nstruments；　to　the　immediate　destruction　of　some　of　them。
  Another　result　of　this　abrupt　departure　was　a　very　rapid　rise；　which　took　the　balloon　a　height　of　3；000　feet　in　three　minutes'　space；　and　another　4；000　feet　higher　in　six　minutes　more。　　Seven　thousand　feet　vertically　in　nine　minutes　is　fast　pace；　but　the　voyagers　were　to　know　higher　speed　yet　that　day　when　the　vertical　motion　was　to　be　in　the　reverse　and　wrong　direction。　　At　the　height　now　reached　they　were　in　cloud；　and　while　thus　enveloped　the　temperature；　as　often　happens；　remained　practically　stationary　at　about　32　degrees；　while　that　of　the　dew　point　increased　several　degrees。　　But；　on　passing　out　of　the　cloud；　the　two　temperatures　were　very　suddenly　separated；　the　latter　decreasing　rapidly　under　a　deep　blue　upper　sky　that　was　now　without　a　cloud。　　Shortly　after　this　the　temperature　dropped　suddenly　some　8　degrees；　and　then；　during　the　next　12；000　feet；　crept　slowly　down　by　small　stages。　Presently　the　balloon；　reaching　more　than　twenty　thousand　feet；　or；　roughly；　four　miles；　and　still　ascending；　the　thermometer　was　taken　with　small　fits　of　rising　and　falling　alternately　till　an　altitude　of　24；000　feet　was　recorded；　at　which　point　other　and　more　serious　matters　intruded　themselves。
  The　earth　had　been　for　a　considerable　time　lost　to　view；　and　the　rate　and　direction　of　recent　progress　had　become　merely　conjectural。　　What　might　be　taking　place　in　these　obscured　and　lofty　regions？　　It　would　be　as　well　to　discover。　　So　the　valve　was　opened　rather　freely；　with　the　result　that　the　balloon　dropped　a　mile　in　three　minutes。　　Then　another　mile　slower；　by　a　shade。　　Then　at　12；000　feet　a　cloud　layer　was　reached；　and　shortly　after　the　voyagers　broke　through　into　the　clear　below。
  At　that　moment　Mr。　Glaisher；　who　was　busy　with　his　instruments；　heard　Mr。　Coxwell　make　an　exclamation　which　caused　him　to　look　over　the　car；　and　he　writes；　〃The　sea　seemed　to　be　under　us。　　Mr。　Coxwell　again　exclaimed；　'There's　not　a　moment　to　spare：　　we　must　save　the　land　at　all　risks。　　Leave　the　instruments。'　　Mr。　Coxwell　almost　hung　to　the　valve　line；　and　told　me　to　do　the　same；　and　not　to　mind　its　cutting　my　hand。　　It　was　a　bold　decision　opening　the　valve　in　this　way；　and　it　was　boldly　carried　out。〃　　As　may　be　supposed；　the　bold　decision　ended　with　a　crash。　　The　whole　time　of　descending　the　four　and　a　quarter　miles　was　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　last　two　miles　taking　four　minutes　only。　　For　all　that；　there　was　no　penalty　beyond　a　few　bruises　and　the　wrecking　of　the　instruments；　and　when　land　was　reached　there　was　no　rebound；　the　balloon　simply　lay　inert　hard　by　the　margin　of　the　sea。　　This　terrific　experience　in　its　salient　details　is　strangely　similar　to　that　already　recorded　by　Albert　Smith。
  In　further　experimental　labours　conducted　during　the　summer　of　this　year；　many　interesting　facts　stand　out　prominently　among　a　voluminous　mass　of　observations。　　In　an　ascent　in　an　east　wind　from　the　Crystal　Palace　in　early　July　it　was　found　that　the　upper　limit　of　that　wind　was　reached　at　2；400　feet；　at　which　level　an　air…stream　from　the　north　was　encountered；　but　at　3；000　feet　higher　the　wind　again　changed　to　a　current　from　the　N。N。W。　　At　the　height；　then；　of　little　more　than　half　a　mile；　these　upper　currents　were　travelling　leisurely；　but　what　was　more　noteworthy　was　their　humidity；　which　greatly　increased　with　altitude；　and　a　fact　which　may　often　be　noted　here　obtruded　itself；　namely；　when　the　aeronauts　were　at　the　upperlimits　of　the　east　wind；　flat…bottomed　cumulus　clouds　were　floating　at　their　level。　　These　clouds　were　entirely　within　the　influence　of　the　upper　or　north　wind；　so　that　their　under　sides　were　in　contact　with　the　east　wind；　i。e。　with　a　much　drier　air；　which　at　once　dissipated　all　vapour　in　contact　with　it；　and　thus　presented　the　appearance　of　flat…bottomed　clouds。　　It　is　a　common　experience　to　find　the　lower　surface　of　a　cloud　mowed　off　flat　by　an　east　wind　blowing　beneath　it。
  At　the　end　of　June　a　voyage　from　Wolverton　was　accomplished；　which　yielded　remarkable　results　of　much　real　value　and　interest。　　The　previous　night　had　been　perfectly　calm；　and　through　nearly　the　whole　morning　the　sun　shone　in　a　clear　blue　sky；　without　a　symptom　of　wind　or　coming　change。　　Shortly　before　noon；　however；　clouds　appeared　aloft；　and　the　sky　assumed　an　altered　aspect。　　Then　the　state　of　things　quickly　changed。　　Wind　currents　reached　the　earth　blowing　strongly；　and　the　half…filled　balloon　began　to　lurch　to　such　an　extent　that　the　inflation　could　only　with　difficulty　be　proceeded　with。　　Fifty　men　were　unable　to　hold　it　in　sufficient　restraint　to　prevent　rude　bumping　of　the　car　on　the　ground；　and　when；　at　length；　arrangements　were　complete　and　release　effected；　rapid　discharge　of　ballast　alone　saved　collision　with　neighbouring　buildings。
