The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1867-09-14

Az aronaut Lausd Thompson, Who
ascendcd recently from Toronto, de-
scsndcd safely near Cleveland, shs
balloon having bssa taksa By ss<oaa
upper current across The lakes
Much anxiety vsa fol, in Toronto ~
TO Mr. Thompson fate before the
Telegram arrived announcing his safe
landing Mr.. Thompson siss tAs
following account Of his adventure
The balloon assembled 1t 4.i0, and
from the velocity the balloon Was
travelling at, ! soSn perceived IL Wa
foolish to try - acscesd II rcct,
became evident 10 ne that lAsding il
Canada was out Of the question, aad
that all arrangements must he made
To be driven across the lakes, The
first thing thai sasuek no vsa 10 drop
tbs grapnsl to shs full ssteat, l20
feet, This acted - = guide to tho
distance the balloon light be kept
above the surface Of the water; Il
being now da,k, snd, BY placing one
hsnd on tho reps, shs s9sct II he
grapnel striking the wafer Was dis
.instly felt With an open bag Of
ballas, on my knee, every time the
graphcl struck the vsssv eoVpls ol
hsadfuIs Of ssnd we're thrown out
and to this plan alese owe my own
preservation and success. The bal
last taken was about $50 pounds.
For three hours that plan vas ear
ried out, and then c~as GU the most
drenching and mercilsss rain | have
ever felt Icould not sec hftcen feet
before ne, aud the noisc Of the rain
on the balloon sd the water va
such as to entirely unneryc me. My
hands became numb, and was
drenchcd to the skin. ! now began
to perceive my position morc sesssly,
though detsfniusd | would noi
give up until al the ballast and nova
blcs were gone, The rain was making
the balloon heavier every momeas,
and the ballast Was thrown out more
freely I'LL about ten oclock, whom
the fatigue ovsrcame me. fell into
. stupor for fsw moments. by this
time the balloon had descended 20
within six feet Of the water, and in
stAntly out went twssty eight , pounds
of ballast, Tho effect Of this VAS
that the balloon r"se to an altitude
of a mile, entirely through the rain
clouds, and then tho moon shonc
brilliantly, and in this position II re-
NAMED about y quarter Of an hour.
The effect Of tbs moon shining on
tho cloud beneath was such a. any
artist might be- proud " The shsd-
dow of tho balloon was distinctly "a
DO seen travelling over the rough and
uneven clouds, giving the idea Of =
balloon race. Everything now be-
came calm No loagsr The hum q
the lake or the rain. All wss still,
bu, whether the storm still ragged b.
meath WAS unknown A the bal
loon descended II was evident q
change had como over the sesnc
The Tsia had ceAscd, and the appear
ance OF everything Was Of the darkest
hue whether il was an under -strat-
um Of dark clouds could no. be know
Suddenly a glimmer flight was seen
for moment then, with anxious
eyes cast down 10 perceive any OBJ
jsct, At last small squares, with dark
cr margins, were clsarly visible
Thsse proved 10 - fields aad hedges,
and they Appeared 10 vanish ~ quick
ly as objects pssssd when in a mail
train. A town was At last seen, and
| heard the yound cf musical instru-
men@ | then called out 10 know
whore WAS, but The reply was unin
telligiblc. They, however, saw i,
was a balloon. About two miles fur
thor on, the grapnel caught in large
oak tree, and held fast This sfssr-
wards proved 10 b. . little villsgs
nesr Cleveland. l thsa called Out
Justify the sounds Of persons sing
and playing music were heard. Those
proved TO be four young men who
had bsss 70 . ball. They vsrs ns.
tivss Of Cleveland, and ~ they Ad-
vauced nearer my voice was heard.
They At oacs set to work TO pull the
balloon out of the woods and convey
ii 10 = field where il could b. folded
up. II was then thrss O'Clock in the
norning.'