This was about twenty-seven miles
from Paris, and we had I reached this distance in two hours,
although there was so little wind that the air scarcely stirred.
"During the whole course of this delightful voyage, not the
slightest apprehension for our fate or that of our machine
entered my head for a moment. The globe did not suffer any
alteration beyond the successive changes of dilatation and
compression, which enabled us to mount and descend at will. The
thermometer was, during more than an hour, between ten and twelve
degrees above zero; this being to some extent accounted for by
the fact that the interior of the car was warmed by the rays of
the sun.
"At the end of fifty-six minutes, we heard the report of the
cannon which informed us that we had, at that moment, disappeared
from view at Paris. We rejoiced that we had escaped, as we were
no longer obliged to observe a horizontal course, and to regulate
the balloon for that purpose.
"We gave ourselves up to the contemplation of the views which the
immense stretch of country beneath us presented. From that time,
though we had no opportunity of conversing with the inhabitants,
we saw them running after us from all parts; we heard their
cries, their exclamations of solicitude, and knew their alarm and
admiration.
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