Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-07-14
From The Penn Enquirer and Gasetle.
LIFE IN THE CLOUDS.
PERILoUs ADVENTURE IN A BALLOON

Wr. E0lt0r: According 10 the an
nouncemeni, on Saturday last set out
on my forty y-6rsi aerial excursion, from
The borough OF Carlisle, at fifteen min
ules pas, Two o'clock A slight breeze
from the west waited me a short distance
when the ascent became more perpen
dicuIar. The frs, thing 'ha, drew my
attention was the immense ocean OF
heads that presented itself in the square
there appeared TO be infinitely more
people on the immediate ground than ]
have witnessed for some time al bal
loon ascension; and the whole affair
appeared more animated from the fine
appearance Of the military, together
with their repeated firing after he de-
partUre Of the Comet" When ] had
reached point aboDt two miles east Of
the town, the balloon commenced a rap.
I'd and perpendicular ascent, which soon
brought me 10 the base Of a huge black
cloud; and as it has always created Q
deep interest 10 spectators 10 see bal
loon passing through clouds, | dld not
hesitate on this occasion 10 give my nu
merous audience an exhibition Of this
kind, although ] might have avoided il,
and kept beneath the clouds, where the
current would have taken me to Harris
burg, which place was already distinctly
iD my view. This part ofmy adVen
lure, | had reason soon after TO regret !;
although at the present time it gives ne
more qualification 10 contemplate It's re
aity Than any thing hat has lately
trsnspred 10 my aerial adventures -
The details that | shall here give oI this
terrible scene may be relied on, as
kept myself sufficiently composed TO
appreciate its grandeur and observe its
physical operations. The cloud, TO the
best Of my Judgment. covered an arra Of
from tour to six miles IN diameter. II
appeared OF circular torn, and corsld
erabIy depressed in lis lower surface -
or | might say, it presented a great con
cavity toward the earth. with its outer
edges very ragged 1t was also Of a
dark smoky color ! noticed al some
distance from where entered he cIouC
The appearance Of heavy shower Of
rain The first sensations experienced
when enlerlng the cloud were extreme
Y unpIcasant-s difficulty OF respiration
almost 10 sufocaton, 10 lowed by sick
ness at the stomach This, however
Somew hat abaed for short time--ihe
cold IN the meantime becoming intense
and every thing of fbrous nature thick
! ly covered with hoar frost. The cloud
at this point, which appeared 10 h" IN
the mi3a' oFr. had no. he black ap-
pesrance il presented underDealh, bu
was OF light milky color, and Sc, ST
dense that gould onlv faiotly sec The
ba loon above me - distance Of slxieer
feet. From the intensity ol the cold il
this cloud, concluded hat the gas woult
condense itself and the balloon woulc
consequently soon descend beneath I
again, where the atmosphere was mucl
warmer In this however, found my
Sc mslaken; for. IN few minutes al
ter entering the cloud, was whirlnI
upwards with fearful rapidiy, the bSI
loon gyraling and the car describing
large circle in the cloud noise re-
spmhlng the rushing o( thousand mil
dams, with a dismal moaning noise Il
wind, surrounded me in This lerrlbl
fight Whether this rushing noise va
occasionod by he hal and snow, whlct
al the time was mercilessy pelling a
round the balloon, am unable to tell
| was IN hopes that should soon he tos
sed out Of the top of lhe cloud. and there
enjoy lhe cong ganial sunshine. so pleas
ant above the clouds. Bot 10 this wal
disappointed; Tor after being hurled up
as ! think, many hundred feet, the bal
loon appeared 10 be suddenly depre ssed
and would Ial again with fearful ra
pidily, the lower part being hurled II
and Iro, and then again driven up into
the cavity Of the upper part, all the tint
dischsrgIng gas copiously from the nerl
and hreakages caused by the ice. Thi
hurting up and down was repeated eigh
or ten times Every thing that was no
OF 6brous nature. such as the anchor
car, and balloon, became coated will
smooth icO, All the time remained il
this cloud, which was twenty mindtes
the storm ragged with unahaIed fury. AM
il was only by the immense loss OF ga
that bscame released from its terrors
| felt an intense drowsln5ss ali the while
which think was only overcome by
the sickness Of the stomach, followed hN
a powerful fit of vomiting. Alter this
/ felt somewhat easir, both 10 mind anc
io body. (foril is Of no use 10 say that
was not considerably alarmed,) and
grasped a 6rmer hold Of the sides Of III
car, determined 10 abide mo result viii
as much composure and observation a
the nature Of the case would admit; a.
il appeared evident that The common
discharge Of gas or ballast would nellhe
Ia, nm Jnnn NOR nm h Fouuh 4 hIs hu uI