  It　was　now　that　the　disturbance　overhead　came　under　investigation；　and；　considering　the　short　period　it　had　been　in　progress；　proved　most　remarkable；　the　more　so　the　further　it　was　explored。　　At　4；000　feet　they　plunged　into　the　cloud　canopy；　through　which　as　it　was　painfully　cold；　they；　sought　to　penetrate　into　the　clear　above；　feeling　confident　of　finding　themselves；　according　to　their　usual　experience；　in　bright　blue　sky；　with　the　sun　brilliantly　shining。　　On　the　contrary；　however；　the　region　they　now　entered　was　further　obscured　with　another　canopy　of　cloud　far　up。　　It　was　while　they　were　traversing　this　clear　interval　that　a　sound　unwonted　in　balloon　travel　assailed　their　ears。　This　was　the　〃sighing；　or　rather　moaning；　of　the　wind　as　preceding　a　storm。〃　　Rustling　of　the　silk　within　the　cordage　is　often　heard　aloft；　being　due　to　expansion　of　gas　or　similar　cause；　but　the　aeronauts　soon　convinced　themselves　that　what　they　heard　was　attributable　to　nothing　else　than　the　actual　conflict　of　air　currents　beneath。　Then　they　reached　foga　dry　fogand；　passing　through　it；　entered　a　further　fog；　but　wetting　this　time；　and　within　the　next　1；000　feet　they　were　once　again　in　fog　that　was　dry；　and　then；　reaching　three　miles　high　and　seeing　struggling　sunbeams；　they　looked　around　and　saw　cloud　everywhere；　below；　above；　and　far　clouds　on　their　own　level。　　The　whole　sky　had　filled　in　most　completely　since　the　hours　but　recently　passed；　when　they　had　been　expatiating　on　the　perfect　serenity　of　the　empty　heavens。
  Still　they　climbed　upwards；　and　in　the　next　2；000　feet　had　entered　further　fog；　dry　at　first；　but　turning　wetter　as　they　rose。　　At　four　miles　high　they　found　themselves　on　a　level　with　clouds；　whose　dark　masses　and　fringed　edges　proved　them　to　be　veritable　rain　clouds；　and；　while　still　observing　them；　the　fog　surged　up　again　and　shut　out　the　view；　and　by　the　time　they　had　surmounted　it　they　were　no　less　than　23；000　feet　up；　or　higher　than　the　loftiest　of　the　Andes。　Even　here；　with　cloud　masses　still　piling　high　overhead；　the　eager　observer；　bent　on　further　quests；　was　for　pursuing　the　voyage；　but　Mr。　Coxwell　interposed　with　an　emphatic；　〃Too　short　of　sand！〃　and　the　downward　journey　had　to　be　commenced。　　Then　phenomena　similar　to　those　already　described　were　experienced　againfog　banks　（sometimes　wet；　sometimes　dry）；　rain　showers；　and　cloud　strata　of　piercing　cold。　　Presently；　too；　a　new　wonder　for　a　midsummer　afternoona　snow　scene　all　around；　and　spicules　of　ice　settling　and　remaining　frozen　on　the　coatsleeve。　　Finally　dropping　to　earth　helplessly　through　the　last　5；000　feet；　with　all　ballast　spent；　Ely　Cathedral　was　passed　at　close　quarters；　yet　even　that　vast　pile　was　hidden　in　the　gloom　that　now　lay　over　all　the　land。
  It　was　just　a　month　later；　and　day　broke　with　thoroughly　dirty　weather；　a　heavy　sky；　and　falling　showers。　This　was　the　day　of　all　others　that　Mr。　Glaisher　was　waiting　for；　having　determined　on　making　special　investigations　concerning　the　formation　of　rain　in　the　clouds　themselves。　　It　had　long　been　noticed　that；　in　an　ordinary　way；　if　there　be　two　rain　gauges　placed；　one　near　the　surface　of　the　ground；　and　another　at　a　somewhat　higher　elevation；　then　the　lower　gauge　will　collect　most　water。　　Does；　then；　rain　condense　in　some　appreciable　quantity　out　of　the　lowest　level？　　Again；　during　rain；　is　the　air　saturated　completely；　and　what　regulates　the　quality　of　rainfall；　for　rain　sometimes　falls　in　large　drops　and　sometimes　in　minute　particles？　　These　were　questions　which　Mr。　Glaisher　sought　to　solve；　and　there　was　another。
  Charles　Green　had　stated　as　his　conviction　that　whenever　rain　was　falling　from　an　overcast　sky　there　would　always　be　found　a　higher　canopy　of　cloud　over…hanging　the　lower　stratum。　　On　the　day；　then；　which　we　are　now　describing；　Mr。　Glaisher　wished　to　put　this　his　theory　to　the　test；　and；　if　correct；　then　he　desired　to　measure　the　space　between　the　cloud　layers；　to　gauge　their　thickness；　and　to　see　if　above　the　second　stratum　the　sun　was　shining。　　The　main　details　of　the　ascent　read　thus：
  In　ten　seconds　they　were　in　mist；　and　in　ten　seconds　more　were　level　with　the　cloud。　　At　1；200　feet　they　were　out　of　the　rain；　though　not　yet　out　of　the　cloud。　　Emerging　from　the　lower　cloud　at　2；300　feet；　they　saw；　what　Green　would　have　foretold；　an　upper　stratum　of　dark　cloud　above。　　Then　they　made　excursions　up　and　down；　trying　high　and　low　to　verify　these