Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1833-10-24
BALLOON ASCENSION.


yosd description About Eve thousand people
we're within the esciosaFc aud IL is calculated tina,
there we're no, lcss than forty thousand spectator.
outside. weextr.cs the following from Mr.. ID. :.
account Of his lEriaI Tower:
ga found the courses of the several Pion.
eers to DO N EN- z by Nm by ~ e
veerins to the East ~ they attained hixhr 9
altitude The last oos continued N r. by N.
varying little even at is greatest altitude,
which from tho manuscript Map that Mr..
Alexander had the kindness to construct for
me, found would carry mo in the direction,
OF Chcstertowu. sccordingly decided ON
taking tea in that town, and am much indobt.
ed to Mrs. Barroll, for her politsness in fur
nishins mo . letter Of introduction TO MT.
Barroll, and likewise To Gen. Leakin, and 10
Mr.. Isaac Munroe and Mr.. s. ID. Walker.
for letters 10 Gen. sewell, Col. Emory, Hon.
n. b. Eccleston, Mon. L. G. Chambers, Frs.
Ariett, "sad al Other citizens Of the Es,fsrn
shore Of .usvyissd'-but in consequence of
being almost becalmed, was deprived the
pleasure OF seeing either OF the above NAM
ed gentlemen. except ten. sewcil, whom \
met on board Of the Independence coming
from Frenchtown.
MY destined port being Chcstertown, be-
tween which and your city is that ext.n.iv.
Bay, induced me TO hurry tho preparation
lest the great Ball Of EYrs, (Which some of
thc Ssrans ! think have erroneously termed
me centre OF our solar systcm) should de-
Prive me OF his cheering rays on the road
ana accordingly Mt 4h. %, by my time, I Sc
.ered the last cord, which unmoored the Bal
,oou' ana never m liner style or with more
ouoyant spirits had left my native earth.
Here your city, with its domes, its spires
and animated beings, sinking away beneath
me, presented sight the most noble, or ma
)esuc II you please, that man is capable of
knowing my incapacity, I will
NOT attempt description which would fall
TAR snort OF the scene itself, and the confined
limits OF your columns, (Which I fear have
already tresPassed on.) would not admit OF
the thousand reflections that present them
selves. The philosophic mind could forever
pensiveiy dwell On the scene, and the writer
could exhaust his descriptive talent before
you would be tired of hearing, or he have
reached The acme Of the subject on which he
My sole companion, the rabbit. was n very
interesting one indeed. Though he could not
converse by Pwoie. Judged him possessed of
more philosophy than nero instinct, and ac-
cordngiy addressed him n few words Of con-
doience, which he appeared TO understand,
and manifested an unusual degree Of compo-
sure for one Of his species, when y sent him
for the second time with a parachute TO his
native earth.
The barometer on starting stood ~ 6 IL
centigrsde % ? and Fahrenheit 6s ; at Al.
i3m. the bar. rs ~, cent. -, far. e2. I
mere trled an experiment with the magnetic
needle, for MIR. It. Edmondson, jr.; the result
VIII communicate TO him, when, IL there IL
any bsneft likely 10 result from il 20 science
he will no doubt communicate il for the ge.
neral good.
At IN. ~, bar. IS 10, cent. 10 f,r. 81
AZ 3h. 81, bar. % Q IL, cent. IL, far. S9-I
here tried an experiment which has long oc-
cuPied my attention, and when I can fix INV
mind more definitely on the subject I will
communicate IL to the world. I am indebt-
ed to Mr. Philip T. Tyson, the geologist, for
preparing the instruments used on this occa-
SION, but gave him so little time to prepare
them, that they could not be made perfect,
and consequently nothing definite resulted
from this essay. In descending from tLis al
titude, could hear the remarks ofthe inhab-
hants below, and sent them copies Of the CA.
sette, Patriot, Chronicle, and address.
Al o'clock bar. IS 2 l2; cent. IL. far.
%, was here suspended over river. aud
could see the course Of the channel and ma
ny dark spots on the bottom, which I suppose
wess sea weed or rocks.
AZ On. 6tn- hove Too on the farm Of Ben
Jamin Porter, when he and DIR. Mace came to
the car; ] shook hands with them. and for
such short acquaintance, found them very
socaeie. They gave me . glass OF water,
eno Pe'tSty onsred me something stronger,
VAN lea, and TO make nay stay agreeable, IL /
would consent 20 Bsay with them. Thee in
formed me the next neighbor was Mr
briscoe, and that . was ten miles from Ral,,.
more. ] declined all their kind Offers. ex.
eepi the water, gave them the address and
evening papers, bid them good bye, Trimmed
tue anchor, and started, after q DELAY of two
minutes, Tor Chestertown, highly delighted
win my new acquaintance, and the many
marks Of Kindness received from them.
AZ Oh. "a, ! passed over and conversed
with Mr.. Benjamin y. Hart, whom. though
Is oquacious as myself, found one Of JOBS
comiorters. tle informed me was sixteen
mics from Baltimore, thirty miles from Che,-
tsrtO~n, and fourteen miles 10 the Hast.rn
shore. Though doubted his know ledge ol
distances, still the interview was pIeaSi,,s =
sent him down copies Of the address. and
evening papers, on which wrote Mr.. Fl.-
rants eOmPliEsHts-bid him good bye, and en-.
Tered over the Chesapeake Bay. Here saw
several row boats along the shore, at distan-
ees OF two and four miles, making for me
Though the wind wss light, I soon len them
10 the distance. steamboat. which ba,
been Hatehing some time, had now rounded
the point, and with her course directed o.
wards me, was evidently gaining on the d..
lance ] found the wind vas liebtest nea,
the surface Of the water, and kept low. 10 AZ
Iord her an opportunity of coming up a.
wished 10 speak her, and request the captain
.s report the At Philadelphia and New YORK
u was not, however, until was within on,
h,he ~ The Eastern shore. thsl gave up m,
idea oi suPptng At Chsstertown. vas III
most beesiTacd, night approaching. and m,
Shove vas nearing almost covered with IN
feH Wees' which would render II difficult 70
me TO ave my balloon.
The steamboat was now 80 near thai
Sos'a see the Passengers waving their hats
end directly saw the small boat lea INTO m,
Tss manned BY three men, and pu, of -
ins Vas the most fsvorabIs circumstance
could wish for safe descent ,.,,,s',,..,.
I, y pNeSed one anchor, with 2O0 feet Of cor
\ Then lowered the balloon. so tb., 49,. =.