At all
events I was now close upon the planet, and coming down with the
most terrible impetuosity. I lost not a moment, accordingly, in
throwing overboard first my ballast, then my water-kegs, then my
condensing apparatus and gum-elastic chamber, and finally every
article within the car. But it was all to no purpose. I still fell
with horrible rapidity, and was now not more than half a mile from the
surface. As a last resource, therefore, having got rid of my coat,
hat, and boots, I cut loose from the balloon the car itself, which was
of no inconsiderable weight, and thus, clinging with both hands to the
net-work, I had barely time to observe that the whole country, as
far as the eye could reach, was thickly interspersed with diminutive
habitations, ere I tumbled headlong into the very heart of a
fantastical-looking city, and into the middle of a vast crowd of
ugly little people, who none of them uttered a single syllable, or
gave themselves the least trouble to render me assistance, but
stood, like a parcel of idiots, grinning in a ludicrous manner, and
eyeing me and my balloon askant, with their arms set a-kimbo.
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