登陆注册
5268300000030

第30章 CHAPTER VIII. JOHN WISE--THE AMERICAN AERONAUT.(3)

This led to a gaping seam developing at the moment of an ascent, and then there followed a hasty and hazardous descent on a house-top and an exciting rescue by a gentleman who appeared opportunely at a third storey window. Further, another balloon had been destroyed, and Wise badly burned, at a descent, owing to a naked light having been brought near the escaping gas. It is then without wonder that we find him after this temporarily bankrupt, and resorting to his skill in instrument-making to recover his fortunes. Only, however, for a few months, after which he is before the public once more as a professional aeronaut. He now adopts coal gas for inflation, and incidents of an impressive nature crowd into his career, forcing important facts upon him. The special characteristics of his own country present peculiar difficulties; broad rivers and vast forests become serious obstacles. He is caught in the embrace of a whirlwind; he narrowly escapes falling into a forest fire; he is precipitated, but harmlessly, into a pine wood. Among other experiments, he makes a small copy of Mr. Cocking's parachute, and drops it to earth with a cat as passenger, proving thereby that that unfortunate gentleman's principle was really less in fault than the actual slenderness of the material used in his machine.

We now approach one of Wise's boldest, and at the same time most valuable, experiments. It was the summer of 1839, and once again the old trouble of spontaneous combustion had destroyed a silk balloon which was to have ascended at Easton, Pa. Undeterred, however, Wise resolutely advertised a fresh attempt, and, with only a clear month before the engagement, determined on hastily rigging up a cambric muslin balloon, soaking it in linseed oil and essaying the best exhibition that this improvised experiment could afford. It was intended to become a memorable one, inasmuch as, should he meet with no hindrance, his determination was nothing less than that of bursting this balloon at a great height, having firmly convinced himself that the machine in these circumstances would form itself into a natural parachute, and bring him to earth with every chance in favour of safety. In his own words, "Scientific calculations were on his side with a certainty as great and principles as comprehensive as that a pocket-handkerchief will not fall as rapidly to the ground when thrown out of a third storey window as will a brick."

His balloon was specially contrived for the experiment in hand, having cords sewn to the upper parts of its seams, and then led down through the neck, where they were secured within reach, their office being that of rending the whole head of the balloon should this be desired. On this occasion a cat and a dog were taken up, one of these being let fall from a height of 2,000 feet in a Cocking's parachute, and landing in safety, the other being similarly dismissed at an altitude of 4,000 feet in an oiled silk balloon made in the form of a collapsed balloon, which, after falling a little distance, expanded sufficiently to allow of its descending with a safe though somewhat vibratory motion. Its behaviour, at any rate, fully determined Wise on carrying out his own experiment.

Being constructed entirely for the main object in view, the balloon had no true opening in the neck beyond an orifice of about an inch, and by the time a height of 13,000 feet had been reached the gas was streaming violently through this small hole, the entire globe being expanded nearly to bursting point, and the cords designed for rending the balloon very tense. At this critical period Wise owns to having experienced considerable nervous excitement, and observing far down a thunderstorm in progress he began to waver in his mind, and inclined towards relieving the balloon of its strain, and so abandoning his experiment, at least for the present. He remembers pulling out his watch to make a note of the hour, and, while thus occupied, the straining cords, growing tenser every moment, suddenly took charge of the experiment and burst the balloon of their own accord. The gas now rushed from the huge rent above tumultuously and in some ten seconds had entirely escaped, causing the balloon to descend rapidly, until the lower part of the muslin, doubling in upwards, formed a species of parachute after the manner intended. The balloon now came down with zig-zag descent, and finally the car, striking the earth obliquely, tossed its occupant out into a field unharmed. Shortly after this Wise experimented with further success with an exploded balloon.

同类推荐
  • 金刚寿命陀罗尼经

    金刚寿命陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Inn of Tranquility and Others

    The Inn of Tranquility and Others

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南方草木状

    南方草木状

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 六反

    六反

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 形意拳十法

    形意拳十法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 不是红颜的祸水

    不是红颜的祸水

    “为什么要向左?”“因为向右走有摩托车!”“为什么还向左?”“......”“将军,右边的山上有伏兵!”“你为什么总是向左?”“因为向左,遇到了你!”.......“你好美,却把自己包裹的那么丑!”“就是要找个不以貌取人的老公!”“闭上眼睛,你们那么先进的地方,不懂这个情调吗?”“哈,就这?我们的比这还暧昧还过火还深入还动人心魄!”“耳听为虚,眼见为实!”.....“爱我为什么不见我?”“将军,如果我嫁,你敢娶吗?”舒晴微笑着,心碎着!“现在我想娶你,跟我走吧!”“好,等流星砸到你的头上,我就嫁给你!”啊~不带这样的~“哼,不嫁给我,你试试!”
  • 沙平站

    沙平站

    林哲佑1954年生于韩国全南莞岛。全南大学英文系毕业,获得西江大学英文系硕士、全南大学博士学位。1981年以小说《骗狗》入选《首尔新闻》“新春文艺”,从而登上文坛。主要作品有《他们的凌晨》《后院的风声》《沙平站》《父亲的土地》《苦头运动会》《同行》和长篇小说《春天》。他的作品多通过写现实被扭曲的真相来探讨人绝对的存在意识。曾获得“李箱文学奖”。现任韩申大学文学创作系教授。
  • 地狱的第19层

