The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-02-04


bed.
AyrH GM. Was surprised at finding
the rim of ice at very moderate dis.
tance, and an immense field of the same
material stretching away Off to the hor.
izon in the north. 1t was evident that
if the balloon held its present course, 1t
would soon arrive above the Frozen
Ocean, and had now little doubt of ul-
tirnately seeing the Pole. During the
whole day / continued to near the ice.
Towards night the limits of my horizon
very suddenly and materially increas.
ed, owing undoubtedly to the earth's
form being that of an oblate spheroid,
and my arriving above the fattened
regions in the vicinity Of the Arctic
circle. When darkness at length over
took me. went to bed in great anxiety,
fearing to pass over the object of so
much curiosity when should have no
opportunity of observing 1t.
AprH IN. Arose early, and, to my
great joy, at length beheld what there
could be no hesitation in supposing the
northern Pole itself. 1t was there be-
yond doubt and Immediately beneath
my feet but, alas 1 had now assembled
to so vast distance, that nothing could
with accuracy be discerned. Indeed to
judge from the progression ofthe num-
bers indicating my various attitudes,
respectively, at different periods, be-
tween six a. m, on the second of April
and twenty minutes before nine, a. M,
of the same day, lat which time the bar
ometer ran DOWN. 1t might be fairly
inferred that the balloon had now, at
four o'clock in the morning of April
the seventh, reached a height of not
less, certainly, than 1854 miles above
the surface of the sea. This elevation
may appear immense, but the estimate
upon which it is calculated gave res
ult in all probability far inferior to the
truth. At all events undoubtedly be-
held the whole of the earth's major di-
ameter; the entire northern hemisphere
lay beneath me like chart orthograph-
ically projected; and the great circle of
the equator itself formed the boundary
line of my horizon. Your Excellencies
may, however, readily imagine that
the confined regions hitherto unexplor-
ed within the limits of the Arctic circle
although situated directly beneath me
and therefore seen without any appear
ance of being foreshortened, were still,
in themselves, comparatively too di.
minutive, and at too greats a distance
rom the point of sight, to admit Of any
very accurate examination. Neverthe
less, what could be seen was of natur,
singular and exciting. Northwardl.
from that huge rim before mentioned
and which, with slight qualification
may be called the limit of human dis
cOvery in these regions, one unbroken
or nearly unbroken sheet of ice contin
ues to extend. In the first few degree
of this its progress, its surface is yer.
- sensibly flattened, farther on depressed
into plane, and finally, becoming no
a Httle concare, it terminates lat the Pol
itself, in circular centre, sharply de
fined, whose apparent diameter sub
tended at the balloon an angle of abou
sixty-fve seconds, and whose dusk.
hue, varying in intensity, was, at al
times darker than any other spot upol
the visible hemisphere, and occasion
u ally deepened into the most absolute
. blackness. Farther than this, littl
y could be ascertained. By twelve o'clocl
y the circular centre had materially dc
Il creased in circumference. and by seve
'e p. m, ] lost sight of 1T entirely; the bal
10 loon passing over the western limb o
y the ice, and floating away rapidly il
81 the direction of the equator.
= april SM. Found II sensible diminu
:, tion in the earth's apparent diameter
besides material alteration in It's gen
h eral color and appearance. The Who'll
=, visible area partook in different degree
- of a tint Of pale yellow. and in som
=, portions had acquired brilliancy eve
~ ~ painful to the eye. My view dowr
- wards was also considerably impede
-, by the dense atmosphere in the vicin
= ty of the surface being loaded wit
~ clouds, between whose masses / coul
., only now and then obtaina glimpse {
- the earth itself. This difficulty of d
rect vision had troubled me more G
" less for the last forty.eight hours; bu
=, my present enormous elevation brougf
-, closer together, as it were, the fioatin
=, bodies of vapor, and the inconvenient
became of course, more and more palp;
'r BILE in proportion to my ascent. Neve
t theless, l could easily perceive that tn
w balloon now hovered abovethe range
-, great lakes in the continent of Mort
~. America, and was holding a course, du
T south, which would soon bring me
,h the tropics. This circumstance did n,
- fail to give me the most heartfelt sati
faction, and hailed it as happy ome
"a of ultimate success. Indeed, the dire
=, tiOn had hitherto taken, had filled n
to with uneasiness; for 1t was evident th
~ had continued it much longer, the
no would have been no possibility of m
arriving at the moon at all whose orb
NO is inclined to the ecliptic at only Il
20 small angle of 81 81 As. Strange as it ms
,na m seem, it was only at this late perit
tliut Dtetu w uhbSiotuhd thC Bit
y, error had committed, in not takiI
my departure from earth at some poi
hn ~ in The plane Of The lunar eNipse.
no 1prR or. To-day, the earth's diam
,ss. ter was greatly diminished, and t
,st color of the surface assumed hourly
,ad deeper tint of yellow. The balloon Ike
bile steadily on her course to the southwa
the and arrived, at nine, p. m, over t
the northern edge Of the Mexican Gulf.
ore AprH lOth. | was suddenly arous
lse. from sluhnper' ABOUT nNe ociock u
4 / morning, by loud, cracking, and t
ak. rife sound, for which ! could in
manner account. 1t was of very br