{ { {When -> I -> was -> in -> the -> service -> of -> the -> Turks -> I -> frequently -> amused -> myself -> in -> a -> pleasure-barge -> on -> the -> Marmora; -> which -> commands -> a -> view -> of -> the -> whole -> city -> of -> Constantinople; -> including -> the -> Grand -> Seignior's -> Seraglio.} {One -> morning; -> as -> I -> was -> admiring -> the -> beauty -> and -> serenity -> of -> the -> sky; -> I -> observed -> a -> globular -> substance -> in -> the -> air; -> which -> appeared -> to -> be -> about -> the -> size -> of -> a -> twelve-inch -> globe; -> with -> somewhat -> suspended -> from -> it.} {I -> immediately -> took -> up -> my -> largest -> and -> longest -> barrel -> fowling-piece; -> which -> I -> never -> travel -> or -> make -> even -> an -> excursion -> without; -> if -> I -> can -> help -> it; -> I -> charged -> with -> a -> ball; -> and -> fired -> at -> the -> globe; -> but -> to -> no -> purpose; -> the -> object -> being -> at -> too -> great -> a -> distance.} {I -> then -> put -> in -> a -> double -> quantity -> of -> powder; -> and -> five -> or -> six -> balls: -> this -> second -> attempt -> succeeded; -> all -> the -> balls -> took -> effect; -> and -> tore -> one -> side -> open; -> and -> brought -> it -> down.} {Judge -> my -> surprise -> when -> a -> most -> elegant -> gilt -> car; -> with -> a -> man -> in -> it; -> and -> part -> of -> a -> sheep -> which -> seemed -> to -> have -> been -> roasted; -> fell -> within -> two -> yards -> of -> me.} {When -> my -> astonishment -> had -> in -> some -> degree -> subsided; -> I -> ordered -> my -> people -> to -> row -> close -> to -> this -> strange -> aƫrial -> traveller.} } { {I -> took -> him -> on -> board -> my -> barge -> (he -> was -> a -> native -> of -> France): -> he -> was -> much -> indisposed -> from -> his -> sudden -> fall -> into -> the -> sea; -> and -> incapable -> of -> speaking; -> after -> some -> time; -> however; -> he -> recovered; -> and -> gave -> the -> following -> account -> of -> himself; -> viz.: -> "About -> seven -> or -> eight -> days -> since; -> I -> cannot -> tell -> which; -> for -> I -> have -> lost -> my -> reckoning; -> having -> been -> most -> of -> the -> time -> where -> the -> sun -> never -> sets; -> I -> ascended -> from -> the -> Land's -> End -> in -> Cornwall; -> in -> the -> island -> of -> Great -> Britain; -> in -> the -> car -> from -> which -> I -> have -> been -> just -> taken; -> suspended -> from -> a -> very -> large -> balloon; -> and -> took -> a -> sheep -> with -> me -> to -> try -> atmospheric -> experiments -> upon: -> unfortunately; -> the -> wind -> changed -> within -> ten -> minutes -> after -> my -> ascent; -> and -> instead -> of -> driving -> towards -> Exeter; -> where -> I -> intended -> to -> land; -> I -> was -> driven -> towards -> the -> sea; -> over -> which -> I -> suppose -> I -> have -> continued -> ever -> since; -> but -> much -> too -> high -> to -> make -> observations.} } { {"The -> calls -> of -> hunger -> were -> so -> pressing; -> that -> the -> intended -> experiments -> upon -> heat -> and -> respiration -> gave -> way -> to -> them.} {I -> was -> obliged; -> on -> the -> third -> day; -> to -> kill -> the -> sheep -> for -> food; -> and -> being -> at -> that -> time -> infinitely -> above -> the -> moon; -> and -> for -> upwards -> of -> sixteen -> hours -> after -> so -> very -> near -> the -> sun -> that -> it -> scorched -> my -> eyebrows; -> I -> placed -> the -> carcase; -> taking -> care -> to -> skin -> it -> first; -> in -> that -> part -> of -> the -> car -> where -> the -> sun -> had -> sufficient -> power; -> or; -> in -> other -> words; -> where -> the -> balloon -> did -> not -> shade -> it -> from -> the -> sun; -> by -> which -> method -> it -> was -> well -> roasted -> in -> about -> two -> hours.} {This -> has -> been -> my -> food -> ever -> since." -> Here -> he -> paused; -> and -> seemed -> lost -> in -> viewing -> the -> objects -> about -> him.} {When -> I -> told -> him -> the -> buildings -> before -> us -> were -> the -> Grand -> Seignior's -> Seraglio -> at -> Constantinople; -> he -> seemed -> exceedingly -> affected; -> as -> he -> had -> supposed -> himself -> in -> a -> very -> different -> situation.