point I, of course, offer no opinion. I will merely | I accordingly accepted it, and we entered the first say that the very people who thus describe me are tavern we found handy. quite agreed in admitting that I am not such a fool as I look.

anxious to experience them in my own person. Accordingly, from the moment I entered the public house, I determined to take the refreshment department exclusively into my own hands.

66

Now," said I to my modest companion, "you stood treat before, so it's my turn now. What are you going to have? I shall have some more ale. And what's your tipple, sir?" I asked, addressing the gentleman who had recently come into his uncle's money.

that his uncle had just died and left him a large fortune. He had been to the bank that day, he said, and drawn out some of the money; but there was plenty more left, and he meant to enjoy himself now, and no mistake about it. What was the good of money unless you spent it? &c., &c. Here I may as well state, lest the reader should think me simpler than I am, that neither the quiet modesty of one of my companions, nor the boisterous braggadocio of the other, had deceived me as to their true character and object. Directly they fairly began to play their respective parts, directly I saw that my vulgar friend's sovereigns were card counters at a shilling a dozen, and that his notes were drawn upon the Bank of Engraving, I saw clearly enough I was in the hands of a couple of skittle sharpers, intent upon making me their vic-out of the same pewter as No. 1, for we eschewed tim. I had not the slightest intention of allowing them to gratify this very natural desire, but being anxious to see for myself something of the manners and the modus operandi of this class of men, of whom I had so often read in the police reports, I fell in with their humor, and allowed them to think me their dupe.

My boasting companion was still talking of his money, and of his intention to enjoy himself with it, when the cab pulled up at our destination. It was a small public house, in a shabby and secluded street; standing back some ten or fifteen yards from the footway, it was approached by a dismal little garden, or what had once been a garden, with a couple of summer-houses on one side, some tottering trellis-work on the other, and a few tables and benches scattered here and there on either side of the path. At the back of the house there was an open gravelled space, not quite so large as the plot in front, and at the bottom of this stood, as I had expected, a covered skittle alley, towards which we at once made our way.

Well, he would have some cold gin-and-water, he said, he had not yet had time to acquire aristocratic tastes, and my other companion decided upon following my course and sticking to ale; so this matter was soon settled. As a measure of precaution and not of predilection, I fraternally drank glasses, and took care that he always had the first draught. But I soon saw that neither he nor his confederate cared to drink themselves, or to make me drink. They were evidently on another tack.

It would weary rather than interest the reader, were I to describe all the attempts made by these two worthies to entrap me. Soon after we entered the public house we were joined by a third stranger, a lean young man, of mild aspect and fawning manners, with whom the bragging gentleman after a while began to play at skittles. It became at once obvious, or was made to seem so, that the latter had not the slightest chance against the former. Yet, notwithstanding this circumstance, No. 2 made the most foolish bets with No. 1, and although he almost invariably lost, returned to the charge again and again, offering odds to me in the same reckless manner, and increasing his stakes with every fresh defeat. Keeping to the part I had at first assumed, I roughly refused all his offers; told him he was only throwing his money away, and that, if he did n't take care what sort of company he got into, he would asThe wealthy gentleman had been merely com-suredly be cleared out of all he possessed. When municative and boastful in the cab, but directly he saw the skittles, all his swaggering recklessness at once returned. The first thing he wanted to do was to bet me five shillings that the ball was made, not of wood, but of metal.

"Why," said I, adapting the tone of my conversation to the company I was in, "you must be a fool to talk like that. Look here." And I took up the ball and chipped it with my penknife. "I tell you what it is, my friend," I added; "if you get making bets like that, you'll soon lose all your money, can tell you."

This rebuke, uttered in a manner which in no way implied suspicion of either of my companions, inspired them both, I verily believe, with stronger confidence in their powers of deception, and their chance of fleecing me. I had been simple enough to refuse five shillings when they were, so to speak, thrust into my hands. Of what other weakness might I not be capable?

My remark, however, apparently produced no effect. In a few minutes, the swaggering gentleman was vaunting his powers as boisterously as ever, throwing out all sorts of wild challenges, and offering any number of ridiculous bets.

