The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-11-29
.,rIING EXPERIENCE IN
l BALLOON.

herr n his balloon ascension from
o'on~ na last June, had one OF The most
o trjsh,lnl experiences recorded III tue an.
'r's y, balloon travel On June third he
naiS =. orders to prepare the "S;oll
wsrOk" for her fourth ascent IRON the
w ~o Garteu, the trip to take place on
.hs sixth. Usually, he began work at
~, SLING before day break, to have am,
'u' .;ne Int OH this occasion wind aud
l p,n delayed him till past eight o clock in
ram ran a,orning. He dreaded making the
'ne aae at all on such day, but as an
w. sailor, like his brother at sea- makes
money while only on his ship he decided
to take the risk
A, five o'clock in tho afternoon the
,o,Ioon was ready. The weather was
worse. and my courage was ebbing fast,
uould have gladly given my pay twice
auar IN have remained on solid ground.
but my reputation was dear to me, and
dare not face the jeers ana insults of
49,, v,s. crowd assembled to see me eff.
Two gentlemen, Herr S" and Herr
n from Cologne, were to accom-,
pauy me -,
At half past five | give the signal
,uos v, and our ascent began iaVorabIy
o,r ooprse was southwest to ncrthwest.
and in one minute We had risen five
tbonsand feet. The temperature was
o,oI R.biud us lay Cologne IN thick
fop and a gathering thunderst1 I'm. Our
.Stollwerck" scared continually higher
in a foo that grew every moment more
dense The aneroid barometer showed
height OF eight Thousand feet. The bIs
ket swung like pendulum proof that
we were moving with great rapldity.
A second thunder storm gat hered and
hurst beneath us. Then, alter quarter
of an hour, the clouds dispersed, aud We
oould see the earth far below. We were
spinnipg over long stretches OF dense
forrest very unfavorable for landing. The
air had grown icy cold, and the balloon
dropped rapidly.
At last l spied clearing on the noun
tain side, which seemed our best chance
for alightiug. | pulled the cheek aud
dropped anchor, and we sank gently to
ward the ground. The violent vino
knocked us about for "a time, Dut f0rtu
nately the anchor held. We had been
seen aud people were hurrying to the
spot. The strength of fht men were
barely enough to hold my struggling
pitching ship long enough Tor nap com
yanions s. and D. to Chamber Gu, j.
So lar all was well. Then, without a
moments warning, a violent gust, like
whirlwind, broke over us; we " ere tossed
wildly to aud fro, but by straiuing every
muscle managed to hold down the
"Stollwreck." Still in the balloon
threw out a rope and with difficulty tiei
it in a tree. Then came violent wrench
and fell over back ward in the basket
As | sprang to my feet | found myself
soaring cloud high once more, aud to my
horror, two men were clinging to the
outer edge of the bIskt.
seized upon Que az tried with all ny
strength to draw him ~. He was pea. :
ant OF the ueig hborhood, a good hearted,
sturdy young fellow, vino had worked
with will to stop the wild plungings OF
the "Stolwreck," as she dragged at her
anchor down in tie clearing. Butt it was
of no avail; my arms were as weak as a
woman's, and the poor fellow $ strength
was spent. With a wild, despairiug look
straight in my eyes, he let go, aud
heard his body strike the ground with
horrible dlstinctness.
Ny heart stood still, my head swan,
and should have sank down Indifferent
to my fate, HAD it not been for the cries
of poor s., my champion, cIirgrug to
the other side OF the railing. tried TO
rescue my friend flom his irishtful posi-
ton, but alone | could not drag him over
the edge OF the basket, and he was pow
erless to Lelp himself.
1t was an awful moment. Already the
clouds began to float below Us; We must
have been at least nine thousand teer
high. leaned out SO tar that it seemed
svery Instant as if | must lose ny bal
ance aud seized SIS coat with my
teeth. managed to grasp rops, with
which | hoped to tie him fast Those
not knowing whether | could
succeed or not, were like an eternity.
At last the rope slipped under his arms.
Grew it tight. and to my inexpressible
'elief, it held. But the danger vast post
ooned for few brief moments only if
s. lost consciousness, he would be
sure to drop in spite of the rope.
1t was life or death to the poor wretch
according as our descent was rapid or
low. | pulled the check and we sank
loticeably, but alas, into the thick Of a
hunder cloud The balloon spun around
ike a top. 1t hailed, Numbered and
ightened, as If hell itself had broke. We
wung to and fro with frightful violence.
fell on my face with frightiul roaring
n my ears like the scream of a thousand
ngry tends. But l dared not give
way.
s." | called frantically, "hold on
Or Gods sake.
Its all over with me, the ope is slip.
ing" my poor friend gasped in reply.
Pull yourself together, in a moment
nore We will touch ground" screamad
oarsely.
But the nearer we came to earth the
lore wildly we pitched to and fro.
Don't let go the first moment you
ouch ground, or we are both lost" |
RED tn -