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Old America had become fully charged for her voyage, which was twenty minute's later, and here of course begins the narrative of my own adventures.
I cannot refrain from uttering my warmest gratitude to the Boston public for their kindly manifestations towards me at this juncture of the proceedings, and were it not for those soul inspiring and blissful scenes and sensations that always accompany an aerial voyage, I should have felt a pang at parting that consolidated mass of New England gentility. But, my good friends, Alderman Wightman and Kreuger were bound to let go at the word of command, because our mutual good friend, the Chief of Police, gave the order.
Old America shot up like an arrow from a well-strung bow, and oh! what a sight developed itself in the receding earth below. There was truly and grandly a spiritual manifestation on Boston Common. Every bound of the Old America brought forth a new phalanx—first the tens of thousands of upturned faces immediately beneath, then one street after the other germinated forth its living humanity—then Roxbury, and Chelsea, 
and East Boston, and Charlestown, and Malden, and Medford, and Lynn, and Nahant, and all creation, seemed to follow, until the upward bounds of the air ship took me too high for longer particularization.
Here I took the first sober observation of the country, and God's creation in general. Boston had become a Lilliputian city, and its adjuncts were as mere fragments hanging to its periphery, but when I cast my eyes seaward, then only were my thoughts engrossed with infinity. The sight over the sea was sublime. Sail upon sail grew up from the wide blue sea as I rose higher and higher, and now I was struck with astonishment on turning my eyes to the west, in seeing two suns—two suns apparently shining in contrast with each other, and vieing in brilliant halos. Really, really, came forth the ejaculation, this must be Aladdin's lamp. 
Now I aroused from this beautiful scene and asked myself, "Where is Young America?" Turning my eyes over the ocean, I beheld her out over the graves. Truly, truly, came forth the exclamation, "Fillibuster like, she is where she ought not to be!" I watched for a few moments and saw her descending, and, as I supposed, into the water. "What's to be done now?" says I, and in another moment I threw off ballast in order to reach the easterly current and override her, when all of a sudden she rose up again and bore directly for Nahant. Upon this I discharged gas again and bore into land with the sea breeze and heading her off, when again Young America appeared to have reached the surface of the water and was beating directly for Nahant Island, and so complete was the delusion that she was scudding on the sea, that I was sure I saw her ripping the sand with her anchor as she crossed the island, nevertheless, my son informs me that he was at least a thousand feet above the surface of the land when he crossed. 
I now determined to remain up until I could see her moored into a port of safety, and as I did not feel over amphibious I kept close to the shore. In a few minutes more I saw Young America cross Lynn Bay, and making a good point to land. I determined to come down. About this time I was bearing over "Powder-Horn Hill," and loud and hearty were the invitations to slight; the good people offering to render me all the hospitalities of Massachusetts generosity. Thus I landed on Mr. Caleb Pratt's place, and from thence I proceeded in good company with Mr- W. L. Coane, first partaking of a good supper at Mr. Pratt's table, to the city again, which I reached at 8 1-2 o'clock. 
It is not improper to state that my tactics during the flight of Old America were mainly governed with a view to render assistance by counsel or by hand to Young America, should any such emergency arise, which appeared to me very probable when I was read to start, and saw her at an elevation of several miles. This may seem far-fetched to the intelligent reader, but I would beg leave to say, that the twenty years' experience, with 204 voyages and over 100 topical ascents within the Balloon "Captive" ought at least enable one to do that which falls within the province of common experience. Well, then, there was a local breeze from the S. E. and the upper current was from the West. Now between these two currents there was an eddy current, bearing between the two, and, as I was provided with plenty of gas and ballast, all these currents were at my service, and, with a great deal of confidence in my ability to go to the right, or to the left, or right over the Young America, there was no difficulty in my going to her assistance should it be required, and with this view I did go out over the harbor when I thought she had touched the water to the N. E. of The Graves, and again went landward when she appeared above the water. Had she really been water-logged and her ballast expended, my plan was to glide gradually near her, and throw my son a line of three hundred fathoms which I had with me, and by that means tow him into the port with the sea breeze bearing landward, or to hover over him and direct and encourage him to that which might be visible to me and not to him—such as seeing boats approaching and points of land projecting. I had given him directions not to go out far, and for that reason I suspected that his management indicated an embarrassment which I could not exactly explain, under the strong optical delusion to me that he was scudding on the sea. His three different ascents apparent to me, also optical delusions, however soon satisfied me that he felt perfectly at home as long as he was south of Cape Ann.
The atmosphere above produced mirage in several directions. In the west there were two distinct images of the sun, and for several moments there appeared a third image more faint than the others. The line of sea coast, for many miles north and south, was beautifully defined and for a time it waved up and down like an aurora, as the sun was passing behind a thin filmy cloud.
The atmosphere was deliciously refreshing, and at an elevation of several thousand feet it appeared to taste of a slight salty and pungent flavor; at all events it superinduced a powerful influence upon my inner man, to which the larder of my good and new-made friend, Mr. Pratt, can truly testify. Would it not be worth the trial of an experiment upon valetudinarians? Would not the sweet ozonic atmosphere of a mile or so high, coming from the pure blue sea, together with the soul-moving scenes that surround you, produce a very salutary effect upon languishing patients? 
If I were to answer this question upon the basis of