Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-12-22
BALLOON VOYAGE.
Two Miles Above the Cafskfli
Mountafns-SpIend View.

From the Poughkeepsic Eagle, 13th.l 4.
That very successful voyagcr, Prof. >.
A. King, made asplendid balloon ascen-
sion from Ellenville, Ulster couhty, a
short time since, and his description IS
so interesting that il is worth publish
ing nl s'' .i
Soon after rising from the starting
point the whole of Ulster, Sullivan and
Delaware counties, the Catskill noun
tains, the boundaries of Pennsylvania
and much more were brought into view.
The professor companion grew enthnsl-
astic, and his EXPLANATIONS were wildly
in accordance. Three-fourths Of the
way to the top OF the Shawangunk
mountains they noticed long steep
precipice, and when they reached
the top they found there WIDE
plateau, on which there was a
pond Of water Higher and higher
rose the balloon, the blood Of the aro-
nauts courslng through their veins at tre-
mendous speed, till suddenly the @rial
ship entered the clouds, seven and half
minutes after its departure from earth.
Suddenly the air became stlnglng cold,
and the voyagers were compelled to tdrn
up their coat collars and to rub their
ears and noses to keep them from freez-
ing. Their cheeks Redeemed, their eyes
sparkled, and their whole frames seemed
to be singularly affected. They were
hidden from everything earthly entirely
The cloud itself seemed to be quite dry
and light, and, as the balloon hoated up
wards and through it, prismatic colors
flashed and wavered before the optic OF
the daring yoyagers. For full five min
utes were they thus singularly sur
rounded, during all of which time they
were, ,ofcourse, ,unablet to ascertain toward
which point Of the compass they were
steering, As they emerged from their
pure white and feecy surrounding the
good ship of the air broke from its close
confinement into the most glorious sun
light, and above it as far as the eye could
see the blue arch of heaven was visible,
while below the white rolling clouds,
tinged with the rays of the sun, added
to a scene at once so grand as to DEFY
description. 1t was majesticl 1t was
wonderful On all sides lowered noun
tains of snow, white clouds so brilliant
that the eye could scarcely gaze upon
them, while between them lay, appar-
emily, dark CULTS. and long, deep ravines.
Then did the cold relax its hold upon
the yoyagers and the temperature rose
to a genial warmth, so that it seemed
like sudden transit from winter to
summer.
While looking at one of the mountains
of vapor before them, which seemed to
tower hundreds Of feet above all of the
others, and whose broad, white, yelvety
side appeared to be extraordinarily
beautiful, the voyagers exclaimed, stimuli
taneously "Look y. "SeeT A change
was taking place upon the surface of the
cloud alluded te--a picture of some kind
was coming to light upon it, like a paint
ing from dissolving view Gradually it
became more distinct, and finally a fac
simile of the balloon and its occupants
Law against the broad, white bosom of
the floating cloud-a shadow cast by the
sun. From it radiated halo of light in
rainbow colors, forming a circle larger
than the balloon itself y
1t was beautiful, yet strange pheno-
menon. But the balloon feels the rare
flying power of the sun, and from this
cause begins to mount more rapidly,
soon leaving the clouds far beneath it.
Then came pictures of mountains,
dark shadowy valleys and chasms, as far
as the eye could reach. Currents of air
run in different directions, all clouds
moved to the eastward, and higher up
the air currents run the same way. There
mo ,,ot n ooupd af anv daaarintiOn IN he