Punch: Punch (87.1884)

170

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI

fOCTOBER 11, 1884

Scene—Mid-Air. The Political Steering Balloon making its first
experiment.

Lord S. and Sir S. Is., First and Second Aeronaut.

First Aeronaut {confidently). This latest development of Aero-
nautics, this power of steering a Balloon against the wind, is a Great
Fact! {Aloud.) Ha! ha! Gladstone twitted us once with living up
in a Balloon, out of touch of everything terrestrial. What will he
say now ?

Second A. {sighing). Ah ! what, indeed ?

First A. Why, the political Renabd, Beaconseield himself,
would hardly have ventured this.

Second A. {confidently). Certainly not !

First A. His audacity and initiative were much overrated, I think.
He was good at tacking, I admit, hut as to sailing dead in the wind’s
i eye like——

[Crust of wind. First Aeronaut turns crank energetically.

Second, A .Jclinging terror-stricken to the edge of the Car). Oh, i
say, gently, Man, gently! You ’ll shake the whole Balloon to bits
or tumble us both out of the Car.

First A. Not at all—{puff!}— don’t you be frightened. {Puff! j
Scientists and Scribes have ridiculed Renabd's experiment {Puff!)
We musn’t fail and be laughed at. {Puff!) Tear my arms out j
sooner. {Puff!) There! how’s that f . !

Seco?id A. “ No forrader, no forrader ! ” Haven’t moved an inch j
that I can see. I tell you it’s not a bit of use. The wind is too
much for us! '_ [Left descending.

“the a. b. c. of it.”

Lobd Northbrook has gone to the Delta for further informa-
tion. It may be confidently assumed that he has mastered the
Alpha, Beta', and Gamma of his mission, as he has now advanced
to the Delta.