The Unparalleled Advertures of One Hans Pfaal by Edgar Allan Poe
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sauntered along the dusky streets, I revolved carefully over in my memory the wild and sometimes unintelligible reasonings of_the writer . there_are some particular passages which affected my imagination in a powerful and extraordinary manner . the longer I meditated upon these the more intense grew the interest which had_been excited within me . the limited nature of_my education in general, and more especially my ignorance on subjects connected with natural philosophy, so_far from rendering me diffident of_my own ability to comprehend what I had read, or inducing me to mistrust the many vague notions which had arisen in consequence, merely served as a farther stimulus to imagination; and i_was vain enough, or perhaps reasonable enough, to doubt whether those crude ideas which, arising in ill- regulated minds, have all the appearance, may not often in effect possess all the force, the reality, and other inherent properties, of instinct or intuition; whether, to_proceed a step farther, profundity itself might_not, in matters of a purely speculative nature, be detected as a legitimate source of falsity and error . in other words, I believed, and still do believe, that truth, is frequently of_its own essence, superficial, and_that, in many cases, the depth lies more in_the abysses where we seek her, than in_the actual situations wherein she_may_be found . nature herself seemed to afford me corroboration of_these ideas . in_the contemplation of_the heavenly bodies it struck me forcibly that I_could_not distinguish a star with nearly as_much precision, when I gazed on_it with earnest, direct and undeviating attention, as when I suffered my eye only to glance in its vicinity alone . i_was not, of_course, at_that_time aware that_this apparent paradox was occasioned by_the center of_the visual area being less susceptible of feeble impressions of light than_the exterior portions of_the retina . this knowledge, and some of another kind, came afterwards in_the course of an eventful five years, during which I_have dropped the prejudices of_my former humble situation in life, and forgotten the bellows-mender in far different occupations . but at_the epoch of_which I speak, the analogy which a casual observation of a star offered to_the conclusions I had already drawn, struck me with_the force of positive conformation, and I then finally made up my mind to_the course which I afterwards pursued .

" it_was late when I reached home, and I went immediately to bed . my mind, however, was too_much occupied to sleep, and I lay the whole night buried in meditation .Arising early in_the morning, and contriving again to escape the vigilance of_my creditors, I repaired eagerly to_the bookseller's stall, and laid out what little ready money I possessed, in_the purchase of some volumes of mechanics and practical astronomy .Having arrived at home safely with_these, I devoted every spare moment to_their perusal, and soon made such proficiency in studies of_this nature as i_thought sufficient for_the execution of_my plan . in_the intervals of_this period, I_made every endeavor to conciliate the three creditors who had given me so_much annoyance . in_this I finally succeeded -- partly by selling enough of_my household furniture to satisfy a moiety of_their claim, and partly by a promise of paying the balance upon completion of a little project which i_told them I had in view, and for assistance in_which I solicited their services . by_these means -- for they were ignorant men -- I_found little difficulty in gaining them over to my purpose .

