Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-07-05

The river dashing along from
rock to rock-the hills towering preciitously |
high up beyond the dark clouds-the rain
pouring down in torrents-the thunder re-
doubled manifold by its reverberation among
the hills, and the lightning leaping from peak
to peak, formed altogether scene sublime
beyond description. The whole company,
overwhelmed by their emotions, involuntarily
stopped in the open road One of them, un-
able to restrain his feelings, leaped from his
carriage, fell on his knees, then Frustrated his
face to the earth, and uttered CALCULATIONS OF
admiration to the name of Jehovah. IL was
near this spot, where, few years before
whole family had been overwhelmed oy al,
avalanche from the mountain. A silde hau
started from the summit and come down
with resistless force, bearing the huge rochS
and trees with it. 1t was night. Inc lalhiiy,
as it is supposed, were aroused from sleep oy
the laundering approach OF the avalanchs.-I
They lesped from their beds, they He'd from
their home, they ran for their lives, but
rushed into the grasp of death. The ava
lanche. Just before it reached the house,
divided, going off in different directions, lesv-
the house uninjured, but overtaking the
family, and burying every one of them be-
meath the ruins Of the mountain. The house
was standing when we passed. No living
creature was seen about it but a solitary
mouse, which we scared from one of the de-
serted rooms.
A few miles beyond this spot we came to
a narrow defle called the notch. Here the
river, now dwindled to a brook which q child
might leap over, makes its way through a
pass so narrow as to afford but barely sufficient
space for carriage, while on each side the
granite cliffs rise 20 great height sometimes
perpendicular, and sometimes jutting over as
| if about to fall and crush the unwary traveller.
After passing the notch, we came to an open
but elevated plain, where we found COM
| fortasle house of entertainment. Here we
rested for the night, intending to ascend the
mountain in the morning. Arising in the
morning, bright and early, we procured a
guide and prepared for the ascent. We
| plunged into dense forest of evergreen, and
with many weary step clambered up the
steep ascent As We proceeded the trees be-
came few and far between" and dwindled
| to mere dwarfs. After climbing up, up, up
for a distance Of about two miles, we reached
tie summit of the first mountain. This wa:
a plain of great extent, commanding fine
view in every direction. Here We saw thu
summit of Mount Washington, the highest o
the group, distant four miles. For more thai
three miles the path lay along this elevated
tsble-land, with slight depressions and eleva
tons, though gradually rising, exhibiting new
views of distant scenery with every chang
of position, till we reached the foot of tn
last peak, that of Mount Washington itsel
Here we rested for while, and took re
freshing drink of water from a clear and col
l spring. Thus prepared we commenced tn
, tedious ascent over naked rocks, broken int
: countless fragments, piled one above anothe
. and bleached by the storms of ages. At la
:, we gained the highest peak of this enormor
a pyramid. The atmosphere was clear, onl
a light cloud occasionally passed over I'll
: sun. This, however, added 10 the interest {
the scene The fitting shadow of clou'
moving rapidly over the mountain, and trace
in its progress for many miles, as it was born
e south by the north wind, was a spectacl
: which l had often admired in billy countr,
but which l had never before seen on s
grand scale.
The view from Mount Washington con
n bines the beautiful, the grand, and the sui
= lime. You have before you, on the sout
e | Tue OAHU, Ito uCNlOun pdood7O oihpi
>, precipitous hills, till it escapes in the broa
plains of Fryeburg. Far away in the sout
J. IS spread out before you the illimitable A
, lantic. On the east you see the Androscoggi
winding, for many miles, through an unbrokC
# wilderness, then issuing out among cultivate
fields and beautiful villages. On the we
10 you see, far over the hills, the valley of Il
'r Connecticut, and the distant range Of ii
70 Green Mountains beyond. On the north W
J.. look on an ocean of mountains Of warrior
forms and sizes, covered with forests of eve
variety of evergreen. So elated is Mou
q Washington above all other hills in Il
1t neighborhood, that you may look down {
be every object as far as the laws of vision vi
e permit. / recognized many a town, lax
and stream, which l had known in the r
'e gions below. / looked for my own humb
lr cottage, three days journey distant, but
was lost in the dimness of distance.
lean never forget my visit to those magnit
cent piles of natures own forming. Yea
re have since passed away. In the mean tim
u l have exchanged the magnificent hills, {
81 which my eye rested from childhood, for Il
l. equally magnificent plains Of the west B
le still the beauty and the grandeur of the vie
n from Mount Washington, form vivid pi
'e ture on which I love to look This pictu
'e seems to form a part of my very soul. 1t
&c to me one of the connecting links that BIZ
;. the present to the memory Of the past.