CHAPTER XIV.
[Sidenote: 39 Minutes past II, Frodsham Town and Bridge seen.]
Section 77. At 39 Minutes after II, Thermometer 60, Barometer 23¾, corresponding to the Height of a little more than a Mile,[22] _the Vapours dispersing_, discovered the Town of Frodsham, and Bridge over the Wever distant from the Town one Mile: the Balloon still continuing at a vast Height; having risen imperceptibly from the Time that the Ballast was thrown down.
From a Conversation held the next Morning at Frodsham, with some intelligent Persons who had descried it gliding gently throu’ the Air; the Balloon appeared so extremely _minùte_, that it was thought impossible to be the +one+ expected the same Day to rise at Chester with an Aironaut.
[Illustration:
R. Newton } Arm. design et pinx. Stothard delin. T. Baldwin} Sharp sculps.
_The_ BALLOON _over HELSBYE HILL in_ CHESHIRE _see page IIII b._
Published May 1ˢᵗ. 1786, by T. Baldwin Chester.]
[Sidenote: Half Mile _white_ Flag like a Feather.]
To use their own Expression, “_it coud not have been larger than a Bladder, if they had seen it on the Ground_.” The same Persons observed the _white_ Flag, like a _Feather_ about 8 Yards Distance from the Balloon.
A second Air Bottle was thrown down.
[Sidenote: Course of the Balloon traced to shew the Manner in which it was affected by the _Water_.]
78. The Town of Kingsley being to the East; Frodsham-Bridge half a Mile to the West; the Conflux of the Rivers Wever, and the _wide_ Mersey falling into the Sea one Mile farther Westward; the Balloon proceeding in its usual Course over the Country in the _upper_ Current; began to be _impeded_, on its vertical Approach +across+ the Meadows to the Wever; was actually stopped; and being _entangled_ by the _River_, evidently changed its former Direction: imitating, if possible, _its_ Meanders; or at least making Gyrations in Circles of different Diameters, at the same Time turning different Ways round its Axis: describing Curves, something similar to that of the Moon round the Earth in her Orbit; or of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, as those _Curves_ are delineated in the _Prints_ of Long’s Astronomy:[23] the Course of the River being its _changeable_ Center.
79. It is to be observed, that if the Balloon had continued to pursue its _former_ Course; no Danger was to be apprehended of its falling on the Sea, or on the broad Branch of the River Mersey towards Warrington.
On the contrary, it must have gone into the Heart of the adjoining County, and passed near Manchester.
It is likewise worthy of remark; that unless a Fragment of light Vapour intervened for a few Seconds; the Country immediately below the Observer was _continually_ illuminated by the Sun’s Rays: tho’ none but the larger Objects were distinguishable at the Bottom of the profound Abyss, _more_ than two Miles in Diameter at one View: that being the utmost Boundary of the circular Prospect below.
[Sidenote: Circularity of Prospect below, bounded by _Vapour_.]
80. The _Sea_ tho’ known to be _near_ by the Dashing of its Waves upon the Shore, which were plainly heard, was totally eclipsed: as if by Haze or Vapour, which began to be accumulated only at a certain Height _below_ the Balloon; yet in such a Manner as _not_ to prevent the solar Rays from penetrating throu’, and shining bright upon the Water.
81. There was now sufficient Leisure to trace the incredible Variety of most beautiful _Curves_, into which the Stream had worked the Bed of the River Wever in a Course of _Time_, and in the Compass of a few Miles: an Appearance which _demonstrates_ the Incorrectness of +Maps+.
Some _actual_ Clouds presented themselves in detached Groupes over the Land: and the _Land_ itself _shone_ plainer throu’ the Intervals, than in Places near which _no_ Clouds appeared.
[Sidenote: Sight of Warrington.]
82. On reconnoitring the scattered Town of Frodsham, which like Chester was of a _light_ +Blue+; the Balloon moving _by Intervals_ round its Axis, the Prospect seemed to _open_ on a _sudden_; and the Aironaut coud discover the Town of Warrington: the Plan of which was small, neat, but of a _darker Blue_, inclining to _Grey_: the Slates[24] there used being almost peculiar to the County of Lancaster.
83. From this _Enlargement_ of the Prospect over Land, he imagined that the Balloon was either _gently_ descending; or that it appeared throu’ the _clear_ Intervals of _actual_ Clouds _below_ him.
[Sidenote: Pleasurable Circumstance peculiar to the Balloon.]
84. He had Time however to make the following Remarks. Cattle, if grazing in the Meadows, were not distinguishable; or at least were not distinguished. It was in vain to look for Sheaves of Corn, or Hattocks on the Ground: possibly from a Sameness of _Colour_ like the growing _Stalks_, and _Field_: or _protruding_ but a small Degree of +Elevation+; tho’ the _Shadow_ even at _twelve o’Clock_[25] was something _longer_ than the _perpendicular_ Height of +each+ Object.[26] Noises of Carriages along the great public Road; especially Waggons and Carts +heavily+ laden; (the Gratings of whose _Wheels_ against the _Stones_ seemed uncommonly _harsh_;) were discriminately heard, tho’ not _discoverable_ by the Eye. Numbers of human Voices were almost +continually+ huzzaeing: except while +stationary+ at the first Rise; when +all around+ was wrapt in the Sublimity of +Silence+; which afforded a pleasurable Contrast;—diffusing a +delicious Calm+.
A third Bottle of Air was thrown out.