The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-07
Up i'm n Balloon

LOG BOOK OF THE TRIP-A RACE WITH A
TRAIN OF cARs-TuE BALLOON SHOT
Ar-ALARM OF A uoUsEHoLD-TuE BAL
LOON WRECKED IN A TREE.
About three weeks ago Prof. S. A. King,
the famous @ronaut, made a balloon trip
from Augusta, Ca, to Charleston, S. c., leav-
ing the former place at 4:l5 p. NJ, and land
ing in the southeastern portion of Clarendon
county, S. c.. distance OF 130 miles, in three
hours and halt. We make some extracts
from his report OF this thrilling journey:
Inc WIND was high and moved off rapidly
III noftneasterly objection. knew by the
shouts OF the people, which were given with
Wlh, tnat my balloon ascension thus far bad
proved satisfactory, and [ began to look
around on the grand scene pleserted to INV
view. The atmosphere was very clear, giving
me prospect bounded only by the horizon.
which was sharply defined, and which pre-
sented line urbroken by any mountainous
projection around its entire circumference
The whole face of the country appeared ex-
ceedngly level, though occasionally I saw
some hills, but the general appearance was
that o. o. asst plain int had view Of the city
ing away so fast, could but notice its qener-
al appearance OF regularity and neatnes,,
Hearing train of cars beneath, looked
down aud found that had overiaken the
Charleston train, and was having lively
race with them. They tried hard, as have
since learned, to keep up with me, but In
vain. l crossed the road diagonally, and left
them far behind. AT halt past four had
reached the height Of one mile, and feeling
little chilly, put ON my overcoat. To the left
of my course saw three villaees-they were
Granville, Aiken, and Blackvllle. The gen.
eral appearance of the country was as ii the
whole face of it had once been a complete for
est, and spaces made here and there by clear
ing off the timber, thus leaving the great mass
of woods, and dotting the country over with
plantations. Occasionally came low enough
to hear voices OF persons below, but though
tried repeatedly to get some information of
my whereabouts, failed to elicit any re-
sponse to my questions. As l passed over
one house felt quite sure that the dwellers
therein had received terrible scare, for
the women were screaming in terrible
manner, aided by single male voice.
The wind bore me rapidly by the place, and
had my quiet laugh at their exyense, when
saw flash near the door OF the house follow.
ed by the report of gun. l have no doubt
the shot was intended for the balloon, but
was out of reach of any ordinary gun, and SO
had another laugh to myself. heard rum
ber of shots fired during the trip,but supposed
else simply to attract my attention. As a sail
in the water is good appetizer, so is voyage
in the air, and this was no exception. Being
well provisioned, l partook OF a hearty sup
per, stopping occasionally to observe the
movements of the balloon and TO put out a
little sand occasionally, for the sun was get
ting lower, and the Gas that had been warm
ed by its rays was cooling and condensing,
thus gradually losing portion OF the buoy
ancy. Night was approaching, and though
felt sure that it should be moonlight, looked
in vain for the silvery orb. Thinking L must
be mistaken, / thought of lanoing without
further delay, and looking below found that
the suns rays had left the earth, though 1t
was still shining on the balloon; in passing
over some water almost directly beneath me,
the reflection of the moon on its surface,
bright as the original, caught my eye; the
balloon had hidden it from me, so continued
on my journey. During the daylight, l had
noticed smoke curling up from the woods in
many places, but now al over the country,
near and far, fires could be seen, fairly sprink-
ling the earth with lights; in some places
they wore so numerous and near together
that they gave in the distance the exact ap-
pearance of large city, with its thou
sands of gaslights. thought at the time,
however, that no matter how fine to
look upon, they would be dangerous
places to come in contact with when landing.
1 looked at my compass occasionally, and
sometimes found myself going north of east,
and sometimes southeast, the upper current
carrying me in the latter direction. l did not
know my exact whereabouts, but hoped /
was nearing Charleston. and this caused me
to continue the voyage longer than other
wise should have done. The moon did me
good service in the reflections given as pass
ed a'ong, showing the exact nature OF the
ground, whether swamps or dry land. IL was
past seven o'clock, when suddenly left be-
hind me all signs OF cultivation, and started
into what seemed to me to be the be,inning
of district bearing character entirely dif-
ferent from anything that had come under
my observation before. L knew / must be ap-
preaching the Atlantic, and thought l could
make it out in the distance, and it now struck
me that possibly might have nothing better
before me than that which was now under
me, had struck the swamps in the vicinity
of the Santee river, and, being overflow ed by
the river, they presented for miles the most
uninviting prospect for landing j ever be-
held, and my relief can be imagined when I
passed again to dry land.
now allowed the balloon to settle gradual
ly, with the view of landing as soou as an op-
portunity offered. 1 tloated along for some
time, however, before clearing came in my
way; when this came at last in the shape of
field walled around by thick woods. The
rate of speed at which was travelling, and
the uncertainty with which height is meas
ured by the eye in the absence of daylight,
showed me the difficulty of landing under
such circumstances. The attempt was
made, however, but without success, just
touching the tree tops on the other side of
the lot. 1 had one bag OF ballast lett. 1t
was Immediately thrown over and kept the
balloon out OF the trees for awhile. but it soon
settled again and brushed the tops of five or
six pines, causing it to rebound from fifty to
hundred feet. This brought to view another
field just ahead, on which were a number of
naked old pines. To have the balloon impal
ed on one of these is probably the most dam
gerous position in which the aeronaut could
be placed, and would much rather have Ia
ken the chances among the green pines, but
my ballast was gone. l quickly let go my
drag rope, hoping to clear them by letting the
rope drag instead OF carrying its dead weight
in the basket; but it was not enough, and in
another moment the "IIyperion" dashed
broadsde against one of the tallest of these
fendish-looking skeletons, and was fastened In
its arms. The sudden escape of all the gas
must, of course, follow, and what then?
jumped on to tie edge OF the basket seized
the drag rope with my hands, took turn
around one leg, and the next moment would
have been sale upon the ground; but the gas
had escaped in less time than it took me to
make my preparations, and with a crash the
rotten limbs gave way, and the whole mass
fell together. The distance from the ground
must have been from fifty to sixty leet, and
how l escaped with whole bones seems to me
at this moment miracle. The shock was
terrible. 1 arose imme iiately to my feet,
staggered about like drunken man, and yet
astonished that was able TO do so much. l
soon regained st.eDgth, however, sufficient to
euable me to reach house near by, where
found some very intelligent colored people,
who did all that lay in their power to render
me the assistance 7 needed. l suffered much
pain during the night, and did not pretend to
sleep; but by Thursday afternoon l had so far
recovered as to be able to see to the packing
OF the wreck OF the balloon. .-..-'-.-
SEVERAL weeks since two convcts in the
Maine State Prison, by the name of Hickey
and Murphy, got into an alteration, and
while fighting Hickey got the thumb cf the
right hand of Murphy into his, (Hickey's)
mouth, and chewed il badly They both
worked in the wash house, down under the
quarry bank, and away from the immediate