" And he remained silent.
We were advancing towards the south; the magnetic needle pointed in the
direction of Frankfort, which was flying beneath our feet.
"Perhaps we shall have a storm," said the young man.
"We will descend first."
"Indeed! it will be better to ascend; we shall escape more surely;" and
two bags of sand were thrown overboard.
The balloon rose rapidly, and stopped at twelve hundred metres. The cold
was now intense, and there was a slight buzzing in my ears.
Nevertheless, the rays of the sun fell hotly on the globe, and, dilating
the gas it contained, gave it a greater ascensional force. I was
stupified.
"Fear nothing," said the young man to me.
"We have three thousand five hundred toises of respirable air. You need
not trouble yourself about my proceedings."
I would have risen, but a vigorous hand detained me on my seat.
"Your name?" asked I.
"My name! how does it concern you?"
"I have the honour to ask your name."
"I am called Erostratus or Empedocles,--as you please. Are you
interested in the progress of aerostatic science?"
He spoke with icy coldness, and I asked myself with whom I had to do.
"Monsieur," continued he, "nothing new has been invented since the days
of the philosopher Charles. Four months after the discovery of
aerostats, he had invented the valve, which permits the gas to escape
when the balloon is too full, or when one wishes to descend; the car,
which allows the machine to be easily managed; the network, which
encloses the fabric of the balloon, and prevents its being too heavily
pressed; the ballast, which is used in ascending and choosing the spot
of descent; the coat of caoutchouc, which renders the silk impermeable;
the barometer, which determines the height attained; and, finally, the
hydrogen, which, fourteen times lighter than air, allows of ascension to
the most distant atmospheric layers, and prevents exposure to aerial
combustion.
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