Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/222

 the balloon, and the English Government had placed a transport, the Resolute, commanded by Captain Penney, at the disposal of Dr. Ferguson. Encouragement and good wishes were showered from all sides. The details of the enterprise appeared in the Transactions of the Geographical Society of Paris. A very remarkable article was published in the Nouvelles Annales des Voyages de la Géographie, de l'Histoire, et de l'Archeologie, by M. V. A. Malte-Brun. A particular account was published in the Zeitschrift fur Allgemeine Erdkunde, by Dr. W. Koner, demonstrating the possibility of the journey, its chances of success, the nature of the obstacles to be encountered, and the immense advantages of locomotion by means of balloons. He found fault only with the place of departure, and hinted that Masuah, a small port of Abyssinia, whence James Bruce started in his search for the sources of the Nile, would be preferable. In all other respects, he applauded unreservedly the wonderful energy of Dr. Ferguson, and the stout brain and heart that could conceive and execute such an enterprise.

The North American Review was rather annoyed that so much honor was likely to fall to the lot of a " Britisher." It accordingly ridiculed the whole proceeding, and suggested that the doctor should go over to America while he was about it.

In fact, not to go further into detail, there was not a scientific periodical, from the Journal of the Church Missionary Society, to the Algerine and Colonial Review; from the Annals of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, to the Church Mission Intelligencer, which did not discuss the subject in all its bearings. Some considerable bets were made in London, and in England generally, i. Upon the actual existence of Dr. Ferguson. 2. Upon the journey itself, which some said would never be entered upon, some declaring the contrary. 3. Whether it would succeed or fail. 4. On the probabilities of the Doctor's return. Immense sums were betted on those issues, as freely as at Epsom Races.

Thus believers, skeptics, the ignorant, and the learned, all had their attention fixed on the doctor. He was the lion of the day, without his even suspecting that he carried a name. He willingly gave information respecting the