“P。S。byMr。Ainsworth。Thelastninehourshavebeenunquestionablythemostexcitingofmylife。Icanconceivenothingmoresublimatingthanthestrangeperilandnoveltyofanadventuresuchasthis。MayGodgrantthatwesucceed！Iasknotsuccessformeresafetytomyinsignificantperson，butforthesakeofhumanknowledgeand-forthevastnessofthetriumph。Andyetthefeatisonlysoevidentlyfeasiblethatthesolewonderiswhymenhavescrupledtoattemptitbefore。Onesinglegalesuchasnowbefriendsus-letsuchatempestwhirlforwardaballoonforfourorfivedaysthesegalesoftenlastlongerandthevoyagerwillbeeasilyborne，inthatperiod，fromcoasttocoast。InviewofsuchagalethebroadAtlanticbecomesamerelake。Iammorestruck，justnow，withthesupremesilencewhichreignsintheseabeneathus，notwithstandingitsagitation，thanwithanyotherphenomenonpresentingitself。Thewatersgiveupnovoicetotheheavens。Theimmenseflamingoceanwrithesandistortureduncomplainingly。Themountainoussurgessuggesttheideaofinnumerabledumbgiganticfiendsstrugglinginimpotentagony。Inanightsuchasisthistome，aman_lives_-livesawholecenturyofordinarylife-norwouldIforegothisrapturousdelightforthatofawholecenturyofordinaryexistence。
　　“_Sunday，theseventh_。[Mr。Mason’sMS。]Thismorningthegale，by10，hadsubsidedtoaneightornine-knotbreeze，foravesselatsea，andbearsus，perhaps，thirtymilesperhour，ormore。Ithasveered，however，veryconsiderablytothenorth；andnow，atsundown，weareholdingourcourseduewest，principallybythescrewandrudder，whichanswertheirpurposestoadmiration。Iregardtheprojectasthoroughlysuccessful，andtheeasynavigationoftheairinanydirectionnotexactlyintheteethofagaleasnolongerproblematical。Wecouldnothavemadeheadagainstthestrongwindofyesterday；but，byascending，wemighthavegotoutofitsinfluence，ifrequisite。Againstaprettystiffbreeze，Ifeelconvinced，wecanmakeourwaywiththepropeller。Atnoon，to-day，ascendedtoanelevationofnearly25，000feet，bydischargingballast。Didthistosearchforamoredirectcurrent，butfoundnonesofavorableastheonewearenowin。Wehaveanabundanceofgastotakeusacrossthissmallpond，evenshouldthevoyagelastthreeweeks。Ihavenottheslightestfearfortheresult。Thedifficultyhasbeenstrangelyexaggeratedandmisapprehended。Icanchoosemycurrent，andshouldIfind_all_currentsagainstme，Icanmakeverytolerableheadwaywiththepropeller。Wehavehadnoincidentsworthrecording。Thenightpromisesfair。
　　P。S。[ByMr。Ainsworth。]Ihavelittletorecord，exceptthefacttomequiteasurprisingonethat，atanelevationequaltothatofCotopaxi，Iexperiencedneitherveryintensecold，norheadache，nordifficultyofbreathing；neither，Ifind，didMr。
　　Mason，norMr。Holland，norSirEverard。Mr。Osbornecomplainedofconstrictionofthechest-butthissoonworeoff。Wehaveflownatagreatrateduringtheday，andwemustbemorethanhalfwayacrosstheAtlantic。Wehavepassedoversometwentyorthirtyvesselsofvariouskinds，andallseemtobedelightfullyastonished。Crossingtheoceaninaballoonisnotsodifficultafeatafterall。_Omneignotumpromagnifico。Mem：_at25，000feetelevationtheskyappearsnearlyblack，andthestarsaredistinctlyvisible；whiletheseadoesnotseemconvexasonemightsupposebutabsolutelyandmostunequivocally_concave_。{*1}
