The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-13
OUR SUMMER RESORTS.
CiTsLiLL MOUNTAINS.
In the NIountaius-(sraudeur Of the Scenery
The Faiis--GoOd Appetites-Sweet siuri-
bers-The Storm.

In the NIountaius-(sraudeur Of the Scenery
The FaIis--iso0d Appetites-Sweet Siuri-
ber.-The Storm.
CATsKrLL MOUNTAINS, July $, 1869.
I write this letter with the lightnlngs playing oil
about me from the piazza OF the Laurel House
tall hemlock mas THIS moment been riven 10y the
lightning and the thnnder-aIways the most fear
ful-has aroused me To tell you something OF the
manifold wonders OF this cloud land One day last
week q mischevous urchn set or pack OF fire.
crackers under our window in the city, ana shall
not say what potent influence 1t had send US, T.,
ourself and ours 10 the mountains. ''Let us have
peace,n ON the Fourth said ours, and so that night
found us on board the Thomas Powell in charge or
Captain Abrams. We awoke in Catskill and at
noontde party were safely housed IN TINS
mountain home. .n. ,
think your readers would like to know frat Of all
some facts to the merits of the Catski Mountains
as q summer resort. To my mind, after an intimate
acquaintance OF many summers with South Mount
ain, North Mountain, Cauterskin Glove Stony Cove,
the falls at the Laurel House, Old High Peak-as
arduous to climb ana almost as grand as Mount
washlngton-with many other attractions, there is
no place 50 New YORK superior to these mount
aims. II extravaganza 10 say that the Catskils
are the most beautiful mountains in this land. Cole
the artist who made his residence here has proved
this and Bryant, and many poets artists and judges
Of natures best works have confirmed his testimony
There more sights TO see, more mountains, gens
cascades, gorges, chasns cloves and outl0oks TO
climb and do than in any other American mountains
now accessible. Take an example. Yesterday we
at two O'Clock A. NJ, to journey OH foot some
ten miles to tile top OF South or High Peak This the
king OF the Catskl and irving tells us the Indians
have legend that ManitOu and the great squaw
spirit keep In old High Peak their treasury OF storm
and dwells the highest point OF this peak. Here
she opens her treasury wherein she brews the storm
or the sunlight. When she opens her wigwam some
times sunshine and sometimes storms come forth.
AT six A. NJ. we were Endng fire on this spot.
One OF our party found wigwam but no sQuaw
therein. Here after cooking and eating substan.
a breakfast your eyes Toasted with the greatest
panorama OF beauty on this Continent. The White
Mountains, two hundred miles away seem sending
forth the sun; the highlands below Newburg are
plainly visible, Albany and Troy with their gilt
tern0 spires are nestled down rs two little
hamlets that seem never to have known rivalry aud
below piles on pies oil lesser mountain peaks over
which South Peak relgns. The CauterslSill Glove,
the richest study for artists in America IL at your
ieet the falls of the Cauterskl and the Laurel
House. Haines' and other houses in these noun
rains seem hiding beneath the dense foliage as II
AFRAID OF being alone In so much solitude OF the
mountains. And this Is but one view OF hundreds,
Ii not thousands. Then descend to the plain, and
what dinner You ENJOY or mountain food; milk
that is sweet only in memory TO New Yorker,
berries fresh and snccueDt rs nature can make
them; and then what delicious sumberl have
never known the sleep in other places tnat always
find here. No mosquitoes, no heat no molstened
air, but dry, pure, cool and refreshing.
Some people take delight In landscape, i. e., ma
ture III masses. They cannot seem to get enough OF
views. Standing on North Mountain. then, accessi-
HE from this place az about two or three hours
walk, any one can have his Ill OF varied views.
To my mind North Mountain excels even High Peak.
South Mountain has western and southern views,
but North Mountain looks every way. Other people
love nature In the small. To such no place in ali
this world can equal The Canterskin Fails. They
In all 200 feet high. One can pass under the
sheet OF water amt pluck flowers in the very mist
where the water FLASHES from above. Let such az
love cooi eens and cascades start from the steps
Just below the Laurel House. and after view
ing the cascade, made immortal by poets,
painters and travellers OF all lands, turn 10
the left and follow by good mountain path the
10 its entrance into the plain at the foot
OF the Glove. There Is nothing that have seen
tains for beauty, am Iextravagant for grandeur
there Is not in the Catskis except In the thunder
storm, and then the beauty becomes giant Of
power.
Nowhere have seen storms equal In sublimity to
the thunder storms IN the plateau overlooking the
Hudson. You seem to lie in the storm, ana might
say, almost part Of it. The iightninRs play about
your head as II they were your familiar friends and
them alter the cloud has rolled away TO the east
ward nearly all the thunder storms do, it seems
to Ill ali the vast PLAIN below, and
1t h poetry nor stretch OF the
imagination when aflrm, as you have often read
before, reader. that the lightnlngs play about be-
meath you, and while the sun Is shining above
you watch the storm king In his often cruel gambos
of lightning beneath you. would that our A meri
people wound learn 10 love their mountains
ana the follies of mere places Of dissipation
less. Here the soul a. vel AS the body Is refreshed
and the business man. the scholar or the profess
sIonal man returns To his duty new man. Perhaps
the most central pout from when TO visit the entire
mountains Is the Laurel House, Kept by Mr. j. l..
Schnit. He IL knickerbocker, an obiiging host,
and has thorough acquaintance with the noun
t2ins. Besides all this hts terms are reasonable and
has table Is supplied with all the luxures OF the
season