The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1894-02-17


You will have only the annoyance of
passing two or three hours more than
you calculated in my company. and
doubtless the Inconvenience OF not get
ting back to Sydney until tomorrow
morning"
"In that case. captain."I replied, Il
am doubly delighted at the accident;
the ascension has grown exciting. and
we could not desire more courteous
pilot than yourself Is it not SO,
madam?'
''Niiss. II you please" rectified the
very slight and slender lady. "Aliss Ara
bella Upton, at your SERVICE And
she added: .But shall miss my last
car for Wooloomooloo!"
From new vibrations the captain con-
| jectured that we were carrying sus-
pended below us nearly the whole of
the broken cable. Its weight vislbly
impeded the ascent Of the Condor OF
the Andes. and there was reason to fear
that ON the descent it would occasion
very grave damages.
The aeronaut was, fortunately,
prompt in. decision. Like true cap
tain, lie armed himself with penknife.
and, hosting himself over the interior
| abyss OF the osier basket, strove to saw
away the thick rope.
"How high are we?" he asked, with
out interrupting his difficult and per-
ilous task tss. y5t.2 -
Twelve hundred and twenty-five
Yards" RESPONDED Miss Arabeila, get
ting ahead of me again.
Painting greatly, the aeronaut added,
addressing himself to me: -
..i.As-soon as. the cable Is detached
with bound we will ascend to two"
The sentence remained unfinished.
At slight cry turped around. ceas-
ing to observe the barometer Over
the gaping void could no longer see
either the man or the cable. In the
captains Supreme effort, one. drawing
the other, both had fallenl Above us.
toward the profound night still
stretched the unfathomable space.
had not much time for pity; the
balloon, suddenly freed, scaled the in
accessible with . prodigious bound.
And without any idea Of aerial naviga-
ton, lost In space and darkness, l
found myself alone with IN ignorant
young girl, as unconscious as she of
the DANGER, unable to attempt the
slightest naneuyer. --.>-~.-s----s.
Mute, but terrified OWNED it
without seeing her. for her fingers had
plunged their nails into my garments
and fiesh-Miss Arabella had seized my
arm. Suddenly she let 60 her hold to
stoop, and saw that she was throwing
our sand overheard ,.-4
Iwns about to grasp her uncere-
inoniously by the waist logically con.
WINGED that UNPUBLISHED we would
mount higher yet-when of them
selves her arms fell; realized that she
was inert A prey also to very painful
uneasiness. cast a glance OF anguish
at the barometer. The atmospheric
pressure had sensibly diminished-w
had passed four thousand yards! In
the air the oxygen had rarefied. ex-
perienced sensation Ihad already felt
on high SUBMITS ttttl
"Miss," called |. striving to raise up
the young girl, but twas in vain, for !
had no strength. My legs trembled,
my head sank upon my shoulders; no
longer felt the existence of my body.
Crawling, dragged myself to tho
barometer and saw with terror that
the Thermometer had gone down to
xero-8ss That was The equivalent of
sixty-five hundred yards in height, tho
altitude Of Chimboraxo or OF the Kouen-
Loun chain. by the light Of the little
lantern noticed that my hands were
growing black and swelling. My pulse
counted the improbable number of one
hundred and thirty to one hundred and
forty beatingA simultaneously with
an insurmountable desire to sleep, the
forerunner of asphyxia, cadaveric in
sensibilty was gaining possession Of me.
had. however, the will to take the
lantern in my hand, but ON stretching
up to reach it felt myself enveloped
by terrible cold Ice coated the Condor
of the Andes The mercury of the
thermometer had fallen to twenty four
degrees below zero.
then clearly comprehen ded that the
end had como, and, without further
striving to recover, closed my eyes and
gave myself up.
At the horizon, low and distinct, q
brilliant and blue light was appearing.
When returned to the knowledge Of
things magnificent moon was illu-
minating the. night My eyes, turning
mechanically to the rim Of the car.
distinguished a small silk balloon fas-
Tened to Q strap 1t bore o label:
Oxygen ut seventy-five per cent" And
1t was salvation. My scientific attain
ments enabled me to understand this
salvation almost at handl A few in.
halations OF that over-oxygenated air
would restore me with ife.. with
strength.
seized the little balloon Us quickly
MS was capable Of doing, and. care
fully unscrewing its stopper, applied it
to my mouth 10 breathe. afterwards
thought OF Hiss Arabella, and intro
duced the slender neck between her
lips, which saw were horribly black
and swollen.
dreedily, Is she rviarned to life, I
took it from her again, and then en-
sued between us q strange struggle OF
ferocious, faniished crea lures
Very far below us vast undulations
shone, which at that height judged to
be the Blue mountains We therefore
had been carried fifty miles to the west
Of Sydney.
Cool now and completely restored, I
was considering the quickest way in
which to end our adventure The more
SO, as. saved from asphyxia and