Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-08-16
BALL00NING IN 1909.
Account OF an Ascension, Found by q
Sussex Counuan in a Bottle-A Peril
Gus Voyage.


Account OF an Ascension, Found by q
Sussex Counuan in a Bottle-A Peril
Gus Voyage.
IFrem the Cineinnat Commerelsl.l
AURORA, July 30, 1s72.-In view of the
preparations Nv Prof. Wise and another
balioonatlc to cross the ocean in a bal
loon, il is probable that anything con-
nected with tue art, or science, or folly
(as YOU please) of aerial navigation will
be interesting.
In the year 1909 my grandfather lived
in Sussex county, Delaware, near the
coast, and was frequently at the sea
shore. In the autumn of that year,
while walking along the beach soon after
an easterly gale, he picked up bottle
that had been thrown up by the waves
aud lay half buried in the sand, and upon
examination found IL contained a manu-
script Of some kiud. The bottle WIS car
licd home and broken, after some fruit.
less attempts to extract the paper from
the bottle without breaking it. That
paper-or what remains Of ii, for some
parts are goue entirely, and on Others the
writing has been obliterated by the salt
water or some other cause-has been pre-
served by the descendants of the finder
with some degree OF care. The material
Is unruied aud very coarse, almost as
coar-c a. the wrapping paper used at the
present day. II was probably white at
first, though Low 1t Is saffron colored.
The document seemed 10 have been a
sort of journal, written apparently with
pencil, though on account OF the ex-
treuie dimness, that can not be positively
stated. 1t will b. observed that the day
Of the month is given, the hour, once the
day of the week, but not the year though,
Of course, It WAS in or previous tO the
year when found, viz, 1909.
1t reads as follows;
"May 5-4 O'Clock p. ms y
clouds are very dense. Can barely see
the river. At first could see the whole
city. and distinguish the Hall and st..
Aune's Church very readily. 1t seemed
As If everything was shooting down and
away from Us, aud that We were motion
less. / could not realize that we were
rapidly ascending, and that the earth was
not shrinking and slipping away from us.
The Professor says 1t is always theiway
il appears to aerOnauts.
"5 o'clock.-We can hear the clock on
the tower strike very distinctly. 1t is
now quite and the view is
grand. New Castle, Wilmington, the
bay-we can see them all and for miles
beyond. Can see people cutting grass in
the marshes. The Shipping all seems
becalmed, and Professor il
working with some of the ropes over
head.
IS o'clock-The Professor says the
rope reaching the valve is fastened
some way and does not work properly.
| We are well wrapped up, but II IS quite
cold. It is light enough up here, but Sc
dark down below that we are unable t
| tell Just where we are. | wish we weri
down. think the Professor wishes SO
TOO, but he does not say it. We heal
breakers below us, and can distinguish
Il long white line of foam.
SUNDAY MOrning-Drifted all night
| The valve works now, but wcare over the
watcr-not speck of land in sight
| Throw out ballast to keep out of the
water. Have thrown out pearly all oul
ballast. The air seems to press us down
80 o'clOck-We are drifting around il
a circle. The compass indicates that thl
balloon does not turn much itself, bul
SCRAPS Of paper thrown out occasionally
diin in one direction, and in a half AZ
hour other pieces thrown out drift thl
contrary way. The little vane | hold il
NV hand, from time to time, indicates tn
same thing. BY trail line we find tha
within live hundred feet Of the water VI
can escape this circular movement, bu
the current Of air seems to press down
ward constantly, and drives the balloon
toward the Nater, requiring eOustan
loss Of ballast. As soon as we ascenl
above five hundred feet we encOunte
those aerial eddies that carry us aroun
in a circle.
SO o'clock-llave been up over twenty
six hours. Have eaten the last Of GU
crnckers, aud have left only a penny loa
and part of bottle OF wine.
living in the bottom of the basket. ca
not arouse him. Gave him some wine
Came down close to the water again
Threw out the last of the ballast Go
know what am TO do. If some vesst
would pass risk being picked Il
~ ~ be certain death to the
still insensible. Stll wheelin
around in this awful whirlpool, and Il
sign of release. Can see large field q
something floating on the water.
seems to he the center around which W
are drifting
81 7u'clock-Tried coming down again
The balloon, as before, when near IN
uuntiug mass seemed pressed down b
the strong current from the sOuthwesl
Some large birds fly screaming aroun
Ills. Threw out our shoes, coats, an
coil of rope to escape being plunged int
the son. Gave Professor a little MOI
wine. Water nearly gone. Still movin
In a circle, The Held OF sea weed of j
the horizon part Of the time. and part {
the time lust beneath us. Great God
there no end to this circling round an
round but to plunge into the sea Al
we never to ESCAPED
IS O'Clock Water gone. My tongu
Is parched and swollen. The Profess,
is dead. Am cold, very cold, too wea
To sit up A sail is
sight, / cork this up and ="
The remainder Of the writing, but
few lines, is wholly illegible, exceptin
the word 9Johnson," . at the end.
those days travelling was slow and tediou
but my grandfather Immediately set OF
for Philadelphia in eoasting sloop, an
. spent some time endeavoring to leaI
sometime about the aerial voyagers, au
, advise their families of what he knew
, but if ANYTHING was learned II was n
: transmitted to his descendants. It
, supposed that the party assembled from
near Philadelphia, were carried out
sea, and the survivor attempted to desceI
p aud attract the attention of the vess
! alluded to, or found himself too wei
and died by the side of his companio
, while the balloon sailed on its awf
j. rounds with its load Of dead, until
4 stroyed by the elements.
) Whether these atmospheric maelstror
4 exist in reality or not, is matter IN
/. might be investigated by the Graph
10 peOplc before they clear for Europe.