The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-09-17
FOR THE cALEDoN1AN.
MOUNTAIN SCENERY.

MOUNTAIN SCENERY.
Who, in this age of knowledge and refinement
has not heard of the distant Alps, the Andes, the
Falls of Niagara, with astonishment9 and how
many scenes OF grand, sublime, and picturesque
n character, escape our notice altogether, because
they are stu atod in our vicinity? Perhaps
the Northern part oc New Hampshire presents as
many Of the wonderful productions Of nature,
any portion of the earth. And there it is, that
the man of pleasure crafty his curiosity with
something new each succeeding day, for weeks
There are the "Whte Hills" of which "Mount
WARRINGTON" is the most prominent. There too
is the "Notch," a pass between the Mountains,
merely wide enough in many places, for road,
and when on side, the eye follows down a
ragged and uneven precipice, several hundred
iee while on the other, the Mountain towers aloft
as high the eye reach. This pass, or "Notch"
was but few years since, the Of calamity
Of no ordinary occurrence. There, remote from
all civilization, lived family consisting of ten
persons, who by "slip' from the mountain, were,
bnred beneath the ruins, not escaping to tell
the fearful tale !
About twenty miles distant, are the Franconia
Mountains, where "Mount LAFAYETTE" raises his
powdered head. There too, is "Notch," like
the other-a mere pass between. Those Mountains
have been generally supposed to be somewhat in
ferlor to the White Hills, but recent calculations,
prove them to be as lofty and in point ofgrandeur,
far out vies them. IL the wonders of nature, an
what the traveller is seeking there he finds them in
all their primitive grandeur There he finds Gu
riosities which not only interests him, but wraps
him in wonder and Amusement. On his way to
the "Notch" he would do well, to refresh himself
at the "works." Here he will find good house,
and attentive landlord. As he leaves the busy
village, he winds his way along towards the Noun
tains, and at the distance OF three miles, finds him
self in beautiful forest unadorned, but by the
hand Of nature. Two miles more, and he is AT The
'.top Of the Notch" There, the hand,
rises the majestic mountain, and on the other, OK
pands "pond" of some hundred acres, whose
CLASSY surface sparkles in the rays of MONDAY
sun, uninterrupted but by the pike or trout sporting
in his native element, or darting at his prey. Half
mile further, he sees ~, pointing 10 the sum-
m@ Of one of those rude mountains. There he is
struck with wonder and astonishment. There he
gazes upon bold and precipitous mountain,
side Of which, slopes off gradually, the Other COM
posed of loose and crnggy rocks piled one upon
another, almost perpendicularly, to the height Of
perhaps six or seven thousand feet, and at this
vast height. he beholds the features of human
face, standing out in bold relief, perfect, if
formed by art. This is the celebrated ''pIofile,"
"oid man of the mountain" and probably, one Of
the most wonderful productions Of nature. Direct
ly below, is another pond, nearly large the
former, known Us the "old mans Wash Basin
which give rise to the Pemigewasset river, on the
bank of which winds the road which the traveller
pursues, through scenery Of the most wild and su-
bme nature imaginable, for four miles, when he
finds himself the bank of the "Basin," round
cavity, in the solid rock 10 the depth of thr-
ty forty feet, and about the same in diameter,
perfectly round and smooth, and into which the
waters of the Pemigewasset plunged, and after per-
forming several evoutons escaped al the lower
side. Another mile brings HIM to the "Notch
house" occupied by family, who deprive them
selves of all the advantages of civilized life, and
reside in this secluded spot amid the wild beasts of
the forest, to entertain the benghted traveller,
point to the man Of pleasure the curiosities of
the mountains There, he leaves his horse and
threads his way through bushes and trees, about
balf mile to the "Flume." This is a natural
canal, cut through the solid rock, and through
which the water passes with easy and gradual
descent. This "Flume" is perhaps seventy or
eighty rods long, fifteen feet wide and perhaps fifty
to eighty feet perpendicular, and in about the mid
die, is rock, which has tumbled from tho noun
tain and rolled III, and stuck fast, at about twenty
feet from the water which is judged to weigh twen
ty tons. The beholder is struck with amazement
wonder, and awe and Involuntary exclaims
show wondrous thy works, o God - and
sinks into insignfcance before the sublimity OF
nature Such of the curiosities of New
Hampshire, and the traveller will find himself am.
ply pud, for few weeks time, spent in that vi.
cinity. e.
Interesting to Subscribers-The following is an
extract Of a letter which the Postmaster General