Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-07-14

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for many miles around US. Mr.. LaMcun-
tain remarked that nobody lived in that
country but dogs. or else the people barked
like dogs, he having got a little out OF
humor, because nobody would tell as IN
what state we were sailing, and be gave up
the inquiry with the remark that it must
be over some other country than America,
as we had been moving along at rapid
pace. aa eoI - ~
At 8 O'Clock A. NJ. Saturday, we CRIME
to a general conclusion that we were some-
where over the State of Indiana or Ohio.
At A. NJ. we passed a city but could not
make it out, but at A. NJ. we discovered
Lake Erie ahead of us, and then concluded
that the city we left a little south of our
track must have been Fort Wayne. At
6 A. NJ. we passed Toledo, and about an
hour afterwards we lowered on the margin
of the lake little north of Sandusky.
After few moments consultation, and
a review of our ballast, we determined to
risk the length of Lake Erie, and to test
the notion that balloons cannot be kept up
long over water, because of some peculiar
affinity of the two, notion that never had
any belief with me. Just as we merged up
on the lake a little steam screw that was
propelling up the river or bay headed for
our track, and some one on board Of her
very quantity cried aloud to US, "that is
the lake ahead of you." Mr.. LaMouD-
tain cried back as it Lake Erie?" and the
answer was "Yes it is and you had better
look out" Our good friend, the propeller,
finding we discarded his kindness, rounded
off again, sounded us a goodbye with his
steam whistle, and went his way up the
river.
Here We mounted up until the balloon
got fall, and barometer fell to %, in order
to make slong nesr the southern shore of
the lake, bat at Mr.. La Mountaiu's sugges-
tiou that we could make the city of Baffa-
10 by sailing bat few hundred feet above
the su face of the water, opened the valve
until we sank to within 500 feet of the wa
ter. Here we found gentle gale of about
a mile a minute and we resolved to float
on it until we should heave in sight of
Buffalo and the rise and sail over it This
was a most interesting part of our voyage.
We overlook seven steamboats,, passed mu-
tual salutations, and would soon leave them
fitting on the horizon in our rear. One
of these lonely travellers remarked as we
passed him, aYou are going it like thun'
der!' At 20 minutes past 10 A. NJ. we
were skiriting along the Canada shore and
passed near the mouth of the Welland Ca
nal, and soon began to mount for our more
easterly current SO as TO take Buffalo In
our track, but we circled up into it between
Buffalo aud Niagara Falls, crossing Grand
Island, leaving Buffalo to the right and
Lockport to the left of US in our onward
course. 81 r.-, -
Finding ourselves in the State of New
York, but too far north to make the city o.
New York, it was agreed that we would
make landing near Rochester, detach the
boat, leave out Mr.. eager and Mr.. Hyde
and Mr.. LaMountain and myself pursue the
voyage to point at Boston or Portland
Accordingly we descended gradually. but
before we got within thousand feet of the
earth we fouad most terrific gale sweep
ing along below. The woods roared like
host of Niagaras, the surface of the
earth was filed with clouds Of dust, and
l told my friends that certain destruction
awaited US if We should touch the earth il
that tornado. The huge "Atlantic" was
making terrific swoop eastward; already
were we near the tops of the trees of tai
forest and [ cried out somewhat excitedly
'fo. Gods sake heave overheard anything
you can lay your hands on La Mountain,
and in another moment he responded sal
right" standing on the side of tile boat
with a shaft and wheels, intended for the
working of the fan wheels, and ready tc
heave it over should it become necessary
Mr.. Hyde looked up to my car, and We
ry solemnly said, "This is an exciting time
Professor. What shall we do!" "Trus
Providence and all our energies" said l.
We were fast running on to Lake Ontario
and o! how terribly it was fosmiug, moan
ing and bowling. 1 said, "LaMountain,
have $50 pounds of ballast in my car yet
and heavy valise, an Express Bag, (sen
to the U. S. Express Company's Office ii
Broadway, New York; and lot of provi
sions."
"Well, if that won't do, I'll cut up tn
boat for ballast, and we can keep abov'
water until we reach the opposite shore,
which was near hundred miles off in tn
direction we were then going.
Here | handed my ballast down to l.
Mountain, as We were rapidly mounting
above the terrific gale. believing that b,
that course we should at least get out Q
its main track.
Everything now indicated that We shoul'
perish in the water or on the land; ant
our only salvation was 10 keep afoat unit
we got out of the gale, if We could. Isaid
"You must all get into the basket, if yo1
want 10 be saved, should we ever reach tn
land. And truly tell you that the peril
of the land are even more terrible thai
those of the water, with our machines
and it would be easier to meet death b
drowning than to have our bodies mangle'
by dashing against rocks and trees" B.
this time Mr.. eager and Mr.. Hyde ha
clambered into the basket with me. MI
Hyde said very cody, 81 am prepared :
die, but would rather die on land than i
water" I said, "What do you say, Nj
Gagerg" He replied, II would rather NEE
it on land but do as you think best.
Mr.. La Mountain was busily engaged j
collecting what be could for ballast. E,
erything was now valuable to US that ha
weight. Our carpet-bags, our Instrument
the Express Bag, our provisions were a
randy tn rrn md Al. IL aoffo oy