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[[page 5 of "Balloon. An Authentic Account of The Aerial Voyage of Messrs. Sadler and Clayfield..." 2nd ed.]]

5

dred thousand persons, for even so far as Lansdown in the vicinity of Bath, the hills were thronged with spectators.

  The ascent was exceedingly rapid, though the AEronauts themselves were insensible to the motion, whilst the City and its Inhabitants appeared to be so rapidly descending and diminishing in size, as to convey the idea of their being about to be engulphed in an abyss, by a tremendous Earthquake ; about half a mile high the Balloon was enveloped in a thick black cloud, when the Earth was no longer visible.  The cloud did not in the least wet or incommode the aeronauts ; and when passed, the grandeur and sublimity of the view exceeded the power of description.  On looking back on the cloud from which the AEronauts had emerged, the most beautiful appearance exhibited itself.  The shadow of the Balloon was observed in its center, surrounded with a most resplendent halo or circular rainbow.  The Balloon still ascended rapidly, and soon entered a second cloud.

  At 2 o'clock, the Thermometer was at 47.  Passing over the River nearly perpendicular with the Dowager Lady Smyth's, at the Redclift, the Parachute was suspended, with a Cat in a Basket attached to it, was disengaged in its passage over Leigh Down and descended rapidly for a consi-