Cinq semaines en ballon. English

  CHAPTER EIGHTH.

  Joe's Importance.--The Commander of the Resolute.--Kennedy'sArsenal.--Mutual Amenities.--The Farewell Dinner.--Departure on the21st of February.--The Doctor's ScientificSessions.--Duveyrier.--Livingstone.--Details of the AerialVoyage.--Kennedy silenced.

  About the 10th of February, the preparations were pretty well completed;and the balloons, firmly secured, one within the other, were altogetherfinished. They had been subjected to a powerful pneumatic pressure inall parts, and the test gave excellent evidence of their solidity and ofthe care applied in their construction.

  Joe hardly knew what he was about, with delight. He trotted incessantlyto and fro between his home in Greek Street, and the Mitchellestablishment, always full of business, but always in the highestspirits, giving details of the affair to people who did not even askhim, so proud was he, above all things, of being permitted to accompanyhis master. I have even a shrewd suspicion that what with showing theballoon, explaining the plans and views of the doctor, giving folks aglimpse of the latter, through a half-opened window, or pointing himout as he passed along the streets, the clever scamp earned a fewhalf-crowns, but we must not find fault with him for that. He hadas much right as anybody else to speculate upon the admiration andcuriosity of his contemporaries.

  On the 16th of February, the Resolute cast anchor near Greenwich. Shewas a screw propeller of eight hundred tons, a fast sailer, and the veryvessel that had been sent out to the polar regions, to revictual thelast expedition of Sir James Ross. Her commander, Captain Bennet,had the name of being a very amiable person, and he took a particularinterest in the doctor's expedition, having been one of that gentleman'sadmirers for a long time. Bennet was rather a man of science than a manof war, which did not, however, prevent his vessel from carrying fourcarronades, that had never hurt any body, to be sure, but had performedthe most pacific duty in the world.

  The hold of the Resolute was so arranged as to find a stowing-place forthe balloon. The latter was shipped with the greatest precaution on the18th of February, and was then carefully deposited at the bottom ofthe vessel in such a way as to prevent accident. The car and itsaccessories, the anchors, the cords, the supplies, the water-tanks,which were to be filled on arriving, all were embarked and put awayunder Ferguson's own eyes.

  Ten tons of sulphuric acid and ten tons of iron filings, were put onboard for the future production of the hydrogen gas. The quantity wasmore than enough, but it was well to be provided against accident. Theapparatus to be employed in manufacturing the gas, including some thirtyempty casks, was also stowed away in the hold.

  These various preparations were terminated on the 18th of February, inthe evening. Two state-rooms, comfortably fitted up, were ready for thereception of Dr. Ferguson and his friend Kennedy. The latter, allthe while swearing that he would not go, went on board with a regulararsenal of hunting weapons, among which were two double-barrelledbreech-loading fowling-pieces, and a rifle that had withstood everytest, of the make of Purdey, Moore & Dickson, at Edinburgh. With sucha weapon a marksman would find no difficulty in lodging a bullet in theeye of a chamois at the distance of two thousand paces. Along withthese implements, he had two of Colt's six-shooters, for unforeseenemergencies. His powder-case, his cartridge-pouch, his lead, and hisbullets, did not exceed a certain weight prescribed by the doctor.

  The three travellers got themselves to rights on board during theworking-hours of February 19th. They were received with much distinctionby the captain and his officers, the doctor continuing as reserved asever, and thinking of nothing but his expedition. Dick seemed a gooddeal moved, but was unwilling to betray it; while Joe was fairly dancingand breaking out in laughable remarks. The worthy fellow soon became thejester and merry-andrew of the boatswain's mess, where a berth had beenkept for him.

  On the 20th, a grand farewell dinner was given to Dr. Ferguson andKennedy by the Royal Geographical Society. Commander Bennet and hisofficers were present at the entertainment, which was signalized bycopious libations and numerous toasts. Healths were drunk, in sufficientabundance to guarantee all the guests a lifetime of centuries. SirFrancis M----presided, with restrained but dignified feeling.

  To his own supreme confusion, Dick Kennedy came in for a large sharein the jovial felicitations of the night. After having drunk to the"intrepid Ferguson, the glory of England," they had to drink to "the noless courageous Kennedy, his daring companion."

  Dick blushed a good deal, and that passed for modesty; whereupon theapplause redoubled, and Dick blushed again.

  A message from the Queen arrived while they were at dessert. Her Majestyoffered her compliments to the two travellers, and expressed herwishes for their safe and successful journey. This, of course, renderedimperative fresh toasts to "Her most gracious Majesty."

  At midnight, after touching farewells and warm shaking of hands, theguests separated.

  The boats of the Resolute were in waiting at the stairs of WestminsterBridge. The captain leaped in, accompanied by his officers andpassengers, and the rapid current of the Thames, aiding the strong armsof the rowers, bore them swiftly to Greenwich. In an hour's time allwere asleep on board.

  The next morning, February 21st, at three o'clock, the furnaces beganto roar; at five, the anchors were weighed, and the Resolute, powerfullydriven by her screw, began to plough the water toward the mouth of theThames.

