Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-10-15
WHOLE NUMBER SO.

were placed Starting at I D. m. We tfns.
eled all night through the forests over the
worst road that ever Was lot unfinished.
andreached Brooks farm, n sort Of frontier
tavern, in the early morning, where we
slept couple Of hours, aud after breakfast
passed on by the stage to Ottowa. which
we reached at o'clock on Monday after
noon. Our 6rst rush was to the telegraph
office, whence the trembling wires sped the
glad news Of our safety to the loved ones
at home" AT Ottawa we were most hos
pitolity entertained From the time we Ielb
Basketong until we reached home, we met
with nothing but one continual stream OF
congratulation and profered kindness
The question will naturally suggest itself
Why did you go SO far To which we
can only rerly, that the wind was ex-
ceedingly light when we assembled that
we were very soon among The clouds, and
consequently unable to take cognizance OF
our course, or to judge how fast we were
travelling. While sailing in balloon the
voyager is unconscious Of motion, unless he
eau see the earth. Nor can he tell by COM
pass, what direction he is travelling, unless
he is sufficient of an astronomer TO Judge
from the shifting angles formed by certain
stars. In a word, if you cannot see the earth,
you cannot tell how fast, orin which direc-
you move. This will, perhaps, explain.why
we unconciously drifted of TO latitudes so
remote. When we rose above the thick
masses of clonds, before sundown, we nm
doubtedly struck rapid current which car.
ried US northeast 1t is my opinion that,
after we had Travelled 10 this current about
one hour we struck another current, from
variation Of our altitude, which bore as OF
TO the northwest. When we descended
near the earth the first time we ought to
have come down. But we we're unwilling
to land at night in deep wood, even
though we knew we were not far from hab-
itations, and we thought it hest to pick ont
better place. This was our error, and it
came very near being fatal one to us--it
certainly was so to the Atlantic. In try
ing to find our "better place" to land, we
were unconsciously up longer than we sup
posed, and as were travelling in current
which swept up off to the norSAward at
the rate of 100 miles an hour, we soon
reached country not pleasant nor profit
able to land balloon in
| The loss to Mr. La Mountain by the CO.
lamity which has overtaken him does not
stop with the loss of his balloon. He had
several profitable engagements to fill. which
must, Of course all go over, entailing dis
appointment upon the public, and loss upon
himself In his present position, in poor
health, and not 'Oyerly" rich, cannot but
hope some capitalist will furnish him with
sufficient means to carry on his undertak-
ings OF course, the present mishap has
not changed his viewsrelative to balIooaing
nor has it mne Mr. La Mountain is brave
man he probably does not know what
personal fear is. Such traits will always
command the respect Of those who know
that the fine temper of steel is only impart.
ed after exposure to severe tests, before
whose intensity rneaner metals perish, or
sink into blackened and worthless dross.
WatsrtOrA, Oei 1850. JNo. A. HADDoCK.