Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-03-07
From the coos Coaaiy lispuLlieaa.
Ascent Of Mt. Washington In February

anu ~ usDIauiulhsf nv w bshN'S'e's ~
H., started from that place for the top Of
Mount Washington. We found the roads
bad, and arriving ut the Glen at dark tia,
day (: having previously determined to spend
the Fret night u, the Ledge" thalf way
up the mountsip) We resolved to ~ on With.
Oh, sleep. After partAking OF a 'ob.,an.
tial supper q, the Glen House. Mr.. ThomP-
son aud vile kindly Offered Us any necdlal
thing that mi GIT be lacking Tor our excursion.
When all had erprc'sed good wishe. Tor our
success, We .aid - good night - and started
a, o'clock up the Mountain. The moon
was shining brightly as With ample packs,
I filed With blankets and provisions. We sliw-
ly walked Up the Carriage Road on snow.
shoes. The night va. still. and highly sS.
cited q. we were by The thoughts Oi the al.
venture before u'. the 'rrihg OF our shoes
on the glit,erins crust seemed music TO vs.,
while the tree shadows thrown across Our
path. and III. white winding road contrast.
Ing with the dark evergreen ,hicke,s, CON.
binei to make our nigh, salk quite varied
In incidents and it Was past mIibigl when
wO arrived a, 1.-THE Ledge" The great
barn bull, theru las, season. We found in
ruin. and this. with tho fre-scaibsi trees,
boldly relieved by moOnliehi--,hc Sll,isrins
ledge. and tbs dark old 'haniy In the tack
groubd-cOnbined to present. Isry'wII
picture. Al the 'haniy We kindlei fre--
took lubeh-and upon an old straw bed,
laid down on a .novdriii. drowseI oil! day.
break.
At sunrise vc started for the" Tip Top
without snow shoes. Soon besan the labor
OF advancing by cutting steps IN tho 'e'.
When We halted 10 res, We noticed the still
nc.. tha, rrignsd around w., not breath
Of air--not sound Of running Wa,er-for
ben.a,h uintry ROBE every waterfall Wa'
chained. How Ike blank solitude was ,h'
dea,h.lke .ilence yet, its lohsline-. va,
plea.antly ebliveneI by the wonderful an
widespread landss.?e beneath and around
Us. that afforded ample scope Tor aimira-
ton. Far away, and near at hand, arose
glii,erlng peaks. 4 thousand pyramids Of
smoke hung above dark objcei', that we're
roughly set IN vide white margins. What
hos, Of hopes, fears. aud sOros,, rero
grouped 10 these homes belos Bot No
will no, speculate. for the task before US Is
70 be accomplished slowly and carefully.
Abou, Eve mile. up, We came to vide
s-ld o, ice, where We could no, possibly a.
vance ~i,bou, cutting 'lecp 'tep' lti,pet
fiction 20 declare that. a. the pieces Of Ice
wen, whirlips down like heavy shower Of
hail. q, lsa., eigh, hundred feet telov, .
shudder. such as teaches poor mortality l's
weakness, came over ~, One false step OF
earoles. motion. in such rher, would have
sent u. dOwn-dOwn--and given u' na'no
with other victims Of rlshnes. About III
mile. up. we came 10 a deep dri, tina, CIV
srud many acres and here. no. being able
20 follow the road. wS wandered ior long
way over snow thrown Up aud hardened 10
ianei'ul Way shapes. AZ one place vs
climbed through the top. OF dwarf growth,
tina, had the appearance Of buried vllicr-
ness. Here We took lunch. ani m brisk
south wind tia, had BEEN rising TOT The last
half hour. found tho temperature 81 above
Isro. Lookin; toward ut. Carter We bo'
held long line OF black storm CLOUDS WIN
rainbow tinted borders, whlrllng Wildly
over. and hlled with Tear Tor the coming
night. ur We ha-tenei--ye' gamer our 90
Jet slowly--ior al one time when ! had
slipped down, looked, Ani both OF my com
panlons were down too. but Remembering
the old adaee that" misery loves comfany''
kept silent.
A. We approached tie TIP Top, heavy
black cloud was wildly whirllns over and
as the wind with a roar Ike thunder drove
the winty mas, toward vs., We becamt en-
,cloped 10 it, embrace, and soon the snow
and frost bad 80 whl,en~l US, tha, rcrchAncc
old winter was never better per'ohated than
by US. Word, are very imperfect medium
by which to picture the scene that the Tip
Ton RESENTED. The two houses stand out
in bold relief. and every rock.heap, anil
rrc,, rock abcu, the summit. are now TO 10
seen through 4 thick covering Of glusrng
ics. Cru.ted leaves o, snow stand on, from
the aged Part. on the northcrly side In al
the imaginable and fanciiul shapes that the
/ fro.t ever painted On window ga-. For
the las, half mile below the top, W, could