The New York herald., 1874-07-26

a dead caim-that evening hush so apt to surround
the mystery OF the days death. Al thirty-6ve
minutes past seven landing vas made In Ramapo
township, upon the arm OF
MISS CHARLOTTE THOMPSON,
the charming actress. whose "FanchOn" ls ss IA
millar as a household word. Calling upon the lady
we were received most cordially and when DON
aldson invited her to take snort ride in the oa-
loon she clapped her hands In girhsh delight, ex-
cused herself moment, ana soon reappeaTed,
shawled and bonneted ior the trip We carried
ner about two miles, her carriage following the
balloon, and left her at last waving her dainty
cambria at us as we sped away In the gathering
gloom goSm; II was then eigh cen minutes past eight
From this out until halfpast nine O'Clock we
sailed over scene of savage hesnty. Int up Dy tho
ringes had woven veil OF luminous haze, with
when all nature was draped. Deep and darksome
valleys, IN which twin Kled the farmhouse iiSnf.
satt,. snu rom whose depth came up the lowing Of
carre, were all passed. and suddenly the Hudson,
surprisingly lovely as 1t lOed In
... THE CLEANING ARMS OF THE NOON
Oanst Oons upon our sight dream OF spectral nRnt,
1acksu 1gs Dy haunting nightmare OF gloomy Mills.
we were low enough TO speak the steamers, which
aGhk,nUwiedged our presence with the shrilest OF
Whistles. Our rope trailed ia the water ana left o
wake or diamond sparks
, West foint was passed at ten minutes to ton.
reached, sixty miles rom New York. At tWentv
minutes past ten Cornwall was left behind ana
snen we took sne middle OF the stream arriving ct
lowing the Hudson In all It's graceful bending we
s q. some es to eleven O'Clock Fish
selves TO our chariot and gallOped inland win MS
The balloon was still
over the surface OF the earth, and the effect pro.
duced by our passage over town must have been
drawn hiss OF the rope as 1t struck rOOI followed
by the rat-a-plan chorus 1t played upon the
to crazy chimney tops were all the eerie stun OF
which weird legends are made, and we felt posi-
a soTs %s. was ~. lett
to Wappinger's Falls, over whose rO0itrees the
rope
sHRIEKEp AND DANCED WITH SATANIC aLEE.
This place was passed at twenty minutes past
eleven O'Clock, and then began the serious 6usi-
ness OF the night, the watching Tor the dawn as
the moon had lett us.
To sleep was matter of impossibinty. Leav-
ing two on watch, with no more serious business
than to report such and such star on the port
bow, the balance Of the air travellers curcd up in
lows, and silently composed themselves TO a con.
temptation OF their situation. There was absO-
lutey no sound save the croakinR of the frogs ana
tile hiss or the drag rope. IL was strange scene
THAT BIvouAc BENEATH THE STARS.
that camp in mid-air so we drilted, drifted on.
paid cheek, until rosy 1ashes shot up the sky and
the miracle OF the sunrise was enacted once again.
sleepy ploughboy whom we :roze into an attitude
OF open.moutned astonishment, we learned that
We landed on the arm a o. MIR. J. w. Coon in Ger
mantown, four miles from the city OF HUDSON, and
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY NILES FROM NEW YORK.
at twenty-Iour minutes past five O'Clock. but not
without some difficulty having 10 resort al last TO
the valve rope and the anchor. Here the aeronouts
were treated with courtesy, and after hearty
breakfast the party, minus the HERALD and World
representatives, who had drawn numbers one and
two in the 'get-out lottery" and the Graphic man
continued their jaunt, rising again at fifteen
minute past seven O'Clock. After nearly describ-
ing circle around tne city OF Hudson, the
BALLOON STRUCK A WESTERLY CURRENT
at high altitude and noated rapidly toward the
Catsklll Mountains. AT halfpast eleven 1t was
within half mile OF the Mountain House, and the
rope being within reaching distance 1t was taken
hold OF by man and q conversation ned with the
aeronauts rney then threw out more ballast and
arose to an immense elevation, still keeping
southwesterly course, which they were holding
when last seen.
Professor Donaldson informed the HERALD rcpre.
sentative that this was the most brilliant voyage
he had ever made, and II he continues it as sue.
cessiully as 1t was conducted up to the time
the balloon landed in Columbia county yes
terday morning the trip will cover the daring aero
naut with tnat glory which his skill and cOoiness