UP IN THE CLOUDS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 20, 23 January 1879, Page 4

UP IN THE CLOUDS.

The following story of an excitiug balloon adventure was sent to the New York Heiald by its correspondent at Granton, Pennsylvania:— The exciting balloon ascension of Professor fe. A. King, from this city, Saturday morning, when he went up in a storm and was swept over the dreary mountian ranges south-east of Cranton, has caused much rnxiety for bis safety, and all day Saturday and to-day the telegraph and newspaper offices have been beseiged with eager inquiries for his whereabouts. Messages were pent in all directions asking if he had been seen : Easton, Allentown, Stroudsburg, Portland acd other places, where it was thought he would probably pass, responded that tho balloon had not been heard of in those places. To-night the suspense had reached a painful climax, and fears were f. It of a sad fate for the aeronaut. A -fugitive telegram from Phoenixville, statiug that tho balloon passed the place late on Saturday, with the basket torn away and a man clinging in the rigeing, served to heighten the general anxiety. Tour correspondent, who was to have accompanied Professor King but for the storm which prevailed ot the time of the ascension; is the only one here who has heard from him, acd is pleased to say that, after an exciting and highly perilous vogage, the aeronaut landed safely, although his balloon, " King Carnival," was torn in piece 3in making the dangerous descent. The story ib a graphic description of a perilous ride through the clouds. He landed in Providence township, Montgomery county, Pa., a distance of p. bout 125 miles from the starting point, making the trip in a little over two hours. The voyage waa excepti > nally exciting, and he describes the start as beiug extremely thrilling, there being barely time to discharge ballast so as to clear obstructions in the city. He says when he turned to salute the crowd there was but little time to view the scene as he was whirled off and up in a gale. He saw but a conglomeration of houses, railroads, cars, chimneys, heaps of coal dust and ewarms of people, all of which Jeft a confused impression as they passed rapidly away. The earth was under a cloud and looked dreary except a bright streak of sunshine running along the mountain top west of Scranton, makiug that particuliar spot, appear an emerald green. The outlook ahead was anything but pleasant. The clearings were small ; dense forests predominated, fringing the approaches to the shades of death, a wilderness of swamp on the Poeono Mountain. To land in such a place would be to encounter innumerable dangers, and the velocity of the wind, which at first boded so much disaster, gave promise of a safe passage to t c fields beyond. In seven minutes from the start the lower cloud level was readied, but the balloon dissappeared in the stratum above a few minutes later. The balloon was now expanded to its fullest tension, and the valve had to be opened repeatedly to relieve it, but the temperature of the cloud was so warm that it rapidly induced expansion of gas and the aeronaut rose rapidly. At last, after sailing through a dense mass of rolling clouds, tho sun was seen through a haze. A height of 12,000 feet was reached here, but frequent discharges of gas brought tae bailoon down again nearly to the lower cloud stratum. Through the latter, glimpses were obtained of the country beneath, which presented a dismal aspect. Nothing but hills and interminable forests, with an occasional stream* threading through them, were to be seen. Again ballast was dis charged, and the balloon mounted above the clauds. The mist had disappeared and the sun, shining with full force on the balloon, caused a rapid ascent to the height of 17.000 feet. Thie situation was maintained more than an hour, when the balloon gradually descended again. The currents were all ia one direction above and below, a little east of south at start, and due south at the close of the voysge. Between the cloud rifts could now be seen villages dotting the landscape, and a river ran directly below the balloon The nearer the aeronaut approached the earth he realised how rapidly he be was flying over the landscape, and that the danger of landing in such a storm was imminent. The moment the balloon fell into the cloud shadow descent waa rapid. The drag rope was lowered, the anchor made ready and the shock awaited. After escaping a clump of woods, a field was reached and the anchor was swiftly thrown out- Here ensued a series of frightful leaps across the fields. Whenever the anchor caught for an instant it brought the balloon down with a sudden bound on the earth causing it to leap into the freedom of the air again. The|aeronaut held the collapsing cord, and at the first pull the balloon struck the ground and rebounded violently, leaping over an immense pile of jagged posts into an open space beyond. The car striking the earth again, was shot through a fence with the felocity of a cannon ball, and immediately after, the balloon collided with a tall, spreading tree, which tore it to shreds before it could be extriicated. The car being only a short distance from the ground, the aeronaut escaped unhurt. This was the fourth trip he had made in the " King Carnival/ and he feels its loss severely.

It ia stated that a gentleman in South Australia has been successful in clearing a portion of ihis run of rabbits by usW hay steeped in a notation of arsenic.