The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-10-15
TN a1xAx: .DAr1dou VoYl0R.
LANDING in THE WILDERNESS


z1rse Hxsdred Niles ~ -Four Hours
LANDING IN THE WILDERNESS
FeUR DArAWIrn . Ur fooD
Eating Rav Frogs and Berries.
PROvIDENTIAL DRLlvERAHcn.
lRroashe Watertswa (E. ~ Rssssuer, Rxtra. Oss q
Nearly every one in this locality IL aware
that the second ascension Of the Atlantic
was advertised Tor the 10th Of September
The storm of that and the following day
Obliged the postponement Of the ascension un'
til the % Thursday Every arrangement,
had been made for successful imitation
words 'all aboard, were heard fron- Mr. La
Mountain, and myself and that distinguished
seronsut stepped into the car. -
At 5:4S the Thermometer stood at AZ, and
falling very fast At $50 We were at least
TWO miles high-thermometer 81 At this
point, a suggestion made just before starting
by Judge Clark Of Pessis, was found to be q
very good one. He had advised the taking
along ofsome cotton, with which to Eli the
ears when at great heights and my father
had procured me some The unpleasant
ringing sensation had now become painful
and filled both my cars with cotton This
made my head fell good deal 40 a very
large hollow pumpkin may be supposed to,
with . humaning bird buzzing upon lite sur.
face Q comparison With which, doubtless,
many who read this account will hardly
quarrel. At 5:52 we put on our gloves and
shawls IAN extra pair for Mr. La Mountain
Icing found in friend Fayels oyercoat-ther.
paometer 80 The wet sand bags now became
stiff With cold they were frozen. Ascending
very rapidly. At 5:54 Thermometer %, and
falling. Here We caught the last sight of the
earth by daylight. l recognized the st.
Lawrence to the southwest Of us, which
showed We xcse drifting nearly north.
At ESQ it Eas dark, and could make no
more memoranda.
We heard, soon after dark, locomotive
whistle, and occasionly could hear wagons
rumbling along the ground or over bridge.
while the dogs kept up an almost ceaseless
serenade, as ifconseious there WITS something
in the sky mcnstrous and unusual. We sail.
ed along, contcnted and ,hat:y until about
haif.pas, I, when We distinctly saw lights,
and heard tbs roaring Of q mighty waterfall.
We descended into valley near very high
mountain. but as the place appeared rather
forbidding, we concluded to go up again -
Over with 30 pounds of ballast, and skyward
We sailed In about 20 minutes we again
descended, but this time no friendly light or
"deep mouthsd watch.dogs heavy bay" :.
greeted as. We were oEof dense wilder
ness and settled down over small lake
We had our life pressrvers ready for use,
but got up again by throwing over ali our
ballast except Is pounds Mr. La Mountain
now said it was folly and madness to stay up
any longer, that we were over great wilder
ness, and the sooner we descend the better.
We concluded to settle down by the side of
a tree, tie up and wait till morning. Ina
moment we were near the earth, and as we
fell grasped tho extreme top of small
spruce, which stopped Der descent, and we
were soon fastened to it by the large drag
rope The touch OF that spruce sent thrill
of discomfort to my heart, for knew that
its kind did not grow in any well settled,
nor any warm country ss-t g istssl
Mr.. la Mountain said, after he looked
around and made as much of an examination
OF the scenery as he could do for the dark.
ness and rain (for it had rained the past
hour that the "Atlantio was played out
we were far into the woods, and IL we got
out alive We ought to be thankful"
We rolled ourselves up in our blankets.
and patiently waited until morning. The
rain droTped down upon us in rivulets from
the great balloon, and it was not long before
we were wet as men could be. After night
passed In great discomfort we were glad to
see the first faint ray ofday light. Cold,
and wet: and rainy, the morning broke, the
typical precursor, we were glad to learn, Of
many other mornings to be spent in those
wilds. We waited until six
,'clcck, in ropes the rain would cease, and |
he rays of the sun, by warming the gas in
he balloon, would give us ascending power /
uticient to get up again, for the purpose,
1 no other, OF obtaining view of the coun. i
ry into which We had descended The rain |
lid not cease, and we concluded to throw I
'ser all we had in the balloon except u
oat apiece, the life>preservers, the anchor,
md the compass. Overheard, then they |
sent-good shawls and blankets, Mr.. Faylefs
vercoat, bottles ofale and flask Of cordial,
opes and traps of all kinds The Atlantic, I
elieyed of her wet load, rose maiesticalIy
nth us, and We were able to see the country
Glow. 1t was an unknown wilderness OF
ikes and spruce-and We felt, then, that we
ad gone too far, through miscalculation of
ne velocityeof the balloon. As the current
'as driving US still to the north, we dare not
tay up, as we were drifting further and
ill further to that "frozen tide from which
70 knew there was no escape. Mr.. La NJ Z,
sized tie valve cord and discharged gas,
nd we descended in safety BY the side Of
IA spruce. We made the Atlantic fast by !
er anchor, and for moment talked over
hat We should do. We had not monthiul
eat. No protection at night from the damp
round, were distant We knew not now far
ON habitation, were hungry to start with. i
, earthly hope of raising FIRE, and no dis
net idea as to where we were {
'e concluded to trust to the compass kindly !
aned by IL X. Newcomb, Esq, and took a
'ursc which would bring us cut of any '
ilderness we might be IN. We settled in i
lr own minds that We were either in John n
rowns Tract or in the great Canada will
.rness-to the south, we thought, Of the Y
knew that course south by o
st would take rs out, if we had strength t
ongh to travel the distance. La NJ stepped :
J to the balloon, and gave the edge of the !.
sket parting shake, saying, Good bye, Y
AudutiCi uuu idHeieu cOUiu see
II in his honest eye when he said it. He
,med greatly to regret his inability to per-
m his engagements at the Kingston and
wv York State Fairs, at both of which he
$ advertised to make ascensions
4 sas TRAPPING IN THE WOODS.
10 the south east then, we started. After :,
yelling mile and halfwe came to the :,
nk of small creek, flowing down from the y.
stward, At this point we were asreeably !"
'prised to find that some human being had y
IN there before us. Goals from an old FIRE i.
half barrel which had contained pork. ~
lgerly examined the stamp. 1t read "Mess -
TX, T. Nj. Montreal" This settled the ~
,stion that we were in Canada.-for very "
! knew that no Montreal inspection Of 81 81
x ever found its way into the interior of 80
W York State. We travelled all day Fri VI -,
up the unknown creek, which kept its ~ ~
eral course to the south Of west. crossing
bout noon on floating log, and striking "
its southern bank "blazeT' track which "u
us up to q deserted timber road living ON y y
opposite side from a large numbering s ~,
nty. We hoped one of the lumber roads s.e
ut take us out to a settlement, but after Il. 81,
cling up them all until they tarm;,.t.a VIZ