the works of edgar allan poe-1-第54节

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four　feet　deep。　　The　rudder　is　also　very　much　larger；　in　proportion；　
than　that　of　the　model　；　　and　the　screw　is　considerably　smaller。　　The　
balloon　is　furnished　besides　with　a　grapnel；　and　a　guide…rope　；　
which　latter　is　of　the　most　indispensable　importance。　A　few　words；　in　
explanation；　will　here　be　necessary　for　such　of　our　readers　as　are　
not　conversant　with　the　details　of　aerostation。

　　　　〃As　soon　as　the　balloon　quits　the　earth；　it　is　subjected　to　the　
influence　of　many　circumstances　tending　to　create　a　difference　in　its　
weight　；　　augmenting　or　diminishing　its　ascending　power。　　For　
example；　there　may　be　a　deposition　of　dew　upon　the　silk；　to　the　
extent；　even；　of　several　hundred　pounds　；　　ballast　has　then　to　be　
thrown　out；　or　the　machine　may　descend。　　This　ballast　being　
discarded；　and　a　clear　sunshine　evaporating　the　dew；　and　at　the　same　
time　expanding　the　gas　in　the　silk；　the　whole　will　again　rapidly　
ascend。　　To　check　this　ascent；　the　only　recourse　is；　（or　rather　
_was_；　until　Mr。　Green's　invention　of　the　guide…rope；）　the　permission　
of　the　escape　of　gas　from　the　valve　；　　but；　in　the　loss　of　gas；　is　a　
proportionate　general　loss　of　ascending　power　；　　so　that；　in　a　
comparatively　brief　period；　the　best…constructed　balloon　must　
necessarily　exhaust　all　its　resources；　and　come　to　the　earth。　　This　
was　the　great　obstacle　to　voyages　of　length。

　　　　〃The　guide…rope　remedies　the　difficulty　in　the　simplest　manner　
conceivable。　　It　is　merely　a　very　long　rope　which　is　suffered　to　
trail　from　the　car；　and　the　effect　of　which　is　to　prevent　the　balloon　
from　changing　its　level　in　any　material　degree。　　If；　for　example；　
there　should　be　a　deposition　of　moisture　upon　the　silk；　and　the　
machine　begins　to　descend　in　consequence；　there　will　be　no　necessity　
for　discharging　ballast　to　remedy　the　increase　of　weight；　for　it　is　
remedied；　or　counteracted；　in　an　exactly　just　proportion；　by　the　
deposit　on　the　ground　of　just　so　much　of　the　end　of　the　rope　as　is　
necessary。　　If；　on　the　other　hand；　any　circumstances　should　cause　
undue　levity；　and　consequent　ascent；　this　levity　is　immediately　
counteracted　by　the　additional　weight　of　rope　upraised　from　the　
earth。　　Thus；　the　balloon　can　neither　ascend　or　descend；　except　
within　very　narrow　limits；　and　its　resources；　either　in　gas　or　
ballast；　remain　comparatively　unimpaired。　When　passing　over　an　
expanse　of　water；　it　becomes　necessary　to　employ　small　kegs　of　copper　
or　wood；　filled　with　liquid　ballast　of　a　lighter　nature　than　water。　
These　float；　and　serve　all　the　purposes　of　a　mere　rope　on　land。　
Another　most　important　office　of　the　guide…rope；　is　to　point　out　the　
_direction_　of　the　balloon。　　The　rope　_drags_；　either　on　land　or　sea；　
while　the　balloon　is　free　；　　the　latter；　consequently；　is　always　in　
advance；　when　any　progress　whatever　is　made　：　　a　comparison；　
therefore；　by　means　of　the　compass；　of　the　relative　positions　of　the　
two　objects；　will　always　indicate　the　_course_。　　In　the　same　way；　the　
angle　formed　by　the　rope　with　the　vertical　axis　of　the　machine；　
indicates　the　_velocity_。　　When　there　is　_no_　angle　…　in　other　words；　
when　the　rope　hangs　perpendicularly；　the　whole　apparatus　is　
stationary　；　　but　the　larger　the　angle；　that　is　to　say；　the　farther　
the　balloon　precedes　the　end　of　the　rope；　the　greater　the　velocity　；　
and　the　converse。

