collapsed　balloon；　which；　after　falling　a　little　distance；　expanded　sufficiently　to　allow　of　its　descending　with　a　safe　though　somewhat　vibratory　motion。　　Its　behaviour；　at　any　rate；　fully　determined　Wise　on　carrying　out　his　own　experiment。

Being　constructed　entirely　for　the　main　object　in　view；　the　balloon　had　no　true　opening　in　the　neck　beyond　an　orifice　of　about　an　inch；　and　by　the　time　a　height　of　13；000　feet　had　been　reached　the　gas　was　streaming　violently　through　this　small　hole；　the　entire　globe　being　expanded　nearly　to　bursting　point；　and　the　cords　designed　for　rending　the　balloon　very　tense。　　At　this　critical　period　Wise　owns　to　having　experienced　considerable　nervous　excitement；　and　observing　far　down　a　thunderstorm　in　progress　he　began　to　waver　in　his　mind；　and　inclined　towards　relieving　the　balloon　of　its　strain；　and　so　abandoning　his　experiment；　at　least　for　the　present。　　He　remembers　pulling　out　his　watch　to　make　a　note　of　the　hour；　and；　while　thus　occupied；　the　straining　cords；　growing　tenser　every　moment；　suddenly　took　charge　of　the　experiment　and　burst　the　balloon　of　their　own　accord。　　The　gas　now　rushed　from　the　huge　rent　above　tumultuously　and　in　some　ten　seconds　had　entirely　escaped；　causing　the　balloon　to　descend　rapidly；　until　the　lower　part　of　the　muslin；　doubling　in　upwards；　formed　a　species　of　parachute　after　the　manner　intended。　　The　balloon　now　came　down　with　zig…zag　descent；　and　finally　the　car；　striking　the　earth　obliquely；　tossed　its　occupant　out　into　a　field　unharmed。　　Shortly　after　this　Wise　experimented　with　further　success　with　an　exploded　balloon。

It　is　not　a　little　remarkable　that　this　pioneer　of　aeronautics　in　Americana　contemporary　of　Charles　Green　in　England；　but　working　and　investigating　single…handed　on　perfectly　independent　linesshould　have　arrived　at　the　same　conclusions　as　did　Green　himself　as　to　the　possibility；　which；　in　his　opinion；　amounted　to　a　certainty；　of　being　able　to　cross　the　Atlantic　by　balloon　if　only　adequate　funds　were　forth…coming。　　So　intent　was　he　on　his　bold　scheme　that；　in　the　summer　of　1843；　he　handed　to　the　Lancaster　Intelligencer　a　proclamation；　which　he　desired　might　be　conveyed　to　all　publishers　of　newspapers　on　the　globe。　　It　contained；　amo