Таємничий острів

           TheGovernorauthorizedtheattempt.AballoonwasmanufacturedandplacedatthedisposalofForster,whowastobeaccompaniedbyfiveotherpersons.Theywerefurnishedwitharmsincasetheymighthavetodefendthemselveswhentheyalighted,andprovisionsintheeventoftheiraerialvoyagebeingprolonged.

           Thedepartureoftheballoonwasfixedforthe18thofMarch.Itshouldbeeffectedduringthenight,withanorthwestwindofmoderateforce,andtheaeronautscalculatedthattheywouldreachGeneralLee’scampinafewhours.

           Butthisnorthwestwindwasnotasimplebreeze.Fromthe18thitwasevidentthatitwaschangingtoahurricane.ThetempestsoonbecamesuchthatForster’sdeparturewasdeferred,foritwasimpossibletorisktheballoonandthosewhomitcarriedinthemidstofthefuriouselements.

           Theballoon,inflatedonthegreatsquareofRichmond,wasreadytodepartonthefirstabatementofthewind,and,asmaybesupposed,theimpatienceamongthebesiegedtoseethestormmoderatewasverygreat.

           The18th,the19thofMarchpassedwithoutanyalterationintheweather.Therewasevengreatdifficultyinkeepingtheballoonfastenedtotheground,asthesquallsdasheditfuriouslyabout.

           Thenightofthe19thpassed,butthenextmorningthestormblewwithredoubledforce.Thedepartureoftheballoonwasimpossible.

           Onthatdaytheengineer,CyrusHarding,wasaccostedinoneofthestreetsofRichmondbyapersonwhomhedidnotintheleastknow.