Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-09-21


half,-ln my ignorance thought il the worst piece
Of ground ever travelled and then we scratch
ed and scrambled our way, following " blazad
track, for eight miles more. The track led ovs
spurs Of mountains, through valleys, up the bed.
Of brooks, across swamps; but all the time up m
up. We turned little out Of our path. at ono
point about half way up, to visit Lake Golden
clear sheet Of water deep in among the mountain
Mt. Golden rising sheer up from the brink on 1ra
hand and on the other Mt. Mcintyre. The w4,s,
is beautifully clear, but there is not a fish in IL
40 far as has been agcertained.
We were we'll nigh tired ont when we re1,bo4
the canning place, about half past eleven, havi,.
twelve miles Of very rough noun.
tain travel and were glad enough to stop and f-z
some pork-or toast it, rather, more rii7'ic9 On :,
forked stick After half an hours rest. We star
cd for the TOP, a mile and half Of climbing A,
steep as roof in many places. The halts f.-
breath and to bring up the rear grew more frs-
quent and longer, but we climbed on, until after
an hour and a half of hard work, we stood on TIE
summit.
The view from the top Of Tahawus, on perfac..
Iy clear day, must be magnificent. At the tino
we were there the horizon was bazy, and We 'o1'i
mot see what would have delighted us most Of al.
Lake Champlain The outline Of Camels Hum
and Mansfield could be dimly seen through The
haze, and that was all. If the sky had been
quite clear, we could have seen Mt. Washl1-to1.
and we could have looked down into the streets
of Burlington. You would have taken no o1t.-a
of us. though, being Just then in the thickest Of 'h
fight, on Election Day. Wevoted for Fairha 1ss
Did you hear us !
Close at the left as you lock eastward, Mt C.r
don and Mcintyre rear up their heads. f1rt5r-
off and forward stands Whiteface; on the right
Mt. McMartin towards the front is Baldiace, a-l
a score of smaller elevations eli up the gap. The
,;des Of MANY of these mountains are scanned v--
Lido some are wooded to the top, and some ts77-
nm their peaks entirely bare. Of Tahawus itself
tbere are but a few hundred feet Ofthe top bare
trees. and scrubby spruces grow in every ,le-er-i
nook of the rocks a long way after you leave The -
est itself. There is no good view Of the mol-.
tain to be had all the way up there, at present.
When a bride path is cut,-as might Dc e1s-
done and as tourists come Ottener, doubtles
be done,-glimpses of the top will be cau--.
casionaIly. The TOP is not such a sharp ca1e
appears from distance; there is quite .l--s
level SPACE, covered with patches Of mosse7 l-.
a, the very ton we found little pool Of rain va
ter not vet evaporated. The Commodore ri.seI
little flower in a sheltered corner, and C. gaia
cred some Of the various moses
There is not such view Of the lake c111.-7
from the top Of Mt. Marcy 1 supposed To
the distance the Saranac Lakes appeared. coy
uer of Long Lake was just visible, and ,v1 o-
three smaller ponds here and there. That was
all. Northwards one little pond lay deep m
among the hills which Mitchell said was called
Lonely Pond,-s most appropriate name. We
looked down into North Elba, sixteen miles away
Mitchell said he saw a house door open, but c.l.l
not see anybody stirring. After looking mo-
ment longer he said 90 don't see any cat abe--
either" If there had been one. he would have
seen it.
l cannot tell you all saw from the pinn7-
we stood, or rather crouched on, for the wind was
strong and piercing, and we were glad to get be
hind a large rock, for shelter-it viii take more
time and space than either Of Us could afford. W.
left the top soon after two, stopped few minute
at the camping place-it took just half the I'M.
to 20 down the peak that it took to CLIMB 17-
and then plunged on without hating; u. F-
reached Calamity Pond four miles ana aldil pm
Hunters. Here is little open s"amPJ 'p +. a.
the woods, just-a at the border OF ponur rendered
mem orable for the death Of Nr. Henderson -..
fifteen wears and one day before we were there
He was killed by the accidental discharge Of ls
Dist0I neat stone monument, brought t-i-.a-
bv great labor stands on the rock where the sl-..
weapon was laid. 1t is dreary des0la5e spa.
itself and made more so BY the shadow tia.
ument casts over it.
On down the mountain it is after five
and clouds are coming up fast; il viii rain .. s
we can get out Of the woods, and we d-l. 10
weary limbs along over rock and STONE anil Big
and brush, now going down kneedeep into l1.
covered with treacherous moss, now SPRAYING
full length over a stick that triH thrust itself be-
tween our legs, down, down. It grows darker
we descend. Mitchell looks back anxiOusy- 20 e
how we stand it, and begins 10 talk about r-s ra1
We stumble on as fast as possible, and at .ns- 90
eur great Joy come out of the woods into the ors-
Yet even now Hunters seems long vayo-. l-.
courage one foot before the ether, AMI By l-'
BY we come into the settlement, AMI crla. into
Hunters, pretty nigh used up
Well, without Dragging it Is a feat seldom -s
- Pr
elled between half past six A. NJ. ana seven 7.
was twenty-se7en MILESTONE call 1t thirty.
the top Of mountain nearly 5000 feet high
certainly should not have made the atteur- W.
had known what an exhaustiDg climb II
With blistered feet and aching bones we v-'
bed, that night.
Next morning, for variety, we walked - -.
rain ten miles to the Lower Works. Ti--i IsH
were, it was better than riding, over tia -.li
Once there, we got dry clothes and easy s. Is. --
rested all the afternoon. After dinner, "
started for his home, six miles of, as We al.
further occasion for his services. We watched E.
as he strobe away, no whit the worse for the --s-
Of the day before, and the morning walk. ISL
a tough hardy frame " Tough SAIL q
who stood with Us, an acquaintance Of NIf--
Tough yes, tough as a bIlsf oirl ''
OF our journey to-day from Tshawus % ---
Point fifteen miles Of it over hoird car.-
| have no disposition to speak par ticuil-.7 b.
IS a painful subject. Suffice it % say, that o.
man who would 60 to Long Lake by way of Cow
Point in the present condition OF the ROAD. -.
better have double springs rugged 11 Dbl
joints, and screw his head most uuc1--.--
highland then it can't be done without -i..
Ing to pieces.
Wegot here about eight clock have bal ,-.
supper, C. has gone TO bed, proposing Co tlss .
tomorrow, and the Commodore and I. while l7.
ing the midnight boat, are enjoying the mgr
warm and pleasant, the moon shining ---
across the water, and the Aurora waving its Z -t-
ing banners over all the sky. What .aidl--
display now broad arch around tho north
ROW shooting spears Of flame up 70 the zerit-l-l-
in masses OF rose-colored, green and yellow -
filing the whole northern sky; and now s-s
hangs like a quivering veil gathered il
mighty hand the zenith, and dropping ID ----
ming folds all round to the horizon
Hark the steamers paddles 50 still Is
night that we can hear them four miles Of. -l-
will be here in 4 few minutes, and then, ----s-
for home Aiieu. f