The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-07-13
THE BALLOON VOYAGE.
MR.. aAeERs srATEMENT.
THE Trov Times Of july 9Th contain

of The aronauts Of the "Atlantic' from
which we extract two paragraphs which
contain facts additional to those embrac-
ed in Mr.. Wise's account, published in our
last issue:
"The principal feature which the voy-
ayers observed during the night was the
prevalence about, above and under them,
of remarkable phosphorescent light,
which seemed to invest everything, and
give it a peculiar appearance. 1t made
the balloon look like globe Of fire, thro'
oiled paper, as Wise described it. 1t
was easy 10 tell the woods from the open
country by the belts of black lines which
they indicated; and on crossing body
of water, it seemed as though the yoy-
ayers were passing between two sheets of
flame of mellow color, which lighted
them up, and gave to their countenances
and to the objects Immediately surround
ing them a peculiar hue. This phenome-
non was as agreeable to those who wit
messed it rs it was remarkable.
In few seconds more, the balloon
wont down with full swoop upon the
lake Ontario Notwithstanding Wise had
thrown out heavy valise, an express
mail bag, and the remaining provisions.
The waters were surging aud boiling aw-
fully, the waves running from twelve to
fifteen feet high, and moaning as if for the
impending doom Of the aronauts. The
shock was dreadful one. II stove in
one side Of the boat, and jerked La Noun
tain so that his hat fell into the water
"For Gods sake, John, are you out ~
shouted Wise over the basket. "Don't
trouble yourselves about me, gentlemen"
was the response, "I'm all right, and Pm
going to take you across safe yet" And
over went the propeller fan, lifting the
balloon few feet above the water.
The voyagers now began to question
how they would be killed. Wise said he
was resigned; eager was willing TO 60
but for his poor wife; Hyde was prepar-
cd, but would rather die on land than on
water; La Mountain insisted that nobody
was going to be killed, as he would land
them all safe. A moment after, the pro-
peller Young America was signaled and
asked TO lilo to, but before she could do
SO she was mile astern. Wise now
proposed to descend, swamp the boat and
trust to the chance of being picked up
This La Mountain peremptorily refused to
do, declaring that such movement wo'd
be certain death for all. By turning up
the planks from the bottom of the boat,
and throwing off his heaviest clothing, he
kept tho balloon afloat, until, at about
80 the shore was struck, in n piece OF
woods in tho town of Henderson. In
stantly tho anchor was thrown out. 1t
first caught tree an inch in diameter,
but broke it off like pipe stem-the
balloon surging on with power equal to
that Of two or three locomotives. Next,
the anchor caught in n larger tree, and the
prongs, which were ofan inch and n quar-
Ter iron, were broken squarely off. Mr..
La Mountain might at this moment have
: cut loose the boat, landing himself and
leaving his companions to their fate; but
instead of doing SO, he clambered into the
basket, determined to share with them
their perils. Overcome by admiration,
Mr.. Wise sprang up, exclaiming, "By
God, John, you are a hero. If | can
come out alive, you shall have a gold
medal, and the credit of saving us ALL
At this moment, the balloon, which was
whirling over the treos-the voyagers
, clinging to the basket and sometimes
hanging head downward-struck main
branch of q monstrous oak, head on
Away went balloon, car and limb, hun
drcd feet in the air, and down again with
a fearful plunge, leaving all suspended in
the air, alive and safe, the balloon torn
from top to bottom, but the only passen-
gers injured being the hero Of the voyage,
Mr.. La Mountain, who was badly bruised
in the side.