The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-07-06
Vol C z OF FREE M.
A Thrilling Voyage.

= ant, has addressed leite, to the Editor
t of the Philad lphia Inquirer dtscribin,
an ascent he recently made through
dense cloud, from which we extract tn,
, following passage of thrill ng interest
7 the ascent was made from Carlisle
5 " When had reached point abou
| two miles east Of the town, the balloon
commenced rapid and perpend cula
ascent, which soon brought me to the
base OF huge black cloud and as il
has always created deep interest tc
spectators t. see balloon passing thro'
clouds, | did not hesitate on this occasion
to give my numerous audience an exhi-
bition ofthat k nd, although | might have
avoided it and kept beneath the clouds
where the current would have taken me
10 Harrsburgh, which place was already
distinctly in my view. This part OF my
adventure, had reason soon after tore
greet, although a, the present time it gives
me more qualification to contemplate its
reality, than any thing that has lately
.Tanspired in my aerial adventures. The
details that shall here give of this terri.
be scene may be relied oil, as kept my.
self sufficiently composed TO appreciate lis
grandeur, and observe its physical opera
tons. The cloud, to the best Of my iud ge-
ment, covered an area OF from A 10 6 miles
in diome:er, II appeared of circular
form, and considerably depressed in its
lower surlace-or | might say, it present
ed great concavity toward the earth,
with its outer edges very ragged. l, was
MISC of a dark smoky color. noticed al
some distance from where l entered the
cloud, the appearance OF heavy shower
of rain. the first sensations experience
ed when entering the cloud, were extreme.
y UNI leasant--a difficulty of respiration,
almost 10 sufocation, followed by sickness
of the stomach. This. however, some
what abaled for a Short time the cold in
! the mean Time becoming intense, and
every thing of fibrous nature thickIy
covered with boar frost. The cloud at
this point which appeared to be in the
midst of it, had not the black appearance
| it presented underneath, but was ola light,
milky color, and yet so dense, that
could only family see the balloon above
dlolullCC VI SIhlCtH IGSl.
From the intensity of cold in this cloud,
| concluded that the gas would condense
ITSELF and the balloon would consequently
soon descend beneath it again, where the
atmosphere was much warmer. Ia this
however [ found myself mistaken; for,
in few minutes after entering the cloud,
was whirling upwards with a fearful
rapidly, the balloon gyrating aud the car
describing large circle in the cloud
noise resembling the rushing of mill
dam, with dismal moaning noise of
wind. surrounding me in this terrible
flight. Whether this rushing noise was
occasioned by the hail and snow, which
at the time was mercilessly pelling
around the balloon, am unable 10 TELL
[ was in hopes that | should soon BIZ
tossed oct CT the top ofthe cloud, and there
enJ1y the congenial sunshine--so pleas
ing above the cloud. But in this | was
dlsappo MED, for after being hurled up, as
| think many hundred feet, the balloon
appeared 10 be suddenly released, and
would fall again with fearful rapidly, the
lower part hurled TO and fro, and then
again driven u7 into the cavity of the up
per part, all the time discharging gas
copious from the neck, and breakages
caused by the ice. This hurting up and
down was repeated eight or ten times.--
Every thing that was not of a fhrous nd
ture, such as the anchor, ear, and balloon.
b came coated with smooth ice. Al the
time that remained in this cloud. which
was twenty minutes, the storm ragged with
unabated fury, and it was only by the i'm
mense loss OF gas tina, became released
from lis terro!s. felt an intense drowsi-
ness all the while, which | think was on
y overcome by the sickness of the stom.
ach, followed by a powerful fit of vomiting.
After this. felt so ne what easier, both in
mind and in body, (tor it is of no use to
say tha: | was not considerably alarmed)
and | grasped tirmer ho'd OF the sides of
the car. determined to abide the result
with as much composure and observation,
as the nature Of the case would admit, as
it appeared evident that the common dis
charge OF gas or ballast, would neither let
me down o: up, through this huge tenant
of the air. After being tossed up and
dove, as before stated, was finally re-
leased from its caverns of hail, snow and
icicles, and found myself between it and
the earth, receiving the benefits of a
heavy and cold shower of rain, coming
down on The spontaneous parachute prin-
ci1Ie, with portion of gas remaining in
the balloon, sufficient to raise about fifty
pounds weight from the earth. made a
final descent on Mr.. Goodvears farm,
five miles from CarIisle'-N Y, Weekly
Tribune.
The village Of Boucherville, about ten
miles from Montreal and which contained
population OF over one thousand souls,
has completely been destroyed by fire
There may have been about two hundred
bousnS ,noSt of ,vhirh ,vera IF slime and