Other editions of book Five Weeks in a Balloon; or, Journeys and Discoveries in Africa By Three Englishmen

Five Weeks in a Balloon, or, Journeys and Discoveries in Africa by Three Englishmen (French: Cinq semaines en ballon) is an adventure novel by Jules Verne, published in 1863. It is the first novel in which he perfected the "ingredients" of his later work, skillfully mixing a plot full of adventure and twists that hold the reader's interest with passages of technical, geographic, and historic description. The book gives readers a glimpse of the exploration of Africa, which was still not completely known to Europeans of the time, with explorers traveling all over the continent in search of its secrets. Public interest in fanciful tales of African exploration was at its height, and the book was an instant hit; it made Verne financially independent and got him a contract with Jules Hetzel's publishing house, which put out several dozen more works of his for over forty years afterward.

"Five Weeks in a Balloon" by Jules Verne. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

"Five Weeks in a Balloon" by Jules Verne. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

Ilustrated Version: 80 illustrations originals by Édouard Riou and Henri de Montaut.Compiled by Jules Verne, from the Original Notes of Dr. Ferguson and done into English by William Lackland. 1865 "Five Weeks in a Balloon" was Jules Verne’s first published novel – he had adapted it from a work of non-fiction at the suggestion of his editor, Jules Hetzel. Five Weeks in a Balloon, or, Journeys and Discoveries in Africa by Three Englishmen (French: Cinq semaines en ballon) is the first Verne novel in which he perfected the "ingredients" of his later work, skillfully mixing a plot full of adventure and twists that hold the reader's interest with passages of technical, geographic, and historic description. The book gives readers a glimpse of the exploration of Africa, which was still not completely known to Europeans of the time, with explorers traveling all over the continent in search of its secrets.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

There was a large audience assembled on the 14th of January, 1862, at the session of the Royal Geographical Society, No. 3 Waterloo Place, London. The president, Sir Francis M—, made an important communication to his colleagues, in an address that was frequently interrupted by applause. This rare specimen of eloquence terminated with the following sonorous phrases bubbling over with patriotism: "England has always marched at the head of nations" (for, the reader will observe, the nations always march at the head of each other), "by the intrepidity of her explorers in the line of geographical discovery." (General assent). "Dr. Samuel Ferguson, one of her most glorious sons, will not reflect discredit on his origin." ("No, indeed!" from all parts of the hall.) "This attempt, should it succeed" ("It will succeed!"), "will complete and link together the notions, as yet disjointed, which the world entertains of African cartology" (vehement applause); "and, should it fail, it will, at least, remain on record as one of the most daring conceptions of human genius!" (Tremendous cheering.) "Huzza! huzza!" shouted the immense audience, completely electrified by these inspiring words. "Huzza for the intrepid Ferguson!" cried one of the most excitable of the enthusiastic crowd. The wildest cheering resounded on all sides; the name of Ferguson was in every mouth, and we may safely believe that it lost nothing in passing through English throats. Indeed, the hall fairly shook with it. And there were present, also, those fearless travellers and explorers whose energetic temperaments had borne them through every quarter of the globe, many of them grown old and worn out in the service of science. All had, in some degree, physically or morally, undergone the sorest trials. They had escaped shipwreck; conflagration; Indian tomahawks and war-clubs; the fagot and the stake; nay, even the cannibal maws of the South Sea Islanders. But still their hearts beat high during Sir Francis M—'s address, which certainly was the finest oratorical success that the Royal Geographical Society of London had yet achieved. But, in England, enthusiasm does not stop short with mere words. It strikes off money faster than the dies of the Royal Mint itself. So a subscription to encourage Dr. Ferguson was voted there and then, and it at once attained the handsome amount of two thousand five hundred pounds. The sum was made commensurate with the importance of the enterprise. A member of the Society then inquired of the president whether Dr. Ferguson was not to be officially introduced. "The doctor is at the disposition of the meeting," replied Sir Francis. "Let him come in, then! Bring him in!" shouted the audience. "We'd like to see a man of such extraordinary daring, face to face!" "Perhaps this incredible proposition of his is only intended to mystify us," growled an apoplectic old admiral. "Suppose that there should turn out to be no such person as Dr. Ferguson?" exclaimed another voice, with a malicious twang. "Why, then, we'd have to invent one!" replied a facetious member of this grave Society. "Ask Dr. Ferguson to come in," was the quiet remark of Sir Francis M—. And come in the doctor did, and stood there, quite unmoved by the thunders of applause that greeted his appearance. He was a man of about forty years of age, of medium height and physique. His sanguine temperament was disclosed in the deep color of his cheeks. His countenance was coldly expressive, with regular features, and a large nose—one of those noses that resemble the prow of a ship, and stamp the faces of men predestined to accomplish great discoveries. His eyes, which were gentle and intelligent, rather than bold, lent a peculiar charm to his physiognomy. His arms were long, and his feet were planted with that solidity which indicates a great pedestrian.

