Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-05-16
UP IN A BALLOON.
a Thrilling Adventure in the Wilds
OF the Sierra Nevada
Landing on the summit OF n Noun.
tain ~pur---A Feat TO Tremble
at -Trnmpinx In the
" iiderness.
lInfI.r's Wr.kly

And "a" faithful ieIurt"r were directly inter
'si"i nnr was the fllsh into ether which
thu, aud ia. captain AN experienced aero
nhut "f the Undertaking proposed 10y any
m'nn, "A coinnunplare affair, being no les
nn attempt To- cross IN md air the mighty
range II th- Srria Neyaia, and land far on
b the oth"r side "f that tremendous paiS;ide III
kalt LIKE ttN ,t-~li
4 II l. hardly necessary to state that this
n~runaut,o feat hal never iren accomplished
4 Undertaken. the truthful writer regrets tC
c"nf'--s. II had been 10y the same venturesoms
/ triu. who. sitting lu shame ON the roof Of the
cowshe'l where they had collapsed at the
very outset "f their trip. rallied at the brick
chinIIny whlCh had wrecked their air-ship,
endured the Je,rs IL the thronS below with
humiit,. n Il vowed to repeat the attempt
wi'hlna week. charity picnic afforded al
excellent opportunity. The balloon had been
Iatch'i. the temper of the trio restored
and once again the immense swollen
hng t"pped III AIR. pulling upward Wit
all of IT. 'itbD cubic feet Of gas.
OFF IL THE AIR.
our party were fairly prompt. We took
nur places amid the cheers OF the crowd
Everything was looked to quickly a Z
you ready T. rang out the question. Ready
let gr'" asssntsi the captain. The cables were
jerk"i "ir, with the sweep Of the hurl icans
cur aer'rtat shot up into space. The ground
the crowd the buildings surrounding tbs
gardens, the tallest tree-tops outlying us
! dropped lik" euchantment below-still
further below far beneath. Our under
taking wns well begun.
80 much has been said Of the impressions
| which the mir voyarer derives during the
first half hour of his ascent that space may bs
saved here. The thrill Of intense excitement
a. all connection with earth seems slindered
the upturned faces and black coats in the con
c"ur~" ri spectators becoming black and
white dots the universal "fore-shortenng' OF
all creation M one looks down upon it-al
combine to produce feeling that can never
pail. The fascination Of floating at 81 vast
an altitude as balloon can soon attain is de
hcious. Few persons are troubled 10y giddi
ness Confused sounds rise lulingly to th'
ear, o,,e scarcely distinguishabie from the
rest A kind II intoxication steals over the
navigator. To live and move thus seems 6
raptur' Small wonder that the M. who
"lalloons" once will balloon" again and again
each time becoming more infatuated in tempt
ing fate.
THE LANDSCAPE BELOW.
Our evening WAS perfectly serene ant
cloudl-ss A gentle breeze waited us north
ward The earth became n pale green ant
gray map as we reached the level of p W,
icst above tbs hay Of San Francisco, VIII cl
stretched out glimmering toward the horizon
We could discern the city, the Golden Gate
III" Farnllone islands On the east rts|
Mount Diablo and the Coast Range submits
Northward rippled Sacramento bay, with
golden dust OF cloud hanging over It, Ths
prospect inv'goratei us, and soda water wa
appropriately absorbed by all present
stronger beverages being interdlcted.
Sunset came on We had been gradually
reaching the sperd OF ninety miles an hour
Not that It was possible to perceive the fac'
without scientific help Even II a hurricane b
blowing. the-e Is still the endless sensation
of hoating, hoating' Tor the air-current anc
air ship keep exact pace Thanks to thu
pieces OF tissue paper which were hung ou'
Lawfully from time to ulne, ana TO the gauS'
strenn"rs nuster'ng from our cordage, W
could ascertain the direction OF the wind
Even few handfuis of sand thrown out From
the ballast bags hanging over the rail causef
us 10 rise percePtipy, for the b.st and mos
dsIicase sreies IN the chemist laboratory can
not register the fractions of an ounce as does
the balloon. The sun went down. Dusk ad
vanced. we must descend ana put up tol
the night. friends, said our captain. Will
the vault above turning to deep indigo, VI
sank gently. and skirtei along the country
from which the Coast Range rises.
ls OUR FIRST NIGHT.
We were Just in time to attract the atten
ton of number Of farm hands returning
from work through the fields With much
shouting back and forth our dragging ropes
wsre caught and made fast. Tic it 70 any
thing. from . gate-post 70 q steeple," sug
gested our artist in series Of whoops worthy
Of callioye After stiff battle in which
some IL our kind sssisters were pretty Sc
vescly yulled about, we found ourselves or
tern f,rms, and ON the way to a neighborinQ
farm house There VIZ made light of famous
sup,-r. washed down gayly with superb
California wine. Our FIRST stage was accom-
plishsd, and We slspt the sleep which IL would
r great pty Tor only the just 10 ENJOY.
p"yhgh' area'yi was 'ne common eA
ciamntion when our Vigiiant captain ad
nsss's'"reh s''anry snaAngs 10 eacn one OF us
In an hour orsekias' was over, anu we wert
rfiac'ng our Steps tnsougn tne neids. I'M
anchors "e'e iN"eu a'~' "o"''y n"nosnake'
Win our hosPtao'e "os's' once more inc de
hShti"i sensation Oh oouhdiess freedom ano
oio,"my' ..,
u" TINS ,,s'"g carry i'll Tue morning WIZ
vengeance quer'en one Vi the iraoerhity
as thr captain ahi'ouhceu us =" oe oVertop
ping io."o 'er,.
! ihe man VINO Will make JOKE OF ina
.""'"o'e. ",'. su'n '"'u.'''a, "a 'M .uH's'Ance'
vt v y" -" o". '".' oo",oy
~, ',:.',i''. Wv ..'Is sy Du
w, "''"pspv . TT ~ MY 'ons
'sa"'"o'- " JoaS 10 o 'ml, mems
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