Transcribed from the 1846 Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org
THE
RAIN CLOUD:
OR,
An Account
OF
THE NATURE, PROPERTIES, DANGERS,
AND USES OF RAIN,
IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD.
* * * * *
PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF
THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL LITERATURE AND EDUCATION
APPOINTED BY THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING
CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.
* * * * *
LONDON:
Printed for the
SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.
SOLD AT THE DEPOSITORY,
GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS,
AND 4, ROYAL EXCHANGE.
1846.
LONDON:
R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD STREET HILL.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
p. 10.
RAINS PECULIAR TO EACH SEASON--SPRING SHOWERS--MIDSUMMER RAINS--RAINS
OF AUTUMN AND WINTER--MEANS OF SUPPLYING THE EARTH WITH RAIN--RAIN
CLOUDS--DECEPTIVE APPEARANCES OF CLOUDS--THEIR LIGHT AND
SHADE--EFFECTS OF CLOUDS IN MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRIES--ASCENT OF MONTE
PIENTIO--ASCENT TO THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE--GRAND EFFECTS OF CLOUDS IN
THE PYRENEES--VOYAGE IN A BALLOON THROUGH THE CLOUDS.
CHAPTER II.
p. 37.
EFFECTS OF RAIN IN MOUNTAINOUS DISTRICTS--THE DISTRICT OF MORAY--THE
GREAT FLOODS OF 1829--COMMENCEMENT OF THE RAIN--THE SWOLLEN
RIVERS--DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF THE FLOOD--MEANS ADOPTED FOR THE RESCUE
OF COTTAGERS--KERR AND HIS BRAVE DELIVERERS--RESCUE OF FUNNS AND HIS
FAMILY--FLOODS OF THE RHONE IN 1840--OVERFLOWING OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
CHAPTER III.
p. 74.
VARIOUS FORMS OF CLOUDS--THE CIRRUS, OR CURL-CLOUD--THE CUMULUS, OR
STACKEN-CLOUD--THE STRATUS, OR FALL-CLOUD--THE CIRRO-CUMULUS, OR
SONDER-CLOUD--THE CIRRO-STRATUS, OR WANE-CLOUD--THE CUMULO-STRATUS, OR
TWAIN-CLOUD--THE NIMBUS, OR RAIN-CLOUD--ARRANGEMENT OF
RAIN-CLOUDS--APPEARANCES OF A DISTANT SHOWER--SCUD--CAUSE OF
RAIN--FORMATION OF CLOUDS--MISTS--HEIGHTS OF CLOUDS--APPEARANCE OF THE
SKY ABOVE THE CLOUDS.
CHAPTER IV.
p. 107.
ON HAIL--THE HAIL-STORMS OF FRANCE--THE DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF
HAIL--THE HAIL-STORMS OF SOUTH AMERICA--THEIR SURPRISING
EFFECTS--ORIGIN AND NATURE OF HAIL--PERIODICAL FALLS OF HAIL--HAIL
CLOUDS--HAILSTONES--THEIR VARIOUS FORMS--EXTRAORDINARY SIZE OF
HAILSTONES.
CHAPTER V.
p. 117.
METHOD OF MEASURING THE QUANTITY OF RAIN THAT FALLS--THE RAIN
GAUGE--METHODS OF OBSERVING FOR RAIN AND SNOW--EFFECTS OF ELEVATION ON
THE QUANTITY OF RAIN--DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TOP OF A TALL BUILDING
AND THE SUMMIT OF A MOUNTAIN--SIZE OF DROPS OF RAIN--VELOCITY OF THEIR
FALL--QUANTITY OF RAIN IN DIFFERENT LATITUDES--EXTRAORDINARY FALLS OF
RAIN--REMARKS ON THE RAIN OF THIS COUNTRY--INFLUENCE OF THE
MOON--ABSENCE OF RAIN--REMARKABLE DROUGHT IN SOUTH AMERICA--ITS
TERRIBLE EFFECTS AND CONSEQUENCES--ARTIFICIAL RAINS.
CHAPTER VI.
p. 137.
