The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-10-29

Dixville Notch.
Tnr FLuMr.-ScnNrRr, &c.

DlXVllle NoUcll'
THn ScENrRY, &c.
About ten miles east of Colebrook,
there is a Notch in the White Nouns
tains which is one of the most remarka-
bic exhibitions of natural scenery TO be
found in the state, and said to surpass in
beauty and grandeur the far famed notch
a, Franconia, some miles farther to the
south. The mountains at this place ex-
tend in north and south direction
through thetown of Dixvile, and through
the mountains there is a natural dehle
made, we might almost say, for the pur-
pose of allording a suitable thoroughlare
for travellers.
The advantages which such gap af-
fords for a road have been improved by
the inhabitants, and now travellers can
pass, from the valley of the Connecticut
over the White Mountains to the valley
of the Androscoggin, without the labor
attending the passage over some of the
high ranges in Vermont.
The summit of this road is only eight
hundred and thirty.fve feet higher than
the village of Colebrook situated on the
Connecticut
As the difficulties Of ascent and de-
scent are but slight. this route has be-
come the principle route to Portland aud
vicinity, Tor all in this region ofthe state,
and the adjoining parts OF Canada. This
remarkable gap in the mountains is very
,,,J ,,.,II -, tic oppaoro,ro
and as the tide Of travel sets TO the north
ward it will become place Of resort
for the lovers Of picturesque scenery.
The railroad which is to connect Port
land with Montreal, by passing up tho
Connecticut, will make this noble sPecI-
men OF Natures works easy of access to
all admirers OF the sublime.
The beauty of the place will amply re-
pay all the seekers after pleasure or
health that may be induced to visit this
region.
The pass through the mountain is
walled up on all sides by towering lodges
and punacles of mica slate standing
nearly vertical, and attaining an eleya-
ton Of from 600 TO 500 feet from the
road The angular and preciptous APP
pearance of the mica slate rocks, rest
ing, as they do, hundreds of feet almost
perpcndicularly on either side, is stir
kingly different from the rounded and
water-worn appearance of most Of the
primitive rocks throughout the northern
part of the United States, and seems to
come nearer to the scenery of the Alps
than anything else in New England.
In addition to the curiosites Of the
Notch itself there is a rayine in the for
est, distant some so or 60 rods to the
north of the road, aud known as the
Fume. 1t was probably formed by the
decay of large trapdike, the dislntegra-
ted particles Of which have been washed
away by the torrent. The chasm is a.
bout 30 feet in depth and nearly the same
in width, and is channel of a stream
of water. The trapdike is porphyrllic
with crystals Of lelspar of dark brown
color.
Being divided into large cubical
blocks. it forms a series of steps, so that
when the water is low, person may walk
a considerable distance up the bed Of the
stream. The prospect, from the cliffs
near the Mitch, rising as they do above
the surrounding valleys, is quite extern
sive. To the west appear the Green
Mountains of Vermont, the nearest Of
which is Mount Monadnock near the
Connecticut, and still farther to the west
and south there are higher peaks and
ranges stretching far along in the dis
lance, To the east are the mountain:
Of Maine, Mt. Bigelow and Mt. Abra'
ham.
To the North is Came's Rump nearly
1000 feet high, and also the moderated
elevated ranges which form the water
shed lines between the Magaloway ant
the Connecticut on the south, aud thu
Chandler thai emp,ies into the St. Law
renee, and separate the more mountain
Gus parts of this state and Vermont, flon
the undulating table lands Of Canada.
In going from these high peaks. upoI
mountains piled upon mountains, we ca
easily admit the. claim of New Hamp
shire to be called the Switzerland of A
merica. DELTA.
Coos County, N H., Oct. 1850.