nearly noon
The Victoria ascended once more , and made some enormous leaps , like a huge gum-elastic ball , bounding and rebounding through the air . A strange sight it was to see these unfortunate men endeavoring to escape by those huge aerial strides , and seeming , like the giant Antaeus , to receive fresh strength every time they touched the earth . But this situation had to terminate . It was now nearly noon ; the Victoria was getting empty and exhausted , and assuming a more and more elongated form every instant . Its outer covering was becoming flaccid , and floated loosely in the air , and the folds of the silk rustled and grated on each other . `` Heaven abandons us ! '' said Kennedy ; `` we have to fall ! ''