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

back having been now for some time
| turned In the direction of our course, /
glance round to see that the country
ahead is clear of obstacles in case we come
to the ground. Horror we are driving
rapidly right on to high tree. can only
allow myself one single half-second to
make up ones mind whether to throw the
grapnel, open the valve if necessary, and
/ descend at once, or to throw out a guam
! tity of ballast instead to lift her, and try
to clear the tree. The former course
would bring my trip to premature con
clusion, and if the grapnel should not
hold very well 1 shall drive into the tree
to a certainty The latter is clearly the
more sporting line to take, though some
what hazardous. At all events it IS the
one selected l seize a heavy bag OF bal
! last with both hands, heave it up with all
nv strength, and throw it bodily over.
The balloon must have few moments
to turn upwards, but while she Is so do
ing we are driving rapidly on, and nearing
the tree fast. The collision seems in
evitable. But 1 reckon that when once the
balloon has fairly turned upwards she will
ascend very rapidly.
! 1t is an exciting situation, for she does
rise so fast that l am in doubt whether we
shall not pull clear up to the very last
moment. Her envelope and netting, as
she lifts, brush close past the outermost
twigs without catching in them-only
few seconds more and we should have
cleared the tree splendidly. But now 1t
is too late, for the car hangs too far below
the balloon.
At the last moment, seeing the collision
inevitable, l seize two opposite cur lines,
or connecting ropes between the car and
/ the hoop above. put them well in, that the
others In front may shield my knuckles
| from the oncoming boughs, hold on to
them very tightly, crouch down at the
bottom of the car, with my legs extended
horizontally in front of me, and press my
| feet firmly against the forward side of the
wicker car, to support it with the strength
and momentum of my body. The next
instant we are into the tree with trench
dous crash. 1t is large elm, and we
strike it perhaps fifteen or twenty feet
from the top, right in the centre, and IN
direction inclining upwards. The next IN
slant / find myself right IN the middle OF
the tree, with the ear dancing like
shuttlecock among the larger branches.
Nest fortunately the oval car is end on as
regards the tree, so that its smaller and
stronger section is presented to 1t. ALI
the smaller outside boughs have been
wrenched off or bent aside, and they have
no doubt rendered most valuable service
by checking our momentum gradually.
am still crouching low down in the car for
protection. and holding on with all my
strength to avoid being tossed out. On
glancing up am well pleased to see that
nothing has given way. Every one of
these slight-looking cords which suspend
me from the hoop would hang me, and
the car, and the ballast, and baITow-load
or two Of bricks into the bargain, over
precipice with perfect safety. Not one OF
them has gone On my side nothing goes,
so it is pretty evident that the tree must
At every gust of wind the great balloon
above tugs and struggles like a captive
Leviathan longing to be free. There is a
irving, a cracking, a smashing, and a
rending, and bough after bough is
wrenched aside or torn off. No matter
how large and strong they seem, 1t is all
one.
The car ploughs its way steadily on,
foot by foot forwards and upwards right
through the tree Soon we are free, and
with an exulting bound the balloon soars
upwards once more. But stay-not SO
fast-there is a tremendous jerk, and, had
| not fortunately been still holding ON
tightly to the friendly car-lines, / might
have been shot between them right out OF
the car into empty space. The sudden
check arises from the grapnel rope, which
was hanging in single long bight-ffty
| feet below the car.
The blight of the rope has caught over a
! large bough below, and pulled us up with
round turn. The situation is little
awkward, for 1 seem to be hung up half
way between heaven and earth. But
before entertaining the question of cutting
away the grapnel rope, we will see what
the balloon herself can accomplish. She
responds to the call, for she surges and
tugs more valiantly than ever. Again
there are sounds of cracking and rendlng
below one or two more strong jerks, as
the rope, after breaking one large bough,
catches on another, and we are really free
once more l glance aloft and around.
We have positively no damage whatever,
nor any token of the encounter, except
one or two small boughs which we have
carried away triumphantly sticking IN the
cordage above as trophies of our victory.
! 1t is clear from the last part of the adj
venture that it is mistake where trees
are concerned to have the grapnel rope
hanging loose. So my first care is to make
! it up into a coil, which 1 lash alongside
the car. The balloon is rising very rapid
", but [ will let her go as high as she
viii. and even throw more ballast if neces-
sary. For the present currents near the
ground are taking US nearly straight for
the sea, and l will try if haply there is a
more favorable current up above. More
over. the successful result of the encoun-
ter with the tree has inspired one with a
spirit of adventure, and L want to see
what sort of world may be on the other
side of the dark cloud masses above. Up
wards we rush accordingly, and soon enter
the clouds. They are dense l am in
stantly shut in on every side, and cannot
see the width of my balloon away in the
thick masses of whirling yapor.
We still rise rapidly, as is clear from
the steady fall Of the barometer, but the
clouds are so thick that we are long time
IN getting through them.
At last in a moment we seem to emerge,
as if from a close and sitting pit of
Avernus, into bright sunshine and the
upper regions. We soar higher and higher
as the hot sun expands the gas. Soon we
have left every cloud far below us, and !
find myself indeed in new world.
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