The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-04-15

d
meut thought our balloon was ON fire
for the gas, which had observed in tht
garden below as presenting a color O.
beautiful pinkish red, now had the ap
pearance of a dense, black smoke. The
professor noticed my expression Of alarm
and made me a sign that all was right
He now pulled open the valge made fol
the escape of the gas at the top, and oul
aerial vessel soon descended to an altitude
where We could breathe easily and heal
each other speak.
We now struck a strong current Of air,
and began tospass rapidly to the west
ward. In few minutes 7 observed g
cloud, that looked like huge ledge OF
gray rocks, coming toward us with such
velocity, that, till We entered it, could
not dispossess myself of the fear that We
should he dashed to pieces. When we
did enter it, we found ourselves in a cold
fog, SO dense that we could not see half
a-dozen feet in any direction. Here
there was no breeze whatever, and our
balloon soon became stationary, or at
least moving only with the cloud. What
had become of the wind, which had car
ried us to it with such velocity, I could not
imagine; but the professor explained it
by saying We had got out OF the current
"Within half-a-rnile of u.s. he pursu-
ed, "there are probably at this moment
two strong currents of air, rushing in ex-
actly opposite directions; while here you
preceive, everything is still. It is
thought by some that when these things
come to be better understood-when we
shall have got them reduced TO a science,
in fact-we shall then be able to navigate
the air as well as the water. Well, Ia
dies, what do you say-shall we go above
this cloud, or below it?'
eve should like to sec it from above, -
was the answer. ''But, professor, how
can you tell which way we are going
now?"
Thus, he answered, taking a pieee
Of paper, making ball about the size of
q pea, and dropping it over the side Of
the car, where it slowly disappeared be-
low Us. "You see, he continued, ''we
are descending, but not so fast as the
paper ball. II we were either stationary
or ascending, it would leave us much
faster; and if We were rapidly descend
ing, it would remain alongside Of US.
He then ightened the car a few
pounds by emptying bag of sand, and
we soon shot up above the cloud, and be-
held the sun shining Oh it. The effect
was very beautiful-the cloud appeared
from the upper view like an immense
roll of snow-white cotton. We now, in
accordance with the professors remarks,
struck another current Of air, which
swiftly bore us away in direction OPP
posite to the one by which we had enter
ed the cloud, and which, so great was
our velocity, was soon seen afar in the
distance.
[ was much interested in seeing from
this upper region the sun set upon the
world below. While it was shining
bright upon us, we could see shade after
shade creeping over the face of the earth,
which grew DINNER and DINNER, till at
last all form and shape disappeared, and
the eye rested only upon black, dismal
gulf, as it might be the beginning of the
Bottomless Pit.
An hour after this, it had become quite
dark where we We're, and the rapidly
gathering of a thunder storm, toward
which we were drifting, began to make
the most of us feel quite uneasy.
Had we not better descend at once,
before the tempest breaks upon the
earth2" was the anxious question now put
to the professor
''If it is the general DESIRE" was the
obliging answer.
1t was the general desire; and he i'm
mediately took hold of the cord connect
ed with the valve at the top Of the bal
loon, to let off the gas. From some
cause he could not move it. I did not
notice this at first; but seeing him steadi-
ly jerking for some minutes and ap-
parently becoming nervous and anxious,
I asked him if there was anything wrong.
81 fear there Isl" he replied, in a tone
that betrayed good deal of anxiety. not
to say alarm; ''the valve will not open. :"
"Oh, my God' cried one of the la
dies, ''what will become of u.s.
do not be frightened" said the pro-
fessor, neryously; Il shall bring it all
right presently"
But he did not. In spite of all he
could do, the valve remained closed, and
We could not descend. In fact, it was
soon discovered that we had begun to
ascend. Moreover, we were rapidly ap-
preaching the black, rolling storm cloud,
and the lightning was playing wildly,
and the thunder roaring heavily.
In another five minutes-five minutes
of the most intense anxiety fast deepen
ing into terror-during which the profes
sor tugged at the valve-cord, with great
beads of PRECIPITATION standing all over
his face,-in another five minutes, | say.
we entered the black cloud, which closed
around Us like pail, shutting out every
ray of light so that we could not see each
other nor even our hands before our face.
We now felt our situation to be appalling
and all had become breathlessly STILL
Suddenly we were lighted up with fire
that seemed to play all around and thro
US and which was followed by crash OF
thunder that shook US from our feet.
The ladies screamed, and l believe every
man OF US, not excepting the professor.
uttered an exclamation OF surprise and