The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-10-22

IL anu as prepared to open 1t, PfOf0ssO
!, King remarked that l would find tha
l. it would pop for certain at that alti
?, thde, which was, and had been 70
II some time, one mile. just as soon a
: I pushed the wire aside, the cork ant
Il liquid rushed out with great force, ol
t account of the decrease in atmospher
|, ic pressure from the outside [ an
r compelled to confess thatI never be
s fore was so .'high" after any potatioI
J. in my life as after this one,
30 NEW KIND OF BALLAsT, Frit
The ladies of the Cemetery Associa
ton had kindly put up bounteou
: : lunch for Professor King, and as i
; was sufficiently abundant and of
, nicer quality than one. I had brough
! ! along, | made preparations to throw
: mine overheard.
"Hold on therel" came from thu
| Professor. tifs
"Why SOP" Inquired. So
Because we are cut of sand anG
; need every ounce of ballast that We
can avail ourselves, of. y.
This put new idea into my head
and no more thought of sparing any
more of our precious store of avoir-
dnpois of safety.
may be mentioned here lest I forget
it. Sometimes we seemed to be going
in an opposite direction from the
clouds. A novice would have declared
such to be the case, but the experience
ed 9ronaut who had the direction ei
our air-ship said that it was only be-
cause we were in current that was
travelling faster than the one in which
the clouds were moving. A singular
fact connected with our highest ascent
was that we went up through a rift in
/ the clouds. We were not enveloped
in them, but were taken up by a rising
current of air right through this open
ing. During part of The period we
were above the clouds we were sensi-
bly, affected by these up and down cur
1 rents. 'i sf.s9 q s5
Finally we again entered a current
of cold air which the Professor said
would take us down, and sure enough
we soon began
THE FINAL DESCENT.
Down we went, lower and lower, un-
! ill the cloud-plain seemed to rise up
and soon we were enveloped in what
below would be called a dense fog. 1t
chilled us through and through,
looked up into the neck of the balloon
and the gas which before had been
clear and transparent was now dark
and haZy. Our breath condensed as
on very frosty morning. Soon a
dark something bsganet to approach us
from below. 1t gradually grew more
and more distinct, and we were
IN SIGHT OF THE EARTH AGAIN.
We had gotten into another of those
cold currents, and the Professor said
that we would be compelled to go
down. AS soon as we emerged from
the clouds we found that we were
travelling over thinly settled and
very woody portion of the country,
but we had not the faihtest idea of
where we werel 'tWe are nEali
GOING DOWN RAPIDLY"
said Professor King as he leaned over
the car and with his praeticed eye anx-
iously scanned the situation OF things /
below. We were vel, at a great eleva- |
tfon, and the landscape again took on
that lilliputian beauty that has already
been spoken OF. We saw white line
stretching out on both sides sof us, as
straight as die, and as far as The eye
could sec. This we found afterwards |
was the State Road"
LOWER AND LoWER
sank the Cloud Nymph, until the
fences and branches of trees became |
visible. We were heading apparently I
right into the center of a grove, But |
the Cloud Nymph was tickle and had /
no intention of landing us there. Gem
tly we were waited over the tree tops
across large field, with the drag-rope
just touching tie ground. Still we
did not come clear down, and as we
were then approaching another and
much more extensive forest, the posi-
bility of landing in the tree tops was
not so far distant as TO be enchanting
to the view. The drag-rope was trail
ing for at least fifty feet, and a pecu-
liar sizing" and an occasional jerk
reminded us that we were Indeed GO
ing to land. Then came the only
MOMENT OF ANXIETY -..-.-s., 81
during the voyage. Professor King
grasped the provision basket and lean
ed oyer the side Of the car ready to I
drop il any moment. -
"Get that canvas cover up on the
seat where can get hold of il, coolly3l
the Professor.
"If we come down on the trees, be
sure and cling to the car" came his
next order, in a calm, even tone. Is
Yet lower we descended, but still
the extemporizedb ballast-our provis-
ion basket-was not thrown over
board, z.... 81
"My father always taught me to be
careful not to waste any food" said
the Professor afterwards, sand / all
ways try to be saving of it +"
Great was our satisfaction to find
that our balloon had drifted
CLEAR. OF THE TREES Z
and we were approaching grassy
field. In potato patch to the right
of US were some persons at work.
AS soon as they espied us they drop
ped their tools and in the widest ex- :
element began hallooing. .5., n!
...5. COMING TO EARTH. 80 x.
"Run right up toward the rope,
quick" shouted Professor King.
They did not seem to- take in his ,
meaning at first, so transtixed were
they with wonder. 80 4
.'If you do not run and catch the ,
rope now we shall pass you, we are
going so fast" shouted the Professor. )
By this time they awoke to real {
isation of the situation, and made
every exertion to reach the rope !
One man in advance of his eompan- /
ions managed to grasp the. rope, but {
1t was more than he could DO 10 hold [
us. ouit1 tfi :
"Take turn of 1t around q fence |
post and then run right up along the !
rope towards u.s." again came from
The Professor. 5.3 ass 4fs,3 .SE il
This the man was able to do, and i
rs by this time his companions had c
come to his assistance, they were able '
10 check our onward course. 4g1ol
"Now, look out for slight bump" c
Professor king, as the Cloud G
Nymph swayed over to one side and a
with considerable velocity approached q
he ground. In moment more we t
STRUCK THE EARTH, B 4
but up again the balloon went with a
bound. BY this time SO many had
hold of the rope that we were again
slowly drawn down, and this time we s
stayed. Eusl ot fsiHtulk !
MruHpE WE T.ANnTD. =