Year: 1865

preston OF alarm. and made me sign
that all was right. He now pulled open
the valve made for the escape of the gas
at the top. and our AERIAL vessel soon de
scended to an altitude where We could
breathe easily and hear each 9th er speak.
We now struck strong current of
air, and began to pass rapidly TO the west
ward In few minutes / observed
cloud. that looked like q huge ledge OF
gray rocks. coming toward US with such
velocity. that, till we entered il. l could
not dispossess myself of the fear that
We should be dashed to pieces. When
we did enter it, we found ourselves in a
cold fog, so dense that we could not
see half dozen feet in any direction.
Fl ere there was no breeze whatever. and
our balloon soon became stationary, or
at least moving only with the Clouds
What had become of the wind which had
carried us to it with so much velocity,
could not imagine but the Professor ex-
planned it by saying we had got out of
the current.


within half a mile of u.s." he pur-
sued, there are probably at this moment
two strong currents of air, rushing in
exactly opposite directions, while here.
as you perceive, everything is still. 1t
is thought by some that when these
things come TO be better understood
when we shall have got them reduced to
a science, in fact--we shall then be able
to navigate the air as we'll as the water,
Well, ladies. what do you say-shan We
go above this cloud or below it ?"


I'VE should like to see it from above,'
was the answer. But, professor. how
can YOU tell which way we are going
now


"Thusr' he answered, taking piece
of paper, making a ball about the size
of pea. and dropping it over the side
of the car, where it slowly disappeared
below US. You see he continued, we
are descending, but not so fast as the
paper ball If we were either stationary
or ascending, it would leave us faster;
and if we were rapidly descending, it
would remain along side of us


He then lightened the car a few pounds
by emptying bag of sand, and we soon
shot up above the cloud, and beheld the
sun shining on it, The effect was very
beautiful--the cloud appearing from the
upper view like an immense roll of snow
white cotton. We now, in accordance
with the Professors remarks. struck
another current of air, which swiftly
bore US away in direction opposite to
the one by which we had entered the
cloud, and which, so great was our
velocity, was soon seen afar in the dis
tance.


l was much interested in seeing from
this upper region the sun set upon the
world below. While it was shining
bright upon rs, we could see shade after
shade creeping over the earth, which
grew DINNER and DINNER, till at last all
81, ha6
the eve rested upon black, dismal gulf,
as it might be the beginning of the Bot
tomless Pit.


An hour after this it became quite dark
where we were, and the rapid gathering
of thunder storm, toward which we
were drifting, began to make the most
of Us feel quite uneasy.


Had we not better descend at once.
before the tempest breaks upon the
earth ?" was the anxious question now
put to the Professor.


If it is the general DESIRE was the
obliging answer.


1t was the general desire; and he i'm
mediatelv took hold of the cord con
nected with the valve at the top of the
balloon, to let off the gas. From some
cause he could not move it. j did not
notice this at first but seeing him steadi
ly jerking for some minutes and ap
parently becoming nervous and anxious,
asked him if there was anything wrong


Il fear there is - be replied, in tone
that betrayed a good deal of anxiety,
not to say alarm the valve will not
open


"Oh. my Cod cried one of the
ladies what will we do? p


DO not be frightened - said the Pro
g L Ill II. -
right presently" :,


But he did not In spite of all he .
could do the valve remained closed, and
we could not descend In fact, it was
soon discovered that we had begun to
ascend Moreover, we were rapidly
approaching the black, rolling storm
cloud. and the lightning playing vividly, /
and the thunder roaring heavily.


In another five minutes-fve minuets .
of the most intense anxiety, at last
deepening into a terror-during which .
the Professor tugged at the valve cord, ,
with great beads of Precipitation stand
ing ali over his face-in another five +,
minutes, l say, we entered the black /
cloud. which closed around us like pail, /
shutting cut every ray of light. so that /
we could not see each other, nor even I
cur hands before our eyes. We now
felt our situation to be appalling, and |
all had become breathlessly still: Sud I
denly We were lighted up with crack
ling fire that seemed to play all around /
and through US, and which was follwed |
by crash of thunder that shook US
from our feet. The ladies screamed, 4
and / believe every man of us, not even |
excepting the Professor, uttered excla-
nations of surprise and terror We had
large five progedgrapnel aboard, for
catching into trees, bushes, fences and
hedges. when near the earth, and we
were afraid the lightning would be at
tracted by this. 1t WAS terrible to think
of the consequences which would follow
a little damage to our frail vessel
Thousands of feet below US, our breath
less mangled bodies would be found by
strangers Again that ayful lightning
crinkled over Us, fingered around and