The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-07-16

The balloon had become inflated 10 its fulies
tension, and tn, Professor lay immediatsl-
under It's mouth. Mr.. eager had occasi OF
to address some remark to the veteran sro
naut, but received no answer. |. wa
deemed impossible tha, he had fallen asleey
SO soon, and Mr.. G. again accosted him
this time in louder tone. Still there wa,
no response. A third and fourth time did
be call, but heavy, deep, and convulsiye
nreathings were the only result. Mr.. eager
pale with apprehension les. something fear
fai had happened to Prof. W., at once
bounded TO one of the uprigh; irons of the
fan wheel machinery, and, with assistance
from one Of his fellow yoyagers. clambered
into the car. II was q lucky circumstance
TO Prof. Wise that be did, for Mr. eager
found that the tube at the mouth Of the
balloon was directly under the formers
nose, and that the expansion Of the gas had
driven some OF the hydrogen directly into
his face. He was At that time, insensible.
though as soon as the tube had been removed
by MIR. Eager from its proximity TO the
Professors olfactorles, and few hearty
shakes given him, the comatose man revived,
rubbed his eyes, muttered few incoheren,
sy!lables, and inquired what brought his
friend into the car, and what was The matter.
The proficient balloonist, who boasts of his
two hundred and thirty-nine ascensions.
hal been taught valuable lesson, and took
good care thereafter to keep the lower end
of the gas-bag out of the way OF his
smellers.
PROGRESS OF THE VOYAGE.
At twenty-five minutes 10 ! o'clock We
passed over small river, but were unable
TO tell what it was. not being able to trace
It's course for sufficient distance. At one
o'clock we found ourselves sailing over a
dense forest, and being then quite low, dis
tinctly heard the wind passing through the
tree boughs, sounding like heavy rain
We emerged from the woods, if the term is
allowable, and hoated over several habita-
tons, which we saluted with our united
voices. Only the dogs and the bull-frogs
had the kindness to send up their uncivll-
lied acclamations, and in return We dis
patched them the latest intelIgencefrom ST.
Louis, done up in copy of the Evening
News, as atfordinga a sort Of compromise be-
tween our language and theirs.
Prof. Wise aud Mr.. eager had been asleep
since about half past twelve O'Clock, anu
appeared to give the matter. their unremitlng
attention. had taken about an hours
rest in broken doses, having been in Il di
lemma whether to close my eyes on sublu-
nary things or to keep a visual open for
passing events. The quandary was settled
by my coming to the conclusion that, as
such trips as the Atlantic was making were
by no means of every day occurrence, it
would not do TO miss any of the incidents.
Mr.. LamouHtain, who had been very jovially
inclined during the early part Of the night,
suddenly became rather indisposed to talk,
and | observed him bowling With closed
eyes at the bottom Of the boat. lie had
worked with great industry a. Neranlah
Hall in getting the cords, valves. &C., in
trim for tho voyage, and had taken but
little sleep. Morpheus seemed to have some
claim upon HIM and seemed disposed to
press it. While Mr.. l.. was doing, | OBJ
served that Il current of air was taking US
downwards and called his attention to it..
Wa had Just time to scoop up Il couple of
hanufnlls Of ballast apiece and drop them
overheard, to save US from n collision with
ciump of trees which stood in alarming
proximity. Such was our ncarncss to the
elrth ut this tine. that we very distinctly
heard the sand fall to the ground. The
balloon, once more freed from portion Of
her freight, daftcd up again into the air
without touching, though the margin was
quite small. 1t was twenty minutes to
3 o'clock then. The goddess of the dawn
was lust leading her courses Of daylight
TO the gate of the horizon, tinging the
east with a faint purple glow. Pretty
soon, another ruddy lame lighted up, and
at three o'clock | could distinguish whore
there was line in my note book, sufficiently
to avsid making one memorandum directly
over another. Five minutes clapsc, and
the stars have gone off their bcats-the
deep mouthed dogs going to their kennels.
AttwCntv seven minutes past four o clock
we were sailing 1T a moderate speed near the
forests, in n northern course, the thcrmom-
eter ranging at 40, and the barometer as
low rs 81 inches Although the nronauts
were not pleased with this state Of thing.
they said 1t was not best to throw off any
ballast, as the suns ravs on the balloon
would heat the gas and give the vessel a
new impetus upward. There was good phi
losophy in that, and pretty soon we noticed
its yerifcation. At fifteen minutes after )
o'clock the mercury il the barometer had
risen to twenty five in"hcs, showing our al
titude to be nearly one mile. We could
then hear the lowing Of cows with distinct
ness. In seven minutes more tho barometer
indicated twenty three and a half inches. or
as near as could he approxmated, only
three inches and half below the minimum
figure reached during the voyage, which
was at night, when it vas too dark to make
observations on the instrument. Our h'"h-
est altitude. therefore, was just about two
miles.
LAKE ERIE FROM on HIGH.
Twelve minutes after Eve o'clock we de-
.crie in the East, what at first appeared to
be the reflection of the sun upon the sky
At last one of the party asserted that we
were not many miles from lake. and so 1t
was. rs the reader shall know by-and by
The noble air vessel was whisping along at
a brisk rate. dragging its shadow on the
ground encircIcd in fantastic colors. ine
light silk umbrella mark ed !. Geo. Davis,
had been left ia the boat by some person az
Washington Square. | appropriated this,
and unfolding it had an excellent protection
for myself aud Mr.. Gager from the heated
yellow rays which were pouring IN upon US.
There was now no doubt that what had at
first seemed a briiIiancy ofthe Eastern heaT-
ens was nothing less than an immense body
Of water. The nronauts concluded that 1t
could be lake Erie. AMI they were right, for
tracing the shore and observing the little
islands. its contour corrCsp0ndcd almost
precisely with the map. 4 sGb..tner scene
never broke on human view. Lake ErIe II
will be Nnembered, has surface Of s,>3J
square miles, aud though we c)ul! not be-
hold the whole Of il, the view lost none OF It's
magnifcence from this cause. Its exPanse
limited and bounded only By the great zone
where it blended with the hsavens. seemed
an eternity of waters, vast, measuFe!ess as
the bending canopy itself. Groups Of white
clouds, like great puFs from a steam pipe,
foated lancutiy on every side, unfolding
their game like robes and passing off IN ed