THE RAINBOW--DECOMPOSITION OF WHITE LIGHT BY THE PRISM--FORMATION OF
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY BOWS--RAINBOWS IN MOUNTAIN REGIONS--THE RAINBOW
A SACRED EMBLEM--LUNAR RAINBOW--LIGHT DECOMPOSED BY CLOUDS--THEIR
BEAUTIFUL COLOURS--EXAMPLES.
CHAPTER VII.
p. 157.
REMARKABLE SHOWERS--SHOWERS OF SAND--OF MUD--SHOWERS OF SULPHUR, OR
YELLOW RAIN--LUMINOUS RAIN--RED RAIN, OR SHOWERS OF
BLOOD--SUPERSTITIONS CONNECTED THEREWITH--EXPLANATION OF THE
CAUSE--SHOWERS OF FISH--SHOWERS OF RATS--SHOWERS OF FROGS--INSECT
SHOWER--SHOWERS OF VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES--MANNA--WHEAT--SHOWERS OF
STONES--METEORIC STONES, OR AEROLITES--METEORIC IRON--SUPPOSITIONS
RESPECTING THEM--FOSSIL RAIN.
CHAPTER VIII.
p. 191.
COMMON SAYINGS RESPECTING THE WEATHER--SAINT SWITHIN'S-DAY--SIGNS OF
RAIN OR OF FAIR WEATHER DERIVED FROM THE APPEARANCE OF THE SUN--FROM
THAT OF THE MOON--FROM THE STARS--FROM THE SKY--FROM THE DISTINCTNESS
OF SOUNDS--FROM THE RISING OF SMOKE--FROM THE PECULIAR ACTIONS OF
PLANTS AND ANIMALS--PROGNOSTICS NOTICED BY SIR HUMPHREY DAVY--SIGNS OF
RAIN COLLECTED BY DR. JENNER--NORTH AMERICAN RAIN-MAKERS--INCIDENT
RELATED BY CATLIN--RAIN-DOCTORS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA--RAIN-DOCTORS OF
CEYLON--SUPERSTITIONS GIVING WAY TO THE TEACHING OF
MISSIONARIES--CONCLUSION.
[Picture: Clouds among the mountains]
CHAPTER I:
RAINS PECULIAR TO EACH SEASON--SPRING SHOWERS--MIDSUMMER RAINS--RAINS OF
AUTUMN AND WINTER--MEANS OF SUPPLYING THE EARTH WITH
RAIN--RAIN-CLOUDS--DECEPTIVE APPEARANCES OF CLOUDS--THEIR LIGHT AND
SHADE--EFFECTS OF CLOUDS IN MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRIES--ASCENT OF MONTE
PIENTIO--ASCENT TO THE PEAK OF TENERIFFE--GRAND EFFECTS OF CLOUDS IN THE
PYRENEES--VOYAGE IN A BALLOON THROUGH THE CLOUDS.
Every season has its own peculiar rains. What can be more refreshing or
invigorating than the showers of spring? When the snows of February have
disappeared, and the blustering winds of March have performed their
office of drying up the excess of moisture, and preparing the earth for
fruitfulness, and when the young buds and blossoms of April are peeping
forth beneath the influence of the sun, and the trees and hedges are
attired in their new robes of tender green, how soon would all this
beauty languish but for the showers of spring! Several dry days,
perhaps, have passed, and the wreaths of dust which are raised by the
wind show that the earth wants moisture; but before a drop falls there is
a general lull throughout all nature; not a leaf is heard to rustle; the
birds are mute and the cattle stand in expectation of the refreshing
fall. At last the pools and rivulets are "dimpled" by a few soft drops,
the forerunners of the general shower. And this shower, unlike the
heavier rains of summer, comes stealing on so gently, that the tinkling
sound of its fall is heard among the branches of the bursting trees long
before it is felt by those who walk beneath their slight shelter.
