The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-07-01

A JUVENILE AERoNAUT-In some
respects the most remarkable ascension
that ever took place was one made by an
apprentice boy of twelve years old manned
Guerin, who was taken up by the action
of the balloon itself without his consent,
and without any intention that he should
go up on the part of any other person.
1t was a rarefed air balloon The car
was in the form of boat, and was to be
suspended from the balloon by cords at
tached to each end oft when the balloon
was filed There was also an anchor sus-
pended by a cord from the bottom Of the
boat, which was intended 20 catch upon
the ground and hold the balloon when it
should come down.
After the balloon was filled and ready
to go up some of the assistants held it by
cords, while others went to work to at
tach the car to it. They had secured one
end, and were then going to secure the
other, when, by some means or other, the
balloon broke away from those holding it
and began slow ~ to rise, and at the same
time to drift along with tie wind, drag
cling the car and the anchor over the
ground. 1t happened that,as the anchor
was thus drawn along, and was Begin
ming to rise, 1t passed so closely over this
hoy-who was sitting quietly near by with
his companions, not dreaming Of being
any thing but spectator of the proceed
ings-as to catch the fluke in the waist
band of his pantaloons, and as it continu-
ed to ascend it took him up with it.
The boy uttered piercing screams and
harm in this so long as he held on brave
lx, hal nv
cert calls to him from below to hold on.
He found that the waistband began to
give away, and he instinctively grasped
the rope above his head with both hands
and so sustained himself The strength
of his hands, without the aid of the hook
in his waistband, would not have been
utes; and the waistband was not strong
enough without the hands. Both together
however, answered the purpose.
1t was very fortunate for Guerin that 1t
was Montgol6er, that is rarefed air
balloon, and not one filled with hydrogen,
that was running away with him; for in
the latter case the gas within would have
continued to expand as the outside pres
sure upon it diminished by the increasing
elevation and as there would have been
no possibility Of opening the valve, as is
usually done, to relieve it, the balloon
would have burst and collapsed, and the
poor boy would have fallen thousand
feet or more to the ground with tull force
But being a Montpelier. the ascending
power gradually diminished as the air
grew cool, until at length. after floating a
moment in equilibrium, it began slowly
to descend. As the balloon descended,
the rope which had begun to untwist un-
der the influence of the boy S weight, turn
ed more and more rapidly, and inasmuch
as person suspended from balloon is
| never conscious of his own motion-the
illusion which makes the motion seem to
be in the earth and not in the balloon be-
ing perfect-as it is indeed on a smaller
\ scale to person going up in the elevator
of a hotel-it appeared to Guerin that
the earth was spinning round beneath
him in vast and most frightful gyration.
Guerin was more terrified than ever As
he drew near the ground, or rather, as it
appeared to him, as the ground and the
concourse of spectators upon 1t came
whirling up to him, he cried out to the
people to save him. They called to him
in reply not to be afraid, that he was al
right; and receiving him In their arms as
soon as he came within reach, they at the
same moment stopped the spinning of the
earth and unlocked him from the anchor.
The incident of course created a great
sensation at the time; and, as the ac-
count of it became part of the history
of aerostation, the story will be repeated
in all coming time. Guerin found HIM
self very suddenly famous. As he was
only in the air about fifteen minutes, it is
very probable that this boy acquired his
torical immortality at an earlier age, and
in a shorter time, than any ether human
being.--JAcoB ABBOTT, in Harper 1
Magazine for July.