I ought, perhaps, to mention that there was one point upon which I certainly felt some apprehension. It was, lest anything I might drink with my companions should be drugged. While I remained in full possession of my faculties, I was quite sure of myself; but I had heard so much of the stupefying effects of drugged liquor, that I was by no means

this sort of thing had gone on for about two or three hours, I ostentatiously pulled out a large and valuable gold watch, said I had an appointment in the city with a gentleman, who was to pay me some money, which was true; expressed my regret that I could not stop any longer, and bade my companions adieu. That they were sorry to part with me I can readily believe; but, as I made an appointment to meet them the next day, so that we might all go to another "nice little place," a few miles out of town, they still had hope to fall back upon. They had failed for the time; but I feel convinced they were certain of success with me when we next met. When we next meet, perhaps they may.

Before I close this paper, let me offer a few remarks. First, I feel bound to admit that better acting of its kind than that of these two fellows I never saw on or off the stage. It was carefully and consistently carried out from first to last, never lost sight of for an instant, and never overdone. While attempting to take me in, my two friends never exchanged knowing glances, or made signals to each other, or did anything, in fact, to arouse my suspicions. As for the lean young man, he kept in the background aloof from ine, and was, I suppose, only an auxiliary hand. When the two leading performers found me somewhat tougher than they probably had expected, they expressed no surprise and no annoyance. We parted as though we had been sworn friends for years.

My impression is, that those who fall victims to this class of men are generally self-conceited persons

who have an exaggerated idea of their own acute- | that some persons ask of an art, still in its infancy, ness, an over-confident belief that they cannot be a degree of perfection which has not been granted imposed upon. Young men from the country by ages of experience to the art of navigating the are famous for this kind of foolish presumption, and sea. Such base their hopes on as mutable a founthey are, of course, the easiest prey. Yet, within dation as the chance of squaring the circle or comthe circle of my own acquaintance, I knew a sensi- manding perpetual motion. The absurdity of this ble young man, born and bred in London, who al- expectation has been often set forth; and we have lowed himself to be duped in this manner. He was not yet abandoned transit by water, because we are standing looking in at a shop window, when a still at the mercy, occasionally, of wind and weather. stranger, of about his own age, soft-spoken and It is not, then, unreasonable to contrive how to profit plausible, joined him, entered into a conversation, by the same means in balloons that we make use of walked on with him, and finally asked him if he had in ships, that is, of taking advantage of good winds ever played at skittles. The sensible young man and counteracting bad ones. We shall have done replied in the negative. How curious! The stran- already sufficient for the glories of invention and for ger had never played, either. What fun it would promised usefulness, if the success of a voyage to a be to see what sort of a game it was. To be brief, fixed destination is only subordinate to these condithey went to a skittle-ground, played for some little tions." time with varying success, the sensible young man ultimately losing the ten or fifteen shillings he had about him, and actually agreeing to go home to get some more money. While the excitement of the game lasted he had no suspicion he was being robbed. It was not until half an hour's walking in the fresh air had somewhat cooled him that he recognized the fact.

Such words indicate the aim this aeronautic amateur sought ever to consider as that of his ambition. Most have taken as a postulate that which Guyton pronounces absurd; and have concluded, because of their failure to discover the means of going from one place to another in all sorts of weather, that their balloons were worthless. This has been the first error; and the second has grown out of it, With many persons, too, such reckless stupidity which is, that they have depended on mere theory and self-conceit as were exhibited by one of my to conduct them to the desired consummation, ratlicompanions form too alluring a bait to be resisted.er than upon repeated practical experiment, thereby Here is a vulgar, boasting fellow, overflowing with money, who is positively asking people to ease him of some of it, and who taunts them if they do not comply with his request.

sir.

---

Over and over again my modest friend looked at me, when the other was loudest in his boasting, and seemed to say, "What a fool! Did you ever meet with such a donkey?" Indeed, once he softly said to me, "I wonder you don't take his offer, He seems determined to lose his money, and why should n't you win some of it?" This is the bait which, when all others and there are plenty more-have been refused, rarely fails, I fancy, to be swallowed whole. Once taken, the rest must be easy work. Directly the dupe begins to lose, after having felt that to do so was impossible, his head appears to utterly fail him. He is seized with a sort of infatuation. In the January of this year, for instance, a "gentleman from the country" was induced to go and pawn his watch, in order to test its genuineness; a bet, of which he was to have half, being the inducement. I recollect the case, too, of a tradesman who, losing all he had about him, went home, and fetched £200 from his cashbox; staked that, so certain was he of winning, and of course soon found himself without a penny. I am inclined to think, therefore, that all, or nearly all, who are fleeced by such fellows as those I made the acquaintance of, are really the victims of their own desire to profit by what appears to be wrong-headed ignorance and stupidity. If ever I am myself taken in, perhaps I may change my opinion.

