Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-04-09

reached the place OF their destination By water |
carriage. Leaving this brook on our left, we
soon began pretty rapid yet sdelong ascent,
and for long time were dubious as to whether
we were On the mountain itself or not We
passed innumerable little riyulets meandering
down the illside, and the whole soil was SO
Astounding in water that our boots we're soon
wet through, and thus remained for the rest of
our journey. We pushed on vigorously for
about two hours, when we seated ourselves, at
six o'clock Pm, on a fallen tree, and took a
hasty supper. Bread and butter and sliced
ham decided luxafies after our exercise. .---
We finished our repast by a drink out-of the
next rivnlet,-not by any means the first we
had taken since beginning our tramp,-and
then resumed the ascent with renewed vgor.--
The great question as to whether we were
really on the Hump or no had gradually been
settling itself in the affirmative in our minds,
and we often exchanged views on this interest
ing point as we went along.
tom, do you think we are on The Hump 1" "
| would say.
We'll, | rather guess VIC are" he would
reply; "we'll find out before long at any
rate
After ascending somewhat further, we found
the vegetation beginning to change, becoming
more and more dwarfsh, while the moisture
and the moss were both on the increase.
8 Tom, do believe we are on The Hump"
said l.
"Tve been thinking 50 myself for some
time, said he.
The moss was becoming thicker and thicker
1t was softer than the richest Turkey carpet tc
the tread, and the fallen timber, some OF which
suppose had been down for five hundred years
was all covered over with it several inches deep
Occasionally through the trees we caught {
slight chinese of the extensive prospect below
and one great reason for believing we were OF
the mountain was, that we could see no highe
land on either side of us, and were therefore
certainly ascending ridge. We passed ont
spot where an old birch tree had shed such
quantity of bark that Tom proposed camping
out there, for the convenience of making IL fire
But as we had more than an hour of dayligh
yet, and was eager to see the sun set from th
summit, we pushed on Ere long we fnunt
somewhat Of an opening in the dense forest to
wards the west, where lay Lake ChampIaiI
afar off, cleaning and glowing in the COLDER
splerdqrs of the declining sun and the ricl
frefnisr}see streamed in upon us, strugg ins
throuF the trees, whSch were yet too thick V
: afford anything but very imperfect view
We gave loud utterance to our delight a
this brilliant antepast of the gories we antici
pated from the summit, and l exclaimed
tom, | do believe we re on The Hump, ant
no mistake
"Shouldn't wonder if you did," said Tom
, drily; 81 guess there is not much mistak
, about it this time
"a Il right" said ; " then 60 ahead" AM
ahead we did 60, more briskly than over, fo
some minutes longer when, all at once cam
up with Tom, who had been considerably i
= advance. He was standing stock still, bol
| upright, and staring ominously towards tn
southeast.
e Halo, Tom, what's the matter'"
s Look there - said he, pointing in the d
k rection in which he had been gazing.
f looked, and, with some difficulty, for tn
r trees were yet thick, saw the old " "Coucbin
e Lion towering up more than a thousand fee
= above Us, at about three miles distance, with a
e enormously wide and deep ravne betwixt I
l. and him And yet the hard-hearted old bru
s. lay there, summing himself in the last rays
d evening, and looking as rosy, as quiet, an
d comfortable, as if nothing was the matter.
: "Wcll !" said Tom, "what do you think
|, that!'
IS "Why, it's none of my business you're p
it lot, you know"
e However, we held council at war, witho'
d delay, and carefully capvassed all the catastr
n phes and capabilities of the campaign. The
e were three courses open to our adoption
5 First Proceed to the top of the hill we we
on, enjoy the sunset as well as we could, sper
It the night there, and either turn direct in tt
e morning, or from thence strike for The Hum
d itself This we decided not to do. 1t was Fr
s. day and we could not we'll expect to be alb
s. to compass so great Saturdays work on VIII
D, we were convinced was an insufficient supp
ID of provisions and moreover, we resolved n
g to be balked of our visit to the summit. Sc
1t ond Camp out where we were, and not attem
to to cross the deep ravine till the morning TT
g. we likewise rejected. because it would lose
gs an hour of daylight. Third: We thereto
We turned our noses in the direction of the Couc
IS, ing Lion, and manfplly plunged down into t
it, ravine, with as great rapidity as we could mi
nd ter. | saw, indeed that the whole ravine RI
ey towards the right hand, ending in o sort of |,
re ridge that connected the hill we were on wi
We The Hump itself and was strangly in fay
he of making detour in that direction, whcl
he hoped would save us more than one tbousa
ut feet descent and ascent. But Tom had beco
nd little nervous, and concluded that it was saf
be to adopt the bee-ne principle from which
we practically deviated only by yielding natura
/, l to the dip of the ground, and going tart
MS down stream than there was any occasion (
ct But down we went, through bushes, over ro
he and huge fragments, every few moments circu
,ht venting young precpice of some eight or
of feet in height, climbing over fallen trees, slur
he ing through bog-holes, g our boots filled W
water as if they were pumps" and occasiona
f calling out to each oth,r to ascertain throt
led the thick trees and the fast gathering shades
rto evening the precise bearing of the impertura
ned old Hump. Tue darkness naturally increa