New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-23
Mr.. Elliott's Balloon Ascension.

your disposal Your readers are generally
aware | suppose, that it was a postponed as
cension from the preceding Wednesday. the
arrangements of the weather having unfortu-
Lately Of late been somewhat in conflict with
mine. Indeed, on Monday afternoon, as you
nave already stated. the sky assumed so mena-
cling m aspect that some Of my friends wished
me again to defer my voyage. | aware,
however, that the motion of storm was ro-
tatory, and that although the wind from all
points Of the compass bl0ws towards the scene Of
commotion, it only impinges against the peri
hhery Of the storm. aud then describes curve
upwards and outWards ind every body who
witnessed my ascension on Monday, saw pre-
csely that effect in the course Of the balloon,
until it was obscured from view by the inter
vening clouds. ] felt confident, therefore, that
however formidable the gust might be, should
be thrust to the outside and in any event could
easily soar above it.
At little before six o'clock / entered the
| car, the balloon having proved amply inflated
| lor my purpose, and enabling me TO carry
| intl supply Of ballast. Every thing being
feady, Cast of and mounted with considerable
| rapidlty about 500 feet. when change in the
atfnosphere acted quite suddenly upon the gas,
and Its rapid condensation would have caused
| me to descend but for an immediate and liberal
discharge OF ballast. Thus relieved the aeros 8
| sprung gaiiy upwards, and with regular and
easy motion. From the position [ was now at
| tanning, commanded view Of earth and sky
| Of surprising beauty, sublimity and awe /
| don't know that I have ever hinted heretofore
| that the aeronant may well be the most skepti-
| cal man about the rotuniity Of the earth
| Philosophy imposes the truth upon US, but the
| view OF earth from the elevation Of balloon is
| that Of an immense terrestrial basin, the deeper
| part of which is that directly under ones feet
| As We ascend. the earth beneath us seems to
| fecede--actually to sink away while the hori-
zon gradually and gracefully lifts q diversified
| sLope, stretching away farther and farther to a
| line that, at the highest elevation, seems to
| close with the sky. Thus upon d clear day,
the aeronant feels as if suspended at about an
! equal distance between the vast, blue. oceanic
concaye above, and the equally expanded terres-
| trial basin below On Monday the effect was
| modified by the condition Of the sky
| At elevation, which did not particularly
note, the northern slope Of the horizon was in
| tercepted by the heavy clouds accumulated in
| that quarter, but the extended view became
strikfngly grand. while the phenomena Of the
scene were we'll calculated to inspire my mind
| with awe. The lightning was playing at inter
walls of miles as far as the eye could reach while
| the cDncussion Of the atmosphere from TIE re-
! verbfration Of the thunder produced IN almost
| ince.sant agitation Of the balloon. 1t quivered
! n every fibre, tie network and cords like
nerves pulsating 20 the car, sni cons family re-
mLuding me of the extreme sensibilty of the
machine. While debating a little practical phil
/ oSOpuy, suggested oy the occasion, the balloon
| plunged into a volume of vapor, and | was in an
/ instant solitary end alone The beautiful earth;
the busy city: the thronged amrhitheatFe with
4 It's upturned faces, that resembied go many
| dimes and half-dimes. and the much greater
| number o. small coin peering upwards from the
| outside the Washington Monument about six
| inches nigh, and other elevations SPOTTED with
\ more lpturAed small coin the fertile country
Verdent with the genial season, the river, the
bay wood and plain. hill and valley, all were in
a moment yeiled from sight, and was alone
Ia few minutes emerged above this stratum
! of clouds into clear ain, but there were clouds
stlll higher reaching away the horizon, in re-
markahle contrast with the dark mass below
These were white as piles Of snow, and, where
they occasionally caught the ravs Of the sun,
rejected his brightness with 9azzliur effect The
cold mere was quite severe, and had some cause
70 arprehend the formation Of hal, which might
cut the s5lken wallis of the balloon | therefore
discharged gas and again descended in view Of
the earth, my career now bearing northeast.
l"uchng an occasional cloud, soon descended
tHyond that region ard gradually nesred the
sdrIace. dropping anc ur III length upon farm,
slnd attracting AZ eu.c large utluber of per-
sons towards me, who dashed, somewhat incon-
sideTatey' thFor. .gh fields Of grain from all quar-
ters. 10 prevent further damage, trppsd my
anchor, pte led aut halast, and again ascended
aoo9t 9oo .eet hailed the folks. and under
stood thef a 20 say that the farm belonged to Alr,
-Ieyers Contirung onward about alis. INV
' tnsr' hually descended about thr,. and a hal
liiie s from she city
ANEeDorE or UNs.. p4eH,z--a 4 s,io,., l. D,
las ~ FURNISHED gs with IN interesting anecdota ~
:, tsl l at,Ras one OF the master sI,iris of the
I :h - Nish 41ihpfe The son Of a poor Austrian
i+ieotehhht OF the name OF HAITIAN Omer was. in
i ms Jun appointed Sub Inspector OF Roads in
: naimatla' Already he was tired Of Anstria
! government bal M
t, nets oor!ns country, offered him the best
= vi ~ u uiakhe: his fortune; With a passport
I'M +la so,lie loney he passed the frontier and en-
~ y tue village Of Omer-A Assay Hardly
-! - tte Pe Aetrated into Bosnia, than he was
e Pis ahi 4 by robbers of all be possessed even to
! nn3 ~ !afki8h peasant took pity on him,
/ - furnished him with clothes aud money
.rclvlng at BENZ Loaka without resources. he
was happy TO find employment in the house of a
AuIklsR merchant; he had daughter with
whom the young Austrian became enamored.
anu was about TO marry her, when, untortun-
ately' she died From this time Hattah turned
| Alahometan, and took the name OF Ouer in re-
2 membrance OF the first Turkish village he SION
PED nc. From ReDja Loaka 0mer went to Wild
e dln, to seek service under Hussim Pasha At
|, this time he was in the flower of manly beauty,
: representing of the most graceful models of
: Tue Croat race, with pure aud soft complexion,
J. eyes soft and penetrating, and splendid bg-
| III.
e The Pacha was encamped in sight of Widdin in
= u superb green tent, lined within with red vel
] vet and gold. According to the Eastern custom,
d omer entered the tent without ceremony Just as
Q the chief had risen from his siesta
] What do you want y asked the Pacha
, sIo enter the service OF your Exceleney''
| We have already too many strangers in our
troops, was the reply.
OAer then took out of his pocket small
e package neatly folded, and begged the Pacha to
accept it.
What is all this2'' asked the chief.
! sSome gloves, your Excelencya
! : And what are they used for ?, gloves being
Il thing unknown to him.
! When you are marching in the broiline
SUM-" replied 0mer, . have not your fair hands
sometimes blistered, aud do not your fingers
often get stitfenea hold ng your hard brides
" And how do you get them on - said the
Paeha with a smile
: omer quickly showed him. Having got them
on, aussim raised his arms and gazed upon his
hands in astonishment, as did his officers who
then entered the tent These gloves got Omer
employment, and soon after he became the Pa
Gha's aid de-camp, When the Governor of Wild
den died, he set off for Constantinople and rising
rT9Iually. hararnn EppaT,1iss;r,55