Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1859-10-14
The La Mountain BALLOON Voyase-Lantlins in n

La Mountain Balloon Notwithstanding in
Wilder ness-T'rials and Stuff. ring of the Party.
Mr.. uaddOck, who assembled IN balloon with La
Mountain and landed in the wilderness in Canada gives
an interesting account OF the adventure and their subse
Qucnt trials and sueringS They up all night but
towards daylight took hitch to the top of pine tree
The next morning they concluded they in Canada
and followed the of creek till they came to a.
numbering shanty in crossing to which one OF them got
sOued in the creek Wet hungry and cOld they stayed
all night at the shanty NeX morning they tied several
lumber logs together, constructed raft and poed down
the stream, coming pine tree, which completely
cut off their voyage, and compelled them to take their
raft apart and push the logs under the tree and recon-
sruct it. for the purpose of continuing their voyage
One frog apiece which they caught and eat raw, was all
the food they had that day. the second of their adVen
ure. TIE next day, their progress they came to
rapid getting their raft down which was task OF nl-
mense labor and exposure One clam was Their food Tor
that day. The narrative says:
1--WE laid down upon the cold grown, having lifted
up the end Of raft that the wind might not drift
it away in the night. We cold when VIC laid
down, and both of trembled by the hour, like men
suffering from severe attack of the ague. The wind
had risen lust at night and the dismal Surgng of the
waves upon the shore formed thought, fitting nIa-
by to slumber so disturbed and dismal as By
this time clothes nearly torn off My panta-
looms slit up both legs and the Wristbands nearly
torn off. My boots both leaked, and mighty wrest-
ings in the had torn the skin from my ankles and
hands. La Mountains hat gone the first day out
he had thrown away bis wooden drawers and stockings
the first day of our trampng, as they dragged him down
by the weight of the water they absorbed we slept
but little 1t really seemed though during the night
we passed through the horrors of dozen deaths. AT
daylight we got up by degrees, first on one knee and
then on the other so stiff and weak that could hardly
stand"
The next day they observed that they had been going
wrong, and that great part of their previous days
Journey had to be retraced
1T had now been four full days since ate meal
A had eaten in the mean time Il frog apiece
four CLANS and few wild berries, whose acid proper
ties and bitter taste had probably done US more harm
than good Our strength was begnnlng TO TALL very
FAST and stem evidently about to undergo an
extraordinary change. did not permit myself to think
OF toOdthe thought OF well covered table would have
been too much. thought over all OF poor Strain sui
crings the Isthnus of Darlen, where he, too was
padding raft down an unknown stream; but never
believed could stand half tie amount Of suffering be
did. Besides, he had means to make a fire-we had
none. He upon a stream which he knew wOulC
lead to the sea and saety-we were upon waters whose
flow we knew really nothing of, and were as much lost
as though in the mountains of the moon
But we could not give it up So, and took fresh cour
age as troubles appeared to hicken Well we turned tht
raft around and poed her back towards the place where
we had entered this last lake. We had gone about
mile when we heard the sound of gun quickly followed
10y second report. No sound ever so sweet to
that. We halOwed as loud as we could good many
times but could get no response. We kept our poll
going, and had gone about half mile, when calleC
L
curling up among the trees on the side of hill. Ny
eye sight had begun to fail to an extent that
could not depend upon it when long, steady gaze wa
necessary. He said it smoke, and that just below
it, on the bank, was a bark canoe. In a few moment
the blue smoke rolled gently but Enthusiastically above tn
tree tops, and we felt that saved. Such a re
Vuson of feeling was too much for US. We couC
hardly believe Senses and credited anything favora
BILE to our condition with the utmost caution Our bit
ter dsappointments had taught that lesson.
We padded the raft with the ends of our poles d
recty across the lake. perhaps three-fourths of
mile wide and made for the canoe. 1t proved to be
large one-evidenty Indians. Up the bank pressed
leaving La Mountain at the canoe to cut Oft retrea
by the Indian in case he tmd and wished to avoi
Us. [ at once upon the shanties of lumberin
wood, and from tie chimney of the farthest building
broad volume of smoke rising. halloed-a nois
was heard inside, and noblelooking Indian came t
the door. Vous parley Francaiss?' was my cage
inquiry, as grasped his Outstretched hand. Yes, 81
and English too" He drew me into the cabin, an
there the head of the party, nobeheared Scotcl
man, named Angus Cameron"
This party proved TO be company of lumbermel
who quickly furnished food and with canoes and Ii
dams they reached the settled region Of Canada.