BALLOONING.

mistaking the inevitable conditions in the way of all discovery. Progress of this kind is only furthered by trial. Not to make the most of what we have, imperfect though it be, is to deny ourselves the possibility of anything better.

How can we otherwise explain, than by this gencral error, the stationary and unproductive condition of an art of which we might rightfully expect so much of marvel? When we name the discovery of the principle itself by Montgolfier, the use of gas by Charles, the invention of the parachute by Blanchard and Garnerin, of the guide-rope by Green, have we not mentioned all that is essential in our progress as yet? Only thus much is the result of seventy years and the thousands of men who have studied the problem. Steamboats, railways, and the magnetic telegraph date not back near as far. The daguerreotype and galvanism have not been for longer than a score of years before the world.

Has aerostation added anything to our meteorological knowledge? Do we understand the winds better? No. Is it not pretty evident, then, that we have gone astray?

How can one perfect navigation unless by pursuing it? We must improve the balloonist's art in the air itself. If we had appreciated the value of this invention, we should not have been content with anything short of its grand possibilities. We should have sought the means of prolonging as much as possible our aerial voyages; and, if we had turned our attention to practice rather than to theory, we should have found out what we now stand in need of, namely, a perfectly impermeable envelope, and the means of rising and falling in the air without [Translated for EVERY SATURDAY, from the Journal pour Tous.] loss of power. At the same time, we ought to have "Is it possible to steer a balloon?" asked Guyton acquired some positive knowledge of the atmosphere de Morveau, in 1784; and his reply was, that, before and its laws. This last is indispensable to a perfect answering such a question, it was essential to deter- art. A knowledge of atmospheric currents would mine what was meant by steering. "Shall we con- soon have permitted, first, short voyages to desig sider that we control the direction of a balloon only when we have the power of going from one place to another at all times, in all winds and weathers, and of returning under the same conditions? It is thus

nated points, and then longer ones. Next would have come the power of moving, apart from the direction of the wind, and the means of rising and falling without loss of any kind, and a method of

propulsion in calms. Such are some of the possi- a current higher up, going in the opposite direction bilities which to-day we are without accomplishing, to those known as the trade-winds; in fact, it has that we might have attained had we not so blindly been noticed on the peak of Teneriffe. In 1835, devoted ourselves to mere theory. the ashes thrown up by the volcano of Guatemala fell, some hours later, in the streets of Kingston, in Jamaica, whither they had been carried by a wind from the west, prevailing in the upper air.

The advantage of the wind to the balloonist is immense, and we do not yet comprehend its extent. Three kinds are at our service. First, the tradewinds, constant and regular, and prevailing between the thirtieth parallels of latitude on either side of the equator. By these the aeronaut can accomplish a good part of the circuit of the globe. Second, periodical winds, such as those that blow from the North Sea to the Baltic, facilitating the passage of the Sound, alternating with such as blow in the opposite direction at other seasons. There are other winds which are regulated by a more confined periodicity, though, on the other hand, they act in much narrower limits, as in the case of land and sea breezes. Third, accidental winds, and of these the aeronaut can make at least as much as the navigator.

The weather-cock will frequently indicate a direction of the wind quite different from that taken by the clouds. This only proves what the narratives of balloonists have abundantly shown, - that we can

Let us see something of what the aeronaut can accomplish with these counter-currents. On the 8th of August, 1782, Robertson made an ascension at Lisbon. The wind had borne him three leagues beyond the Tagus, when he observed above him that the clouds were flying in the opposite direction. He conceived suddenly the idea of letting this current bear him back over the city. He threw out ballast and reached an altitude of sixteen hundred fathoms, and the experiment succeeded. He repassed the Tagus, came over Lisbon, and landed beyond the city, so that those who assisted at his start were still at hand to help his landing,

There are in our opinion four conditions to fulfil in making aerial voyages regular.

I. An impervious skin to the balloon, or at least so nearly so, that it will retain the gas for a week

or more.

