ive that the Cape of Good Hope was just heaving
in sight. I was enabled to form a very good idea of the structure of the
globe, for at that immense height I could see to the very bottom of the
Atlantic Ocean. Depend upon it, your highness, if you wish to discover
more than other people can, it is necessary to be "up in the clouds."

* * * * *

"Very true," replied the pacha, "but go on."

I was very much interested in the chemical process of turning the salt
water into fresh, which was going on with great rapidity while I was
there. Perhaps your highness would like me to explain it, as it will not
occupy your attention more than an hour.

"No, no, skip that, Huckaback, and go on."

* * * * *

But as soon as I had gratified my curiosity, I began to be alarmed at my
situation, not so much on account of the means of supporting existence,
for there was more than sufficient.

* * * * *

"More that sufficient! Why, what could you have to eat?"

* * * * *

Plenty of fresh fish, your highness, which had been taken up in the
column of water at the same time I was, and the fresh water already lay
in little pools around me. But the cold was dreadful, and I felt that I
could not support it many hours longer, and how to get down again was a
problem which I could not solve.

It was however soon solved for me, for the cloud having completed its
chemical labours, descended as rapidly as it had risen, and joined many
others, that were engaged in sharp conflict. As I beheld them darting
against each other, and discharging the electric fluid in the violence
of their collision, I was filled with trepidation and dismay, lest,
meeting an adversary, I should be hurled into the abyss below, or be
withered by the artillery of heaven. But I was fortunate enough to
escape. The cloud which bore me descended to within a hundred yards of
the earth, and then was hurried along by the wind with such velocity and
noise, that I perceived we were assisting at a hurricane.

As we neared the earth, the cloud, unable to resist the force of its
attraction, was compelled to deliver up its burthen, and down I fell,
with such torrents of water, that it reminded me of the deluge. The
tornado was now in all its strength. The wind roared and shrieked in its
wild fury, and such was its force that I fell in an acute angle.