Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-02-01
From the London Neac Monthly.
A TALE OF TERROR.

known Eronaut, and nearly in the same words:
1t was in one of my ascents from Vauxhall and
gentleman of the name of Mavor had engaged him.
self a compaI N in my aerial excursion. But
when the time came his nerves failed HIM, and L
looked vany around for the person who was to oc-
cupy the vacant seat in the car. Having waited
for him till the last possible moment, and the crowd
in the gardens becoming impatient, | prepared to
ascend alone; and the last cord that attached me to
the earth was about to be cast Off, when suddenly
strange gentleman pushed forward and volunteered
TO 90 up with me into the clouds. He pressed the
request with much earnestness that having salts
fed myself by few questions OF his responsibility,
and receive his promise to submit every point to
my directions, | consented tie receive him in lieu of
the absentee; whereupon he stepped with EVIDENT
| eagerness and alacrlty into the machine. In an
other minute we were rising above the trees; and
In justice to my companion, must say, that IN all
my experience, no person at first ascent had ever
shown such perfect GOODNESS und selt-possesslon.-
The sudden rise OF the machine the novelty of the
situation the real and exaggerated dangers of the
voyage, and the cheering of the spectators apt
to cause some trepldauon, or at any rate cause eX
| element IN the boldest individuals; whereas the
| stranger composed and comfortable as II he
had been sitting quite at home IN his own library
chair. A bird could not have seemed more at ease,
| III It's element, and yet he sOlemny assured
me upon his honor, that he had not been up before
| in his life Instead Of exhibiting any alarm at
great height from the earth, he cVlnced the lYelleSt
| pleasure whenever | emptlcd one OF my bags OF
! sand, and even twice urged me to part with
more OF the ballast. In the meantime, the wind.
which was very light, carried us gently along IN
northeast direction. and the day beng particularly
bright and clear, we enjoyed delightful bird eye
| view of the great metropolis, and the surrounding
! country. My companion listened with great lne
rest, while pointed to him the various objects
over which we passed, till happened casually to
observe that the balloon must be directly over HoX
ton. My owtraveller then for the first time be-
! trayed some uneaslness, and anXlously inquired
| whether | thought he could be recognized by any
one at our then distance from the earth. 1t was,
| told him, quite impossible Nevertheless, he con-
tInued very uneasy, frequently repeating 81 hope
| they don't see" and entreating me earnestly to
| discharge more ballast. 1t then flashed upon me
! for the first time that his offer to ascend with
had been a whim OF the moment, and that he feared
| the being seen by any member of his own family
! | therefore asked him If he resided at HoxtOn, to
which he replied IN the aliirmativc urging again
and with great vehemence the emptyng OF the re-
| naming sand bags
This, however, was out of the question, consi
derng the altitude OF the balloon, the of the
| wind and the proximity of the sea-coast But my
| comrade was deaf to these reasons-he insisted on
going higher, and on my refusal to discharge more
ballast, deliberately pulled of and threw his hat,
coat, and WalstcOat overheard.
not enough yet, and he began unloosening his era
vat.
Nonsense said l. my good fellow, nobody can
recognize you at this distance, even with tees-
cope
Don't be too sure of that he re,orted rather
simply; they have sharp eyes at Miles,
| AT whereof
| AT Miles Madhousc!'
Gracious eavcn!-thc truth flashed upon me in
an instant, ! was sitting in the frail of bal
| loon at least mile above the earth, with luna
| tic! The horrors of the situation, for a minute,
| seemed to deprive me of my senses. A sud
| den freak Of distcmpered ancy-a transient fury
| the slightest struggle might send us both, at a
| moment notice, INTO eternity! In the meantime
the maniac, still repeating his insane cry OF high
er, higher Invested himself, successfully, fevery
| remaining article of clothing, throwing each por
| ton, as soon as taken off, the winds. The nu-
tility of remonstrancc, rather the probability of
its producing fatal irritation, kept me silent during
| these operations but Judge OF my terror, when ha
| wing thrown his stockings overheard, | heard hun
say, We not high enough by ten thousand
milestone Of us must throw out the other
To describe my feelings at this speech is impossl
be Not only the awluness my position, but its
novelty, consprcd to bcwildcr-tor certainly no
| flight of ina gination-mo, not the widest night
| mare drcam-had ever placed me in so desperate
and tororn condition. ltwas horrble-borrlbe!
| Words piCadmgs. remOnstranCcS were useless
|
! better have been unarmcd, in an American wilder
ness at the mercy OF savage Indian! And now
| without daring to stir hand IN opposition, | saw
the mnatc deliberately heaye first one and then the
other bag of ballast from the car, the balloon of
course rising with proportonate rapidity. Up, up,
| up it soared-to an attitude have never dared to
contcmplatc-the earth was lost to my eyes, and
nothing but huge clouds rolled bneeath us! The
world was gone felt forever! The Maniac, how
ever, was still dissatisfied with ascent, and
| again began TO mutter.
Have you wife and children!' he asked alb
rupty.
Prompted by natural instinct and with pardon
able deviation from truth, | replied that | was mar
red and had fourteen young ones, who depended
on me for tLeir bread.
'Ha, ha, hal laughed the Maniac, with a spark
ling of his eyes that chilled my very marrow. Il
! have three hundred wives and five thousand chill
! dren; and if the balloon had not been so heavy by
carrying double, | should have been home by this
! time.
And where do they liver asked, anxious to
gain time by any question that first occurred to
| me.
In the moon,' replied the Maniac; and when
! have lighted the car, | shall be there in time.
heard no more, for suddenly approaching me,
and throwing his arms around my body