voice, then gave the order for starting. He
waved his hand to the numerous spectators
who encircled the apparatus. The balloon,
when freed at last from its fastenings,
oscillated feebly with a tendency to sink; but
Blanchard altered the balance of power by
getting rid of two bags of ballast, and the
machine immediately made a movement of
ascent. Till the last and actual start was
made, all kept silence, and anxiety was
stamped on every countenance; but the
balloon had scarcely risen from the earth before
there burst forth the most enthusiastic
applause, and every demonstration of joy which
the excitement of the moment could suggest.
It was, in reality, a most interesting spectacle
to behold the two undaunted adventurers
hovering in mid air over the immense surface
of the waters. Witnessing from afar the delight
of which they were themselves the cause, they
bade farewell to the multitude by waving
their flags, in order both to reassure the
spectators, and to testify their gratitude for the
prolonged shouts of approbation whose
distant murmur reached their ears.

The actual ascent was made at a quarter
past one. At forty minutes past one, the balloon
was at a prodigious elevation towards the
south-west. In spite of the clearness of the
atmosphere, it only looked like a black point
in the sky. A few minutes afterwards, it was
seen to descend, and then to disappear. The
spectators could not help uttering a cry of
alarm, which was repeated by Mrs. Jefferies
in the accent of the most despairing sorrow.
She had taken her position, with several
friends, on the platform of the northern
tower of the Castle. But the greatest joy
was soon manifested, when the balloon rose
again in the air, and resumed its horizontal
progress with astonishing steadiness. Those
persons who were provided with telescopes,
could distinctly perceive that the aeronauts
were throwing out ballast; one observer even
declared (and the fact was subsequently
confirmed), that they had lightened themselves
by casting off their waistcoats.

Jefferies' letter, inserted in the Annual
Register for seventeen hundred and eighty-
five, gives the most interesting particulars
respecting the course of the balloon, and the
impressions experienced by the travellers. In
this letter Jefferies styles Blanchard "his
noble little captain," and mentions the
reception he met with from M. Brounot of
Hardinghem, and the family of M. Mouron
of Calais. Colin Mackenzie's One Thousand
Experiments in Chemistry also gives a
complete account of the passage, considered in an
aerostatic point of view.

It was guessed that they had reached the
Continent at a quarter after three; and it was
judged, as far as it was possible to determine
from so great a distance, that they were over
Cape Blanez, more in the direction of Boulogne
than of Calais. The balloon had scarcely been
perceived from the French coast, when all the
inhabitants of Calais were on foot, to enjoy
so extraordinary a spectacle. A great number
of boats full of inquisitive persons, and half-a-
score fishing-boats, left the port and dispersed
themselves on the sea to the extent of a
couple of leagues. At Calais, as well as at
Dover, public enthusiasm had been wrought
to its highest pitch. Every child that ran
through the streets launched a little paper
balloon. The mode des aerostats became so
much the rage, that the device of a balloon
entered into jewellery, toys, and ornaments of
every description. The journals of the day
took great interest in aerostatic experiments.
They are full of details of balloon ascents,
which, from that time, were successively
performed on every spot of the civilised globe.
Next to political matters, which already
began to weigh heavily on men's minds,
ballooning was the fashion of the epoch, and
the principal subject to engross attention.
Among other compilations of the time, the
Mémoires Secrets of Bachaumont are full of
circumstantial details of the numerous
aerostatic attempts which signalised the end
of the eighteenth century.

The instant when Blanchard's balloon
overhung the land, several cannon of large
calibre, as had been agreed, were fired from
Fort Rouge, to give notice of its safe arrival
on the Continent. The sound was distinctly
heard at Dover, where the whole town was
in a state of festivity. From that moment
Mrs. Jefferies and her daughter were in the
highest spirits. They were conducted to the
residence of the Mayor, where they received
the compliments and congratulations of the
principal persons of the place. The band of
the garrison came and played during a couple
of hours before the house.

At five-and-twenty minutes after three,
the aeronauts alighted on the ground without
the slightest accident, on the borders of
the Forest of Guines, not far from the village
of Campagne. The balloon remained
suspended between a couple of oaks, and the
travellers were obliged to get out of their car
by the aid of the branches. Two little boys,
twelve years of age, were the only witnesses
of the balloon's descent; and they were so
frightened that they ran away, screaming
terribly. Some inhabitants of the village,
two of whom were women, immediately
repaired to the spot, and volunteered their
assistance to the new arrivals, who were
suffering severely from cold. They were
taken to the nearest house, occupied by one
Sieur Pollet, where a great fire was lighted
to warm them. Blanchard was famished
with hunger. They boiled him half-a-dozen
eggs, but he ate only a couple of them.
Jefferies complained of his stomach, and
asked for a little brandy; they went and
fetched some for him, and he drank it in a
cup of hot water. It was noticed that in less
than a quarter of an hour, he took more than
twenty pinches of snuff.