The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-08-28
From the N. II. Statesman.
MOUNTAIN SCENERY---CO-
CHORUA'S CURSE.


eller, from the moment he gains the top of
the stage coach at Franklin, till he reaches
the summit of Mount Washington. cannot
have passed without notice mountain ofcX-
ceediug bOldness and great elevation, which
lies in the township of Albany, some fifteen
miles to the north of the travelled road 10 the
White Mountains. Lifting its bald peak IL
mongst the clouds, it is perpetual landmark
from the moment it opens upon the view AT
Centre Harbor, till it is LETT behind as the road
turns to enter the gloomy forests Of Eaton
and Conway.
Towering far above other mountains in
the vicinity in one solitary cliff, it is an OBJ
ject of interest and admiration, no less for the
Traditional associations connected with it than
for its grand and pcturesqe prominence a.
mOngst other mountain scenery. Those who
eisurely ride up the beautiful slopes Of Red
Hill, or saunter along the well cleared and
well trodden foot path TO the top Of Mount
Washington, aud congratulate themselves
upon having made an achievement in mount
ain climbing, would he aghast at the propo-
sal TO gain the dizzy height Of Cochorua.
That it is no easy affair, will perhaps appear
from the following episode in the writer's
experience.
reached the iarthest habtable spot on the
road which leads toward the mountain, on
the evening ofthe-third of July, lS47, and
after bespeakng the most rCsolute citizen Of
the neighborhood MS Il guide, commenced
the Journey AT five O'clock in the morning Of
us hot day as can be found in the calendar
of this hottest of months. | confess, as we
ueared the mountain, and took a survey Of
the ground to he passed over and the point
to be gained. my courage had nearly gone
the way of thar of the redoubtable Bob Acres;
but pride came to the rescue. and, graspng
. g.t,tT ,st;t | f,ltn,XaI
guide. We wound along the borders OF u
limpd stream which came bubbliDg and
dashing through a gorge in the mountains,
stopping occasionally 10 drink of the coolest
water that ever issued from a mountain
spring, or listen to some Of the wonderful
stories with which my guide beguiled the tolls
OF the journey.
To attempt an account of my mountain as
cent, without some description of my guide,
would be doing injustice TO that estmable
individual, as we'll as leave an unseemly ha-
tus in my story.
Picture TO yourself man of some fifty
yenrs-ruthcr short of stature, seemingly
more from life of exposure and toll than IL
ny slight of nature, powerfully and compact
ly bullt-squarc across the shoulders, with
legs slightly bowed;-with q strongly marked
physiognomy, expressive ofhOuest resolution
with keen, dark eve, beneath a shaggy
brow, and you have some idea ofSam b
the very perfection OF a man for any enter
prise requiring resolution aud endurance
sam" with his excellent physical cnpabill-
ties, is man of more than ordinary educa-
tIon--not the learning of books; for | appre-
bend he has never suffered the shudowings
forth Of other minds TO dim the originality
ofhis own genius,) but the richer endow-
nentS OF nature. With keen observation
ofmen and things, life spent to a great
extent upon the ocean has given TO his mind
freedom OF range, with slight and very u
greeable dash OF superstition, derived per-
haps. from the same source. He has much
faith to believe that these dark mountains,
(which he loves with an ardor far eXceling
that with which their owners would regard
them were they converted into broad and
rabe acres.) contain unfathOmed mines Of
mineral wealth, and more than limited that
the geological surveyor was strangely culpa-
BILE in passing unexplored such field of
wasted opulence.
With the topography of the region, Sam is
intimately acquainted. He has hunted the
bear upon every one otthese crugged noun
tains and among their dismal sOlltudes, miles
from any habitaton, and has heard from his
solitary camp the howl of the wolf break the
stiffness Of the night In fact, for all the per-
tectabilities ola good and trusty guide, COM
lDelu me 10 sam D.
We commenced the direct ascent of the
mountain at about six in the morning. To
look upward from the side of the brook,
where we were TO turn Otto Chamber up the
hill side, was terrific. The mountain peak
seemed almost over our heads, and the sight
ached to see its pointed and bare top dividing
the snowy clouds as they salledin beautiful
masses against its parapet of rocks, which
had thus hathed ilselfin that airy region of
vapor since the creation.
Taking leave of the brook with much re-
gret, we commenced climbing the steep
side, without any yestlge OF path;
for no lumber seeker had ever protaned soll- |
tudes SO inaccessible, in the pursuit this adj |
venturous calling. Hour after hour we
climbed, us it seemed to me, almost pcrpen
through thick under |
growth of birch, dogwOod and hemlock, and |
again clambering up some lofty pinnacle of
rock, or over acres of ''windfalls," or patch |
es offaIlen and partially decayed mammoth !
pine and spruce trees, till we gained the first
mountain top, at nine, a. M.
This was but stepping stone in the grand
ascent, and the adventure was yet to come. |
Pausing, to get breath and admire the vast
ness of the scenery around us,we again COM
menced our upward march. ConJurlng up
for our minds refreshment all the hinges of
upward progress that we ever dreamed OF,
we again "buckled TO the work." But who
ever thought of Longfellows' Excelsior"
crossing the Alps, or Macdon-
llds passage ofthe Splugen. i'll connection
with toll like this, failed sadly in the force of
his illustration. Now, some deep ravine
was to he crossed, or some inaccessible cliff
o he crcumvented; then, a perpendicular
)recipice must be scaled: and Mt half past e.
even we reached the base of the cliff, where
Ill vegetation ceases, and a bold,nuked rock,
wo hundred feet in insight, must he scaled.
To me- it seemed impossible. The south