　　　　〃As　the　original　design　was　to　cross　the　British　Channel；　and　
alight　as　near　Paris　as　possible；　the　voyagers　had　taken　the　
precaution　to　prepare　themselves　with　passports　directed　to　all　parts　
of　the　Continent；　specifying　the　nature　of　the　expedition；　as　in　the　
case　of　the　Nassau　voyage；　and　entitling　the　adventurers　to　exemption　
from　the　usual　formalities　of　office　：　　unexpected　events；　however；　
rendered　these　passports　superfluous。

　　　　〃The　inflation　was　commenced　very　quietly　at　daybreak；　on　
Saturday　morning；　the　6th　instant；　in　the　Court…Yard　of　Weal…Vor　
House；　Mr。　Osborne's　seat；　about　a　mile　from　Penstruthal；　in　North　
Wales　；　　and　at　7　minutes　past　11；　every　thing　being　ready　for　
departure；　the　balloon　was　set　free；　rising　gently　but　steadily；　in　a　
direction　nearly　South　；　　no　use　being　made；　for　the　first　half　hour；　
of　either　the　screw　or　the　rudder。　　We　proceed　now　with　the　journal；　
as　transcribed　by　Mr。　Forsyth　from　the　joint　MSS。　　Of　Mr。　Monck　
Mason；　and　Mr。　Ainsworth。　　The　body　of　the　journal；　as　given；　is　in　
the　hand…writing　of　Mr。　Mason；　and　a　P。　　S。　　is　appended；　each　day；　
by　Mr。　Ainsworth；　who　has　in　preparation；　and　will　shortly　give　the　
public　a　more　minute；　and　no　doubt；　a　thrillingly　interesting　account　
of　the　voyage。

