Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-10-13
The Great Balloon Voyage.

uit., written by the latter They aScenoeo at
5 SO P NJ, and in Tx minutes were Tar above
the clouds At $50 they were at least TWO
miles high-thermomete 81 degrees Ihey
continued to ascend very rapidly, and AZ o.l0
the thermometer indicated q temperature OF IL
derrees The balloon then began to descend,
and a quantity of ballast was thrown over
At about half past seven they descended into
a valley pear high mountain, but as the place
looked forbidding they threw over 30 pounds
of ballast and rose sgain. In about twenty
minutes they made another effort to descend,
but found themselves surrounded by dense VII
derness and over small lake They then threw
over all their ballast but Is pourds, and after
getting over the wilderness, settled down by
the side of d tree to wait till morning Much
rain fell through the night, and they became
thoroughly drenched with it. At about six
o'clock next morning they threw overheard all
their remaining ballast, blankets shawlS, Gc
and rose again. They were rapidly driven
northward over an unbroken wilderness, and
concluded that they had gone too far Mr.
HADLocK says:
AS the current was driving US still to the
north, we dare not stay up, as we were drifting
further and still further to that frozen tide
from which we knew there was no escape Mr.
La NJ seized the valve cord and discharged
gas and we descended in safety by the side OF
a tall spruce We made the Atlantic fast by
her anchor, and for moment talked over
what we should do We had not mouthful
to eat +; no protection at night from the damp
ground were distant We knew not how far
from habitaton were hungry to start with
no earthly hope of raising fire, and no dis
tinct idea as to where we were. We settled
in our own minds that we were either IN John
Browns tract or in the great Canada wilder
ness-to the south, we thought, of the Ottawa
and knew that couISe south by east would
take US out, if we had strength enough to travel
the distance. La NJ. stepped up TO the balloon
and gave the edge Of the basket parting
shake, saying, Good bye, old Atlantic and
fancied | could see q tear in his honest eye
when he said it."
They then started to the south, on foot,and
after travelling about mile and halfcame to
the bank of small creek, upon which they
found an old pork barrel with Montreal IN
spection mark upon it, from which they con-
cluded they were in Canada. After travelling
on Friday by the unknown creek they discoV-
cred an uninhabited lumber shanty, IN which
they spent the night The next morning they
built a raft, in the hope that could be
foated out of the wilderness as the lumber Is
foated out in the spring but they encountered
great difficulties from the shallowness OF the
waters, and from entering large lakes where
they lost the channel entirely. Thus several
weary days of suffering were passed away. MIR.
HADDoCK says:
alt had now been four full dayssncc we we
ate meal All we had eaten in the mean
r, G., olo nlIa fnr
wild berries, whose acid properties and bitter
taste had probably done US more harm than
good. Our strength was beginning to fail very
fast, and our systems were evidently about to
undergo an extraordinary change l did not
permit myself to think of food--the thonght
of welcovered table would have been too
much. l thought over all of poor Strains
sufferngs on the Isthmus of Daren, where he,
too, was padding raft down an unknown
stream but never believed he could stand half
the amount of suffering he did. Besides, he
had means to make fre-we had none.
He was upon q stream which he knew
would lead to the sea and safety--we were up
on waters whose flow we knew really nothing
of, and were as much lost as though in the
mountains of the noon. But we could not
give it up So,' and took fresh courage as trOub-
les appeared to thicken.
"Well, we turned the raft around and
poled her back toward the place where we had
entered this last lake. We had gone about a
mile when we heard the sound of gnn,qnick-
" followed by second report. No sound
was ever so sweet to me as that. We halloed
as loud as we could good many times, but
could get no response. We kept our poles
going, and had gone about half mile, when
lIoJ 10 yuha
thought was o smoke curling up among the
trees on the side of hill My own eyesight
had begun to fail me to an extent that could
not depend upon it when long, steady gaze
was necessary. He said it was smoke, and
that he thought just below it, on the bank, was
bark canoe In few moments TIE blue
smoke rolled gentlyyet unmstakably above the
tree tops, and we felt that we were saved
Such reyulson of feeling was almost too much
for u.s. We could hardly believe our senses
and credited anything favorable to our condi
ton with the utmost caution Our bitter dis
appointments had Taught us that lesson.
We padded the raft with the ends of our
poles directly across the lake, near, perhaps,
three-fourths of mile wide aud made for the
canoe 1t proved to be a large one evidently
an Indians. Up the bank | pressed, leaving
La Mountain at the canoe to cut off retreat
by the Indian, in case he was timid and wished
to avoid us. | came at once upon the shanties
of a numbering wood and from the chimney of
the furthest building broad volume of smoke
was rising | halloed-a noise was heard inside
and noble-looking Indian came to the door
'VOns parlea Fano0is {" was my eager inquiry
as | eraSped his outS;retched hand Yes, sir
and English, too He drew me into the cabin
and there was the head of the party, a noble
hearted Scotchman, named Angus Cameron.
immediately told my story-that we came in
with q hnllnnn ware LOST and had henn fnnr