Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-03-18


presented to my view. The atmos-
phere was very clear, giving me pros
pect bounded only by the horizon,
which was sharply defined, and which
presented a line un5roken by any
mountainous projections around its en-
tire circumference. The whole face
Of the country appeared exceedingly
level, though occasionally | saw some
hills, but the general appearance was
that OF a vast plain. / had fine view
o. the city just at the start, but in con-
sequence OF moving away SO fast, |
could but notice its general appearance
OF regularity and neatncss. Hearing
train OF cars beneath, / looked down
and found that l had overtaken the
Charleston train, and was having
lively race with them. They tried
hard, as 1 have since learned, to keep
up with me, but in vain. I crossed
the road diagonally, and left them away
behind. AT thaif-past four had reach
ed the height of one mile, and feeling
little chilly, put on my overcoat. To
the left of my course l saw three vii
lages-they were Graniteville, Aiken
and Blackville. The general appear
anee Of the country was as if the whole
face Of it had been once a complete
forest, and spaces made here and there
by clearing OF the timber, thus leay-
ing the great mass of woods, and dot
ting the country over with plantations.
Occasionally l came low enough to
hear voices Of persons below, but
though | tried repeatedly to get some
Information of my whereabouts, / fail
ed to elicit any response to my ques-
tions. AS | passed over one house /
f.4lf lnAf ha a l4Fa In,
had received terrible scare, for the
women were screaming in terrible
manner, aided BY q single male voice.
The wind bore me rapidly by the place,
and | had my quiet laugh at their ex-
pense, when l saw q flash near the
door OF the house, followed by the re-
port OF n gun. / have no DOUBT the
shot was intended Tor the balloon, but
| was cut OF the reach Ut any Ordinary
gun, and 80 had another laugh to my
self. / heard = number OF shots fired
during the trip, but supposed that they
were either fired by huntsmen, or else
simply To attract my attention. At
precisely clock, | crossed the south
Carolina Railroad about eight or ten
miles southeast of Blackville. | saw
no more villages after this; the coun-
try had saIneness OF character varying
only in showing n greater number OF
plantgt'O 'Ons and a larger area Of wood
lads. A. a sail on the water is a good
appetizer, 80 Is a voyage i'll the air, and
THIS was 10 exception. Being well
IrJvisiOned, / partOok Of hearty sup
pc, stopping occasionally To observe
| movements Of the balloon, and 70 Put
out Little sand occasionally, for lhc
sun was getting lower, and the gas
| that had been warmed by its rays was
| cooling and eonGJns Ing, thus gradual-
| Is losing a portion OF its Ouoyancys
Night was approaching, and though /
| felt SURE that il should be moonlight
| looked IN vain for the silvery orb
! Thinking | must be mistaken, I
| thought of landing without fui ther
| delay. and looking below found
lhat the suns rays had left the earth,
| thou-h il was stliI shining on the ball
| loon; in passing over some water al
! most directly bef1eath me the reflection
| of the moon on its surface, bright as
| the original caught my eye; the BAL
| loon had hidden It from me, SO | con-
| tinued on nay Journey. During tine
| daylight, had noticed smoke curling
| up from the woods in many places,
| bat now oil over the country near and
far the fires cCu.f ~ ssen, fairly sprink-
ling the earth with lights; in some
| l,laces lhey were 30 numerous and near
| together that they gave IN the distance
exact appearance oI "A large city, with
| It's thousands OF gas-lights. / thought
at the time, however, that 10 matter
| how Tine TO look upon they would be
| dangerous places 10 come in contact
| with when landing. / looked at my
compass occasionally, and sometimes
| found myself gong north of east and
| sometimes sou ,heast, the upper current
| carrying me in the latter direction.
did not know my exact whereabouts,
but hoped 1 was nearing Charleston,
and this caused ME 10 continue the
voyage longer than / otherwise should
have done. The moon did me good
service in the reflections given as |
passed along, showing the exact nature
OF the ground, wht ther swamps or dry
land. Ii was past seven O'clock, when
suddenly | left behind me all signs OF
cultivation and started into what seem
ed To me 10 10 the beginning OF u dis
trict bearing a character entirely diff
Ierent irom anything that had coiiis
under my observation before. knew
1 must be approaching the Atlantic
and thought / could make il out In the
I "
possibly | might have nothing bettel
before me than that which was now
under me. | had struck the swamp;
in the vicinity Of the Santee river, ant
, being oVeTiiowed by the river, they
presented for miles the most 1ninvIt
ing prospect for landing l ever beheld
! and my relief can be imagined wheT
: 1 passed again to dry land.
| ,Vfu.-r,I rha - 70 uaftl
gradually, with the view OF landing
, - soon as an opportunity offered.
| loated along for some time, however
4. before a clearing came in my way
when this came AZ lssst in the shape 0
"A field walled around by y thick woods
The rate Of speed at which l was trav
, cling and the uncertainty with whicl
height l. measured by the eye in tn
uhsencc Of daylight, showed me tn
difficulty OF luriing under such cir
cum,taucgs. The attempt WAS made
however, bat without success, jus
touching the tree tops ON the Opposit
side OF Ihe lot. / had one bag OF bal
last left. Ii wils Immediately thrown
! over aud kept the balloon out Of TN
trees for a Wh.lc, Tut It soon settle,
again and brushed the tops of live o
| SIX pines, causing IL 10 rebound fton
fiftv 70 an hundred feet. This brough
u view another field just ahead, OF
, which were number OF naked dea'
pines. To have the balloon impale'
on one Of these Is probably the mos
dangerous position in which the Ero
naut could be placed and would mucl
rather have taken the chances among
the green pines but sIy ballast wa
gone. quickly let go my drag rop
2 hoping 10 clear them by letting IN
: rope drag instead OF carrying its dca,
= weight in the basket, bat IL was no
- enough, and in another moment tin
Hyperion dashed b.Oad-ide agains
: one OF the tallest OF these fiendish
C looking skeletons and was fastened II
Y it, arms the sudden escape OF all tn
gas must OF course, follow, and wha
= then? | jumped on TO the etge OF IN
L - u l. Il l.