Part 8

“And so I will,” said Mr. S----, “but I say B----, not too much steak, and no frogs, mind that.”

Mr. B---- simply waved his hand in reply, as the great man Küpper inspired him with a certain amount of awe, which there was no mistaking.

My first ascent from Elberfeld was on July 16th, 1848. It was almost a cloudless day, but not oppressively hot, as a fresh wind blew which made it desirable to call in thirty men to hold the netting.

I had appointed Mr. B---- to be my first lieutenant, and in order to assist me, he had obtained the permission of his pupils, most of whom were present, as much, probably, to see their preceptor in a new capacity, as to patronize me and the balloon.

The recreation grounds where the visitors had assembled, were of an oblong form, and perfectly dry, with gravel beneath. A vast number of tables were arranged in rows, so that families and parties of friends sat each at their own quarters.

The ladies were nearly all knitting or otherwise at work, and during the instrumental performances, gentlemen smoked their cigars, drank coffee, and conversed in a quiet way, which struck one as making a pleasing contrast with some of our out-door gatherings in England.

Mr. Abraham Küpper occupied a central position at a table fronting the balloon, and was surrounded by a choice staff of patrons, who, as the afternoon advanced, preferred sparkling wine to heavier beverage served in seidel glasses.

Mr. B----, who had most heroically stood his ground against the united force of a strong current of wind, which had ever and anon distorted the symmetrical form of the “Sylph,” and blown some of the men over, now sent to me to allow him to retire for one minute, not that he wished to relinquish his post of directing the men, but that he required to speak, for one moment, to Herr Küpper.

On seeing Mr. B---- approach, the noble proprietor who wore a plum coloured dress-coat, and a variegated smoking cap, filled a bumper of hock, so that by the time Mr. B---- had wiped his moist brow, and taken a seat by invitation, he found himself confronted with friends, together with an abundance of pungent snuff and cooling wine.

“I wonder which he will take first,” asked Mr. S----, watching Mr. B----’s movements askance.

“It’s a hundred to one he drinks the wine,” said I, but before I had finished speaking, his glass was empty, and quickly refilled by Herr Küpper, who, with a patronizing pat of the back, called him “gut boy,” alluding not, of course, to his smartness with the wine glass, but to his arduous duties around the balloon, by which he drew forth high encomiums from the spectators, as well as from Herr Küpper and myself.

Although Mr. B---- exceeded the time specified by himself for his absence, still I declined to trouble him to return, as I felt sure his physical exertions were already more than he was accustomed to, and I had an object in reserving his powers for the final effort, knowing that when the balloon was let up to its full height, it would roll about with great force, and require all the available strength to hold it in check.

The miniature bombardment, illustrative of the applicability of aërial shells to military purposes, was to take place on a larger scale than at Brussels.

I rather hoped to have Mr. B----’s company in my travels to Cloudland, but resolved not to propose it until the last moment.

When the car was being attached, Herr Küpper, and Mr. B---- entered the inner enclosure, and every assistance was tendered, but the wind unfortunately seemed late in lulling, and we were frequently thrown into ludicrous positions, by which the company was kept excited, and the juveniles furnished with matter for laughter.

Just before the shells and battery were fixed, Mr. B---- became the “observed of all observers,” and created no little merriment and clapping of hands.

I had called him to the car to suggest his ascending, and at that moment a cruel gust blew the balloon almost down to the ground, and upset Mr. B---- as he advanced, but recovering himself with admirable agility, he seized the netting by way of support, when the balloon again caught the breeze, and rolled round on the other tack, carrying the astonished teacher with it, so that, minus his hat, he was suspended some altitude from the ground, but held on with such resolute tenacity, that a cry was soon raised of “Bravo B----, very brave,” and as the “Sylph” backed round on the other side, Mr. B---- was rescued, and again led by Herr Küpper to the refreshment table, where he composed himself and received the congratulations of many of his friends.

“It will never do to take him up after that shaking,” urged Mr. S----.

“Right, I will start alone, next time there will be plenty of candidates; please to attach the shells, as I shall slip cable in five minutes.”

The band now formed round the car; Messrs. Küpper, and B---- held the last connecting link, and at six o’clock I released the “Sylph,” immediately lowered the battery, and on passing down the Jacob’s ladder, received a perfect ovation.

The shells fell quite regularly, and made an unusually loud report, reverberating among the adjacent hills on either side of the river Wupper.

The sky being clear from cloud, the smoke which followed each explosion produced a splendid effect, and imparted a totally new aspect to the appearance of a balloon in mid-air.

