Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-07-01
PtrilOns Balloon Ascension.

'ooh' VI the Thllaueiphia inquirer isgiVep py MI |
WISE, the nronau,, of the fearful position in which
he was placed during balloon ascension which he
made from Carlisle, on Sa'ur lay last:
CARLISLE, Iune l9, ls43.
Mr.. Editor According to announcement, on |
Saturday last set out on my forty first ~ral er-
cursion, from the Borough Of Carlisle, at Is min.
utes pas, 2 o'clock. slight breeze from the West
waited me a short distance, when the ascent be-
came more perpendicular. The frs, thing that
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 I have witnessed for some time, at a
balloon ascension and the whole affair appeared
animated from the fine appearance Of the mil.
itary, together with their repeated firing after the
departure Of the "Comet."
When had reached point about two miles
east Of the town the balloon commenced rapid and
perpendicular ascent. which soon brough, me to
the base of huge black cloud and il has al
ways created deep interest to spectators to zee .
balloon passing through clouds ! did not hesitate
on this occasion to give my numerous audience an
exhibition of this kind, although might have
voided il, and kept beneath the clouds, where the
current would have taken me to Harrisburg which
place was already distinctly in my view. This
part Of my adventure, hal reason soon after re.
gret, although at the present time it gives me
qualification to contemplate its reality, than any
thing that has lately nanspreJ in my pral adven-
tufos Th. Ietails that sh he,e oivc of hi.
rible scene may be relied on, as kept myself sulli.
ccntly composed to appreciate its grandeur, and ob
serve it's physical operations. The cloud, to the
best Of my Judgment, covered area Of from four
to six miles in diameter I, appeared Of circular
form, and considerably depressed in i,s lower sur.
iacc-or might say. it presented grea, concavi-
ty toward the earth, with its outer edges very rag.
gej. 1t was also Of dark smoky color.
noticed at some distance from where I entered
the cloud, the appearance Of q heavy shower Of
rain. The first sensations experienced when en-.
tering the cloud, were extremely unpleasant. A
difficulty Of respiration, almost to suocaton fol.
lowed by sickness Of the stomach. This, however,
somewhat ahated for a short time the cold in the
mean time becoming intense, and every thing Of n
| hbrous nature thickly covered with hosr frost
The cloud a. this point. which appeared to be in
the midst Of it, had no, the black appearance it pre-
| sentcd underneath, but was Of light, milky CO.
lor, and yet so Dense that could only family see
the balloon above me--a di.tance Of sixteen feet
From the intensity of the cold in this cloud con
clujed that the gas would conjense itself, and III,
balloon would consequently soon descend beneath
| it again. where the atmosphere much warmer
In this however found myself mistaken for, il
few minutes after entering the cloud, was whr
led upwards with n fearful rapiji,y, the balloon gy
rating and The car descr hing large circle in th'
cloud |; a noise resembling the rushing of thou
sand mill DAMS with a dismal moaning noise O
wind. surrounded me in this terrible fight
Wheihe! this rushing noise was occa.oned b,
hail and snow, which a, tho time was merciles.l,
pelting around the balloon, am unable to tell.
was in hopes tha, should soon be tossed out o
the top Of the cloud and there enjoy the congena
sun>hne-so pleasant above the clouds. But il
this was disappointed, for aft,r being hurled up
as think, many hundred feet the balloon appea
I
with q fearful rapijity, the lower part hurled l.
and fro, and then again driven up into the cavit
OF the upper part, all the time discharging gas CO
piously from the neck, and breskages caused by tn
ice. This hurling up aud down was repcate
; eight or ten times. Every thing that was not G
fibrous nature, such the anchor, car, and bs
; loon, became coated with smooth ice. All tn
time that remained in THE cloud, which was twer
, ty minutes, the storm ragged with unabating fur,
and it was only hy the immense loss of ga. that
became released from its terrors. fell an in,ens
drowsiness all the while, which | think was onl
overcome by the sickness of the stomach, followe
by powerful fit of vomiting
After this, I felt somewhat easier, both in min
and in body, (for i, is Of no use to say that WI
not considerably alarmej) and grasped finn,
hold Of the sides of the car, determined TO abide n
! result with as much composure and observation,
the nature of the case would admit; as it appea
ed evident that the common discharge Of gas
ballast, would neither let me down or up. hroug
this huge ,enan, of the air, After being tossed u
= and down, before stated. | WAS finally releas,
from its of hail, snow and icices, and -four
myself between it and the earth, receiving the he
efits of heavy and cold shower of rain, comir
down on the spontaneous parachute principle, wit
portion of gas remaining in the ballon, suficie
to raise abou, fifty pounds weight from the ear,
| made final descent on Mr.. Goodye ears farm, fl
miles from Carlisle.
must remark, that the density Of this cloud d
v | not apDear alike all through jt as | cou1 at tim