Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1865-10-26
did not need it We declared, however,
that we would not psrmitso fool hardy an
oxnar;p,orf ,,olaoo tl,;a ,rocantion xuaya IN

U
experiment unless this precaution were ia.
ken, and sitter little psrleys he consented.
A steady breeze was now blowing from the
Southeast. Riley and Ward took their
place in the wagon beside the coil Of rope
McLennan acted as driver, while Captain
Cobb and I remained on the ground IS spec.
tators. The horses we're started in gallop
and the kite rose slowly and heavily, but
steadily upward. I glanced at my watch,
it was twenty minutes past 2'o'olock. The
kite continued to rise, with q slight sway
ing motion, higher and higher. Il seemed
as though The daring aronsut must become
sick and dizzy at his lofty height. Sud-
denly.I was startled BY an exclamation from
my companion, and noticed a dark object
falling from the Kite, and futtering slowly
downward. It was the parachute, which
Smith had thrown away. The persons in
the wagon which was now half a mile
distant, did not seem to notice this OCCUR.
renee Obviously Smiths situation, if bis
invention should fail, had become one Of
appalling danger; since it is almost impos-
sible to bring kite to the ground without
violent and jerking lateral motion. 1t
seemed equally perilous to stop OF proceed.
Trembling with anxiety, we~vatched with
straining eyes his fast receding form. l
had an excellent field glass, which gave me
perfect view of his every motion. And
now We noticed that both the bladders and
the wings had begun 'to.expand. Higher
be rose, but we could detect in his attitude
no sign of doubt or trepidation. The blad-
ders soon became distended so as to almost
hide the man from view. He had now
reached an elevation,; as near as I could
judge, Of 1,200 70 I, 500 feet, or quarter
Of a mile. He now detached his arms from
the ladder, his fee. remaining upon it, and
waved his wings upward and downward, as
/ If itotry them. For snS instant he stood
thus, and then relinquishing, all support, he
sprang off into the empty air.. For mo:
ment my heart stood still. I held my breath
expecting to see him dashed to the earth.
But he did not fall he did not even seem
to tend downward. His wings played with
great swiftness, and he aoated in horizon
tai position, With apparent ease, Again. I
glanced at my watch The hand pointed to
twenty seven minutes before three. The
kite, deprived of its ballast, had sunk to the
ground. Watching narrowly, itswas eyi-
dent that, MI. Smith was slowly meyipg
forward. 1t appeared to me. that the blad-
der slightly contracted and expanded alter
nately, as ones chest doesin breathing. OF
this / could not feelabsolutely certain, since
the appearance may have resulted from their
futtering motion !; yet, the Captains opiu-
ion ooincided with my own. After few
minutes (Which seemed like hours) we per.
ceived that Mr.. Smith had begun to de.
scend. Very gradually this was accom-,
plished, and exactly at q quarter before 8
O'Clock he touched the ground. We ran
toward him, and found that he was consid.
'erably exhausted. He responded oheerily,
however, to onr hearty congratulations
As the ewagon had already returned, it did
not take long to stow away the kite, etc.,
and we then returned to the city.
Ihave thus given plain and exaotac.
count of this most extraordinary occurrence.
1 will not offer any speoulations concerning
the nature of Mr., Smiths invention, and,
in fact, do not consider myself at liberty
to doso.