Kentucky Gazette

From the Baltimore Republican.

NARRATIVE OF AN AERIAL VOYAGE BY MRS. JANE WARREN.

I must be permitted to prelude this hasty sketch with a defensive remark against any imputation which might be thrown out on a seeming departure from the more delicate duties appertaining to my sex. Chance having made me repeatedly a witness of aeronautic display both in this country and Europe, I imbibed an ardent desire to participate in the pleasures which seemed to me peculiar to such a mode of travel; I wished to look down upon our fair earth from such an eminence as this means only could command—you may say it was curiosity if you will, for that is said to be a characteristic of our sex: however, in this instance I trust it was a pardonable one. An opportunity offered for the fulfilment of my long cherished design in the fall of '36 when I contemplated a journey to the skies; but one of those accidents "gainst which it was impossible to provide, frustrated my hopes—the balloon burst almost at the instant my intended departure. Mortified at such a result and convinced that the multitude without the gates was highly incensed, I determined it should not be for the want of an importunate appeal, if I did not avail myself of the first opportunity to gratify my own desires and convince my friends that my intentions were sincere though doubtful my success. This opportunity did not occur until Thursday last, which day Mr. Mitchell had appointed for an ascension. The day was fair, the atmosphere scarcely moved by a breeze, and but a few fleecy clouds checkered the face of the sky.—The balloon was partly inflated when I requested Mr. Mitchell to allow me to take his place: he was incredulous—I assured him I was in earnest, and after much solicitation he consented to leave the point to the decision of the assemblage. The dissentient voices (if any) were lost in the shouts of assent, and the car being attached I prepared for the voyage.

At about 20 minutes before 5 o'clock the cord was severed and the balloon arose to the height of about 100 feet. Elated with the novelty of my situation, I failed to perceive that I was descending, till on a level with the top of the Medical College when I attempted to cast out ballast, but too late to avoid coming to the earth, and the car presently rested on a clothes line in a lot adjacent to the enclosure whence I departed. I now deprived myself of the barometer and thermometer and a quantity of ballast, retaining but 25 lbs. for the emergencies of the expedition: and desiring the gentlemen to release the car, the balloon moderately ascended and was borne in a direction almost central over the city.

At a height of about 4000 feet, I attempted to liberate a pigeon which had been so far my compagnon du voyage, but the poor bird seemed reluctant to part company; it perched on the hoop and gazed with apparent consternation into the abyss below. I took it again in my hands and cast it into the air. It fell like a stone, and I have been since informed by those who perceived it, that the bird appeared to have lost its self possession till within some 300 or 400 feet of the earth when it made use of its wings to some purpose: for to keep out of such a scrape in future, it has not been seen at its old quarters since.

I was now alone beyond the reach of the world, its praises or rebuke, and determined to "see what was to be seen." (Casting out more ballast, the balloon rose rapidly, and presently encountered a current of air which carried me over Federal Hill, and now reclining upon the edge of the car, I enjoyed in no ordinary degree the splendour of that inimitable scene sketched in skillful miniature below yet gorgeously sublime in the magnitude of its excess.

The city had dwindled into Lilliputian dimensions, and the amphitheatre which I had lately left seemed to occupy at least five square feet. I could perceive that it was deserted; turning to look from the other side in an instant a film came over my eyes; I rubbed them, but to no purpose; I could see nothing but the car and its contents and hear nothing but the rustling of the balloon as it seemed to struggle with some invisible antagonist in upper air. A moments reflection taught me that I was enveloped in a cloud, from the feathery edge of which I emerged just as I became aware of my situation and again that picture of the fair and lovely earth from which I had isolated myself burst upon my view, beautiful in its mid-tinct minuteness 10,000 feet below the point from which I gazed. I now felt the breeze increase and as I still rose it became more Southerly, and I crossed the basin passing over Fort McHenry to the Lazaretto continuing that course for about fifteen miles unconscious of an incident not worth recording when a light hissing in the air made me start to my feet—it increased and scarcely had I secured the end of the valve cord in the wicker of the car when a flaw of wind struck the balloon and its motion became rotary, the car careering rather more than was pleasant in its prompt efforts to follow in the ethereal waltz—it lasted about thirty seconds, and having become somewhat more tractable upon referring to the sun I found the wind coming from N. W. and knew that I was rapidly nearing the bay, though unable to distinguish land from water at the elevation I had attained, which I suppose was about 20,000 feet; I therefore thought it most prudent to retain the gas (as I had now no ballast to dispose of but the grapnels,) till I considered it probable that I had gained sufficiently upon the opposite shore of the bay to allow for the action of the easterly breeze, I conjectured would be blowing rather brisk near the earth. I was fortunate in the calculation I had made, for upon discharging gas, my descent was not so rapid but that I was carried due West for the last fifteen minutes of my voyage, directly in a line over a narrow strip of woodland, in which the anchor secured itself at about ten minutes after 5 o'clock; in this situation I was observed by a negro who was as he said, in search "ob some big ting dat he seen 'light on de trees."

Perceiving me as I leaned from the car about to ask his aid, he exclaimed "lorry might, if dere baint a wax figger in de b'loon, may I nebber" I assured him that the figure was composed of flesh and blood, and as he was casting about which way to help me down a number of gentlemen had come up to whose courteous assistance I am deeply indebted for the facility of my descent and the complete security of the balloon and its appendages; effected by the promptness with which several trees were felled by the negroes at the suggestion of the proprietor.

The spot where I alighted was on the property of the late Benjamin Ricaud, Esq., of Baltimore, in the vicinity of Chestertown, Kent Co., about 5 miles from Rock Hall and 8 from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

In concluding this lengthened statement, I would avail myself of the opportunity to return my sincere thanks to the hospitable inhabitants of that vicinity, for their kind attention, and also to Capt. Kenny of the steamboat Gov. Wolcott for a pleasant passage home.

JANE WARREN.

Baltimore, Sept 16, 1837.