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"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 station
on the rim, but had hardly done so when his head dropped upon his
breast, and he fell dead within the car. The other one did not prove so
unfortunate. To prevent his following the example of his companion, and
accomplishing a return, I threw him downward with all my force, and was
pleased to find him continue his descent, with great velocity, making
use of his wings with ease, and in a perfectly natural manner. In a very
short time he was out of sight, and I have no doubt he reached home in
safety. Puss, who seemed in a great measure recovered from her illness,
now made a hearty meal of the dead bird and then went to sleep with much
apparent satisfaction. Her kittens were quite lively, and so far evinced
not the slightest sign of any uneasiness whatever.
"At a quarter-past eight, being no longer able to draw breath without
the most intolerable pain, I proceeded forthwith to adjust around
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