Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-06-27
From the Rural Repository.
THE BANDITS DAUGHTER.
A TALE OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.

A TALE OF TT
BY CLARK W. BRYAN

length Of the State Of Vermont, and the
White Mountains stretching themselves
through the northern part of the State of
New Hampshire-two as lofty and beauti-
ful ranges of Mountains as can be found in
the United States. The scenery OF both is
grand and sublime in the extreme, and wheth-
er clothed with the verdant cloak Of Summer,
or whitened with the SHOWS of Winter, pre-
sents to the eye of the beholder scene Of
attraction and grandeur. The incidents up
on which the following story is founded oc-
Cured on and in the vicinity Of the White
Mountains, range which contains some of
the highest peaks to be found in our coun-
try; that of Mount Washington, which is the
highest, being 1894 feet above the level of
the sea. Imagination may form something
of an idea Of the beauty of the scenery COM
pretended in the almost boundless view
from the summit of the highest points Of
this lofty range of Mountains, but to be ap-
preciated according to their worth they must
be seen by the naked eye. The green foil
age of the mountain side extending 20 the
very base, where it meets the plain covered
with the same luxuriant dye of nature, and
spreading itself far away in the distance,
here and there specked with the beautiful
silvery lakes, and purling brooks with which
New England abounds-spotted with neat
lovely farm-houses, and occasionly small
village nestled quietly down in some roman
tic spot, is fit subject for lover of nature
to feast upon, and scarcely to be equalled
by the much talked of Italian or Sicilian
scenery. From the towering height of
Mount Washington, may be seen at no great
distance, FIVE peaks bearing the respective
names of Adams. Jefferson Madison, Mon
roe and Jackson. In the vicinity Of these
is found 1.-The Notch deep and extern
sive ravine, dividing the mountain for some
distance, and forming on each side wild
and almost frightful appearance. In this
"Notch" there now stands the remains of
dwelling house and out-budings where once
resided family by the name of Wiley, who
were in the year 1926, killed by a slide
from the mountain above the dwelling, the
tracks of which are visible to this day. To
the west of the "Notch" spreads sublime
range OF high mountains surrounded as 1t
were at their tops by the clouds The
peaks in this direction though not so high
as those before spoken Of, command an ex-
tensive and picturesque view. The eye
wanders away in the long, dim distance of
the hazy atmosphere, and like the minds
eye when taking glance at future years,
unable to discover with any distinctness
what lies beyond your immediate compre-
tensions.
) There are on this range various cayerns
of different sizes and all descriptions, but
the mountains around them are so very diff
cult of ascent, that they have seldom been WIS.,
tied. On the eastern side of these noun
tans, at some distance from the "Notch,"
there is a cave known to few of the Oldest
inhabitants, of that vicinity, by the name
of the Bandits Cave This name was given
to it from its having been the home Of large
and powerful banditti, that spread them
selves over the surrounding country, plum
, dering all property of any value, that could
be obtained by stratagem, violence and iorce
"a source of annoyance and terror to the
people. The cave was very large one,
consisting of various apartments and cav-
! ties which the banditl had formed into
rooms suitable for their purpose. The en-
, trance to it was so secluded that person
might pass within few feet of its mouth,
J and vet not discover it. From the en-
trance person could stand aud view the
mountain side, taking in at the same time,
large portion of the plain below while di-
rectly at his feetwas preciplce OF some hi
i ty feet and almost perpendicular. On one
: side it was protected by rock that formed
0 the entrance of the cave projecting from a
: high point over head and gradually descend
s ing to the brow Of the precipice, thus form
! inG an insurmountable barrier to admittance
;. from that side, while the other side, the on
q ly place where an entrance could be made,
Y was thicky overgrown with underbrush, so
$ thclly matted together that a passage
: through it was next to impossible; but the
$ bandtti had made an opening whereby they
could enter by parting the boughs, passing
through, and then letting them fall back to
/ their original position, and no one would
e discover that it had been disturbed. Thus
e guarded, they were not under the necessity
= of placing upon the door the words so much
. dsliked by busy bodies-"No Admit
lance"
Farther down the mountain, in very Sc
i cluded spot there stands q rude log cabin
e surrounded by trees and bushes to such an ex-
i tent that it was hidden almost entirely from
u view and could be seen at only two partlcu-
q ar points far above it, one OF which was at
!, the mouth of the cave. This house origi-
v naly built for the accommodation of some
It aborers upon the mountain, was once the
y residence for short time, of the family oil
n the leader of the band that had their home
:, in the cave above described
i Charles Arson, was the only son OF a
d wealthy merchant, in one of the New Eng
: land States, like most children under the
same circumstances, was petted and spoiled