The Georgetown news., 1855-11-29

Auburn, we moved towards Cumminsyille,
and then drifted over towards the Reading
turnpike, almost directly above which we
sailed until within the neighborhood of
Sharon. At one time the villages of Cum
minsville, College Hill, Mount Pleasant,
Carthage, Lockland, Reading, Sharon, and
three or four others, which we could not
distinctly recognize, were all within view.
The whole scene looked like an immense
garden, with little streamlets running thro'
it, the vast forests and fields looking much
like small enclosures. Indeed, as Mr.. Hoel
laughingly remarked, ga big farm don't
amount to much when observed from a bal
LOOM"
We conversed frequently with the people
below. One farmer invited US to stop and
take glass of hard cider, another for sup
per, and another was very anxious to know
if we intended to run all night. We dis
tinctly heard the establishments and
wonders of bevy of farm girls in a dai-
ry yard, and their horror when one of them
exclaimed, "why the men in it are talk
ing"
The party thus spent the time, now ad-
miring the fairy-like scenes which lay be-
fore US, or enjoying a chit-chat with the
folks below.
About halfpast 6 o'clock, when near
Sharon, we glided off into northwesterly
course: Mons. GODDARD, pointing to heavy
dark cloud before us, said, "no good" and
by gestures (for he can speak but few
words of English } indicated there was dan
ger of our getting ducking if we did not
| override the clouds. He threw out large
quantity OF ballast, and we shot rapidly up,
at the same time approaching the frowning
clouds beyond. A large village lay to our
right, but it was too dark for us to distin-
guish It, We supposed it to be Lebanon.
The earth was now covered with darkness.
and all we could observe below us was the
lights from the houses, which flickered like
mellow yellow stars
We seemed to float around and around
this village until we at last penetrated the
clouds. 1t then appeared as if we were en-
veloped in a gauzy veil, and the white
tleecy appearance of the clouds drew forth
simultaneous expressions of delight from
the whole party. While thus yelled in
mist, we heard it raining below us. The
sound was so much like the rattling of a
railroad train that we took it for that until
better informed.
Mons. GODDARD seemed anxious to override
the rain clouds. He cast loose the frame
of house that surrounded the car. and let
it drop. We heard it flap flap flap! un-
til the sound died away in our ears. More
ballast was thrown out, and we ascended
to the height iof 200 feet The atmos-
phere was still damp and very chilly
| Whilst at that altitude we We're very much
troubled with roaring through the ears.
sometimes SO bOiSterouS as to deafen US al
together.
THE DEsCENT-A TERRIBLE SCENE.
Soon after Mons. GODDARD had furnished us
the altitude from his barometer, he gave us
notice that we were descending. By ges-
ture he ordered US to lay fiat down at the
bottom Of the car, when be gave the word
OF command, and not to jump out of the
car under any circumstances. Just then
we struck tremendous gale of wind, and
1t was evident that we were not only sail
ing furiously. but descending rapidly. 1t
was so dark that nothing could be discov-
cred, but our commander mounted the side
of the car, cast out his anchor and waited
the result. He commanded us to lay down
and we had hardly obeyed before we felt
the car brushing over the tree tops.
The anchor caught and held us for mo-
ment, then we dashed into an adjoining corn
tield-a field, however, that was full of
stumps. Suddenly the car was dashed with
great force against tree; then up we went,
then down, now dragging on fence, again
striking stump or tree with great velo-
city, and again whizzing over the corn
stalks at lightning gallop. Every man
laid close in the bottom of the car except
Mons GODDARD, who stood up, holding upon
the valve. all hoping that the monster would
soon be controlled and we landed on terra
6rma.
Suddenly the balloon took fearful leap.
and brought the car with a tremendous
crash against stump, half upsetting it
Mons Godard'S face struck the stump. and
he was thrown to the ground. Atthe same
moment Col Latham and Mr.. Hoel were
thrown head-tOremOst out of the car. Mr..
Bellman and Ourself were left in the car
alone, and relieved Of the greater portion of
our weight, we expected it to bound again
into the air Mr.. Bellman, with great in
treepidity, clambered up the car side and
seized the valve rope, while Mons. GODDARD
took hold OF a rope swinging below.
A furious wind at that moment swept
past; the balloon made another bound, and
dashed the car against tall, heavy, dead
tree. The blow knocked US insensible, and
the next we knew we were lying with our
back upon the ground, the rain beating in
our face, our head crowded into one corner
OF the car, and the trunk of tree laying
across our body. We could not move. 1t
appears that the netting caught in the tree
we have mentioned, and so strong was the
force of the wind that the balloon pulled it
over on to the car, and the gas then esca-
ping rapidlv. the tree held the balloon Sc