Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-09-15

The anchor broke loose and away l
went. / did not rise high. "
The balloon moved on very soon in a
horizontal direction, straight towards
The sea, which we were then rapidly
nearing, ut the height of about twice
the length of the mooring cable. The
Thought had struck me several times to
Try hy any means TO make n rent in the
balloon, for, although ] had no knife,
might have torn the silk with my teeth.
| climbed up n short distance, but then
1t occurred to me that as soon as the gas
escaped the anchor would strike the
ground again, and should not be able
to support the conclusion while hang
| ing in the netting, and was suffering
q good deal from the shocks had sus-
tanned. l descended, therefore, into
The car, and to my great relief found
THAT | was gradually coming nearer to
|, the earth. ga The anchor struck the
ground several times, but never held
fast, scattering about the turf and stones
like feathers. | saw some men work
ing in a field, and shouted out to them,
/" For Gods sake, help me, or shall he
lost-secure the ahclor!' They UNDER
stood me at last, but too late. Away
we swept before them, the anchor
ploughing up the ground several acres
i'll length. Coming to a farm shouted
to the people standing there the same
appeal. Some women, with their quick,
humane instinct, We're the first to con-
ceive my danger, and eNhorted the men
to hurry TO my assistance, they them
selves running as fast as they could to
tender what little help they might be
able to give me. The anchor struck in
| a willow tree. / shouted out to the
persons below to secure the cable and
anchor by ropes, which they did. The
| evening was now beautifully still, the
breeze bad died away, and the balloon
! was swinging calmly at her nloorings
above the farm y:cra. One of the inen
aslied ne whether | had a rope with
me, or how / intended to get out. L
| told him only to take care of tho cablo,
because the balloon would settle down
| herself hy-ana-by. was congratulate
| ing myself on speedy escape from my
dangerous positions. had not counted
on the wind; a breeze in about six or
eight minutes sprung up, and tossed
the balloon about like n large SAIL a
crash--and the anchor was loosed again.
1t tore through the trees, tiinging'limbs
and branches about like matches. 1t
struck the roof of the farm house,
splintcring the chimneys and tiles like
glass. On ! went. | came near anoth-
cr farm, shouted out for help and told
the men to secure the anchor to the foot
of large tree close by. H. ..lra.
The anchor was soon made fast, but
! this was only a momentary relief. The
breeze again filled the half empty bal
| loon like a sail, there was a severe
strain on the cable then dull sound
and severe conclusion of the basket.
| The cable--strange fatality had brok-
en-; and the anchor, my last and only
hope, was gone. ! was now carried on
in IL straight direction, toward the sea,
which was but a short distance ahead.
! The anchor beiug lost ! gave up all
hope. | sat down resigned in the car
and prepared for the end. All at one,
/ | discovered that side current was
: drifting me toward the mountain; the
car struck the ground, and was dashed
falong at u fearful rate, knocking down
stone fences and breaking everything
/ ii came in contact with in its wild ca
reCr. | think | must have gone at the
rate OF ten or twelve miles an hour
Almost sudden death seemed betor,
me, yet, to jump out on this passage
would hcrr ensured my bciug dashet
to pieces on the rocky ground beneath
| was tossed about in tho baske as pea
in II chiid's rattle, and cannot compre
hUnd ut this moment, that my bones
! were not all broken. BY and by the
! knocks became less frequent; we were
/ passing over II cultivated country, and
the car was, as it were, ski,nning the
surface, and grazing the tops of the
hedges. ! saw Il thick hawthorne
/ hedge mt some distance before me, and
the balloon rapidly sweeping towards
/ 1t. ! rushed to the edge OF the ear, and
flung myself down upon the hedge. -
| expected severe tumble, but had Il
mild fall. The car did not, as | feared,
strike me, but the moment ] left 1t rose
! over my head. ] slid down on the 9th
er side of the hedge. ! rose ON my feet
and then tried every limb. They Were
! whole, and | need not describe my feel.
ines ut this almost miraculous prcscr-
walton. When | looked up | saw the
balloon soaring majesticalIy over the
sea, from which l was about % quarter
OF Il mile distant. h MS EEa. - ..s