The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1869-09-07
UP mt. E.IsRI.~G row M .HsS.r
LIGRT.

After a ride Of four hours from Port
land jolting over tue worn out rails Of
the Grand Trunk road, we reached Cor
ham at half past five p. m. As We had
time for only flying visit, twelve Of us
resolved TO 90 up Mt. Washington that
night, especially as there was promise
Of a clear, STILL warm evening, So, af-
ter an excellent supper at the Alpine
House, a notable feature of which vas
the best cup Of coffee ] ever found at
any hotel, we started for the mountain
in two carriages each drawn by four
horses. Our ride for some ten miles
was up a beautiful valley, with the heav
| lily wooded Carter Range on our left,
and on our right the Washington
range Madison, Jefferson, Adams, aud
Clay sweeping around to Mt Washing
ton Itself right in front Of u.s. Along
this part of our route Peabody Brook
hurrying along among lis rocks made
music for us.
Aud We had music of our own, too;I
for we made the valley ring with
psalms and hymns aud spiritual
songs" Night was fairly upon us as
we reached the Glen House. At Cor
ham we were 500 feet above tide WI
ter, now we are 1886 feet, and right
before US is steep climb Of six miles
to the height Of G,3S5 feet above the
level of the sea.
| And now begins the special glory Of
that ride-the ascent of Mt. Washing
ton by moonlight. Leaving behind us
the hum of busy life at the Glen House,
we plunge into thick mountains that
cover the lower half of the mountains
The road is fine one, constructed,
as our drivers tell us, at cost Of one
hundred thousand dollars 1t winds
back and forth upon the mountain side,
nowhere excessively steep, yet all the
way steady pull for our eight horses,
There is not much to be seen for the
first two miles. We are shut in by the
woods, except where, here and there,
we get backward view OF the valley
and the mountain beyond And some
times, as we wind about to the right,
we catch ghmpses Of the higher noun
tains beyond us. Madison, Jefferson
and Adams, marked by broad banks Of
snow cleaning in the moonlight
And there is much to be enjoyed, even
when we are shut in by the woods. A
slight breeze is among the branches, and
the shadows in the road dance to its
music. The moonlight works thous-
and wonders among the rocks, the
roots Of fallen trees the dark spruces,
the white birches, and the tall, dead
trunks, bent, twisted and scanned, and
stretching out their bare arms, as if
reaching for support to enable them to
resist the storms which are soon to
loyerthrow them
A little stream gurg!es along our left,
ramblcs under narrow bridge, then
pluuges far down the mountain side at
our right And when the night is net
filed with music Of It's own, we fill it
with ours, singing the hymns 50 lately
sung by thousand voices at the Port
land Convention. At ten o'clock we
reach the !" half way house, aud stop
awhile to rest our tired horses.
Now VIC are among tie last Of the
trees For some distance they have
been growing fever aud smaller, and
now We eau reach the tops Of tho tai
lest spruees. There are but fe~ living
ones above US, and these few strug-
gle for their stunted growth under
shelter 81 the rocks But we see many
dead trees-dwarf spruces, pealed by
the storms aud bIeached by roin and
sun, until they well deserve the name
given them the SILVER forest" They
fairly gliateDed like silver in the moon.
light
Now we SO up the ascent. The
mountain for the rest u the way is
covered with huge, broken rocks, piled
i one upon another, almost completely
hiding the surface Of the ground. And
! these rocks ars rougheued in all
strange shades. as though they had
been chisied BY giants At play, Or beat
ca by showers u hammers literal
iron bail
The view is glorious beyond de-
seriptioa. Tie air Is still, the sky u
Z clear, the moon il nearly IT the full.
. and al around u, their outlines soft
sned By the night, are the mountain
tops, and far holow us. beyond Tao
DARK belt q woods. sill glimmer the
lights q the htile city at the Glen
House. TIE whole valley u Peabody