31. His first Point being to guard against a Deluge of acidulous Liquor, which, he was told, had fallen, to the Quantity of three Quarts, on the Head and Shoulders of a former Aironaut, from the Trunk or Bottom of the Balloon, which ended in a wide circular Opening of eighteen Inches Diameter; he found that when the Weight either of himself, or of the Ballast, was not exactly in the Center of the Car; the Opening of the Balloon woud, without any Trouble, hang so as to lie on the Outside of the Car: but he did not perceive more than a few Drops issue from the Mouth: which happened a few Minutes after he arose. [Sidenote: Attitude, and farther Employments.] 32. This Difficulty vanishing; he changed his erect into an inclined Posture between sitting and kneeling; sometimes with the right Knee near the Bottom and Center of the Car: and having both Hands quite free, the Balloon being subject to no _sensible Motion_; he reconnoitred all the Lines and Cords: coiled the Rope or Cable to which the Anchor or grappling Iron was fixed: tyed fast its proper End to the upper Hoop: observed and felt the superior Thickness of the Cord leading to the Valve: coiled it, in order that it might be free to act: placed the untyed Bag of Ballast near the Outside of the Car: also the tyed Bags at proper Distances to preserve the Equilibrium: unwrapped one of the white Flags, tyed it to the String on one of the Reels, and just threw it an Inch or two over the Side of the Car: then placed his Watch, _open_ Knife, Scissars, Thermometer and Compass on his right Hand: the Barometer being swung above in Sight towards the left. [Sidenote: Change of Attitude, and Observation of the reddish Vapour.] 33. He then stood on his Feet, with a Design to look down: but his Attention was drawn to the Opening of the Balloon, which began to breathe out by Intervals a visible _reddish Vapour_; in Form like that which is seen at the Top of a Brewery, only that the under Surface was not jagged but smooth, altho’ wavy and uneven. The Particles which composed it were so large as to be distinctly visible: and appeared, as if endued with a very strong repelling Power, from the great and seemingly equal Distances, of about half a Quarter of an Inch, from each other. It was observed by a scientific Spectator from below, that the Parts of the Balloon, which reflected the Sun’s Rays, appeared of a bright Copper-Colour: but the _reddish_ Vapour issuing from its Mouth put on the Form of a lambent Flame. A similar Appearance had been observed by him, in a former Ascent of the same Balloon, the Neck or Mouth being then likewise open; and also by others, who declared they saw the Balloon on Fire. The Change of the +red+ into Flame-Colour, when seen at a great Distance, may it not be owing to this, that the direct Rays, being mingled with those which are intercepted between the Eye and the Object, became in Part absorbed, and in Part refracted; and therefore coud not reach the Sight?