Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-18
Up IN A BALLOON.
London Standard

UP IN A BALLOON.
London Standard
We started from Hastings" says Mr.
Simmons, under somewhat unfavora.
bic auspices, the wind being northeast
| erly at the time. A crowd of some forty
thousand persons had gathered to wit
ness cur departure, and as We assembled
| they gave rs a tremendous cheer. Nv
fellow passenger, Mr.. Small, a photo
Qraphe., was 50 lost in admiration of
the magnificent panorama of Hastings
lying below as that l had to warn him
that he must be quick if he wished to
obtain a photograph, and We Just 90:
the apparatus ready as We passed over
the beach; the balloon being at tina.
moment (3:25l at an altitude of 5000
feet. At $50 We had a long range of
coagt line, Esstbourne pier being ex-
ceedingly distinct. / thought We were
trihe too near Baachy Head ever to
make any point Of land on this side of
the Atlantic, bat when We attained an
altitude of 1900 feet We southed a trifls
more. Appearances we're, however, much
against ocr ever reaching land, and
must acknowledge that / Was sorely
tempted to come down of Beachy Head
and get picked up. But this would have
been rather too ignominious, and de-
cided to keep on our course. We had
the satisfaction, few minutes later. to
find Bsachy Head receding north of as,
and We quickly settled Our minds to
make q night of it, If necessary.
AT 4:3o We we're over Q magnificent
cloud scene; here and there patches of
the coast line could be deserted far
aVpy to the west, while at a vast dis
tance there was gap through which
We got patch of sea, with three or
four ships very distinct. A moment
later aud the great curtain of clouds
had shut ont our last landmark, Mr..
Small got his apparatus ready to secure
. cloud effect, but his shutter missed
IRE two or three times, and this sug-
gosted Some little improvements for suoh
experiments in future. From 4:3O to
neatly sunset Ito the people on EARTH
our altitude ranged between 5000 and
5000 feet. During this interval we got
peeps at the sea many times, but no land
was seen. We could see the suns rays
two hours after he had Withdrawn from
earth and sea. Tho shadow Of the bal
loon on a cloud looked very much like a
shuttleoook, the car forming the butt
end and the balloon and cords forming
the fe sthers. The transition frem day
to night was very slow and grad ual, and
as daylight departed the moons rays
from dead gold gradually changed to
bright silver. Mr.. small said, Did Won
see that shooting starr said. Wait a
inmate, and l will show you another
The balloon had commenced 70 revolye.
and this motion made it appear as
though bright star was darling through
the air. 1t was, OF course, an optical
illusion.
"A remarkable appearance was caused
BY the reflection Of the balloon in tho
focussinR screen OF the camera. When
We surrounded with Q black cloth the
frame round the glass, We could see sky,
sun, moon and stars inverted, and the
balloon cleaving its headlone downward
course through illimitable space, the
effect being most extraordinary. Soon
after o'clock We began to get cold, and
set to work to don fanneis, DO. Oar
large wrapper got tightly jammed in the
rigging, but the hard poliing necessary
to get 1t loose soon made Us feel warm,
and, having once got up good ciroula-
ton. We did not during the entire voyage
again feel cold. The cork jackets which
we're supplied by Mr.. Cornish contribut
ed greatly to warmth. During the night
for more than an hour our altitude did
not vary 20 feet. This was exceedingly
encouraging. for upon our power Of
POSING SO nicely depended eur chance
of floating aloft all night. When the
balloon did take a slight downward turn
l carefully noted how much ballast il
would take to stop her. The tempera-
tare OF the air was very regular, and /
found that seven or eight pounds was
sufficient.
At l0:15 We saw a vessel almost un-
der as, and Game down low enough to
hail her. This We did al Justify as we
could, but at first got no response, only
Q remarkably distinct echo from our own
voices. At last voice was heard on
deck: VOLTA, balloon, balloOnr Are
yen Englishr No reply. 'Parliez vous
Franoaiser 'Oui, oui,' we replied, but
WITH all our French We could not ascer-
tain our whereabouts, and whether we
we're over tho English Channel or the
Atlantic.
"At 1925 something sliehtly darker
than tho normal horizon could be family
discorned. We kept ourselves absolutely
moti0nAees, and nsoeAinR iutently, We
seemed - hear in tho same direction a
sound q OF far-distaut rolling surf.
looked long and eagerly, until I OK.
claimed, lts nothing but 9 mist for il
seou44 20 otGqas it, form, and at lat
% vanish into th3n am. I PASSED nearly
another hour intently Y atOhing for lights
until Q eis0ilar dark portion or horizon
was brought under our view. We could
not possibly bring ourselves to believe il
vas land, beosuse no lights could be seen
up TO this time; but OF last thete vas an
unmistakable flicker in the exact direc-
si"n where l was gazing. Look along
my hnRer "a Q telescope. What do you
call that? A lighthouse! exclaimed
Mr.. Small. said. believe that dark
strip before % 10 land, with eea Just be-
yond il again. IL il turns out to be 60.
30 prompe in doing everything I tell you,
Tor It will be sharp work TO land on that
strip
Chs sound Of surf vas now unmis-
taksosaAd Il abodf the same time as
! am taking b tell this the line Of coast
Wa presented distinctly to our view,
every minute getting more distinct. The
sea no1.peRan toripple up sharply. Ten
images longer and ws were passing the
cost line and sharply darling toward
the other sea beyond. What sort of
ground are We coming down on? said
Mr.. Small. Rugged rocks and stone
walls. l believe said. Hold on firm.
Dat goes the graphing iron, At first
II would not hold, bat soon il got wedged
into crsvice in the rocks giving Us Just
tether enough 10 p lss over ths prscipioe
and down on to the beach. There vas
luss room pr ns between the recedinR
tide and the rocks, aud none to spare.
Had we gone tan yards further and half
q second longer, We should have been in
tho oooS =
!. "wsAsard Whispering near us. In a
few moments q man and . woman an
peared. bat would not at 6rst approach
as, feoGinNk1 suppose, W wore some
monsteFa By and by they gained con-