    地狱的第19层

    大四女生春雨从荒村死里逃生,精神崩溃后又奇迹般康复。自从她收到了一条“你知道地狱的第19层是什么?”的手机短信后,便莫名地陷入一个极度的恐怖、无法摆脱的地狱游戏之中。她的好友、同学在收到同样神秘短信后,接连遭遇不幸,在各自不同的游戏阶段相继GAMEOVER。于是,春雨决定亲自揭开来自地狱的秘密。美术系年轻英俊的的教师高玄闯进了她的生活,二人结伴去千年洞窟寻找暗藏谜底的壁画。当春雨内心深处对继父的仇恨快要将她的生命夺去时,高玄深沉炽热的爱却唤醒了她的梦魇。不过,地狱游戏背后的始作俑者却远远不止这么简单。
  • 龙纹劫

    龙纹劫

    灵气大陆二千年后,龙族一神鼎立的局势不再,逐渐跌落神坛,届时万族崛起,又一次掀起了成神的浪潮。在依旧繁荣的龙族内,一位少年横空出世,凭借上古宝物压制体内隐患,却不知给他带来的,是恐怖的劫难。
  • 分裂的村庄

    分裂的村庄

    老霍站在房顶,俯视全村,脖子抻成了长颈鹿,脑袋转成了小蜗牛,心里“噼哩啪啦”地打着小算盘。其实,老霍犯不着笨手笨脚地爬上房,也无需抻长脖子到处瞅。他半辈子没离开过村子,当了十几年的村长,哪家啥样,玻璃一样透明。谁家的门锁啥牌子,谁家的水缸摆在哪儿,谁家的孩崽子长了几颗牙,谁家的老爷们儿犯了几回痔疮,他都能如数家珍。甚至谁家的老娘们儿来了红,也瞒不住他,更别说是谁家添个电视机,买个宠物狗,卖出几斤粮了,不消半个时辰,准能传进他的顺风耳。
  • 尖叫宠物店1:离奇宠物店的无解密室

    尖叫宠物店1:离奇宠物店的无解密室

    某一天,学校周围突然出现了一排排奇怪的宠物店广告牌,这些看似普通的广告牌里却隐藏着一个只有孩子们才能发现的大秘密。无数的小学生涌入这家诡异的宠物店,以自己的灵魂来和古怪的店长立下契约从而换取那些看似呆萌无比的宠物。所有签下契约的孩子都被店长带往了一间神奇的密室,诡异的事情也随之发生了……小伙伴们在好奇心旺盛的邓杰克的怂恿下踏上了宠物店冒险之旅,殊不知这个决定却将大伙推向了恶魔的深渊……
  • 女人都做妖

    女人都做妖

    在《女人都做妖》一书中,若木笔下的女人,亦或说妖,都是妩媚而带着点野性的,它直指的是那种对女人来说美好又沉重的爱情。愿得一心人,白首不相离这个爱情梦,痴迷地缠绕着女人,从古到今沉醉不醒。作者含着满满的深情和温情,用诗意或锐意的笔触,对女人境遇进行力透纸背的思考和剖析,以及对男权社会毫不留情的批评。在这个物欲横流的世界里,这只错入人间又肯为爱情付出生命的妖感动着作者,也感动着你我。
  • 巅峰女boss:异界狼女王妃

    巅峰女boss:异界狼女王妃

    被师姐“千面狐”截杀,“狼牙月”引爆炸弹重生异界。熟悉这个时代,打人、骂人、抓人,凶狠无比,恶名在外,被唤作狼女。狼女护短,不分是非,不问对错,不辨善恶,不管理由!只此一句:我要守护的,不准任何人觊觎!狼女爱人,跟着跑,追着跑,不管三七二十一直接扑到!只此一句:自尊多少钱一斤?幸福要自己争取!女强,男强,强强对抗!男胜,女败,自此相依!战场之上,墨发飞扬,世家小姐也能创造一世荣华!
  • 狂暴杀帝

    狂暴杀帝

    【2018新作求收藏,收藏过十万,上架百更!】灵气复苏,地球面积扩大十倍,野兽吞天噬地,万族降临,人类苟延残喘。封天获得狂暴杀戮系统,在无尽杀戮中急速崛起!大地变迁,群雄逐鹿,苍天万界,唯我独尊!
  • 痛失

    痛失

    作品以一个乡土小县的权力争夺、人、事流变为结构故事的纽带,以人性的变异为叙事元点,来建构乡村权力场,编织一个宏大的政治权力寓言。作者凭勇气和正义感,写出了滋生腐败的政治、经济、文化土壤。这里的腐败分子不是道德有缺陷的人,也不是无能鼠辈。从任何意义上讲,他们都是精英。作品直击乡村官场的龌龊、用人机制的缺陷以及官本位主义的盛行。展示在你面前的是道德水准的“痛失”、“以民为本”的魂灵的“痛失”,以及良知的泯灭与救赎的无助,充满深沉的批判精神与悲剧意识。