FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON
Or,
Journeys And Discoveries In Africa By Three Englishmen.
Compiled In French
By Jules Verne,
From The Original Notes Of Dr. Ferguson.
And Done Into English By
“William Lackland.”
CONTENTS
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE.
DETAILED CONTENTS.
FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON.
CHAPTER FIRST.
CHAPTER SECOND.
CHAPTER THIRD.
CHAPTER FOURTH.
CHAPTER FIFTH.
CHAPTER SIXTH.
CHAPTER SEVENTH.
CHAPTER EIGHTH.
CHAPTER NINTH.
CHAPTER TENTH.
CHAPTER ELEVENTH.
CHAPTER TWELFTH.
CHAPTER THIRTEENTH.
CHAPTER FOURTEENTH.
CHAPTER FIFTEENTH.
CHAPTER SIXTEENTH.
CHAPTER SEVENTEENTH.
CHAPTER EIGHTEENTH.
CHAPTER NINETEENTH.
CHAPTER TWENTIETH.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THIRD.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURTH.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIFTH.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIXTH.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENTH.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTH.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINTH.
CHAPTER THIRTIETH.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIRST.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SECOND.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THIRD.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOURTH.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIFTH.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIXTH.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVENTH.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHTH.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINTH.
CHAPTER FORTIETH.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIRST.
CHAPTER FORTY-SECOND.
CHAPTER FORTY-THIRD.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOURTH.
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE.
“Five Weeks in a Balloon” is, in a measure, a satire on modern books of
African travel. So far as the geography, the inhabitants, the animals,
and the features of the countries the travellers pass over are
described, it is entirely accurate. It gives, in some particulars, a
survey of nearly the whole field of African discovery, and in this way
will often serve to refresh the memory of the reader. The mode of
locomotion is, of course, purely imaginary, and the incidents and
adventures fictitious. The latter are abundantly amusing, and, in view
of the wonderful “travellers’ tales” with which we have been
entertained by African explorers, they can scarcely be considered
extravagant; while the ingenuity and invention of the author will be
sure to excite the surprise and the admiration of the reader, who will
find M. VERNE as much at home in voyaging through the air as in
journeying “Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas.”
DETAILED CONTENTS.
CHAP. FIRST.
The End of a much-applauded Speech.—The Presentation of Dr. Samuel
Ferguson.—Excelsior.—Full-length Portrait of the Doctor.—A Fatalist
convinced.—A Dinner at the Travellers’ Club.—Several Toasts for the
Occasion
CHAP. SECOND.
The Article in the Daily Telegraph.—War between the Scientific
Journals.—Mr. Petermann backs his Friend Dr. Ferguson.—Reply of the
Savant Koner.—Bets made.—Sundry Propositions offered to the Doctor
CHAP. THIRD.
The Doctor’s Friend.—The Origin of their Friendship.—Dick Kennedy at
London.—An unexpected but not very consoling Proposal.—A Proverb by no
means cheering.—A few Names from the African Martyrology.—The
Advantages of a Balloon.—Dr. Ferguson’s Secret
CHAP. FOURTH.
African Explorations.—Barth, Richardson, Overweg, Werne, Brun-Rollet,
Penney, Andrea, Debono, Miani, Guillaume Lejean, Brace, Krapf and
Rebmann, Maizan, Roscher, Burton and Speke
CHAP. FIFTH.
Kennedy’s Dreams.—Articles and Pronouns in the Plural.—Dick’s
Insinuations.—A Promenade over the Map of Africa.—What is contained
between two Points of the Compass.—Expeditions now on foot.—Speke and
Grant.—Krapf, De Decken, and De Heuglin
CHAP. SIXTH.
A Servant—match him!—He can see the Satellites of Jupiter.—Dick and Joe
hard at it.—Doubt and Faith.—The Weighing Ceremony.—Joe and
Wellington.—He gets a Half-crown
CHAP. SEVENTH.
Geometrical Details.—Calculation of the Capacity of the Balloon.—The
Double Receptacle.—The Covering.—The Car.—The Mysterious Apparatus.—The
Provisions and Stores.—The Final Summing up
CHAP. EIGHTH.
Joe’s Importance.—The Commander of the Resolute.—Kennedy’s
Arsenal.—Mutual Amenities.—The Farewell Dinner.—Departure on the 21st
of February.—The Doctor’s Scientific Sessions.—Duveyrier.—Livingstone.
—Details of the Aerial Voyage.—Kennedy silenced
CHAP. NINTH.
They double the Cape.—The Forecastle.—A Course of Cosmography by
Professor Joe.—Concerning the Method of guiding Balloons.—How to seek
out Atmospheric Currents.—Eureka
CHAP. TENTH.
Former Experiments.—The Doctor’s Five Receptacles.—The Gas
Cylinder.—The Calorifere.—The System of Manœuvring.—Success certain
CHAP. ELEVENTH.
