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 a