} {"The -> cause; " -> added -> he; -> "of -> my -> long -> flight; -> was -> owing -> to -> the -> failure -> of -> a -> string -> which -> was -> fixed -> to -> a -> valve -> in -> the -> balloon; -> intended -> to -> let -> out -> the -> inflammable -> air; -> and -> if -> it -> had -> not -> been -> fired -> at; -> and -> rent -> in -> the -> manner -> before -> mentioned; -> I -> might; -> like -> Mahomet; -> have -> been -> suspended -> between -> heaven -> and -> earth -> till -> doomsday."} } { {The -> Grand -> Seignior; -> to -> whom -> I -> was -> introduced -> by -> the -> Imperial; -> Russian; -> and -> French -> ambassadors; -> employed -> me -> to -> negotiate -> a -> matter -> of -> great -> importance -> at -> Grand -> Cairo; -> and -> which -> was -> of -> such -> a -> nature -> that -> it -> must -> ever -> remain -> a -> secret.} } { {I -> went -> there -> in -> great -> state -> by -> land; -> where; -> having -> completed -> the -> business; -> I -> dismissed -> almost -> all -> my -> attendants; -> and -> returned -> like -> a -> private -> gentleman; -> the -> weather -> was -> delightful; -> and -> that -> famous -> river -> the -> Nile -> was -> beautiful -> beyond -> all -> description; -> in -> short; -> I -> was -> tempted -> to -> hire -> a -> barge -> to -> descend -> by -> water -> to -> Alexandria.} {On -> the -> third -> day -> of -> my -> voyage -> the -> river -> began -> to -> rise -> most -> amazingly -> (you -> have -> all -> heard; -> I -> presume; -> of -> the -> annual -> overflowing -> of -> the -> Nile); -> and -> on -> the -> next -> day -> it -> spread -> the -> whole -> country -> for -> many -> leagues -> on -> each -> side! -> On -> the -> fifth; -> at -> sunrise; -> my -> barge -> became -> entangled -> with -> what -> I -> at -> first -> took -> for -> shrubs; -> but -> as -> the -> light -> became -> stronger -> I -> found -> myself -> surrounded -> by -> almonds; -> which -> were -> perfectly -> ripe; -> and -> in -> the -> highest -> perfection.} {Upon -> plumbing -> with -> a -> line -> my -> people -> found -> we -> were -> at -> least -> sixty -> feet -> from -> the -> ground; -> and -> unable -> to -> advance -> or -> retreat.} {At -> about -> eight -> or -> nine -> o'clock; -> as -> near -> as -> I -> could -> judge -> by -> the -> altitude -> of -> the -> sun; -> the -> wind -> rose -> suddenly; -> and -> canted -> our -> barge -> on -> one -> side: -> here -> she -> filled; -> and -> I -> saw -> no -> more -> of -> her -> for -> some -> time.} {Fortunately -> we -> all -> saved -> ourselves -> (six -> men -> and -> two -> boys) -> by -> clinging -> to -> the -> tree; -> the -> boughs -> of -> which -> were -> equal -> to -> our -> weight; -> though -> not -> to -> that -> of -> the -> barge: -> in -> this -> situation -> we -> continued -> six -> weeks -> and -> three -> days; -> living -> upon -> the -> almonds; -> I -> need -> not -> inform -> you -> we -> had -> plenty -> of -> water.} {On -> the -> forty-second -> day -> of -> our -> distress -> the -> water -> fell -> as -> rapidly -> as -> it -> had -> risen; -> and -> on -> the -> forty-sixth -> we -> were -> able -> to -> venture -> down -> upon -> _terra -> firma_.} {Our -> barge -> was -> the -> first -> pleasing -> object -> we -> saw; -> about -> two -> hundred -> yards -> from -> the -> spot -> where -> she -> sunk.} {After -> drying -> everything -> that -> was -> useful -> by -> the -> heat -> of -> the -> sun; -> and -> loading -> ourselves -> with -> necessaries -> from -> the -> stores -> on -> board; -> we -> set -> out -> to -> recover -> our -> lost -> ground; -> and -> found; -> by -> the -> nearest -> calculation; -> we -> had -> been -> carried -> over -> garden-walls; -> and -> a -> variety -> of -> enclosures; -> above -> one -> hundred -> and -> fifty -> miles.} {In -> four -> days; -> after -> a -> very -> tiresome -> journey -> on -> foot; -> with -> thin -> shoes; -> we -> reached -> the -> river; -> which -> was -> now -> confined -> to -> its -> banks; -> related -> our -> adventures -> to -> a -> boy; -> who -> kindly -> accommodated -> all -> our -> wants; -> and -> sent -> us -> forward -> in -> a -> barge -> of -> his -> own.} {In -> six -> days -> more -> we -> arrived -> at -> Alexandria; -> where -> we -> took -> shipping -> for -> Constantinople.} {I -> was -> received -> kindly -> by -> the -> Grand -> Seignior; -> and -> had -> the -> honour -> of -> seeing -> the -> Seraglio; -> to -> which -> his -> highness -> introduced -> me -> himself.} } }