The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-04-18

leaving the lower portion still in its place,
floating along as quietly as any other cloud
During all the time we were racing with
this storm we succeeded in keeping at Il
distance, and so had no unpleasant expo
rience with it,
The other ascension, to which [ will now
refer, was made one summer afternoon,
some years ago, from the city of Burling-
ton, Iowa Half-past four o'clock was the
time fixed upon for the start, and, as it
happened, Just then there was thunder
storm coming down the line of the Missis-
sippi river. 1t was already in plain sight,
and declined taking any passengers, but
Fastened to get away myself, hoping to
avoid the threatening storm by rising above
| it.
You would naturally suppose that by
starting ahead of the storm the balloon
would keep in advance of it, but on the
contrary l found, on rising, that the air
was rushing toward the clouds, and that if
| would escape l must hasten to rise above
them. tried hard to accomplish this, but
without avail.
However, as had succeeded in getting
above the black and angry looking front of
the storm, congratulated myself on having
escaped that portion, and was deluded with
the belief that in the light gray cloud above
there was no danger.
1t was just seven minutes and half
from the time of leaving the ground until
[ was submerged in the cloud. The cloud
was nothing but dense fog, yet it inclosed
the balloon and myself as closely as 4 stone
wall Still it was not dark, and the light
ning's glare gave the balloon the appearance
of being on fire. | did not regard these
threatening aspects much, as the flashes
appeared harmless, and the ascent was so
rapid that | felt confident of soon reaching
and passing out of the top of the clouds;
but in this l was greatly mistaken In
fact it is doubtful whether, after once being
enveoped by the cloud, it would have been
possible to escape from it in that way, and
it would have been better, perhaps, if had
managed to keep the balloon lower down
so that | should have ridden along with it
until it was exhausted.
This storm had the same characteristics
as the one | had seen in Ohio; the clouds
were ascending in the same manner, nc
doubt larger portions being suddenl con
densed at its upper surface, every moment
forming more or less of a vacuum, causing
the surrounding air to rush in, and in my
case carrying the balloon right to the very
spot where the war of elements was the
greatest.
The thunder grew louder, till it was
almost deafening, but then | saw that II
was getting lighter above me, and pres
emily, | thought, should be out into the
clear air. A moment later | was nearly
blinded by discharge of electricity from
which the balloon barely escaped; at tn,
same time there was terrific crash Of
thunder, following which the balloon was
seized by the wind and hurled furiously
through the cloud.
The tumult of the wind was so great
that the weight in the basket was all that
kept the balloon from rolling over and
over, but this set the car to swinging and
tossing about with such violence that
thought | should certainly be thrown from
my place, and, quickly seizing rope,
tied myself in the car.
Then | was threatened with suffocatior
from escaping gas, caused by overflow from
the open mouth of the balloon. The sud
den expansion made it pour out upon me
in a dense volume Fortunately, | was
saved from this danger by the violent action
Of the wind, and was enabled to catch my
breath as the car was thrown out of line
with the escaping gas.
When the action had begun there was
no intermission; the electric fluid darted
hither and thither, the thunder was crash
ing, and the balloon never had time to
come to a rest before it was whipped off to
another quarter.
Meanwhile the gas was escaping from
the valve at the top, as well as from the
mouth of the balloon, and this seemed ia
make the situation still more critical, for il
ever single electric spark had come in
contact with the gas nothing could have
saved the balloon from instantaneous de-
struction.
The ordeal lasted, perhaps, twenty min
utes but there was vast amount Of expe-
rience crowded into that space Of time, and
it seemed as if the end would never come
Fortunately position was reached at last
where sudden cloudburst, us it might well
be called, broke over the balloon, falling
upon it with such force as to bear it down
ward, and from that time on until was
out of the clouds there was no more trouble
This experience taught me that the real
source of the storm was to be found at the
very apex or top Of the clouds, where, fol
some reason, either because of the degree
of cold to be found at such heights, OIL
possibly because of the cold produced by
the clouds own rapid expansion in the
lighter atmosphere, or maybe from both
causes, the cloud suddenly collapses, chang
ing from light fog-like mist to heavy
rain drops.
It must have been nearly two miles
down through the clouds, but, strangely
enough, l met with no more trouble while
in them. The lightning still flashed and
the thunder pealed, while the falling torrent
of rain made the surrounding mist resem
BILE white horsetails as it passed swiftly by
| could form no idea of how fast or in
what direction | was travelling. | had
entered the clouds while pursuing north
east course, but when | landed | was going
in the opposite direction. The compass
was useless in the clouds; it would point
to the north, of course, but had no sta
tionary object TO compare it with.
Before | was out of the clouds could
hear the roar of the wind and the falling
rain upon the earth below, and | began to
feel anxious to know what kind of country
| was likely to fall into. Now, when |
was almost out there was round hole to
be seen in the clouds directly under the
car through which | could lock, like peer.
ing down well, and at the bottom saw
woods. In another moment l was out Of
the clouds and coursing over them in .
real tornado.