80 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
gave the signal at ten minutes to three, when the balloon ascended in a S.S.E.
direction, “ in the most grand and magnificent manner,” amid the acclamations of
the people. He passed over the city at a great height, waving his flag as he proceeded.
According to Lunardi’s own account, “ the balloon, after rising, took
a northeast direction, and, near to the Island of Inchkeith, came down almost
to the sea ; he then threw out some ballast, and the balloon rose higher than
before. A current of mind carried him east to North Berwick; a different
current then changed his course, and brought him over between Leven and Largo.
After this, a S.S.W. breeze brought him to the place where he descended,”
which was on the estate of the Hon. John Hope, a mile east from Ceres.
“When the balloon was at its highest elevation (about three miles) the barometer
stood at eighteen inches five-tenths. Mr. Lunardi at this time felt no
difficulty in respiration. He passed through several clouds of snow, and lost
sight at times both of sea and land. His excursion took about an hour and
a half; and it would appear he passed over upwards of forty miles of sea, and
about ten of land.” On his descending, Mr, Lunardi was first welcomed by Mr.
Robert Christie, and next by the Rev. Robert Arnot, who came running, with
a crowd of people after him. He wag accompanied to Ceres by a body of
gentlemen who soon collected, where he was “ received by the acclamations of a
prodigious multitude, his flag being carried in procession before him, and the
church-bell ringing in honour of such a visitant.” At the manse of Ceres he
drank a few glasses of wine, and both there and at the house of Mr. Melville he
received the compliments of a great many ladies and gentlemen. The same
evening he started for Cupar, having been invited by the authorities, where the
most enthusiastic reception awaited him. After having been next day entertained
at dinner, and presented with the freedom of the burgh, he proceeded
to St. Andrews, to which place he had been invited by the Club of Gentlemen
Golfers, where he was made a citizen, and had, by diploma, the honour of
“ Knight of the Beggar’s Benison ” conferred upon him.
Such is a brief account of Lunardi’s first aerial trip in Scotland. Brilliant it
certainly was, and it is as unquestionable, that although half a century has since
elapsed, it has not been surpassed.’ Many anecdotes are told of the surprise
and terror of the peasantry on first beholding the balloon. Some reapers in a
field near to Ceres were dreadfully alarmed-judging from so uncommon an
appearance, and the sound of Lunardi’s trumpet, that the end of all things was
at hand. Certain it is, however, that the Rev, Mr. Arnot, who was previously
aware of Lunardi’s ascent, required considerable persuasion to convince the
people that they might approach the object of their terror without fear of
supernatural injury.
Mr. Lunardi’s next adventure took place at Kelso on the 22d of October.
In t,his flight he did not ascend above a mile, keeping constantly in view of the
*
An eye-witness informs us “that there has been no exhibition nearly so grand as Lunardi’s first
ascent. All the other ascents since his time have been dosing, sluggish-looking exhibitions, whereas
Lunardi went off in the grandest style, precisely resembling a sky-rocket.”
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 81
earth. After the lapse of nearly an hour and a half, he anchored in Doddington
Moor, when some people getting hold of the ropes, he was carried to Barmoor
in Northumberland, where he descended. The aeronaut had been invited
to Kelso by the gentlemen of the Caledonian Hunt. While here he was
much delighted with the races, and in one of his letters alludes to a match
between the Duke of Hamilton and Robert Baird, Esq., who rode their- own
horses; he likens the contest to the ancient Olympic games. “He dined on
Saturday with Sir James Douglas of Springwoodpark, and supped with the
gentlemen of the Caledonian Hunt. On Sunday he was entertained by Sir
James Pringle,l at Stitchel ; on Monday by Lord Home at Hirsel, and same
evening by the ancient Lodge of Freemasons.” He is stated also to have taken
“much notice of the two Miss Halls of Thornton, Miss Wilkie of Doddington,
and Miss Car of Newcastle,” who no doubt were highly gratified by his condescension
! !
Glasgow was next visited by the aeronaut, where he ascended from St.
Andrew Square on the 23d of November. A crowd of nearly 100,000 persons
had assembled to witness his flight. The balloon took a north-east direction
for about 25 miles ; the wind then changing, he was carried south-east until he
descended near Alemoor, in Selkirkshire, having passed over a distance of 125
miles in two hours. Lunardi thus describes his descent : “ When I came in sight
of the heathy hills I heard a voice call, ‘ Lunardi, come down ! ’ quite plain, and I
knew not who it was. I saw at a distance sheep feeding, but could not see a
human being. I called aloud several times through the hill, and after a minute, or
seventy seconds, I could hear the. echo of my words returned as loud as they were
pronounced, but I never had repeated ‘ Lunardi, come down,’ though I heard
these words several times repeated, on which I answered through the trumpet,
‘ Hallo, hallo,’ with a great voice. I heard the words ‘ Lunardi, hallo,’ repeated,
and being now quite free from interruption of clouds, I could see distinctly some
people on horseback ; at last I hastened my descent between two hills, where I
came down as light as a feather. Two trembling shepherds came to me, an old
man and a boy, whom I encouraged by calling to them, ‘ My dear friends, come
hither.’ At this time Mr. and
Mrs. Chisholm of Stirches happened to be returning on horseback from a visit,
who very kindly received Mr. Lunardi, at whose suggestion Mrs. Chisholm boldly
took possession of the car, resigning her horse to the aeronaut, and while some
shepherds held on by the ropes, the party thus proceeded to a distance of nearly
three miles. Lunardi spent the night at Stirches, and dined next day with the
magistrates of Hawick, who presented him with the freedom of the town.
Mr. Lunardi made a second ascent from Glasgow on the 5th of December,
and, as on the former occasion, he was witnessed by a vast concourseof people.
His ascent was very majestic ; but he did not’ proceed to 8 great distance, hav-
They crossed the water and came up to me.”
Sir James succeeded his uncle, Sic John Pringle, F.R.S., the distinguished physician and
cultivator of science, who accompanied the Duke of Cumberland to Scotland, and remained with the
army after the battle of Culloden till its return to England in August 1746.
M
