so　frequent　a　renovation　being　absolutely　necessary。　In　the　meanwhile
  I　could　not　help　making　anticipations。　Fancy　revelled　in　the　wild　and
  dreamy　regions　of　the　moon。　Imagination；　feeling　herself　for　once
  unshackled；　roamed　at　will　among　the　ever…changing　wonders　of　a
  shadowy　and　unstable　land。　Now　there　were　boary　and　time…honored
  forests；　and　craggy　precipices；　and　waterfalls　tumbling　with　a　loud
  noise　into　abysses　without　a　bottom。　Then　I　came　suddenly　into　still
  noonday　solitudes；　where　no　wind　of　heaven　ever　intruded；　and　where
  vast　meadows　of　poppies；　and　slender；　lily…looking　flowers　spread
  themselves　out　a　weary　distance；　all　silent　and　motionless　forever。
  Then　again　I　journeyed　far　down　away　into　another　country　where　it
  was　all　one　dim　and　vague　lake；　with　a　boundary　line　of　clouds。　And
  out　of　this　melancholy　water　arose　a　forest　of　tall　eastern　trees；
  like　a　wilderness　of　dreams。　And　I　have　in　mind　that　the　shadows　of
  the　trees　which　fell　upon　the　lake　remained　not　on　the　surface　where
  they　fell；　but　sunk　slowly　and　steadily　down；　and　commingled　with　the
  waves；　while　from　the　trunks　of　the　trees　other　shadows　were
  continually　coming　out；　and　taking　the　place　of　their　brothers　thus
  entombed。　〃This　then；〃　I　said　thoughtfully；　〃is　the　very　reason　why
  the　waters　of　this　lake　grow　blacker　with　age；　and　more　melancholy　as
  the　hours　run　on。〃　But　fancies　such　as　these　were　not　the　sole
  possessors　of　my　brain。　Horrors　of　a　nature　most　stern　and　most
  appalling　would　too　frequently　obtrude　themselves　upon　my　mind；　and
  shake　the　innermost　depths　of　my　soul　with　the　bare　supposition　of
  their　possibility。　Yet　I　would　not　suffer　my　thoughts　for　any　length
  of　time　to　dwell　upon　these　latter　speculations；　rightly　judging　the
  real　and　palpable　dangers　of　the　voyage　sufficient　for　my　undivided
  attention。
  〃At　five　o'clock；　p。m。；　being　engaged　in　regenerating　the　atmosphere
  within　the　chamber；　I　took　that　opportunity　of　observing　the　cat　and
  kittens　through　the　valve。　The　cat　herself　appeared　to　suffer　again
  very　much；　and　I　had　no　hesitation　in　attributing　her　uneasiness
  chiefly　to　a　difficulty　in　breathing；　but　my　experiment　with　the
  kittens　had　resulted　very　strangely。　I　had　expected；　of　course；　to
  see　them　betray　a　sense　of　pain；　although　in　a　less　degree　than　their
  mother；　and　this　would　have　been　sufficient　to　confirm　my　opinion
  concerning　the　habitual　endurance　of　atmospheric　pressure。　But　I　was
  not　prepared　to　find　them；　upon　close　examination；　evidently　enjoying
  a　high　degree　of　health；　breathing　with　the　greatest　ease　and　perfect
  regularity；　and　evincing　not　the　slightest　sign　of　any　uneasiness
  whatever。　I　could　only　account　for　all　this　by　extending　my　theory；
  and　supposing　that　the　highly　rarefied　atmosphere　around　might
  perhaps　not　be；　as　I　had　taken　for　granted；　chemically　insufficient
  for　the　purposes　of　life；　and　that　a　person　born　in　such　a　medium
  might；　possibly；　be　unaware　of　any　inconvenience　attending　its
  inhalation；　while；　upon　removal　to　the　denser　strata　near　the　earth；
  he　might　endure　tortures　of　a　similar　nature　to　those　I　had　so　lately
  experienced。　It　has　since　been　to　me　a　matter　of　deep　regret　that　an
  awkward　accident；　at　this　time；　occasioned　me　the　loss　of　my　little
  family　of　cats；　and　deprived　me　of　the　insight　into　this　matter　which
  a　continued　experiment　might　have　afforded。　In　passing　my　hand
  through　the　valve；　with　a　cup　of　water　for　the　old　puss；　the　sleeves
  of　my　shirt　became　entangled　in　the　loop　which　sustained　the　basket；
  and　thus；　in　a　moment；　loosened　it　from　the　bottom。　Had　the　whole
  actually　vanished　into　air；　it　could　not　have　shot　from　my　sight　in　a
  more　abrupt　and　instantaneous　manner。　Positively；　there　could　not
  have　intervened　the　tenth　part　of　a　second　between　the　disengagement
  of　the　basket　and　its　absolute　and　total　disappearance　with　all　that
  it　contained。　My　good　wishes　followed　it　to　the　earth；　but　of　course；
  I　had　no　hope　that　either　cat　or　kittens　would　ever　live　to　tell　the
  tale　of　their　misfortune。
  〃At　six　o'clock；　I　perceived　a　great　portion　of　the　earth's　visible
  area　to　the　eastward　involved　in　thick　shadow；　which　continued　to
  advance　with　great　rapidity；　until；　at　five　minutes　before　seven；　the
  whole　surface　in　view　was　enveloped　in　the　darkness　of　night。　It　was
  not；　however；　until　long　after　this　time　that　the　rays　of　the　setting
  sun　ceased　to　illumine　the　balloon；　and　this　circumstance；　although
  of　course　fully　anticipated；　did　not　fail　to　give　me　an　infinite　deal