Rapidly does the landscape brighten under the influence of the welcome
shower; and as it becomes more rich and extensive, all nature seems to
rise up and rejoice. The birds chirp merrily among the foliage; the
flowers raise their drooping heads, and the thirsty ground drinks in with
eager haste the mellowing rains. All day long, perhaps, does the rain
continue to fall, until the earth is fully moistened and "enriched with
vegetable life." At length, towards evening, the sun peeps out from
among the broken clouds, and lights up, by his sudden radiance, the
lovely scene. Myriads of rain-drops sparkle like gems beneath his beams;
a soft mist that seems to mingle earth and sky gradually rolls away, and
"moist, and bright, and green, the landscape laughs around." Now pours
forth the evening concert from the woods, while warbling brooks, and
lowing herds, appear to answer to the sound. Such are some of the
delightful effects of spring-showers.
In summer, when the heat has been very great, the rain is often ushered
in by a thunder-storm, and falls in torrents, which at an earlier season
would do harm to the young buds and blossoms of spring; but now the
vegetation is strong enough to resist the floods so necessary to maintain
moisture in the parched earth. But when the summer has been moderately
warm some gentle rains generally fall about midsummer, which, from the
frequency of their occurrence about this time, have obtained the name of
"Midsummer rains." These rains are popularly associated with St.
Swithin's Day, as will be noticed in another chapter; but when they fall
early, mildly, and in moderate quantity, they operate to a certain extent
as a second spring. "Many of the birds come into song and have second
broods; and it is probable that there is a fresh production of
caterpillars for their food, or, at all events, a larger production of
the late ones than when the rains are more violent and protracted. Many
of the herbaceous plants also bloom anew, and the autumn is long and
pleasant, and has very many of the charms of a summer, though without any
very powerful operation on the productions of nature, further than a very
excellent preparation for the coming year, whether in buds, in roots, or
in the labours of man. Such a season is also one of plenty, or at all
events of excellent quality in all the productions of the soil. The wild
animals partake in the general abundance, as that food which is left for
them in the fields, after man has gathered in his share, is both more
abundant and more nourishing. When there is much moisture from the
protracted time and great quantity of the rains, many of those seeds
germinate, while in mild seasons they are left as food for the wild
animals, chiefly the field-mice and the birds, which again form part of
the food of the predatory ones."
There is something melancholy and depressing in the rains of autumn and
winter, for they bear away the last traces of summer by stripping the
trees of the many-coloured leaves, which in mild seasons will continue to
adorn the landscape even late in November. The rains of this month, and
their effects, have been skilfully sketched by an accurate observer of
nature. He says:--
"Now cold rains come deluging down, till the drenched ground, the
dripping trees, the pouring eaves, and the torn, ragged-skirted
clouds, seemingly dragged downward slantwise by the threads of dusky
rain that descend from them, are all mingled together in one blind
confusion; while the few cattle that are left in open pastures,
forgetful of their till now interminable business of feeding, turn
their backs upon the besieging storm, and, hanging down their heads
till their noses almost touch the ground, stand out in the middle of
the fields motionless, like dead images.
"Now, too, a single rain-storm, like the above, breaks up all the
paths and ways at once, and makes home no longer 'home' to those who
are not obliged to leave it; while it becomes doubly endeared to
those who are. What sight, for instance, is so pleasant to the
wearied woodman, who has been out all day long in the drenching rains
of this month, as his own distant cottage window seen through the
thickening dusk, lighted up by the blazing fagot that is to greet his
sure return at the accustomed minute?"
While we watch the effects of the various rains, and their beneficial
influence on the earth, there is also much to excite our gratitude and
admiration; for among the many beautiful contrivances in creation, none
is more remarkable than the means by which the earth is watered and
refreshed by rain. The oceans, seas, lakes, and other waters of the
earth supply the air with moisture, which, rendered elastic and invisible
by the heat of the sun and of the earth, rises to various heights in the
atmosphere, where it forms clouds in all their wonderful beauty and
variety. These are borne by the winds to places far inland, to which
water in sufficient quantity could not come by any other means, and where
moisture is most required; and here the water is poured down, not in
cataracts and water-spouts, but in the form of drops of various sizes.
