Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-07-15
From the Ohio State Journal
MR.. CLAYTON'S JOUNAL.
COLUMBUS, July 9th, 1912.

10 EDITOR:-FreCl5ely al TIT
time proposed in my advertisement tC
ascend, Is o'clock, P. N.Y. | took my de-
parture from the earth. The weather
was calm, but the atmosphere extremely
hazy. The enclosure from which the
ascension was made, contained the most
respectable and influential citizens OF
Columbus and its vicinity, AS rose,
hats and handkerChiefs were waving, The
military gave a salute, approving smiles
beamed from a thousand lovely Counte-
n]aNces, giving buoyance TO ones feel
ings, and adding enchantment to the
scene. The movement Of The balloon
was so steady that no sensation Of mo-
ton was experienced; the earth appeared
to gradually fall from my feet, and the
spectators to dwIndIe into dWarIs y blend
at last into masses. A gentle breeze
waited me in nearly a north direction, a
IIltle to the right of the Delaware road
A number Of persons on horseback en-
deayored to keep up with me, who, to-
gether with their horses, resembIed the
toys Of children moving with snaiI,ilke
velocity. Ga attaining The attitude Of
half n mile, and at a distance Of five or
six miles from the city, i caught a DIFF
Ierent current Of air, which bore in an
eastern direction.
Every time that ! ascend in a balloon ,
my attention for awhile is directed to The
spectators-frst to my friends, then to
the dense crowd which fill the slreets
near the enclosure, and who appear like
IA solid pavement cfhuman heads. Soon
this attraction is over, the voice oil human
beings is no longer heard, a deathllke 81
lence exists, and ones mind IS prepared
to contemplate the beautiful earth deco
rated with the rich colors Of summer, and
to view the lnroads upon Nature-the
work Of industrious and enterprlslng
man. Tho haziness Of the atmosphere
rendered my scene less extensive than it
otherwise would have been; but had a
perfect map Of Columbus and the sur
rounding country for the distance Of
about fifteen miles, and beyond that all
was cloud.
From the questions that | am free
quentIy asked, an idea seems 10 exist With
many, hat eronauts IDse sight of the
earth when al great heights. This is a
mistake; they never do. except when
clouds intervene or night apE ears. On
the contrary, The earth is like an immense
concayo map, painted different %colors,
which designate not the different town.
ships or counties, as the coIoriog Of maps
generally Do, but the various products Of
The soil. That the earth, which 10 real.
ity IS convex, should appear to the AFRO.
maui coucave, may at first seem to many
strange; but a moments reflection will
render it clear. His horizon is frequent.
~ upwards Of a hundred miles from him,
Draw a right angled triangle. and make
tho base line fifty or sixty times as long
as the perpendicular, the hypolhenuse
and base will then be nearly in the same
line. The horizon appears to the zero
naul to be on a perfect level with the car
OF the balloon; but the part of the earth
directly underneath him seems at a
great distance from him; consequently,
the whole surface of his scene must ap-
pear concave.
Alter I%easting for a few minutes upon
the beautiful view beneath me, ! turned
my atlenllon TO the balloon, g. arranged
the various articles IN my little car, 80
as to have no confusion at the time Of
landing, This being done, | took some
refreshments, which an old acquaintance
and intimate friend had provided for mo
On passing from one current Of air to
another, a slight agitation takes place in
the silk envelope. Half after five o'clock
Columbus bore west south. west distance
about ten miles. Quarter Of six O'Clock,
the thermometer stood at 81 deg; threw
over ballast, assembled rapidly and NOV
ed eastward with increased velocity
Five minutes Of glx, gained the altitude
of two miles; looked back to see Colum
bus, but it was lost in the hazy Vapor,--
The thermometer now stood at 80 deg;
great quantity of water poured down up
on me from the neck OF tho balloon
his water was taken into the halloor
in the form Of vapor, when the gas wa'
generating; and afterwards, when it wat
exposed to extreme cold. condensed ant
Tell in Copious showers OF rain upon me-
Being drenchod with water, and The Their
mometer down to SO deg, | felt extreme
ly chilly and rather sick at the stomach
tho sickness was occasioned partly per
hops by inhaIling a goodly quantity o
~hydrogcn gos A tea spoonful or tive
of brandy, and a little excellent cake
prepared by a friend of mine, restored
me to my proper feelings. was nov
rapidly descending to warmer and pleas