



Produced by Judy Boss






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."




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 Manoeuvring.--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
Med