The “Sylph” not being fully inflated, and the car without passengers, I had some difficulty in retracing my steps after discharging the fireworks, whether the lookers on observed this, I could not say, but on resting half way up the rope ladder, I heard sounds more akin to a thrill of horror than a cheer; no doubt the position of dangling between the car and the battery, looked perilous, but it was not more so than some of the acts of seamen, although excessive height added of course to the risk.

The subsequent journey was very enjoyable, being my first aërial voyage in Prussia.

I had been cautioned, before ascending, against some large forests in the direction I should travel, and noticed them around me, without any considerable opening to come down in.

Being quite alone I was naturally disinclined to extend my journey beyond a reasonable distance, so I brought the “Sylph,” after attaining an elevation of 1,500 yards, to within a few hundred feet of the tree tops, and perceiving an open space hard by with a plantation of young pines, I dropped the grapnel just in an eligible clump of trees, and was glad to find that the wind had lulled, and that I was anchored firm and fast.

The car lodged in the boughs and only the balloon remained in sight; but as to whether there were people to be found in so outlandish a spot I began to be doubtful, as I had shouted for some time, and neither heard a human voice nor footsteps.

Repeated shouts had, however, some effect, as I perceived a country girl without shoes or stockings, and one or two men creeping along in attitudes of amazement towards the plantation in which the “Sylph” was moored; a few wood-cutters and children soon added to the number, and when they got pretty close I shouted again, but it was a wild English ye-upp, more like an omnibus driver’s warning than a German call for help.

The result was the people withdrew affrighted; if they could have seen me it might have altered the case, but I was ensconced in the trees, and my voice was neither familiar nor understandable.

Believing that curiosity would prevail, I contented myself by keeping quiet in the car for some little time, and before many minutes had elapsed I perceived the bare-legged girl moving stealthily towards me, supported by followers in the background; I purposely kept low and let out gas, by which means the basket slipped towards the ground as the girl pressed forward.

Just as she got within range I sprang up in the basket and seized the comely creature’s rounded arms, and drew her very near to me; she was then clearly less frightened, as she uttered a few guttural sounds accompanied with looks of kindness.

The men then ran up and helped to get the balloon clear of the trees, so that I received plenty of attention; and later, when I went to the damsel’s house, her mother made coffee for me, after which I was driven some miles to the railway station and returned to Elberfeld.

My second ascent from Johannisberg took place on July 24th. A third soon followed, but the fourth was chiefly remarkable from the fact that Herr Küpper ascended with me himself, although he had always said that no real or imaginable inducement would get him up in a balloon.

If Küpper’s courage was not in proportion to the bulk of his body he pulled himself very well together at the start. It was only when I left him alone to go down the ladder that large drops of perspiration started from his brow.

I promised to be back soon.

“Yah, aber mein Gott--if you go down headlong,” he added, but I heard this not, and might not have understood the German rendering if I had.

When the bombardment of Elberfeld commenced certain utterances did reach my ear in the second car below, but whether I was being cheered or denounced, whether Küpper was sick or joyful, I could not divine; this I know, that when I returned or (to use parliamentary language) when I was promoted from the lower house to the upper, I certainly did notice that my sole companion was in a pitiable plight so far as facial moisture was concerned.

A capacious handkerchief appeared drenched, and still the drops were oozing fast from the expanded pores of his skin. He must have lost a couple of pounds’ weight while I was down below. A rapid recovery, however, took place, especially after both of us had benefited by restoratives; then was Abraham more composed, and anxious not to go too far, as he looked forward, I could gather by his pointing to, and his remarks about Johannisberg, that he wished to get back as soon as convenient.

I managed accordingly, and just as the ball-room lights appeared resplendent, and the band was tuning up for a dance, we entered amidst cries of “Hoch Küpper;” “Leben sie lang Herr Coxvel,” &c.; and great indeed were the rejoicings which were, it is perhaps needless to observe, participated in by Mr. B---- and Mr. S----, _cum multis aliis_.

During the autumn of this year (1848) I made a dozen voyages from this place, and the confidence displayed by the proprietor was felt also by Madame Küpper, her daughter and sons, as also by Mr. B---- and a very long list of ladies and gentlemen, who by watching the safe return, and good reports of the pioneers who first ventured, felt satisfied of the pleasure to be derived, and were prepared to venture themselves.

Before making the two concluding trips of the season, a speculation was entered into by Herr Küpper, Mr. S----, and myself, at Cologne, with a view of trying an ascent during the grand visit of the late King of Prussia, on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the building of the cathedral.

I had no faith myself in the pecuniary success of this undertaking, but the joint speculators were very sanguine of a golden harvest.