If the rain-clouds threw down, at once and suddenly, all the water
contained in them, not only would vegetation be destroyed by the force of
the fall, but we should be constantly liable to floods and other
inconveniences. Clouds also serve to screen the earth from the fierce
heat of the sun by day; and, by night, they serve to maintain the heat
which would otherwise escape by radiation, and produce great cold even in
summer. Clouds thus have great influence in regulating the extremes of
heat and cold, and in forming what is called the "climate" of a country.
Clouds also supply the hidden stores of fountains and the fresh water of
rivers; and, as a pious old divine well remarks, "So abundant is this
great blessing, which the most indulgent Creator hath afforded us by
means of this distribution of the waters I am speaking of, that there is
more than a scanty, bare provision, a mere sufficiency; even a plenty, a
surplusage of this useful creature of God, the fresh waters afforded to
the world; and they so well ordered, as not to drown the nations of the
earth, nor to stagnate, stink, and poison, or annoy them; but to be
gently carried through convenient channels back again to their grand
fountain the sea; and many of them through such large tracts of land and
to such prodigious distances, that it is a great wonder the fountains
should be high enough, or the seas low enough, ever to afford so long a
conveyance." {18}
If rain is not at all seasons pleasant and delightful, neither are
rain-clouds among the most beautiful which diversify the landscape of the
sky; for it has been well remarked, that "all the fine-weather clouds are
beautiful, and those connected with rain and wind mostly the reverse."
What, indeed, can be more striking than the aerial landscapes of fine
weather, in which, by an easy fancy, we can trace trees and towers,
magnificent ruins and glaciers, natural bridges and palaces, all dashed
with torrents of light or frowning in shadow, glowing like burnished
silver, glittering in a golden light, or melting into the most enchanting
hues? But with all this beauty the eye is seldom capable of judging
correctly of the proper size and forms and motions of clouds. The same
cloud which to one observer may be glowing with light, to another may be
enveloped in shadow. That which appears to be its summit may be only a
portion of its outer edge, while that which seems to be its lower bed may
really be a portion of its further border. A spectator, on the summit of
a tall cliff, may observe what he takes to be a single cloud; while a
second spectator, on lower ground, will perceive that there are two
clouds. The motions of clouds are so deceptive, that they often seem to
be moving in a curve over the great concave of heaven, while they are in
fact advancing in nearly a right line. Suppose, for example that a cloud
is moving from the distant horizon towards the place where we stand, in a
uniform horizontal line without changing either in size or form. Such a
cloud, when first seen, will appear to be in contact with the distant
horizon, and consequently much nearer to us than it really is. As it
advances towards us, it will seem to rise into the sky, and to become
gradually larger till it is almost directly overhead. Continuing its
progress, it will then seem again to descend and to lessen in size as
gradually as it had before increased; till at length it disappears in the
distant horizon at a point exactly opposite to that at which it was first
seen. Thus the same cloud, without varying its motion in the least from
a straight line, and remaining throughout of the same size and form,
would seem to be continually varying in magnitude; and the line of its
motion, instead of being straight, would appear to be curved. This is
one of the most simple cases that can be supposed: but the clouds as they
exist in nature do not remain of the same magnitude, but are constantly
changing in form, in size, in direction, and in velocity; so that it is
quite impossible to form an accurate idea of their shape and size, or to
explain their motions. Clouds, at different elevations, may often be
seen to move in different directions under the influence of different
currents of wind.
[Picture: Different appearance of the same clouds to different observers]
The distribution of light and shade in clouds is most striking. The
watery particles of which they are composed, yielding constantly to
changes in temperature and moisture, are always changing; so that a most
beautiful cloud may alter in figure and appearance in an instant of time;
the light parts may suddenly become dark, and those that were shaded may
all at once glow in the rays of the sun. Again, the appearance of a
cloud, with respect to the sun, may entirely alter its character. The
same cloud, to one observer, may appear entirely in shade, to another
tipped with silver; to a third it may present brilliant points and
various degrees of shade, or one of its edges only may appear
illuminated; sometimes the middle parts may appear in shadow, while the
margin may be partially luminous, rendering the middle parts all the more
obscure by the contrast.
