The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-07-22
Correspondence of ths New York Observer,
Western Vermont.

1
| OTTER CREEK AND BELDEN's FALLS
| MIDDLEBuRY, VT, June l6. 1857.
A correspondent of the N Y. Oh.
server in q communication dated al
Middlebury, describes quite minutely
this romantic canon in the Otter Creek,
which seems to have lost nothing Of eff
ect in making Characteristic appeal to
the seusibilities Of stranger. Beldon's
Falls for short time was in use for a
water power, its occupant as such sleeps
near, but for forty years back has been
left to solitude as favorable to the pic.
turesque as to that sympathy with it
which is one of the purest Of natural or
social pleasures;
| took the railroad track from Mid.
dlebury and left it near the falls at some
qnarries of white marble, abandoned. I
am told, because of its hardness and brit.
tleness, although it takes a polish like
ivory. saw 40 sign Of inhabitants near
the falls. but soon struck into one of
those paths that instnotively suggest the
lovers of nature rather than the devo.
tees Of Mammou. How do we deter.
mine this2 These characteristic paths
are not straight nor narrow nor of easy
grade limbs and trunks of trees have
been often grrsped by soft and delicate
of / falk
"-like one who treads alone,
Soma banquet hall deserted;
Whose lights are fed, whose garlands dead,
And all but me departed"
A rustic bridge spanned chasm in
which was compressed all Otter Creek
in furious descent. 1t landed me on a
rock isolated by narrow chasm which in
foods carries a part of the river-an is
land, 10 fact, in high water, or rather a
high huge block of limestone, occupying
much moro than half tho channel. 1t is
bounded by precipce. From the low.
er side I looked down upon another is
land brcastiug the cataract in its mid
slope and forcing a considerable par.
oft through long straight deep chasm
or fume on the western side Down
this steep descent it rushos against an
nuerhouging cliff that sends it partly
spinning round 10 an eddy and partly
over another fall Here it meets the
third island in its course, breasting and
dividing the stream, part of which pass
es through o natural arch in large
square block of stone from which i, is.
sues in cascade Of its own. The main
part Of the western arm having been Sc.
to undermine two more cliff against
which it is dashed. has achieved its fall
Let US now recross the bridge on the
eastern side, strike the river at an eddy
below and follow it mp. Here the shore
is strewed with pieces Of timber. 8.c-
We wonder to see how much each piece
is worn and rounded as if il had come
all the way from Mt. Tabor and i'm
pinged upon every obstacle It could find
But recognize many of them as from
MiddleburJ pail-factory that have suff.r.
ed all their mischances in two fails only.
Nor will you wonder when you look a.
gain at the falls. have seen many cat.
aracts, Tequendama and Niagara among
the rest but never have | seen water
so vexcd and buffeted with thick.strewu
obstacles from one to another of which
it dashes.
Its very first leap is obliquely against
the eastern wall of its prison Next is
violent plunge by reflection against
the upper island and then full against
the lower one. Here it runs up hill for
some distance aud in certain stages is
thrown in high continuous jet into the
air. Part is thrown into the fume and
the rest is rushing under the rock on
which we stand. We got up little fur.
.her, and we discovered that we were
standing directly over q cauldron scoop.
ed out to an unknown depth where the
river must turn itself over and over and
tie stself up into knots in its hurried
efforts to escape. By another and fin al
leap il makes its escape into the eddy
below.
Just behind us, as we look at the
stream, is a cave capable of shel.ering a
large party from the most driving storm.
and running. it is said, many rods into
the bill. OF what scenes have these
rocks been the silent witnesses Low
voices designed to carry thought to but
one alone Of all the company have been
shut out from all inquisitive ears by the
friendly daposon Of the cataract. And
il hand has been retained little after
the semblsucq of danger is past, but at
point still where plunge would bury
the victim forever so that not shred of
clothing would reach the surface, what
wonder myself might do the same in
similar circumstances. perhaps. ]. f. H.
LADIES SADDLE HoRsEs.-A cores
nondent of the Boston CuNiunkOr, sneak