The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-03-21

scathed trees, boldly relieved by moonlight
tho glittering ledge, and the dark old
shanty in the background-oombined to pro-
sent very wild picture. At the shanty We
kindlcd FIRE, took lunch, and, upon an
old straw bed, laid down ona snow DRIFT, and
drowsed till daybreak. l ..e.l 'lIH
At sunrise we started for "Pip-TOp," with
out snow.shoes. Soon began the labor Of
advancing by cutting steps in the Ice. When
we halted to rest we noticed the stiffness
that rcigued around us--not breath Of air
mot sound Of running water-for beneath
a wintry robe every waterfall was chained.
How like blank solitude was this death.liko
silence! Yet, its Loneliness was pleasantly
enlivencd by the wonderful and widespread
landscape beneath and around US, that af-
forded ample scope for admiration. A thou.
rand pyramids Of smoke hung above dark
objects that were roughly set in wide white
margins. What host Of hopes. fears, joys
and sorrows were grouped in these homes
below! But VIC will not speculate, for the
task before us is to bc accomplished slowly
and carefully. .-. ,....
About FIVE miles up wc came to q wide
field Of Ice, where Wa could not possibly nd.
vance without cutting deep steps. Its not
fiction to declare that as the pieces Of ice
went whirling down like heavy shower Of
hail, at least 800 feet below, shudder such
US teaches poor mortality its weakness, came
over us. One false step or careless motion,
in such place, would have sent us down
down-and given us name with other
victims of rashness. About six miles up we
come to dccpdrift that covered many acres;
and here, not being able to follow the road, {,
VIC wandered for long way over snow
thrown up and hardened in fanciful wavy
shapes. sAt one place we climbed through
the tops Of dwarf growth, thst had the ap.
pearance Of buried wilderness. Hero took
lunch, and In brisk south wind that had
been rising for the last half hour, found the
temperature 90 above zero. Looking to-
ward Mount Carter, we beheld long line OF
black storm. clouds, with rainbow tinted
borders, whirling wildly over, and filled with
fear for the coming night, up we hastcned-
yet gained our object slowly fora one time,
when had slipped down, looked, and both
of my companions were down. too, but re.
membering the old adnge, that "mi'ery
loves company" kept silent. ....- p .
As we approached the Tip Top, heavy
black cloud was wildly whirling over and
as the wind, with roar like thunder drove
the wintry mass toward us, we became en-
veloped in its embrace, and soon the snow
and lrust had 50 whitened us, that perchanco
old Winter was never bcttgr personated than
by us. Words are u very imperfect medium
by which to picture the sceno that the Tip
Top presented. Tho two houses stand out
in bold relief, and every rock.heap and great
rock about the summit is now to be seen
through thick covering Of glittcring ice.-
Crusted leaves Of snow stand out from jagged
parts on the northerly side. in oil tho imagin-
able and fancifil shapes that the frost ever
painted on window glass. For the last half
mile below the top, wo could distinctly see
through the ice and snow, tho wheel.tracks
made in the carriage road last season; and
with the exception of now and then deep
DRIFT, the whole mountain summit shows its
rocks. .....t ..,.. ........t .........
There is great drift at the southerly end
of the houses, and hardened SHOWS has leveled
up the irregular top 50 that with the exceP-
ton of the eternal wind, II is comfortable
walking on the crust or ice pointed snow
The tops Of both houses are thickly coated
with solid ice-rough and pointed in all
imaginary shapes. We walked up on the
drift-broke away the ice from tho southerly
gablc.end window OF the Summit House, and
taking out window entered the attic, where,
after removing the snow, we brought up from
tho darkness and ICY confusion ofa lower
room, u stoye-got some wood from the Tip
Top House, kiudled a fire and piling around
our little stove barricade Of mattresses, Ire-
pared to pa~ the night. Ths heavy wind
swept by like thunder and We slept. Two
days. labor and excitement, with our mid
night walk to "the Ledge had imposed
quite tax upon our powers Of endurance,
and we needed not the tempest that was
gathering. till late In the morning we found
our habitation In wild thick storm. Ian.
cuage cannot paint the hopes and fears that
struggled in the mind at such time-but to
make the best Of our condition. we prepared
for seigc and looked about. The interior
Of both houses we found much deranged by
tho Winter storm. Snow and ice, from three
inches to five feet thick, lay piled in all
direc,ions--tho furniture being most curious
ly set in white feathery castings. In the bar.
room we noticed spade which was eucased
In clear ice. and in one place little cord
suspended from tho root, bad assumed the
appearance Of glass tube some two inches
thick and two feet long. The cloth roonns
and wall paper in many rooms torn down,
wh;,s fancy snov vresths and icicles arc all
around upon the walls and roofs The dark
euod windows. with the thick covering with