[Illustration] 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.” CONTENTS PUBLISHERS’ NOTE. DETAILED CONTENTS. FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON. CHAPTER FIRST. CHAPTER SECOND. CHAPTER THIRD. CHAPTER FOURTH. CHAPTER FIFTH. CHAPTER SIXTH. CHAPTER SEVENTH. CHAPTER EIGHTH. CHAPTER NINTH. CHAPTER TENTH. CHAPTER ELEVENTH. CHAPTER TWELFTH. CHAPTER THIRTEENTH. CHAPTER FOURTEENTH. CHAPTER FIFTEENTH. CHAPTER SIXTEENTH. CHAPTER SEVENTEENTH. CHAPTER EIGHTEENTH. CHAPTER NINETEENTH. CHAPTER TWENTIETH. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIRST. CHAPTER TWENTY-SECOND. CHAPTER TWENTY-THIRD. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOURTH. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIFTH. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIXTH. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVENTH. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHTH. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINTH. CHAPTER THIRTIETH. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIRST. CHAPTER THIRTY-SECOND. CHAPTER THIRTY-THIRD. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOURTH. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIFTH. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIXTH. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVENTH. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHTH. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINTH. CHAPTER FORTIETH. CHAPTER FORTY-FIRST. CHAPTER FORTY-SECOND. CHAPTER FORTY-THIRD. CHAPTER FORTY-FOURTH. 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.