The Arrival at Zanzibar.—The English Consul.—Ill-will of the
Inhabitants.—The Island of Koumbeni.—The Rain-Makers.—Inflation of the
Balloon.—Departure on the 18th of April.—The last Good-by.—The Victoria
CHAP. TWELFTH.
Crossing the Strait.—The Mrima.—Dick’s Remark and Joe’s Proposition.—A
Recipe for Coffee-making.—The Uzaramo.—The Unfortunate Maizan.—Mount
Duthumi.—The Doctor’s Cards.—Night under a Nopal
CHAP. THIRTEENTH.
Change of Weather.—Kennedy has the Fever.—The Doctor’s
Medicine.—Travels on Land.—The Basin of Imenge.—Mount Rubeho.—Six
Thousand Feet Elevation.—A Halt in the Daytime
CHAP. FOURTEENTH.
The Forest of Gum-Trees.—The Blue Antelope.—The Rallying-Signal.—An
Unexpected Attack.—The Kanyemé.—A Night in the Open Air.—The
Mabunguru.—Jihoue-la-Mkoa.—A Supply of Water.—Arrival at Kazeh
CHAP. FIFTEENTH.
Kazeh.—The Noisy Market-place.—The Appearance of the Balloon.—The
Wangaga.—The Sons of the Moon.—The Doctor’s Walk.—The Population of the
Place.—The Royal Tembe.—The Sultan’s Wives.—A Royal Drunken-Bout.—Joe
an Object of Worship.—How they Dance in the Moon.—A Reaction.—Two Moons
in one Sky.—The Instability of Divine Honors
CHAP. SIXTEENTH.
Symptoms of a Storm.—The Country of the Moon.—The Future of the African
Continent.—The Last Machine of all.—A View of the Country at
Sunset.—Flora and Fauna.—The Tempest.—The Zone of Fire.—The Starry
Heavens.
CHAP. SEVENTEENTH.
The Mountains of the Moon.—An Ocean of Venture.—They cast Anchor.—The
Towing Elephant.—A Running Fire.—Death of the Monster.—The Field
Oven.—A Meal on the Grass.—A Night on the Ground
CHAP. EIGHTEENTH.
The Karagwah.—Lake Ukéréoué.—A Night on an Island.—The
Equator.—Crossing the Lake.—The Cascades.—A View of the Country.—The
Sources of the Nile.—The Island of Benga.—The Signature of Andrea
Debono.—The Flag with the Arms of England
CHAP. NINETEENTH.
The Nile.—The Trembling Mountain.—A Remembrance of the Country.—The
Narratives of the Arabs.—The Nyam-Nyams.—Joe’s Shrewd Cogitations.—The
Balloon runs the Gantlet.—Aerostatic Ascensions.—Madame Blanchard.
CHAP. TWENTIETH.
The Celestial Bottle.—The Fig-Palms.—The Mammoth Trees.—The Tree of
War.—The Winged Team.—Two Native Tribes in Battle.—A Massacre.—An
Intervention from above
CHAP. TWENTY-FIRST.
Strange Sounds.—A Night Attack.—Kennedy and Joe in the Tree.—Two
Shots.—“Help! help!”—Reply in French.—The Morning.—The Missionary.—The
Plan of Rescue
CHAP. TWENTY-SECOND.
The Jet of Light.—The Missionary.—The Rescue in a Ray of Electricity.—A
Lazarist Priest.—But little Hope.—The Doctor’s Care.—A Life of
Self-Denial.—Passing a Volcano
CHAP. TWENTY-THIRD.
Joe in a Fit of Rage.—The Death of a Good Man.—The Night of watching by
the Body.—Barrenness and Drought.—The Burial.—The Quartz Rocks.—Joe’s
Hallucinations.—A Precious Ballast.—A Survey of the Gold-bearing
Mountains.—The Beginning of Joe’s Despair
CHAP. TWENTY-FOURTH.
The Wind dies away.—The Vicinity of the Desert.—The Mistake in the
Water Supply.—The Nights of the Equator.—Dr. Ferguson’s Anxieties.—The
Situation flatly stated.—Energetic Replies of Kennedy and Joe.—One
Night more
CHAP. TWENTY-FIFTH.
A Little Philosophy.—A Cloud on the Horizon.—In the Midst of a Fog.—The
Strange Balloon.—An Exact View of the Victoria.—The Palm-Trees.—Traces
of a Caravan.—The Well in the Midst of the Desert
CHAP. TWENTY-SIXTH.
One Hundred and Thirteen Degrees.—The Doctor’s Reflections.—A Desperate
Search.—The Cylinder goes out.—One Hundred and Twenty-two
Degrees.—Contemplation of the Desert.—A Night
Walk.—Solitude.—Debility.—Joe’s Prospects.—He gives himself One Day
more
CHAP. TWENTY-SEVENTH.
