The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-10-26
\ BALLOON Trip Of FOur Hundred
nud FinY Miles.

O. ILOW /W % u ~ 1NtWF 1AOW /@ ~
Gradd Carrot Some uneasiness has been
felt at Marseilles, says a Paris paper, re.
specting the fate Of an intrepid aronaut
Damed Arban, who set out from that town |
in balloon on Sunday evening. the I'd |
of September. at 6 o'clock. Letters from
Turin have been received announcing his
arrival on the Sd. at 2 clock, A. NJ (i.e. |
eight hours after his depariure,) at the |
Abbey ofStupini, not far from the capi.
tai of Piedmont. We subjoin the iline.
rary of Mr.. Acknowledging set out on
Sunday evening, the Cd of September,
from the Chateau des Fleurs Marseilles).
| passed over the wood of Esterel at s
o'clock, and my experiments showed me
that | was then at an elevation OF 1000
metres. The temporal ure was already
cold, but dry. and my centigrade ther-
mometer marked four degrees belowzero.
The wind blew S. W., and carried me
towards Nice. For two hours | was en-
veloped in thick clouds above my head;
my pelisse was no longer sufficient to pro.
tect me against the cold; and my feet suf
fered most grievously. | nevertheless
resolved TO continue my voyage; deciding
TO cross the Alps. from which knew |
was not far distant; my supply of gas be-
ing sufficient To raise my balloon above
the highest peaks. The cold increased,
the wind became steady, and the moon
ightened my path like the meridian sun.
| was at the foot of the Alps; the snow,
the cascades, and the mountain torrents
sparkled in the light; the abysess and
rocks formed large black masses, which
served as shade to this gigantic picture.
The wind rather baffled the regularity of
my course; was alternately obliged to
descend and to ascend in order to sur.
mount the incessant peaks. 1t was III
o'clock at night when attained the sum.
nit of the Alps; the horizon then be-
came clear and my course regular. /
then began to think of supper. | was
1900 metres high; and was obliged as a
matter of necessity, to continue my voy-
age towards Piedmont. only saw a
chaos before me, into which descent
was impossible. -..f
AFTER having supped, conceived the
idea of throwing my empty brandy bottle
into the midst ofthe snowy waste, in or
der that any subsequent traveller might
discover some vestige of my ascent AT
half past / A. NJ, found myself above
Mount Viso. which knew well. having
explored it on a former occasion. The
Po and the Durance thence derive their
source. | recognized the position, aud
discovered its magnificent plains. Be-
fore this conviction had been obtained, a
singular effect ofmirage, 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 TO 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-
sembled an immense block of crystal,
which scintilIa,ed with thousand CO.
ruscations. AT quarter to 3 o'clock
Mount Viso clearly showed me that was
near Turin; and | resolved 10 descend
| did so without difficulty. l descended
in the vicinity of an immense farm; sew
eral watch dogs greeted me, and my pc
lisse alone preserved me from their rude
caresses. Their barking awoke the
pc asants, who were more surprised thar
f scared by my presence. They inform
ed me that it was 3 O'Clock in the morn
ing, and tn at was IN the village of Pior
Forte, near Stupini, six kilometres from
Turin. ! passed the night in the farm
house, and the next morning obtained q
certificate from the Mayor, attesting my
arrival reached Turin at o'clock A
NJ. and Immediately wrote to my dear
wife at Chateau dus Fleurs. then re.
paired to NJ. Bois le Comte, the French
Ambassador, who delivered me pass.
mort. and at IL o'clock | attended mass
in the Church of Medre.di. .Dio, at the
funeral service in honor of the death ol
Charles Albert. | afterwards saw re-
view; in the evening went to the Thea
tire of Angenues, Ligier played the par
of Lous XI. could not help meditatinl
on the fact, that on the preceding even
ing, at the selfsame hour, [ was at the
Chateau des FIeurs, at Marseilles, some
i4O leagues distant.