The Washington herald., 1909-01-24

an inc ar.
Thrilling experiences" repeated Leo
Stevens 10 a New York Herald man.
oh, sure, You get them in baIlooning.
naturally. In way it's like leaving sud
denly for new world and getting there
in a few minutes-a strange land Of won
derful sights and sensations, great air
currents. clouds. rainbows. snow and
rain factories, cyclones-yes, don't forget
cyclones.
My most dangerous experience came
just last summer-after twenty-three
years Of baIlOOning.
Allan Hawley and I made an ascent at
Pittsfeld, Mass, taking along a young
chauffeur from the city. Of whom the local
aero club wished 70 make . licensed pilot
"A licensed pilot, you know. must have
made in ali at least ten ascents, two OF
which must be conducted under a regular
pilot one alone and one at night"
Stevens stopped and chUckled- This
young chap got all his experience con-
centrated in this one trip. 7 guess. and
MI Hawley and I each had a new one.
we went Up very nicely-straight up
for a few thousand feet-and then f6ated
away from the city toward Dalton. a sub
urb. II was fine. clear day. the weather
predictions were favorable, and when we
struck our course We began plotting on
the map just how far We should go and
about where we might Land.
Just over Dalton the balloon stopped
for a moment and clrcIed easily back to
ward PittsieId This move was against
our calculations, and we thought Il rather
funny. We're we going eastward after
all?
That was decided very quickly. Just
east OF the city We stopped again and
came back in a narrow circuit. more
swiftly this time and 50 around again
and again. sxifter. swifteT swifter-and
then. as quick as a fash. We plunged into
night
There was a great long streak OF pale
light straight Up from our heads-a sort
Of road 20 heaven. II struck me-and then
came a roar like the sound Of a cataract
We We're stiI circling. Dut in such a
small. fast circumference that IL made Us
dizzy. And al the time there was a rasp-
Ing. grating noise under the basket
Were scrapinE the tops OF trees,
yelled the boz. and that was the last
thing heard him say Suddenly there
was fash OF light. and Hawley leaned
over the car
Ny Cod said he. Took az that"
shot Into the skies.
He pointed az the drag rope For q
moment I saw IL Il was flying taut
Ike curved whipIash above our heads
Then it dawned upon me what had hap
pened- We were caught IN a cyclone
cloud-caught IN the tail OF it-aud were
being sucked up through the center.
How far Up were we
Well maybe 7.co8 feet. We couldn't
see the Instruments
Stevens nervous face was aIight with
the memory Of the Hghtniug-like trip.
Great Scott said he. 1t was fear
ful. Seemed Ike a monster was running
away with Us and shaking the car with
might and main TO fling Us out. Il was
hard work 10 hold fast
You're IN for IT, I told Hawley.
He smiled a little Well. I'm in for
the best OF r. said he And We didn't
have time 20 talk much from that time
on.
7 looked at the boy. He was crouched
down in the car or his knees. gripping
the side OF the basket with his hands
and teeth. II seemed. Just as his eyes
showed over the top spoke 70 him. called
him by name. yelled at him and finally
kicked him But not a word out OF him
not even a look wondered what he
was thinking Of-pr2ying probably for
an automobile 10 take him home,
1T seemed as If We ought 20 do some
thing. but. after ell. there was nothing
10 do. We must wait. that's all
"Hawley motioRed toward the safety
valve but I shook nv head.
I'm not going 10 valve I yelled
Not yet"
Struggling Against a Cyclone.
You see. 7 figured that It was a false
suction pulling Us Up. and no device IN
the world could check that ascent. Just
think Of that drag rope, We couldn't
do thing till we were free. To attempt
any tricks might prove fatal Struggling
against a cyclone is Ike dealing with a
baIky wild beast-you'd best lie low till
each gets good natured.
We'll. we got 20 the end OF that long
funnel after while and seemed TO POP
out suddenly upon what looked like a
dark. billcwy sea Then we began TO de-
scend.
I remember hoping that we would not
land on Mount Greylock We were go
ing down fast and threw out most OF
our sand. then our rugs, carrying cover,
and lunch basket.
Suddenly the ground doomed I'D and
I saw an open field and farmhouse. A
man was blowing and I yelled at him.
He thought some one was calling to him
from the front Of the house and hurried
away. leaving HIS horses We were COM
ing down directly Oyer them and I threw
loon stopped. guivered a moment. fiOated
away and landed nicely
ct was some time before the boy
found his voice. Then he looked at me
and said: You look awful white, Mr..
Stevens
Stevens stopped and laid a warning
finger upon my arm Now, that sounds
mighty dangerous" said he. climbing
c<cIone a mile or more into the sky. In
a way II was-for an inexperienced per-
son. But inexperienced people don't go
up alone. and, anyway. Il was more spec
tacular than perilous. You mustn't get
the idea that balloonlng Is dangerous. It
isn't. Nv own record proves that. and
every other baIloonist viii tell you the
same thing"
Ermine.
From the Baltimore sun.