The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-06-10

him for theistoryf OF his trip. AIRED
cash about six inches long EXTENDED
around the right side of his neck
"rhis,' said the aeronaut, pointing
to the wound, "might have resulted
in my death. L came near having
my head cut off about. thirty feet il
the air, as / was trying to land yes
terday afternoons Inwas dragged
over the'top of q dense wood, and as
/ went crashing Through the limbs Al
lightning rapidity the rough .boughs
caught me under the ears, and might
have rubbed my very head off II
was the most frishtful Journey I
have ever experienced or read Of
A FEARFUL STATE OF SUSPENSE.
"Wben l assembled out of sight OF
the people at Pottstown the air sud.
denly became cold and the rain de,
scended., The wind blew fearfully.
and When / assembled to- an altitude
Of 5000 feet / noticed that it was
showing. When the barometer indi-
Gated 5000 feet above the level OF
the sea furious snow storm set in.
My balloon shiftedto anortheastern
wind current, and was waited along
at a frightful rate Of speed. The
beautiful white flakes settled on the
sides of tile balloon, and fell down
and completely covered my head and
shoulders. Z h e balloon way e
backward and forward, and | then
mounted from the trapeze and took a
seat in the iron concentrating ring.
1 made an effort to'put on my heavy
clot}llig; but found it utterly impos.
sible. % The balloon was swaying and
rolling about in the air at an altitude
Of over annie, and 1 did not dare to
dress myself, for fear that sudden
twist orjerk of the balloon would
hurl me headlong down. You can
imagine that I shiyered and shook in
my thin attire. My clothing consis-
ted of a skin tight shirt, drawers and
trunks. X 1a'a .-.'r" JGa ttola n
"Thc' storm became more furious
and the clouds seemed to be racing
with the balloon, aud tip there all
was as still and as silent as the grave.
The snow flakes dropped on the sides
Of the balloon and descended ri The
creaking cords and twines of the bal
loon made a slight rustling noise, but
nothing more. 1t is impossible to
tell the exact velocity in the air when
there is nothing stationary to COM
pare with. When in the storm /
must have travelled over a mile a
With the exception Of the
clouds, the snow, and my balloon, I
was alDneni in the world. Nothing,
more could be seen. An ominous
signing of the netting alone disturb
ed the silence One moment the bal
loon would'reel; thenit would sweep
across with frightful velocity into
another current as it assembled or de-
scended. The little ropes that held
me to the balloon were taut, and the
trapeze swung empty'in the wind be-
low. I then pulled the valve rope.
This line extends Cup through the
neck, of the balloon, and is fastened
to the doors Of the valve at the very
top of-the gas tchamher: Itorequires
considerable strength to pullit. My
hands were numb, but / soon sue
eeeded in opening the valve, and !
could plainly hear the gas rushing
out at t he2top. The balloon descen-
ded, and it was not long before l
could see way,down thousands of feet
the first faint speck Of the earth be-
ow. The rain had ceased; and snow
Rakes were not to be seen. Lower
and lower | descended until I could
see the tiny streams Of water like so
many silyery serpents stretching
heir slender bodies over the land.
Woods, houses, land hills gradually
came into sight. taaa: go.
PLoUGHlNG THROUGH TREES.
"The wind was blowing a gale when
[ approached the earth. 1t swept
he balloon down toward dense|
Tood with frightful rapidly. I drew
Up the trapeze bar, for did not wish
o catch it in the tree tops. In amo7,
nent afterwrd the balloon swept
Town and carried me era hing
Trough the tree tops. 1t was like
Ripping stone across the surface
f. pond. The foliage was lot yet'|
ut, and the bare boughs of the trees
Fere sharp and scratcly. At one
ime my head was somehowyor other