The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-08-12
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.

! It1E WHITE MOUNTAINS.
When | passed along these regions in
early times, the hours lost, and knew not
| how, were spent in measuring the attitudes
above, the magnitudes at my side, and the
depths below. | tried to form ideas of their
dimensions by imagining some of the most
magnificent structures had ever seen upon
| their tops, or some of those cities which are
visited on account of their grandeur and
magnlflcence, constructed on their sides :
and while considering a vast tract of forest,
which had been burnt over by a fire that
LETT the trunks of the trees standing, esti-
mated how large portion of those thou
sand acres would remain, if all the natives
OF Europe were represented by hemlocks
corresponding in number Though exceed
ing IN size) with their stately masts.
Now, standing on a shelf against the
rock where the road once ran, and looking
down the gulf far beneath, the spectator
may begin by rejecting on the most gigan-
tic means of injury used by man, and COM
pairing them with what he sees. Here is
rock rounded like cannon shot-see what
trench it has made in the earth, where it
struck with the velocity it had acquired in
falling from an immense height. There
lies mass Of granite, as large as tho stone
balls thrown by Turkish cannon in the OAR
danelles, one of which is sufficient to sink
trigate, and perhaps tear merchantmen in
two. Yonder lies the rock from which it
dropped off, like a pebble or a grain of
sand, If that he compared to the size Of
common dwelling for one of our pigmy race.
Next it is palace, and yonder whole city
in ruins.
long period of unusual drought, sue
ceeded by several weeks of continued rain,
Is supposed to have prepared for the terri
/ Die catastrophe, by destroying or enfeeb-
ling the roots of the trees, loosening the
earth IN some places, undermining rocks in
others, saturating the loose soil with water,
and making the subterranean cayerns re-
/ posltorles OF an immense hydrostatic power.
/ Such had been the nature of the season
and, while the country was in that condi-
( ton, the sudden bursting of tremendous
deluge from the Clouds sufficient almost to
crush to the ground every tree on which it
fell, could not have failed to produce extern
slye results. But it must be acknowledged
that the effects, when viewed on the spot,
appear to have been altogether too universal
and too instantaneous even Cor such causes.
Whatever they may have been owing to,
however, these effects are such, that man
must as long labor to surmount them, as to
explain the way in which they have been
produced.
There was little stream that poured in
n long ol,rtant down the side of mountain
and rushing by among broken rocks, pass
ed tumultuously beneath my feet, at place
where the road had been constructed, with
long and persevering industry, across its
wild and precipitate course. was struck
with delight at the first glimpse of the
scene, and broke into expressions of new
surprise and pleasure, as traced its CLEANS
far up above me. 1t washed the feet of a
thousand venerable and gigantic trees
while, along the little grassy margin below,
the annual flowers that could endure the
climate, presented their little blossoms eve
ry season, although they could have expe-
rienced only weeks of sunshine for months
of snow. BY the chance of some gust, they
had been planted in one of the most genial
! little spots in the mountains; and there
seemed to have taken up their abode in
contentment, like the innocent and seclud-
( ed family, which last taught the valley to
repeat the praise of the Almighty. And
| how like theirs is the fate they have since
endured Many traveller will remember
| with pleasure this beautiful spot but who
! can draw or even describe the richness OF
/ the cascade in its upper regions, where, in
a stronger light, it seemed like the drop
/ ping of dew from the leaves over head, OF
the dstiing of pure balsam from the
boughs of an evergreen by which the road
was shaded. Perhaps the rude memorial !
/ have of it, in a little sketch hastily drawn,
/ is the only one now in existence. Ten
/ thousand tons OF massy rock have since
swept with terrific crash along the place
where | stood and not only the bridge
! and the road, but acres of forest trees
along with the earth that supported them
have rushed into gulf on the other side
down which had looked almost with shud
dering.
There was spot on the Ammonoosuc
where | spent few solitary hours in fish.
ing, and which has shared largely in the
general desolation. The banks of the
stream were at that time marked by rows
of small forest trees, which presented tC
the eye an avenue, as it wandered up the
current to see whence proceeded all the
uproar and dashing. The shades on eithe
hand could hardly have been more impene
trable if they had been composed of wall.
Of solid stone, instead oe the living vcgeta
ton; and the roof formed over head by the
J arms of the immense trees, would not hav,
, made II more complicated tracery, if it hat
, belonged to the arches of Gothic edifce
! The rapid stream came hurrying through
as if it had just escaped from some irksom
confinement, and was soon to pass by an
subside. My horse started, as if struck b
5 a musket ball, when he first heard the tn
, multi; and |, though less quick of ear, coul
never divest my mind of the impression thu
e saw something more tumultuous than OIL
! binary. Yet, go when you would, hour a
, ter hour, year after year, and perhaps Ger
d fury after century, tfor so did the deepl
] chanelled rocks testify it was unaltered
E and though it appeared always the same, lik
S passing time, was making all haste to b
o gone, and seemed to be rushing on for som