Year: 1859

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We got ont Of the gale if We could.


said, "you must all get into that basket


if you wantto be saved, should we ever


reach land-and | truly tell you, the


rerils Of the lands are even more terri.


BILE than those Ct the water with our


machines, and it would be easier to meet


death by drowning than to have our


bodies mangled BY dashing against rocks
and trees"


By this time Mr.. eager and Mr.. Hyde
had clambered into the basket with me.


Mr.. Hyde said very coolly. II am pre-
pared to die, but I would rather die on
land than in the water.''-I said,
"What do you say, Mr.. Gagcr p He
replied, II would rather meet it on
land, but do as you think best Mr..
La Mountain was busily engaged in
collecting what he could for ballast
Everything was now valuable to us that


had weight. Our carpet bags, our in
ruments, the express bag, our provis.
ions, were all ready to 60, and go they
did, one after another, until We were
reduced to the express bag that went
overheard last


We deserted the shore, some forty
miles ahead. peering between sombre
band Of clouds and water horizon, but
we werc sweeping At fearful rate upon
the turbulent water, and in another
moment crash went the boat upon the
water, sideSise, stavlng in two Of the
planks, and giving our whole craft two
fearful jerks, BY two succeeding waves
la Mountain stuck to the boat like
hero, but lost his hat, and got dash Of
waves, but soon recovered, and threw
over the express bag and last remaining
ballast, and cried out, BE easy gentle
men III have her a1oat once more. Y
In another moment, we we're up a few
hundred feet again, and the steam pro
peller Young America was tacking al
cross our track.


| now proposed to swamp the boat
and balloon in the lake. and trust to
bieng picked up BY the Young America
but the desire was we should make the
shore and try the land, and as VIC cross
ed the bow Of the steamer they gave US
hearty hurrah La Mountain had
now cut out the boat al. he could, and
we were within fifteen miles Of the shore.
the gale still raging below. La Noun
tain might have remained in the boat
and jumped out at first touching earth
and / saw no impropriety in that, as
then We might have had another hour
or two to wait the lulling Of the
gale-but be said he would share our
fate, and he also clambere into the
basket just as We were reaching the
land.


| saw BY the swaying to and fro Of
the lofty trees into which we must inc
vitably dash, that our worst perils were
at hand, but I still had q blind hope
that We would be saved. I ordered
two men on the valve rope, and We
struck within hundred yards Of the
water, among some scattered troes, our
hook, which was Of inch and quarter
iron, breaking like pipe stem at the
first catch Of it in atree, and We hurling
through tree tops 1t fearful rate.
After dashing along this way for nearly
mile, crashing and breaking down
trees, We were dashed most fearfully in
to the boughs Of . tall elm, 80 that the
basket swung under and up through
the crotch Of limb. and while the boat
caught in some Of the other branches
This brought us to little, but in
another moment the Atlantic puffcd up
her huge proportions, and at one swoop
away went the limb, basket and boat
into the air hundred feet, and was
afraid some Of the crew were impeled
upon the scrags. The limb was about
8inches thick at the butt and full Of
branches, not Weighing less than 600 or
800 pounds. .


il proved too much for the Atlantic,
and it brought her suddenly down upon
the ton Of very tall tree and cnllaneoa