The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-07-22
Our New England Correspondence.
WHITE MOUNTAINS, NoTcH HOUSE,

July 10, 1919.
A Ruw Among the Wh,ts Mowntains-The DsfL
Of IpiHeys Pass-Ihe Remains of the Avalanch'
of lS26-Ihe Sifrsr Cascade-Ihe Notch-Er
tracts fr6n, the log Book at Mount Crawford.
From Old Tomn,y Crawford's, down in the val
ley, TO young Toms, at the head of the Saco, just
beyond the Notch, the distance is eight miles, and
the last two through the Notch. The origin oil
this name, for what is called gap in Virginia,
and pass in the Rocky Mountains, is truly Yam
kee,, Whiting is a known peculiarly of the
/ Yankee nation, and one of the features of whit
Ting IS to cut notches In stick, and the wedge
Ike shape OF this pass, on first sight, nearly re-
sembed notch In stuck, that il was called ''the
Notch" The same holds good of a pass higher
up, known as The FrancoDia Notch. The general
name, therefore, tor these mountain passes of
New Hampshire ls local and peculiar; and is de-
rived from whiting To carry out the idea, the
storms and convusions OF Centuries must have
been employed in whiting out these notches.
The notch" leading up to the base of Mount
Washington, through Willey's Pass, is that
thi oueb which we came up this afternoon 1t a
pie asant rde, towards shutdown, in open wagon,
from the lower valley of the Saco. AT the Wiley
House the defle Is about three hundred yards
wide, the mountains rising on either SIDE almost
perpendiculary, 1900 feet. In August, 1896 after
severe tempest OF rain, wind, thunder, and
lightning, the mountain, TO the left, gave way at
It's summit and an avalanche Of earth, rocks, and
ty,J
the house where Captain Willey's family, of nine
perons resided Ii was in the night, and hearing
the alarm, the family fled from the house, down
the valley, for their lives: But the slide striking
large granite rock in the rear of the house, d.
vided into two streams, leaving the house I'M
scethed, while the mass of the slide, passing down
to the lett, overwhelmed the family in their flight
The neat day, seven Of the bodies were dug out of
the mass OF earth and rocks the two others were
never found Such is, briefly, the tragedy of
Wilie,'s Pass. The drift of the slide is distinctly
Marked by the two currents OF sand and rocks, 10
this day. Passing on, the ravine becomes mar
as barely TO admit the passage of the road be-
tween the cliffs, by the side of the brook. The
stream is several hundred feet below, to the right,
from the cliff. small rivulet triekles 500 feet
down the rocks, which DR. Wright Calls the SSH
yer Catcade," probably from having seen il dur
Ing the spring freshets Now 1t is nearly dry. Far
Their on, the cliffs overhang the narrow road, when
suddenly they recede, and you are admitted up
into green valley, half male wide, with the
Acton House, under the shadow of the mountain,
to the night, and The densely wooded Mount Tom
over the way.
At each Of the public hsusss on the approaches
TO the White Mountains, commonplace book
may be found, IN which are recorded the passing
reflections # visiters for several years. Old Mr..
Crawford's, lat Mt. Crawford in the lower valleyD
Is public house known TO almost every New
Englander. The old man is there yet, hale and
hearty, at 50 years OF age, although the house is
transferred to his son-in.la Mr.. DAVIS The
Notch house Is kept by his son Tom, known 40
honest ON, so tnat the Ihny AT DOtn ends nOu
possession Of the Notch or Wllley's pass, for the
benefit of the traveller. Aud though their accom-
modauons do not comprise all the Injuries OF q
city hotel, they make the stranger feel at home
the fare Is good, substantial aud wholesome, and
the bill Of expenses is small But, from the book
at the elder Mr.. Crawiord's We made the following
extracts -
Mar johu Levitt assemble Mount Crawford and lost his
mule tho way down he had fine a prospect that
the animal tired OF waiting for the rider aud LETT
the mounting with the rappddity Of lightnng aud he
LsA H,ut
him poor teller how pttyed him. this was written
by simebody that new the fact"
To the bottom OF which Is appended -
THAT Mr. Somebody ought to eat n dictionary"
But here we have SON. thing blending the pa
tTlotic and the sentimental
Liberty dvells among tho mountA
And slavery in the valley;
And my love beside the fountains,
And her name Ia pretty Sally"
benevolent gentleman thus expresses his
thanks TO an old mare, which he rode up the
mountains -
Farewell, old Kate, to thee my thanks
For this days wsrk are rendered.
Thy foothods sur. strong are thy shanks
To mud nor rocks hast thou surrend.red
Up each ascent thou hast braveiy ~onded,
And freely from ths descended
Altogether the book Is an Interesting collection
OF curiosilits Ia terature: the romantic, especially
with the ladies, being the predominant style. De-
tachments uf vsitcrs, Of from five to te in a COM
puny, chiefly from Massachusetts, continue to
urrive and depart daily by regular or extra
siages. One of the best mountain views in
thu region, is from Mount Tom, or Mt Willard,
opposite the Notch House. You ascend il by a
graded way IN u carriage, and pass along on the
summit that overooks the Wiley House, which
SITE away down 800 feet in the ravinc below
People who are fond Of peeplng over precipces,
will be delighted with this experiment. We have
no particular fancy that way, over and above the
public Information.
The sysiem Of tribute, exaced Of visiters at
most other places of resort has not yet been intro
ouc.d into these hills as system. The only ex-
toriion made is by the mosquitoes, and they
eAoibitant IA Shylock the Jew. The moisture,
and the rank vegetation OF these mountain valleys,
seeni TO produce these insects spontaneously. As
we came Up, THE afternoon, several rabbits aud
grouse were started from the road, by the wagon,
from which we may suppose that game IS stall
abundant IN these mountains, though dfisUlt 10
capture. from the steerness OF the ascenis aud the
dcnsiiy Of the woods.
Tomorrow we ascend Mount Washington not
from choice between that and trout fishing but
20 see how the land lies. w.
WHITE MOUNTAINS, NoroH House,
July II. 1919
A TSip pp TO the TOP Of Mouni Washington, and
The Iaeidents hoeof.