The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-06-16
AN AERIAL VOYAGE.

AN AERIAL VOYAGE.
Thrilllng Experience Of Three Venture
some AerOnauts.--An Ascension made
tn Crafty nm Iufurlafed Crowd-Flve
Hours strife Against Death by Drown
ing.
Count Zambeccari was going to ascend
from Bologna in a balloon holding four
teen thousand cubic feet of gas, and
sought for two friends to accompany
him on his trip. These were found in
DIR. Gfassetti, of Rome, and myself.
The week before the ascension while
we were making preparations was
time of great excitement for us. The
Count was thoroughly cool; he had often
trusted himself to the frail ship and
risked his life; but with us it was diff
ferent. Two things make an aerial trip
dangerous: First, the covering must be
chosen of some light material, which is,
therefore, less durable and firm; and,
secondly, one is entirely dependent
upon the wind. Wherever it takes the
balloon and however it drives it,
whether slowly or swiftly, or with the
fatal fury of the tempest-one must
submit. For this reason Grassetti and
were ANXIOUS Early in the morning
we began to fill the balloon, for
which we had provided two hum
bred pounds of iron filings, six
thousand pounds of zinc and eighty
five hundred pounds of sulphuric
acid. But hour. after hour passed, the
increasing volume of gas was very evil
dent, and vet the balloon was not yet
filed. Noon came; it was two, it was
three o'clock; we had reached perhaps
seven thousand cubic feet of gas, and
Zambeccari said to us: M
Ascending to-day is not to be thought
of; it will be night before the balloon
will be filed
We saw he was right. What observa-
tions could we make in the darkness?
We were not the only ones on the spot.
All Bologna was on its legs-old and
young, rich and poor. In the forenoon
the people rushed to and fro, but in the
afternoon stood firm, and awaited from
hour to hour the longed-for spectacle.
The sun set, and evening came. The
spectators were impatient, and began
to sing and make noise. When at last
about midnight, the Count told us the
work was done, we did not know what
would happen. We did not want to
ascend. yet we knew well that the peo-
pie would not be so easily deprived od
the desired sight.
Zambeccari mounted q barrel, got q
hearing, and announced to the specta.
tors that, as nothing could be seen al
night, he would ascend in the morning
the balloon was now filed; they could
go quietly home, and next morning the
ascension would take. place.
But what cries arose! How the
crowd raved! "What?" screamed the
people, s.we stand here sixteen hours
and see nothing! Wehave waited since
morning, and now shall we go homes
Go up! Go upi Start at once!" And 9
howl arose that struck terror into oul
hearts W
The Count obtained second hearing
5 you viii lose nothing by it," said he
ION the contrary, you will only gain, il
you will be patient till morning. Wha1
can you see now in the dark night
Nothingl In moment we vanish from
your view In the morning you car
watch the balloons fight for miles
We can throw you notes and Letters
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