Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1849-10-27
A $50 MILES TRIP IN A BALLOON
How far is 1t to Turin? How Jar to

Ho,o far is it to Turin? How tar to
Grand CdirOE
Some uneasincss had been felt at Mar
selles, says u Paris paper, respecting the
fate OF an intrepid nroraut named ArDan,
who Sc! out from that town in Il balloon
on Sunday evening, the I'd OF September,
at o'clock. Letters from Turin have
been received, announcing his arrival OIL
the Sd, at 2 o'clock, Il. IN. ii. c. eight
hours after his DEPARTURE y ut the Abbey
OF Stupini, not far from the capital OF Pl-
edmont. We subjoin the itinerary of MIR.
Arban:
Having set out on Sunday evening,
the ID OF september, from the Chateau
des Fleurs, Marseiles, | passed over the
wood OF EstcIel at 8 O'clock, and my ex-
perimcnts showed me that | was then at
an elevation of 1000 metres. The tenn
pcruturc was already cold, but dry, and
my ccntigradc thermometer marked four
degrees below zero. The wind blew
Southwest, and carried me towards Nice.
For two hours | was enveloped in thick
clouds above my head; my pelisse was
no longer sufficient to protect me against
the cod and my feet suffered most g.lcv-
ously. nevertheless resolved TO conIin-
ue my voyage, deciding to cross the Alps,
from which 1 knew was not far dlsta,.t; );
my supply of gas being sufficient to raise
my balloon above the highest peaks.
The cold increased, the wind became
steady, an0 the moon lightened my path
like the meridian sun. 1 was at tie foot
of the Alps; the snow, the cascades, and
the mountain torrents sparkled in the
light; the abysses and rocks formed large
black masses, which served rs II shade 10
this gigantic picture. The wind rather
baill.d the regularity of my course; was
alternately Obliged to descend and ascend,
il order to surmount The incessant peaks.
1t WAS l O'clock at night when L attain
cd the summit Of the Alps; the horizon
then became clear and my course regular.
| then began to think OF supper L was
1900 metres high and was obliged as a
matter oInecesslty to continue my voyage
towards Piedmont. | only saw cnaos
before me, into which a descent was i'm
possible. After having supped, con-
ceivcd the idea Of throwing my empty
brandy bottle into the midst OF the snowy
waste, in order that any subsequent tray
ellcr might discover some ycstlge Of my
ascent. At half past Il, m. found my
self above Mount Yiso, which l knew well,
having explored it on II former occasion.
The 70 and the Durancc thence derive
their source. | recognized the position,
and discovered its magnificent plains. Be
fore this conviction had been obtained, Il
singular effect of mirage, produced by the
reflection of the moon on the snow and
the clouds, would have led me to imagine
that [ was on the open sea. The west
wind, however, had not ceased 10 blow,
and my exact observations showed me
that could not be much above the level
Of the sea. The stars came to my assis-
tance, and | deserted Mount Blanc, the
position of which indicated that was ap-
preaching Turin. Mount Blanc on my
left, scared above all the clouds, and re-
semblcd an immense block OF crystal,
which scintilated with thousand corus.
cations. At q quarter TO o'clock, Nit.
Viso clearly showed me that / was near
Turin; and resolved to descend. i did
SO without difficulty. descended in the
vicinity of an immense farm; several
watehdogs greeted me, and my pelisse
alone preserved me from their rude cares
scs. Their barking awokc the peasants,
who were more surprised than scared by
M presence. They informed me that 1t
WAS o'clock in the morning, and that L
was in the village Of Pion Forte, near Stu.