A wonderful variety may also be produced by the shadow of one cloud
falling upon another. The accompanying sketch furnishes an example of
this. Sometimes the whole of a cloud projects a shadow through the air
upon some other far distant cloud, and this again upon another, until at
length it reaches the ground. The shadows of moving clouds may often be
traced upon the ground, and they contribute greatly to modify the
appearance of the landscape. A large number of small flickering clouds
produce broken lights and shades which have an unpleasant jarring effect;
but when the clouds are massive, or properly distributed, the shadows
often produce a high degree of repose.
[Picture: Shadows of clouds]
Clouds are often seen to advantage in mountainous countries. Here the
aspect of the heavens may be entirely different at different elevations.
A single cloud in the valley may conceal the whole of the upper sky from
an observer; but as he ascends he may gradually get above this and other
layers or bands of cloud, and see a beautifully variegated sky above him,
while the clouds which conceal the valley may be rolling at his feet.
Evelyn, in his Memoirs, notices a scene of this kind. He says,--"Next
morning we rode by Monte Pientio, or, as vulgarly called, Monte
Mantumiato, which is of an excessive height, ever and anon peeping above
airy clouds with its snowy head, till we had climbed to the inn at
Radicofany, built by Ferdinand the greate Duke for the necessary
refreshment of travellers in so inhospitable a place. As we ascended we
entered a very thick, solid, and dark body of cloudes, which looked like
rocks at a little distance, which lasted neare a mile in going up; they
were dry, misty vapours, hanging undissolved for a vast thicknesse, and
obscuring both sun and earth, so that we seemed to be in the sea rather
than in the cloudes, till, having pierced through it, we came into a most
serene heaven, as if we had been above all human conversation, the
mountain appearing more like a great island than joyn'd to any other
hills, for we could perceive nothing but a sea of very thick cloudes
rowling under our feete like huge waves, every now and then suffering the
top of some other mountain to peepe through, which we could discover many
miles off: and betweene some breaches of the cloudes we could see
landskips and villages of the subjacent country. This was one of the
most pleasant, newe, and altogether surprising objects that I had ever
beheld."
In the following interesting account of the ascent of the Peak of
Teneriffe by Captain Basil Hall, it will be seen that heavy rain clouds
may skirt the mountain, while its summit is in a pure and dry air.
"On the 24th of August," he says, "we left Oratava to ascend the
Peak. The day was the worst possible for our purpose, as it rained
hard; and was so very foggy that we could not see the Peak, or indeed
any object beyond one hundred yards distant.
"After riding slowly up a rugged path for four hours, it became
extremely cold, and, as the rain never ceased for an instant, we were
by this time drenched to the skin, and looked with no very agreeable
feelings to the prospect of passing the night in wet clothes. At
length the night began to close in, and the guides talked of the
improbability of reaching the English station before night. It was
still raining hard; but we dismounted, and took our dinner as
cheerfully as possible, and hoping for clearer weather the next day.
On remounting, we soon discovered that the road was no longer so
steep as it had been heretofore, and the surface was comparatively
smooth: we discovered, in short, that we had reached a sort of
table-land, along which we rode with ease. Presently we thought the
fog less dense, and the drops of rain not so large, and the air less
chilling. In about half an hour we got an occasional glimpse of the
blue sky; and as we ascended, (for our road, though comparatively
level, was still upon the rise,) these symptoms became more manifest.
The moon was at the full, and her light now became distinct, and we
could see the stars in the zenith. By this time we had reached the
Llano de los Remenos, or Retamos Plain, which is many thousand feet
above the sea; and we could distinctly see that during the day we had
merely been in a cloud, above which having now ascended, the upper
surface lay beneath us like a country covered with snow. It was
evident, on looking round, that no rain had fallen on the pumice
gravel over which we were travelling. The mules were much fatigued,
and we got off to walk. In a few minutes our stockings and shoes
were completely dried, and in less than half an hour all our clothes
were thoroughly dried. The air was sharp and clear, like that of a
cold frosty morning in England; and though the extreme dryness, and
the consequent rapid evaporation, caused considerable cold, we were
enabled by quick exercise to keep ourselves comfortable. I had
various instruments with me, but no regular hygrometer: accident,
however, furnished me with one sufficiently indicative of the dry
state of the air. My gloves, which I kept on while mounted, were
completely soaked with the rain; and I took them off during this
walk, and, without considering what was likely to happen, rolled them
up, and carried them in my hand. When, at the end of an hour, or
somewhat less, we came to remount our mules, I found the gloves as
thoroughly dried and shrivelled up as if they had been placed in an
oven. During all the time we were at the Peak itself, on the 26th,
the sky was clear, the air quite dry, and we could distinguish,
several thousand feet below us, the upper and level surface of the
stratum of clouds through which we had passed the day before, and
into which we again entered on going down, and found precisely in the
same state as when we started."
