Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-10-27
Crossing the Alps in a Balloon.

Nj. Arban, a French aeronaut, assembled in
bis balloon from the Chateau DIES Fleurs at
GA in the evening of the I'd inst. and alighted
Mt the village of Pion Forte, near Turin, the
following morning, at %, having accomplish
cd the distance, about 400 miles, in eight
hours. The particulars of this voyge are
related by M. Arban himself in one Of the
Marseilles papers, as follows: 81 assembled
from the Chateau DIES Fleurs on Sunday eve
ming. the Cd inst at 63 o'clock. At 8 | was
over the wood of Esteret, where | ascertain
ed that / was at a height of about % miles.
The temperature of the air was cold, but dry;
my centIgrade thermometer marked four de-
grees below zero. The wind was southwest
and sent me over Nice. For nearly two
hours was surrounded by very dense clouds /;
nv cloak no longer suficed to keep me warm (;
| suffered much from cold feet. |, neverthe-
less. determined to proceed and to traverse
the Alps, from which knew | was not far
distant. My provision of ballast was enough
to raise me above the highest peaks. The
cold gradually increased, the wind became
steady, and the moon lighted me like the sun.
| was at the foot of the Alps; the SHOWS,
cascades, rivers, all were sparkling the ra-
vines and rocks produced masses of darkness,
which served as shadows to the gigantic pic
ture. The wind now interrupted the regu-
larity of my course. / was occasionally obi
ged to ascend, in order to pass over the
peaks. ] reached the summit of the Alps at
IL o'clock, and as the horizon became clear,
and my course regular, | began to think of
supping. | was now at an elevation of %
miles. 1t was indispensably necessary for
me to pursue my journey, and reach Pied
mont. Chaos only was under me, and to
alight in these regions was impossible. AZ
ter supper / threw my empty bottle into the
snow beneath, where, possibly, some adven-
turous traveller will one day find it, and be
led to conclude that another before him had
explored the same desert regions. At ] J in
in the morning | was over Mount Misso,
which | knew, having explored it in my first
Journey TO Piedmont. There the DURANGO
and the Pc take their source. i ~reconnoiter-
ed the position, and discovered the magnifi-
cent plains of the mountain. Before this
certainty, a singular optical delusion, occa-
stoned by the shining of the moon upon the
snow. was like TO make me think myself
over the open sea. But as the southwest
wind had not ceased to blow, L was convinc-
ed by this fact, as well as by others | had
noticed, that | could not be over the sea-
The stars confirmed the accuracy of my
compass, and the appearance of Mont Blanc
satisfied me that | must be approaching Tur-
in. Mont Blanc to my left on u level with
the top of which l was, being far above the
clouds, resembled an immense block of crys-
tai sparkling with a thousand fires. At a
quarter to three, Mount Viso, which was be-
hind me, proved to me that | was in the
neighborhood of Turin. l determined to
alight, which | did without any difficulty,
having ballast enough to go much further. ]
alighted near a large farm-yard, where l was
surrounded by several watch-dogs, from
whose caresses / was protected by my cloak,
Their barking awakened the peasants, who
were more surprised than frightened at see
ing me. They admitted me To their f0usc-
informed me that it was half-past two, and
that l was in the village of Pion-Forte, neal
Stubini, 81 miles from Turin. l passed the
remainder of the night in the farmhouse, ant
in the morning the peasants accompanied mi
to the Mayor, who delivered me a certificate
a~ttesting my arrival, &c. After packing vi
my balloon and car, | set out for Turin
where | arrived at 8 in the morning.