The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-07-26
Por ibo caledonlan.
OWE mEAp MOUNTAIN.


The morning OF the 18th inst was one Of
tho most beautiful Of the season. Scarcely d
cloud was 70 be seen The atmosphere was
clear pure and brncing Just WARM enough
and just cool enough 10 make travelling pleas
ant and exhilaating. The bills aud Valley
and mountain tops and slopes-washe,i' snd
made clean by the copious rains Of preceding
days, appeared N their neatcst, richest attire
and seemed 10 rejoice on every side The
aualea riaalai '.i'r.lit- l,,t,s tl,t' .nll-y-,vr
sparkling and lenping along their descending
rocky channels, lined up their glad voices in
fuller and swcctcr notes Of praise to Hin
from whose hands they had been poured forth
The cattle and sheep and horses upon the hill
sides, and the birds that filed the groves
seemed joyful in tho spreading light and re-
frcshing breczes Of the morning.,
From mountain top to the deepest valleys
over field, forest, lake aud rivcr-all was q
vide, varied exhibition Of one Of ma,
lures grandest aud most beautiful scenes
At an early hour of the day a company Of
seven Of us-including three ladies-lcf) Der
Head Mountain, which ri-e- ffem ils western
shore, between 5000 and 5000 feet 4 car.
riage ride Of four miles brought rs TO New
port, near the southern extremity oc the lake
There we found tho Steamboat Mountain
Maid in. readiness 20 mako is daily trip thro
the Lake and back-touching in it, course at
several points on either side A pleasant sail
Of two hours brought us 20 the Mountain
House, situated in little recess, or bay, at
the base of the mountain, and near two miles
from any other dwelling Of man. This house,
recently crcctcd-will, when finished, afford
comfortable accommodation, Improperly kept
for travellers rho may wish 10 apena n fen
days amid the sublime and beautiful scenery
or the mountain aud lake. II is secluded
apni with the Lake spzaaI aut hniaEa IT, ia tlla
rear tho mountain rises abruptly covered with
a dense forest nearly to It's summit-which
can be reached 10y laborious walk Of two OF
more miles.
soon the boat was on is way to George.
vile, and we with our guides were slowly
winding our way up the mountain slope, liz
Ito realizing at first, the hcight-or is summit
nrr tho dsair-ilty and Tabor or ascandma Ia
Alter following a Sqcp, rough path I Of Q
mile or more-wc turned to the right and di-
rectcd our course through the forest, over
stones, fallen trees, tangled brush and pro
jerting cliffs towards the northern summit
which lifted up its bald, towering, frowning
front high above u.s.
We thought the first half mile difficult and
iaboriur- hat ever, st,ece--vr half mile grey
more difficult aud more laborious and 10
persons unaccustomed to ascend such rocky
PERCEPTIONS, and slippery heights, moro and
more dangerous. .,
We expected that the ladies in our co1aIn-
ny would give out and beg retreat, but
Though faint, and at times almost exhausted
not word did we hear of encouragement or
retreat Onward and upward" was their
watchword They fixed their eye on the tow
ering summit and patiently and cheerfully
toilcd on, till they cast themselves down up
on il in triumph.
The last few hundred feet of the ascent
was over naked, PERCEPTIONS and fragmentary
rocks, and projecting cliffs, worn smooth by
the storms Of centuries, presenting at times
tbut stighr foothotd 10 Tie inexperienced
adventurer A rope of some or rods in
length would have essentially aided us, both in
ascending and descending.
When we dared to look back upon our
path, we involuntarily held our breath and
almost lost self control. 1t was by keeping
our eye upward, that we were enabled to
maintaiA self-possession and resolution.
Having reached the summit, we had spread
around us a scene ofv magnifcencc, beau
| " and sublimity, such as had never before
been my privilege to behold. / had before
stood on the surnnits Of Hoiyoke, Pom and
Saddle Back, in Massachusetts,; and on East
and West Rocks and Wordsworths Tower
on Pennington Mountain, Connae.iSut but
the scene here spread around mo was on a
scale of yastness, magnihccnce and beauty,
far exceeding anything had before seen.
The outline ofour view was. on the South,
the highest peaks of the Grccn Mountains, in
central Vermont--on the West, the lofty
range of mountains west of Champlain, in the
State Of New York-on the North tho noun
tains back of Montreal, and west of the St,
Lawrence, White Mountains formed tho
Eastern and Northeastern outline.
The diameter. of the viewTwas from 80 10
200 miles. Within this vast circle, every va
! riety OF scenery is embraced At the eastern
base of the mountain lies the beautiful lake
of Memphremagog stretching northeast and
Southwest so miles, and from to in width
embracing several SmRfi islands of great
beauty There it li3s--Ihc great looking glass
of the Mountain, beautifully rejecting, by