, 1890-06-26

went to Hawaii and arranged to
give an exhibition in a town amidst
q section of thriving sugar planta-
tlons called Kohola. a prominent
business man gathered for me IA
purse Of 1900 when | reached there,
and | made the ascension on n
Saturday afternoon from Waiamea
gtilch. 1t was the occasion
for a general holiday on the
plantations, the Chinese, japanese
and natives attending in enormous
bodies. The balloon was filed and
| set sail at 3 o'clock In the after
noon, shooting rapidly heavenward
by the strong northwesterly breeze
which quickly bore me over range
of mountains some 5000 feet high.
| drifted beyond the city of Hilo.
which IL the largest on the island,
and on | went rs this was not II safe
place to land, as the country Is
rough and abounds In precipiccs. 1
could family see the people of Eiilo
gazing upward ut me In amazement,
but | knew Ii would bc very haz-
ardous for me to land, 80 | kept on
ward, the wind shifting me toward
the volcano. / cldBg 10 my trapeze,
facing death, apparently, for | felt
sure that my fate was inevitable, as
| could see that | was drifting to-
ward the great volumes of fire
that were constantly spouting from
the mouth of the crater. The
sensation Is indescribable. My
nerves were drawn to "a fearful ten
sion, but | cndeavored to keep u
clear head, and hoped that my ship
would carry me over that height.
Finally to my joy / discovered that
the wind was taking Inc entirely
above 1t; could just distinctly feel
the heat, and smell the burning
sulphur. 1t must have been 5000
feet high, for when was directly
over the crater and lake of fire,
which Is said to be three miles
across, 1t seemed like but u small,
open furnace of molten iron. After
ride of three and half hours |
landed in rough lava bed away
from any habitation, where WAS
compelled to wait for assistance.
My landing place was in n de-
preston of a mountain top, formed
as II ~ volcano had caused the eurth
to cave in, and las the top of my bal
ioou "aS p"tiy NisioAc uDpNt Nit
peaks, 1t was day and
a half before l was rescued
by number OF Ameri-
can tourists, who had joined
the guides in their search
for me. l was never more
Hospitality treated when |
reached hdbiiation than on this oc-
casion, the Americans being especi-
ally appreciative, from the fact of
me calling my balloon America
AS ! was compelled to rip my
balloon In two pieces 10 transport It
back to Hilo, that ended my ascen-
sions and adventures in the sand
wich Islands. could not be In.
duced to repeat them again, for
attribute the slight tinge of gray at
present In my hair to the fright |
received when approaching that vol
cano.n
IN INDIA AND JAPAN.
To the question about his travels
In India and Japan, Professor Mel
willie told briefly his principal eA-
periences as follows:
~ left Alexandria in Egypt,
where l had made one ASCENSION,
and travelled by way of the Suez
canal direct to Singapore, reaching
there In April, 1887. |
made two subscription as
censions In that city, they being
the first ever made in that locality,
Both were FROM the public square,
aud us It was the occasion for IA gem
erul holiday, the natives and white
people travelled for miles, attending
in immense bodies. I experienced
great difficulty In getting the na-
lives TO hold my balloon when
started on my first voyage, for it was
II new and lncomprefensible appar-
atus to them, and was treated
after the ascension as q supernatural
person. experienced less difficulty
In my second voyage, however, and
as no incidents were connected with
either ascension, | shall not relate
the details.
81 travelled from here to Bombay,
where ] made one ASCENSION from
I he Alexandria square. was re-
ceived with every courtesy from the
bAb
the natives, as before, regarded iue
as IL marvellous being and somewhat
feared me, and | experienced the
same trouble rs before In getting
start. | assembled about 6 O'Clock In
the evening in the presence of
great body of people, and
shot heavenward In II second, as it
Were, until ! reached about
500 feet, when, on looking down,
] could family see the natives fol-
lowing me rs | drifted. On land.
Ing short distance off was
escorted back In great ceremony by
the natives.
MY next trip was to Calcutta,
where j made two ascenslons; the
second one included n parachute
jump. This was the grandest re-
reption of all, aud, as In other places,
The occasion was made general
holiday The natives turned out In
all their bright and gay costumes,
jhe women wearing their emblem
itic wreath of flowers, which, to-
gether with the uniformed bands
hat played lively tunes, gave the
ensemble a most picturesque ap.
pearance. ! shall never forget that
gorgeous scene in the palm-clad park
where the governor resides, the
place from where | made both Ms
,onsions. 1t was estimated that
10000 people witnessed my first as-
censlon, which was made In the
afternoon about o O'Clock. The gen
lie breeze carried my balloon quickly
cut very muiestlcally upward to
about an altitude Of 5000 feet.
In my downward course | sailed
or fifteen miles outside OF
he city, landing close to II village
where ] tied my balloon to an opal