Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-03
Winooski and Cancels Hump.

to this portion Of our statei
Were poet | would sing summer dyl,
would sing the Winooski and It's mountain body
guard. Were | a man Of science, would inter-
pert its auto biography, written as it is in lines Of
rythmic beauty along the 0nion-and, and through
the Appalachian mountain passes. But being
neither, e,n only give rude sketch Of It's flu
vial life, and make rough guesses at rich meanings
which are without doubt deeply craven every
where on It's erraced and rock-rent pathway.
This beautiful river of Central Vermont has its
origin along the eastern forks Of the Green Noun
hins. Its main branch trickes down from Long
Pond in the town OF Woodbury., town studded
with fifteen crystal gems Of the same kidd. This
sheet Of water, high up in the hills, two miles
long, three-quarters wide, is deeply interesting
from ls identity with Long Pond, now Runaway
Pond, ia Glover, in every respect except the dis
reputable one OF running away. 1t has the same
elevation, length breadth, and volume It's basin
occupies the watershed OF two valleys running in
the same direction; it has a similar embsnkment
Of Quioisand surmounted with an inorustation Of
clay ~ It's northwest end; and as a slight interfer.
ence changed the flow Of Runaway Pond from the
Mssisco TO Barton River, so might small ac-
cdent drain Long Pond into the Lamoille, and
make II no longer the head-water Of the Win
ooski.
Sweeping down through several beautiful lakes,
through deep ravines and over jagged preciplces,
recording its history in an endless variety OF al
uyial watermarks, il awaits Just above Montpe-
er the according melody Of its singing sister, the
East Branch and now the river chorus in duet
s fairly commenced. The East Branch has its
birth in the Onion River Pond, an enchanting
little body Of water situated on high plateau IN
the town Of Msrshfeld. The water Of this mla-
iature lake. in leaving the plateau, makess descent
Of several hundred feet, within the space of
quarter Of mile, and forms the Little Wlnooskl
Falls. This cascade Of great interest aud
beauty especially when the volume OF water is
Augmented by yernal or autumna rains. Down
a narrow and tortuous valley the waters go with
iu,erminabie alternatlous Of light and shade, in
meadow, glade and glen, till they mingle with ss-
ter waters from the mountain lake. Then comes
in Barre River, and the waters OF Berlin Pond,
made musical and poeiical by the experience OF a
dozen bewitching cascades.
Now that We are at Montpelier, let us rest awhile
and see the Capitol, building combining in an
unusual manner good Judgment and cultivated
taste. Who is that stalwart figure standing be-
llA Lllf udaaiNt plllhIb VI klt plonk1pi "hNtS
aspect bespeaking fearessness, purpose and irwin
oiOility, graspiug in one hand his scabbard, with
! the other raised to heaven, while every lneamens
Of his face, and every curve and angle OF his whole
/ form cry out, In the name OF Almighty God
and the Continental Congress That ia the
statue Of Ethan Allen, the Liberstor OF Vermont,
chiseed out Of Vermont MARBLE by one of her
own sons, the youthful Mead, now studying Art
! in Italy. In the work and the character symbol
ICES the people of Vermont have just pride and
in the young artist whoses first great work araces
beoomlagly their State Capitol. they cherish high
and confident hopes,
Then i! you wish to see a memento OF the Pc
rod when ocean waves rolled unobstruced above
the whole land, and when the inhabitants OF the
deep sported around these submerged mountain
peaks, We will step into the Museum, and see the
skeleton Of the whale exhumed in the town oi
Charlotte. And in the remains OF the elephant
cug up in Rutland, wa shall see proofs ofa widely
d tierent geologic age, when these mountains we're
lifted into the SKY ottroplc warmth and produc-
tveness, and the denirens Of the equatorial belt
graz-d on these hilIsdes and wandered through
these valleys,
Again embarked, We End tributary streams
coming in a; Dog River, splnie-like, vending its
way through reeds and rushes Mad River, fnri-
Gus in winter storms, but gentle in the gentle
summer: and Waterbury River from the lovely
valley OF Stowe, eloquent with the praises oi Moss
Glen L lis, the Mammoth Fountain and Mansfield
Mountains, Middlesex Narrows will detain US
awhile, and psy for the detention. The river in
the lapse OF long ages has for quarter OF a
mile worn its channel through the hssures add
oon,orlions OF the yielding talcose slate, where II
wends il devious way, now almost disappearing,
now breaking forth in surges and whlrlpools, I'll
it falls into deep flume caused by the disrup-
ton OF the perpendculr strata. and through this
chasm, full OF Nldness aud grandeur, II makes iis
way into the quiet valley below.
The river BASIN between Mlddesex Nauows
and Bolton Falls is a splendid exemplhcatio1 OF
acustrine terraces. These are traceable almost
TO the mountain tops, and mark the gradual sub
sidenoe Of the great lake that once filed this val
ley. As barrier after barrier gave way, the vesti-
ges Of this gradual drain we're left permanently
upon the ,erraoed valley sides. These mount up
one above another 10 beautiful succession, delight
ing the eye by their graceful curves, aud crafty
ing the understanding with sure indications of
immt moral changes, The rocky barrier at Boil
ton Falls was the last one to give way 10 this ir-
repressibs aqueous agency. While this remained
the lake flowed back as far as Montpelier, and
there was fall Of near two hundred feet. But IN
length OF time this tough metamorphic rock gave
way, the immense volume OF water swept through
and the vast blocks which lay piled up, ard the
oyerhangpg precpce rising hundreds OF feel
above tue dark chasm, are the permanent record
1 the stupendous conyusion by which the change
( was wrought.
For the last dozen miles OF our voyage our at
tenuon has been attracted ever aud anon by The
emergence into view of a noble mountain peak
with a strange confgurstion Of the top, whlot
some unknown poet has denominated the Camelt
Hump The name to be sure, is not euphemious
but Il was the poetic faculty nevertheless whiet
discerned the resemblance. Let US turn asid'
and see this sight, From Ridley's station to lh'
summit it is six miles. At our option we may Il
on foot or on horseback, but you who 90 on foo
q will probably rue it. The whole four thousand
n and eighty three feet must be surmounted, ant
no abatement. The Camel ID doeile in oil respect
q but can never be taught TO stoop. Van Amburgl
4 and Rirey are OF no avail, Reaching the forest
a two and half miles from the station, We hrs
= pass the bel. Of deciduous trees which skirt th
= base of the mountain. Then follows the ever
# green belt, dense and dark with its moss csrpe
r a foot in thickness. Then come the Alpin
h growths which mount almost to the summit. A
il the foot ofthe protuberance specially dsnominate
l. the Hump, the Green Mountain House is stuste
d and Mr.. Ridley furnishes US With as good fare a
Is we can get at the Revere House. Let us nov
h ascend the pinnacle. We can here finish on
'. story Of tue Winooski. Ikea silver ribbon
stretches away 10 the vest Down through
b. quiet valley It's waters 20, now rounding Aom
D. promonlory, now sweeping between ballIemeni
"A "a nlHa N ln.ninr The rtnat Winooskl EAl