Although an immense number of strangers came into Cologne, and the hotels were filled to overflowing, the processions and religious ceremonies so engrossed public attention that the balloon grounds, after expensive preparations, were but poorly patronized.

A large sum of money was lost by these ill-conceived projects, which turned out a serious matter to us.

The last display but one was in the month of October at Johannisberg, and it was a night ascent with fireworks attached to the balloon--but fireworks altogether of a different kind to the shells which I had detached previously. In its way this might be called a grand pyrotechnic display _á la_ Vauxhall; but the specific gravity of the gas was not as on former days, and a humid atmosphere at night-fall increased the weight of the “Sylph” to such an extent that it would not raise the fireworks. I found that the whole weight would not ascend.

A buzz of disappointment then began to arise, but it was not of long duration, as I begged the firework maker to cut away about one-third of the cases, and calling for a rope some 300 feet long, which had been employed before for partial ascents, I got into the ring without any car, and gave directions to fire the fuse and let up to the full extent of the cable.

This was equally effective, and the people were much more pleased than if I had made a bungling effort by being overweighted.

I had afterwards the honour of being carried round the grounds and the ball-room on the shoulders of some of the most respected citizens.

There was yet one more aërostatic exhibition which I was called upon to engage in, and that was in connection with the annual _Shutzen Fest_ at Barmen, an adjoining neighbourhood, about three English miles from Herr Küpper’s noted locale.

These interesting gatherings are managed in a style of magnificence peculiar to Germany.

So far as the balloon was concerned it was not required for an ordinary ascent, but rather as an aërial chariot to do honour to the “King of the Feast,” and to afford a panoramic view to as many as obtained tickets for the privilege of being let up a tolerable altitude over the heads of the assembled thousands.

First came the king with cocked hat, feathers, and gay costume; and then a large silver goblet and a bottle of champagne were handed in; when we--that is the king and the aëronaut only--were let up to drink _Hoch_, to the success of the society.

His majesty accorded me a most fraternal greeting, in the midst of which the people cheered vociferously.

As if to prolong the compliment, the king continued some time with his arms round my shoulders, and this appeared to be the signal for renewed cheering, but Dick B---- who had charge of the ropes, and who knew how such German salutations bothered and perplexed an Englishman, gave a sudden jerk to the ropes, by which his majesty was reminded that he did not occupy an earthly throne; and thus freed from such distinguished favours, I gave the signal to haul down, when other members of the club had, each according to his merit, a ride in the balloon car.

The festivities and the rope ascents were kept up all that day and night. So far as the balloon was concerned, its duties were at an end by daybreak, but as the “Sylph” contained sufficient gas to raise me--although it had not been replenished for forty-eight hours--I made up my mind, instead of letting it out, to ascend to a great height, and witness the sunrise.

Although everybody appeared to be fagged out, and I was more fitted myself for rest than travelling, still the opportunity of so glorious a spectacle on a calm autumnal morning was not to be lost.

I therefore hurried on my departure; and slipped away with an easy ascending power, travelling very low for a few miles of country, when the gas began to expand more rapidly, and the balloon mounted up with an accelerated speed, as if it were a thing of life, apprehensive of being late to usher in the cheering king of day.

The barometer at starting was 29·70, and Reaumur’s thermometer was 9°. Just before six o’clock the former had fallen in the course of forty minutes to 17·50, and the latter to -3° or seven degrees of frost according to Fahrenheit. The effects of this amount of cold were doubtless greater, owing to fatigue, damp boots, and a want of exercise before starting.

I have been up more than twice the elevation since, without feeling the cold so severely, although Fahrenheit’s thermometer has registered several degrees below zero.

The sun’s rays in this morning ascent were clear, and though they pass through space without imparting much heat--unless they are reflected and radiated--yet it must be remembered that the balloon itself is a diminutive planet as it were, and intercepts the sun’s influence, if the atmosphere is free from clouds.

Before the sky had given the customary indication of sunrise to the city below, it was grand and impressive to contrast the high and rosy dawn, of which I had a view, with the dark gloom still pervading the earth towards the east; and even when in blood-red majesty the great luminary had risen above the ridge of the distant horizon, the land beneath was as yet comparatively dark, showing thereby the excessive elevation of the balloon.

I determined very soon after witnessing sunrise to seek a warmer atmosphere, and descended about 6000 feet rather quickly; here I lost the sun, but immediately he rose again for the second time, when a large looking tower, a few miles ahead, came into view; and, as I had not observed this place previously, I determined to get as near as possible, and again used the valve pretty freely to accomplish my object. When within 1200 feet of the ground, I was astonished to find that my downward course had been almost as rapid as the rising of the sun. He was again very near the visible horizon. Grand and singular were the views which I had on that memorable morning.

