The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-07-06

which remind me very unpleasanily of the
rolling of vessel at sea in a ground swell.
1t is not without much thankfulness that
at last terra f1Md is reached.
The Talisman has lost some considerable
amount of gas in the captive ascent, owing
to the expansion due to the diminished
barometric pressure at 1000 feet from the
ground The loss is quickly replenished,
that the start may be made with full
balloon, and about P. NJ all is ready.
The getting away, or starting, in bal
loon is always rather a delicate and
critical operation, and far more ballooning
] accidents have occurred probably, in con
nection with it, than at any other period,
for it Is by no means easy to regulate the
I the ascension or lift of the balloon. This
must be sufficient to clear all obstacles on
/ the ground, but if it be too great the bal
loon would be carried upwards too fast
and too far
The case is rendered more difficult on
/ this occasion by the circumstance that
there are set OF telegraph wires close to
( the balloon ground, and down wind, which
/ of course l must avoid We make two or
three false starts, to try the lift of the bal
( loon, and haul her down again to alter the
weight of ballast. But at last l am off
safely with a moderate ascension" at
415 P NJ am quite alone, as before In
/ the captive ascent. for the balloon Is
rather too small to carry two persons well,
in addition to a sufficient quantity of bal
/ last. Moreover, | shall learn my expert
ence far better when thus left to ones
own resources.
After noting with much satisfaction
that we have cleared the telegraph wires,
and are rising steadily at moderate rate,
so that there is time to attend to neces-
sary matters. the first thing TO be done Is
to see that the valve line is hanging ready
] to hand. and disentangled from the other
ropes, for it might easily have got foul OF
something in the swaying and humping
of the balloon before she was set free. L
glance upwards at the same time to make
sure that the 'petticoat,' or tail OF the
balloon, is freely open ; for were tins tied
up in its normal condition on the ground,
the expansion of the imprisoned gas on
rising to any considerable height would
infallibly burst the balloon. The next
thing is to take the aneroid barometer
from the case wherein it has hitherto lain,
for protection from the shocks of starting,
and fasten it up in a convenient position
for observation on one Of the side carlines.
1 note while tying it up that 1t shows
that we are rising steadily, but not too
rapidly. Next the pilot line must be
thrown overheard. and left hanging from
1.-THE hoop. This is a strong cord measur-
ing 100 feet, and its use Is to guide the
eve as to ones distance from the ground
in descending. 1t has been lying in a
rough coil at the bottom of the car, to pre-
vent its getting entangled at starting. l
now overhaul it and pay it out of the
balloon.
The view of the ground below, which
one gets while leaning over the side of the
car. to see that the pilot line has not fouled
in its extension, is the first look have
really had to see what we are doing and
where we are going. These little neces-
sary preliminary operations have taken up
every instant of time, and have been done,
if the truth must be told, with consider
able amount of. nervous haste.
That steady GOODNESS which would
clearly be most desirable element in bal
looming is hardly forthcoming, for this is
the first time that / have found myself
thus alone in balloon with the whole
responsibility Of its management. So L
am nervous Just at starting. By-and-by,
with more experience, one may hope to
get steadier.
About this time a strong smell of gas
warns me that the balloon Is overilled by
expansion. and it is time to let out gas at
the top. if one does not mean to be choked
by the downward rush from the opening
I at the bottom One steady pull on the
,,I g,7f3,aiap4 ur1crl4ifv ac-
capes at the top of the balloon to provide
! for present security.
Now there is time to look around.
Vertically below the balloon, dare not
look, or only for a moment, my head not
vet being educated to the required point.
! But looking over the side at a steep angle,
! the decks of the steamers far below are a
curious and interesting study, with the
/ long black tails of smoke, which they are
apparently dragging after them, for we
/ are passing over the Thames. 1t hes be
/ low in a broad silver sheet, with the sun
shining upon it On either side its
numerous windings and snake-like folds
are clearly visible, ending in forest OF
| innumerable masts and spires on the Lon
don side Conspicuous therein are the
! transverse streaks representing the several
bridges, and few prominent buildings,
such as the Houses of Parliament and st.
Pauls Cathedral. Eastwards, on the side
of the sea, the tortuous folds lose them
selves in the broad estuary which opens
out towards the More.
Now we are on the Essex side of the
river. The balloon has reached her
equilibrium level at about 1900 feet, and
for q short time she floats horizontally
along. For a short time only-for the
impossibility of keeping q balloon in such
a continuous horizontal course is a lead
ing difficulty in ballooning, although
some approximation may be made to it by
skillful and fortunate management My
balloon soon begins to settle downwards
again.
Were she left to herself she would tend
to run down faster and faster, and soon
reach the earth. l allow her to descend
slowly, but ! prevent any such acceler
alton by throwing small quantities OF
ballast at intervals, watching the baro
meter all the time for guidance as to the
amount required. I am most careful not
to throw too much ballast, otherwise she
would turn upwards again, and, unless
checked by letting out gas with the valve
would run up higher than before. BY
watching carefully, and thus gradually
drawing out the balloons descending
path into line more and more nearly
horizontal, l manage to get her on q
horizontal course at length, and about
I. \ Il