102. There being no proper Opportunity of closing the Mouth of the Balloon on its _near_ Approach to the Sea, or during the _Swiftness_ of its Descent; tho’ there had been _frequent Inclination_ to attempt it; this _little_ but +essential+ Work was instantly resolved upon. And the more so, as the Mouth had continued open _from_ the first: and as Mr. Lunardi did not _happen_ to mention this Circumstance: the Utility of which, tho’ _too late_ to be put in Practice, had, but a few Minutes before, very plainly suggested itself. His Directions were, to _open_ the Valve in order to descend: which woud _possibly_ have _encreased_ the Rapidity of Descent: and, by _introducing_ a thorou’ Air _upwards_, while the Motion of the Balloon was in a _contrary_ Direcion, might have occasioned a _dangerous Rupture_ of the lower Parts of the Balloon, _which_ actually took Place in a preceding Excursion. [Sidenote: The Balloon drawn _sideways_.] 103. The Balloon, tho’ rising _quick_, seemed _not_ to be wholly disengaged from the Ground, but to have received a Check; and to _lean_ a little out of the Perpendicular: particularly the Car, which was evidently drawn a _different_ Way _from_ the Balloon. [Sidenote: The half Mile _white_ Flag impeding the Balloon.] On perceiving that the half Mile _white_ Flag, fastened to the _upper_ Hoop of the Car, sensibly impeded the Elevation of the Machine, by _trailing_ along the Ground, (the Balloon being yet within the Influence of the Sea-Breeze, or _lower_ Current of Air;) the Question was, whether it woud not be imprudent to suffer the Balloon to rise near half a Mile, before the _white_ Flag; was _disentangled_ and free to follow it. For as neither the _Twine_, nor the _lower Cords_ of the Balloon were of Silk; the Twine having lain on the Trees or +moist+ Ground, might become a +conductor+ from the Earth to any Stratum of Air that had +less+ or +more+ than what is called its natural Quantity[35] of the +electric+ Fluid. [Sidenote: Twine _cut_, lest it shoud prove a _Conductor_ of _Electricity_.] Adding to the above, a Wish to rise higher the _second_ Time than the first; stooping for the Scissars, the String was _cut_: reserving a Remainder to tye the Neck of the Balloon; which was immediately done by gathering the Parts of the Balloon into the Hand, wrapping a Couple of Yards loosely round, and tying them on a +slip+ or +bow+ Knot: one End of which was +purposely+ left hanging three Feet downwards, to _untye_ instantly on Occasion. [Sidenote: Additional Levity of one Pound.] This additional Levity of _nearly_ one Pound, gave the whole Quantity of Ballast thrown over in a _few_ Minutes, _nearly_ 32 Pounds. [Sidenote: Remarks on the Balloon.] 104. The intelligent Farmer who stood near the Balloon, when it alighted at Bellair, had observed it for some Time _before_ near the Sea, and marked its Return, as coming _apparently_ from _Overton_.