New-York daily tribune., 1851-07-29
suMMER NOTES OF A HOWADu.
iii.
Catskill-Palls.


Nv DEAR EDIToR promised TO tell you
Of the Catskl sunrise which did not see. Per
Aaps my more cunning way would be 10 begin
with ford history Of all the sunrses that have
seen and from most famous places, with an en-
tire omission OF the many chills, yawns and the
usually very apecryphal admlratlons of such very
natutinal exhibitions. | remember always that
young friend who asked his uncle Beefbndge If
he mean, to get up and see the sun rise.
And at what hour, my dear" demanded the
rsod uncle.
AT o'clock, uncle Beefbridge."
"Good gracious my dear, didn't know there
was such an hour"
So !, quite unwittlngy, was conscious OF no
such hour that bright Sunday morning upon the
Catskill. And yet was not sc0rniul OF the sun
sise, but only sleepy.
Not scornful, for still flashes along the Nights
Of my Memory the splendor OF Kighi sunrise
There were plenty of redfaced, mutton-chop-
whiskered Englishmen (see recent rrench
feuilleton upon the English appearance and
face .fashions), gathered upon the eutm, and
pshshed-leather- booted Americans, wrapped IN
coats, cloaks, blankets and comforters, and there
was a wooden horn blown, and much silly sentl-
nent spouted, and the presence Of very
promiscuous and unpleasant crowd. But BEYOND
these and above them were the peaks OF the
NM-Alps-celestial w-felds, smooth ana
shining as the sky, and Niagaran cataracts frozen
IN foam forever There were lesser mountains,
green and graceful, or angular with sharp cliffs,
sheerng suddenly away or gently sloplng into
the CLASSY calmness Of cold lakes, IN which the
Night had bathed and left It's blackness. There
was the range OF Jura, dusky and far, and the
faint fash OF the Aar IN the morning mlst ana
among these mighty mountains and upon them,
spots of fame poetic and patriotic each one the
keynote of a thousand traditions, each the mel
edy of myriad household songs. 1t was the region
Of William Tell all around me- The keen, cool
breath of early morning snOte me as with the
heroic spirit of the story, and the thronglng SEN
tments and suggestions frightened into signlii-
eance with the deepening dawn. And as we
stood there, too shverng TO be sentimental
for the breath that walks with Death and
Morning on the icy horns" blew every feel-
ing away that was not genuine and falr-far
over the hushed tumult of peaks that thronged
10 the utmost East, came the sun, sowing those
sublime snow-field with glorious day. The
hight leaped from peak TO peak, the only thing
alive, glad and gay, worthy to sport with those
worthy mates and the vaunted, sentlmentalzed,
poOh- -pooh-ed be-Cocknied sunrise on the Rlghi
n as rich remembrance as the vast, capaclous
treasury of mans mind can hold
SO when | came down and found Olde and
swansdowne under the Corinthan coonnade,
did not feel as though | had seen nothing, al
though | had lost the Catskill sunrise, which
they told me was a magnificent effect OF slantlng
hight over a level floor OF feecy clouds, much
more magnificent, indeed, than any Polar Ocean
could be, except those that poets see. brought
cut my Faulhon sunset of the same character,
10 silence this battery but will not open 1t upon
ysu. dear Editor, until | find you pretending TO
have seen a sunrise, from which fate be the Ed
,Vrs preserved!
II was a clear, crystal morning, and after
Breakfast those who were disposed, repaired to
,hc village of Catskill, twelve miles away, TO
church believe there were not very many
Some of the rest OF us looked mountalnward
The more distant hills, for there are none most
distant, were sharply drawn and purply cold, and
rounded with foliage up the sides and over the
summit, and down the purple glen, toward the
throbbing heart of the Catsklll, we wended our
way.
The road to the Fall is most automatically
distinguishabe A stage load was to follow, but
we scorned stages,-mghty mountalneers that
We were and went merrily along past the lake,
dsrk and cold enough to have a dreary tradition,
while the vibrant, hquidly y-gurglng song OF the
wOod.thrush poured through the trees, and a
SOLITARY flaming GoldenRod nodded Autumn to
us as we passed. 1t is a walk through tie woods
"A wood road to fngerpost that says curtly-
"to the Falls" and then down into dell to a
very new and very neat white house and bar
room with balcony over the abyss.
The Proprietor of the bar-room is also the
genius of the Fall and drives trade both with
his spirits and his water. In tact, II your roman
tic nerves can stand the steady truth, the Cats
hill Fall is fsraed on, to accommodate Poets and
parties OF pleasure.
The process of doiss the sight is very method.
cal You leave the hotel and drive in a stage to
the barroom You refresh" You step out
upon the balcony and look into the abyss. You
have an emotion. The Proprietor of the Fall IN
forms you that the lower fall 80 feet high. You
laugh incredulously. He smiles, the smile OF a
news eesscia rect, would YOU step down and
have the water turned on ?" You do step down
somewhat ricket,y but very safe staircase You
reach the bottom. "Look, now 1t comes"-and
the proud cascade plunges like freed force into
the air and slips, swimming IN foam, away from
your gaze.
Nou have cY,acies "Oh how | should love
to stay here all day." some sage looks at his
watch thinks II time to think of returning
"One las, look" You climb the staircase, YOU
,tep upon the balcony, YOU refresh" and mount