The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1852-07-01
For the Daily Lancaster Gazette.
Narrative of Wise's I34th EriHI
voyage, made from Lancaster,
GhiO.June gath, 1852.


Ohio, June 24th, 1852.
Mr.. EDrToR:-At therequest of many cit
izens who honored with their presence the
occasion of my arial voyage from your city,
on Thursday last, herewith furnish you
with an account of the excursion. OF what
transpirediu iu the arena, during the imitation
and departure, it will be unnecessary to
speak, with that the large and respectable
audience who patronized the experiment are
we'll conversant.
At l5 minutes past four, the last cord that
restrained the restless air ship "Ulyses" was
sundered, and after making a few bounds
with an apparent attachment to old mother
earth, ascended with majestic stride into the
realms above. AS she rose swiftly and
smoothly the towering hilltops that adorn the
surrounding scenery Of Lancaster, sank
quickly and majestically into the general
level. For a few minutes the vast area SO
magnicently dotted and variagatcd with ma
ture's richest tints presented great circu-
lar plain, bounded all round by horizon Of
immense piles Of clouds. This view accord
ed beautifully with the old Ptolmaic theory
Of the planisphere; but by the time an alti-
tude Of 5000 feet was attained the vast plain
assumed hollow appearance-lmmedintely
underneath the car objects looked to be al
an immense depth, but off and approaching
the horizon they appeared to gradually rise
the furthermost, being from 40 to so miles
off, raising to level with the eye.
Fifteen minutes after my departure the
prospect was the most grand and extensive,
being at an altitude of about 1000 feet, there
was brought into view many towers and cit
les, Columbus, GAINESVILLE, Circleville,
Newark, Chillicothe, Logan, and innumera-
BILE little villages, garnished the splendid
panorama. The rich fields of wheat tinged
with various hues, the "bue stem" and
"white blue stem," the golden headed "med-
iteranian," the heavy topped "beard wheat
all these waving in the bright sunshine be-
meath, blending their golden hued tinges
with the rich velvet green Of the stately for
est trees patched between them in squares
and polygons, produced one Of the grandest
pictures that mortal eyes can rest upon.
The canal, rejecting the bright rays oi
the sun, shown like silver telegraph wire
was strung wave like over the landscape
To the North, a beautiful little lake, with Q
romantic little island, formed pleasing ant
enchanting pFospect-water Is a charactet
feature of establishment in Typographical
scenery. To the east, between me ant
GAINESVILLE, n cluster of buildings appeared
to stand on precipitous rocks-the sun shin
ing against them giving the scene a very un
| ique appearance, but what place or point j
exactly is am unable to say. Indeed, the
whole scene presented very vivid appear
ance to me, although have been alolt so oft
en-.
The atmosphere was remarkably trans
parent, and the clouds, where got above
them, reflected a heat and brilliancy
of light that was really painful at times
Thirty minutes after my departure thir
filmy cloud hung like gossamer curtain be
tween me and Lancaster, and the city hat
the appearance of floating on a lake of blue
lvapor, but as | rose above the cloud Lancas.
ter again assumed its terrestrial foundation.
Having now got about IL miles to the
South East of my numerous and intelligent
audience, and knowing that thousands of
eyes were still watching the small speck a.
bove the eastern horizon, and having noti-
fed many that would not 60 far, now
commenced rapid descent. AS ! lowered
to within hailing distance the last a miles Of
my voyage, loud and frequent were the salu-
tations that reached my ears. Some enthu-
siastic mortal cried aloud: 80! you look
look like Gabriel" Another, with fainter
strain cried "come down, come down, for
Gods sake come down."
My continued answers to the appea
from below seemed all the while to increase
the infection, and before finally landed
found | hallowed myself hoarse in respond
ing to the animated people who cheered me
during this part of the voyage.
Ats minutes past 5 landed on green
field, owned by Mr.. VIM. Bowlin, Marion
township, Hooking county, 16 miles from
Lancaster. JOHN WISE.
Lancaster, Ohio, June 25, '52.