29. The Balloon well inflated, tower’d aloft in an upright and perpendicular Direction, with a quick Motion, and an accelerated Velocity.
The Aironaut having stood up, for a Minute or two, waving his Hat in the left, and saluting the Spectators with Mr. Lunardi’s coloured Flag in the right Hand; put on his Hat, and having fastened the Flag-Staff horizontally among the Lines of the Balloon, immediately betook himself to different Employments, before he woud indulge in looking over the Brink of the Car; lest the Novelty of the Prospect shoud call off his Attention from Things of Moment.
Sensation of rising described.
30. The Force of Ascent was, from the first, plainly palpable: the Sensation being that of a strong Pressure from the Bottom of the Car, upwards against the Soles of the Feet.
Caution against the vitriolic Acid Liquor.
31. His first Point being to guard against a Deluge of acidulous Liquor, which, he was told, had fallen, to the Quantity of three Quarts, on the Head and Shoulders of a former Aironaut, from the Trunk or Bottom of the Balloon, which ended in a wide circular Opening of eighteen Inches Diameter; he found that when the Weight either of himself, or of the Ballast, was not exactly in the Center of the Car; the Opening of the Balloon woud, without any Trouble, hang so as to lie on the Outside of the Car: but he did not perceive more than a few Drops issue from the Mouth: which happened a few Minutes after he arose.
Attitude, and farther Employments.
32. This Difficulty vanishing; he changed his erect into an inclined Posture between sitting and kneeling; sometimes with the right Knee near the Bottom and Center of the Car: and having both Hands quite free, the Balloon being subject to no sensible Motion; he reconnoitred all the Lines and Cords: coiled the Rope or Cable to which the Anchor or grappling Iron was fixed: tyed fast its proper End to the upper Hoop: observed and felt the superior Thickness of the Cord leading to the Valve: coiled it, in order that it might be free to act: placed the untyed Bag of Ballast near the Outside of the Car: also the tyed Bags at proper Distances to preserve the Equilibrium: unwrapped one of the white Flags, tyed it to the String on one of the Reels, and just threw it an Inch or two over the Side of the Car: then placed his Watch, open Knife, Scissars, Thermometer and Compass on his right Hand: the Barometer being swung above in Sight towards the left.
Change of Attitude, and Observation of the reddish Vapour.
33. He then stood on his Feet, with a Design to look down: but his Attention was drawn to the Opening of the Balloon, which began to breathe out by Intervals a visible reddish Vapour; in Form like that which is seen at the Top of a Brewery, only that the under Surface was not jagged but smooth, altho’ wavy and uneven. The Particles which composed it were so large as to be distinctly visible: and appeared, as if endued with a very strong repelling Power, from the great and seemingly equal Distances, of about half a Quarter of an Inch, from each other.