The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-09-04
THRILLING NARRATIVE T..

MIR. wISE's l3l>T .tRIAL VOYAGE, MADE
FRoM PORTSMOUTH,, OHIO, JUNE 3, 1872.
The Sd of June was u>hcrcd in with squalls
and thunder clouds, which continued unit!
>cttIn" sun. The nature OF the weather was
such that few expected to see balloon As
cen>lon, II one should be attempted. After
had commenced the imitation of the AERIAL
vessel, the violence oi the wind WAS such a>
to make the balloon 81 unmanlgcahle that
should have deSpalred OF success III the at
tempt myself, had not my confidence been
strongly established by repeated trials Of the
noble air->hip ulysses"
At % minutes past }. L. NJ the wind hav-
lng somewhat ahatcd, made the final prep
arationS tor the yoyayc, and in ten minutes
after cut the last cord that bound the air
ship To terra tirma. The ascent was slow at
first moving at a moderate elevation over the
city in a southcaStcrlv iircction but by the
time reached the OHIO the ascent became
rapid, and soon attained an elevation of
about two thousand feet. This kept me be-
low the ran"c OF the heavy cumulu> clouds.
with which the heavens were 81 drl>clv
charged far and wide, and the balloon sailed
>luy"i>hly underneath them, laborin. as ii
were under a heavy pressure.
II,,, Il l.
and passing along the range oi hill. three
rifle shots were fired. and one of the ball,
struck my car, but the conclusion was 81
slight that had it struck my person it could
not have produced any injury or pam. The
ball reaching and striking the car must hav,
been the mcre>t accident Tor am not willin.
TO award such consummate precision OF AIN
at that distance OF hci ght, even 10 kentuck -,
riileman.
Taking view towards the southwest.
noticed a thundcr-gust moving towards III,
line of direction. and had now attained al
altitude that fairly breasted the storm. From
this presumed that it WAS impossible III,
storm could reach me, believing the sam,
current which was moving the storm alon:
must move me along ahead of 1t, and the dis
tancc between the balloon and the storm wa
at least two miles In this, however. >ool
found nv mistake. for somehow or other tn,
thundcr-guSt was gaining rapidly on me
warning me must endure It's peril. or ris'
above it by di>char@ing ballast became
deeply interested in viewing this meteorolog
ical phenomenon. especially when | saw th'
torrents di>gorging from the upper clou'
which seemed to cap the storm. The thun
der and lightning was all di<playin" itself il
the clouds below. say clouds. because the,
were detached and rugged, and occasionally
the flashes would Jump from one to the other
watched it until its approach became st
near that the outskirts of It's rain fell on th,
balloon, and the car bcTan to rock from tn,
effects Of its whiring motion. now threw
, over sufficient ballast TO raise ne entircl,
above it. which gave me adirection NOR
ea>terlv than the course of the storm, and a
t we were separating, the parting saiutes oi
!. heavens artillery were truly grand and i'm
, posing.
As had not determined to make Ion!
VOYAGE when started and knowing that m,
, voyage had for some time past ceased to b
of immediate interest to the audience har
: left at Portsmouth, made some observation
, preparatory to a descent, for had now 90
into region Of atmosphere where occaSiona