II. The power of rising and sinking to take advantage of other currents, when we are thwarted by such as we are in.

find varied currents as we rise in the same column of air. M. Charles, on his first ascension, let go a small trial-balloon, and it descended in an opposite direction to that this courageous experimentalist was Every one knows that, in the present state of our pursuing. Guyton de Morveau relates, that in his knowledge, the acronaut throws out ballast to rise. experiments of the 25th of April, he started off with Under three conditions he lets the gas escape,a very strong west-northwest wind, which he ceased first, when the rarefied air permits the gas to disto feel when he had ascended three hundred feet. tend the balloon dangerously; second, when, having At a still higher stage, while he was sailing along very reached a favorable current, he wishes to cease leisurely, he observed a white cloud four hundred fath-rising; and third, when the solar heat expands the oms below, crossing his track. When he approached gas too much. He also uses this power and that of the earth, the balloon, which before had moved very ballast to regulate his momentum on landing. This slowly, took a breeze that bore it along with great ra- is all very simple, but any one can see its many inpidity. Monk Mason reports, that when he made his conveniences; and the danger, when ballast and magnificent ascension of the 7th of November, 1836, gas have been so far exhausted that you are left unin company with Green and Holland, two and a half provided for contingencies. The frightful voyage of hours after leaving London they perceived that the Blanchard and Jeffries in crossing the English Chanwind was going to carry them over the German Ocean. nel shows to what perils these manœuvres subject Mr. Green threw out ballast, and, when the balloon the aeronaut. Threatened with sinking into the sea. rose, an upper current took them back over Dover. these adventurers threw over all their ballast, withWe read in Blanchard's account of his first voyage, out stopping their downward course. Their books, that this intrepid aeronaut, having escaped, by throw-instruments, provisions followed. Next, their clothes, ing over ballast, from some furious currents, which and finally the wherry itself, so that they landed on threatened to destroy his balloon, was borne imme- the French coast, clinging naked to the cords. diately along by a wind, that took him rapidly from From the beginning of the art, the dangers of this the point where he had emerged. In the narrative practice have been apparent. Guyton de Morveau that Cavallo gives of the ascension of Vincent Lu-looked forward to some substitute as the art develnardi (the first which took place in England, 13th oped itself. To find this is as much a desideratum September, 1784), it appears that the balloon set out now as then. in a northwest direction, and at a great elevation took another course almost north, although the wind remained the same below.

III. This condition relates to a matter little considered, namely, the dilation arising from solar heat. When the Duc de Chartres went up with the brothMore fortunate than the mariner, the balloonist, ers Robert, and was carried suddenly above the instead of wrestling with a contrary wind, or wait- clouds, the balloon so expanded under the heat of ing a favorable one in port, can by rising to other the sun that it was in danger of bursting. The currents find one to his liking. A very simple ex-valve being out of order, the Duc cut the balloon periment, originating with Franklin, shows another advantage that the aeronaut has over the sailor.

Blan

in two places, when it rapidly descended. chard relates that, in one of his voyages, his balloon Let there be two chambers unequally heated, and swelled so much under the action of the heat that then open a channel between them, and we have it snapped in every part. The narrative of MM. immediately a double current, one at the bottom Biot and Gay-Lussac is more conclusive. They from the cold to the hot, and one above from the left the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers on the hot to the cold, the two being separated by a stratum 24th of August, 1804, at ten o'clock in the morning, of calm. A wind in one direction always indicates and, reaching a height of 3,724 metres, were sur another in the opposite, that is to say, a counter-prised at not finding it cold; but, on the contrary, * current. Land and sea breezes are thus accom- the sun was so powerful that they gladly pulled off panied. It is probable that there is in the tropics, the gloves they had worn at the start, and the

April 14, 1806.)

animals with them did not appear to suffer from | tropical growth, no sooner conceived than matured; a the rarity of the air, while a bee flew humming away. Guyton de Morveau, in one of his state ments, avers that the lowering of the mercury in the barometer was hardly perceptible, when the dilatation was already considerable; and he adds, that the continuous flow of gas from the upper valve, like a thick smoke, made it seem as if the balloon had been rent in that spot. The explanation is this, that the gas confined in a case coated with resin is raised in temperature much more rap-how, are always lingering about the stables during idly than the outer air. The history of aerostation | is filled with instances. One day, Morveau, wishing to repair his balloon, had taken it to his garden and filled it with open air by means of bellows. The morning sun was shining, and presently the balloon began to roll about, and at one time it came near escaping two persons who sought to retain it. Morveau, having opened the valve, the air which issued almost painfully affected the eyes, and was found to be four degrees warmer than that without. In another instance, the same observer noted a far greater difference, namely, that of thirty-nine to twentythree degrees. At another time, the same balloon was heated so much that it sprung up to an elevation of forty-three feet, with a weight to be sustained of one hundred and twenty-five kilogrammes, and then burst its confinement, and when a young man tried to hold it by seizing a cord and winding it about his wrist, he was carried over a wall, nine feet high, and landed beyond. The balloon continued its way, traversing a public promenade, to the great wonderment of all, and settled down one hundred and fifty paces distant.

