the dominion of the air-第32章

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o　less　than　8；000　feet　in　thickness　and　whilst　passing　through　this　the　balloon　was　invisible　from　the　car。　　From　the　rapidity　of　the　descent　the　balloon　assumed　the　shape　of　a　parachute；　and　though　Mr。　Coxwell　had　reserved　a　large　amount　of　ballast；　which　he　discharged　as　quickly　as　possible；　we　collected　so　much　weight　by　the　condensation　of　the　immense　amount　of　vapour　through　which　we　passed　that；　notwithstanding　all　his　exertions；　we　came　to　the　earth　with　a　very　considerable　shock；　which　broke　nearly　all　the　instruments。。。。　The　descent　took　place　at　Langham；　near　Oakham。〃

Just　a　month　later　Mr。　Glaisher；　bent　on　a　yet　loftier　climb；　made　his　second　ascent；　again　under　Mr。　Coxwell's　guidance；　and　again　from　Wolverhampton。　　Besides　attending　to　his　instruments　he　found　leisure　to　make　other　chance　notes　by　the　way。　　He　was　particularly　struck　by　the　beauty　of　masses　of　cloud；　which；　by　the　time　12；000　feet　were　reached；　were　far　below；　〃presenting　at　times　mountain　scenes　of　endless　variety　and　grandeur；　while　fine　dome…like　clouds　dazzled　and　charmed　the　eye　with　alternations　and　brilliant　effects　of　light　and　shade。〃

When　a　height　of　about　20；000　feet　had　been　reached　thunder　was　heard　twice　over；　coming　from　below；　though　no　clouds　could　be　seen。　　A　height　of　4；000　feet　more　was　attained；　and　shortly　after　this　Mr。　Glaisher　speaks　of　feeling　unwell。　　It　was　difficult　to　obtain　a　deposit　of　dew　on　the　hygrometer；　and　the　working　of　the　aspirator　became　troublesome。　　While　in　this　region　a　sound　like　that　of　loud　thunder　came　from　the　sky。　　Observations　were　practically　completed　at　this　point；　and　a　speedy　and　safe　return　to　earth　was　effected；　the　landing　being　at　Solihull；　seven　miles　from　Birmingham。

It　was　on　the　5th　of　September　following　that　the　same　two　colleagues　carried　out　an　exploit　which　will　always　stand　alone　in　the　history　of　aeronautics；　namely；　that　of　ascending　to　an　altitude　which；　based　on　the　best　estimate　they　were　able　to　make；　they　calculated　to　be　no　less　than　seven　miles。　　Whatever　error　may　have　unavoidably　come　into　the　actual　estimate；　which　is　to　some　extent　conjectural；　is　in　reality　a　small　matter；　not　the　least　affecting　the　fact　that　the　feat　in　itself　will　probably　remain　without　a　parallel　of　its　kind。　　In　these　days；　when　aeronauts　attempt　to　reach　an　exceptionally　lofty　altitude；　they　invariably　provide　themselves　with　a　cylinder　of　oxygen　gas　to　meet　the　special　emergencies　of　the　situation；　so　that　when　regions　of　such　attenuated　air　are　reached　that　the　action　of　heart　and　lungs　becomes　seriously　affected；　it　is　still　within　their　power　to　inhale　the　life…giving　gas　which　affords　the　greatest　available　restorative　to　their　energies。　　Forty　years　ago；　however；　cylinders　of　compressed　oxygen　gas　were　not　available；　and　on　this　account　alone　we　may　state　without　hesitation　that　the　enterprise　which　follows　stands　unparalleled　at　the　present　hour。

The　filling　station　at　Wolverhampton　was　quitted　at　1。3　p。m。；　the　temperature　of　the　air　being　59　degrees　on　the　ground；　and　falling　to　41　degrees　at　an　altitude　of　5；000　feet；　directly　after　which　a　dense　cloud　was　entered；　which　brought　the　temperature　down　to　36　degrees。　　At　this　elevation　the　report　of　a　gun　was　heard。　　Here　Mr。　Glaisher　attempted　（probably　for　the　first　time　in　history）　to　take　a　cloud…scape　photograph；　the　illumination　being　brilliant；　and　the　plates　with　which　he　was　furnished　being　considered　extremely　sensitive。　　The　attempt；　however；　was　unsuccessful。　　The　height　of　two　miles　was　reached　in　19　minutes；　and　here　the　temperature　was　at　freezing　point。　　In　six　minutes　later　three　miles　was　reached；　and　the　thermometer　was　down　to　18　degrees。　　In　another　twelve　minutes　four　miles　was　attained；　with　the　thermometer　recording　8　degrees；　and　by　further　discharge　of　sand　the　fifth　aerial　milestone　was　passed　at　1。50　p。m。；　i。e。　in　47　minutes　from　the　start；　with　the　thermometer　2　degrees　below　zero。

Mr。　Glaisher　relates　that　up　to　this　point　he　had　taken　observations　with　comfort；　and　experienced　no　trouble　in　respiration；　whilst　Mr。　Coxwell；　in　consequence　of　the　exertions　he　had　to　make；　was　breathing　with　difficulty。　　More　sand　was　now　thrown　out；　and　as　the　balloon　rose　higher　Mr。　Glaisher　states　that　he　found　some　difficulty　in　seeing　clearly。　　But　from　this　point　his　experiences　should　be　gathered　from　his　own　words：

