The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-16

Trsu The cid stores and tne docks slowly Uum-
psDSve - Of past PROSPERITY, ! handled out q ne
town on those well Remembered Afternoons, 10 the
fields that lay upon hin sides ever the harbor and
there sat looking out 70 sea, Ansying some distant
Ss yps ana i ass Who would 90 ss i- stately
and successful to eli the glorious ports Of tho fu-
ture. Going home, returned BY the stores, which
black porteTs were cloeiDg Bat stood long, look
ing in saturstiDg my imagination. and as n appear.
when reached home my thrifty mst6er-another
Prue-came mufang and smslling about me.
Why, my son, lsnu6, snuhD where have you
been Ssnui sDus Has the baker : BEEN making
In (snuf, snu6) bag Of cinnamon"
" I've only been on the wharves, m0ther.n
Well, my dear, hope you haven't stock up
your clothes with nolsssss. Wharves Are dirty
yourself, my son. Really this smell 10 (anuf, snuff
very strong" an ~ v3y IN
But departed from the maternal presence proud
and happy. i was aromatic. 4 bore about with me
tant countries. I had nutmeg, spices, cinnamon,
and cloves, without the jolly red nose. pleased
myself with being the representative OF the Indies.
Twas In good odor with myself, and all the world.
We have in the present number the commence
ment Of new story by Herman Melville, entitled
Israel Potter, or Fifty Years of Erile So far aathe
opening chapters 60, they give promise Of tale
equal in interest to any Of the previous works Of
this charming writer. The description Of the rug
ged and diversified scenery which constitutes the
main characteristic Of the extensive district COM
prsed within the Eastern division Of Berkshire,
Massachusetts, possesses vividness and force that
denote an eye trained 10 close and accurate oh.
seivati0n Of the phenomena Of nature. rr
Travelling northward from the township of Otis,
the road leads for twenty thirty miles towards
Windsor. lengthsise upon that long broken SOUR Of
heights which the Green Mountains Of Vermont
the distance, you have the continual sensation Of
being upon some terrace in the moon. The feeling
Of the plain OF the valley s never yours scarcely
the feeling Of the earth. Unless by Sudden pre-.
into some gorge; you Pass on, and on, upon the
crests or slopes Of pastoral mountains, while far
below mapped out in It's beauty, the valley Of tho
housatonic lies endlessy aiong AZ your feet Often,
as your horse gaining some lofty level track fat as
table, tro.s gaily over the am0st deserted and
sodded road, and your admitting eye sweeps the
broad landscape beneath, you seem TO be Bootes dri
wing TO heaven Save potato field here and there, at
long Intervals the whole country Is either in wood
or pasture. Horses, cattle and sheep are the prin-
cipal Inhabitants Of these noun saina. But all
through the year lazy cosumns Of smoke rising from
the 0eptbs Of the forest, proclaim the presence OF
that half-outaw, the charcoal burner; while in
early spring added curls Of vapor show that the
maple sugar boiler is also ct work. But as for
farming as regular vocation, there is not much OF
it here. AT any rate, no man by that means accu.
mulates fortune from this thin and rocky soil; all
wLose orable parts have long since been nearly ex
hausted. - rft <,.s .sa. f-sesf -
Yet during the first settlement Of the country, the
region was not unproductive. Here IL was that the
f.sr ~. IL.
well known to have regulated their choice Of site
namely, the high land In preference TO the low, q,
less subject to The unwh0lesome miasmas generated
by breaking into the rich valeys and alluvisl bot
they quilted the safety Of this sterile elevation, T.
brave the dangers Of richer though lower fields. So
that at the present day, some Of those mountain
townships present an aspect Of singular abandon
ment. Th0ugh they have never known aught but
peace and health they, in lesser aspect .. least
look like countries depopulated by plague and war
Every mile or two house 10 passed untenanted
TIE strength of the framework Of these ancient
buildings enables them long TO resist the encroach
meDts Of decay. Spotted gray and green with tbs
wtather-stan, their timbers seem to have lapsed
back into their woodland original, forming part now
Of the general picturesque of the natural scene
modern farm houses. One peculiar feature is thu
immense chimney, of Hight gray stone, perforatinl
the miadle Of the roof like tower.
On all sides are seen the tokens Of ancient indus
Wy. Ab stOne dDOuu0c bnIOuSnOut tnese MOUNTAINS
that material was, for fences az ready to the hand
as wood, besides icing much more durable. Oonse
quensy he landscape Ia intersected 10 all direction
with walls Of uncommon neatness and strength.
z The number and length OF these walls ia not more
surprising than the size Of some Of the blocks com
prsing them. The very Titans seemed to have been
at work. That small army az the first settlers
must needs have been, should have taken such won
should have accomplished such herculean undertake
ings with so slght prospect OF reward this IL con-
sideration which gives US significant hint OF the
temper Of the men Of the revolutionary era.
Nor oould o filter country be found for the birth
place Of the devoted patriot, Israel Potter.
To this day the best stone wall builders, as the
best wood choppers come from those solitary noun
tain towns . tall, athletic an hardy race, uner-
ring with the axe the Indian with the tomahawk;
Samson.
In lne clear June days, the bloom Of these noun
tains ID beyond expression delightful. Last visit
Ing these heights ere she vanshes, Spring, Ike the
sunset, fiDgs her sweetest charms upon them.
with perfume. The balmy breeze swings to and fro
like censor. On one side the eye folowsfor the
space OF an eagles flight, the serpentine mountain
chains so.th vards rom The great purple dome Of
to the twin submits Of Saddleback, which ID the
twosteepled natural catbe dral of Berkshire while
low down TO the west the Housatonic winds on in
her watcry labyrinth, through charming meadows
At this season the beauty OF every thing around
you populstes the loneliness Of your way. You
would not have tee country more settled II You
could. Content TO drink In such loneliness at ell
your senses, the heart desires no com pany but ma
tuTe.
With what rapture you behold, lowering over
some vast hollow Of the hills or slowly drifting at
an immense height over the far sunken Housat0nc
valley, some lordly eagle, who in unshared exalta
ton looks down equally upon plain and mountain.
Or you behold hawk sallying from some crag, like
q Rhenish baron Of old from his pinnacled castle,
and darting down towards the river for his prey.
Or perhaps, laziy gliding about in the zenith, this
ruffian fowl is ruddenly beset BY crow, who with
stubborn audacity pecks at him. and spite of al his
bravery, finally persecutes him back TO his strong
hold. The otherwise dauntless bandit, soaring at
his topmost height, must needs suocumb to this
sable image Of death. Nor are there wanting many
smaller and less famous fowl, who without contri.
brting TO the grandeur, yet greatly add to the
beauty Of the scene. The yellow bird fits like
winged jonquil here aud there like knots OF violets
the hire biYda N ere IN