Terrific Heat.—Hallucinations.—The Last Drops of Water.—Nights of
Despair.—An Attempt at Suicide.—The Simoom.—The Oasis.—The Lion and
Lioness.
CHAP. TWENTY-EIGHTH.
An Evening of Delight.—Joe’s Culinary Performances.—A Dissertation on
Raw Meat.—The Narrative of James Bruce.—Camping out.—Joe’s Dreams.—The
Barometer begins to fall.—The Barometer rises again.—Preparations for
Departure.—The Tempest
CHAP. TWENTY-NINTH.
Signs of Vegetation.—The Fantastic Notion of a French Author.—A
Magnificent Country.—The Kingdom of Adamova.—The Explorations of Speke
and Burton connected with those of Dr. Barth.—The Atlantika
Mountains.—The River Benoué.—The City of Yola.—The Bagélé.—Mount Mendif
CHAP. THIRTIETH.
Mosfeia.—The Sheik.—Denham, Clapperton, and Oudney.—Vogel.—The Capital
of Loggoum.—Toole.—Becalmed above Kernak.—The Governor and his
Court.—The Attack.—The Incendiary Pigeons
CHAP. THIRTY-FIRST.
Departure in the Night-time.—All Three.—Kennedy’s
Instincts.—Precautions.—The Course of the Shari River.—Lake Tchad.—The
Water of the Lake.—The Hippopotamus.—One Bullet thrown away
CHAP. THIRTY-SECOND.
The Capital of Bornou.—The Islands of the Biddiomahs.—The Condors.—The
Doctor’s Anxieties.—His Precautions.—An Attack in Mid-air.—The Balloon
Covering torn.—The Fall.—Sublime Self-Sacrifice.—The Northern Coast of
the Lake
CHAP. THIRTY-THIRD.
Conjectures.—Reestablishment of the Victoria’s Equilibrium.—Dr.
Ferguson’s New Calculations.—Kennedy’s Hunt.—A Complete Exploration of
Lake Tchad.—Tangalia.—The Return.—Lari
CHAP. THIRTY-FOURTH.
The Hurricane.—A Forced Departure.—Loss of an Anchor.—Melancholy
Reflections.—The Resolution adopted.—The Sand-Storm.—The Buried
Caravan.—A Contrary yet Favorable Wind.—The Return southward.—Kennedy
at his Post
CHAP. THIRTY-FIFTH.
What happened to Joe.—The Island of the Biddiomahs.—The Adoration shown
him.—The Island that sank.—The Shores of the Lake.—The Tree of the
Serpents.—The Foot-Tramp.—Terrible Suffering.—Mosquitoes and
Ants.—Hunger.—The Victoria seen.—She disappears.—The Swamp.—One Last
Despairing Cry
CHAP. THIRTY-SIXTH.
A Throng of People on the Horizon.—A Troop of Arabs.—The Pursuit.—It is
He.—Fall from Horseback.—The Strangled Arab.—A Ball from
Kennedy.—Adroit Manœuvres.—Caught up flying.—Joe saved at last
CHAP. THIRTY-SEVENTH.
The Western Route.—Joe wakes up.—His Obstinacy.—End of Joe’s
Narrative.—Tagelei.—Kennedy’s Anxieties.—The Route to the North.—A
Night near Aghades
CHAP. THIRTY-EIGHTH.
A Rapid Passage.—Prudent Resolves.—Caravans in Sight.—Incessant
Rains.—Goa.—The Niger.—Golberry, Geoffroy, and Gray.—Mungo
Park.—Laing.—René Caillié.—Clapperton.—John and Richard Lander
CHAP. THIRTY-NINTH.
The Country in the Elbow of the Niger.—A Fantastic View of the Hombori
Mountains.—Kabra.—Timbuctoo.—The Chart of Dr. Barth.—A Decaying
City.—Whither Heaven wills
CHAP. FORTIETH.
Dr. Ferguson’s Anxieties.—Persistent Movement southward.—A Cloud of
Grasshoppers.—A View of Jenné.—A View of Ségo.—Change of the
Wind.—Joe’s Regrets
CHAP. FORTY-FIRST.
The Approaches to Senegal.—The Balloon sinks lower and lower.—They keep
throwing out, throwing out.—The Marabout Al-Hadji.—Messrs. Pascal,
Vincent, and Lambert.—A Rival of Mohammed.—The Difficult
Mountains.—Kennedy’s Weapons.—One of Joe’s Manœuvres.—A Halt over a
Forest
CHAP. FORTY-SECOND.
A Struggle of Generosity.—The Last Sacrifice.—The Dilating
Apparatus.—Joe’s Adroitness.—Midnight.—The Doctor’s Watch.—Kennedy’s
Watch.—The Latter falls asleep at his Post.—The Fire.—The Howlings of
the Natives.—Out of Range
CHAP. FORTY-THIRD.
The Talabas.—The Pursuit.—A Devastated Country.—The Wind begins to