Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1858-08-03

river beneath us must be Petrarch's
stream. the Sorgne, oYbne of the unnamed
sireo,,s IF the 'Vancirse. We have trav-
eled upward of one llssndred miles"
The balloon began fapidly TO descend;
and, as we approached the earth, we lost
the ,iobt of tho sun. which had sunk be-
neath the common h6tjzon for several min
,tes nreyious 10 our descent. l feared
that nv plan had failed, for i dared not
n,urder in the immediate vicinity of the
earth. lest some un fofeseen accident should
afford an evidence ofn1g guilt. dreaded
not the commission Of crime, but the fail
ure of my scheme; l|ie fealef discovery
agitated my soul 'aezght not ot tne
The shades bf feweriag darkened around
us. and the dews OF the earth moistened
the silken foldings of our huge machlne'
which tapped heavily above us as W we
glded downward with increasing RAPID
ifv The lights of Avignon were soon
jeft far behind us. LIE Roux prepared for
orr landing. While he was busily en-
oaced in lowering a huge graphing hook
Seecured to a stout rope, lifted the largest
of our bags of sand from the bottom OF
the car, and, favored by the darkness, pre-
cinitated the ballast over the side, unper-
ceiyed by my companion. The dellcately-
noised fabric instantly felt the loss OF
we;pht. and the velocity of our descent was
sneedilv diminished In n few seconds,
T,e Roux declared that our course was no
lonoer downward; that we had entered
q renid current of air, and we're SAILING
dine south-a direction which must ultl-
matey lead us into dangerous proximity
with the sea.
clark" said I, tto that deep murmur-
inc sound which rises from the earth; is
It not caused by the chafing of the waves
, upon the shore?"
+ Le Roux listened. cit may be So" he
| renled; "but l cannot believe that we
= have vet attained the immediate vicinity
of the sea, or that the ever-movlng sur
' face of the ocean would, at early evening
v present the intensely dark appearance,
which is everywhere spread below.
). rather think that we are sailing over al
. immense forest, and that the sound we hea
! is but the moaning of the night breez'
S through the tops of the lofty pines.
: "In either case" said |, "a descen
j. would be hazardous, and must be AVOID
ed;" and, picking up the remaining oa'
J. of sand, | tossed it into the AR.
Il aYou have done wrong, Jeronlo, san
10 X,
- preponderating weight, submitted to tn
- buovancv of the gas, and again rapid
A assembled. s.Y Y on haxe, beyond douPt, don
wrong: we have now lost the governing o
,S commencing power, and must submit
" bo carried wherever the subuety OF til
vanor NAV incline, and be compelled
~ -, land wherever accident may determine
6. when the balloon, from the evaporation
- the oas. shall lose its ascending power.
y "5yease your croakings.' said 1, with a.
- perity. 1.-The renowned philosopher, WI
ID can defy the operant powers OF Natur
90 cannot be distressed at the loss OF oa
ri of sand"
,e Le Roux, with his usual amiabilit.
I'd pardoned my ill-temper, and smiled at n
be remark. Ii was his last smile--nly mu
tn derous resolves were formed.
= The balloon continued to ascend, and
ed q short time we attained an altitude e;
he ceedng that of our former position. Ju
,iuaI asI arose to put my bloody scheme in
ne execution, dark and threatening clol
of environed us; the thunder rolled from
center. and the electric fluid played aroul
l. with fearful brilliancy. Our clothes we
Ia saturated with the moisture, which h
,n- not vet resolved into rain by submitting
a97a the attraction of the earth. For seve1
,,r minutes we were hurled onward WI
20, friphtful rapidity-our huge machine 6
no. rated in the whirlwiud's clasp-and
r. liphtuing's flame licked the dripping s
,is- as if seeking to ignite the lnfiammable
orv within. Our destruction appeared ine'
9nr table; and, with murder in my heart,
, q covered down at the bottom OF the trail G
th. and trembled at the thoughts OF death:
in lie Roux, with calmness that def
l.
~ t;ons respecting the extent of the thun'
,aI cloud. and in the hight of the most dre'
,'to full whirlines and flappings of our ung'
l,Sr ernable machine, quietly threw overbo'
R,t the large telescope, the package of prov
1rb ions, the barometers and other apparat
,yei and. with his knife, separated the stral
,,a Of the long rope which connected
isa- heavy rrapnel with the wicker work OF
hIa car. The balloon, lightened of man.
ar, pound, rose like sky-rocket through
black expanse In one minute, we eX
s,,r rienced a change which realized the fa1
cely dreams of youth. The storm cloud ro
Load far beneath our car; and, above us,
had glorious empyrean, unblotted by q SIT
,ad- wreath of mist, smiled in cerulean brig
the ness. From the great hight which we
civ attained, we We're again rejoicing IN
OH, beams of the golden sun, which hove
= = nc on the verge of the extended horizon,
% of though the rays of the luminary had
" been lost to the inhabitants of the Ia
pro- beneath.
be- When, cheered by this sudden char
,me, looked around, LIE RouX was standing
ance the flail edge of the wicker work OF
car, and clin ging to the cordaSe of the
oud- loon for support. EIe was gazing wit
and enraptured eye upon the wondrous b