the dominion of the air-第29节

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ouble　in　respiration；　whilst　Mr。　Coxwell；　in　consequence　of　the　exertions　he　had　to　make；　was　breathing　with　difficulty。　　More　sand　was　now　thrown　out；　and　as　the　balloon　rose　higher　Mr。　Glaisher　states　that　he　found　some　difficulty　in　seeing　clearly。　　But　from　this　point　his　experiences　should　be　gathered　from　his　own　words：

〃About　1。52　p。m。；　or　later；　I　read　the　dry　bulb　thermometer　as　minus　five；　after　this　I　could　not　see　the　column　of　mercury　in　the　wet　bulb　thermometer；　nor　the　hands　of　the　watch；　nor　the　fine　divisions　on　any　instrument。　　I　asked　Mr。　Coxwell　to　help　me　to　read　the　instruments。　　In　consequence；　however；　of　the　rotatory　motion　of　the　balloon；　which　had　continued　without　ceasing　since　leaving　the　earth；　the　valve　line　had　become　entangled；　and　he　had　to　leave　the　car　and　mount　into　the　ring　to　readjust　it。　　I　then　looked　at　the　barometer；　and　found　its　reading　to　be　9　3/4　inches；　still　decreasing　fast；　implying　a　height　exceeding　29；000　feet。　　Shortly　after；　I　laid　my　arm　upon　the　table；　possessed　of　its　full　vigour；　but　on　being　desirous　of　using　it　I　found　it　powerlessit　must　have　lost　its　power　momentarily。　　Trying　to　move　the　other　arm；　I　found　it　powerless　also。　　Then　I　tried　to　shake　myself；　and　succeeded；　but　I　seemed　to　have　no　limbs。　　In　looking　at　the　barometer　my　head　fell　over　my　left　shoulder。　　I　struggled　and　shook　my　body　again；　but　could　not　move　my　arms。　　Getting　my　head　upright　for　an　instant　only；　it　fell　on　my　right　shoulder；　then　I　fell　backwards；　my　back　resting　against　the　side　of　the　car　and　my　head　on　its　edge。　　In　this　position　my　eyes　were　directed　to　Mr。　Coxwell　in　the　ring。　　When　I　shook　my　body　I　seemed　to　have　full　power　over　the　muscles　of　the　back；　and　considerably　so　over　those　of　the　neck；　but　none　over　either　my　arms　or　my　legs。　　As　in　the　case　of　the　arms；　so　all　muscular　power　was　lost　in　an　instant　from　my　back　and　neck。　　I　dimly　saw　Mr。　Coxwell；　and　endeavoured　to　speak；　but　could　not。　　In　an　instant　intense　darkness　overcame　me；　so　that　the　optic　nerve　lost　power　suddenly；　but　I　was　still　conscious；　with　as　active　a　brain　as　at　the　present　moment　whilst　writing　this。　　I　thought　I　had　been　seized　with　asphyxia；　and　believed　I　should　experience　nothing　more；　as　death　would　come　unless　we　speedily　descended。　　Other　thoughts　were　entering　my　mind　when　I　suddenly　became　unconscious；　as　on　going　to　sleep。　　I　cannot　tell　anything　of　the　sense　of　hearing；　as　no　sound　reaches　the　ear　to　break　the　perfect　stillness　and　silence　of　the　regions　between　six　and　seven　miles　above　the　earth。　　My　last　observation　was　made　at　1。54　p。m。；　above　29；000　feet。　　I　suppose　two　or　three　minutes　to　have　elapsed　between　my　eyes　becoming　insensible　to　seeing　fine　divisions　and　1。54　p。m。；　and　then　two　or　three　minutes　more　to　have　passed　till　I　was　insensible；　which　I　think；　therefore；　took　place　about　1。56　p。m。　or　1。57　p。m。

