hadhopesofpassingonmuchfarthertothenorth，andmightpossibly，atsomeperiod，findmyselfplaceddirectlyabovethePoleitself。Inowlamentedthatmygreatelevationwould，inthiscase，preventmytakingasaccurateasurveyasIcouldwish。Much，however，mightbeascertained。Nothingelseofanextraordinarynatureoccurredduringtheday。Myapparatusallcontinuedingoodorder，andtheballoonstillascendedwithoutanyperceptiblevacillation。Thecoldwasintense，andobligedmetowrapupcloselyinanovercoat。Whendarknesscameovertheearth，Ibetookmyselftobed，althoughitwasformanyhoursafterwardbroaddaylightallaroundmyimmediatesituation。Thewater-clockwaspunctualinitsduty，andIsleptuntilnextmorningsoundly，withtheexceptionoftheperiodicalinterruption。
“April4th。Aroseingoodhealthandspirits，andwasastonishedatthesingularchangewhichhadtakenplaceintheappearanceofthesea。Ithadlost，inagreatmeasure，thedeeptintofblueithadhithertoworn，beingnowofagrayish-white，andofalustredazzlingtotheeye。Theislandswerenolongervisible；whethertheyhadpasseddownthehorizontothesoutheast，orwhethermyincreasingelevationhadleftthemoutofsight，itisimpossibletosay。Iwasinclined，however，tothelatteropinion。Therimoficetothenorthwardwasgrowingmoreandmoreapparent。Coldbynomeanssointense。Nothingofimportanceoccurred，andIpassedthedayinreading，havingtakencaretosupplymyselfwithbooks。
“April5th。Beheldthesingularphenomenonofthesunrisingwhilenearlythewholevisiblesurfaceoftheearthcontinuedtobeinvolvedindarkness。Intime，however，thelightspreaditselfoverall，andIagainsawthelineoficetothenorthward。Itwasnowverydistinct，andappearedofamuchdarkerhuethanthewatersoftheocean。Iwasevidentlyapproachingit，andwithgreatrapidity。
FanciedIcouldagaindistinguishastripoflandtotheeastward，andonealsotothewestward，butcouldnotbecertain。Weathermoderate。Nothingofanyconsequencehappenedduringtheday。Wentearlytobed。
“April6th。Wassurprisedatfindingtherimoficeataverymoderatedistance，andanimmensefieldofthesamematerialstretchingawayofftothehorizoninthenorth。Itwasevidentthatiftheballoonhelditspresentcourse，itwouldsoonarriveabovetheFrozenOcean，andIhadnowlittledoubtofultimatelyseeingthePole。DuringthewholeofthedayIcontinuedtoneartheice。Towardnightthelimitsofmyhorizonverysuddenlyandmateriallyincreased，owingundoubtedlytotheearth’sformbeingthatofanoblatespheroid，andmyarrivingabovetheflattenedregionsinthevicinityoftheArcticcircle。Whendarknessatlengthovertookme，I
wenttobedingreatanxiety，fearingtopassovertheobjectofsomuchcuriositywhenIshouldhavenoopportunityofobservingit。
“April7th。Aroseearly，and，tomygreatjoy，atlengthbeheldwhattherecouldbenohesitationinsupposingthenorthernPoleitself。
Itwasthere，beyondadoubt，andimmediatelybeneathmyfeet；but，alas！Ihadnowascendedtosovastadistance，thatnothingcouldwithaccuracybediscerned。Indeed，tojudgefromtheprogressionofthenumbersindicatingmyvariousaltitudes，respectively，atdifferentperiods，betweensixA。M。onthesecondofApril，andtwentyminutesbeforenineA。M。ofthesamedayatwhichtimethebarometerrandown，itmightbefairlyinferredthattheballoonhadnow，atfouro’clockinthemorningofApriltheseventh，reachedaheightofnotless，certainly，than7，254milesabovethesurfaceofthesea。Thiselevationmayappearimmense，buttheestimateuponwhichitiscalculatedgavearesultinallprobabilityfarinferiortothetruth。AtalleventsIundoubtedlybeheldthewholeoftheearth’smajordiameter；theentirenorthernhemispherelaybeneathmelikeachartorthographicallyprojected：andthegreatcircleoftheequatoritselfformedtheboundarylineofmyhorizon。YourExcellenciesmay，however，readilyimaginethattheconfinedregionshithertounexploredwithinthelimitsoftheArcticcircle，althoughsituateddirectlybeneathme，andthereforeseenwithoutanyappearanceofbeingforeshortened，werestill，inthemselves，comparativelytoodiminutive，andattoogreatadistancefromthepointofsight，toadmitofanyveryaccurateexamination。
