Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1868-07-17


Above the plouEhman's highest line.
/ Over the osnsr's farth.st NAlis
Up, where thu airr citadel
oerlooks the surEtas lasd.capss swell
Teach thy feet % feet the grnanf
Err yet arrives the ~intry day
When Time my feet has boand.
Take the bounty of Thy birth
Taste tine lordship of the earth"
ENEEsoS.
/ There is in the whole White Mountain
group. no peak more inviting TO one ~bo
relishes little vigorous climbing. and who
enjoys magnificent panorama OF aims.
lakes, and wood, than Chocorna. This
mountain lies in The town OF Albany .in New
Hampshire, about a dozen miles south west
OF North Conway. aud almost directly on
the road from that place to Center Harbor
1t Is, from the abrupt manner in which il
rises from the plain. the most prominent
summit in the southern district OF the White
Mountains standing giant sentinel to
the great mass of mountains living 10 the
north and north west. From Paris Hill
Chocorua presents the appearance OF a long
ridge, lying in 4 north and south direction
terminating at tie southern end in a high
peak but IN approaching it from the south
the high peak is the great feature in the
landscape. in fact hiding the northern part
OF the mountain. and being. frcm its actual
elevation and from its abruptness, more i'm
posing than any other summit in the region
Having had standing invitation from
Chocorua for several years, to try both wind
and muscle upon its rough slopes. and hav-
ing arranged TO meet tried and faithful
comrade IN mountain exploration at Port
land, We left the Hin" at , A NJ OF
lovely morning in the month OF June. walk
ed down to the Cape and proceeded by
railroad, steamboat and stage. via. Port
land, Dover, Alton Bay. and Center Hlr-
bOr, to the small village OF Tamworth II on
Works, where we were set down at sunset.
three miles from the southern base Of Cho-
corua, with the magnificent peak apparently
within ter minutes walk but really at dis.
tancc requiring at least three hours Of quicl,
travelling to reach it. From Tamw oFih
Iron Works, our route lay along a charm
ING road. but not the one generally travel
ell. Half an hours walk brought u5 TO
Chucnrua Lake, a fine sheet Of water. about
mile IN length lying directly at the foot
OF the mountain. and rejecting in its calm
depth the wooded slopes, the ragged pc ak,
and the varied foliage OF the old giant tow =
ering above it.
We had been told to go about three rnilo >
and then turn to the .eit and follow the cross
road TO its termination. 1t dill not take
long to reach this "cul Of things" alter
we had Iei, the main road. We descended
to 4 small mill stream, flowing into the
lake, aud ascendc! to find ourselves cmeig-
iIE into fine clearing the road gradually
faded away, passing from n broad beaten
track to three furrows sepra.cd by long
lines OF grass; the three burrows dwiudlcd
down 30 one, and the ono vanished i'm the
door yard Of the typical New England
farm house, at the door OF which was a
broad stone step, and upon this step our
host-Friend II with his family, ENJOYING
the cool air Of evening and vigorously de-
Tending themselves against those pests Of
tie mountain 10 Junc--Back Aies and mid
ges.
To 60 through tho ceremony of iniroduc-
ton. TO find that VIC could be 'put up"
and to commence the luxurious operation
ofquailjuS deep draueh;s Of cool delicious
milk. was the work OF an exceedingly short
space oil time; nor did it take much longer
to compose our thoughts Tor the night, TO
tumble into the "bc,t bed and to 20
Drifting gentl, down the tide. Of sleep"
3 Six O'Clock ile next morning, found Us
ready TO- putting the peak Of Chocorua be-
cath our feet having first rubbed our faces
over, again and again, with an excellent
preparation found in a state Of great purity
e and coldncs' in this part Of New Hamp-
p shire. and composed OF oxygen aud hydro.
: gen aud having besides paitakcn Of plain
b but substantial rePast.
p The high peak Of Chocorua sends OF a
long spur towards lhc south east the end
b OF which .perhap, a thousand feet in height
r lies directly back Of The farm house where
ID persons ascending the mountain are enter
b tanned.
j The distance from this house to the sum
. uii IS q little over three miles. or. AZ the
saving j.. four miles up, and two mile.
i down The whole route is very plainly seen
d from the road. few miles south OF Conwa,
u Corner. y steep bill leads up through tho
woods to the top Of the spur above men.
] toned, after which the course lies along the
open ridge giving superb views upon either
side. An hours work Of this sort brings
. us to The foot OF the sharpcst piece Of climb.
ing perhaps, in the White Mountains, il
We except the deep rlvines about Mount