The Portland daily press., 1862-09-11

/
Top House. Nearly a dozen vehicles are
drawn up at the door, bound for Gorham
with those who leave, and for the mountains
with new visitors. This one with six horses,
the driver says, is for us. Oh, never mind
that bear. He is huge, black, savage look
ing creature, to be sure, as he walks about
there, and would no doubt be glad to test the
quality of our flesh if he could get to us but
he Is chained to that pole, and can come no
nearer-so please quiet your nerves, ladies,
and get aboard; we will make Bruins acquaint-
ance further, on our return, If desired. All
ready? Now we are Off to snuff the air above
the clouds that hang around those Alpine
heights looming up in the distance. But here
we are, brought up suddenly, almost as soon
as we start "Your toll, If you please" says
gentleman, as he emerges from the dollhouse,
on the bank of the creek-"70 cents each.,-
But our fare is $3.50, from the Glen House
up and back, is this? extra, sir, we reply
"Yes, sir" says the TOLL gatherer-"the carriage
road is owned by Mr.. Pingrey, of Salem, Mass,
built at a cost Of $4,000, and is a separate
enterprise, having no connection with the Glen
House. The fare up the old road was $3.50,
so you pay only 30 cents more for this smooth
ly graded carriage road instead of being COM
PEELED to climb up the rocks, as formerly, over
the old bride path, at the risk of your ife.
satisfactory, sir; many thanks to Mr.. Pin
grey; go ahead driver
Now for the ascent. 1t is eight miles TO the
top, and we must rise, probably, about 5000
feet above this point-that is, more than 600
feet perpendicular for every mile we advance.
Up we go. What splendid panorama opens
up to view, as we progress, and reach the old
halfway house. "What is that faint streak.
looking like wall around the point of rocks,
away yonder, and running along the almost
perpendicular side of the mountain in the dis
tance" sour road" says the driver. as it
possible we must pass along herel Oh, driv-
er, you ,ciU be careful, and not throw us down
that awful precipice," says the nervous lady
on the back seat, as she catches view, of the
apparent dangers. The assurance of the driv-
er, and the hilarity of the party, quiet her
voice, but not her fears. Like the voyage of
life, where anticipated difficulties so often van
ish, as We approach them, so does this. We
pass along as safely and easily as though in an
omnibus, on Middle street. Ladies and gen
tlenen on horseback gallop past us, while 9TH
ers on horses, and in carriages are coming
down, with occasionally pedestrian minglng
in the throng. We have been three hours
coming so far-one hour more will bring us to
the top. See that snow yonder, on the south
slope Of Mt. Adams; there is huge bank COW
ering several acres; STILL on this 7th of Au-
gust defying the suns power to send it, in a
liquid state, to swell the mountain torrent in
the ravine below. Snow, sometimes, we are
told, remains there the entire season. Up, up
We go, still. Every advance, and every turn
of the road adds new charms to the grandeur
of the scene before us. No trees obstruct the
view. We are above them. Moss is almost
the only evidence of vegetable life. Ho, yon-
der is the top! See, the Stars and Stripes float
proudly in the mountain breeze. We are up,
at last. Alighting few steps below the sum-
init, we walk up, and join the throng on the
roof of Tip Top House. Walk carefully
these rocks are sharp and jagged, just as they
were left by nature, after the mighty upheav-
al of all this region, from the depths below.
Gaze on the scene. We are $3.50 feet above
the level of the sea. The everlasting noun
tains in grand sublimity are all about us. Ad-
ans, Jefferson, Monroe, Clay, Madison, Frank
lin, Clinton, Jackson, Webster, &c, (see
Chace's map of Maine), stand like sentinels
around us, paying their obeisance to Washing
ton, on whose proud summit we are standing.
Yonder, down that fearful chasm, is Tucker
mans ravine. 1t is 2700 feet below us, reach
ed by rugged path of / "a miles, and that
lady, coming up the rocks there, with those
gentlemen, has visited it this forenoon See.
she has some snow as trophy. Taste it, yes
1t is snow. She says she walked up this cele-
brated ravine under snow arch which did
moi fall while she was under it, but will soon,
just as Table Rock at Niagara did not as we
stood on it one day, looking over into the
mighty abyss below us, though it did soon af-
ter. Courageous girl,-may her face long
CLEAN with health, and her step be as elastic
as to-day while on her mountain rambles-
Yonder is monument, showing where Miss
Bourne of Kennebunk perished, only few
rods from this house of refuge. She lost the
old bride path you see near by, in binding
snow storm, and sank, benumbed and lifeless,
among the craggy rocks. But look in the dis
tance. The lakes, ponds, cities and villages in
view we cannot enumerate. There is Sebago
Lake that does not supply Portland with pure
running water from its crystal bosom we hope
in due time it will. Take that glass and sweep
the horizon-what magnificent panorama.
But we must not linger here too long now.
Let us 90 down to the parlor and be ready for
dinner. They can seat only 40 at once, and
and here are more than 100; SO have come
up with us to-day from the Glen House, and
some 30 slept here last night. Dinner over,
Fifth Avenue price, Sl.00; but all right-this
gentleman tells me he pays $500 year rent
for these buildings, and it is worth something
TO be entertained so near the third heavens,
while ordinary mortals are so far below us.
More than 1900 visitors have been up this sea-
son, and the number now is about $50 day.
Many stay here over night, but it is triumph
of courage TO do so. The wind is terrible See
how these roofsare held down by strong iron
bands and ropes anchored to the rocks, we are
told large amount is offered to any one who
will stay here through the winter. and keep
meteorological record for scientific purposes,
but no one dare venture. See that group yon-
a IN nIxy H..