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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."




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."




CONTENTS.

-----

CHAPTER 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

CHAPTER 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

CHAPTER 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

CHAPTER FOURTH.

African Explorations.--Barth, Richardson, Overweg, Werne, Brun-Rollet, Penney,
Andrea, Debono, Miani, Guillaume Lejean, Brace, Krapf and Rebmann,
Maizan, Roscher, Burton and Speke

CHAPTER FIFTH.

Kennedy's Dreams.--Articles and Pronouns in the Plural.--Dick's Insinuations.

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