The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-01
OUR SUMMER RESORTS.
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.

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Over the snmmlt-Winter In July-Tn the
Clouds md Above ihe Cl0uds-A Pcrpcndicu.
lar Raiwny-The .<Old Man''-The Fiume-
How to Go Through the White Mountains
to AdvunfnGe-A Resting Place mt Bellows
Falls.
| WHITE MOUNTAINS, N. H., July 26, 1852
NY last communication was dated from the Glen
| House, at the eastern base OF Mount Washington,
where was preparing for an ascent into the clouds
| on the top OF Mount Washington. The morning was
| hazy enough. Not peak OF the mountain was Wis
able, but It was genial and pleasant In the ravine
where the Glen House stands 80 that the chances Of
good view from the top of Mount Washington
looked pretty fair. Anyhow the party "b0oked" for
| the Notwithstanding about forty-started OF
| in excellent spirits. and in four excellent open
| coaches, each drawn by six horses The coaches
| were Open because If they had sides, tops or
/ windows or anything that would catch
! breeze, they would be very likely 10 be
blown over the abrupt precipice when they
| reached the stormy regions in the vicin-
ty OF the ledge. Although 1t Is disagreeable to be
compelled to welcome the ice clouds as your CON-
paniOns in the carriage 1t is better than being blown
down from the ACTIVITY OF mountain which that
infallible authority, the Guide Book, informs us is
$3.50 feet above the level OF something, and even
IL
not be precpltated down the trng balance Of 800
feet 1t is only railroads that are privileged to IN
dulge In this kind OF pastime. Thank Heaven, our
forty pilgrims to the shrine Of Curiosity-which is
located at the "Tiptop House"-got safely through
storms, clouds and iccles although they did
not escape cold toes ana nngers blue noses,
watery eyes and frozen whiskers. For the first
four miles we 1ourneyed IN company with the
summer weather which we had been enjoying
ut the Glen House,. bat Us we approached the
"half-way bOuse"-wbich IS not nalf way at alive
began to exchange the I'D Of July for the 2ist Of
December ana did not relish the exchange because
1t was decidedly against us. This 'haif-way house"
might be q miniature Noan's ARK resting on min
iature Mount Ararat only for the fact that is CIR
cumscrlbed within the limits OF poor shanty,
| which is braced to the mountain by stout iron
CHAINS passing the roof and that its population,
instead OF Noah's muitnudinous family Is confined
to a few fantastic roots and mineral specimens
stove is q more genial host than the uutcllman
under tine frigld circumstances, but the good-na-
tured landlord is not lacking IN courtesy and hosp
tally. II you do not purchase his curious mountain
roots and minerals you are welcome TO the warmth
OF his stove and the odds OF the viands cooking
thereon, and he takes good care to assure you OF
II you feel disposed for an adventure just leave
your coach at this point and try little walking for
u mile round one Of the most abrupt turns IN
the mountain road In the teeth Of an ICY storm. If
you can succeed in keeping your hat on your head
the magnificent valleys through which the Andros-
ooRa yU cb M Sy wrapp s m
embrace Of sunshine We had such Views ut inter
walls al the way But the wind Is piercing cold here.
! able. For the next three miles We journey 10 the
| summit OF Mount Washington, wrapped in q sheet
OF mist which penerates TO the bones, seeing nothing
but the well piled up stones close by, which look
| though they might nave been abandoned by the
but yesterday green and seallke is their surface
few pretty flowers, some pink, some white and
delicate lavender color smile upon lis from the dark
ciefts Of the rocks and make us wonder how these
gehtre children OF nature can so complacently &C.
cept the destiny which has welded their innocent
beauty to the sterile ragSeaaess around them Ar,
travel the coaches are driven into barn, where
We dismount glad OF the shelter which
moisture from garments. From this barn to the
other one called the IlptOp House, ~ the ascent ~
| attained by kind OF scramble over broken rocks.
| with cold we stagger along until the words clip
top House," in rude letters, painted on board and
nailed TO the door of miserable looking shanty as
| sure us that at the "hOtel'' on the summit
OF Mount Washington. The Interior Is contradic-
| warm clean, COSBY comfortable ami most righteous
| INSIDE bat abOninabe without. Here we fell upon
D curious group OF nOndescripts in all kinds OF cos
tunes. TO Distinguish the sex was an utter impos-
sbility but to discover that they strong minded
enough to 80 out into the teeth OF the rnists aud
| clouds to see a view OF the surrounding and much
famed scenery when there was no possibility OF see
ing anything but their noses-and these, may add,
were OF q delicate azure tnt-required only single
| glance.
hauled up distance nom pastures and gardens OF
$500 feet or Whereabouts, and hence not very fresh
nor tender those who were ventnresome enough took
their seats In the cogwheel railroad car, which de-
sends almost perpendiculariy for three miles the
| western face OF the great mountain. Seating our
selves in the and Uracng our feet So as 10 pre-
| serve our equiibrium-for we were seated at an
| angle OF forGy-dve degrees--we commenced to de-
scend amid the farewell sautations vi our friends
snS Ms a@S ear Of
| and from some Of the pious aud tmid. God send
you safe y we starred on our Journey down the face
| over "Jacob's Ladder" on which pedestrians used
to crawl, beside the bride path where even now
| guests OF .he Crawford House ascend on ponies.
| There is no reason to suppose that this railroad Is
unsafe. Tue locomotive runs with cogwhcei
on groovcd rail IN the centre OF the road The pas
senger car is similarly furnished. Each Is indie
pendent of the other so that they can be detached at
q moments notice and brake1 down just az quickly.
The views down the road are superb. Looking
through Clouds out OF which you pess into the sun
light the scenery IL past description But this appa
rently perious though really most agreeable voyage
over, stage journey on plank road brought US
to the Crawford House kept IN excellent style 10
the Flume Cascade aud the Silver Cascade, which Is
artistically beautiful. Mr. Hartshorne and Mr.. Wol.
White Mountain Notch BEST seen in the evening in
which the beautiful Silver Cascade and Fume cas-
Gade come pouring down the face Of ne mountain;
valley OF the Saco on the road from North
Conway are delicious Willard almost surmounts the
Mounts webster and Clinton overlook it. The
journey from this to the Profile House L. by stage,
write you are in the presence q the cold Man Of
the @ountaln''-one OF the lew things which are
| not guide book frauds. It IA veritabe human
profile made up by about four different rocks, which,
when seen from one particular spot make periec'
human face. The Plume, q grand spectacle OF ma
tural, bold beauty; the ''Po0l,n which IL hardly
worth the trouble OF going TO, and the Basin,
| which IA far more attractive, comprise all the
curiosities about the Pronie House, but the hote
IL so exquisitely situated In basin formed pJ
perpendicular mountains that soiourn there Ia de
! iightful. There Is quite large company here now
and the visitor will be Immediately struck WIN TN
( sociabity and Pheasant companionshlp winch pre-
| vail here.
r Having seen oil the beauties OF the White Noun
tans those who desire to seek "fresh fields ana pas
| lures new" can best secure them by stage roe
r Littleton, where the White Mountain Railroad. I'M
Q Connecticut and Passumpstc, and the Connecucu
a | River road will convey them whithefs0ever Snel
c will, west or south, TO Saratoga or New YORK o
| Boston, leaving the mountain charms behind then