.

The fete given by the city of Paris to their majesties embraced the
whole town, from the Champs Elysees to the Barriere du Trone, on the
square of the Hotel de Ville. Upon the river throughout its length
between the Isle of St. Louis and the bridge of Notre Dame, an immense
display of fireworks was to take place. The scene to be represented was
the passage of Mont St. Bernard. Garnerin was stationed with his balloon
in front of the gate of the church of Notre Dame. At eleven o'clock in
the evening, at the moment when the first discharge of fireworks made
the air luminous with a hundred thousand stars, Garnerin threw off his
immense balloon. The chief feature of it was the device of a crown,
designed in coloured lanterns arranged round the globe. It rose
splendidly, and with the most perfect success.

On the following morning the inhabitants of Rome were astounded to
behold advancing toward them from the horizon a luminous globe, which
threatened to descend upon their city. The excitement was intense.
The balloon passed the cupola of St. Peter's and the Vatican; then
descending, it touched the ground, but rose again, and finally it sank
into the wafers of Lake Bracciano.

It was drawn from the water, and the following inscription, emblazoned
in letters of gold upon its vast circumference, was printed, published,
and read throughout the whole of Italy--"Paris, 25eme Primaire, an
XIII., couronnement de l'empereur Napoleon, 1er par S.S. Pie VII."

In touching the earth, the balloon happened to strike against the tomb
of the Emperor Nero, and, owing to the concussion, a portion of the
crown was left upon this ancient monument. The Italian journals, which
were not so strictly under the supervision of the government as were the
journals of France, gave the full particulars of these minor events; and
certain of them, connecting the names of Nero and Napoleon, indulged in
malicious remarks at the expense of the French emperor. These facts
came to the ear of the great general, who manifested much indignation,
dismissed the innocent Garnerin from his post, and appointed Madame
Blanchard to the supervision of all the balloon ascents which took place
at the public fetes.

The balloon was preserved in the vaults of the Vatican in Rome,
accompanied with an inscription narrating its travels and wonderful
descent--minus the circumstance of the tomb. It was removed, as might be
supposed, in 1814. From this time the ascents of bal