Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-11-08
Perils Of Ballooning.
rorlN Ia MOUNTAINS ADVENTURE WITH
COMPANION IN THE WILLIS or UPPER
CANADA.

There have been many tDriifIHt D"''o"'
adventures, and not few terrible acct
dents. One of the most exciting adven-
tures wan that of Mr.. La Mountain, the
acrona,,t, and Mr.. John A. Haddock, who
accompanied him.
They started from Watertown, New
York, in September, 1859, in tbs iine
balloon Atlantic, and shot up some three
thousand feet almost IN straight line.
Then northeast current caught 1t, and
away they drove ut the rate OF n mile III
two minutes, rising ms they went. When
they got to an altitude Of three miIcs"''d
u half, they began to move castwardiy.
Clouds now hid the earth entirely from
view, aud the sun went down. IN that
tracklcss waste Of air they could neither
tell their direction nor the rate at which
they were going. Gradually, however,
they descended to the surface Of the
clouds. and noatcd on them rs n bout
docson water, lit up by the clear twilight
La Mountain then opened the valve,
and ~ the balloon descended through
the clouds, it became impenctrably dark.
BY the time they got clear OF the
clouds they found themselves not more
than 500 feet from the ground, md, ~,
far ms they could distingnishin the dark,
ness. over u vast unbroken forest. They
knew there were trees, not water, below, >,
m, in the stiffness, they heard some
sand they threw out rattle on the
leaves After this, they made six differs
cnt attempts to land ut intervals of ten
or fifteen minutes, rising each time. On
the third descent they came down on the
surface of small lake, set in the woods
This would not do, and, throwing out
ballast, they rose again. On fourth
attempt they came down by very large
tree, and laid hold Of the branches to
try and make out where they were. But
they could made out nothing but II tall
mountain before them.
Once more they rose, and on the sixth
attempt caught tree again. II has n
spruce and this settled the question.
They were far up in the forests of Upper
Canadu. Making fast their balloon to
the tree, they prepared to pass the night
as best they could, aud slept qnitcs"''nd'
" till the rain began to fall in torrents.
Daylight found them thoroughly soak.
ed and perplexcd, but not disheartcncd
They must rise again, and they threw
ont the remaining ballast and every
thing they could spare, and once more
shot up. AS the suns rays beat on the
wet balloon, the gas expanded, and they
shot up like n rocket. La Mountain
again touched the valve, and they camt
nearer the surface.
And what view! Az far rs the eye
could reach stretched one unbrokcn sr'
of tree tops. There was now no alter
native. They must ascend. Discharg
ing the gas, the Atlantic settled dowl
between two tall spruce trees, ant
caught in the limbs about eight feet from
the ground. They lcapcd down AM
faced the situntion After consulting
,hey concluded to strike southeast, so n
to reach the Ottawa River, and, biddin!
adicu to the Atlantic, they started. TIN
woods were wet and swampy, and thci
progress was slow. At last, after walk
ing about n mile, they reached u creek
and, to their joy, found II rude marten
trap, with u rude clearing. This gay
them hope, and they plod1ed on, tlro1
iug off their wet stockings and drawc|
which impedcd their progress. Thy.
crossed the creek on round log, poli,,s
their way along, and entered II swain,
A blazcd path through the woods sds
gave them Il new instalncnt of courage
which they needed sadly, MS they M'r
wet, weary and furnished. Y
When they had ploAlcd on about ~
miles, they came IN sight Of lumhc
shanty, and rushed eagerly forward. ] |
was deserted! and had evidently bee
80 for many u day. Several roads ne
from it. They tried them all, one sftc
another; but all ended thick wo'| hs-
they led to no main thoroughtare.Y |
one of these roads they found two 'tin
white frogs, and these they devourca a
oncc--not headquarters only, but 'for'
quarters, head, bones and all.
They spent u cleeress night IN til
hut, cndcavoring to cover thcm%rlvt
with some old musty straw yet n littl
warmth, all ingenuity failing to get
spark of fire.
In the morning they took some board
off the roof, and, making n raft, slartc
down the creek. They were Nithi
three miles of clearing, but this the
did not know; and, although they hear
u gun twice, were unable to make the
shouts heard, or to make out the, exat
direction. SO they kept on down til
creek, and entered a lake, around whic
they padded for Ave miles, and, rcacl
ing an outlet, entered it, but atttra har
days work found themselves just whcl
they had abandoned their balloon.
Another miserable night, Grain pou
ing in torrents, found them at daybrea
on the verge of despair; but, nervin
themselves for a last struggle, tliryngai
set out, and reached rapid. Aroun
| this they had to drag their raft; stick b
stick, and so weak were they tint the
fell repeatedly Then they put the ra