If a little more is permitted to escape, the balloon descends." "And should it land on the roof of a house or the top of a tree, the voyagers have their necks broken." "That can only happen to bunglers; there is not the least necessity for landing where danger is to be apprehended.

When the aeronaut is near the ground, and sees that the spot is unfavorable for debarkation, he drops a little ballast, the balloon mounts, and he comes down again somewhere else." "The fellow that made the first voyage must have been very daring." "The first ascent was made by Montgolfier in 1782, and he was followed by Rosiers and d'Arlandes." "With your permission, father," said Ernest, "I will claim priority in aerial travelling for Icarus, Doedalus, and Phaeton." "Certainly; you are justified in doing so.

Gay-Lussac, a philosophic Frenchman, rose, in 1804, to the height of seven thousand yards." "He must have felt a little giddy," remarked Jack.
"Most of the functions of the body were affected, more or less, by the extreme rarity of the air at that height.

Its dryness caused wet parchment to crisp.

He observed that the action of the magnetic needle diminished as he ascended, sounds gradually ceased to reach his ear, and the wind itself ceased to be felt." "That, of course," remarked Ernest, "was when he was travelling in the same direction and at the same speed." "Well," said Jack, "we can find materials here for a balloon; the ladies have silk dresses, there is plenty of India-rubber--we used to make boots and shoes of it; hydrogen gas can be obtained from a variety of substances.