The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-09-04
WHOLE NO. 7SS.

cloud-cap: and believing that was ont oi the
Influence of the storm gradual descent was
again commenced Great caution was now
required, a> every pound of ballast was spent
and 4 descent once commenced must br con-
clud.d slow as it might he. When had
settled about half wav down between the
and the lower cloud the uprising
current arrested the descent, and the balloon
was slightly drawn into the storm and was al
so receiving a smart shower of hail, which
perceived was discharcing from the clout-cap-
The hail made terrible noise on the hollow
silkcn gloge For moment felt uneasy;
above me stood the boling. din-v rloud-car,
below me the lightning was PLAYING too fear
fully to attempt descent through it.
The hail was pattering on the balloon, and
the thunder was roaring like thousand pie
ccs of artillery, and the balloon was rocking
to and fro like a trail reed. | now determn-
ed 10 sail for some time in the wake of the
storm. as to the west of me the sky was clear
of cloud Several times sheet lightning un-
dulated and quivcrcd between the upper and
lower clouds. 1t was of slight orange col
or, and no thunder followed it. This also sur
priscd me, and it moreover relieved me from
a fear of its effects. This lightning seemed
to have nothing to do with the electrical dis
charges below, and displayed itself precisely
like the aurora borcaiS-I think it was that
phenomenon. While in this position the bal
loon was turning rapidly on its vertical axis,
and rocking at the same time which madeline
slightly sick, like SeaSlckneSS.
Now. suddenly. a new scene presented IT.
self: a rainbow was forming a little in ad-
vance of and below me, with It's concave side
towards me. somewhat distorted in the shape
of the letter y. The balloon was now sink
iny slowly. and the storm also gaining little
speed in advance of ii. which brought me un-
der the arch of the rainbow. This was tru-
" sublime spec,a,lc-viewing it from be
hind and sideways through the arch, perspec-
lively open to my gaze, with IFS ceiling sides
trcsrord IN pri>maric rolor>. Nothing could
surpasS its grandeur, and in addition to this
every hail drop was pri>maiiraliv illuminated
aud below the ar,.h the mighty caullron of
dense vapor was buhbling and h"iling like
mMlStroom rolling out most terrific thunder,
and TO the side of the cauidron was pictured
the beautiful parphelion caused 10y the sun
shining on the balloon, a. now fell sufficient
" in the rear of the storm TO have the sun on
the balloon all the time she was above the
lower cloud, but still the outskirt Of the hail
was falling on it.
When found that the sheet of lightning
did not endangcr the balloon, and as felt Sc
cure from the electrical discharges bclow,and
the hail being small BEGAN TO rrgrct that
it WAS out OF my I'ower to follow this grand
meteor 10 lis conclusion. But my ballast is
all expended except some newspapers and
provisions. which threw overheard TO cheek
the balloon a little Longer; it must now incv-
itahlv soon come 10 earth, aud IN fifteen mill
cloud which was quite warm. This was about
eight miles west OF the Ohio river and ten
miles from Gallipolis.
Ate I. NJ landed on clear spot. land
they were scarce in this rrEion) in Gnvan
township, GalIia county, Ohio, under ashow-
cr OF rain. near the house OF Richard llarhor,
under whose roof slept that night This
wa> something over hundred miles from
Portsmouth hy the steamboat, route
~ | WAS under the impression that rain
and hail. as well aS SHOW, were formed IN the
lower cloud, having on former occasions dur
inw thunder storms, either sailed in the lower
cloud or above the upper, and never before
viewed storms from their sides 20 close TO | <
partly in them, will now briefly rerapitulate
its phenomenal. Ii will afford good data, be
cau>. both the storms al which ] received 4
portion OF the rai. and l.ail. presented tho
same appearance.
lst Thunder storms ha,c two plates of
clouds the upper drs, =. e. the ,on,cnts,
whatever it may to-, r.,I''. al or snow.
2i >heet-hrhrninr oi an orange color
undulates silently between the uircr and
lower cloud. in a wa,ing motion.
Sd The discharges OF electricity take
place in the lower cloul-hy discharges are
meant thunder and lightning.
4th. The distance between upper and
/, lower cloud was not less than 1000 icet-this
Is bv mere eve measurement.
9TH. The uprising current was not con-
tinued higher than the lower cloud, and was
risn. and whirling as l was in the margin
of the storm being in it twenty-five minutes.
9th. The storm was much wider below
than aboys, the depe>ite divcrging at least
% degrees from perpendicular line.
9Th. The deposition Of hail and rain was
} thicker in the center of the storm. / could
not OF course look through it, but viewed
one from It's front, the other from behind lis
line OF direction, and both appeared til,
sape-
sth, Under the shallow Of the upper cloud
it is very cold, and ia the lover cloud it is
quite WARM.
9Th. The upper cloud was moved by the
current which always blows from east to
west.