6. An Agreement having been made with Mr. Lunardi, that he shoud resign his Balloon to Mr. Baldwin on Wednesday the 7th of September; an Advertisement to that Purpose appeared in the Chester Paper: and on Wednesday Morning, a great Number of Spectators assembled in the Castle-yard of the City of Chester: where many waited till half past IV in the Afternoon; Mr. Lunardi declaring that, on Account of the Violence and Unsteadiness of the Wind which blew from the South and South-West, it was dangerous to attempt the Inflation of his Balloon; and Mr. Baldwin continuing to assert that, if it coud be filled, he was willing to go up. The Weather was _then_ moderate: but Mr. Baldwin, thinking the Hour too late to begin the Inflation, which, judging from the two former Inflations, coud not probably have been completed till after _Sunset_; made a Proposal to Mr. Lunardi, that he shoud postpone the Exhibition till the next[1] _Day_. The latter, after some Reluctance, arising from a Fear lest the Public shoud disapprove his Conduct, politely complied with his Request, on Mr. Baldwin’s saying that he woud take the Blame on himself. CHAPTER II. +Preparations for the Voyage.+ [Sidenote: Cannon first fired at IX.] Section 7. On Thursday the 8th of September 1785, at IX in the Morning, one of the Cannons (a Six-pounder) was first fired in the Castle-yard, to inform the City and Neighbourhood, that the necessary Preparations were making to inflate the Balloon. Till VIII that Morning, the Air had been hazy: but was then clear, bright and calm _below_, with an upper Tier of light Clouds in the Zenith moving from South-West by West, and dense ones rising in the Horizon. [Sidenote: At X, the Inflation began with a small Balloon.] 8. At X o’Clock, the Process began with the Inflation of an airostatic Globe eighteen Feet in Circumference, of Silk Tiffany, made the latter End of the Year 1783, and decorated with Painting, Mottoes and Devices: in the Performance of which little Work, Mr. Baldwin was (in the modern Phrase) the sole Projector, Architect Workman and Chymist. [Sidenote: An airostatic Globe liberated as Pioneer to the great one.] 9. The Airostat was presently liberated by the Hands of Mr. Lunardi; and continuing to turn gently the same Way round its own Axis, afforded a beautiful Spectacle to the Beholders: remaining in Sight about half an Hour. It was intended to serve as a Sort of Pioneer, to delineate the Track of the great Balloon. [Sidenote: Its Fate.] 10. It fell at some Miles Distance, ’tis said unfortunately on a Hedge, and was presently torn to Pieces by the Eagerness and Avarice of the Pursuers, who expected and undeservedly obtained the Reward promised in the Letter appended to it. [Sidenote: Second Cannon at XII.] 11. At XII the Cannon fired a second Time, to announce that the Process was in a proper Degree of Forwardness.