New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-11-13
THE TRIBUN f.
Nsy-York Alpine Scenery.
Correspondence Of The Tribune.


FINN the Backwoods. After the description have
o;ven of the wilderness and its extent, seem to
hear YOU inqriring, /" What do people live on
there Z" Well, not much of any thing; yet
money is made in this region-that is, out nearer
,ba settlements. You have no conception Of the
ouantty of lumber that is taken every winter
;,on some part Of this wilderness to Albany.
thousand people will be in these woods, where
in the SUMNER there is not living being
sn,culators buy the land for the sake of The tim
her, and then in the winter carry in provisions
.o. for the lumbermen who are to cut it. Log
buts are put up in the depths of the forest, for
themselves and cattle, and some poles driven into
the logs for bedsteads; and thus equipped and en-
camped, they lay siege to the pines. Teams are
made to work. and logs are drawn, where you
would say it was impossible for cattle to stand
Agreat deal of land is bought solely for the pine
On il; and after that is cut down. it is allowed to
revert back to the State, TO pay the taxes due on
il. In the interior, however, there is no timber
cut, as it is impossible to get it out to market
As civilization extends, we hope, however, that
roads or water navigation.
Speaking of lining, reminds me of an anecdote
related TO me by Professor in one of our Col.
lsges. Sent here by the State for scientific pur-
poses, he took with him, as a companion, a
Younger brother who had just graduated and an
old hunter for guide, cook and provider general.
Leaving, one day, clearing in which some fine
peas were growing, they took along small guam.
ty to give relish to a dinner some day in the
forest. AT length, after hard forenoon's work,
they pitched their encampmeat one day on the
borders OF lake in the heart Of the woods.
aCome," said the Professor, "let US have those
peas today" SO, while he was taking some OBJ
servations, the old hunter and the young grad
uate prepared the dinner.
After while tho Professor said he noticed an
ugusual chuckling between the student and the
hunter. Suspecting some trickery, he sauntered
quietly up towards the fire; casting his eye
around, he observed they were making wooden
spoons with their penknives. All at once it fias h.
ed on him that they had nothing but penknives
to eat the peas with, and that here was conspi.
racy to rob him of his share. Saying nothing he
walked to the lake shore, and picking up one OF
those large muscle shells, holding more than an
ordinary spoon, he fitted split stick to 1t for a
handle, and clapped them both in his pocket.
Then sauntering back, in order to prevent them
making very extensive preparations, he kept
around until the peas were cooked. His pre-
sencs rather DISTRACTED their design, and they
were able to finch but very shallow spoons after
all. The peas were at length poured into the
common dish, and 10 it was all soup. To pre-
vent the possibility OF the Professors getting even
moiety, they had cooked them Sd that the peas
were like Virgil's "rari nantes in gurgite oas-
to-" Imagine them at length all seated on the
ground around their food, each stabbing with his
penkoifs at the peas, which lodged under the
surface at every blow, GLIDING every effort to
catch them. After this process had been carrie d
on awhile, to the Unsurpassed merriment of the
student and hunter they whipped out their wooden
Spoons and fourishng them over their heads
with a loud "hurrah' made dive at tho peas.
The Professor ooolly drew forth his huge muscle
shell aud stick, and fitting them together began
to ladle up the soup. The hunter and the gradu-
ale stopped in utter amazement, and with their
spoons suspended half way to their mouths gazcd
at the quiet Professor, who, without uttering a
word or changing feature, diligently piled his
shsT. In few moments every pea had vanish
ed, and the hunter, as he licked his empty spoon,
confessed he had been fairly out-maneugered for
once.
took tramp and ride together from Warren
County at the foot of Lake Schroon around
through Hoffman into Essex County, and so on
10 Lake Champlain. Lake Schroon is a most
beautiful sheet of water, with the shores soping
down to it on one side like those Of Skancateies.
At,he foot of it is the residence of Mr. Benthuy-
sen, "a good Whig,) commanding one ofthe finest
views imaginable. The Lake here at its outlet
looks like the Hudson River in its winnings
| have never seen a more picturesque situation
for Summer residence. In England 1t would
not long remain unbought, and l can recon-
mend it to our City gentlemen for country
seat This Lake Sohroon should DO called
"Searoon,n from French family that first gave
it the name The rapid way of pronouncing il
has changed it into Schroon. Hoffman Is almost
uncultivated, but it has one enterprising man IN
it Mr.. Radcliff, who will build it up if any man
can. A few miles from the head OF Schroon
Lake is Lake Paradox, which derives Its name
from the fact that its waters flow too ,oays. Its
outlet empties into the East branch of the Hud-
son q. e) in ordinary times. But when, as it
frequently happens in the Spring, the Hudson
suddenly rises even with its banks, the surface
of the stream is above the level of the Lake,
which of course rises much slower The current
of the outlet is then reversed and flows back into
the Lake. This double motion Of the stream has
given the name paradox" to the lake. Between
this and Lake Champlain the country is wild, but
there is one family on the way that redeems j,
ala Mr.. Moore's. The first thing saw on en-