Year: 1869

PeriIous Position of an lEronaut Three Miles
Above Earth-His Fingers Frozen, and his
Body Almost Parnlyzed-MarvellOns Escape
from Death.


aronauts is to be recorded the following, OF which
occasion OF Professor La Mountains recent balloon
ascension from Bay City he met with a terrible adj
venture and very narrowly escaped death.


The balloon was filled before starting to its utmost
tension, but owing to recent repairs leaked badly
so that after one or two unsuccessful attempts Mr.
Ueadley, who was to have accompanied Professor
La Mountain, was obliged to get out OF the car. Mr.
Headley had the eatables, Instruments Of observa-
ton and tissue paper used to ascertain the ascend
ing force of the balloon, and he stepped out of
the car before he could transfer the articles named
those who had hold OF the car let GO and the balloon
shot up with rapdity that carried it to an altitude
OF two miles within few minutes. A perfect gale of
rain and sleet commenced falling. The balloon was
still ascending when lost to sight in c nd. Pro-
fessOr La Mountain, in relating his experience
says that IT became all at once intensely cold.
The cloud he entered was one swimming mass Of
snow flakes lnterspersed with rain, which formed
frost work on the netting OF the balloon The cloud
with the snow-1akes forming and flying htther ana
thither had, as he expressed IT, the appearance of a
cloud oil steam through which the sight could not
penetrate. The earth was lost TO view By tearing
up his handkerchief and throwing out shreds he be-
came conscious that he was passing upwards with
wonderful rapidity, and along with the current of
the air eastward towards the lake. Nothing was
discernble but the thickenng mist and overhead
his balloon, which, as the air became lighter had
expanded the thin cloth covering to its utn ct
length. Fearful that he might be carried intn the





his descent, he reached for the valve rome
with the heintenton OF lowering himself gradually. 10
his surprise the valve would not open. The RAIN and
sleet accumulating the top OF the balloon had
frozen the valve so tight as to resist the pressure
from below Putting his whole strength to the task
he gave strong pull the rope, pulling out the
iron staples attaching the rope to the valve the rope
falling down into the car. The balloon was mount
ing up faster than ever. 1t had passed the storm
cloud, which was a mile below, and the heavens
above were as clear and the sun shining as bright,
as at midday in June But the air was very cold,
and La Mountain bpnumDpu with cold
Ms had a Sttaiqeg & nsISpt @ o Of over tSs; three
miles. The balloon could not burst for
when the expansion became too great the gas could
escape from the tiue or valve below which was open
but he was fearful OF being carried into the
lake without having made preparations for such an
event. Mounting the hoop overhead he reached, for
his knife only to find that he had left it on the
ground Cnging to the ropes with one hand, with
the other, and his teeth, after some eXertion he
succeeded in tearing rent in the balloon from the
bottom ten or ntteen teet upwards. Then serving
the opposite side the way, he descended to the
car to watch the progress. During this operation
the ends OF the fingers of both hands had become
frozen. For few minutes the balloon kept ascend
ing, and then, as the gas escaped it reached an
eaIiipoise and moment after commenced gradu-
ally to descend to the earth. Every instant in
creased its downward speed. The Profess
sor says that ne heard the, cloth tearing,
the rents enlarging, until, with crash that
sounded like death-knell, the cloth gave way to
the pressure, opening seam on both sides from the
ing not thousand cubic feet, while the air rushed
in, filing up the vacuum the balloon acting as
parachute Ine fIolessor gives IL as MS opinion
that at the height OF two miles there not foot
of gas in the balloon. The cloth, bellying out
formed strong resistance to the atmosphere, and
retarded the descent. He remembers distinctly
passing through a cloud, and the sensation on re-
gaining sight OF the earth. He has an almost indis-
tinct recollection Of approaching the earths sur
face. A dull moaning like the surging Of
the waves greeting his ears, the mapping of
the cloth became louder, and a moment
after he became unconscious On regaining
his senses he found himself lying in the woods, and
his balloon some yards distant. Several per-
sons who had seen the balloon descend had come to
the scene and were standing near. They afterwards
assisted him. His arms and legs were badly bruised,
and himself stunned, but no bones We're broken or
internal injury sustained. The spo where he fell is
seven miles from Bay CITY, He stopped over night
at farm house near by, and yesterday morning re-
turned TO Bay City, The time that he was in the air
less than thirty minutes, and the reason that he
was not carried further was on account OF passing
through different currents Of air