In this part of my experiences, I purposely abstain from giving details of the variations of height and temperature, because further on in the account of my life it will be quite in place to do so.

Even for scientific men, the constant repetition of monotonous tables is calculated to mar the freshness of continuous narrative. Besides, in public ascents for festive purposes, it has never been the custom of aëronauts to dot down more than occasionally the different states of the atmosphere. Indeed, if they attend mechanically to the requirements of the balloon, they have not much time for this work, unless they have assistance.

Without knowing what town it was in advance, I lowered on the leeward side, and noticed a great many priests and soldiers. As the grapnel trailed over a field, I heard a scream, like the voice of a child. On turning to see if the iron had caught anything, I saw a hare, hooked on to the prongs, but it was knocked off again before the progress of the balloon was arrested.

The town proved to be Munster and after _déjeuner_, and a description of the voyage to several of the good people of the place, I felt the over-powering effects of change of air, with no previous rest for two nights.

Before dropping off to sleep, I asked the hours of the post leaving. “If,” thought I, “the first is lost through somnolency, I shall certainly be ready for the last;” but it so happened that the two slipped past, and I did not awake until aroused for _abend brod_.

Early next day I wrote to Mr. S----, telling him of my whereabouts, and inviting him to join me for a few days at Munster. I received no reply, for the best of all reasons, he had not received the news, but intelligence of a rather gloomy character had reached Elberfeld, as it appeared by the _Zeitung_ of that town that I had been killed on my aërial journey, having fallen out of the car near Dortmund, half way between Barmen and Munster. On receipt of this intelligence, Mr. S---- and another gentleman named Drebes were despatched immediately to the spot where the disaster was said to have happened, but no authentic information could be obtained, beyond the fact that the “Sylph” had passed overhead, at a great elevation, between seven and eight o’clock A.M., on the morning referred to.

The party in search then decided to go on to Munster, but we fortunately met at Hamm railway junction, I having lost no time, after being killed by the newspapers, in getting back to establish my vitality.

It may well be supposed, that the interview on my arrival, was of an exciting order. It was not the first time that I had received the congratulations of people who had believed me dead, but this reception I met with was very sincere, and I am not sure that it didn’t put some new life into one who had been so sensationally deprived of existence by mere rumour.

Ballooning being over for the season, Mr. S---- returned to England, and as I was disposed to remain in Germany for the winter, it was not long before a proposal was made, that I should purchase the balloon and ascend entirely on my own account.

Having agreed to do so, I stayed at Elberfeld for the winter.

Before I left, the revolutionary movement had broken out afresh in the Rhine Province, and I had an opportunity of seeing a few shots fired, and a vast deal of excitement in Elberfeld.

After a great deal of agitation and discontent, a number of Prussian soldiers were on their march to preserve order. I was taking a stroll one day with Mr. B----, when it was reported that the military were approaching. Barricades had been formed already with the pavement stones from the streets.

There was a general uproar. We were spectators of the riot, and saw the mob try to fire the Mayor’s house, and eventually do a vast deal of injury.

On the arrival of a battery of nine-pounders, and a few companies of infantry, the barricades were manned, and flags of defiance hung out. The soldiers drew up in the principal square, and towards evening they moved forth, when we were not far from the barricades.

The street in which the first obstacle was raised, had riflemen at the windows; a captain was shot, and several soldiers killed or wounded before the discharge of cannon. The defenders of this barricade were either frightened or blown away much quicker than we expected, but as darkness crept on, the military withdrew, expecting a reinforcement in the morning from Düsseldorf.

During the night, Mr. B---- and I visited the barricades, it was not an easy matter to approach or enter them, but everybody knew the _luftschiffer_ or aëronaut, and the English teacher, and no one supposed that we were spies or combatants.

Among the gaily decorated occupiers of the barricades, were several of the men who had assisted as labourers at the balloon ascents; some of these men claimed an intimate acquaintanceship, and although they merely drank small beer when engaged in our service, yet now that the tables were turned, they invited us to drink something stronger, and it was not advisable to offer them a slight by an arrogant refusal.

The hours we spent among the barricades, and in the hotels which were behind them, proved entertaining and instructive.

At Easter in the year 1849, I made the first spring trip at Barmen, but before midsummer I started for Berlin, where notices were already out, to the effect that I would ascend shortly from the far-famed Kroll’s Gardens.