〃Whilst　powerless；　I　heard　the　words　'Temperature'　and　'Observation；'　and　I　knew　Mr。　Coxwell　was　in　the　car　speaking　to　and　endeavouring　to　rouse　metherefore　consciousness　and　hearing　had　returned。　　I　then　heard　him　speak　more　emphatically；　but　could　not　see；　speak；　or　move。　　I　heard　him　again　say；　'Do　try；　now　do！'　　Then　the　instruments　became　dimly　visible；　then　Mr。　Coxwell；　and　very　shortly　I　saw　clearly。　　Next；　I　arose　in　my　seat　and　looked　around；　as　though　waking　from　sleep；　though　not　refreshed；　and　said　to　Mr。　Coxwell；　'I　have　been　insensible。'　　He　said；　'You　have；　and　I　too；　very　nearly。'　　I　then　drew　up　my　legs；　which　had　been　extended；　and　took　a　pencil　in　my　hand　to　begin　observations。　　Mr。　Coxwell　told　me　that　he　had　lost　the　use　of　his　hands；　which　were　black；　and　I　poured　brandy　over　them。〃

Mr。　Glaisher　considers　that　he　must　have　been　totally　insensible　for　a　period　of　about　seven　minutes；　at　the　end　of　which　time　the　water　reserved　for　the　wet　bulb　thermometer；　which　he　had　carefully　kept　from　freezing；　had　become　a　solid　block　of　ice。　　Mr。　Coxwell's　hands　had　become　frostbitten；　so　that；　being　in　the　ring　and　desirous　of　coming　to　his　friend's　assistance；　he　was　forced　to　rest　his　arms　on　the　ring　and　drop　down。　　Even　then；　the　table　being　in　the　way；　he　was　unable　to　approach；　and；　feeling　insensibility　stealing　over　himself；　he　became　anxious　to　open　the　valve。　　〃But　in　consequence　of　having　lost　the　use　of　his　hands　he　could　not　do　this。　　Ultimately　he　succeeded　by　seizing　the　cord　in　his　teeth　and　dipping　his　head　two　or　three　times　until　the　balloon　took　a　decided　turn　downwards。〃　　Mr。　Glaisher　adds　that　no　inconvenience　followed　his　insensibility；　and　presently　dropping　in　a　country　where　no　conveyance　of　any　kind　could　be　obtained；　he　was　able　to　walk　between　seven　and　eight　miles。

The　interesting　question　of　the　actual　height　attained　is　thus　discussed　by　Mr。　Glaisher：〃I　have　already　said　that　my　last　observation　was　made　at　a　height　of　29；000　feet。　　At　this　time；　1。54　p。m。；　we　were　ascending　at　the　rate　of　1；000　feet　per　minute；　and　when　I　resumed　observations　we　were　descending　at　the　rate　of　2；000　feet　per　minute。　　These　two　positions　must　be　connected；　taking　into　account　the　interval　of　time　between；　namely；　thirteen　minutes；　and　on　these　considerations　the　balloon　must　have　attained　the　altitude　of　36；000　or　37；000　feet。　　Again；　a　very　delicate　minimum　thermometer　read　minus　11。9；　and　this　would　give　a　height　of　37；000　feet。　　Mr。　Coxwell；　on　coming　from　the　ring；　noticed　that　the　centre　of　the　aneroid　barometer；　its　blue　hand；　and　a　rope　attached　to　the　car；　were　all　in　the　same　straight　line；　and　this　gave　a　reading　of　seven　inches；　and　leads　to　the　same　result。　　Therefore；　these　independent　means　all　lead　to　about　the　same　elevation；　namely；　fully　seven　miles。〃

