Five Weeks in a Balloon / Or, Journeys and Discoveries in Africa by Three Englishmen

xpected but not very consoling Proposal.-A Proverb by no means cheering.-A few Name

indeed, an alter ego, for friendship could

nts, Dick Kennedy and Samuel Ferguson lived with one and the same he

he was a fisherman, but he was always and everywhere a determined hunter, and that was nothing remarkable for a son of Caledonia, who had known some little climbing among the Highland mountains. He was cited as

ve six feet; full of grace and easy movement, he yet seemed gifted with herculean strength; a face embrowned by the sun; eyes keen and black; a na

of the tiger and the elephant, Samuel would be in search of plants and insects. Each could call himself expert in his own province, and more t

es, or to render any reciprocal service. Hence, an unalterable friendship.

tant expeditions; but, on his return, the latter never failed to go, not to ASK for

he one looked back, the other forward. Hence, a restless spirit personifi

enture had at length died out, was perfectly enchanted. They would have ended badly, some day or other, he thought to himself; no matter what experience one has with men, one does not tra

ecret calculations, passing his nights among heaps of figures, and making experiments with the strangest-looking machinery, in

Kennedy, when, in the month of January, h

ing when he looked in

rica in a balloon! Nothing but that was wanted to cap the climax! T

nging thumps with a brawny fist upon the table, and you have some id

, the aged Elspeth, tried to insinuate

air! There, now, he's jealous of the eagles, next! No! I warrant you, he'll not do it! I'll

d, and half exasperated, took the train f

modest dwelling, in Soho Square, Greek Street. Forthwith he bounded up the ste

opened, i

ed, but with no great expres

lf!" was th

London, and this the mid-se

e I am, a

ve you come

est piece of folly th

said th

ejoined Kennedy, holding out the copy o

These newspapers are great tattl

hen, you really intend t

preparations are getti

them fly! I'll put your preparations in fine order." And so say

e doctor. "You're angry at me because I d

this his n

he interruption; "I have had so much to look after! But rest a

! I'm highl

y intention to t

that a wild goat would not have bee

ou want them to send

you, my dear Dick, and I have pi

speechless w

ten minutes," said the do

speaking

seri

hat I refuse t

u won't

e that I wer

I'd go

without excitement. The moment you give up

t breakfast, if you have no

to each other, at a little table with a pl

ject is insane! it is impossible! it has no res

find out when we s

xactly what you oug

if you

s, the difficul

ape them? Every thing in life involves danger; it may even be dangerous to sit down at one's own table, or to put one's hat on one's own head. Moreover, we mus

ennedy, with a shrug. "As

n, about what fate has in store for us, and let us not forget our good old

edy from resuming a series of arguments which may be read

tely determined to make this trip across the African continent-if it

he Frenchman Maizan, who was cut to pieces; from Major Laing, killed by the Touaregs, to Roscher, from Hamburg, massacred in the beginning of 1860, the names of victim after victim have been inscribed on the lists of African martyrdom! Because, to contend successfully against the elements;

n!" interposed Kennedy; "but passing high

o be certain that my balloon will not fall; but, should it disappoint me, I should find myself on the ground in the norm

must take th

imoom, nor unhealthy climates, nor wild animals, nor savage men, are to be feared! If I feel too hot, I can ascend; if too cold, I can come down. Should there be a mountain, I can pass over it; a precipice, I can sweep across it; a river, I can sail beyond it; a storm, I can rise away above it; a torrent, I can skim it like a

p before him gave him the vertigo. He riveted his eyes upon the doctor with wonder a

us see, Samuel. Then you have disco

ans. That is a

you w

e wills; but, at all eve

y s

f of the trade-winds, the direct

lecting; "the trade-winds-yes-truly-

osal, and three or four vessels are to cruise off the western coast of Africa, about the presumed period of my arrival. In th

said

of an objection to offe

you expect to mount and descend at pleasure, you cannot do so, without losing your gas. Up to this tim

ne word to answer-I shall no

an descend whe

escend whe

will you

friend Dick. Have faith, and le

id the sportsman, who did no

n his power, and so pretended to give in, at the same time keeping on t