The Unparalleled Advertures of One Hans Pfaal by Edgar Allan Poe
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other hand, i_was not aware that, in any recorded ascension, a diminution was apparent in_the absolute rate of ascent; although such should_have_been the case, if on account of nothing else, on account of_the escape of gas through balloons ill- constructed, and varnished with no better material than_the ordinary varnish . it seemed, therefore, that_the effect of_such escape was only sufficient to counterbalance the effect of some accelerating power .I now considered that, provided in my passage I_found the medium I had imagined, and provided that_it should prove to_be actually and essentially what we denominate atmospheric air, it could make comparatively little difference at what extreme state of rarefaction i_should discover it -- that_is_to_say, in regard to my power of ascending -- for_the gas in_the balloon would_not only be itself subject to rarefaction partially similar ( in proportion to_the occurrence of_which, I_could suffer an escape of so_much as would_be requisite to_prevent explosion), but, being what it_was, would, at all events, continue specifically lighter than any compound whatever of mere nitrogen and oxygen . in_the meantime, the force of gravitation would_be constantly diminishing, in proportion to_the squares of_the distances, and thus, with a velocity prodigiously accelerating, i_should at_length arrive in those distant regions where the force of_the earth's attraction would_be superseded by_that of_the moon . in accordance with_these ideas, I_did_not think it worth while to encumber myself with more provisions than would_be sufficient for a period of forty days .

" there_was still, however, another difficulty, which occasioned me some little disquietude . it_has_been observed, that, in balloon ascensions to any considerable height, besides the pain attending respiration, great uneasiness is experienced about_the head and body, often accompanied with bleeding at_the nose, and other symptoms of an alarming kind, and growing more and more inconvenient in proportion to_the altitude attained .{*3} this_was a reflection of a nature somewhat startling . was_it not probable that_these symptoms would increase indefinitely, or at_least until terminated by death itself ? I finally thought not . their origin was to_be looked for in_the progressive removal of_the customary atmospheric pressure upon_the surface of_the body, and consequent distention of_the superficial blood-vessels -- not in any positive disorganization of_the animal system, as in_the case of difficulty in breathing, where the atmospheric density is chemically insufficient for_the due renovation of blood in a ventricle of_the heart . unless for default of_this renovation, I could_see no reason, therefore, why life could_not_be sustained even in a vacuum; for_the expansion and compression of chest, commonly called breathing, is action purely muscular, and_the cause, not the effect, of respiration . in a word, I conceived that, as_the body should become habituated to_the want of atmospheric pressure, the sensations of pain would gradually diminish -- and to endure them while they continued, I relied with confidence upon_the iron hardihood of_my constitution .

" thus, may it please your Excellencies, I_have detailed some, though by no means all, the considerations which led me to_form the project of a lunar voyage . I_shall now proceed to lay before_you the result of an attempt so apparently audacious in conception, and, at all events, so utterly unparalleled in_the annals of mankind .

"Having attained the altitude before mentioned, that_is_to_say three miles and three-quarters, I threw out from_the car a quantity of feathers, and found that I still ascended with sufficient rapidity; there_was, therefore, no necessity for discharging any ballast . i_was glad of_this, for I wished to retain with me as_much weight as I_could carry, for reasons which will_be explained in_the sequel .I as_yet suffered no bodily inconvenience, breathing with great freedom, and feeling no pain whatever in_the head . the cat was lying very demurely upon my coat, which I had taken off, and eyeing the pigeons with an air of nonchalance . these latter being tied by_the leg, to_prevent their escape, were busily employed in picking up some grains of rice scattered for_them in_the bottom of_the car .

