Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-07-13
PERILOUS ADVENTURE IN A
BALLOON.
Correspondence Of HE Penn. Ing. & Gns.
Carlisle, Jnne 10, 1S4S.

nv attention was the immense ocean
of heads that presented sefinthe square;
there appeared to be infinitely more peo-
pie On the Immediate ground than have
witnessed for some time at balloon as
cension; and the whole affair appeared
more animated from the fine appearance
of the military, together with their re-
oeated firing after the departure OF the
! Comet When [ had reached point
about two miles east of the town, the bal
loon commenced rapid and perpendlc-
uIar ascent, which soon brought me to
the base of huge black cloud; and as it.
has always created deep interest To-
spectators to see balloon passing though
clouds, / did not hesitate on this occa-
sion to give my audience an exhibition Of
this kind, although might have avoided
it,and kept beneath the clouds, where the
current would have taken me to Harris
burg, which place was already distinctly
in my view. This part of my adventure
had reason soon after to regret, aitho'
at the present time it gives me more
qualification to contemplate its reality.
than any thing that has !atel y transpired
in my aerial adventures. The details.
that I shall here give of this terrible
scene may be relied on, as | kept myself
sufficiently composed to appreciate its
grandeur and observe its physical opera
tons. The cloud, to the best of my
Judgment, covered an area of from four
to six miles in diameter. 1t appeared Of
! circular form, and considerably de-
pressed in its lower surface, or, might
say, it presented great conca"ity to-
ward the earth, with its outer edge very
ragged. 1t was also of a dark smoky CO.
Iof. / noticed, at ssome distance from
where | entered the cloud, the appear
ance of heavy shower of rain. The first
sensations experienced when entsrlHgg
the cloud were eztssueIy unpleassrt-a
g.; :: s.: ): } rs; !; !: &: !; y; =; =;
of Gbrous nature ins Yy covered with
boar frost. The cloud at this point,
which appeared TO be in the midst it,
had not the black appearance it presen-
ted underneath, but was of light, mill
Ky color, and yet SC dense that | could
only family see the balloon above me, a
distance Of sixteen feet. From the In
tensity of the cold in this cloud, conclu-i
ded that the gas would condense itself,
and the balloon would consequently SOON
descend beneath it again, where the al
mosphere was much warmer. In this,
however, l found myself mistaken, for,
in a few minutes after entering the
cloud, was whirlins upwards with a
fearful rapidity, the balloon gyratlng, and
the car describing large circle in the
cloud. A noise resembling the rushing
of a thousand mildams, with dismal
moaning noise of wind, surrounded me
in this terrible flight. Whether this
rushing noise was occasioned by the hail.
and snow, which, at this time, was mef-
cilessly pelting around the balloon, !
am unable to tell. | was in hopes that
should soon be tossed out Of the top
Of the cloud. and there enjoy the
congenial sunshine, so pleasant above the
clouds. But in this was disappointed.
for after being hurled mp, as think,
many hundred feet, the balloon appear
ed to be suddenly depressed, and would
fall again with fearful rapldity, the
lower part being hurled to and fro, and
and then again driven up into the cavity
of the upper part, all the time discharg-
ing gas copionsly from the neck and
breakages caused by the ice. This har-
ling up and down was repeated eight or
ten times. Everything that was not Of
a tibrous 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 drowsness all the while, |
which think was only overcome by the
sickness of the stomach, followed by a
powerful fit of vomiting. After this
felt somewhat easier, both in mind and
in body, (for it is no use to say that |
was not considerably alarmed. and |
graspcd frmer hold 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 nor up through this huge
tenant of the air. After being tossed UP
and down, as before stated, | was finally /
released from its cavern of hail, snow,
and icicles, and found myself between 1t
and the earth, receiving the benefits of
cold shower of rain. coming down on the
spontaneous parachute principle, with a
portion Of gas in the balloon sufficient
to raise about 50.pounds weight from the
earth. I made final descent on MIR.
Goodyear's farm, five miles from Car
isle. | must remark that the density oil
this cloud did not appear alike all
through it. as could at times distinctly