Year: 1872




posed we were now approaching the Saco
Valley, and the railway train to be upon
the North Conway road. The compass,
to be sure, would indicate the course we
were travelling while the earth was in
sight, but the mistake as to our position
was natural enough in our ignorance of
the astounding fact that we were moving
along at the rapid rate of nearly fifty
miles an hour. Had it been the Saco
valley instead Of the Androscoggin we
should have had the satisfaction of reach
ing a settled portion of Maine, in the
neighborhood of Lowell, Stoneham, Ma
son or Bethel AS it proved, we crossed
the Androscoggin river and the Grand
Trunk Railway between Gorham and
Berlin Falls, and then passed out over
the wilderness We had heard the train
stop at station and then move on, and
we also heard persons shouting as we
sailed over them. The balloon was
doubtless seen both from Berlin Falls
and Gorham. At this time we were
about a mile from the earth, and so rap
idly were we travelling and so suddenly
was the valley brought into view, that
Mr.. King would have been unable to
bring up within so narrow space. In
eleven minutes after passing over Mount
Adams, we had reached the northeastern
side of the Androscoggin valley and were
travelling swiftly on toward Lake Umba-
cog. We continued almost from the mo-
ment we ascended from Plymouth to hear
the noise of the cascades among the


mountains and the falls upon the larger


rivers. The roar of Berlin Falls | had


mistaken for that of Jackson Falls OF


Goodrich Falls, or possibly Glen Ellis


A BEAUTIFUL SPECTACLE.


We still supposed ourselves to be


journeying toward settled portion Of


Maine, and as we entered the clouds


at about half past five o'clock, or rather


as the rain clouds enveloped US, We


were in the mood to enjoy a gorgeous


spectacle which soon presented itself


Had we known that trackless waste


hundreds of miles in extent laid in from


of US, we should not have been 81


we'll contented. The rain pattered dow1


upon the roof of the balloon, but will


nothing like the fierceness subsequently,


met with. Here as we'll as over tn,


high mountains, there seemed little t,


distinguish between the different LAYER


of clouds. Occasionally we found our


selves floating in cloudy dell. as i


were In an open space with clouds abov,


and below us and vapory walls nearly i


not wholly enclosing us. We were thu


surrounded when the pavement of ou


misty prison was suddenly tinged with


roseate glow. There was no apparen


cause for the strange and beautiful spec


tacle, and Mr.. King was wildly remind
ed of a trip he had once made througl
the clouds while a confagration wa
raging beneath. The balloon was slow
ly sinking, and as we passed dow
through the vapor we discovered tn
cause of the mystic illumination to
the fast setting sun, which seen throug
the thin mists appeared like ball 9
red fire whose cleaning light shed
: new glory upon all around.


A STARTLING DISCOVERY.


l We had continued in the belief tha
| we were approaching the settled porto
7 of Oxford county, Maine, long after W
: had in reality crossed the valley of tn
: Androscoggin, and not until we were az
e preaching Lake Umbagog and the rang
of Lakes beyond did we realize the tru
t state of the case. 1t was a few minute
n past six o'clock when we approache
: Lake Umbagog and the dense CLOUD
: made it so dark that I had difficulty
e reading the barometer and thermometer
t In fact our last readings were taken ;
r six minutes past six o'clock Viii
: passing over considerable elevatic
|. some fifteen minutes before, probably
e the upper part of the township of Su
4 cess, n. H., or Cambridge, we heard ii
+ blows of wood cutters ak, but no otl
e er sound made by human power reacht
e our cars through the long night. A
e our attempts to make the man hear I
q were fruitless, and we' quickly passt
II away from the cheerful sound as it mi
J gled itself with the never ceasing sour
IS of the mountain streams. The man w
, doubtless some hunter or lumberm;
/ cutting wood for the evening camp fiji
n for it was not likely that he was purs
d ing his daily toll at so late an hour
h the storm. Lake Umbagog was readi
'e recognized on account of its shape, al
7, we began to realize that we were a
t preaching the great unbroken wilderne
st of Northern Maine, with no prospects
g a single human habitation short
, the line of settlements on the south-ea:
le ern shore of the Gulf of st. Lawrenc
l. two or three hundred miles below Quebt
q or possibly the struggling Madawas
p settlements along the borders of Mai
L. and Northern New Brunswick, in t
D. event of the balloon taking course