The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-07-01
A Thrilling Adventure.

One dull day In August, just after
noon, a balloon rose in the air at the foot
OF Cloet Hills, on the western edge of
the central plain of Erg gland 1t was
inflated with the lightest of gasses which
chemical skill could produce, and it
rose with amazing velocity. 4 mile up
and it entered a stratum of cloud more
than a thousand feet thick. Emerging
from this, the sun shone brightly on the
air ship; the sky overhead vas of the
clearest and DEEPEST blue, and below lay
cloud land -au immeasurable cloud
whose surface looked as solid as that of
the earth not wholly lost to view. Lofty
mountains aud deep, dark ravines, APP
peared below the peaks and sides ofthese
| cloud mountains next the sun, glittering
/ like snow, but casting shadows as if they
were solid rock. Up rose the balloon
with tremendous velocity -Four miles
:. above the earth pigeon was let loose; it
dropped down through the air as if it had
been stone. The air was too thin to
enable it to fy. 1t was as if "a bark laden
to the deck were to pass from the heavy
waters of the seaipto an inland unsaline
lake; the bark would sink at once into
the thinner water. Up, up, still hig her!
| What silence profound The nights Of
the sky were as still as the deepest depths
of the ocean, where. as was found during
t the search for the lost Atlantic cable, the
fine mud that lies unstirred from year to
year as the dust which impercep:ibly
gathers on the furniture of a deserted
house. No sound, no life-only the
bright sunshine falling through sky
which it could not warm.
Up-fve miles above the earth higher
than the inaccessible summit of Chimbo-
razo or Dawangiri. Despite the sunshine
everything freezes. The air grows too
thin to support life, even for a few min
utes. Two men only are in that adven-
turous balloon-the one steering the air
ship, the other Watching the scientific
instruments, and recording them with a
rapidity bred of long practice. Sudden-
" as the latter looks at his instruments
his sight grows dim; he takes lens to
help his sight and only marks from
his falling barometer that they are ris-
ing rapidly y flask Of brandy lies with
: in foot of him; he tried to reach it bnt
his arm refused to obey his will. He
tries to call on his cumrade, who has
gone up Into the ring above; whisper ii.
deep silence would suf1icc-but no sound
comes from his lirs--he is voiceless.
The steersinan comes down into the car,
he sees his comrade in i swoon, and fee Ii
his own senses failing hiui-
He saw at once that life and death
hung upon few moments. TX seized or
tried to seize the valve, in oIder to open
it and let out the gas His hands are
purple with intense cotd--they are para.
lyzed. they will not respond to his will.
lie seized the valve with his teeth, it
opened Il little-ontc, twice, thrice The
balloon began to descend Then the
swooned marksman returned TO his con :
seiousness, and saw the steersman stand
ing before him. lie looked at his instru-
ment; but now the barometer was rising
rapidly; the balloon was descending.
Brandy was used. They had been
higher above Garth than mortal man OF
any living thing had sver been before.
0ne..minute more of inactioE-of com pulse
~ inaciion-on the part of the steers
man. whose senses were faiiing him, aud
the airship, with its intensely rareied
gas, would kaye been floating unattended.
with two eorpses in the wide realms OF
space.