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Blanchard made his thirteenth experiment on the 5th of May, at Basil. He ascended, in the presence of the Margrave of Baden, without the usual boat, his wings or parachute owing to an opening of about six inches toward the equatorial part of the balloon, which prevented its being completely filled. All his efforts to raise the boat or basket being fruitless, he tied four of the ropes at the bottom of the aerostat, and in that manner mounted the airy regions; after an excursion of half an hour, he discovered a defect in the balloon, when pulling the valve string, the valve unluckily gave way, the inflammable air began to fly, and he was hurried down to about two hundred fathoms with a violent rapidity. His feet received the first impression, but by good luck he received only a sprain in one ancle.
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10. Mr. Blanchard, on the 22nd of July, made his [[3rd?]] aerial excursion, from Brunswick, in the presence of the Reigning Duke and a very brilliant assembly. Blanchard relates on occasion, that
"Nothing was neglected on my part to
"answer the Prince's expectations, and in a
"very short time three balloons were filled.
"The Duke himself would send one into
"the air, which took the direction west-
"ward. I adapted to the second an im-
"mense parachute, which I fixed to the
"under part of my boat, and letting this
"aerostat be about ninety feet above the
"third, I fastened my wings to the ma-
"chines that were prepared for them, and
"disposed myself to mount."
After manoeuvring for some time in the air, he began to descend. He soon got over a wood, where a dead calm detained him for a short time; but a smart shake of his wings made him fly over to a plain where a great number of people on horseback tendered their arms to him; they took hold of his anchor, and by means of his extended wings, and the parachute which opened itself at a proper time, he touched the earth. They then towed him back exactly to the place of his departure, where he was received with the loudest applause. The Reigning Duke and his family gave him several presents of watches, trinkets, &c. &c.