It is not uncommon to observe an effect quite contrary to the one given
in the last two examples, the high summits of mountains being frequently
concealed by heavy clouds of mist, while at a very short distance below
them the air is clear and pure. In ascending to the Port of Venasque,
one of the mountain passes of the Pyrenees, Mr. Murray found the mists so
dense that he despaired of getting above them, or of their clearing away.
But fortunately the wind freshened, and the mist, broken by it, "came
sweeping," he says, "over our heads, sometimes enveloping us in darkness,
sometimes exposing the blue sky, and a part of the mountains. Section
after section of the bald and towering masses which rose above the path
were displayed to us, one after another, as if the whole had been a sight
too great for us to look upon. Sometimes the clouds opened, and the
snows, sparkling in the sun-beams, were before us; at others, an enormous
peak of the mountain would shoot its dark head through the mist, and,
without visible support, seem as if it were about to fall upon us.
Again, when we imagined ourselves hemmed in on all sides by the
mountains, and within a few feet of their rugged sides, a passing breeze
would disclose the dark waters of the lakes hundreds of feet beneath us.
"Thus the effect of light and darkness, of sunshine and of mist, working
upon materials of such grandeur as those near the Port of Venasque, was a
sight well worthy of admiration, and one which is rarely to be seen. * *
* * Excepting the intervals of light which the gusts of wind, by
dispersing the mists, had bestowed upon us, we had hitherto,
comparatively speaking, been shrouded in darkness, particularly for the
ten minutes preceding our arrival at the Port: my astonishment may
therefore be imagined when, the instant that I stepped beyond the limits
of the Port, I stood in the purest atmosphere--not a particle of mist,
not even a cloud, was perceptible. The phenomenon was curious, and its
interest greatly heightened from the situation in which it took place.
The mist rolling up the valley through which we had passed, was, the
moment that it could be said to reach the Spanish frontier,--the moment
it encircled the edges of the high ridges which separated the countries,
thrown back, as it were, indignantly, by a counter current from the
Spanish side. The conflicting currents of air, seemingly of equal
strength, and unable to overcome each other, carried the mist
perpendicularly from the summits of the ridge, and filling up the
crevices and fissures in its uneven surface, formed a wall many thousand
feet above it, of dark and (from the appearance of solidity which its
massive and perpendicular character bestowed upon it) apparently
impenetrable matter."
Undoubtedly the various phenomena of clouds may be seen to great
advantage in mountain regions; and there is only one other method of
seeing them to greater perfection, and that is from the car of a balloon.
The following description of an aerial voyage, by Mr. M. Mason, in
October 1836, will convey a better idea of the magnificence of a cloudy
sky than any terrestrial prospect could do. He says,--
"Scarcely had we quitted the earth before the clouds, which had
previously overhung us, began to envelop us on all sides, and
gradually to exclude the fading prospect from our sight. It is
scarcely possible to convey an adequate idea of the effect produced
by this apparently trivial occurrence. Unconscious of our own motion
from any direct impression upon our own feelings, the whole world
appeared to be in the act of receding from us in the dim vista of
infinite space; while the vapoury curtain seemed to congregate on all
sides and cover the retreating masses from our view. The trees and
buildings, the spectators and their crowded equipages, and finally,
the earth itself, at first distinctly seen, gradually became obscured
by the thickening mist, and growing whiter in their forms, and
fainter in their outlines, soon faded away 'like the baseless fabric
of a vision,' leaving us, to all appearance, stationary in the cloud
that still continued to involve us in its watery folds. To heighten
the interest and maintain the illusion of the scene, the shouts and
voices of the multitude whom we had left behind us, cheering the
ascent, continued to assail us, (long after the interposing clouds
had effectually concealed them from our eyes,) in accents which every
moment became fainter and fainter till they were finally lost in the
increasing distance.
