ed in the high region to
which we had ascended, the weariness and hunger arising from my having
neglected to take nourishment for twenty-four hours, the vexation
that embittered my spirit--all these combined produced in me a total
prostration, and I fell upon the floor of the gallery in a profound
sleep that was like death. 'The same misfortune overtook my companion
Grassetti. Andreoli was the only one who remained awake and able for
duty--no doubt because he had taken plenty of food and a large quantity
of rum. Still he suffered from the cold, which was excessive, and his
endeavours to wake me were for a long time vain. Finally, however, he
succeeded in getting me to my feet, but my ideas were confused, and I
demanded of him, like one newly awaking from a dream, 'What is the news?
Where are we? What time is it? How is the wind?'

"It was two o'clock. The compass had been broken, and was useless; the
wax light in the lantern would not burn in such a rarefied atmosphere.
We descended gently across a thick layer of whitish clouds, and when
we had got below them, Andreoli heard a sound, muffled and almost
inaudible, which he immediately recognised as the breaking of waves in
the distance. Instantly he announced to me this new and fearful danger.
I listened, and had not long to wait before I was convinced that he was
speaking the truth. It was necessary to have light to examine the state
of the barometer, and thus ascertain what was our elevation above the
sea level, and to take our measures in consequence. Andreoli broke five
phosphoric matches, without getting a spark of fire. Nevertheless, we
succeeded, after very great difficulty, by the help of the flint
and steel, in lighting the lantern. It was now three o'clock in the
morning--we had started at midnight. The sound of the waves, tossing
with wild uproar, became louder and louder, and I suddenly saw the
surface of the sea violently agitated just below us. I immediately
seized a large sack of sand, but had not time to throw it over before we
were all in the water, gallery and all. In the first moment of fright,
we threw into the sea everything that would lighten the balloon--our
ballast, all our instruments, a portion of our clothing, our money, and
the oars. As, in spite of all this, the balloon did not rise, we threw
over our lamp also. After having torn and cut away everything that did
not appear to us to be of indispensable necessity, the balloon, thus
very much li