The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-09-01


pie in the sunmer-when Saratoga, Newport, Cape
May and the White Mountains could not accommodate
half the summer exodus from New York alone, the
surplus suffering public are glad to find place to
lay their heads even in atics Of hotels at the far of
st. Anthony Falls in Minnesota. When such an
alarming inadequacy exists in the supply OF that
most essential comfort Of life fashionable places of
summer resort in proportion to the numbers famish
ing in the restitution of having place to go to Of
proper respectabilty that hasn't already become
stae-when the memorable interrogatory Of the i'm
mortal Webster, where am ! to gofn has become
household words" the first of every June-I say,
in this state OF things the person who draws public
attention to any avenue through which such destitu
tion may to any extent become relieved, deserves
place in the memory of pos.erity alongside that
of Howard and Florence Nightingale. 1t may be
true that dry goods clerks, with salaries OF eight
hundred year and families to support, find sum-
nier tour somewhat exhausting comfort; it Is Just
possible that in that musical colloquy between Mr..
and Mrs. Smith, Mr.. 6. described class OF society
ofsery considerable numbers, when he remarked
that
Al tor Mrs. Jenes, the squiuter,
Why, she stArves herself all winter,
And can afford 70 travel In the summer,
Mrs. Smith, my dear.
But, nevertheless, SO long as the demand exists
the supply should follow.
Inspired by motives so patriotic and phian-
thropic, / take occasion TO mention fayorably the
highest peak of the Green Mountains, known as
Mansfield Mountain, as q point deserving of much
more attention than it has hitherto received. Al
though not reaching an altitude equal to that Of
Mount Washington, it is sufficiently high to COM
mand view of the entire range OF the Green
Mountains, and of twenty thousand square miles of
country that for beauty OF scenery cannot be
surpassed in the world, The base is heavily wooded
up to perhaps one thousand feet of the summit,
when the trees begin to grow short and stunted.
Five hundred feet higher up the wood mostly disap
pears leaving here and there few scrubby spruce,
Ii h.,t.
the mountain lifts its bald head far above the
lower strata of clouds. The rock is soft mica or
alcose formation, with springs OF water jutting out
between almost every stratum. The summit con-
sists Of three peaks, ranging from north TO south,
which, by stretch of imagination not uncom-
mon among enthusiastic naturalSts, are sup
posed to represent the outlines of the human
countenance, and have. received their names
accordingly. The Forehead lies az the south
end Of the mountain Hall a mile north, comes
the Nose, rising 200 feet in height and being de-
cidedy retousse1 in its proclivities. From the base
OF the Nose you rise gradually 400 feet in going a
mile and half north, passing two or three gorges,
any one of which would make respectable mouth
though do not know that any one has received
that appellation-when you reach the extreme point
of the Chin having attained an altitude OF $50 feet.
Now, If the atmosphere be clear, turn your eyes east.
ward and the whole range of White Mountains loom
up q hundred miles distant, with every possible
variety of bill and mountain scenery intervening.
Turn to the north and you haze the city OF Montreal
before you, eighty miles distant the three mountain
peaks in the vicinity, and immense extent of level
country stretching away up and down the ST. Law
renee. Turn westward, and the whole valley OF Lake
Champain, with the villages of Plattsburg, Burling
ton, st. Adams, and multitude of others-the pros
pect bounded by the Adirondac Mountains, IN New
lork-are before you Turn 70 the south, and you
have succession OF mountain peaks rising above
the other indefinitely in the distance covered with
a green so intense and UNMARRIED as 10 require no
stretch Of imagination TO give them the representa-
tive name Of Green Mountains.
ft1n o,6 aha w.@f.s
features Of Mansfield Mountain. There Is a
cave in the side, which has been explored perhaps
hundred feet, terminating with an abrupt
descent, down which no pedestrian has yet ventured
There Is a pond directly on the summit
north of the Chin with superficial area OF twenty
five or thirty rods and OF considerable depth There
is also cascade on the east side worth visiting and
many other points Of more OF less interest.
The mountain is located between the towns of I'm
derhill and Stowe. On the Stowe side may as
cend very comfortably on horseback 70 the Mountain
House on the summit, directly north of the Nose.
The route thither is from the Waterbury station on
the Vermont Central Railroad. Our party, however,
assembled from the Underhl side, having left the
cars az the Essex junction 81 the Vermont Central.
We travelled In carriages fifteen miles 10 the base Of
the mountain, and ascended on foot, reaching the
Mountain House at dark, after somewhat exhaust
ing climb, for the ladies' Of three hours The visi-
ter there numbered some forty or nifty including
two artists from New York, who had been for seve-
raj weeks engaged in skeching the different varieties
OF scenery including others from your city and from
Washington, and party OF some srvsty ssur
temen and ladies from the town OF S., some
thirty or forty miles distant. who, 10 the mildet
EXPIRE ssion came 70 Mansfield with tie intention Of
having good time Alter enjoying good supper,
we arranged ourselves on mattresses laid on the floor,
(thc house, story 81 by 40, not being Of sufficient
capacity To admit Of parlor aud bedroom for each
yister,l with very dreamy visions Of tired natures
sweet restorer, 6c.," before Blu. alas for the
certainty OF all human expectations. Our s.
friends had no intention 10 interrupt the good
time they were enjoying BY any. such stupid
performance as sleep. and the number OF "cuie"
things said that night would have made Puchs for
tune. Daylight found rs with tired natures sweet
restorerr postponed until some future occasion.
We were deprived Of our sunrise view by thick
cloud which enveIoped the whole mountain. About
nine O'Clock, however, the cloud gradually rolled
enough richly 70 compensate us for all the Difficult.
ties we had encountered in reaching IL. Above MS
was clear sky. Below, sea Of light floating clouds,
with sufficient intervals 70 give Us the outlines OF
the surrounding country, which, with the lights and
shades continually changing, formed panorama no
artist can paint or imagination equal. Our s.
friends burst forth into chorus OF Oh mys J"
and did you ever" and then throwing a stone
down the precipice, two hundred feet high on the
eastern side OF the Nose, commenced scientific dis
cussion as to whether stone would travel faster
thrown up or down. The up party argued that the
resistance of the atmosphere being greater below, a
stone would travel upwards more rapidly; while the
down party maintained s.outly that the resistance
OF the atmosphere was the same in either case and
the attraction Of gravitation would accelerate the
velocity OF the stone downwards. Not feeling In
mood for discussion. illustrated the proposition by
allowing my hat 20 blow over the precpice and
lodge on an inaccessible point down the side. One
of our company, regardless Of the presence Of the
ladies' remarked that ought 20 have known letter
than TO have exposed myself on the Nose when u
was blowing after which we departed to visit the
other points OF interest. After a ramble Of five
hours we again returned 10 the Mountain House
aud found our s. friends trying to
cool themselves down from somewhat angry feel.
ing arising out Of the discussion OF which we heard
the commencement in the morning and which had
continued ever since. The mp and down parties both
held their ground with great tenacity and ability,
but agreed 70 compromise by a reference to the
scientific authorities al home.
LAKE GEORGE.
fv-