and
switched off the electric current; then climbed the extending ladder,
and came on board, John steadying the vessel by an anchor rope in the
meantime.

M'Allister took over the command of the machinery, and, setting it in
motion, the _Areonal_ at once rose slowly and gracefully straight up
into the air.

John and I were standing outside on the platform, from whence, looking
toward the house, we could plainly see Mrs. Challen at the open door of
our sitting-room waving farewell to us--her figure silhouetted against
the bright light of the room. We waved back to her in response, but I am
very doubtful if she could see our signal, as she was looking into the
darkness.

We now rose rapidly as M'Allister switched on more power, and far away
to the northward we could see over the whole extent of the vast
metropolis, with its countless miles of lighted streets. On turning
towards the east the Crystal Palace, which was lighted up, was a very
conspicuous object against the skyline over the Sydenham hills.

John, when he saw it, remarked that "it would have been an appropriate
tribute to our enterprise if the Palace Company had provided one of
their grand firework displays as a send-off for us"; "but," he added,
"these companies will never do what is expected of them!" On the
westward side the lights all along the hill where Sutton lies were
clearly visible; farther off was Epsom, and, with the aid of a glass, we
could even faintly see the lights of Guildford in the far distance.

Nearly south of us Croydon seemed from our altitude to lie almost
beneath our vessel. We directed our course towards the south-east,
passing over the railway-station at Thornton Heath, with Croydon to the
right of us, just as the clock of the Croydon Town Hall was striking
nine. The long lines of lighted streets made a fine panorama, and we
could trace the lights of the moving tram-cars out to Anerley, South
Norwood, Purley, Wallington, and Mitcham.

Although we were fully 5000 feet, or nearly a mile, above the earth it
was surprising how clearly we could hear the sounds from below--the
rumble of the electric tram-cars, the clang of their gongs, the
toot-toot of the motor-horns, and, louder still, the whistles of the
locomotives on the London and Brighton Railway were borne to us with
almost startling distinctness through the still night air.

Our electric lights were now switched on at their full power, their
bright beams shining out throug