Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-10-21
THE PERlLS or BALLOONING.
Thrilling Narrative Of The Adventures Of
lHeSSrs. La Mountain and Hdddock.


We Rave received deeply interesting '
account Of the late balloon ascension of t
Messrs. La Mountain and Haddock, writ {
ten by the latter gentleman, and publish l
ed in the paper with which he is con-
nected, the Watertown IN. Y. Reformer.
The story Of their sufferings and perils
is written in terse and graphic language,
and can hardly fail to decrease the num-
Der Of aspirants for fame in such peril
GUS enterprises. The ascension, it will |
be remembered, took place on Thursday, |
Sept %, TIE balloon leaving the earth at
81 minutes before 6 pm. The circum-
stance attending the starting of the bal
loon are related by Mr.. Haddock in a
brief manner, and the account continues
as follows:
As we rose into the light feecy
clouds, they looked between us and the
earth like patches of snow we see lying
upon the landscape in spring time; but
when we rose a little higher the clouds
completely shut out the earth, and the
cold white masses below us had precise
ly the same look that mountainous
snow-covered country does as you look
down upon it from higher mountain
Those who have crossed the Alps by the
Simplon Pass-or have stood upon one
of the lofty SUBMITS of the Sierra New
ada, and gazed down upon the eternal
SHOWS below and around them, will be
able to catch the idea l am trying to con-
vey. In six minutes we were far above
all the clouds, and the sun and we were
face to face. We saw the time after that
when his face looked very fair to us. In
eight minutes after leaving the earth, the
thermometer, kindly loaned us by T. II
Camp &c Co., showed fall of "a deg
1t stood "a when we left. The balloon
rotated a good deal, showing that she
was ascending with great rapidity.
At j.48 the thermometer stood at AZ
and falling very fast. At $50 we wer,
at least two miles high-thermometer 81
At this point a suggestion made just be
fore starting, by Judge Clark of Plessi:
was found to be a very good one. II
had advised the taking along of som
cotton; with which to ill the ears whe
nj great nights, and my father had pre-
cured me some. The unpleasant ring
ing sensation had now become painful
and ] filed both ears with cotton. TIL
made my head feel good deal as yer
large hollow pumpkin may be suppose
to, with humming bird buzzing upon i
suriace-a comparison with which ,doub
less, many who read this account wi
hardly quarrel. At 5.52 we put on OF
gloves and shawls--an extra pair for NJ
La Mountain being found in friend Fa,
els overcoat--thermomet 80. tt
wet sand bags now became stiff vii
cold--they we're frozen. Ascendir
very rapidly. At 5.54 thermometer 2
and falling. Here we caught our Ia
sight of the earth, by daylight. l I
cognized the St. Lawrence to the sout
west of us, which showed we were dri
ing nearly north.
At o'clock we thought we were
scending little, and Mr.. La Mounts
directed me to throw out about twer
pounds of ballast. This shot us
again-thermometer 26, and falling We
slowly. At 6.05-thermometer 22-l
feet were very cold. The Atlantic v
now full, and presented a most splen,
sight. The gas began to discharge
self at the mouth, and its Abdominal
smell, as it came down upon us, made
sick. had been trying some of frit
Burnetts sinews of war, but everyth
that would come up lett my poor stomi
in a food A moments vomiting mi
me feel all right again. La Mount
was suffering a good deal with cold.
passed my thick shawl around his shot
ers, and put the blanket over our KIN
and feet. AT Clio thermometer Is
We drifted along until the sun left
and in a short time thereafter the
loon began to descend. At $50, IL
mometer 22--rising. Threw over al
5 pounds ballast. We must have b,
before we began to descend from
hight, 3 IL miles high. AT $50 Il
mometer 23-rising. We were
about stationary, and thought we v
sailing north Of east. We could,
thought, distinguish water below us,
unable to recognize it. At 6.36
threw over bag Of sand, making
pounds of ballast discharged, lea
about l20 pounds on hand. We
tinctly heard dog bark, Thermom