〃THE　JOURNAL。

　　　　〃_Saturday；　April　the　6th_。　　…　Every　preparation　likely　to　
embarrass　us；　having　been　made　over　night；　we　commenced　the　inflation　
this　morning　at　daybreak　；　　but　owing　to　a　thick　fog；　which　
encumbered　the　folds　of　the　silk　and　rendered　it　unmanageable；　we　did　
not　get　through　before　nearly　eleven　o'clock。　　Cut　loose；　then；　in　
high　spirits；　and　rose　gently　but　steadily；　with　a　light　breeze　at　
North；　which　bore　us　in　the　direction　of　the　British　Channel。　　Found　
the　ascending　force　greater　than　we　had　expected　；　　and　as　we　arose　
higher　and　so　got　clear　of　the　cliffs；　and　more　in　the　sun's　rays；　
our　ascent　became　very　rapid。　　I　did　not　wish；　however；　to　lose　gas　
at　so　early　a　period　of　the　adventure；　and　so　concluded　to　ascend　for　
the　present。　　We　soon　ran　out　our　guide…rope　；　　but　even　when　we　had　
raised　it　clear　of　the　earth；　we　still　went　up　very　rapidly。　　The　
balloon　was　unusually　steady；　and　looked　beautifully。　　In　about　ten　
minutes　after　starting；　the　barometer　indicated　an　altitude　of　15；000　
feet。　　The　weather　was　remarkably　fine；　and　the　view　of　the　subjacent　
country　…　a　most　romantic　one　when　seen　from　any　point；　…　was　now　
especially　sublime。　The　numerous　deep　gorges　presented　the　appearance　
of　lakes；　on　account　of　the　dense　vapors　with　which　they　were　filled；　
and　the　pinnacles　and　crags　to　the　South　East；　piled　in　inextricable　
confusion；　resembling　nothing　so　much　as　the　giant　cities　of　eastern　
fable。　　We　were　rapidly　approaching　the　mountains　in　the　South　；　　but　
our　elevation　was　more　than　sufficient　to　enable　us　to　pass　them　in　
safety。　　In　a　few　minutes　we　soared　over　them　in　fine　style　；　　and　
Mr。　Ainsworth；　with　the　seamen；　was　surprised　at　their　apparent　want　
of　altitude　when　viewed　from　the　car；　the　tendency　of　great　elevation　
in　a　balloon　being　to　reduce　inequalities　of　the　surface　below；　to　
nearly　a　dead　level。　　At　half…past　eleven　still　proceeding　nearly　
South；　we　obtained　our　first　view　of　the　Bristol　Channel　；　　and；　in　
fifteen　minutes　afterward；　the　line　of　breakers　on　the　coast　appeared　
immediately　beneath　us；　and　we　were　fairly　out　at　sea。　　We　now　
resolved　to　let　off　enough　gas　to　bring　our　guide…rope；　with　the　
buoys　affixed；　into　the　water。　　This　was　immediately　done；　and　we　
commenced　a　gradual　descent。　　In　about　twenty　minutes　our　first　buoy　
dipped；　and　at　the　touch　of　the　second　soon　afterwards；　we　remained　
stationary　as　to　elevation。　　We　were　all　now　anxious　to　test　the　
efficiency　of　the　rudder　and　screw；　and　we　put　them　both　into　
requisition　forthwith；　for　the　purpose　of　altering　our　direction　more　
to　the　eastward；　and　in　a　line　for　Paris。　　By　means　of　the　rudder　we　
instantly　effected　the　necessary　change　of　direction；　and　our　course　
was　brought　nearly　at　right　angles　to　that　of　the　wind　；　　when　we　set　
in　motion　the　spring　of　the　screw；　and　were　rejoiced　to　find　it　
propel　us　readily　as　desired。　　Upon　this　we　gave　nine　hearty　cheers；　
and　dropped　in　the　sea　a　bottle；　enclosing　a　slip　of　parchment　with　a　
brief　account　of　the　principle　of　the　invention。　　Hardly；　however；　
had　we　done　with　our　rejoicings；　when　an　unforeseen　accident　occurred　
which　discouraged　us　in　no　little　degree。　　The　steel　rod　connecting　
the　spring　with　the　propeller　was　suddenly　jerked　out　of　place；　at　
the　car　end；　（by　a　swaying　of　the　car　through　some　movement　of　one　of　
the　two　seamen　we　had　taken　up；）　and　in　an　instant　hung　dangling　out　
of　reach；　from　the　pivot　of　the　axis　of　the　screw。　　While　we　were　
endeavoring　to　regain　it；　our　attention　being　completely　absorbed；　we　
became　involved　in　a　strong　current　of　wind　from　the　East；　which　bore　
us；　with　rapidly　increasing　force；　towards　the　Atlantic。　　We　soon　
found　ourselves　driving　out　to　sea　at　the　rate　of　not　less；　
certainly；　than　fifty　or　sixty　miles　an　hour；　so　that　we　came　up　with　
Cape　Clear；　at　some　forty　miles　to　our　North；　before　we　had　secured　
the　rod；　and　had　time　to　think　what　we　were　about。　　It　was　now　that　
Mr。　Ainsworth　made　an　extraordinary；　but　to　my　fancy；　a　by　no　means　
unreasonable　or　chimerical　proposition；　in　which　he　was　instantly　
seconded　by　Mr。　Holland　…　viz。：　　that　we　should　take　advantage　of　the　
strong　gale　which　bore　us　on；　and　in　place　of　beating　back　to　Paris；　
make　an　attempt　to　reach　the　coast　of　North　America。　　After　slight　
reflection　I　gave　a　willing　assent　to　this　bold　proposition；　which　
（strange　to　say）　met　with　objection　from　the　two　seamen　only。　　As　the　
stronger　party；　however；　we　overruled　their　fears；　and　kept