The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-10-17
Sketche of AN erioan Lite and
cener :.
THE ADIRONDACK.
THE ADtRONDAC3

Inc name was formerly RESTRICTED 10 In
central group containing the highest peaks
but is now applied to the various range
travcrsing the northeastern counties o
the State of New York. The lofties
points are found in the County Of Esse'
and the neighboring corners of Franklin
bat the surfaces of Clinton, ST. Lawrence
lIerkincr, Hamilton, Warren, and Wash
inglon are all diversified by the various
branches of the same mountain system
The principal ranges have a general north
castcrly and southwcsterly direction, ant
are about six in number. They rur
nearly parallel with one another, anc
with the watercourses flowing into Lake
Champlain, namely, Lake George ant
Putnam Greek, the Boquct, Au Sable
and Saranac Rivers, Recent survey:
made by, or under the direction o!, Pro-
tcssor A. Guyot, will doubtless furnish u,
with more accurate information regarding
ranges and measurements of heights than
any we can now refer to. SO far as We
have been able 10 learn from the best
authorities within our reach, the situa-
ton and names OF the most prominent
ranges are as follows: The most south
erly is that known as the Palmcrtown OF
Luzerne Mountains, and embraces the
highlands Of Lake George, terminating at
Mount Defiance, on Lake Champliin.
This range has also been called Black
Mountain range and Tongue NJ luntain+.
The cconl range, the Kayaderosseras,
ends in the high cliff overlooking Bulwag
ga Bay. The third, or Schroon rangc,
terminates ON Lake Champlain in the
high promontnry Of Split Rock. 1t bor-
ders Scmoon Lake, and its highest peak
is Mount Pharaoh, nearly 1000 feet
above tldewaer. The fourth, or Boquct
range, finds its terminus at perou Bay,
and contains Dix Peak (5 30 feet), Nip.
pie Top (4,9UO feet, Raven Hill, and
Mount Discovery. The fifth or Allron
dac range (knuwn also as Clinton Or An
SablrJ meets Lake ChampIain in the
rocks of Trembcau Point, and embraces
the highest peaks OF the system, namely,
Mount Tahawus (NIarcyl 5.379 feet,
and Mounts Mclntire, McMartin, and
San da no na, all above 5000 feet in
elevation. The series next succeeding ON
the northwest, does not consist of II single
distingui,habe range, but Of IA contlnua.
ton Of groups which may be consi Tered
as sixth range, under the name OF
Chatcaugay or Au Sable. lis highest
points are Mount Seward (5, loo feet),
and Whitctace, nearly 5000 feet in
height. We have also seen noticed a.
di-tinguishablc a rid! !c still exterior to the
last mentioned, as Chateaugay. C., the
range of the st. Lawrence.
The above-nlmed ranges are not al
ways clearly defined, as cross spurs or
single mountains sometimes occupy the
entire space between two ridges, reducing
the customary valley TO mere ravinc.
The usual uncertainty and redundancy OF
nomenclature common to mountain re-
gions, adds TO the difficulty OF obtaining
or conveying clear ideas of the local dis
trihuliun Of elevation and depression. On
the northern slope, the three rivers Bo-
quet, Au Sable with two branches East
and Wrst), and Saranac, furnish to the
traveller excellent guides for the arrange
mcnt of bis conceptions regarding the
general face Of the country. To the
south, the same office is performed by
the various branching headwaters of the
Hudson.
These mountains are granaiic, and tho
river bottoms have a light, sandy soil
The Au Sable well deserves It's name.
not only from the bar at its mouth, but
also from the sand fields through which
it chiefly flows. Steep, bare peaks, wild
ravines, and siupcndous precipiccs char
acterize the lolier Ranges. The water
falls are numerous and beautiful, and the
Lakes lovely hey nd description More
than one hundred in number, they cluster
round the higher groups of peak, string-
of gIittering gems about the stately forms
OF these proud. dark. browcd, Indian
beauties-mirrors wherein they may gaz,
upon the sUftened outlines Of their naughty
heads, their wind-tossed raiment of spt ace
fir, pines, and birch.
In the lowest valleys the oak and chest
nut are abundant, but as we leave the
shores of Lake Champlain and ascend
toward the west, the beech and Eastwood,
butternut, elm. ash and maple, hemlock
and arbor viia, tamarack, white, black,
and yellow pines, white and black birch,
gradually disappe 'r, until finally the for
est growth of the higher portions Of the
loftier submits is composed almost exclu
sively Of the various species of spruce OF
fir. The tamarack sometimes covers vasl
plains, and, with the long moss waving
from its eombre branches, looks melan
choly enough to be fancied mourn
over the ring of the axe felllng nobl'
p mes, the crack of the rife threatenn;
determination TO the deer once so numer
ous, or the cautious tread of the fisherman
under whose wasteful rapacity the lrou
are gradually disappearing. We hav,
reason 10 be thankful that all are not ye
gone-that some splendid specimens ar,
left to tell the glorious tale of the prim
eval forest, that on the more SECLUDED
lake shores an occasional deer may yet b
seen coming down to drink, and that il
the shadier pools the wary aSd sagaciou
prince of fishes still disports himself an
cleaves the crystal water with his jewelle
wedge
Berries Of all sorts spring up on tn
] =. a. L.,