meeting is called, the subject is discussed, stewards and secretary are chosen, the two latter without heartburning. The majority of the residents subscribe liberally, and there are but few in the cantonment who object. These can be divided into three classes: those whose wives are afraid that they will ride, and who consequently object, on the ground of its being wicked; screws, who do not possess an animal that has a ghost of a chance, but who, sometraining; lastly, those who really do think it wicked. At length the programme appears, full of mistakes, printed by the local government or some amateur press, and many young hearts are quite in a flutter. There is no parade to-morrow morning, so Tomkins will try what Budmash's paces are like. Budmash has been laid up for nearly three months in consequence of the rain, and has been fed as well all the time as if he were in training for the Derby. He has got past the period of bucking with delight, on going into the fresh air, by reason that he is too fat, and feels more inclined to rest quietly in his stable than carry his owner even for a short walk. But his owner knows as much about a horse as he does about a pig; for he is firmly of opinion that Budmash's plethoric and sleek look expresses the acme of condition.

IV. The necessity of some means of steering a balloon has been felt from the start. "It is not well to deceive ourselves into believing," wrote Guyton de Morveau, "that here is not a great difficulty."

Such, then, are the four conditions, in our opinion, which demand assuredly neither great genius nor enormous capital; and he that shall first satisfy them will plan one of the grandest results possible, — a highway in the air.

HORSE-RACING IN INDIA.

Next morning at daylight, Budmash, saddled and bridled, is led up and down in front of his master's door. He has not long to wait; for Tomkins, who has scarcely slept a wink, has decided on ordering the "dersie" to rig up a nobby jacket and cap ; and has ridden the race in his mind's eye some fifty times during the night. He has arrayed himself in a pair of thick Melton cords and top-boots, which make him feel uncomfortably hot; but that is immaterial, the get-up being indispensable to getting the pace out of Budmash. He has discarded the hunting-crop, and has substituted a sharp-cutting whalebone racing-whip.

On mounting, he tells the "ghorawallah” to remain where he is, that he will be back directly, and walks quietly out of his compound in the direction of the race-course. Budmash is by no means lively, and responds with a grunt and a wheeze to his master's spurs. He carries his cars in a flabby manner, and stumbles over every little piece of uneven wel-ground he comes to. On arriving at the race-course, Tomkins gathers up the reins in both hands, and, sticking the spurs into Budmash, strives to raise himself in the saddle, orthodox jockey fashion; but Budmash does not at once, as he ought, start into a swinging gallop, but sets up a little wheeze-andpuff canter, which causes poor Tomkins first to sway on his neck and then sit down on the saddle. In the attempt to regain the jockey position, too much aid is derived from the reins; whereupon Budmash thinks it a signal to stop, and does so accordingly. The morning is hot and close, the cords and boots are uncomfortable, and by this time Tomkins, being out of temper, lets Budmash have the whip pretty smartly, which so astonishes him that he actually manages to get up a gallop, blowing like a grampus all the time.

THE monsoon, whose first stormy shower was comed with delight, has become dreary and monotonous in the extreme, and almost makes one wish it were hot weather again. Everything has become damp and mildewed; clothes are lying rotting in trunks, from which it is impossible to take them to be aired, by reason of there being no sun; boots are covered with a Stilton-like mould; every corner of the bedroom has been tried in vain for a place for the bed without catching the drippings from the roof; the sitting-room is studded with basins and tubs, to catch the water and save the bamboo-matting; the ceiling-cloth is liscolored in many places, and looks as if bottled porter had been kept above, and had burst; the furniture is damp and slimy; and the neat gravel drive in front of the house is cut up like the bed of a dry watercourse.

Towards the middle of September, one or two bright days in succession, with an occasional shower at night, and a delightful freshness in the morning, proclaim the approaching close of the monsoon; and now that there is a prospect of a little dry weather, the subject of getting up Skye races in December is started at one or other of the mess-tables. It is of

The great attention that he pays to his seat, and the uproar that Budmash makes, to say nothing of the wish being "father to the thought," make Tomkins believe that Budmash really has speed, and he straightway determines to enter him for the Galloway Plate. After about half a mile of wheezing and puffing, Budmash is pulled up, and his head