The Northern star, and farmers' and mechanics' advocate. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1830-1834, 1834-08-09
4 MIR. DURANT's ASCENSION.
T9 he Editor Of TIE Bostes Dolly

| 6IR AT b hours % minuteo BY my
tispe,I rose clear Of the Amphithentre,
with barely sufficient buoyancy to keep
the baIloon in horizontal position, until
Ipsssing over the Common, / threw over
two bags Of sand ballast, when the as
cending power increased and the balloon
rose finely forming an angle with the ho-
rizon ! judged Of 80 or 40 degrees. THIS
gradual ascent continued till 8 IN. past
6, when the Brometsr fell to 23,22. The
view now and few minutes previous was
the most varied and Interesting that ev-
or beheid. On one side the vast Ocean,
with hundreds Of vessels for many miles
round. The ocean presented an almost
unbroken surface, covered apparently
with light mist Of fog, and the sun str'k-
ing the sails Of vessels gave them much
the appearance OF feathers floating on the
smooth surface Of a pond. ! could per-
ceive in the wake Of those nearly beneath
me difference in the appearance OF the
water caused by their motion It was very
perceptible in the wake Of steamboat
which passed short distance from Ma
hant it had much the appearances of
heavy lines in engraving, diyerging at or
near right angles from the ground work.
This gave me an idea of their course and
probable wind, which judged WINS more
favorable for me TO reach Cape Ann. l
descended very slow to ascertain at what
height the wind would haul, yet perceiv-
ed no sensible difference until within f-3
Of mile from the ocean (; here, by rang
ing with schooner which few minutes
before was ahead Of me, standing out un-
der heavy press Of sail, though now she
had fallen in the rear, could perceive
that my course within i-8 OF mile from
the ocean would strike the eastern point
of Cape Ann-but it was impossible to
keep the balloon within that distance. Of
the surface without great expenditure
Of ballast or without striking the water,
or soaring above INTO tho lower edge pf
the upper and most westerly current,
which would have carried ine to the east
ward of Cape Ann therefore resolved
on letting 90 both anchors to trail in the
ater, they struck at Oh. Sm. with 800 or
400 feet of cable, few miles beyond
Nuhnnt, though the @rostat was moving
with such velocity as 10 prevent the an
chors sinking more than 10 or 10 feet
from the SUI face, and indeed the velocity
frequently caused them 10 skip over it. 4
This gave the balloon an undulating mo- !
ton, sometimes 200 or 800 feet high,
and sometime barely touching the water
by this means / wes enabled to secure all
the advantages Of the wind, and was maxi
ing a straight course for the Cape, when
a heavy flaw Of wind struck the balloon
with such force as to throw il in hori-
zontal line with the car, which struck the
ocean and filled with water. My car be-
ing Of open wicker work, ! Judged by
throwing out some ballast the water would
run out and should be enabled to rise
clear, but it was drawn with such force
that the water could not run out. This
occurred at 6 h. 81 NJ. and LEFT me par
tall, immersed in water. Judging it
difficult and dangerous to continue as far
as Cape Ann in that situation, and seeing
q sloop to the leeward Of me within Ia
of a mile from the course was making
l judged by retarding his progress as
much as possible, she would be able to II
intersect the line i was making, and arr
rest the balloon but instead OF bearing
with the sloop, the small boat was man {
ned, and before they could intersect my Q
course i was mile beyond them. A G
sheet, which / carried to fold the balloon, Y
and my flag had spread as much as pos I
.ible across the car to retard my progress G
for this boat. This sank me to the waist I
in water, and materially increase the dan I
ger and difficulty OF reaching the Cape. I
AT this time a schooner at the eastward
was bearing down, and my car being SO
in the water she came up with me ut z
o'clock. exchanged few words with
he captain, requested Ire would pass
close under my lee and throw line.
saw man attei.,pting to throw sea line,
and told them it wouldonot hold me, when
hey caught up very stout line which
made fast to the car. This line proved
10 be the halliard, and the schooner on
he wind, with the force Of the wind Oh
NV balloon, and the line drawing from
mast head, carried me up three hundred
feet, when descended with such veloci-
" as to be for the first time completely l.
immersed in water. A second time It
was carried "up1n a like manner--and
when about 800 feet high, flaw Of wind
upturned the balloon SO a. to exhaust the
gas in an instant. In falling, was un-
der water half a minute, though l had on
a -gum-elastic life preserver, which Mr.
Dom, Of the Roxbury factory, had the
kindness TO lend me. Yet was 50 en-
angled with the cord that 80 seconds e.
apsed before / could extricate myself and
come to the surface, where was com- ,
ortably resting myself on the life ppeserv-
,r, when Capt. Spaulding, of the schoon-