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stubble, tobacco and corn, and the patches of woods, each varying in size and color from those adjoining, looked like a great colored map, or a vast, irregular chessboard; while the streams which work their devious ways to the Susquehanna, looked like great serpents of a leaden color. The frequent and graceful curves of the Conestoga added greatly to the beauty of the picture.
At 3:47 p. m., we passed over Millersville at a height of 2,000 feet, and were greeted with loud applause by the citizens. We returned their cheers and showered upon them hundreds of printed circulars. Continuing on "our sou'west course," at a very moderate rate of speed, we crossed the Susquehanna river not far from York Furnace, at 4:30. From this point we had a beautiful view of Safe Harbor, Washington borough, Columbia, Millersville, Lancaster, and one or two small towns in York county. The river immediately beneath us looked like a great rough road. With the aid of Col. McGovern's field-glass, we tried to get a view of Chesapeake Bay, but the atmosphere to the southwest of us was so hazy that our wish was not gratified. The sun shining brightly on the balloon caused it to expand and rise rapidly, and we soon attained a height of 7,000 feet. From this elevated point we got a good view of the river from Port Deposit to a point far above Harrisburg, though little except the river could be seen at these extreme limits. Beneath us, however, every thing was superbly beautiful. The lower end of Lancaster and York counties being much more broken and wooded, than that part of Lancaster county over which we had already passed, presented a much more picturesque appearance, though from our great height the farmhouses and barnes which dotted the scene, looked no larger than so many dog-boxes.
Soon we began to descend more rapidly than we had arisen. The circulars were again given liberally to the breeze. They rose above us and fluttered around the balloon like great snow-flakes. At a height of 5,800 feet we could distinctly hear the cheers of those below us, and still more distinctly the crack of the rifles of some gunners. The thermometer which had fallen to 42 degrees when we were at our greatest height, rose several degrees as we approached the earth. As there was a fine open space ahead of us, Prof. Wise determined to make a landing, and called to the people below to look out for and take hold of the dang rope. Soon men, women, children and dogs were seen running from all directions toward the field in which the balloon was expected to come down. Here an amusing incident occurred. Two large dogs, evidently mortal enemies, belonging to neighboring farmers, met upon the field while the balloon was some hundreds of feet above them. Not observing the balloon, and probably supposing that the excitement among the people was got up for their especial benefit, the dogs went for each other like true terriers; "they fit and they bit, the growled and they yowled," and there is no knowing what might have been the result of the fight, had they not discovered the balloon coming right down upon them; but as soon as they saw it, they let go their holds, yelped in concert, and with their tails between their legs, fled ingloriously from the battle-field.
In the meantime the balloon landed nicely in a buckwheat field on the farm of F. A. Beattie, situated in Chanceford township, York county, near the Windsor township line, and not more than a mile and a-half from the new Narrow Gauge Railroad from Oxford, Chester county, to York. Here we were soon surrounded by a crowd of people who rendered us all necessary assistance, and towed the balloon from the buckwheat field into a grass field, where it was anchored by willing hands. Our lunch baskets were inspected, and the relative merits of Hotel Copland and Restaurant Miller impartially discussed. A vote was taken as to which set the better table and the result was one unanimous "aye!" (opener.)
A council of scientists was now held. Wise proposed to retreat; reporter proposed to advance. Wise demonstrated by actual trial that the balloon wouldn't go up with passengers, even without a pound [[of?]] [[?]] reporter proposed to leave a passenger behind. Wise suggested that reporter should be left behind; reporter suggested that Wise, being the heaviest, would do better. Finally a compromise was effected between the "high contracting parties by making a sacrifice of little Johnny, and, although Johnny protested against the injustice thus done him, he was so entirely in the minority that his protest was unavailing. A few dollars were crammed into his pocket as hush-money, he was placed in charge of a very decent-looking man named Emanuel Smith, of Windsor township, who contracted to give him conveyance to the nearest railroad station, and preparations were at once made for another ascension.
