61. The Pigeon was then taken out of the Basket of Matting: Thermometer 54; Barometer 25³⁄₁₀. It trembled much. Being turned loose, it looked frequently up at the Car; but flew downwards in cylindrical Gyrations eight or ten Yards in Diameter, according to the Turn of its Head to the right, which seemed to rest in an oblique Attitude: the Wings and Tail continuing extended as much as possible, but without Motion, during its Descent. The Bird was out of Sight in a few Minutes: but continued, as _the Owner_ observed, full half an Hour, in the Air. CHAPTER X. [Sidenote: 4th Cannon heard.] Section 62. At 10 Minutes and a half past II. o’Clock, the fourth or last Cannon, a Six-pounder (to announce, by preconcerted Agreement, that the Balloon began to be invisible to Spectators in Castle-Yard, Chester) was distinctly heard by the Aironaut; but had no Effect on the Balloon: did not agitate it in the least: the contrary of which was expected. For the same Cannon, discharged the third Time at the Distance of 30 Yards from the Balloon, when it had risen a few Feet from the Ground; affected it so strongly, that the Aironaut was +then only+ obliged to keep himself upright, by holding the Cords with his Hands. [Sidenote: Balloon first invisible to the Inhabitants of Chester.] 63. At 17 Minutes past II. was heard the Sound of a Number of Voices, which it was then imagined came from Chester, as the farewel Salute after the last Cannon: but it was afterwards known that the Balloon did not become wholly invisible, till that Shout. [Sidenote: Distance of the Balloon calculated.] 64. From an Observation made by a Spectator in the Castle-Yard, just half an Hour intervened between the Discharge of the third, and of the last Cannon; as therefore the Report was half a Minute, or 30 Seconds[21] longer in reaching the Balloon; the Distance of the Balloon at the Time of the Report was _nearly_ six Miles and a half. [Sidenote: Chester seen as a _small_ Model.] 64. The single thin white Cloud of the first or lowest Order in Height that rendered Chester invisible to the Aironaut, was observed several Minutes before, _apparently_ to pass under the Balloon, retire from it, to approach, and expected to invelope, the _blue_ City of Chester: which for a long Time had been kept in View, and seen _obliquely_, under the _common_ Perspective, with a small Degree of Elevation above the Level of the Ground: suggesting to his Mind the curious and complete Model of Paris, exhibited some Years ago _on a small Table_, in many Towns of Europe. [Sidenote: The Sight _doubly_ deceived in the Distance.] The Cloud appeared, four Miles Distance at least from the Aironaut; below; and as if touching the City. The contrary Supposition, it seems, took Place, among the Inhabitants there: who thought, a Cloud, a Mile above them, had surrounded and inveloped the Balloon. [Sidenote: Condiments tasted as usual.]