The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-07-29
A BALLOON "REMINISCENCES.
The Perilous Adventures and Mar
row Escape of La Mountain
and Haddock in 1859.
LOST IN THE WOODS.

CUE.
In connection with the fate OF Donaldson
and Grimwood, the Chicago Journal is re-
mided OF famous ascension, the story OF
which it tells as follows: One OF the most
thrilling of all the recorded balloon expert
ences was that of Prof. John LaMountsin
and John A. Hsddock, in 1859. LsMoun-
tain was an intrepid and successful aero
maui. Hsddock was a newspaper editor
The ascent was made from WstertowD, n.
Y, on the 22d day of September. Mr.. Had
dock published a graphic account of the
hazardous and exciting voyage in the
WATERFOWL Reformer, of october 5, 1859.
After mentioning the arrangements, good
byes and starting, the narrative proceeds as
follows: As we rose into the light, heecy
clouds, they looked between US and the
earth like patches Of snow We see lying
upon the landscape in spring time; but
when we rose a little higher the clouds COM
pletely shut out the earth, and the cold,
white masses below us bad precisely the
same look that mountainous snOw-covered
country does, as you look down upon it from
a higher mountain. Those who have
crossed the Alps-or have stood upon
one Of the lofty SUBMITS OF the Ser
"a Nevada, and gaZed down u0on the
eternal SHOWS below and around them, will
be able to catch the idea L am trying to
all the clouds, and the sun and we were face
to face. We saw the time after that when
his face looked very fair to us. In eight
minutes after leaving the earth the Their
mometer showed fall of two and half
degrees. 1t stood at eighty-four when we
left. The balance rotated good deal, prov
ing that we were ascending with great ra-
pidity. At 5:4S the thermometer stood 1T
forty two, and falling very fast. At $3.50 we
were at least two miles hlgh-tnermometer
thirty-four. At this point g suggestion,
made by friend just before starting, was
found to be q very good one. He had ad-
vised the taking along of some cotton, with
which to fill the ears when at great heights,
and my father had procured me some. The
UNPLEASANT RINGING SENSATION
Dad now become painful, and 1 filled both
ears with cotton. This made my head feel a
good deal as very large hollow pumpkin
may be supposed 70. with humming bird
buzzing upon its surface-a comparison
with which, doubtless, many who read this
account will hardly quarrel. At 5:52 we
put on our gloves and shawls-thermorle
ter, 800 The wet sand bags now became
stiff with cold--they were frozen. Ascend
ing very rapidly. At 5:54 thermometer 280,
and falling. Here we caught our last sight
of earth by daylight. 1 recognized the St.
Lawrence TO the southwest of Us, which
showed we were drifting nearly north.
At 6 o'clock We thought we were
descending a little, and LsMoun-
tain directed me to throw out
about 20 pounds of ballast. This shot us up
again-therrnometer 20, and falling very
slowly. At sos thermometer 22-my feet
were very cold. The Atlantic was now fall,
and presented a most splendid sight. The
gas began TO discharge itself az the mouth,
and its abominable smell, as it came down
upon Us, made me sick. A moments vomit-
ing made me feel all right again. La Noun
tain was suffering good deal with cold. 1
passed my thick shawl around his shoulders
and put the blanket over our knees and feet.
At 6:10, thermometer Is. We drifted along
until the sun left Us, and in a short time
thereafter the balloon began to descend. At
$50, thermometer %, rising. Threw over
about five pounds ballast. We must have
been, before we began to descend from this
hight, 81 miles high. At 6:32, thermometer
90; rising. We were now about stationary,
and thought we were sailing north of eat.
We could, we thought, distinguish water
below US, but were unable TO recognize it.
At 6:3S we threw over bag of sand, max
ing eighty pounds of ballast discharged, add
leaving about 40 pounds on hand. We dis
tinctly heard dog bark. Thermometer IS,
and rising rapidly. At 6:45 the thermOm-
eter stood at SO. At ESQ 1t was dark, and ]
could make no more memoranda. 1 put up
my notebook, pencil and watch, and settled
down in the basket, feeling
QUITE COMMENTED.
From this point until next morning, give
my experiences from memory only. The
figures given were made at the time indi.
Gated, and the thermometric variations can
be depended upon as quite accurate. We
heard, soon after dark, locomotive whistle,
and occasionally could hear wagons rum
bling over the ground or bridge, while the
farmers dogs kept up continual baying, as
| il conscious there was something monstrous
and unusual in the sky. We sailed along
Contented and chatty, until about half past
| s o'clock, when we distinctly saw lights be-
low US, and heard the roaring of mighty
waterfall. We descended into a valley
near very high mountain, but as the place
appeared forbiddiDg, we concluded to go W
again. Over with 80 pounds of bal
| last, and skyward we sailed. In about
twenty minutes we again descended, but
this time no friendly lights nor ''deep
nouthed watchdog's heavy bay" greeted
US. We seemed to be over dense wilder
ness, and the balloon was settling down JUS
Ninto small lake. We had our life-preserv
ers ready for use, but got up again by throw
! ing out all our ballast except, perhaps
| twenty pounds. LaMountain now declared
| it was folly to stay up any longer, that VIZ
| were over great wilderness land the sooner
we descended the better. We concluded Il
|
up and wait until morning. In momen
we were near the earth, and as we gently
descended, grasped the extreme tot
of a high sprue, which stopped th'
balloons momentum, and we were sooI
dashed TO the tree by our drag-rope. Ate
peering around and making as much OF al
examination of our surroundings as tn,
darkness would permit, LaMouDtain sale
he feared his balloon was played out; tina
we were evidently far into the woods, and
we got out ourselves we ought to be yer,
thankful. This prediction proved to be ia
nearer tbs truth than even the professo
supposed. We rolled ourselves up in on
blankets, patiently waiting for the morning
The cold rain spouted down upon us in riv
ulets from the great balloon that lazily ROLES
from side to side above our heads, and W
were soon
DRENCHED AND UNCOMFORTABLE
as men could be-. After y night passed il