" at twenty minutes past six o'clock, the barometer showed an elevation of 26,400 feet, or five miles to a fraction . the prospect seemed unbounded . indeed, it_is very easily calculated by_means of spherical geometry, what a great extent of_the earth's area I beheld . the convex surface of any segment of a sphere is, to_the entire surface of_the sphere itself, as_the versed sine of_the segment to_the diameter of_the sphere . now, in my case, the versed sine -- that_is_to_say, the thickness of_the segment beneath me -- was about equal to my elevation, or the elevation of_the point of sight above the surface ." as five miles, then, to eight thousand," would express the proportion of_the earth's area seen by me . in other words, I beheld as_much as asixteen- hundredth part of_the whole surface of_the globe . the sea appeared unruffled as a mirror, although, by_means of_the spy- glass, I_could perceive it to_be in a state of violent agitation . the ship was no longer visible, having drifted away, apparently to_the eastward .I now began to experience, at intervals, severe pain in_the head, especially about_the ears -- still, however, breathing with tolerable freedom . the cat and pigeons seemed to suffer no inconvenience whatsoever .

" at twenty minutes before seven, the balloon entered a long series of dense cloud, which put me to great trouble, by damaging my condensing apparatus and wetting me to_the skin . this_was, to_be_sure, a singular recontre, for I had_not believed it possible that a cloud of_this nature could_be sustained at so great an elevation . i_thought it best, however, to throw out two five- pound pieces of ballast, reserving still a weight of one hundred and sixty-five pounds . upon so doing, I soon rose above the difficulty, and perceived immediately, that I had obtained a great increase in my rate of ascent . in a few seconds after my leaving the cloud, a flash of vivid lightning shot from one end of it to_the other, and caused it to kindle up, throughout its vast extent, like a mass of ignited and glowing charcoal . this, it must_be remembered, was in_the broad light of day . no fancy may picture the sublimity which might_have_been exhibited by a similar phenomenon taking place amid the darkness of_the night .Hell itself might_have_been found afitting image . even as it_was, my hair stood on end, while I gazed afar down within_the yawning abysses, letting imagination descend, as it were, and stalk about in_the strange vaulted halls, and ruddy gulfs, and red ghastly chasms of_the hideous and unfathomable fire .I had indeed made a narrow escape . had the balloon remained a very short while longer within_the cloud -- that_is_to_say -- had_not the inconvenience of getting wet, determined me to discharge the ballast, inevitable ruin would_have_been the consequence . such perils, although little considered, are perhaps the greatest which_must be encountered in balloons .I had by_this_time, however, attained too great an elevation to_be any longer uneasy on_this head .

" i_was now rising rapidly, and by seven o'clock the barometer indicated an altitude of no less_than nine miles and a half .I began to_find great difficulty in drawing my breath . my head, too, was excessively painful; and, having felt for some_time a moisture about_my cheeks, I at_length discovered it to_be blood, which_was oozing quite fast from_the drums of_my ears . my eyes, also, gave_me great uneasiness . upon passing the hand over them they seemed to_have protruded from their sockets in no inconsiderable degree; and all objects in_the car, and even the balloon itself, appeared distorted to my vision . these symptoms were more than I had expected, and occasioned me some alarm . at_this juncture, very imprudently, and without consideration, I threw out from_the car three five- pound pieces of ballast . the accelerated rate of ascent thus obtained, carried me too rapidly, and without sufficient gradation, into a highly rarefied stratum of_the atmosphere, and_the result had nearly proved fatal to my expedition and to myself . i_was suddenly seized with a spasm which lasted for more than five minutes, and even when_this, in a measure, ceased, I_could catch my breath only at long intervals, and in agasping manner -- bleeding all the while copiously at_the nose and ears, and even slightly at_the eyes . the pigeons appeared distressed in_the extreme, and struggled to escape; while the cat mewed piteously, and, with her tongue hanging out of her mouth, staggered to and fro in_the car as_if under the influence of poison .I now too late discovered the great rashness of_which I had_been guilty in discharging the ballast, and my agitation was excessive .I anticipated nothing less_than death, and death in_a_few_minutes . the physical suffering I underwent contributed also to render me nearly incapable of making any exertion for_the preservation of_my life .I had, indeed, little power of reflection left, and_the violence of_the pain in my head seemed to_be greatly on_the increase . thus I_found that my senses would shortly give way altogether, and I had already clutched one_of_the valve ropes with_the view of attempting a descent, when_the recollection of_the trick I had played the three creditors, and_the possible consequences to myself, should I return, operated to deter me for_the moment .I lay down in_the bottom of_the car, and endeavored to collect my faculties . in_this I so_far succeeded as_to determine upon_the experiment of losing blood .Having no lancet, however, i_was constrained to perform the operation in_the best manner i_was able, and finally succeeded in opening a vein in my right arm, with_the blade of_my penknife . the blood had hardly commenced flowing when I experienced a sensible relief, and by_the_time I had lost about half a moderate basin full, most of_the worst symptoms had abandoned me entirely .I nevertheless did_not think it expedient to attempt getting on my feet immediately; but, having tied up my arm as_well as I_could, I lay still for about a quarter of an hour . at_the end of this_time I arose, and found myself freer from absolute pain of any kind than I had_been during_the_last hour and a quarter of_my ascension . the difficulty of breathing, however, was diminished in a very slight degree, and I_found that_it would soon be positively necessary to_make use of_my condenser . in_the meantime, looking toward the cat, who was again snugly stowed away upon my coat, I discovered to my infinite surprise, that she had taken the opportunity of_my indisposition to bring into light a litter of three little kittens . this_was an addition to_the number of passengers on my part altogether unexpected; but i_was pleased at_the occurrence . it would afford me a chance of bringing to a kind of test the truth of a surmise, which, more than anything else, had influenced me in attempting this ascension .I had imagined that_the habitual endurance of_the atmospheric pressure at_the surface of_the earth was_the cause, or nearly so, of_the pain attending animal existence at a distance above the surface . should the kittens be found to suffer uneasiness in an equal degree with their mother, I_must consider my theory in fault, but a failure to_do_so i_should look upon as a strong confirmation of_my idea .

