soon　as　circumstances　would　permit；　I　gave　her　what　little　money　I
  had　left；　and　bade　her　farewell。　Indeed　I　had　no　fear　on　her　account。
  She　was　what　people　call　a　notable　woman；　and　could　manage　matters　in
  the　world　without　my　assistance。　I　believe；　to　tell　the　truth；　she
  always　looked　upon　me　as　an　idle　boy；　a　mere　make…weight；　good　for
  nothing　but　building　castles　in　the　air；　and　was　rather　glad　to　get
  rid　of　me。　It　was　a　dark　night　when　I　bade　her　good…bye；　and　taking
  with　me；　as　aides…de…camp；　the　three　creditors　who　had　given　me　so
  much　trouble；　we　carried　the　balloon；　with　the　car　and　accoutrements；
  by　a　roundabout　way；　to　the　station　where　the　other　articles　were
  deposited。　We　there　found　them　all　unmolested；　and　I　proceeded
  immediately　to　business。
  〃It　was　the　first　of　April。　The　night；　as　I　said　before；　was　dark；
  there　was　not　a　star　to　be　seen；　and　a　drizzling　rain；　falling　at
  intervals；　rendered　us　very　uncomfortable。　But　my　chief　anxiety　was
  concerning　the　balloon；　which；　in　spite　of　the　varnish　with　which　it
  was　defended；　began　to　grow　rather　heavy　with　the　moisture；　the
  powder　also　was　liable　to　damage。　I　therefore　kept　my　three　duns
  working　with　great　diligence；　pounding　down　ice　around　the　central
  cask；　and　stirring　the　acid　in　the　others。　They　did　not　cease；
  however；　importuning　me　with　questions　as　to　what　I　intended　to　do
  with　all　this　apparatus；　and　expressed　much　dissatisfaction　at　the
  terrible　labor　I　made　them　undergo。　They　could　not　perceive；　so　they
  said；　what　good　was　likely　to　result　from　their　getting　wet　to　the
  skin；　merely　to　take　a　part　in　such　horrible　incantations。　I　began　to
  get　uneasy；　and　worked　away　with　all　my　might；　for　I　verily　believe
  the　idiots　supposed　that　I　had　entered　into　a　compact　with　the　devil；
  and　that；　in　short；　what　I　was　now　doing　was　nothing　better　than　it
  should　be。　I　was；　therefore；　in　great　fear　of　their　leaving　me
  altogether。　I　contrived；　however；　to　pacify　them　by　promises　of
  payment　of　all　scores　in　full；　as　soon　as　I　could　bring　the　present
  business　to　a　termination。　To　these　speeches　they　gave；　of　course；
  their　own　interpretation；　fancying；　no　doubt；　that　at　all　events　I
  should　come　into　possession　of　vast　quantities　of　ready　money；　and
  provided　I　paid　them　all　I　owed；　and　a　trifle　more；　in　consideration
  of　their　services；　I　dare　say　they　cared　very　little　what　became　of
  either　my　soul　or　my　carcass。
  〃In　about　four　hours　and　a　half　I　found　the　balloon　sufficiently
  inflated。　I　attached　the　car；　therefore；　and　put　all　my　implements　in
  it　　not　forgetting　the　condensing　apparatus；　a　copious　supply　of
  water；　and　a　large　quantity　of　provisions；　such　as　pemmican；　in　which
  much　nutriment　is　contained　in　comparatively　little　bulk。　I　also
  secured　in　the　car　a　pair　of　pigeons　and　a　cat。　It　was　now　nearly
  daybreak；　and　I　thought　it　high　time　to　take　my　departure。　Dropping　a
  lighted　cigar　on　the　ground；　as　if　by　accident；　I　took　the
  opportunity；　in　stooping　to　pick　it　up；　of　igniting　privately　the
  piece　of　slow　match；　whose　end；　as　I　said　before；　protruded　a　very
  little　beyond　the　lower　rim　of　one　of　the　smaller　casks。　This
  manoeuvre　was　totally　unperceived　on　the　part　of　the　three　duns；　and；
  jumping　into　the　car；　I　immediately　cut　the　single　cord　which　held　me
  to　the　earth；　and　was　pleased　to　find　that　I　shot　upward；　carrying
  with　all　ease　one　hundred　and　seventy…five　pounds　of　leaden　ballast；
  and　able　to　have　carried　up　as　many　more。
  〃Scarcely；　however；　had　I　attained　the　height　of　fifty　yards；　when；
  roaring　and　rumbling　up　after　me　in　the　most　horrible　and　tumultuous
  manner；　came　so　dense　a　hurricane　of　fire；　and　smoke；　and　sulphur；
  and　legs　and　arms；　and　gravel；　and　burning　wood；　and　blazing　metal；
  that　my　very　heart　sunk　within　me；　and　I　fell　down　in　the　bottom　of
  the　car；　trembling　with　unmitigated　terror。　Indeed；　I　now　perceived
  that　I　had　entirely　overdone　the　business；　and　that　the　main
  consequences　of　the　shock　were　yet　to　be　experienced。　Accordingly；　in
  less　than　a　second；　I　felt　all　the　blood　in　my　body　rushing　to　my
  temples；　and　immediately　thereupon；　a　concussion；　which　I　shall　never
  forget；　burst　abruptly　through　the　night　and　seemed　to　rip　the　very
  firmament　asunder。　When　I　afterward　had　time　for　reflection；　I　did
  not　fail　to　attribute　the　extreme　violence　of　the　explosion；　as
  regarded　myself；　to　its　proper　cause　　my　situation　directly　above
  it；　and　in　the　line　of　its　greatest　power。　But　at　the　time；　I　thought
  only　of　preserving　my　life。　The　balloon　at　first　collapsed；　then
