The native American., 1837-09-30


forced upwards with terrific violence and rapidty
through unknown and untraveled regions amidst the
howlings OF fearful hurricane, rolled about as though
revealing in freedom for which It had loug gradually
risen, but of which until that moment there was his
absolute ignorance. 1t only to be saved, by his
exertions, and the balloon rising and turning like
snake working it's way with the astonishing rapidy
towards given object During this frightiu oPerdtioa
the gas was rushing in torrents from the upper and
lower valves, but more particularly from me iaer' as
the density Of the atmosphere through which we were
forcing our progress pressed SO heavily at the top Of
the balloon as to admit of but comparatively small
escape by that aperture.
"At this iuncture had it not been for the application
to our mouths Of two pipes leading INTO an ar oag,
with which we had furnished ourselves previous TO
starting we must within minute have been sufocat-
ed and So but by different means, have shared the
melancholy fate Of our friend.
q This bag was formed Of silk, and sufficiently ca
pacious to contain 100 gallons Of atmospheric air.
prior 70 our ascent the bag was Inflated with the
sstance OF pair Of bellows, with nifty gallons OF an
"a allowing for any expansion which might be Produ-
ced in the upper regions. Into one END OF tnis odR
were introduced two flexible tubes; and the moment
we felt ourselves TO be going up IN inc
scribed, Mr. Spencer well as myself placed either
Of them in our mouths. By this simple con'rivance
we preserved ourselves from instant sufocaon, re.
suit which must have ensued from the apparently end
less volume Of gas with which the car was enveoPe0.
The gas notwithstanding all our precautions rom te
Immediately deprived US Of sight and we Were Dotn
40 far az our visionary powers concerned IN state
Of total darkness for between four ana Hve minutes.
GAS soon as we had partially regalned the use o.
orr eyes, and had somewhat recovered from the enec.s
of the awful scene into which, from the circumstances
we had been plunged, our first attention was directed
to the barometer. soon discovered that my powers
had not sufficiently returned to enape me 70 see inc
mercury but Mr. Spencer found that It stood at
giving an elevation Of 1884 feet or about iour miles
and quarter. - .
GAS have stated, we were now rapidly on the des-
cent. having got rid Of all the unusual annoyances 70
which have referred and finding that we were pro-
ceding downwards with the ordinary camness anu
steadiness although with much speed, we hasfened 70
empty two Tin vessels Of water which we had taken up
for the purpose and to charge them with the atmospher
ic air through which were then descending Our
desire effect this object at our greatest attitudes
hut from the circumstances which have detailed, we
were unable accomplish that end and when the YES
sells filed the mercury in the barometer had as
cended to 1852 or an elevation of 1862 feet, about
three miles.
When we had accomplished this matter, finding our
selves suffering severely from cold referred to the
Thermometer, which stood at %, four degrees below
the freezing point
"W We were at this period apparently about two mi
les and half ABOVE dense mountain Of clouds, which
presented the appearance of impenetrahle masses OF
dark marble, whilst all around shed the brilliant
rays Of the setting sun.
NPCOlieCuEv
hail. now began to be anxious about the time; and
on applying 10 Mr.. Spencer. ascertained that i want
ed not more than quarter to nine o'clock. conse-
seqmenly became extremely anxious tn make cnr way
through the clouds quickly possible. which hav-
ing done, proceeded until reached within some
three hundred feet Of the ground when we found It re-
quisite from inability to ascertain the nature OF the
ground, the whole country beneath us Offering the APP
Of thick woods, to cast ont every atcle Of
ballast and movable matters, to ropes and empty
ballast bags, in order to prevent rs from coming IN
contact with what supposed to be trees After cal
ling ont for time. and hanging out the grapne
we heard voices in reply; and the parties speedily
close to the village Of Ofham, near Town Mailing sew
en- miles west Of Maidstone, and twenty-eight from
London.
The balloon was packed and conveyed in cart
to Town Mailing; where we were most Hospitality
treated and provided with beds by the Rev. Mr. Mo-
ney who, singular to relate, informed me that he s
the Of Major Money, the aeronaut. who. on the
23d Of July, assembled from Norwich, and fell into the
sea, 90 miles off Lowestof.
"At half past ten o'clock this morning we quilted
Town Mailing and it not until arrival at Wro-
than, at which place inquired whether they heard
where E.r. Cooking had descended, that became &C
quaned with the unexpected and disastrous result OF
his experiment"
On Wednesday evening an inquest was held on the
body of Mr. Cooking, at the Tigers Head, Lee, which,
after several witnesses had been examined, was adj
ourned Friday, when the jury returned the following
verdict:
We find that the deceased came to his death cas-
uaIly and by misfortune, in consequence Of serious n-
ures which he received from fall in parachute OF
his own invention and continuance. which append
ed to balloon; and we further find that the parachute
moving towards his death. deodand, and forfeit
to our sovereign lady the Queen.
II K ~