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(strange to say) met with objection from the two seamen only. As the
stronger party, however, we overruled their fears, and kept resolutely
upon our course. We steered due West; but as the trailing of the buoys
materially impeded our progress, and we had the balloon abundantly at
command, either for ascent or descent, we first threw out fifty pounds
of ballast, and then wound up (by means of a windlass) so much of the
rope as brought it quite clear of the sea. We perceived the effect of
this manoeuvre immediately, in a vastly increased rate of progress; and,
as the gale freshened, we flew with a velocity nearly inconceivable; the
guide-rope flying out behind the car, like a streamer from a vessel. It
is needless to say that a very short time sufficed us to lose sight of
the coast. We passed over innumerable vessels of all kinds, a few of
which were endeavoring to beat up, but the most of them lying to. We
occasioned the greatest excitement on board all--an excitement greatly
relished by ourselves, and especially by our two men, who, now under the
influence of a dram of Geneva, seemed resolved to give all scruple, or
fear, to the wind. Many of the vessels fired signal guns; and in all
we were saluted with loud cheers (which we heard with surprising
distinctness) and the waving of caps and handkerchiefs. We kept on in
this manner throughout the day, with no material incident, and, as
the shades of night closed around us, we made a rough estimate of the
distance traversed. It could not have been less than five hundred
miles, and was probably much more. The propeller was kept in constant
operation, and, no doubt, aided our progress materially. As the sun
went down, the gale freshened into an absolute hurricane, and the ocean
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