Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-05-25
Prof. Lows Erial VOYAGE.

Professors own statement of his late balloon
voyage, from Cincinnati to Unionvillc S.. T.,
in nine hours, written by request Of many Ia
dies and gontcmcn living in The sections over
which he travelled:
His preparations for the voyage were COM
pletcd on Friday, the 10Th April At IL
that night he commenced initiating his globe,
there was hardly breath OF air stirring, aud
the moon and stars shonc brightly. At three
o'clock the work was completed, about three
quarters of an hour more passed in making
attachments, adjusting Instruments, consist
ing of fine mercurial barometer for measu-
ring attitudes, the altimctre, for getting lati-
tude n telescope, thermometer, and patent
double polar line needle compass. Thus pro-
vided, witha quantity of provisions, hot cof-
fee, fruits, blankets, and a number of copies
of the morning papers, just from the press,
and good supply of ballast, the new air ship
gracefully assembled tho length of the rope
Seeing that everything was right, the profcs-
sor babe adieu to the friends who had so gen
erously denied their rest to assist him, aud in
another moment the Enterprise " mounted
the ethereal vault in a north westerly line
The beauty Of the scene here battles dcscrp-
ton; the moon had set, aud the city of 170,-
600 slcepers. with its thousands of gas.lghts
glttcring through the pitchy darkness was in
describably beautiful Through an atmos.
phcrc ms still as death, the bold navigator as
cendcd higher and higher until the gas lights
gradually grew small as the twinkling stars,
and he felt that he was floating through the
heavenly orbs. At O'Clock and fifteen min
utcs, a grey light appeared in the cast, and
the city of Cincinnati, with her tiny lights
still glittcring through the foggy mist, was ia
ding away on the west northwest horizon,
showing that his coast was a little south of
east.
;, At a quarter to clock, tho light of
day was spread over the surface of the earth,
the stars had disappeared, and the beautiful
farms of the Ohio Valley wero spread in love.
incss At S o'clock aud 5 minutes the sun
showed golden rim above the horizon and
soon sent golden shower over the globe over
head. The rays of the sun drying the at
mospherc enabled the car to ascend an alti-
tudc of 1000 feet, At this height, my ap-
petite being sharp, / partook of hearty
breakfast, after which took my glass for the
purpose of hunting out objects of interest /
discerned high peaks of mountains on the
eastern horizon. At nine o'clock l was pass
ing over the northern range of the Cumbor-
land mountains, and here my course changed
tothe southeast. Below and for miles around,
was barren wilderness, but at some distance
ahcadI could sec an occasional firm house.
Being dcsirous of asccitaining with more GER
tainty my exact position, I lot off gas, and
gradually approached the earth. Seeing
some persons at work in Il field, I asked,
Z" What State is this? 2" The men, without an.
swcring, looked in all directions but upwards,
and fearing that | should miss them, I again
sang out!a the top Of my voice, when the yc-
ply came, "Virginia !" they still looking to
cMstcr of bushes, from whence probably
came the echo. II then asked what county,
and threw out some sand to clear tho tops Of
some tall tress. This struck the ground with
a spatter, and caused theul to look up, and in.
stead of answering the question: q, yell Of bort-
ror arose from them, and if tho foethess, Of
foot is any indication Of friglit, thor they
must have been terribly frightened" I.
a" I was now mounting upwards, and at is
minutes to 10 O'Clock, crossed the Allegha.
hies, going a trifle cust Of South .About rs
miles ahcad was the Blue Ridge nopptaius
extending north and south as far as tho eye
could 1reachSana to tho southeast could dis
tnctly sec It's highest peaks which divided
/ North and South Carolina. i BY diseharging
ballast!and letting off gas, reaohed an'a.ti-
tude Of 22,50Q ffoetSnbovo the level Of tho
sea- Here the tBormametor fell 10 degrees
below zero, tho wator, fruit and. other things
frose, and it required all tile, clothing and
blankets Ihad to keep me e.warm. But Ihod
gained onc;victory 4 had cleared tho nio,in-
tains, whose, tops were ooforcd with snow,
and and was rapid y moving to tho east &; it was
tnow 3 O'clock and ] could ,distingnish tie
blue ocean In tho e'stcra horizon. Yothav.
! ing ballast enough TO srewa;n at; that, great