Excerpt from Five Weeks in a Balloon: Or, Journeys and Discoveries in Africa by Three EnglishmenWater-Supply.; The Nights of the Equator.; Dr. Ferguson's Anxieties.; The Situation flatly stated.; Energetic Replies of Kennedy and Joe.; One Night more.; A Little Philosophy.; A Cloud on the Horizon.; In the Midst of a Fog.; The Strange Balloon.; An Exact View of the Victoria.; The Palm-Trees.; Traces of a Caravan.; The Well in the Midst of the Desert.; One Hundred and Thirteen Degrees.; The Doctor's Reflections.; A Desperate Search.; The Cylinder goes out.; One Hundred and Twenty-two Degrees.; Contemplation of the Desert.; A Night Walk.; Solitude.; Debility.; Joe's Prospects.; He give himself One Day more.; Terrific Heat.; Hallucinations.; The Last Drops of Water.; Nights of despair.; An attempt at Suicide.; The Simoom.; The Oasis.; The Lion and Lioness.; An Evening of Delight.; Joe's Culinary Performances.; A Dissertation of Raw Meat.; The Narrative of James Bruce.; Camping out.; Joe's Dreams.; The Barometer begins to fall.; The Barometer rises again.; Preparations for Departure.; The Tempest.; Signs of Vegetation.; The Fantastic Notion of a French Author.; A Magnificent Country.; The Kingdom of Adamova.; The Exploration of Speke and Burton connected with those of Dr. Barth.; The Atlantika Mountains.; The River Benoné.; The City of Yola.; The Bagelé.; Mount Mendif.; Mosfeia.; The Shiek.; Denham.; .Clapperton, and Oudney.; Vogel.; The Capital of Loggoun.; Toole.; Becalmed above Kernak.; The Governor and his Court.; The Attack.; The Incendiary Pigeons.; Departure in the Night-time.; All Three.; Kennedy's Instincts.; Precautions.; The Course of the Shari River.; Lake Tehad.; The Water of the Lake.; The Hippopotamus.; One Bullet thrown awayAbout the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

Five Weeks in a BalloonOr,Journeys and Discoveries in Africa by Three EnglishmenCompiled in FrenchBy Jules Verne,Five Weeks in a Balloon, or, Journeys and Discoveries in Africa by Three Englishmen (French: Cinq semaines en ballon) is an adventure novel by Jules Verne, published in 1863. It is the first novel in which he perfected the "ingredients" of his later work, skillfully mixing a plot full of adventure and twists that hold the reader's interest with passages of technical, geographic, and historic description. The book gives readers a glimpse of the exploration of Africa, which was still not completely known to Europeans of the time, with explorers traveling all over the continent in search of its secrets.Public interest in fanciful tales of African exploration was at its height, and the book was an instant hit; it made Verne financially independent and got him a contract with Jules Hetzel's publishing house, which put out several dozen more works of his for over forty years afterward.A scholar and explorer, Dr. Samuel Ferguson, accompanied by his manservant Joe and his friend professional hunter Richard "Dick" Kennedy, sets out to travel across the African continent — still not fully explored — with the help of a balloon filled with hydrogen. He has invented a mechanism that, by eliminating the need to release gas or throw ballast overboard to control his altitude, allows very long trips to be taken. This voyage is meant to link together the voyages of Sir Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke in East Africa with those of Heinrich Barth in the regions of the Sahara and Chad. The trip begins in Zanzibar on the east coast, and passes across Lake Victoria, Lake Chad, Agadez, Timbuktu, Djenné and Ségou to St Louis in modern-day Senegal on the west coast. The book describes the unknown interior of Africa near modern-day Central African Republic as a desert, when it is actually savanna.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.