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Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
52
The
debate
became
animated.
The
four
voyagers
cried
to
cut
the
ropes.
The
director
of
the
Academy,
to
whom
application
was
made
in
this
emergency,
admiring
the
resolution
and
the
courage
of
the
four
gentlemen,
wished
to
satisfy
them
in
their
desire.
Accordingly
the
ropes
were
cut;
but
at
that
moment
M.
Montgolfier
and
Roziers
threw
themselves
into
the
gallery.
At
the
same
time
a
certain
M.
Fontaine,
who
had
had
much
to
do
in
the
construction
of
the
machine,
threw
himself
in,
although
it
had
not
previously
been
arranged
that
he
should
be
of
the
party.
His
boldness
in
jumping
in
was
pardoned,
on
the
ground
of
his
services
and
his
zeal.
In
going
away
the
machine
turned
to
the
south-west,
and
bent
a
little.
A
rope
which
dragged
along
the
ground
seemed
to
retard
its
ascent;
but
some
intelligent
person
having
cut
this
with
a
hatchet,
it
began
to
right
itself
and
ascend.
At
a
certain
height
it
turned
to
the
north
east.
The
wind
was
feeble,
and
the
progress
was
slow,
but
the
imposing
effect
was
indescribable.
The
immense
machine
rose
into
the
air
as
by
some
effect
of
magic.
Nearly
100,000
spectators
were
present,
and
they
were
greatly
excited
at
the
view.
They
clapped
their
hands
and
stretched
their
arms
towards
the
sky;
women
fainted
away,
or
(for
some
reasons
best
known
to
themselves)
found
relief
for
their
excitement
in
tears;
while
the
men,
uttering
cries
of
joy,
waved
their
handkerchiefs,
and
threw
their
hats
into
the
air.
The
form
of
the
machine
was
that
of
a
globe,
rising
from
a
reversed
and
truncated
cone,
to
which
the
gallery
was
attached.
The
upper
part
was
white,
the
lower
part
grey;
and
the
cone
was
composed
of
strips
of
stuff
of
different
colours.
On
the
sides
of
the
balloon
were
two
paintings,
one
of
which
represented
History,
the
other
Fame.
The
flag
bore
the
arms
of
the
director
of
the
Academy,
and
above
it
were
inscribed
the
words
“Le
Flesselles.”
The
voyagers
observed
that
they
did
not
consume
a
fourth
of
the
quantity
of
combustibles
after
they
had
risen
into
the
air,
which
they
consumed
when
attached
to
the
earth.
They
were
in
the
gayest
humour,
and
they
calculated
that
the
fuel
they
had
would
keep
them
floating
till
late
in
the
evening.
Unfortunately,
however,
after
throwing
more
wood
on
the
fire,
in
order
to
get
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