"Matters being thus arranged, I contrived, by_the aid of_my wife and with_the greatest secrecy and caution, to dispose of what property I had remaining, and to borrow, in small sums, under various pretences, and without paying any attention to my future means of repayment, no inconsiderable quantity of ready money . with_the means thus accruing I proceeded to procure at intervals, cambric muslin, very fine, in pieces of twelve yards each; twine; alot of_the varnish of caoutchouc; a large and deep basket of wicker- work, made to order; and several_other articles necessary in_the construction and equipment of a balloon of extraordinary dimensions . this I directed my wife to_make up as_soon_as_possible, and gave her all requisite information as_to_the particular method of proceeding . in_the meantime I worked up the twine into a net- work of sufficient dimensions; rigged it with a hoop and_the necessary cords; bought a quadrant, a compass, a spy- glass, a common barometer with some important modifications, and two astronomical instruments not so generally known .I then took opportunities of conveying by night, to a retired situation east of Rotterdam, five iron- bound casks, to contain about fifty gallons each, and one of a larger size; six tinned ware tubes, three inches in diameter, properly shaped, and ten feet in length; a quantity of a particular metallic substance, or semi- metal, which I_shall_not name, and a dozen demijohns of a very common acid . the gas to_be formed from_these latter materials is a gas never yet generated by any_other person than myself -- or at_least never applied to any similar purpose . the secret i_would make no difficulty in disclosing, but that_it of right belongs to a citizen of Nantz, in France, by whom it_was conditionally communicated to myself . the same individual submitted to_me, without being at all aware of_my intentions, a method of constructing balloons from_the membrane of a certain animal, through which substance any escape of gas was nearly an impossibility . I_found it, however, altogether too expensive, and was not sure, upon_the whole, whether cambric muslin with acoating of gum caoutchouc, was not equally as good .I mention this circumstance, because i_think it probable that hereafter the individual in_question may attempt a balloon ascension with_the novel gas and material I_have spoken of, and I_do_not wish to deprive him of_the honor of a very singular invention .

" on_the spot which I intended each of_the smaller casks to occupy respectively during the inflation of_the balloon, I privately dug a hole two feet deep; the holes forming in_this manner a circle twenty-five feet in diameter . in_the centre of_this circle, being the station designed for_the large cask, I also dug a hole three feet in depth . in each of_the five smaller holes, I deposited a canister containing fifty pounds, and in_the larger one a keg holding one hundred and fifty pounds, of cannon powder . these -- the keg and canisters -- I connected in a proper manner with covered trains; and having let into one_of_the canisters the end of about four feet of slow match, I covered up the hole, and placed the cask over it, leaving the other end of_the match protruding about an inch, and barely visible beyond the cask .I then filled up the remaining holes, and placed the barrels over them in their destined situation .

" besides the articles above enumerated, I conveyed to_the depot, and there secreted, one of M .Grimm's improvements upon_the apparatus for condensation of_the atmospheric air . I_found this machine, however, to require considerable alteration before it could_be adapted to_the purposes to_which I intended making it applicable . but, with severe labor and unremitting perseverance, I at_length met with entire success in all my preparations . my balloon was soon completed . it would contain more than forty thousand cubic feet of gas; would take me up easily, I calculated, with all my implements, and, if I managed rightly, with one hundred and seventy-five pounds of ballast into_the bargain . it had received three coats of varnish, and I_found the cambric muslin to answer all the purposes of silk itself, quite as strong and a good_deal less expensive .

" everything being now ready, I exacted from my wife an oath of secrecy in_relation to all my actions from_the day of_my first visit to_the bookseller's stall; and promising, on my part, to return as_soon_as circumstances would permit, I_gave her what little money I had left, and bade her farewell . indeed I had no fear on her account . she was what people call a notable woman, and could manage matters in_the_world without my assistance .I believe, to_tell the truth, she always looked upon me as an idle boy, amere make- weight, good for nothing but building castles in_the air, and was rather glad to_get rid of me . it_was a dark night when I bade her good-bye, and taking with me, as aides-de- camp, the three creditors who had given me so_much trouble, we carried the balloon, with_the car and accoutrements, by a roundabout way, to_the station where the other articles were deposited . we there found them all unmolested, and I proceeded immediately to business .