　　“_Monday，the8th_。[Mr。Mason’sMS。]Thismorningwehadagainsomelittletroublewiththerodofthepropeller，whichmustbeentirelyremodelled，forfearofseriousaccident-Imeanthesteelrod-notthevanes。Thelattercouldnotbeimproved。Thewindhasbeenblowingsteadilyandstronglyfromthenorth-eastalldayandsofarfortuneseemsbentuponfavoringus。Justbeforeday，wewereallsomewhatalarmedatsomeoddnoisesandconcussionsintheballoon，accompaniedwiththeapparentrapidsubsidenceofthewholemachine。Thesephenomenawereoccasionedbytheexpansionofthegas，throughincreaseofheatintheatmosphere，andtheconsequentdisruptionoftheminuteparticlesoficewithwhichthenetworkhadbecomeencrustedduringthenight。Threwdownseveralbottlestothevesselsbelow。Sawoneofthempickedupbyalargeship-seeminglyoneoftheNewYorklinepackets。Endeavoredtomakeouthername，butcouldnotbesureofit。Mr。Osbornestelescopemadeitoutsomethinglike“Atalanta。”Itisnow12，atnight，andwearestillgoingnearlywest，atarapidpace。Theseaispeculiarlyphosphorescent。
　　“P。S。[ByMr。Ainsworth。]Itisnow2，A。M。，andnearlycalm，aswellasIcanjudge-butitisverydifficulttodeterminethispoint，sincewemove_with_theairsocompletely。IhavenotsleptsincequittingWheal-Vor，butcanstanditnolonger，andmusttakeanap。WecannotbefarfromtheAmericancoast。
　　“_Tuesday，the_9_th_。[Mr。Ainsworth’sMS。]_One，P。M。WeareinfullviewofthelowcoastofSouthCarolina_。Thegreatproblemisaccomplished。WehavecrossedtheAtlantic-fairlyand_easily_
　　crosseditinaballoon！Godbepraised！Whoshallsaythatanythingisimpossiblehereafter？“
　　TheJournalhereceases。Someparticularsofthedescentwerecommunicated，however，byMr。AinsworthtoMr。Forsyth。Itwasnearlydeadcalmwhenthevoyagersfirstcameinviewofthecoast，whichwasimmediatelyrecognizedbyboththeseamen，andbyMr。
　　Osborne。ThelattergentlemanhavingacquaintancesatFortMoultrie，itwasimmediatelyresolvedtodescendinitsvicinity。Theballoonwasbroughtoverthebeachthetidebeingoutandthesandhard，smooth，andadmirablyadaptedforadescent，andthegrapnelletgo，whichtookfirmholdatonce。Theinhabitantsoftheisland，andofthefort，throngedout，ofcourse，toseetheballoon；butitwaswiththegreatestdifficultythatanyonecouldbemadetocredittheactualvoyage-_thecrossingoftheAtlantic_。Thegrapnelcaughtat2，P。M。，precisely；andthusthewholevoyagewascompletedinseventy-fivehours；orratherless，countingfromshoretoshore。
　　Noseriousaccidentoccurred。Norealdangerwasatanytimeapprehended。Theballoonwasexhaustedandsecuredwithouttrouble；
　　andwhentheMS。fromwhichthisnarrativeiscompiledwasdespatchedfromCharleston，thepartywerestillatFortMoultrie。
　　Theirfartherintentionswerenotascertained；butwecansafelypromiseourreaderssomeadditionalinformationeitheronMondayorinthecourseofthenextday，atfarthest。
　　Thisisunquestionablythemoststupendous，themostinteresting，andthemostimportantundertaking，everaccomplishedorevenattemptedbyman。Whatmagnificenteventsmayensue，itwouldbeuselessnowtothinkofdetermining。
　　{*1}_Note_-Mr。Ainsworthhasnotattemptedtoaccountforthisphenomenon，which，however，isquitesusceptibleofexplanation。A
　　linedroppedfromanelevationof25，000feet，perpendicularlytothesurfaceoftheearthorsea，wouldformtheperpendicularofaright-angledtriangle，ofwhichthebasewouldextendfromtherightangletothehorizon，andthehypothenusefromthehorizontotheballoon。Butthe25，000feetofaltitudeislittleornothing，incomparisonwiththeextentoftheprospect。Inotherwords，thebaseandhypothenuseofthesupposedtrianglewouldbesolongwhencomparedwiththeperpendicular，thatthetwoformermayberegardedasnearlyparallel。Inthismannerthehorizonofthe鎟onautwouldappeartobe_onalevel_withthecar。But，asthepointimmediatelybeneathhimseems，andis，atagreatdistancebelowhim，itseems，ofcourse，also，atagreatdistancebelowthehorizon。Hencetheimpressionof_concavity_；andthisimpressionmustremain，untiltheelevationshallbearsogreataproportiontotheextentofprospect，thattheapparentparallelismofthebaseandhypothenusedisappears-whentheearth’srealconvexitymustbecomeapparent。
