Year: 1859

whenever we hallOwed 1t was followed by q
distinct echo, and even this served as a differ
cntial index to hight. We always found a re-
sponse in numerous bow-wow-wows, and these,
too, were always indicative of the fullness and
sparseness of the habitations below, as we could
hear them for many miles around u.s. MIR La
Mountain remarked that nobody lived in that
country but dogs, or else the people barlcd like
dogs, he having got a little out of humor be-
cause nobody would tell him in what State we
were sailing, and he gave up the inquiry, with
the remark that it must be over some other
country than America, as VIC had been moving
along at rapid pace.


At n. M, Saturday we came to a general
conclusion that we were somewhere over the
State of Indiana or Ohio. At a. M, we pass
ed city, but could no make it out, but at 5 a.
m, we discovered Lake Erie ahead of us, and
then concluded that the city we left little
south Of our track must have been Fort Wayne.
At a. m, we passed Toledo, and about an
hour afterward we lowered on the margin of the
lake little north of Sandusky. After few
moments consultation, and a review of our bal
last, we determined to risk the length of Lake
Eric, and to test the notion that balloons cannot
be kept up long over waler, because of some
peculiar affinity of the two--a notion that new
CT had any belief with me. Just as we merged
upon the lake, n little steam screw that was
propelling up river or bay headed for our
track, and some one aboard tf her very quaint
" cried aloud to us "That IS the lake ahead
Of YOU" Mr. LaMountain cried back. ais it
Lake Erie? ?" and the answer was, ayes, it is,
and you had better look out" Our good friend,
the propeller, finding that we discarded his
kindness, rounded off again, sounded us good
bye with his steam-whistle, and went his way
up the river.


Here We mounted up until the balloon got
full, and the barometer fell to %, in order to
make along near the southern shore Of the lake,
but at Mr. LaMountain's suggestion, that we
could make the city of Buffalo by sailing but
few hundred feet above the surface OF the wa
ter, ! opened the valve until we gradually sank
to within 500 feet of the water. Here we
found a gentle gale of about speed of mile
per minute, and We resolved to float on it until
We should heavc in sight of Buffalo, and then
rise and sail over it. This was most interest
ing part of our voyage. We overlook seven
steamboats,, passed mutual salutations, and
would soon leave them fitting on the horizon
in our rear. One of these lonely travellers re-
marked as we passed him, "You are going it
like thunder" At 1920 a. m, we were skirting
along the Canada shore and passed near the
mouth of Welland Canal aud soon began to
mount for our more eastery current so as to
take Buffalo in our track, but we circled up in
TO it between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, cross
ing Grand Island, leaving Buffalo to the right
and Lockport to the left of us in our onward
course. Finding ourselves in the State of New
York, but too far north to make the city of New
York, it was agreed that we would make land
ing near Rochester, detach the boat, leave out
Mr. eager and Mr. Hyde, and Mr. LaMountain
and myself pursue the voyage To point at
Boston or Portland. Accordingly We descend
ed gradually, but before We got within thou
sand feet OF the earth we found a most terrific
gale sweeping along below. The woods roared
like host of Niagaras, the surface of the earth
was filled with clouds of dust, and told my
friends certain destruction awaited us if we
should touch the earth in that tornado. The
eagh areadV Vas %ekHg tsrre r
the trees of a tall forest, and cried out some
what excitedly, "for Gods sake heave over
board anything you can lay your hands on La
Mountain" and in another moment he respond
ed ''all right" standing on the side Of the boat
with shaft and wheels, intended for the work
ing Of the fan wheels, and ready to hcave it
over should it become necessary.


Mr. Hyde looked up to my car, and very SOL
cmnly said, This is an exciting time Professor.
What shall we do?" "Trust to Providence and
all our energies" said |. We were fast run
ming on to Lake Ontario, and o how terribly
it was foaming moaning and bowling. said
"LaMountain, have $50 pounds of ballast in
my car yet, and heavy valise, an Express
Bag, (sent to the U. S. Express Company's Of
flee in Broadway, New York; and lot of pro-
visions"


"Well, if that won't do, will cut up the
boat for ballast, and we can keep above water
until we reach the opposite Shore" which was
hun1rnI v,iln, a., fha liractinD
were then going.


Here handed my ballast down to LaNIoun-
tain, as We were rapidly mounting above the
terrific gale, believing that by that course We
should at least get out of its main track.


Everything now indicated that we should
perish on the water or on the land and our
only salvation was to keep afoat until we got
out Of the gale, il we could. / said, "You
must all get into the basket, if you want to be
saved, should we ever reach the land. And
truly tell you that the perils of the land are
even more terrible than those of 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, 81 am prepared to die, but
would rather die on land than in the water"
oolui w Wv lou WI NaSSi. ~ ~
piled, 81 would rather meet it on land but do
as you think best" Mr. LaMountain was bust
ly engaged in collecting what he could for bal
last. Everything was now valuable to us thai
had weight. Our carpet-bags, our instruments
the Express bag, our provisions, We're all read,
to go, and SO they did, one after another, unit
we were reduced to the Express bag,-tha
went overheard last.


We now deserted the shore, some forty mile
ahead, peering between somber bank of cloud
and the water-horizon, but We were swoopinl
at fearful rate upon the turbulent water, and
in another moment, crash went the boat upol
the water sidewise, staving in two of the planks
and giving our whole craft two fearful jerks b,
two succeeding waves LaMountain stuck t.
the boat like hero, but lost his hat, and got


dash of the waves, but soon recovered AM


threw over the Express bag and the last re


naming ballast, and cried out, abe easy, gen


tlemen, I'll have her ahoat once more" Il
another moment we Were up few hundre
/ feet again, and the steam-propeller Youn
America was tacking across our track. | no'
proposed to swamp the boat and balloon in tn
lake, and trust to being picked up by the Youn
America, but the desire was that we shoul
make the shore and try the land, and as W
, crossed the bow of the steamer they gave us
, hearty hurrah. LaMountain had now cut oil