Year: 1863

! iui h ioit tiiN SoOA ~ W. S'NNS''''


At this point the balloon had fallen to
about six or seven hundred feet of the
earth so we must throw out some sand
and 90 higher still, sailing in a northeast
erly direction. Look at those extensive
meadows, dotted all over with haystacks.
Does it not look strange? How long a
time We are in passing over thcm.--and
when passed, we think an aeronant would
have poor chance for alighting. if his
stock OF ballast was very limited, for
woods and lakes predominant in every
direction.


How beautiful the woods appear, even
at the height we have now attained-
something over mile. The sombre
evergreen, relieved by the gayer colors
produced by Autumn's ftcsts. But see,
says one, those three hills ahead; what
can they be, when all except those at a
great distance apcar level as a plain,
though they appear so small, that seem
ingly one might walk over them in few
moments ? Still, from comparison, We be-
lieve them to be something more and they
finally prove to be the Passadumkcag
Mouutln Out with more ballast, We
must go higher and pass the mountains.
Our course continues the same till in the
neighborhood of Lee. There we reached
nn altitude of nearly two mics and a
half, striking a current of air that caused
us to turn sharp corner and take
south-easterly course. This took us over
Sislaoobsiss Lake and Grand lake. and
so many other lakes that VIC could not
count them.


About this time it seemed necessary to
again bring into requisition the green
glass rctorts, as much gas had been ne
ccssariiy wasted beneath the balloon after
which the various rents through which so
much aeriform fluid had escaped were for
the time effectaally closed by various
slices Of cold chicken, lamb, tongue,
chrackers, oughnuts, DC.


While VIC are taking our luncheon let
us look back towards Bangor. We can
still sec where the city should be, but
city and country have all mingled togeth
cr in the misty distance. Not SO with
the pcnobscot River. This gives us a
landmark as far as the eye can reach, for
through the smoky haze, high up towards
the horizon, old Soils rays come to us
aslant, making the water appear more
splendid than an equal surface of the
richest gold. Now let the eyes drop a
little. The golden hue gradually fades
away, until the ponds in our vicinity look
like polished silver mirrors. Those i'm
mediately beneath Us, however, reflect no
light to US from their surfaces, aud for
this reason the bottoms of these can be
distinctly seen. The lunch being dispos-
ed Of, the generators were once more
inverted.


New, although VIC could by aid Of the
compass ascertain our course very nicely,
yet the upper current OF air moved so
much faster than the lower ones, that We
soon became bcwillered in such a Wild
erncss. Is was not long, however before
we discovered large sheet Of water
ahead which We afterwards found was
passamaquodiy Bay. Next at the head
of the Bay, we espiel a village, whi;h
one OF the party, who endcavorcd to get
a better sight through one of the gencr-
ators, pronounced to be Ellsworth, and on
closer examination We could find no
Mount Desert, and so concluded that our
comrades vision must be slightly imper-
feet.


We we're soon passing to the north OF
Calais, and running in a due casterly y
direction. Here we looked down upon
some very fine farms, which afforded Us
delightful relief, after having spent so
long time over the immense forest lands
in our rear. So inviting was the pros
pect before Us, that a proposition was
made to end the voyage here, and it'was
still further urged, on the supposition
that We might not find another suitable
opportunity for landing after passing
these settlements but my passengers
were reminded that we had stared with
the intention Of making q long trip, and
the short time we had passed in the air
since leaving terra frma did not warrant
the belief that we had yet accomplished
it. Besides, from the course we We're
now taking it was reasonable TO suppose
that we should be able to find plenty OF
landing places before GU; ba last ran out
for we had sand enough to keep us atloat,
for twenty-four hours yet


The balloon had previous to this, at-
taned an elevation OF about two and a
half miles, aud from the expansion and
consequent necessary overflow Of the gas
throu! h the open neck of the balloon, we
were rapidly approaching the ground, but
the descent was not checked, for we were
nearing two villages, and thought to be
able in passing over them at low atl-
tude, to ascertain our exact whereabouts.


We had now got down into another cur
rent of air, which bore US of to the
North. We had nearly passed. the great
body of farms through which runs the
Quebec and St. Andrews Railroad about
which we had considerable discussion, and
concluded finally that it must have been
built for logging purposes.


now asked the party what they propos-
ed to do-lescend Of continue on-hnt they
very clcverly shifted the responsibility on
to me, and insisted that should do just
as | pleased And here | may be allowed
to return my thanks TO my gentleman'y
passengers for the confidence they con-
tinually expressed of my ability to bring
the voyage to successful termination,
and their full acqnicscence in Whatever