ere all armed, and were determined
not to quit their places to whoever might come. Roziers, who wished at
the last to enjoy a high ascent, proposed to reduce the number to three,
and to draw lots for the purpose. But the gentlemen would not descend.
The debate became animated. The four voyagers cried to cut the ropes.
The director of the Academy, to whom application was made in this
emergency, admiring the resolution and the courage of the four
gentlemen, wished to satisfy them in their desire. Accordingly the ropes
were cut; but at that moment M. Montgolfier and Roziers threw themselves
into the gallery. At the same time a certain M. Fontaine, who had
had much to do in the construction of the machine, threw himself in,
although it had not previously been arranged that he should be of the
party. His boldness in jumping in was pardoned, on the ground of his
services and his zeal.

In going away the machine turned to the south-west, and bent a little.
A rope which dragged along the ground seemed to retard its ascent; but
some intelligent person having cut this with a hatchet, it began to
right itself and ascend. At a certain height it turned to the north
east. The wind was feeble, and the progress was slow, but the imposing
effect was indescribable. The immense machine rose into the air as by
some effect of magic. Nearly 100,000 spectators were present, and they
were greatly excited at the view. They clapped their hands and stretched
their arms towards the sky; women fainted away, or (for some reasons
best known to themselves) found relief for their excitement in tears;
while the men, uttering cries of joy, waved their handkerchiefs, and
threw their hats into the air.

The form of the machine was that of a globe, rising from a reversed and
truncated cone, to which the gallery was attached. The upper part was
white, the lower part grey; and the cone was composed of strips of stuff
of different colours. On the sides of the balloon were two paintings,
one of which represented History, the other Fame. The flag bore the arms
of the director of the Academy, and above it were inscribed the words
"Le Flesselles."

The voyagers observed that they did not consume a fourth of the quantity
of combustibles after they had risen into the air, which they consumed
when attached to the earth. They were in the gayest humour, and they
calculated that the fuel they had would keep them floating till late
in the evening. Unfortunately, howev