So　far　we　have　followed　Mr。　Glaisher's　account　only；　but　Mr。　Coxwell　has　added　testimony　of　his　own　to　this　remarkable　adventure；　which　renders　the　narrative　more　complete。　　He　speaks　of　the　continued　rotation　of　the　balloon　and　the　necessity　for　mounting　into　the　ring　to　get　possession　of　the　valve　line。　　〃I　had　previously；〃　he　adds；　〃taken　off　a　thick　pair　of　gloves　so　as　to　be　the　better　able　to　manipulate　the　sand…bags；　and　the　moment　my　unprotected　hands　rested　on　the　ring；　which　retained　the　temperature　of　the　air；　I　found　that　they　were　frost…bitten；　but　I　did　manage　to　bring　down　with　me　the　valve　line；　after　noticing　the　hand　of　the　aneroid　barometer；　and　it　was　not　long　before　I　succeeded　in　opening　the　shutters　in　the　way　described　by　Mr。　Glaisher。。。。　Again；　on　letting　off　more　gas；　I　perceived　that　the　lower　part　of　the　balloon　was　rapidly　shrinking；　and　I　heard　a　sighing；　as　if　it　were　in　the　network　and　the　ruffled　surface　of　the　cloth。　　I　then　looked　round；　although　it　seemed　advisable　to　let　off　more　gas；　to　see　if　I　could　in　any　way　assist　Mr。　Glaisher；　but　the　table　of　instruments　blocked　the　way；　and　I　could　not；　with　disabled　hands；　pass　beneath。　　My　last　hope；　then；　was　in　seeking　the　restorative　effects　of　a　warmer　stratum　of　atmosphere。。。。　Again　I　tugged　at　the　valve　line；　taking　stock；　meanwhile；　of　the　reserve　ballast　in　store；　and　this；　happily；　was　ample。

〃Never　shall　I　forget　those　painful　moments　of　doubt　and　suspense　as　to　Mr。　Glaisher's　fate；　when　no　response　came　to　my　questions。　　I　began　to　fear　that　he　would　never　take　any　more　readings。　　I　could　feel　the　reviving　effects　of　a　warmer　temperature；　and　wondered　that　no　signs　of　animation　were　noticeable。　　The　hand　of　the　aneroid　that　I　had　looked　at　was　fast　moving；　while　the　under　part　of　the　balloon　had　risen　high　above　the　car。　　I　had　looked　towards　the　earth；　and　felt　the　rush　of　air　as　it　passed　upwards；　but　was　still　in　despair　when　Mr。　Glaisher　gasped　with　a　sigh；　and　the　next　moment　he　drew　himself　up　and　looked　at　me　rather　in　confusion；　and　said　he　had　been　insensible；　but　did　not　seem　to　have　any　clear　idea　of　how　long　until　he　caught　up　his　pencil　and　noted　the　time　and　the　reading　of　the　instruments。〃

The　descent；　which　was　at　first　very　rapid；　was　effected　without　difficulty　at　Cold　Weston。



CHAPTER　XV。　FURTHER　SCIENTIFIC　VOYAGES　OF　GLAISHER　AND　COXWELL。


Early　in　the　following　spring　we　find　the　same　two　aeronauts　going　aloft　again　on　a　scientific　excursion　which　had　a　termination　nearly　as　sensational　as　the　last。　　The　ascent　was　from　the　Crystal　Palace；　and　the　intention　being　to　make　a　very　early　start　the　balloon　for　this　purpose　had　been　partially　filled　overnight；　but　by　the　morning　the　wind　blew　strongly；　and；　though　the　ground　current　would　have　carried　the　voyagers　in　comparative　safety　to　the　southwest；　several　pilots　which　were　dismissed　became；　at　no　great　height；　carried　away　due　south。　　On　this　account　the　start　was　delayed　till　1　p。m。；　by　which　time　the　sky　had　nearly　filled　in；　with　only　occasional　gleams　of　sun　between　the　clouds。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　travellers　would　have　to　face　the　chance　of　crossing　the　Channel；　and　while；　already　in　the　car；　they　were　actually　discussing　this　point；　their　restraining　rope　broke；　and　they　were　launched　unceremoniously　into　the　skies。　　This　occasioned　an　unexpected　lurch　to　the　car；　which　threw　Mr。　Glaisher　among　his　instruments；　to　the　immediate　destruction　of　some　of　them。

Another　result　of　this　abrupt　departure