Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 May 1859 — Perilous Balloon Adventure. [ARTICLE]

Perilous Balloon Adventure.

The New Orleans <Picayune>, of the 3d, has an account of the aerial Voyage of Miss Way and professer [sic] Wilson, who left New Orleans in the balloon “Paul Morphy.” It says: The voyagers, after reaching the hight [sic] of 13,000 feet, descended until they found a favorable current of air to go northwise, as they desired to reach Jackson, Miss. They' crossed the lake in half an hour in the direction of Covington, enjoying the sight of the waves rippling the surface, with the white foam dimly visibly through the veil of night; sailed over the pine woods, where several fires offered them a grand spectacle, were conversing about the magnificence of what they had seen, when their course was suddenly checked. They had come down too low, and their anchor had got caught in a tall pine tree. The balloon got entangled in the trees, and the two adventurers had to remain.all night, suspended at some forty feet above the earth, and not able to see enough to descend, on account of the darkness. Finally, when day came, Miss Way let herself down by means of a rope, and went tor help. She reached Dr. McQueen's house, about half a mile off, and with his assistance the balloon was got down safe. They then found that they had landed in Pike county, Miss., 130 miles !rom New Orleans. ———<>———