The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-10-10
Narrative of Wise's 2lOth Aerial
Voyage.
From the Boston Traveller.

'"i"i 'ii oio,'lu III I'ld'tloiU, w., Cept. 20
at five minutes before three, p. NJ, and in ;
few minutes an elevation of 5000 feet was at
tanned. when dog and parachute were LEI
OFT. The experiment went off very handsome
ly, and Tray seemed rather to enjoy his down
ward journey, and by the time he had reach
ed terra frma the Young America attained
an altitude that overlooked one of the most
magnificent panoramas that human eve could
contemplate. Mountains upon mountains, as
! far as the eye could reach all around, and lust
above the visible horizon beautiful curtain
OF clouds encompassed the vast panorama
The road up Mount Washington was distinct
ly visible. though it was many miles off.
Having now attained an altitude of over two
miles, and being about twenty miles Fast of
Bradford, the earth below presented to view
vast basin. interspersed with hillocks and
lakcs-of lakes not less than fifty were in
sight, and of mountains the number was lc-
gion: and here several large buzzing flies
came lowering round the car for some min
utes. This somewhat surprised me. consid-
erlng the great height above the earth: and
| also felt somewhat surprised at finding the
atmosphere pleasantly warm. and where the
sun shone on my body it produced sens;,-
ton like the priching of needles. At half
past three the gas commenced rushing from
the neck of the balloon. which was compcn-
satcd by proportionatc discharge of ballast.
as wished the balloon to hold this altitude.
seeing that the current would watt me some
where near to Portsmouth. y. H., and thus
bring me on the Eastern Railroad. which
would facilitate my journey to Bangor. at
which place was announced to ascend ON
the Both of September: and moreover the
current was moving at the rate of mile per
minute. As was sailing along could not
refrain from exclamations over the beautiful
forms that God had given to the world. and
It impressed upon my mind the conviction
that higher destiny awaits mankind than
steamships and rail-cars can possibly supply
the perfection of the art of aerial travel.
At 3 o'clock Is min. crossed village and
observed railroad beneath. with lake Win
nipiscogec to the east This lake is full of
islands. and the little steamboats, were navi-
eating through it. and it puzzled me for
some time to find the narrow passage where
they got through from the lower to the up
per portion of it. The whole length of the
lake did not appear over 500 yards. | rose
considerably here. by which | reached the
upper current of wind. and thus made de-
tour along the southern border of the lake.
a very handsome boquct of flowers was pre-
scntc9 me by lady when l started from
Bradford. and upon getting up to nv former
altitude. it gave out for the second time a
fragrance so sweet and strong. that became
satisfied some peculiar atmospheric phcnomc-
non was going on in the distillation of essen
tai odorS. as there was also at the same time
punScntly singing sensation produced on
my hands and face. probably supcrinduccd
by the discharge Of hydrogen from the safety
valve Of the balloon.
The scenery beneath and around had now
become so interesting that laid down nv
note book. determined that would no long
er, for even moment, be deprived of seeing
any portion of it. inasmuch as l was gliding
over the country so rapidly Villages innu-
merablc cncompasscd me on all sides: in
some of them the church bells were runc as
| passed along, and all around the villagers
Saluted the arrival of Young America bv the
firing of guns and earnest invitations to
allght. Over some localities | was enabled
to keep up a running conversation. while over
others | could not; but noticed that where
it could be done the echo of my own voice
was always very distinct in its returning
sounds.
At 4 o'clock 80 minutes my note book says: :
"Crosscd volcanic crater" 1t was so
noted because the geological appearance of it
looked like pictures drawn by eye witnesses
of extinct volcanoes. The exposed upheaved
rocks around its top seemed as regularly
broken up as would be the explosion of a
mine with gunpowder. The mineralogical
fI,o
from that height. There were many objects
passed over that l could find no explanations
for-sevcral square enclosures with no habi-
tations near them, seemed strangely isolated
in the mountain cncompaS>cd vallies.
AT five o'clock came dow II low enough to
converse with the villagers and ountry peo-
pie as sailed along. and this was enabled
to do with those several miles from either
side of the balloons track All animated ma
ture was aroused below. Girls and bows were
hallooing. the old folks were talking at the
top of their voices, the dogs were barking.
the cattle were lowing, the poultry were clam
oring. guns were firing, village bells were
ringing and locomotives were piping their
echoes through the hills. and the whole form
ed such wild and enchanting drama that l
felt no disposition to withdraw my attention
from the Immediate surroundings below, un-
til the long line of seacoast from Portland to
Boston admonished me that my voyage must
soon be brought to a close, and besides that