Jules Verne Read Free Page B

cord.
    "Fortunately" continued he, "we have still two hundred pounds of
ballast."
    "What are your plans?" said I, with effort.
    "You have never crossed the sea?"
    I grew frightfully pale, terror froze my veins.
    "It is a pity," said he, "that we are being wafted towards the Adriatic!
That is only a streamlet. Higher! we shall find other currents!"
    And without looking at me, he lightened the balloon by several bags of
sand.
    "I allowed you to open the valve, because the dilatation of the gas
threatened to burst the balloon. But do not do it again."
    I was stupified.
    "You know the voyage from Dover to Calais made by Blanchard and
Jefferies. It was rich in incident. On the 7th of January, 1785, in a
northeast wind, their balloon was filled with gas on the Dover side;
scarcely had they risen, when an error in equilibrium compelled them to
threw out their ballast, retaining only thirty pounds. The wind drifted
them slowly along towards the shores of France. The permeability of the
tissue gradually suffered the gas to escape, and at the expiration of an
hour and a half, the voyagers perceived that they were descending.
'What is to be done?' said Jefferies.—'We have passed over only
three-fourths of the distance,' replied Blanchard 'and at a slight
elevation. By ascending we shall expose ourselves to contrary winds.
Throw out the remainder of the ballast.' The balloon regained its
ascensional force, but soon re-descended. About midway of the voyage,
the aeronauts threw out their books and tools. A quarter of an hour
afterwards, Blanchard said to Jefferies: 'The barometer?'—'It is
rising! We are lost; and yet there are the shores of France!' A great
noise was heard. 'Is the balloon rent?' asked Jefferies.—'No! the
escape of the gas has collapsed the lower part of the balloon'—'But we
are still descending. We are lost! Everything not indispensable must be
thrown overboard!' Their provisions, oars and helm were thrown out into
the sea. They were now only 100 metres in height. 'We are remounting,'
said the Doctor.—' No, it is the jerk caused by the diminution of
weight. There is not a ship in sight! Not a bark on the horizon! To the
sea with our garments!' And the unfortunate men stripped, but the
balloon continued to descend. 'Blanchard,' said Jefferies, 'you were
to have made this voyage alone; you consented to take me; I will
sacrifice myself to you! I will throw myself into the water, and the
balloon, relieved, will re-ascend!'—' No, no, it is frightful.' The
balloon collapsed more and more, and its concavity forming a parachute,
forced the gas against its sides and accelerated its motion. 'Adieu, my
friend,' said the Doctor. 'May God preserve you!' He was about to have
taken the leap, when Blanchard detained him. 'One resource remains to
us! We can cut the cords by which the car is attached, and cling to the
network? perhaps the balloon will rise. Ready! But the barometer falls!
We remount! The wind freshens! We are saved!' The voyagers perceived
Calais! Their joy became delirium; a few moments later, they descended
in the forest of Guines. I doubt not," continued the unknown, "that in
similar circumstances you would follow the example of Doctor Jefferies."
    The clouds were unrolling beneath our feet in glittering cascades; the
balloon cast a deep shadow on this pile of clouds, and was surrounded by
them as with an aureola! The thunder growled beneath our feet! All this
was frightful!
    "Let us descend!" exclaimed I.
    "Descend, when the sun is awaiting us yonder! Down with the bags!" And
he lightened the balloon of more than fifty pounds. At 3000 metres we
remained stationary. The unknown talked incessantly, but I scarcely
heard him; I was completely prostrated, while he seemed in his element.
    "With a good wind, we shall go far, but we must especially go high!"
    "We are lost!"
    "In the Antilles there are currents of air which travel a hundred leagues
an hour! On the occasion of Napoleon's coronation, Gavnerin let off