Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-06-30
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A THRILLING VOYAGE.

Mr. John Wise, the well known @ronaut, has
addressed letter the editors Of the Phiadep ha
Inquirer describing ascent he recently made
through dense cloud, from which we extract the
following passage Of thrilling interest the ascent
was made from Car!lsle:
"When had reached point about two miles
east of the town, the balloon commenced a rapid
and perpendicular ascent which brought me TO
the base OF huge black cloud and as it has al
ways created deep interest to spectators TO see a
balloon passing through clouds, DID not hesitate
on this occnson TO give my numerous audience an
exhibition OF that kind, although | might have
avoided it and kept beneath The clouds where the
current would have taken me TO Harrisburgh,
which place was already distinctly in my vew.-
This part of my adventure had reason soon Of
ter TO regret; although at the present time il gives
me more qualification TO contemplate its reality
than any thing that has lately inspired in my erl
al adventures. The de,niIs that shall here give
of this terrible scene may be relied on, as kept
myself sufficiently composed 10 appreciate it's
grandeur, and observe its physical operations. -
The cloud, 10 the best OF my Judgment, covered
an area of from four to six niles in diameter. Ii
appeared of circular form and considerably de-
pressed in its lower surface nigh say, pre-
sened great concavlty toward the earth, with its
outer edges very ragged. II was also of dark
smoky color noticed at some distance from
where J. entered the cloud, the appearance of
heavy shower of rain. The first sensations | ex-
perenced when entering the cloud, were extreme
y unpleasant-a difficulty of respiration, almost
10 suffocaon, followed by sickness of the stomach.
This, however, somewhat abated for short time
tile cold in the mean time becoming intense, and
every thing OF ibrous nature ihickly covered
with hour frost. The cloud III this point, which
appeared he in the midst of il, had the black
appearance il presented underneath, but was of a
light, milky color, and yet SO dense, that could
only family sec the balloon above me-a distance
Of sixteen feet.
"From the Intensity OF cold in this cloud, | con-
cuded that The gas would condense itself, aud the
balloon would consequently soon descend beneath
it again, where the atmosphere was much warm
er. In this, however, found self mistaken
| for, in Il few minutes after entering The cloud,
was whlrling upwards with fearful rapdty the
balloon gyrating and the car doscrlbingn large cir.
Gle in the cloud; a noise resembling the rushing
Of a thousand mill dams, with dismal moaning
noise of wind surrounded me in this terrible flight
Whether this rushing noise occasioned by the
hail and snow, which NJ The time was lncrcessly
peIting around the balloon, am unable to tell |
was in hopes that should soon be tossed out of
the cloud, and there enjoy the congenal sunshine
so pleasing above the clouds. But in this was
disappointed, for after being hurled up, as think
many hundred feet, the balloon appeared to he
suddenly relenseda nd would fall again with fearful
rapidly, the lower part hurled to and fro and then
again driven up l1tO the cavity OF the upper part,
all the time dscharging gas copiousy from The
neck, and breakages caused by the ice This hurl-
ing up AMI down was repeated eight or ten times.
Every thing that wash mot OF a fbrous nature, such
as the anchor, car, and balloon, became coated
with smooth ice. All the time that remained in
this cloud, which was twenty minutes, the storm
ragged with undated fury, and it was only by the
immense loss of gas that became released from
its terrors. | felt an intense drowsiness all the
while, which think was only overcome by the
sickness Of the stomach followed by u powerful
fit OF vomiting. After This, ! ielt somewhat eus-
err, both in mind and body, (lor il is OF no use to
say that was not considerably aarmed,) and /
grasped firmer hold OF the sides of the car, de-
lermined TO abide the result with as much coinpo-
sure and observation, as the nature of the case
would admit as il appeared evident that the COM
mon discharge Of gas or ballast, would neither let
me down MOI up, through this huge tenant of the
air. After being tossed up aud down, rs before
stated, l was finally released from its caverns OF
hail, snow aud icicles, and found myself between
it and The earth, receiving the benefits Of cold
shower of rain, coming down Oh the spontaneous
parachute principle, with portion of gas remain
ing in the balloon, sufficient to raise about fifty
pounds weight from HE earth. made iual de-
scent on Mr. Goodyeors farm, five miles from
Carlisle"