"Through this dense body of vapour, which may be said to have
commenced at an altitude of about 1000 feet, we were borne upwards to
perhaps an equal distance, when the increasing light warned us of our
approach to its superior limits, and shortly after, the sun and we
rising together, a scene of splendour and magnificence suddenly burst
upon our view, which it would be vain to expect to render
intelligible by any mode of description within our power. Pursuing
the illusion, which the previous events had been so strongly
calculated to create, the impression upon our senses was that of
entering upon a new world to which we had hitherto been strangers,
and in which not a vestige could be perceived to remind us of that we
had left, except the last faint echo of the voices which still dimly
reached us, as if out of some interminable abyss into which they were
fast retreating.
"Above us not a single cloud appeared to disfigure the clear blue
sky, in which the sun on one side, and the moon in her first quarter
on the other, reigned in undisturbed tranquillity. Beneath us, in
every direction, as far as the eye could trace, and doubtless much
further, the whole plane of vision was one extended ocean of foam,
broken into a thousand fantastic forms; here swelling into mountains,
there sinking into lengthened fosses, or exhibiting the appearance of
vast whirlpools; with such a perfect mimicry of the real forms of
nature, that, were it not for a previous acquaintance with the
general character of the country below us, we should frequently have
been tempted to assert, without hesitation, the existence of
mountainous islands penetrating through the clouds, and stretching in
protracted ranges along the distant verge of our horizon.
"In the centre of this hemisphere, and at an elevation of about 3000
feet above the surface of the clouds, we continued to float in
solitary magnificence; attended only at first by our counterpart--a
vast image of the balloon itself with all its paraphernalia
distinctly thrown by the sun upon the opposite masses of vapour,
until we had risen so high that even that, outreaching the material
basis of its support, at length deserted us; nor did we again
perceive it until, preparatory to our final descent, we had sunk to a
proper elevation to admit of its re-appearance.
"Not the least striking feature of our, and similar situations, is
the total absence of all perceptible motion, as well as of the sound
which, in ordinary cases, is ever found to accompany it. Silence and
tranquillity appear to hold equal and undisputed sway throughout
these airy regions. No matter what may be the convulsions to which
the atmosphere is subjected, nor how violent its effects in sound and
motion upon the agitated surface of the earth, not the slightest
sensation of either can be detected by the individual who is floating
in its currents. The most violent storm, the most outrageous
hurricane, pass equally unheeded and unfelt; and it is only by
observing the retreating forms of the stable world beneath, that any
certain indication can be obtained as to the amount or violence of
the motion to which the individual is actually subjected. This,
however; was a resource of which we were unable to avail ourselves,
totally excluded as we were from all view of the earth, or any fixed
point connected with it.
"Once, and only once, for a few moments preparatory to our final
descent, did we obtain a transitory glimpse of the world beneath us.
Upon approaching the upper surface of the vapoury strata, which we
have described as extending in every direction around, a partial
opening in the clouds discovered to us for an instant a portion of
the earth, appearing as if dimly seen through a vast pictorial tube,
rapidly receding behind us, variegated with furrows, and intersected
with roads running in all directions; the whole reduced to a scale of
almost graphic minuteness, and from the fleecy vapour that still
partially obscured it, impressing the beholder with the idea of a
vision of enchantment, which some kindly genius had, for an instant,
consented to disclose. Scarcely had we time to snatch a hasty
glance, ere we had passed over the spot, and the clouds uniting
gradually concealed it from our view.
"After continuing for a short space further, in the vain hope of
being again favoured with a similar prospect, the approach of night
made it desirable that we should prepare for our return to earth,
which we proceeded to accomplish accordingly."
[Picture: Kerr and his family in the middle of the flood]