　　OFmycountryandofmyfamilyIhavelittletosay。Illusageandlengthofyearshavedrivenmefromtheone，andestrangedmefromtheother。Hereditarywealthaffordedmeaneducationofnocommonorder，andacontemplativeturnofmindenabledmetomethodizethestoreswhichearlystudyverydiligentlygarneredup。Beyondallthings，thestudyoftheGermanmoralistsgavemegreatdelight；notfromanyill-advisedadmirationoftheireloquentmadness，butfromtheeasewithwhichmyhabitsofrigidthoughtenabledmetodetecttheirfalsities。Ihaveoftenbeenreproachedwiththearidityofmygenius；adeficiencyofimaginationhasbeenimputedtomeasacrime；andthePyrrhonismofmyopinionshasatalltimesrenderedmenotorious。Indeed，astrongrelishforphysicalphilosophyhas，I
　　fear，tincturedmymindwithaverycommonerrorofthisageI
　　meanthehabitofreferringoccurrences，eventheleastsusceptibleofsuchreference，totheprinciplesofthatscience。Uponthewhole，nopersoncouldbelessliablethanmyselftobeledawayfromthesevereprecinctsoftruthbytheignesfatuiofsuperstition。Ihavethoughtpropertopremisethusmuch，lesttheincredibletaleIhavetotellshouldbeconsideredrathertheravingofacrudeimagination，thanthepositiveexperienceofamindtowhichthereveriesoffancyhavebeenadeadletterandanullity。
　　Aftermanyyearsspentinforeigntravel，Isailedintheyear18
　　，fromtheportofBatavia，intherichandpopulousislandofJava，onavoyagetotheArchipelagooftheSundaislands。Iwentaspassengerhavingnootherinducementthanakindofnervousrestlessnesswhichhauntedmeasafiend。
　　Ourvesselwasabeautifulshipofaboutfourhundredtons，copper-fastened，andbuiltatBombayofMalabarteak。Shewasfreightedwithcotton-woolandoil，fromtheLachadiveislands。Wehadalsoonboardcoir，jaggeree，ghee，cocoa-nuts，andafewcasesofopium。Thestowagewasclumsilydone，andthevesselconsequentlycrank。
　　Wegotunderwaywithamerebreathofwind，andformanydaysstoodalongtheeasterncoastofJava，withoutanyotherincidenttobeguilethemonotonyofourcoursethantheoccasionalmeetingwithsomeofthesmallgrabsoftheArchipelagotowhichwewerebound。
　　Oneevening，leaningoverthetaffrail，Iobservedaverysingular，isolatedcloud，totheN。W。Itwasremarkable，aswellforitscolor，asfromitsbeingthefirstwehadseensinceourdeparturefromBatavia。Iwatcheditattentivelyuntilsunset，whenitspreadallatoncetotheeastwardandwestward，girtinginthehorizonwithanarrowstripofvapor，andlookinglikealonglineoflowbeach。Mynoticewassoonafterwardsattractedbythedusky-redappearanceofthemoon，andthepeculiarcharacterofthesea。Thelatterwasundergoingarapidchange，andthewaterseemedmorethanusuallytransparent。AlthoughIcoulddistinctlyseethebottom，yet，heavingthelead，Ifoundtheshipinfifteenfathoms。Theairnowbecameintolerablyhot，andwasloadedwithspiralexhalationssimilartothosearisingfromheatiron。Asnightcameon，everybreathofwinddiedaway，anmoreentirecalmitisimpossibletoconceive。Theflameofacandleburneduponthepoopwithouttheleastperceptiblemotion，andalonghair，heldbetweenthefingerandthumb，hungwithoutthepossibilityofdetectingavibration。However，asthecaptainsaidhecouldperceivenoindicationofdanger，andasweweredriftinginbodilytoshore，heorderedthesailstobefurled，andtheanchorletgo。Nowatchwasset，andthecrew，consistingprincipallyofMalays，stretchedthemselvesdeliberatelyupondeck。I
