The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-06-08
TraveIs among the Clouds.

Brooks, who started Tuesday afternoon with |
his balloon on a tour of observation beyond
and above the clouds. AS early yesterday
morning he had not arrived, the readers of the |
Journal began to think there must be some
truth in the telegraph dispatch we published,
dated 1875 miles above Terra frma, giving an
account of his collision with the man in the
moon, and the news that he was depending
on a stray comet for provisions. But later
in the morning, Mr.. B. made his appearance
on the steamer Glendale, returning in d.
rectly opposite direction from what he was
aiming when he disappeared behind the
clouds out Of the sight of Evansville gazers.
He called to see US yesterday, and gave an
account of his trip, which we presume our
readers would be pleased to hear, as SO mary
Of them marked with wondering eyes his
rendng the mystic veil that shadowed the
earth, and disappearance in the ininitude of
cloud and sunshine above.
A few minutes after leaving the enclosure,
at ten minutes past O'Clock, he was passing
through dark canopy of clouds, in west
ernly direction from the city-a dim mist
slightly obscuring the balloon at first from
the gazers below, then closing in upon it,
and enwrapping the navigator and his slight
fabric in its mysterious veil. He was a long
time getting through these clouds, the gas
becoming rariied by the damp GOODNESS, and
the clouds very heavy and thick. So impen-
etrable was their mist he could not see the
balloon, but felt the droppings of water
which trickled from its smooth sides. But
light gradually broke in upon him, then the
first Pickering rays of sunshine seemed melt
ing through the feecy mists, and then-he
broke into the full and magnificent glory Of
sunshine above the clouds! Piling up al
either side were mountain clouds, whitenet
and gilded by the sun, and more glorious in
their arrayings than anything of earth. He
had emerged from valley of clouds, bu
swiftly assembled the sides of the mist noun
tains, and soon the gas-winged machine sho
, above them like an eagle, and traversed The
illimitable ether as thing of life and beau
ty. The warm sun expanded the gas, ant
the sides of the balloon perceptibly swellet
with its strengthened life, and it mounted
swifter than ever. Just above the clouds
the heat was oppressive, from the reflection
of the sun. The shadow of the balloon wa
plainly thrown upon the clouds, and tn
voice of the eronaut was echued with SUI
n prsing distinctness. But as he rose higher
the atmUspAnre became cool, then unpIeas
antly cold. Frost formed on the DuituO,
h and the flesh of the navigator appeared I
e be swollen by the extreme ratification
g the atmosphere, with a sensa ton of tightnes
}. in the head, and buzzing in the ears. H
e was then at his highest elevation, probabl
% three miles above the earth, and higher tha
j. he had been any previous ascension. An
n still light feecy clouds were above him. A
). he had approached these banks of mist, the
IF sappeared, and when he got where they la
ar been, they were not, at least to his view
IS Below him rolled clouds upon clouds, and b.
b. meath them the earth, but not perceptible
a. him.
lie clouds, he met with an upper current of al
u which reversed his course. He evident
IN passed over the lower part Of Evansville,
to he could distinctly hear the hammering
E. boilers, the rumbling of wagons, and IL
e. putting of steamboat In about an ho
nd and a quarter from the time of starting,
a, was descending rapidly through the low
nj tier of clouds, and the earth again brol
CHI upon his view. A beautiful little town a
lit peared about two miles distant This W
no Rockport, Ind, forty miles from Evansyil
re by river, and in a directly opposite cour
ms lr ON that which he took at starting! B
he an under current of wind swept him bat
gi- in the country, out of sight of the river al
ct of Rockport. He finally attempted to la
a in large field near house. A coup
children ran in the house greatly alarm
he and told their mother, "the moon was comir
to DOWN. A gust of wind, however, swe
mt the balloon out in the forest, and it landed
he the top of high hickory tree, where it firm
ir. stuck. Some women and children came
n sight and fed. He understood afterwar
?, some men flew to their rifles! But sever
he men finally gathered beneath the stran
no visitor and offered their assistance. Mr..
stayed up in that tree about an hour, b
finally got pulled down by means of ror
P. The balloon and netting were tom, but n
at very badly. Mr.. B. found he had landed
NY the farm of Mr.. John Stevenson, in Lu
ed township, Spencer county, eight miles ba