hey
were "hot-air balloons."

Other balloons were furnished with all sorts of fans, rudders, etc.,
for the purpose of steering them, or accelerating their motion up or
down.

On the next page is one of that kind.

This balloon ascended from Dijon, France, in 1784, but the
steering-apparatus did not prove to be of much use.

There were other balloons devised by the early aeronauts, which were
still stranger than that one which arose from Dijon. The _Minerva_,
the picture of which you can examine at your leisure, was invented by
a Mr. Robertson, in the beginning of this century. He wished to make
a grand aerial voyage of several months, with a company of about sixty
persons, and therefore he had to have a very large balloon. To procure
this he desired the co-operation of the scientific men throughout
Europe, and sent plans and descriptions of his projected balloon to
all the learned societies.

[Illustration]

This great ship of the air was to be a regular little town, as you may
see. The balloon was to be one hundred and fifty feet in diameter, and
was to carry a large ship, on which the passengers would be safe if
they descended in the water, even if it were the middle of the ocean.

Everything was to be provided for the safety and convenience of the
passengers. Around the upper part of the balloon you will see a
platform, with sentries and tents. These soldiers were to be called
the "air-marines." There is a small balloon--about the common
size--which could be sent off like a small boat whenever occasion
required. If any one got tired of the expedition, and wanted to go
home, there was a parachute by which he might descend. On the deck of
the ship, near the stern, was to be a little church; small houses hung
from below, reached by ladders of silk, which were to be used as
medicine-rooms, gymnasiums, etc.; and under the ship would hang a
great hogshead, as big as a house, which would contain provisions and
stores, and keep them tight and dry. There was also a kitchen; and a
cannon, with which to fire off salutes, besides a number of guns,
which you see projecting from the port-holes of the ship. These, I
suppose, were to be used against all enemies or pirates of the air,
sea, or land.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

I cannot enumerate all the appendages of this wonderful balloon--you
see there are telescopes, sails, great speaking-trumpets, anchors,
etc.; but I will merely remark that it was never constr