" it was_the first of April . the night, as I_said before, was dark; there_was not a star to_be seen; and adrizzling rain, falling at intervals, rendered us very uncomfortable . but my chief anxiety was concerning the balloon, which, in_spite of_the varnish with_which it_was defended, began to grow rather heavy with_the moisture; the powder also was liable to damage .I therefore kept my three duns working with great diligence, pounding down ice around the central cask, and stirring the acid in_the others . they_did_not cease, however, importuning me with questions as_to what I intended to_do with all this apparatus, and expressed much dissatisfaction at_the terrible labor I_made them undergo . they_could_not perceive, so they said, what good was likely to result from their getting wet to_the skin, merely to_take a part in_such horrible incantations .I began to_get uneasy, and worked away with all my might, for I verily believe the idiots supposed that I had entered into a compact with_the devil, and_that, in short, what i_was now doing was nothing better than it should_be . i_was, therefore, in great fear of_their leaving me altogether .I contrived, however, to pacify them by promises of payment of all scores in full, as_soon_as I_could bring the present business to a termination . to_these speeches they gave, of_course, their own interpretation; fancying, no_doubt, that at all events i_should come into possession of vast quantities of ready money; and provided I paid them all I owed, and a trifle more, in consideration of_their services, I dare say they cared very little what became of either my soul or my carcass .

" in about four hours and a half I_found the balloon sufficiently inflated .I attached the car, therefore, and put all my implements in_it -- not forgetting the condensing apparatus, a copious supply of water, and a large quantity of provisions, such as pemmican, in_which much nutriment is contained in comparatively little bulk .I also secured in_the car a pair of pigeons and acat . it_was now nearly daybreak, and i_thought it high time to_take my departure .Dropping a lighted cigar on_the ground, as_if by accident, i_took the opportunity, in stooping to pick it up, of igniting privately the piece of slow match, whose end, as I_said before, protruded a very little beyond the lower rim of one_of_the smaller casks . this manoeuvre was totally unperceived on_the_part of_the three duns; and, jumping into_the car, I immediately cut the single cord which held me to_the earth, and was pleased to_find that I shot upward, carrying with all ease one hundred and seventy-five pounds of leaden ballast, and able to_have carried up as_many more .

" scarcely, however, had I attained the height of fifty yards, when, roaring and rumbling up after me in_the most horrible and tumultuous manner, came so dense a hurricane of fire, and smoke, and sulphur, and legs and arms, and gravel, and burning wood, and blazing metal, that my very heart sunk within me, and I fell down in_the bottom of_the car, trembling with unmitigated terror . indeed, I now perceived that I had entirely overdone the business, and_that the main consequences of_the shock were yet to_be experienced . accordingly, in less_than a second, I_felt all the blood in my body rushing to my temples, and immediately thereupon, a concussion, which I_shall never forget, burst abruptly through_the night and seemed to rip the very firmament asunder . when I afterward had time for reflection, I_did_not fail to attribute the extreme violence of_the explosion, as regarded myself, to its proper cause -- my situation directly above it, and in_the line of_its greatest power . but at_the_time, i_thought only of preserving my life . the balloon at first collapsed, then furiously expanded, then whirled round and round with horrible velocity, and finally, reeling and staggering like a drunken man, hurled me with great force over the rim of_the car, and left me dangling, at a terrific height, with my head downward, and my face outwards, by a piece of slender cord about three feet in length, which hung accidentally through a crevice near the bottom of_the wicker- work, and in_which, as I fell, my left foot became most providentially entangled . it_is impossible -- utterly impossible -- to_form any adequate idea of_the horror of_my situation .I gasped convulsively for breath -- a shudder resembling a fit of_the ague agitated every nerve and muscle of_my frame -- I_felt my eyes starting from their sockets -- a horrible nausea overwhelmed me -- and at_length I fainted away .

" how long I remained in_this state it_is impossible to_say . it must, however, have_been no inconsiderable time, for when I partially recovered the sense of existence, I_found the day breaking, the balloon at a prodigious height over a wilderness of ocean, and not a trace of land to_be discovered far and wide within_the limits of_the vast horizon . my sensations, however, upon thus recovering, were by no means so rife with agony as might_have_been anticipated . indeed, there_was much of incipient madness in_the calm survey which I began to_take of_my situation .I drew up_to my eyes each of_my hands, one after_the other, and wondered what occurrence could_have given rise to_the swelling of_the veins, and_the horrible blackness of_the fingernails .I afterward carefully examined my

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