〃About　1。52　p。m。；　or　later；　I　read　the　dry　bulb　thermometer　as　minus　five；　after　this　I　could　not　see　the　column　of　mercury　in　the　wet　bulb　thermometer；　nor　the　hands　of　the　watch；　nor　the　fine　divisions　on　any　instrument。　　I　asked　Mr。　Coxwell　to　help　me　to　read　the　instruments。　　In　consequence；　however；　of　the　rotatory　motion　of　the　balloon；　which　had　continued　without　ceasing　since　leaving　the　earth；　the　valve　line　had　become　entangled；　and　he　had　to　leave　the　car　and　mount　into　the　ring　to　readjust　it。　　I　then　looked　at　the　barometer；　and　found　its　reading　to　be　9　3/4　inches；　still　decreasing　fast；　implying　a　height　exceeding　29；000　feet。　　Shortly　after；　I　laid　my　arm　upon　the　table；　possessed　of　its　full　vigour；　but　on　being　desirous　of　using　it　I　found　it　powerlessit　must　have　lost　its　power　momentarily。　　Trying　to　move　the　other　arm；　I　found　it　powerless　also。　　Then　I　tried　to　shake　myself；　and　succeeded；　but　I　seemed　to　have　no　limbs。　　In　looking　at　the　barometer　my　head　fell　over　my　left　shoulder。　　I　struggled　and　shook　my　body　again；　but　could　not　move　my　arms。　　Getting　my　head　upright　for　an　instant　only；　it　fell　on　my　right　shoulder；　then　I　fell　backwards；　my　back　resting　against　the　side　of　the　car　and　my　head　on　its　edge。　　In　this　position　my　eyes　were　directed　to　Mr。　Coxwell　in　the　ring。　　When　I　shook　my　body　I　seemed　to　have　full　power　over　the　muscles　of　the　back；　and　considerably　so　over　those　of　the　neck；　but　none　over　either　my　arms　or　my　legs。　　As　in　the　case　of　the　arms；　so　all　muscular　power　was　lost　in　an　instant　from　my　back　and　neck。　　I　dimly　saw　Mr。　Coxwell；　and　endeavoured　to　speak；　but　could　not。　　In　an　instant　intense　darkness　overcame　me；　so　that　the　optic　nerve　lost　power　suddenly；　but　I　was　still　conscious；　with　as　active　a　brain　as　at　the　present　moment　whilst　writing　this。　　I　thought　I　had　been　seized　with　asphyxia；　and　believed　I　should　experience　nothing　more；　as　death　would　come　unless　we　speedily　descended。　　Other　thoughts　were　entering　my　mind　when　I　suddenly　became　unconscious；　as　on　going　to　sleep。　　I　cannot　tell　anything　of　the　sense　of　hearing；　as　no　sound　reaches　the　ear　to　break　the　perfect　stillness　and　silence　of　the　regions　between　six　and　seven　miles　above　the　earth。　　My　last　observation　was　made　at　1。54　p。m。；　above　29；000　feet。　　I　suppose　two　or　three　minutes　to　have　elapsed　between　my　eyes　becoming　insensible　to　seeing　fine　divisions　and　1。54　p。m。；　and　then　two　or　three　minutes　more　to　have　passed　till　I　was　insensible；　which　I　think；　therefore；　took　place　about　1。56　p。m。　or　1。57　p。m。

〃Whilst　powerless；　I　heard　the　words　'Temperature'　and　'Observation；'　and　I　knew　Mr。　Coxwell　was　in　the　car　speaking　to　and　endeavouring　to　rouse　metherefore　consciousness　and　hearing　had　returned。　　I　then　heard　him　speak　more　emphatically；　but　could　not　see；　speak；　or　move。　　I　heard　him　again　say；　'Do　try；　now　do！'　　Then　the　instruments　became　dimly　visible；　then　Mr。　Coxwell；　and　very　shortly　I　saw　clearly。　　Next；　I　arose　in　my　seat　and　looked　around；　as　though　waking　from　sleep；　though　not　refreshed；　and　said　to　Mr。　Coxwell；　'I　have　been　insensible。'　　He　said；　'You　have；　and　I　too；　very　nearly。'　　I　then　drew　up　my　legs；　which　had　been　extended；　and　took　a　pencil　in　my　hand　to　begin　observations。　　Mr。　Coxwell　told　me　that　he　had　lost　the　use　of　his　hands；　which　were　black；　and　I　poured　brandy　over　them。〃

Mr。　Glaisher　considers　that　he　must　have　been　totally　insensible　for　a　period　of　about　seven　minutes；　at　the　end　of　which　time　the　water　reserved　for　the　wet　bulb　thermometer；　which　he　had　carefully　kept　from　freezing；　had　become　a　solid　block　of　ice。　　Mr。　Coxwell's　hands　had　become　frostbitten；　so　that；　being　in　the　ring　and　desirous　of　coming　to　his　friend's　assistance；　he　was　forced　to　rest　his　arms　on　the　ring　and　drop　down。　　Even　then；　the　table　being