Balloon (1) (The)

The strathspey "The Balloon" in McGlashan's 1786 collection perhaps refers to the first documented balloon ascent on British soil, in Edinburgh in August, 1784. A correspondent to the London Journal submitted this eyewitness account:

Edinburgh, Aug. 27, 1784.

Mr. Tytler has made several improvements upon his fire balloon. The reason of its failure formerly was its being made of porous linen, through which the air made its escape. To remedy this defect, Mr. Tytler has got it covered with a varnish to retain the inflammable air after the balloon is filled.

Early this morning this bold adventurer took his first aerial flight. The balloon being filled at Comely Garden, he seated himself in the basket, and the ropes being cut he ascended very high and descended quite gradually on the road to Restalrig, about half a mile from the place where he rose, to the great satisfaction of those spectators who were present. Mr. Tytler went up without the furnace this morning; when that is added he will be able to feed the balloon with inflammable air, and continue his aerial excursions as long as he chooses.

Mr. Tytler is now in high spirits, and in his turn laughs at those infidels who ridiculed his scheme as visionary and impracticable. Mr. Tytler is the first person in Great Britain who has navigated the air.

X:1
T:Bolloon (sic), The
M:C|
L:1/8
R:Strathspey
S:McGlashan - Reels (c. 1786)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:A
A<EA<c B>A B<c|e<c B>A B>A F2|A<EA<c B>AB>c|e<c B>c A/A/A A2:|
A/a/g/a/ f/e/d/c/ d/e/f/e/ d/c/B/A/|B/c/d/c/ d/c/B/A/ B>G F2|
A/a/g/a/ f/e/d/c/ d/e/f/g/ ac|B>ABc A/A/A A2|A/a/g/a/ f/e/d/c/ d/e/f/e/ d/c/B/A/|
B/c/d/c/ d/c/B/A/ B>A F2|A<EA<c B>ABc|e<c B>c A/A/A A2||