　　wentbelownotwithoutafullpresentimentofevil。Indeed，everyappearancewarrantedmeinapprehendingaSimoom。Itoldthecaptainmyfears；buthepaidnoattentiontowhatIsaid，andleftmewithoutdeigningtogiveareply。Myuneasiness，however，preventedmefromsleeping，andaboutmidnightIwentupondeck。AsIplacedmyfootupontheupperstepofthecompanion-ladder，Iwasstartledbyaloud，hummingnoise，likethatoccasionedbytherapidrevolutionofamill-wheel，andbeforeIcouldascertainitsmeaning，Ifoundtheshipquiveringtoitscentre。Inthenextinstant，awildernessoffoamhurledusuponourbeam-ends，and，rushingoverusforeandaft，swepttheentiredecksfromstemtostern。
　　Theextremefuryoftheblastproved，inagreatmeasure，thesalvationoftheship。Althoughcompletelywater-logged，yet，ashermastshadgonebytheboard，sherose，afteraminute，heavilyfromthesea，and，staggeringawhilebeneaththeimmensepressureofthetempest，finallyrighted。
　　BywhatmiracleIescapeddestruction，itisimpossibletosay。
　　Stunnedbytheshockofthewater，Ifoundmyself，uponrecovery，jammedinbetweenthestern-postandrudder。WithgreatdifficultyI
　　gainedmyfeet，andlookingdizzilyaround，was，atfirst，struckwiththeideaofourbeingamongbreakers；soterrific，beyondthewildestimagination，wasthewhirlpoolofmountainousandfoamingoceanwithinwhichwewereengulfed。Afterawhile，IheardthevoiceofanoldSwede，whohadshippedwithusatthemomentofourleavingport。Ihallooedtohimwithallmystrength，andpresentlyhecamereelingaft。Wesoondiscoveredthatwewerethesolesurvivorsoftheaccident。Allondeck，withtheexceptionofourselves，hadbeensweptoverboard；thecaptainandmatesmusthaveperishedastheyslept，forthecabinsweredelugedwithwater。Withoutassistance，wecouldexpecttodolittleforthesecurityoftheship，andourexertionswereatfirstparalyzedbythemomentaryexpectationofgoingdown。Ourcablehad，ofcourse，partedlikepack-thread，atthefirstbreathofthehurricane，orweshouldhavebeeninstantaneouslyoverwhelmed。Wescuddedwithfrightfulvelocitybeforethesea，andthewatermadeclearbreachesoverus。Theframe-workofoursternwasshatteredexcessively，and，inalmosteveryrespect，wehadreceivedconsiderableinjury；buttoourextremeJoywefoundthepumpsunchoked，andthatwehadmadenogreatshiftingofourballast。Themainfuryoftheblasthadalreadyblownover，andweapprehendedlittledangerfromtheviolenceofthewind；butwelookedforwardtoitstotalcessationwithdismay；wellbelieving，that，inourshatteredcondition，weshouldinevitablyperishinthetremendousswellwhichwouldensue。Butthisveryjustapprehensionseemedbynomeanslikelytobesoonverified。Forfiveentiredaysandnightsduringwhichouronlysubsistencewasasmallquantityofjaggeree，procuredwithgreatdifficultyfromtheforecastle
　　thehulkflewataratedefyingcomputation，beforerapidlysucceedingflawsofwind，which，withoutequallingthefirstviolenceoftheSimoom，werestillmoreterrificthananytempestIhadbeforeencountered。Ourcourseforthefirstfourdayswas，withtriflingvariations，S。E。andbyS。；andwemusthaverundownthecoastofNewHolland。Onthefifthdaythecoldbecameextreme，althoughthewindhadhauledroundapointmoretothenorthward。Thesunarosewithasicklyyellowlustre，andclamberedaveryfewdegreesabovethehorizonemittingnodecisivelight。Therewerenocloudsapparent，yetthewindwasupontheincrease，andblewwithafitfulandunsteadyfury。Aboutnoon，asnearlyaswecouldguess，ourattentionwasagainarrestedbytheappearanceofthesun。Itgaveoutnolight，properlysocalled，butadullandsullenglowwithoutreflection，asifallitsrayswerepolarized。Justbeforesinkingwithintheturgidsea，itscentralfiressuddenlywentout，asifhurriedlyextinguishedbysomeunaccountablepower。Itwasadim，sliver-likerim，alone，asitrusheddowntheunfathomableocean。