  furiously　expanded；　then　whirled　round　and　round　with　horrible
  velocity；　and　finally；　reeling　and　staggering　like　a　drunken　man；
  hurled　me　with　great　force　over　the　rim　of　the　car；　and　left　me
  dangling；　at　a　terrific　height；　with　my　head　downward；　and　my　face
  outwards；　by　a　piece　of　slender　cord　about　three　feet　in　length；
  which　hung　accidentally　through　a　crevice　near　the　bottom　of　the
  wicker…work；　and　in　which；　as　I　fell；　my　left　foot　became　most
  providentially　entangled。　It　is　impossible　　utterly　impossible
  to　form　any　adequate　idea　of　the　horror　of　my　situation。　I　gasped
  convulsively　for　breath　　a　shudder　resembling　a　fit　of　the　ague
  agitated　every　nerve　and　muscle　of　my　frame　　I　felt　my　eyes
  starting　from　their　sockets　　a　horrible　nausea　overwhelmed　me
  and　at　length　I　fainted　away。
  〃How　long　I　remained　in　this　state　it　is　impossible　to　say。　It　must；
  however；　have　been　no　inconsiderable　time；　for　when　I　partially
  recovered　the　sense　of　existence；　I　found　the　day　breaking；　the
  balloon　at　a　prodigious　height　over　a　wilderness　of　ocean；　and　not　a
  trace　of　land　to　be　discovered　far　and　wide　within　the　limits　of　the
  vast　horizon。　My　sensations；　however；　upon　thus　recovering；　were　by
  no　means　so　rife　with　agony　as　might　have　been　anticipated。　Indeed；
  there　was　much　of　incipient　madness　in　the　calm　survey　which　I　began
  to　take　of　my　situation。　I　drew　up　to　my　eyes　each　of　my　hands；　one
  after　the　other；　and　wondered　what　occurrence　could　have　given　rise
  to　the　swelling　of　the　veins；　and　the　horrible　blackness　of　the
  fingemails。　I　afterward　carefully　examined　my　head；　shaking　it
  repeatedly；　and　feeling　it　with　minute　attention；　until　I　succeeded
  in　satisfying　myself　that　it　was　not；　as　I　had　more　than　half
  suspected；　larger　than　my　balloon。　Then；　in　a　knowing　manner；　I　felt
  in　both　my　breeches　pockets；　and；　missing　therefrom　a　set　of　tablets
  and　a　toothpick　case；　endeavored　to　account　for　their　disappearance；
  and　not　being　able　to　do　so；　felt　inexpressibly　chagrined。　It　now
  occurred　to　me　that　I　suffered　great　uneasiness　in　the　joint　of　my
  left　ankle；　and　a　dim　consciousness　of　my　situation　began　to　glimmer
  through　my　mind。　But；　strange　to　say！　I　was　neither　astonished　nor
  horror…stricken。　If　I　felt　any　emotion　at　all；　it　was　a　kind　of
  chuckling　satisfaction　at　the　cleverness　I　was　about　to　display　in
  extricating　myself　from　this　dilemma；　and　I　never；　for　a　moment；
  looked　upon　my　ultimate　safety　as　a　question　susceptible　of　doubt。
  For　a　few　minutes　I　remained　wrapped　in　the　profoundest　meditation。　I
  have　a　distinct　recollection　of　frequently　compressing　my　lips；
  putting　my　forefinger　to　the　side　of　my　nose；　and　making　use　of　other
  gesticulations　and　grimaces　common　to　men　who；　at　ease　in　their
  arm…chairs；　meditate　upon　matters　of　intricacy　or　importance。　Having；
  as　I　thought；　sufficiently　collected　my　ideas；　I　now；　with　great
  caution　and　deliberation；　put　my　hands　behind　my　back；　and　unfastened
  the　large　iron　buckle　which　belonged　to　the　waistband　of　my
  inexpressibles。　This　buckle　had　three　teeth；　which；　being　somewhat
  rusty；　turned　with　great　difficulty　on　their　axis。　I　brought　them；
  however；　after　some　trouble；　at　right　angles　to　the　body　of　the
  buckle；　and　was　glad　to　find　them　remain　firm　in　that　position。
  Holding　the　instrument　thus　obtained　within　my　teeth；　I　now　proceeded
  to　untie　the　knot　of　my　cravat。　I　had　to　rest　several　times　before　I
  could　accomplish　this　manoeuvre；　but　it　was　at　length　accomplished。
  To　one　end　of　the　cravat　I　then　made　fast　the　buckle；　and　the　other
  end　I　tied；　for　greater　security；　tightly　around　my　wrist。　Drawing
  now　my　body　upwards；　with　a　prodigious　exertion　of　muscular　force；　I
  succeeded；　at　the　very　first　trial；　in　throwing　the　buckle　over　the
  car；　and　entangling　it；　as　I　had　anticipated；　in　the　circular　rim　of
  the　wicker…work。
  〃My　body　was　now　inclined　towards　the　side　of　the　car；　at　an　angle　of
  about　forty…five　degrees；　but　it　must　not　be　understood　that　I　was
  therefore　only　forty…five　degrees　below　the　perpendicular。　So　far
  from　it；　I　still　lay　nearly　level　with　the　plane　of　the　horizon；　for
  the　change　of　situation　which　I　had　acquired；　had　forced　the　bottom
  of　the　car　considerably　outwards　from　my　position；　which　was
  accordingly　one　of　the　most　imminent　and　deadly　peril。　It　should　be
  remembered；　however；　that　when　I　fell　in　the　first　instance；　from　the
  car；　if　I　had　fallen　with　my　face　turned　toward　the　balloon；　instead
  of　turned　outwardly　from　it；　as　it　actually　was；　or　if；　in　the　second
  p