The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-09-30
Eastern correspondence.


Grand Trunk Railway Of Canuda-a road which,
for the mountainous country through which it
passes. appears to do an immense business; the
greater part Of which, should Judge, arises from
the business between Canada and the seaport.
The country, after leaving Portland, rapidly
becomes more wild and rugged, until AT last we
land at Gorham, in the midst of the White Noun.
tains of New Hampshire, almost at the base oi
their crowning glory, Mount Washington I'm.
mediately in front of the Alpine House, rises
Mounts Moriah, Garter, and Imp; the largest o.
which, Mount Garter, is about 5000 feet in height
and there are few more graceful spectaclcs than
to witness from the portico OF the Alpine House
on n clear Summer afternoon; the heavy shadows
that are tangled in the dcepcut reccsses of Mount
Carter, conlrasted with the soft lights that lie on
its steep, dense, aud unbroken forests More
graceful still, perhaps, is the outline of Mount
Moriah, as viewed from the same spot The Imp
is situated between Moriah and Carter, aud is so
called from queer resemblance TO human coun-
teuance us seen in it when viewed in a certain po-
stion.
On the first afternoon after our arrival, we
drove out to the Berlin Falls, distant from the
Alpine House about six miles. The Androscog-
gin River fed from Lake Umbagog, here makes n
descent of some two hundred feet in the course Of
two nilos. For the whole distance, the river is
confined in u morrow, rocky bed, making n swift
and rapid descent Tor he whole distance, broken
at times by direct and forceable iulls. The stream
has been bridged about midway in the course oi
this DESCENT and on this the visitor may remain
for hours withSever increasing delight, rs he wit
nesses tie wild aud rapid of the torrent, as
it dashes against some huge rock; and then, asled
into foam, pours onward i'll its course, again and
| again to meet aud overcome some Similur obSta-
Gle. Returning, saliated with the even increasing
beauty and w!dness OF the scene, our attention
was wrapped in contemplating the glorious play
of light and shade from tho setting sun on the tops
of the great White Mountan range, towering
thousands Of feet above us--n sight of beauty,
from which we could not turn until the gathering
darkness hid it from our view.
On the morrow we arose early, and prepared for
the ascent of Mount Washington, from which
even the accidents which have from time TO time
occurred in attempting to make the ascent, and
the exaggerated accounts of the dangers to be un-
dergonc could not deter my companion. We
started with intelligent and faithful guide from
the Alpine House in a wagon in which we were
driven along the base of Mount Moriah for dis
tance Of eight miles, mostly through forest oi
dense pine trees, and over road at least os bad
as any to be found in the Maumee country, to the
base of Mount Washington where, changing our
wagon for saddle horses, We were soon mounted
and on our way.
From the base Of the mountain to q point nbou,
| half way from its summit, we rode over carriage
l road constructed year or two since by company
who undertook to complete it to the summit
but like Western companies OF similar kind fail
ed to do what they had undertaken by at least one
half This part of the trip, though somewhat To-
tiguing was not perilous, and nothing occurred to
render us sensible Of the dangers Of the way.
We at last paused at what is known as 1.-The
Halfway House SSa fshanty, occupied in the con
sruction OF the road by the aborcrs, and now lelt
untenanted. Here we paused to take view ol
the labor done and 10 be done. Two hours hau
now elapsed since we took TO the saddle-iour
miles of distance had been passed. and we were
about 5000 feet above the level of the sea. FaI
below US was spread the valley we had just passed
over. Heretofore we had seen the dense foliage
the green yerdure, the Summer flower and shrub
heretofore we had heard the voice OF Summer
birds of animated nature; now, all was to change
around u.s. even the trees, that once had tdkel
root and fougiShed, were dead; they stood in mul
titudcs around us-unsightly objects once seen
never TO be forgotten whites as II they had iresh
Iy come from the painters hands, but with nc
sign of life about them. They remind one OF I
graveyard, thickly soTn with monuments to tht
memory of the dead. No vision can be more i'm
prcSsive; none, ut least TO me, more gloomy.
We started ut length, passing up the mountain
sides along narrow bride path-always steep
and sometimes rising almost perpendicularly be
fore us, where slight deviation from the righ
path would land us q thousand feet below.
The perilous ride is at last accomplished, ant
we stand on the summit of Mount Washington
6, 500 feet, or thereaboutS, above the level OF th
sea. At the extreme summit we hnd the SUNNI
House, long and low, built of the solid rock OF th
mountain; and that it may not be carried away b.
storm and tempest, it is chained down to the soh'
rock ou,either side. The summit is apparently mum
berless rocks, thrown together in rugged ant
shapeless mass. Here We stand on the highes
point of land for thousands of miles around. Fa
below US, on every side, are the everlasting hills
inersperced with beautiful valleys, improved ant
adorned by mans invention. Around us, horl
zon OF six hundred miles. A hundred miles L
the southwest We gaze on Monaduoe as pale
blue film. Far to the East, Katahdin looms NJ
skyward. Westward, we approach very near to
, view of the Catskill. NorthwarG OF the Canadas
southwark, beyond the mouth OF the Sacor and
south-easterly, the silvery geam tells US that h
morning sun shines brightly on the sea, far beyon'
y Portland The morning breeze which, when w
started but famed the cheek with asoit and pleas
ant motion, now meets you in almost reslstIeS
> force and we are fain TO seek refuge from thu
blast be ow the surface of some overhanging rock
,, , The atmosphere, which you left warm and sullr.
below, he's rapidly changed since leaving tn
Halfway House, until now you find II degree
or two below the freezing point. You separate
yourself from the crowd. and take your stand up
on some distant ledge OF rocks. What change
: No sound of human voice, or human skill. N
song of bird or cry Of beast greets your ear. N
flower enchains the eye. No tree adorns the land
s:ape. No shrub attests the laws Of Nature there
The eagle, in his strength, makes not his eyr
! there All stands in the eternal silence, beauty
and grandeur, in which it came from the hands Q
the Creator You realize that you are above ere
! ated things; and that ycu are alone in the pres
ence Of God, of whose majestic power we ca
! have but the laintest conception.
We took dinner on the summit, aud then pre-
pared to descend. This is more rapid than tue OF
/ cent but stu moro aborous. For the first ha
o of the wuY the motion Of the horsas ON lhe brdl