Having thus disposed of Master John and taken in about fifty pounds of more disposable ballast, Prof. Wise and the reporter re-ascended amid the huzzas of the yeomanry of Chanceford and Windsor townships. On attaining an elevation of 1,600 feet, the view was magnificent. As evening approached, the lights and shadows fell much more beautifully upon the earth than was the case earlier in the day. Says the reporter, "I'm sorry for little Johnny; but it's good to be here." Says Wise, "Yes, I'm glad that I granted your request to make a second ascension," and quietly throwing overboard a bag of sand, he sent the balloon up, and up, and up, until we had attained a height of 7,800 feet, and the gas again began to flow freely from its neck. Not a word was spoken for some time, the occupants of the basket being absorbed in contemplating the grandeur and immensity of the scene. There we hung in mid-air, thousands of feet above the earth, which seemed to be an immense basin with a bottom of bright mosaic, which became dim and indistinct near its outer circumference. The sides of the basin were of an ashen hue becoming gradually lighter until, towards the upper rim, all the colors of the rainbow were distinctly marked. To the west, and just above the golden rim of the basin, shone the great sun, more than twice its usual size. It was so near the horizon that it could be easily looked upon without any injury to the eye. In color the upper half was exquisitely tinted from the palest lemon to the deepest orange, and the lower half from the most brilliant blood color to the darkest purple. It slowly and majestically disappeared behind the rim of the great basin over which we alone seemed to be suspended.
While gazing at the gorgeous sunset we had gradually fallen to an altitude of about 3,000 feet, and Prof. Wise determined to make a landing near Shrewsbury, which had been in sight for some time. Calling loudly, he attracted the attention of several persons, but they were slow in comprehending what he wanted. A man who was plowing in a field near by left his horse standing in the furrow and hastened t our assistance; but just then his horse also discovered the balloon, and after half-a-dozen jumps, got loose from the plow and made a bee-line for the barn, running at a gait that would have done no discredit to Fellowcraft.
A lad of 16 was the first to seize the drag rope, and as he was pulled along and almost lifted from his feet, by a gust of wind which struck the balloon, he quickly let go, causeing the balloon to drift from the grass field in which we intended to land, to a cornfield adjoining. Here the Professor threw over board his grapnel, which soon took hold and we came down very gracefully among the standing corn. We were soon surrounded by a great crowd of people, and learned from them that we had landed on the farm of Christopher Schroeder, Shrewsbury township, one and a-half miles north of the town of Shrewsbury and three or four miles from Shrewsbury railroad station. The crowd towed the balloon from the cornfield to the grass-field where in less than an hour it was emptied, loaded on a wagon and conveyed into the town, and thence to the nearest station on the Northern Central Railway, where Prof. Wise and the reporter awaited the arrival of the train for Harrisburg, upon which they took passage, and reached Lancaster at 4 o'clock this morning.
On reaching Shrewsbury and inquiring for the nearest telegraph station, we were much gratified to learn that Mr. B. F. Koller, the wide-awake correspondent of the Baltimore Gazette and York Gazette, had already sent to the INTELLIGENCER a telegram announcing our safe descent. On asking him how he found out who we were he said he picked upon one of the circulars which we had thrown from the basket some time before we landed. Mr. Koller will accept our thanks for the favor done us. We are also under obligations to Messrs. F. A. Beattie, of Chanceford, and Christopher Schroeder, of Shrewsbury, on whose farms we landed, for valuable assistance, as also to Alexander Reinhart and David Glatfelter, for conveying ourselves and the balloon to the railroad station. Mr. A. Miller, Squire Baker, and many others whose names we did not learn, rendered us assistance.
To the Lancaster Gas Company and its efficient manager, Hugh Corcoran, the aeronauts are indebted for supplying at cheap rates a full supply of the best quality of gas, manufactured especially for the occasion. To Joe Cremer, John Sides, John Copland and George H. Miller we are indebted for abundant lunches of the choicest eatables, which were partaken of with the greatest relish at a height above the earth to which an eagle would hardly venture to soar.
The Mayor of the city, the police force, and the citizens generally merit our thanks for their courtesies and the good order enforced during the inflation of the balloon.
To Messrs. Grist and Wood, of Philadelphia, and Frank Howell, of this city, we are indebted for the use of well-trained pigeons for the voyage. Both of Mr. Howell's pigeons came in promptly with their messages, one of the birds having been dropped from the balloon, when at the altitude of 6,000 feet.
To the Franklin Institude and to Mr. J. W. Queen, the instrument maker, of Philadelphia, and Col. Ed. McGovern, of this city, we are indebted for fine instruments, though we fear we have added but little to the "cause of science." The day being clear and pleasant, the only "observations" we could note was the fall of the thermometer and barometer as we went up, and the rise as we descended, and these phenomena occurred as regularly as we changed our height.
We can only add our testimony to that of all those who have preceded us in aerial navigation, that in the hands of skillful aeronauts like the Wises, the balloon is the grandest, safest and most pleasant mode of travel known to man; and the only drawback connected with our journey was when we were obliged to leave our pleasant seat in the balloon and get into the dusty, dangerous, rickety, rattling cars of the Northern Central and Pennsylvania Railroads.