Nevertheless，whatcouldbeseenwasofanaturesingularandexciting。Northwardlyfromthathugerimbeforementioned，andwhich，withslightqualification，maybecalledthelimitofhumandiscoveryintheseregions，oneunbroken，ornearlyunbroken，sheetoficecontinuestoextend。Inthefirstfewdegreesofthisitsprogress，itssurfaceisverysensiblyflattened，fartherondepressedintoaplane，andfinally，becomingnotalittleconcave，itterminates，atthePoleitself，inacircularcentre，sharplydefined，wboseapparentdiametersubtendedattheballoonanangleofaboutsixty-fiveseconds，andwhoseduskyhue，varyinginintensity，was，atalltimes，darkerthananyotherspotuponthevisiblehemisphere，andoccasionallydeepenedintothemostabsoluteandimpenetrableblackness。Fartherthanthis，littlecouldbeascertained。Bytwelveo’clockthecircularcentrehadmateriallydecreasedincircumference，andbysevenP。M。Ilostsightofitentirely；theballoonpassingoverthewesternlimboftheice，andfloatingawayrapidlyinthedirectionoftheequator。
“April8th。Foundasensiblediminutionintheearth’sapparentdiameter，besidesamaterialalterationinitsgeneralcolorandappearance。Thewholevisibleareapartookindifferentdegreesofatintofpaleyellow，andinsomeportionshadacquiredabrilliancyevenpainfultotheeye。Myviewdownwardwasalsoconsiderablyimpededbythedenseatmosphereinthevicinityofthesurfacebeingloadedwithclouds，betweenwhosemassesIcouldonlynowandthenobtainaglimpseoftheearthitself。Thisdifficultyofdirectvisionhadtroubledmemoreorlessforthelastforty-eighthours；
butmypresentenormouselevationbroughtclosertogether，asitwere，thefloatingbodiesofvapor，andtheinconveniencebecame，ofcourse，moreandmorepalpableinproportiontomyascent。
Nevertheless，IcouldeasilyperceivethattheballoonnowhoveredabovetherangeofgreatlakesinthecontinentofNorthAmerica，andwasholdingacourse，duesouth，whichwouldbringmetothetropics。
Thiscircumstancedidnotfailtogivemethemostheartfulsatisfaction，andIhaileditasahappyomenofultimatesuccess。
Indeed，thedirectionIhadhithertotaken，hadfilledmewithuneasiness；foritwasevidentthat，hadIcontinueditmuchlonger，therewouldhavebeennopossibilityofmyarrivingatthemoonatall，whoseorbitisinclinedtotheeclipticatonlythesmallangleof5degrees8’48“。
“April9th。To-daytheearth’sdiameterwasgreatlydiminished，andthecolorofthesurfaceassumedhourlyadeepertintofyellow。Theballoonkeptsteadilyonhercoursetothesouthward，andarrived，atnineP。M。，overthenorthernedgeoftheMexicanGulf。
“April10th。Iwassuddenlyarousedfromslumber，aboutfiveo’clockthismorning，byaloud，crackling，andterrificsound，forwhichI
couldinnomanneraccount。Itwasofverybriefduration，but，whileitlastedresemblednothingintheworldofwhichIhadanypreviousexperience。ItisneedlesstosaythatIbecameexcessivelyalarmed，having，inthefirstinstance，attributedthenoisetotheburstingoftheballoon。Iexaminedallmyapparatus，however，withgreatattention，andcoulddiscovernothingoutoforder。Spentagreatpartofthedayinmeditatinguponanoccurrencesoextraordinary，butcouldfindnomeanswhateverofaccountingforit。Wenttobeddissatisfied，andinastateofgreatanxietyandagitation。
“April11th。Foundastartlingdiminutionintheapparentdiameteroftheearth，andaconsiderableincrease，nowobservableforthefirsttime，inthatofthemoonitself，whichwantedonlyafewdaysofbeingfull。Itnowrequiredlongandexcessivelabortocondensewithinthechambersufficientatmosphericairforthesustenanceoflife。
“April12th。Asingularalterationtookplaceinregardtothedirectionoftheballoon，andalthoughfullyanticipated，affordedmethemostunequivocaldelight。Havingreached，initsformercourse，aboutthetwentiethparallelofsouthernlatitude，itturnedoffsuddenly，atanacuteangle，totheeastward，andthusproceededthroughouttheday，keepingnearly，ifnotaltogether，intheexactplaneofthelunarelipse。Whatwasworthyofremark，averyperceptiblevacillationinthecarwasaconsequenceofthischangeofrouteavacillationwhichprevailed，inamoreorlessdegree，foraperiodofmanyhours。
“April13th。Wasagainverymuchalarmedbyarepetitionoftheloud，cracklingnoisewhichterrifiedmeonthetenth。Thoughtlonguponthesubject，butwasunabletoformanysatisfactoryconclusion。
Greatdecreaseintheearth’sapparentdiameter，whichnowsubtendedfromtheballoonanangleofverylittlemorethantwenty-fivedegrees。Themooncouldnotbeseenatall，beingnearlyinmyzenith。Istillcontinuedintheplaneoftheelipse，butmadelittleprogresstotheeastward。