  It is needless to say that the topic of conversation with every one onboard was Dr. Ferguson's enterprise. Seeing and hearing the doctor sooninspired everybody with such confidence that, in a very short time,there was no one, excepting the incredulous Scotchman, on the steamerwho had the least doubt of the perfect feasibility and success of theexpedition.

  During the long, unoccupied hours of the voyage, the doctor held regularsittings, with lectures on geographical science, in the officers'mess-room. These young men felt an intense interest in the discoveriesmade during the last forty years in Africa; and the doctor related tothem the explorations of Barth, Burton, Speke, and Grant, and depictedthe wonders of this vast, mysterious country, now thrown open onall sides to the investigations of science. On the north, the youngDuveyrier was exploring Sahara, and bringing the chiefs of theTouaregs to Paris. Under the inspiration of the French Government, twoexpeditions were preparing, which, descending from the north, and comingfrom the west, would cross each other at Timbuctoo. In the south, theindefatigable Livingstone was still advancing toward the equator; and,since March, 1862, he had, in company with Mackenzie, ascended the riverRovoonia. The nineteenth century would, assuredly, not pass, contendedthe doctor, without Africa having been compelled to surrender thesecrets she has kept locked up in her bosom for six thousand years.

  But the interest of Dr. Ferguson's hearers was excited to the highestpitch when he made known to them, in detail, the preparations for hisown journey. They took pleasure in verifying his calculations; theydiscussed them; and the doctor frankly took part in the discussion.

  As a general thing, they were surprised at the limited quantity ofprovision that he took with him; and one day one of the officersquestioned him on that subject.

  "That peculiar point astonishes you, does it?" said Ferguson.

  "It does, indeed."

  "But how long do you think my trip is going to last? Whole months? Ifso, you are greatly mistaken. Were it to be a long one, we should belost; we should never get back. But you must know that the distance fromZanzibar to the coast of Senegal is only thirty-five hundred--say fourthousand miles. Well, at the rate of two hundred and forty miles everytwelve hours, which does not come near the rapidity of our railroadtrains, by travelling day and night, it would take only seven days tocross Africa!"

  "But then you could see nothing, make no geographical observations, orreconnoitre the face of the country."

  "Ah!" replied the doctor, "if I am master of my balloon--if I can ascendand descend at will, I shall stop when I please, especially when tooviolent currents of air threaten to carry me out of my way with them."
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  "And you will encounter such," said Captain Bennet. "There are tornadoesthat sweep at the rate of more than two hundred and forty miles perhour."

  "You see, then, that with such speed as that, we could cross Africa intwelve hours. One would rise at Zanzibar, and go to bed at St. Louis!"

  "But," rejoined the officer, "could any balloon withstand the wear andtear of such velocity?"

  "It has happened before," replied Ferguson.

  "And the balloon withstood it?"

  "Perfectly well. It was at the time of the coronation of Napoleon, in1804. The aeronaut, Gernerin, sent up a balloon at Paris, about eleveno'clock in the evening. It bore the following inscription, in letters ofgold: 'Paris, 25 Frimaire; year XIII; Coronation of the Emperor Napoleonby his Holiness, Pius VII.' On the next morning, the inhabitants of Romesaw the same balloon soaring above the Vatican, whence it crossed theCampagna, and finally fluttered down into the lake of Bracciano. So yousee, gentlemen, that a balloon can resist such velocities."

  "A balloon--that might be; but a man?" insinuated Kennedy.

  "Yes, a man, too!--for the balloon is always motionless with referenceto the air that surrounds it. What moves is the mass of the atmosphereitself: for instance, one may light a taper in the car, and the flamewill not even waver. An aeronaut in Garnerin's balloon would not havesuffered in the least from the speed. But then I have no occasionto attempt such velocity; and if I can anchor to some tree, or somefavorable inequality of the ground, at night, I shall not fail to do so.Besides, we take provision for two months with us, after all; and thereis nothing to prevent our skilful huntsman here from furnishing game inabundance when we come to alight."

  "Ah! Mr. Kennedy," said a young midshipman, with envious eyes, "whatsplendid shots you'll have!"

  "Without counting," said another, "that you'll have the glory as well asthe sport!"

  "Gentlemen," replied the hunter, stammering with confusion, "Igreatly--appreciate--your compliments--but they--don't--belong to me."

  "You!" exclaimed every body, "don't you intend to go?"

  "I am not going!"

  "You won't accompany Dr. Ferguson?"

  "Not only shall I not accompany him, but I am here so as to be presentat the last moment to prevent his going."

  Every eye was now turned to the doctor.

  "Never mind him!" said the latter, calmly. "This is a matter thatwe can't argue with him. At heart he knows perfectly well that he ISgoing."

  "By Saint Andrew!" said Kennedy, "I swear--"

  "Swear to nothing, friend Dick; you have been ganged and weighed--youand your powder, your guns, and your bullets; so don't let us sayanything more about it."

  And, in fact, from that day until the arrival at Zanzibar, Dick neveropened his mouth. He talked neither about that nor about anything else.He kept absolutely silent.