CHAPTER XX.

[Sidenote: Breathed freely. Thermometer 60.]

Section 114. Respiration at so great an Altitude was perfectly free and _easy_: _forced_ Trials being made for Information on that Point: a Sensation of Levity seemed _rather_ to be communicated by the Air to the Lungs: but this might be the Effect of the Imagination. It was however a _curious_ Circumstance to find the Breath _not_ visible; the Thermometer rising +again+ to 60. Nor did the Pulse seem to be quicker than _usual_, in this elevated tho’ _inactive_ Situation.

[Sidenote: Thunder-Clouds as before.]

[Sidenote: Fairy Landscapes striking.]

115. The Perspective of a vast Series of Thunder-Clouds of a _sulphúreous_ and _metallic_ Tinge, placing themselves in Ranks, each beyond the other, in _bright_ and tremendous Order, and a Sort of _Battle-Array_, beyond Conception _grand_ yet _beautiful_; coud not pass _under_ him without Notice. The immense circular and visible Distance of the +nebulous+ Horizon, extended +now+ 102 Miles _at the least_ round the Eye, as already mentioned (Sect. 52); was a grand Source of the Sublime. Nor did the contracted View of the Landscape below fail, in Turn, to _regain_ an Attention to its _indiscriminate_ yet _pleasing_ Scenery.

116. +On a sudden+ he was called back to himself.

[Sidenote: Bladders _crackling_.]

Several of the +Bladders+, which were tyed round the Car, in Case the Balloon shoud _alight on_ the Sea, and were +dry+ on the Outside, began at the same Instant to +crackle+; being greatly distended by the Air within. When pressed with the Hands and Fingers, they felt extremely hard, and _ready_ to _burst_.

[Sidenote: Balloon _bloated_.]

On looking upwards at the Balloon, it appeared +greatly+ inflated: the external Pressure of the surrounding Air being _much lessened_, in so elevated and _rarified_ a State of the Atmosphere.

[Sidenote: Balloon _quilted_ by internal Pressure.]

117. The Balloon _pressed_ in an unusual Manner _throu’_ the Meshes of the Net, quite round.

[Sidenote: Balloon shorter and broader.]

118. The Shape was much altered by this Distention of the Sides: and its _perpendicular_ Diameter _shorter_ than before.

[Sidenote: Neck 8 Feet above the Car.]

119. The Neck or _Mouth_, which was _tyed_, had actually risen _upwards_, and was +then+ near _eight_ Feet _above_ the Bottom of the _Car_.

[Sidenote: Neck cut off in a former Excursion.]

120. It was not known till afterwards, that Mr. Lunardi on his second aërial Voyage from Liverpool, had been obliged to cut off the _lower_ Part of the _Neck_, weighing upwards of _two_ Pounds and a _half_, in order to lighten his Descent near Tarporley in Cheshire; and that he had not _Silk_ sufficient to repair the Loss.