The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-02 00:00:00

A BALLOON ASCENT IN INDIA.

Mr. Lynn gives the following account of his .first balloon
experience in Calcutta :

"I suppose those who formed the dense concourse
in the Northern Circular Road on Saturday will be
interested in reading my description of the voyage and
descent of the balloon. For the purpose of determining
my altitudes this time, I used an instrument of my
own construction; it consists of a small metallic tube,
having secured at one end of it an empty flexible tube
of goldbeater's skin. Now, the atmosphere at the
altitude of about 15,000 feet expands to double its
space taken at the level of the sea. The air in the
metallic tube finds space for its increasing bulk in the
flexible tube. This latter is of sufficient length to
register great altitudes, and is indexed and regulated
to show its relative expansion. I drifted on a southerly
wind, and attained an altitude of 9,0u0 feet before I
passed over the eastern boundary of the City of Cal-
cutta. I found that the current from the south did
not reach more than 2,00 Q ft. in height. I was hover-
ing over Calcutta about an hour. The view from the
altitude of 9,000 ft. was sublime beyond description.
Every street and garden patch was distinctly deli-
neated as upon a coloured map. The Hooghly River
appeared like a small silvery snake, and the ships like
small black spots upon its back, and whenever I looked
westward all the water surfaces seemed to stand up
far above the land. The general shout from the vast
assemblage on my leaving the earth I distinctly heard
a second time after I had been up fifteen minutes.
This was a reverberation. At 4.40 I found that I was
beginning to move rapidly towards Tiger Point in the
Sodnderbuns. lltas at this moment at an elevation
of 13,000 ft. This unpleasant prospect of landing in-
duced me to endeavour to beat a retreat, which I was
fortunate enough to accomplish by descending into the
current which I found blowing for a few moments from
the south-east. In this current I could not remain,
and ac five 'o'clock a descent into the jungle seemed in
evitable. I could at this time observe that there was
not a breath of wind over the surface of the jungle for
3,000 ft. in height. I had to quickly consider, if pos-
sible, toe advisable course to pursue, but all considera-
tion seemed of no avail. I must come down at once,
otherwise I should be enveloped in darkness, and have
no chance of getting out of the jungle; even in light
my chance of being extricated seemed to me faint.
While now slowly descending, and at an altitude of
10,000 ft. in an otherwise perfectly clear atmosphere, a
vast plain of intense white to the north was open to
my view. I cannot form any conception as to the
cause of this phenomenon, excepting that the rays of
the setting sun had come in contact with a cold blast
from the snowy range in the Himalayas. I continue
my descent and very soon this phenomenon was lost
to me. Although every moment's delay increased
my risk in landing, I could not resist the tempta-
tion of reasoendin,g to try to ' fathom ' this mystery,
but cGuld not succeed This strange appearance was
only visible to me from an altitude of 10,000 feet.
At 5.15 I was within 1,000 feet of terra firma—a rather
inappropriate name for the locality (24-Pergunnahs).
A huge crocodile was moving towards me with an im-
pressive steadiness, and when I came down slap into
the mud and rushes, which for miles around me
were over ten feet in height, I saw the monster's
hecd level with the tops orthe bulrushes. Had there
been a slight breeze I think I could anchored to this
- brute; fortunately I had enough ballast left to throw
overboard just as this monster was within 50 yards
of me. This enabled me to rise above the thick jungle
to the length of my grappling rope—say about 30
feet. I have heard, and I thought I had once
proved, that crocodiles cannot turn rapidly, hut I now
found that I was mistaken, for thia one ran around
my grappling rope. I hoped that he would soon impale
himself on my grappling (iron, but I was doomest-to
disappointment, for as I had been calling very lustily
for help I found natives making their way towards
me, wading through the thick mud and rushes. As
the rushing sound was heard on all sides the crocodile
made off, otherwise I think he would have waited for
me. I suppose, therefore, that these animals will not
harm when several natives are near them. About
half-a-dozen natives -were induced by me, after much
persuasion, to puckrao my rope; they led me to believe
that they would have been alongside of me before,
but they had seen the crocodile's head near the
balloon car. The balloon was wafted over the
jungle and across creeks for nearly three miles.
I would have said that this could never be accom-
plished, for many times the natives were getting
through mud three feet deep. At last we arrived at a
small dry space. Here I emptied the balloon and
packed it into the car. We had to ct oss two wide
channels ; the dead weight was got on the heads of 12
natives, who had the pluck to get across the streams
and mud up to their armpits. However, it did not
disfigure them so much as I should have been, for they
were nude. I was taken across these delectable
swizzles on their shoulders. We at last arrived with
the balloon at the Asiatic Jute Mills at Sourah,
and hind it not been for the kindness of Mr. J. Preston
and Mr. J. S. Miller I am convinced I should never
have reached a place of safety. These gentlemen
showed me every kindness, and here I am safe and
sound."