CHAPTER XXXII.
[Sidenote: The Aironaut was lost, tho’ in Sight of a Country well known _when below_.]
Section 174. He _thought_ himself again over the Wever.
[Sidenote: At 47 Minutes past III, over a _red_ Rivulet.]
At 47 Minutes after III, the Prospect _beneath_ opened, just wide enough to shew, that he was suspended in the open Space over the Center of some Rivulet.
The Map of the Country which had been so carefully studied, was _now_ consulted for the first Time, but coud not bring to his Recollection any Traces of the extraordinary Curves which then met his Eye.
They bore not the least Resemblance to any Part of the River Mersey.
No River like that below him had ever presented itself.
Its _Doublings_ were so various and _fantastic_ as to exceed the Limits of Credibility.
[Sidenote: The Neck of the Balloon tyed some Time _before_ to prevent the Descent.]
175. He was still stationary, at an immense Height, without the _least_ Inclination to descend: having _some Time before_ taken the Precaution to tye _again_ the Neck of the Balloon, as soon as he had perceived it did _not_ inflate, as at first, to any _dangerous_ Degree.
No Towns, no Houses appeared. No _public Roads_ were discoverable. No Voices were heard.[48]
The Country beyond the Rivulet began to disclose itself: but was quite _new_ to him at that _Altitude_, and seemed as if almost covered with Wood.
176. His _Watch_ shewed the Time of the Day, and the Sun alone _sufficiently_ indicated the Point of the Compass.
The _white_ Flag manifested _no_ Change in the Wind.
But whether he was near Liverpool, Wigan, or Manchester, he coud not discover.
[Sidenote: The Country _below_ unknown to the Aironaut, _when_ in the Balloon.]
177. He was entirely +lost+ in the _blue Fields_ of Air; far above the Summits of the Clouds; tho’ the Balloon was in Sight of the Earth, and of Numbers who were gazing at it.
178. The _Colour_ of the new Rivulet was full as +red+, as any he had seen before.
He thought it might be an insignificant Brook, which tho’ curiously curved, was too small to be inserted in the Map.
Still he continued over it: turning and returning _gently_ in small Curves.
179. He presently passed _Northward_ of the Rivulet _over_ a woody Country, in which he coud discover _no_ Variety of _Colouring_ either in the Ground Work or Enclosures; the whole having a _dark green_ Cast.
[Sidenote: Unusual Objects below.]
An Appearance of a very distant and remote _Plain_ then presented itself; the Size of a moderate Carpet: of a _ruddy_ Colour; and surrounded by a _green_ Border. Being an unusual Object it continued to engage his Attention.
180. Not far from the first, another of the same Kind, of a more dusky Cast, but _less_ and somewhat nearer, that is _more under_ him, then attracted his Notice.
He wished to _decipher them_, but in vain.
[Sidenote: The Prospects opened, which demonstrated his Descent, owing to the Loss of Gass.]
181. The Sun shone +bright+ on both: and in a very few Minutes, the _circular_ Prospects _encreased_: which was now become a _regular_ and undeniable Signal that the Balloon had begun to _descend_. (Section 17.)
The _latter_ Plain appeared, at the first, about the Size of a common _Handkerchief_.
The Balloon continued to descend.
[Sidenote: The same Spot perpetually varying to the Eye of the Aironaut.]
182. In a Couple of Minutes, the Plain appeared intersected +closely+ every Way, like the _Coat_ of a _ripening Melon_. Descending a little _lower_; it seemed covered with a _Net_, the _Meshes_ of which were distinct. And _lower_ still; it extended itself _greatly_ on _all_ Sides: (at which Time a certain Degree of _Chilliness_ prevailed:) and was then _again mistaken_, and looked upon as a +dry+ _Heath_, deeply overrun with Shrubs of the same Name.
[Sidenote: Ballast thrown out gradually.]
183. The Descent of the Balloon being _rather_ quicker than was expected, or desired; it was deemed expedient to have Recourse to the _last_ Bag of Sand, which lay open, and weighed 20 Pounds.
It was accordingly thrown out, a Handful at a Time.
[Sidenote: The remaining Ballast thrown out _at once_, in all 20lb. weight.]
But that Method not seeming _sufficient_ to _check_ the Descent, when at the Height of 150 or 200 Yards; _all_ the Sand was poured out, and the Bag thrown down.
[Sidenote: Gentle Landing of the Balloon.]
This had the desired Effect: and the Balloon continuing to descend with a Motion _uniformly retarded_, alighted, as the +down+ _of a Thistle_, in the gentlest Manner, without +any+ _Rebound_.
[Sidenote: Anchor and Cable not made use of.]
184. There being scarcely a _Breath_ of Air abroad, the Aironaut made no Use of his Anchor and Cable: but continued as from the first, +standing+ _upright_ in the Car; which, having moved a Yard or two _only_ along the Ground, rested in a perpendicular Situation.
The Balloon, suspended over him like a _vast_ Umbrella, +levitated+ _vertically_ in the grandest Manner.
185. He was _alone_ when he alighted: but, in a _few_ Minutes, found himself surrounded by the Country-People, who had waded _above Ancle-deep_, and came running from all Parts, to see the +wonder+, and contribute their _Assistance_.
[Sidenote: Landed at 53 Minutes past III. Thermometer 59.]
186. He _landed_ exactly, at 7 Minutes before IV: Thermometer 59: but +where+ he coud _not_ tell.
The first Question was “Pray where am I?” And the Answer;—in _Lancashire_.
On asking the nearest Distance to a Turnpike-Road; the People said he was within _two Fields_ of one, and offered to conduct him thither.
He accepted their Offer, and shared _his Liquor_ among them.