Year: 1873

groan. A. q. u.


The second despatch was from perfect stranger,
as the hrst:-


La Mountain must have torn on the NECK of his
balloon. II you strike eastern current send us iull
account OF your ARRIVAL In Japan, anu Will send you
900 by mail. 7. G. c.


The conversations and dispatches above given
are genuine specimens and give them to show
the encouraging circumstances surrounding US At
this time.


SPECTATORS ON THE COMMON


Arriving back on the filing ground discovered
our aera4crat iull and dancing in the slight breeze
that prevailed for the moment The hour OF noon
had passed, the Lowell factory girls fand men,
came rushing to the Common literally by thou
sands, and soon dense crowd was collected out
side the ropes on all hands. Now was the time for
beauty unadorned, except by tow and aar. Some
with hats. but no shawls, others without shawls
but no hats, and dressed IN the prevailing million
colors, came on the ground.


These were lively moments. The Mayor desired q
postponement for fifteen minutes, that the
ascension might be made at quarter to
one instead OF halfpast twelve O'Clock.
Everybody was willing to do this for the
crowd became "denser and denser" and
the excitement was at . high temperature. Plac-
ing the instruments in order and lcaping into the
car the sand bags for ballast wero placed beneath
my feet and Mr.. King after taking his place beside
me- ordered us to swing loose until the ballast
adjusted. There we hung for about minute until
everything was in readiness l armed myself with
the marked newspaper and q few copies of Mr..
Kings paper determined to be avenged for the
cruel tortures OF the morning by throwing them at
some ones head it"


THE HERALD's GONE UP.


- -<-
direction of two Of the aeronauts sons, and
dragged several yards into the centre Of the CON-
mon. 'The HERALD's gone up now, surcn yelled q
gentleman who was stin cnging to one Of the
ropes; but, before could carry out my murderous
newspaper project, the ballast had been quietly
adjusted, the word LET gol" given, and, at SIX
teen minutes to one O'Clock, we were shooting
straight up into the air. Scarcely had we reached
perpendicular height Of 500 feet when the crowd
closed in, giving us cheer after cheer, all OF which
we could hear distinctly But the appearance Of the
people was now the most remarkable. It seemed
as though there were several thousand persons
directly beneath u.s. each with the mouth wide
open and in the act Of gaping after US. Then we
threw out some copies Of papers we had with us.
In an instant the tabeau seemed broken, for at
our increased height the scrambling OF the people
for the papers on the common seemed like the
buuucu UlSpeTSlug Vi HOS DoIOTc Cue WulSk OI u
butcher. that rise en- naasse and SETTLE only to
gradually group together again.


THE FIRST FEELING


Of an amateur when the balloon begins TO rise
from the earth is to squat nat in the bottom of the
car; but the motion is rapid and witha so gentle
that confidence is quickly restored and you feel
as safe as though you were swinging in your ham,
mock at home. and that to move or stand up with
ordinary caution In no way endangers your life.
When first lifted from the earth you can see the
trees fall quickly below you as 1t were; but sup
posing Coyageur sufficiently timid to keep on the
bottom OF the car, and simply look up at the i'm
mense body OF gas above him, until he reached the
edge Of the clouds, he would be unable to
tell whether he were moving or not.


PARTING sALUTEs.


Having risen about thousand feet we observed
the waving Of handkerchtefs by ladies' among the
gazing multitude on the common, and could stin
hear distinctly whenever q boy or man shouted
to us. We had adjusted the aneroid barometer
and placed the bulb instruments in position, care
fully disposed Of our four bags Of ballast in the
bottom of the car, open I'd our maps and cared Tor
our provision basket In due form, by put
ing 1t or the centre OF our vehicle to
allow for sufficient standing room, when
one tremendous shout reached u.s. Looking
down again we observed the people were evidently
leaving the common in great haste. Now was our
time to say goodby and not knowing how long we
might be up we stood up on what must call the
''hold" Of our ship and gave our lungs full play.


THE FIRST OBSERVATIONS.


At seven minutes to one we took our first scien-
tinc notes. Professor King calculating. The ane-
roid barometer indicated 27 $40; wet thermome-
ter, go; dry, Il. But the world was now fast
receding from rs. After the first thousand



over our starting point, although near
the earth there appeared to be a considerable
current following the ordinary course of the wind.
which was at about E. N. f. Suddenly we caught
a slight breeze, making about half circuit OF a
piece OF land west Of the Common, then ascending
in O spiral manner. We were now swinging in the
immensity OF space in the shade of the balloon the
being straight above us, the sky bright and
obscured. A most magnificent view OF all below
and on level with U.S. The extent of the horizon
tai vision was marvellous. On every side the
horizon level was speckled with clouds OF
dark color and which seemed TO form the half
of huge globe whose edges were bedecked with
mountains. The trees around on the earth for
miles had the appearance of dark brushwood, the
thick woods almost resembling lichen In irregular
spots. Large meadows represented Soft green
velvet patches Dozens Of small roads, leading in
all ulrectiOns, OUT centring IN LoWeIi, might De
compared to the tiny, miniature footpaths on well
kept estate. Ihe few persons still observed to be
watching us were, to us, almost as small as flies,
black movable dots being all we could discern
Well planted, well defined plots Of land. each bear
ing class OF vegetation capable Of producing
different hue under the rays OF the sun, had the
aspect of patchwork on large scale.


MUSIC IL THE AIR.


Our chronometer registered 12h. 5Sm. when the
corporation bells commenced to ring, some appear
ing to be quite near us, others sounding as though
away of in the town Of Lawrence, which we saw
stretched out in the plain before But the tones
seemed to mount pto US softly and sweetly,
not the harsh metallic changing 1t was in reality,
but as harmony, subdued and gentle. 1t was the
notice Tor the operatives to return to their work,
and we could distinctly see the long professions
entering the various establishments and mills
as the last strokes OF the ringing reached us.