Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-10-13
A BALLOON VOYAGE.
EIGHTY NILES An HOUR.
DECENT INTO A WILDERNESS.
LIVING ON RAW FROGS.

L
! Mr.. Haddoek of the Watertown (N. "
Retormer gives, in his paper Of the 5th an
account of the voyage he and La Noun
tain made from Watertown, ending in the
wilds of Canada. He says they left the
earth at 5 % P. NJ.
"Let 60 all" and away We soared-the
horses on the square "reared and pitched"
a good deal at the novel sight, but in an in
slant all minor sounds of earth had ceased,
and we were lifted into silent sphere:
whose shores were without an echo, their
silence equalled only by that of the grave.
Not the least feeling Of terpidation took
possession of my soul, and fear was as far
removed as though l had been sitting in
my own room at home.
As We rose into the light fleecy 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 little higher the clouds completely
shut out the earth, and the cold white
masses below us had precisely 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 Symptom Pass-or
have stood upon one of the SUBMITS of the
Sierra Nevada, and gazed down upon the
eternal SHOWS below aud around them, will
be able to catch the idea l AIN trying to
convey In six minutes we were above all
the clouds, and the sun and we were face
to face.
An unpleasant ringing sensation had
now become painful, and l filed both ears
with cotton. This made my head feel
good deal as a very large hollow pumpkin
may be supposed to, with humming bird
buzzing upon its surface. AT 5 80 we put
on our gloves and shawls. The wet sand
bags now became stiff with cold-they
were frozen. Ascending very rapidly. At
5:54 thermometer %, ond falling. Here
we caught our last sight of the earth by
daylight. | recognized the St. Lawrence
to the southwest of lis, which showed we
were drifting nearly north. At 6 o'clock
We thought We were decending little, and
Mr.. Lamountain directed me to throw out
about twenty pounds of ballast. This shot
them up again-thermometer 261 and fall
ing very slowly. At :O5-,hermometer
22e-rny feet were very cold. The At
lantic was now full, and presented beau
tiful sight. The gas began to discharge it
self at the mouth, and its abominable smell,
as it came down upon us made me sick
La Mountain was suffering good deal
with cold. l passed my thick shawl
around his shoulders, and put the blanket
over our knees and feet At 6 10 ther. l 81.
We drifted along until the sun left us, and
in short time thereafter the balloon be-
gan TO descend. At 6 80 lher. 22-rising.
Threw over about 3 pounds ballast. We
mus, have been, before we began to de-
scend from this hight miles hiyh-At
$50 it was dark and | could make no more
memoranda.
We heard, soon after dark, a locomotive
whistle, and occasionally could hear wagons
rumbling along the ground or over bridge,
whilst the dogs kept up an almost cease
less serenade, as if conscious there was
something in the sky monstrous and unu-
sual. We sailed along contented and chat
ty, until abous halt past seven, when We
distinctly saw lights, and heard the roaring
of a mighty waterfull. We descended in
to a valley near a very high mountain but
as the place appeared rather forbidding, we
concluded to go up again. Over with 80
pounds of ballast, and skyward we sailed
In about 20 minutes we again decended,
but this time no "deep- p-mouthed watch
dogs heavy bay" greeted US. We were
over a dense wilderness, and settled down
over small lake. We had our life pre-
servers ready for use, but got up again by
throwing over all our ballast except about
is pounds.
Mr.. La Mountain now said it was folly
to stay up any longer, that we were over
great wilderness, and the sooner We de-
'csnded the better. We concluded to set
lie down by the side of tree, Tie up, and
wait I'LL morning. In moment we were
hear the earth, and as We fell l grasped the
extreme top of tall spruce, which stop
ler descent, and we were soon fastened to
t by the large drag-rope. The touch of
hat spruce sent a thrill of discomfort to
ny heart, for | knew that It's kind did not
,row in my well-settled, nor any warm
country.
Mr.. La Mountain said, after he looked
'round aud made as much of an examina-
ion of the scenery as we could do for the $
darkness and rain (for it had rained the
'ast hour that the "Atlantic was played
were far into the woods, and if we c
rot out alive we ought to be thankful"
We rolled ourselves up in our blankets,
nd patiently waited until morning. The
ain dripped down upon us in rivule:s from T
he great balloon, and it was not long be- v
ore we were as wet as men could be. Af-
er night passed in great discomfort we S
we're glad to see the first faint ray of day. o
ight. Cold, and wet, and rainy, the S
morning broke, the typical precursor, we a
fere 10 learn, of many other mornings we
'ere TO spend in those uninh&bited wilds. a
We waited until o'clock, in hopes the CT
ain would cease, and that the rays of the Il
un, by warming the gas in the balloon, Il
'ould give us ascending power sufficient e.
D get up again, for the purpose, if no 9th te
r, of obtaining view of the country into a
lich we Lad descended. ST
The rain did not tease; and we concIu- b.
ed TO throw over all we had in the bal