Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-10-20

INTERESTING NARRATIVE.
Account ofthe late Slides. ON TIE White
Mountains.
In letter from the Rev. CARLOS WILCOX.
HANOVER, lN.H.) SEPT. 2, 1926.
Dear Sir,-l have Just returned from
an excursion 10 the White Mountains,
and shall now spend day OF rest in this
village IN giving you some account OF
the effects produced by the most de-
structlye fall OF rain ever known in that
region. 1t happened on tho night OF
the 28ih OF August, which will be long
remembered in this par, OF the country.
left Hanover on Saturday last, in
company with TWO gentlemen OF my &C.
guaintance from the city oil New York,
and rode as far as Haverhill, where we
all spent the Sabbath. The road over
which we passed was like bed oil ashes
two or three inches deep; and the coun-
try around us exhibited the usual effects
OF long drought. The abundant rains,
that fell three weeks ago, over the South
ern hall OF New Eng land, did not reach
the upper part oil the valley OF Connec-
ticut River. On Monday morning il
began TO rain al Haverhil, and continued
along our route Tor most OF the day, but
so moderately and al such intervals,
tina, with the help OF great coats and UNI
breIlas we proceeded on our Journey in
an open wagon as lar as Bethlehem, fiji
4 IL I n
AS we approached The vicinity OF the
Mountains, the rain increased I'LL II be-
came storm, aud compelled US 10 stop
about the middle oil the afternoon.
The storm continued most OF the
night; but The next mornieg was clear
and serene. The view from the hill OF
| Bethlehem was extensive and delight
tul. In the eastern horizon Mount
Washington, with the neiI. boring peaks
Oh the north and on ite south, formed a
grand outline tar up in the sky. Two or
three small tieccy CLOUDS rested on lis
side, little below It's summit, while
from behind the highest point OF land
10 the United States east OF the Missis-
sippi, the sun rolled up rejoicing in his
strength aud glory. We started off to-
wards the object OF our Journey, with
spirits greatly exhilerated by the beauty
and grandeur Of our prospect. AS we
FASTENED forward with our eyes fixed on
the tops OF the Mountains before US,
little did we think OF the scene of de-
slruction around their base, on which the
sun was now for the first time beginning
10 shine. In about half an hour we en-
tered Breton Woods, an unincorperated
tract OF land covered with primitive TO-
rest, extending on our road five miles to
Rosebrook's Inn, and thence six miles to
Crawlord's, the establishment begun by
Rosebrook's father, as described in the
Travels of DR.. Dwight. On entering
this wilderness we were struck with its
universal stiffness. From every leaf in
its immense masses of foliage the RAIN
hung in large gliitering drops; and the
silver note of single unseen and I'M
known bird was the only sound that We
could hear. Alter we had proceeded a
mile or two the roaring of the Amonoo-
suck began to break in upon the still.
ness, and soon grew SO loud as to ex-
cite our surprise.-In consequence OF
coming TO the river almost at right an
giles, and by very narrow road through
trees and bushes very thick, We had no
view of the water, ill with quick trot
we had advanced upon the bridge too
lar to recede, when the sight that OPEN
ed at once to the right hand and to the
left, drew from all of US similar excla.
nations OF establishment and terror and
we hurried over the trembling fabric as
last as possible. After finding ourselves
safe on the other side, we walked down
10 the brink and, though familiar with
mountain scenery, we all confessed that
we had never seen mountain torrent
before. The water was as thick with
earth as it could be, without being chang.
cd into mud. A man living near in a
log hut showed US how high it was at
day break. Though i, had fallen six
feet, he assured US that it was still! ten
feet above its ordinary level. To this
add its ordinary depth OF three or four
feet, and here at daybreak was body
of water twenty feet deep, and sixty feet
wide, moving with the rapidity of gale
OF wind between steep banks covered
with hemlocks and pines, and over bed
of large rocks, breaking its surface into
pillows like those of the ocean. After
gazing few moments on this sublime
sight, we proceeded on our way, Tor the
mos, part, at some distance from the ri'
yer, till we came to the farm Of Rose
brook, lying on its banks. We found
h;s 6aida couered with water, and sand,