Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-08-05
MR.. DURANT's ASCENSION AT BOSTON
Erom the Boston Courier of Friday.


Mr.. DURANrs AscENsloN.-If we were in the
habit of using expressions, which some gooo
people would call profane, we would swear by
Jupiter that Mr.. Durant is the most intrepid OF
mortals. He babe goodbye to the surface OF
our dirty planet yesterday, at half past hve, ana
bent his course towards Ursa Major. Whether
he reached either of the worlds that compose
that magnificent constellation, we are not able 10
say, having received no dispatches from our
correspondent in that region for several days
owing to the irregularities in the transmits
sion of the mails, or to the villainy of the deputy
postmasters at the intervening ofhces.
We have no doubt, however, that MIR. Durant
arrived safe; for about in the evening we saw,
or thought we saw small Opaque OBJECT on
one of the bright stars in the handle OF the d'p-
per, alias, the tail OF the Great Bear, which we
took to be Mr.. Durant's balloon, and also per-
ceived slight tremulous motion, caused no
doubt by the waving OF his nag wnen ne iahueu.
We did not hear the shouts OF the populace
when they first caught view of the wanderer
from our system; but we should think that those
which accompanied his departure hence might
have been heard on Saturn or Herschel, or any
of the planets belonging to our neighboring sys-
TENS.
We have given orders to Mercury, to keep on
the lookout during the night, and make re-
port for second edition.
Public attention has never been more keenly
excited than II was to witness the departure OF
Mr. Durant. The whole population of the city
and the adjacent villages were out to witness
the spectacle. Not only the spacious amphl-
theatre, erected for the purpose, but the Com"
mon the Malls, the Mill-dam, the Bridges,
and the tops of houses were filled with specta-
tors. and presented most magnificent spec
tace. The faces were as glorious to behold as a
field of tulips The balloon, in ten minutes ap-
peared hardly larger than an orange.
S. AT sunset last evening, MIR. Parker tele
graphed from his outer station "Mr. Durants
balloon touched the water miles from Marble
head harbor.n Passengers in the Nahant steam
boat report that they saw the balloon descend
towards the water, but that it rose again and
stood off towards Cape Ann. No other inior-
nation had been received of the voyager or his
balloon up to the time our paper went to press.
From the Boston Advocate Of Friday
AT a little after seven o'clock, the blue flag
was hoisted at the Observatory, to signify that
Mr.. Durant had lighted in the water! The com
municat at the station is that he passed Ma
hant and descended in the ocean, miles outside
of Marblehead He is prepared with life.pre-
server. and will be able to sustain himself IN
the water some time. Boats from Nahant and
Marblehcad were off to give assistance, but
great anxiety was felt for his safety.
At sunset the outer telegraph reported that
the balloon tOOh tbe Wdtei i've hheS c@io !"
Marblehead AT nine O'clock the Captain OF
the steamboat Hancock, from Nahant, reported
at the fremont House, that Mr.. Durant touch
ed in the water four miles east OF Cape Ann,
and that there was number Of vessels near to
render assistance. The balloon touched several
times and rose again. The Hancock made an at
tempt to go in pursuit, but found it fruless, from
the progress of the balloon. Its course was
straight out to sea- no land intervening, and Mr.
D,s only chance of rescue was falling in with
some vessel after sunset We fear he is lost.
Elepen o'ciock-No further intelligence
There are numerous anxious enquirers at the
Trpm0nf