" by eight o'clock I had actually attained an elevation of seventeen miles above the surface of_the earth . thus it seemed to_me evident that my rate of ascent was not_only on_the increase, but that_the progression would_have_been apparent in a slight degree even had I not discharged the ballast which I_did . the pains in my head and ears returned, at intervals, with violence, and I still continued to bleed occasionally at_the nose; but, upon_the whole, I suffered much less_than might_have_been expected .I breathed, however, at every moment, with more and more difficulty, and each inhalation was attended with a troublesome spasmodic action of_the chest .I now unpacked the condensing apparatus, and got it ready for immediate use .

" the view of_the earth, at_this period of_my ascension, was beautiful indeed . to_the westward, the northward, and_the southward, as far as I could_see, lay a boundless sheet of apparently unruffled ocean, which every moment gained a deeper and a deeper tint of blue and began already to assume a slight appearance of convexity . at a vast distance to_the eastward, although perfectly discernible, extended the islands of Great_Britain, the entire Atlantic coasts of France and Spain, with a small portion of_the northern part of_the continent of Africa . of individual edifices not a trace could_be discovered, and_the proudest cities of mankind had utterly faded away from_the face of_the earth . from_the rock of Gibraltar, now dwindled into a dim speck, the dark Mediterranean sea, dotted with shining islands as_the heaven is dotted with stars, spread itself out to_the eastward as far as my vision extended, until its entire mass of waters seemed at_length to tumble headlong over the abyss of_the horizon, and I_found myself listening on tiptoe for_the echoes of_the mighty cataract . overhead, the sky was of ajetty black, and_the stars were brilliantly visible .

" the pigeons about_this_time seeming to undergo much suffering, I determined upon giving them their liberty .I first untied one_of_them, a beautiful gray- mottled pigeon, and placed him upon_the rim of_the wicker- work . he appeared extremely uneasy, looking anxiously around him, fluttering his wings, and making a loud cooing noise, but could_not_be persuaded to trust himself from off the car . i_took him up at last, and threw him to about half a dozen yards from_the balloon . he_made, however, no attempt to descend as I had expected, but struggled with great vehemence to_get back, uttering at_the same time very shrill and piercing cries . he at_length succeeded in regaining his former

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