First line of Against the Day?

[David Morris]

On 10/6/06, Carvill John <johncarvill at hotmail.com> wrote:
> >>"Now haul up all the lines!"
>
> >Sounds like Edwin Pynchon's airship casting off . . .
>
> Yeah, I immediately thought of those balloonists mentioned in the blurb,
> then I thought wait a minute does a balloon even have more than one line?
> Probably just a ship, but - the thought stuck so now I imagine ATD beginning
> with a balloon lifting off - or as Stencil might say, the balloon goes up!

Of course ballonons have more than one line!

http://www.nott.com/Pages/flights.php

Julian Nott's favorite balloon flights are also those he considers the
most important ever made.

"Ballooning mirrors the entire two hundred year history of science and
technology in miniature. Geneticists study tiny creatures such as
fruit flies because they are easier to understand. Similarly the
history of ballooning is simple enough to allow fascinating insights
into the relationship between human nature, intellectual courage,
physical daring and technological advance." Julian Nott

   In 1783, Pilatre de Rozier made the first flight of any kind using
the Montgolfiers' balloon. As the start of aviation, this was the most
important balloon ascent ever. It was also an extraordinary act of
intellectual courage. Englishman Henry Cavendish and Frenchman
Professor Charles had proposed balloon flight several years before.
But no one had the courage to invade the territory of birds and angels
until the Montgolfiers led the way. In keeping with "The Age of
Enlightenment" they understood the philosophy of Immanuel Kant when he
said, in that same year: "Sapere aude! Have courage to use your own
understanding: that is the meaning of enlightenment!"

Professor Piccard's flight to 51,770 feet in 1931 was second in
importance only to the Montgolfiers'. This, too, was a huge act of
intellectual courage. Piccard invented a new type of balloon that was
also the world's first pressurized aircraft. Many thought the flight
was impossible: the Germans refused a certificate of airworthiness.
But Piccard made his plans, trusted his life to his calculations and
took off. His flight opened the way for the famous Explorer, Stratolab
and Man High flights, some of the many stepping stones on the way to
space.

   On September 15, 1804, Joseph Gay-Lussac reached what he believed
was 23,000 feet. For much of the 19th century, as late as Glaisher and
Coxwell's famous ascent, balloonists overestimated altitudes and he
probably did not reach this level, but he certainly flew higher than
Mont Blanc, 15,770 feet.
As far as history records, the highest altitudes have been achieved in
just three ways; by climbers, balloonists and rocket-ship pilots. Mont
Blanc was climbed in 1786. After Gay-Lussac's flight bettered this
height, balloons were the ultimate way to journey towards heaven for
the next 150 years. The outright altitude record was only taken from
balloons by the Bell X-2 in 1956. [Chuck Yaeger broke the sound
barrier in the Bell X-1]