Aeronautica: The Theory and Practice of Aerostation

Monck Mason's account of the famous 1836 flight from London to Weilburg, in which he was a participant, is a classic of ballooning which vividly conveys the flavor of the adventures of the early aeronauts as well as offering a valuable insight into contemporary knowledge of the subject. It describes this night flight as: "like cleaving our way through black marble." The aeronautical expedition described was made on Nov. 7-8, 1836, and covered about 480 miles, the longest balloon voyage on record until it was surpassed by John Wise in 1859. This voyage, together with later activities of Green and Monck Mason, furnished inspiration and material for Edgar Allan Poe's balloon hoax in 1844.