mall bottle of
the air at this elevation, I asked my companion to reduce the fire. We
descended 1,800 feet, and at this height I filled another bottle with
air.

"Afterwards we felt the refreshing breath of a slight breeze, which
carried us gently toward the south-east. In six minutes we had run
18,000 feet. Then, having only sufficient fuel to enable us to choose
the place of our descent, we considered whether we should not bring our
aerial voyage to a termination. We had neither lake nor forest to fear,
and we were secure against danger from fire, as we could detach the
grating at some distance from the earth. At fifty-eight minutes past
eight all our fuel was exhausted, except two bundles of straw, of
four pounds each, which we reserved for our descent. The balloon came
gradually down, and terrestrial objects began again to resume their
proper forms and dimensions. The animals fled at the sight of our
balloon, which seemed likely to crush them in its fall. Horsemen were
obliged to dismount and lead their frightened horses. Terrified by such
an unwonted sight, the labourers in the fields abandoned their work. We
were not more than 600 feet from the earth. We threw on the two bundles
of straw, but still gradually descended. The grating was then detached,
and I had no difficulty in leaping to the ground. But now a most
surprising and unlooked-for event happened. M. Louchet had not been able
to descend at the same moment as myself, and the balloon, now free from
my weight, immediately re-ascended with the speed of a bird, bearing
away my companion. I followed him with my eyes, and it was to my
agreeable surprise that I heard him crying to me, 'All is well; fear
not!' though it was not without a species of jealousy that I saw him
mounting up to the height of 1,400 or 1,500 feet. The balloon, after
having run a distance of 3,600 feet in a horizontal direction, began
gently to descend at four minutes past nine, at the village of Inieres,
after having travelled 42,000 feet from the point of departure. When it
had touched the ground it bumped up again two or three feet. M. Louchet
jumped out, and seized one of the ropes, but had much difficulty in
holding the balloon in hand. He cried to the frightened peasants to come
and help him. But they seemed to regard him as a dangerous magician,
or as a monster, and they feared to touch the ropes lest they might be
swallowed up by the balloon. Soon afterwards I came to the rescue. The