  of　pleasure。　It　was　evident　that；　in　the　morning；　I　should　behold　the
  rising　luminary　many　hours　at　least　before　the　citizens　of　Rotterdam；
  in　spite　of　their　situation　so　much　farther　to　the　eastward；　and
  thus；　day　after　day；　in　proportion　to　the　height　ascended；　would　I
  enjoy　the　light　of　the　sun　for　a　longer　and　a　longer　period。　I　now
  determined　to　keep　a　journal　of　my　passage；　reckoning　the　days　from
  one　to　twenty…four　hours　continuously；　without　taking　into
  consideration　the　intervals　of　darkness。
  〃At　ten　o'clock；　feeling　sleepy；　I　determined　to　lie　down　for　the
  rest　of　the　night；　but　here　a　difficulty　presented　itself；　which；
  obvious　as　it　may　appear；　had　escaped　my　attention　up　to　the　very
  moment　of　which　I　am　now　speaking。　If　I　went　to　sleep　as　I　proposed；
  how　could　the　atmosphere　in　the　chamber　be　regenerated　in　the
  interim？　To　breathe　it　for　more　than　an　hour；　at　the　farthest；　would
  be　a　matter　of　impossibility；　or；　if　even　this　term　could　be　extended
  to　an　hour　and　a　quarter；　the　most　ruinous　consequences　might　ensue。
  The　consideration　of　this　dilemma　gave　me　no　little　disquietude；　and
  it　will　hardly　be　believed；　that；　after　the　dangers　I　had　undergone；
  I　should　look　upon　this　business　in　so　serious　a　light；　as　to　give　up
  all　hope　of　accomplishing　my　ultimate　design；　and　finally　make　up　my
  mind　to　the　necessity　of　a　descent。　But　this　hesitation　was　only
  momentary。　I　reflected　that　man　is　the　veriest　slave　of　custom；　and
  that　many　points　in　the　routine　of　his　existence　are　deemed
  essentially　important；　which　are　only　so　at　all　by　his　having
  rendered　them　habitual。　It　was　very　certain　that　I　could　not　do
  without　sleep；　but　I　might　easily　bring　myself　to　feel　no
  inconvenience　from　being　awakened　at　intervals　of　an　hour　during　the
  whole　period　of　my　repose。　It　would　require　but　five　minutes　at　most
  to　regenerate　the　atmosphere　in　the　fullest　manner；　and　the　only　real
  difficulty　was　to　contrive　a　method　of　arousing　myself　at　the　proper
  moment　for　so　doing。　But　this　was　a　question　which；　I　am　willing　to
  confess；　occasioned　me　no　little　trouble　in　its　solution。　To　be　sure；
  I　had　heard　of　the　student　who；　to　prevent　his　falling　asleep　over
  his　books；　held　in　one　hand　a　ball　of　copper；　the　din　of　whose
  descent　into　a　basin　of　the　same　metal　on　the　floor　beside　his　chair；
  served　effectually　to　startle　him　up；　if；　at　any　moment；　he　should　be
  overcome　with　drowsiness。　My　own　case；　however；　was　very　different
  indeed；　and　left　me　no　room　for　any　similar　idea；　for　I　did　not　wish
  to　keep　awake；　but　to　be　aroused　from　slumber　at　regular　intervals　of
  time。　I　at　length　hit　upon　the　following　expedient；　which；　simple　as
  it　may　seem；　was　hailed　by　me；　at　the　moment　of　discovery；　as　an
  invention　fully　equal　to　that　of　the　telescope；　the　steam…engine；　or
  the　art　of　printing　itself。
  〃It　is　necessary　to　premise；　that　the　balloon；　at　the　elevation　now
  attained；　continued　its　course　upward　with　an　even　and　undeviating
  ascent；　and　the　car　consequently　followed　with　a　steadiness　so
  perfect　that　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　detect　in　it　the
  slightest　vacillation　whatever。　This　circumstance　favored　me　greatly
  in　the　project　I　now　determined　to　adopt。　My　supply　of　water　had　been
  put　on　board　in　kegs　containing　five　gallons　each；　and　ranged　very
  securely　around　the　interior　of　the　car。　I　unfastened　one　of　these；
  and　taking　two　ropes　tied　them　tightly　across　the　rim　of　the
  wicker…work　from　one　side　to　the　other；　placing　them　about　a　foot
  apart　and　parallel　so　as　to　form　a　kind　of　shelf；　upon　which　I　placed
  the　keg；　and　steadied　it　in　a　horizontal　position。　About　eight　inches
  immediately　below　these　ropes；　and　four　feet　from　the　bottom　of　the
  car　I　fastened　another　shelf　　but　made　of　thin　plank；　being　the
  only　similar　piece　of　wood　I　had。　Upon　this　latter　shelf；　and　exactly
  beneath　one　of　the　rims　of　the　keg；　a　small　earthern　pitcher　was
  deposited。　I　now　bored　a　hole　in　the　end　of　the　keg　over　the　pitcher；
  and　fitted　in　a　plug　of　soft　wood；　cut　in　a　tapering　or　conical
  shape。　This　plug　I　pushed　in　or　pulled　out；　as　might　happen；　until；
  after　a　few　experiments；　it　arrived　at　that　exact　degree　of
  tightness；　at　which　the　water；　oozing　from　the　hole；　and　falling　into
  the　pitcher　below；　would　fill　the　latter　to　the　brim　in　the　period　of
  sixty　minutes。　This；　of　course；　was　a　matter　briefly　and　easily
  ascertained；　by　noticing　the　proportion　of　the　pitcher　filled　in　any
  given　time。　Having　arranged　all　this；　the　rest　of　the　plan　is
  obvious。　My　bed　was　so　contrived　upon　the　floor　of