Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-07-04

able to distinguish II Oy us HlluoI u0'''t' ~
other house. Perpeudicularly, house may iHJn 1
no larger than siXpence; yet you VIII oe %'l0
to couut its windows, chimneys, pillars anu o''':.
smaller details, as if you held It's daguelreo'yP A.
your hand Horses on the shell road seemed 10
US like ants creeping along chalk line ye' We
were able to distinguish their legs quite as Pa''-
ly as we could those of an ant on our iorehhseF.
Charity Hospital Square looked as 1t we inigh'
grasp it with one hand yet we could discover Tue
minutie of that establishment with clearness ana
certainty that seemed absolutely miraculous. The
chimney of the gas works, down which we looked
reminded us of a tiny cotton-spool; the French
cemeteries resembled boxes of croctery stuffed In
with grass the Ridge cemeteries seemed scraps
of green velvet, studded with little bits OF egg
she'll; the Metarie race-track was so utterly III
SIGNIFICANT as to draw expressions OF the highest
astonishment from all the passengers; the cypress
swamp bore the sembance of plain covered with
dog ennel and the Carrollton, and Lake train OF
cars over which we passed resembled snail creep
ing slowly along, but sending up noise prodl-
giOus for an object so small.
Before we reached the Metairie Ridge, God
ard hauled Manduit into the basket aud hung up
his barometer. Over the Ridge cemeteries the
latter instrument indicated an altitude of ten thou
sand ieet-an announcement we never could have
believed but for the Liliputian appearance of the
race course. An escape Of quantity of gas down
through the neck of the balloon caused us to de
scend. Nearing the lake, we came down TO two
thousand feet Finding every thing favorable for
splendid trip, GODDARD announced his intention OF
crossing the lake, and offered to land any Of US
who might not wish to 90 farther. The party
was of course, unanimously in favor ofthe biggest
kind of ride; SO out went some ballast and away
we sailed. Crossing the lake we hailed fisher
men in pigmy snaclls played with echo till he
made us hoarse; admired the balloon over our
heads, the setting sun and the rising moon; held
uur breath to listen to the roar of the million white
crested waves beneath US, understanding and so,
lemn like a song of eternity and ate our supper
of roast turkey bread, cake, pate and wine, at an
elevation of ten thousand feet, with coquettish lit
lie clouds lowering around US, it they wishes to
approach and partake Of our good things. We
that is to say ourSelf-tasted of the wine very
IsparingIy and only in ceremony, being determined
to indulge only in the intellectual nectar of the
ride-a draught more exquisite, more exhara,ng
than any that ever came from a terrestrial vim
tage.
We left Lake Pontchartrain to the west of Pass
Manchac, and, crossing the latter, passed to the
east of Lake Maurepas, In north westerly dlrec-
ton. We crossed an immense wilderness, inter
sected by bayous cleaning in the moonlight, and
musical with the song of the whip-poor wills
owls, katydids, and frogs, which we were able tt
hear plainly at an indefinite height. Again We
payed with echo. who was not So sharptonguec
as on the lake, but more mellow and musical; de
scended low enough to distinguish cypress swampS
and pine highlands and dropped bottles at ter
Thousand feet for the establishment of the sound
their reaching the earth, and the length of time
elapsing before the sound would reach US.
At length we neared symptoms of civilization
A man in the forest beneath hailed us with buglt
and PLAYED us tune, which seemed strain be
longing to heaven rather than earth. We pasSe'
over fires in the woods; at length farms came II
sight, dull gray patches on the sombre green
the rolling panorama, and we could hear the shoul
and excitement of the people, and the dogs bark
Iinp as though they would bark THAR heads of
At some distance to the left cluster of twinklin!
liohts indicated town. Descending, we coulC
discern handsome mansions emboSomed In grove
Lon the margins Of the farms, with the gardens
IhedOes, roads and fences. la due time arg
cluster oflights to the right indicated another town
and one of considerable size. We had chart ant
compass and knew our course, but, having no lde
Of our rate of progression, were unable to hazard
ouess as TO our whereabouts. We descended re
neatedly within hailing distance, but our shout
we're answered by words which we could not un
derstand, mingled with the bayng OF the dogs
Between nine and ten O'Clock we descended 10
Inflammation, and were told by man that w
were in Jefferson county, Mississippi. This wa
a GREAT astonishment, none of us believing that W
we're vet past the State line. The first town W,
nossed to the left must have been Clinton, Louisi
ana. and the other to the right, Liberty, Missis
sipni. Our course had veered round to the north
and GODDARD made calculations to land at or nea
Vicksburr. We were now passing over nagnl
6cent cotton country at one turn OF the head W
were able to count from twenty 10 fifty plantations
Descending several times low enough to eXer
else our lungs, and finding that the country peop!
had rome to bed, Captain GODDARD prepared to trea
us to series of aerial tableaux, a feast OF sur
prises and dessert ofgrandeur. Attwelve thou
sand feet we were amid the lower clouds, some
times in the moonlight and sometimes IN the shade
for. as the currents Of air varied IN speed at Gil
Carent attitudes, the clouds were continually over
taking US, or changing their shapes aud position
about u.s. After brief stay up there, the ga
streams down through the neck, sending US to
wards terra frms with slight nausea. GODDARD
on his knees before the barometer, with bag o
sand resting on the edge of the car. Its moull
Crasped in his hand, takes up at will to any deslr
ed height. Up we go again to fourteen Thousand
feet-right into the middle of large cloud;
dense foo surrounding US, mostenlng our garments
and shutting out all view of the earth, but per
mittinU Dame Luna to look at US through res
nlendent halo. tinted with the hues of the rain
how. sensation uf thickness in our ears indl
Gates the rarity of the atmosphere, though GU
lunus can discover no difference. Down we drop
and up again, several times, renewing our vapO
bath, and nhaling the down-jetting gas IN rathe
unpleasant quantities. Finally. with libera
discharge Of Sand. up we 90 again to the clouds
through them, and far above them TO our creates
altitude, namely, sixteen thousand feet, or neafl
three miles.
This is the grand event ofthe journey. We knoy
we shall never be able to describe it justly. n
poetic enthusiast. no opium eating or mesmer'
dreamer could ever conceive of anything halt S
beautiful, SO exquisiely grand, SO overPoweTing
ly sublime. The picture was daguerreotyped al
over our soul, and were we to outllve Methuseian
: il would never in the least be tarnshed by tn
mould of forgetfulness. The deep blue OF tn
ethereal vault. studded with stars and lllumed D,
the moon, twinkling and beaming in their prlstin
: glory, canOped US and rested all around us on
horizon of snow white clouds. Though thes
clouds were separate, they appeared to US as on
undivided mass, their jagged shapes and shad
outlines being plainly marked upon each other
They shut out all view of the earth, and seeme'
TO form vast bowl or basin beneath US, a vale
of vapory snow-banks, fit for the revelry OF tn
gods, for an ethereal pantheon. or any mythology
cal congress. The moonlight was so clear, ant
50 strongly reflected BY the vapors beneath, tina
the watches, compass, and map of the party wer'
as Ineligible almost as by day, and we having
newspaper in our pocket, drew 1t forth and wer
enabled to read the smallest print In 1t WIN ease
and did read some of it aloud for the gratfcatio