“April14th。Extremelyrapiddecreaseinthediameteroftheearth。
To-dayIbecamestronglyimpressedwiththeidea，thattheballoonwasnowactuallyrunningupthelineofapsidestothepointofperigee-inotherwords，holdingthedirectcoursewhichwouldbringitimmediatelytothemooninthatpartofitsorbitthenearesttotheearth。Themooniselfwasdirectlyoverhead，andconsequentlyhiddenfrommyview。Greatandlong-continuedlabornecessaryforthecondensationoftheatmosphere。
“April15th。Noteventheoutlinesofcontinentsandseascouldnowbetracedupontheearthwithanythingapproachingdistinctness。
Abouttwelveo’clockIbecameaware，forthethirdtime，ofthatappallingsoundwhichhadsoastonishedmebefore。Itnow，however，continuedforsomemoments，andgatheredintensityasitcontinued。
Atlength，while，stupefiedandterror-stricken，IstoodinexpectationofIknewnotwhathideousdestruction，thecarvibratedwithexcessiveviolence，andagiganticandflamingmassofsomematerialwhichIcouldnotdistinguish，camewithavoiceofathousandthunders，roaringandboomingbytheballoon。Whenmyfearsandastonishmenthadinsomedegreesubsided，IhadlittledifficultyinsupposingittobesomemightyvolcanicfragmentejectedfromthatworldtowhichIwassorapidlyapproaching，and，inallprobability，oneofthatsingularclassofsubstancesoccasionallypickedupontheearth，andtermedmeteoricstonesforwantofabetterappellation。
“April16th。To-day，lookingupwardaswellasIcould，througheachofthesidewindowsalternately，Ibeheld，tomygreatdelight，averysmallportionofthemoon’sdiskprotruding，asitwere，onallsidesbeyondthehugecircumferenceoftheballoon。Myagitationwasextreme；forIhadnowlittledoubtofsoonreachingtheendofmyperilousvoyage。Indeed，thelabornowrequiredbythecondenserhadincreasedtoamostoppressivedegree，andallowedmescarcelyanyrespitefromexertion。Sleepwasamatternearlyoutofthequestion。
Ibecamequiteill，andmyframetrembledwithexhaustion。Itwasimpossiblethathumannaturecouldendurethisstateofintensesufferingmuchlonger。Duringthenowbriefintervalofdarknessameteoricstoneagainpassedinmyvicinity，andthefrequencyofthesephenomenabegantooccasionmemuchapprehension。
“April17th。Thismorningprovedanepochinmyvoyage。Itwillberememberedthat，onthethirteenth，theearthsubtendedanangularbreadthoftwenty-fivedegrees。Onthefourteenththishadgreatlydiminished；onthefifteenthastillmoreremarkabledecreasewasobservable；and，onretiringonthenightofthesixteenth，Ihadnoticedanangleofnomorethanaboutsevendegreesandfifteenminutes。What，therefore，musthavebeenmyamazement，onawakeningfromabriefanddisturbedslumber，onthemorningofthisday，theseventeenth，atfindingthesurfacebeneathmesosuddenlyandwonderfullyaugmentedinvolume，astosubtendnolessthanthirty-ninedegreesinapparentangulardiameter！Iwasthunderstruck！Nowordscangiveanyadequateideaoftheextreme，theabsolutehorrorandastonishment，withwhichIwasseizedpossessed，andaltogetheroverwhelmed。Mykneestotteredbeneathmemyteethchatteredmyhairstarteduponend。“Theballoon，then，hadactuallyburst！”Thesewerethefirsttumultuousideasthathurriedthroughmymind：“Theballoonhadpositivelyburst！Iwasfallingfallingwiththemostimpetuous，themostunparalleledvelocity！Tojudgebytheimmensedistancealreadysoquicklypassedover，itcouldnotbemorethantenminutes，atthefarthest，beforeIshouldmeetthesurfaceoftheearth，andbehurledintoannihilation！”Butatlengthreflectioncametomyrelief。Ipaused；
Iconsidered；andIbegantodoubt。Thematterwasimpossible。I
couldnotinanyreasonhavesorapidlycomedown。Besides，althoughIwasevidentlyapproachingthesurfacebelowme，itwaswithaspeedbynomeanscommensuratewiththevelocityIhadatfirstsohorriblyconceived。Thisconsiderationservedtocalmtheperturbationofmymind，andIfinallysucceededinregardingthephenomenoninitsproperpointofview。Infact，amazementmusthavefairlydeprivedmeofmysenses，whenIcouldnotseethevastdifference，inappearance，betweenthesurfacebelowme，andthesurfaceofmymotherearth。Thelatterwasindeedovermyhead，andcompletelyhiddenbytheballoon，whilethemoonthemoonitselfinallitsglorylaybeneathme，andatmyfeet。