The record-union., 1893-03-15
WHIRL1NG THROUGH THE AIR.
Thrilling Experience of an Aeronaut
in a Furious Snowstorm.

John WISE the aeronaut, tells Of an ex-
perlence he had once which illustrates
how much might be learned of meteor
oIogy by means of balloon ascensions
scientifically directed. Mr.. Wise made
the ascent in question from Carlisle, Pa,
and the Boston Herald says he was desir-
Gus of gratifying in some special way the
great body OF spectators. Seeing at some
distance beyond and above him huge
black cloud, he determined on the spur of
the moment to pass through it, His eX-
perience with this cloud proved to be
much more exciting than he anticipated,
though the drama was played out of sight
ofthe spectators. In his account he SAYS:
The cloud, to the best of my Judgment.
covered an area from four 10 six miles in
diameter. 1t appeared of circular form
as | entered it, considerably depressed in
its lower surface, presenting great con-
cavity toward the earth, with its lower
edges very ragged and falling downward
with an agitated motion. It was of a dark
smoke color. The cold had now become
intense, and everything around me of a
hbrous nature became thickly covered
with hoarfrost. The cords running up
from my car looked like glass rods, being
glazed with ice and snow, and hail was
indiscriminately pelting all around me.
The cloud at this point, which l pre-
sumed to be about the midst OF it, from
tuo IeIIIDIO 6DulllllOn which was going
on, had not the black appearance [ OBJ
served when entering it, but was of a
light, milky color, and so dense Just at
this time that could hardly see the bal
loon, which was sixteen feet above the
car From the intensity of the cold in
this cloud L supposed that the gas would
rapidly condense and the balloon conse-
quently descend and take me out of it. In
this, however, l was doomed to disap-
pointment, for 1 soon found myself
whirling upward with fearful rapidity,
the balloon gyrating and the car describ-
ing large circle in the cloud.
"A noise resembling the rushing of q
thousand milldams, intermingled with a
dismal moaning sound of wind, sur
rounded me in this terrible flight.
Whether this noise was occasioned by the
hail and snow which were so fearfullv
pelting the balloon l am unable to tell. as
the moaning sound must evidently have
had another source. l was in hope.
when being hurried rapidly upward, that
l should escape from the top of the cloud
but disappointment was again my lot
and the sunshine, which had already
been anticipated by its faint glimmer
through the top of the cloud soon vanished
with violent downward surge of the
balloon, as 1t appeared to me. ofSome hun
dreu feet. The balloon subsidized ONLY to
be hurled upward again, when, having
attained Its maximum, it would again
sink down with swinging and fearful
velocity, to be carried up again and
let fall. This happened eight or ten
times, all the time the storm raging
with unabated fury, while the discharge
of ballast would not let me out at
the top of the cloud, nor the discharge of
gas out of the bottom of it, though | had
expended fully fifty pounds of the
former in the first attempt and not less
than 200 cubic feet of the latter, for the
balloon had also become perforated by
the icicles that were formed where the
melted snow ran on the cords.
Il experienced all this time an almost
Irresistible inclination to sleep, notwith-
standing a nauseating feeling and the ter
rible predicament | was placed in. until
after eating some snow and hail, of which
considerable had lodged on some can
vas and paper lying in the bottom of the
car, felt somewhat easier in mind and
in body. l grasped firm hold of
the sides of the car, determined to
abide the result with as much com
posture as the nature of the case would
permit. Once l saw the earth through
a chasm i'll the cloud, but was
hurled up once more after that. when
to my great joy l fell clear out OF it.
after having been belched up and
swallowed down repeatedly by this hug
and terrific monster of the air for the
space of twenty minutes. | landed in
the midst of a pouring rain on a farm five
miles from Carlisle