New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-23

ness With certain minor corrections, they would make
valuable contribution to the Tourists Handbook ana
tuke valued place among tho literature OF the Adiron
daeks great pity that two writer's so we'll adapted
TO the work could not have spent many months as
they did weeks the Wilderness, and penetrated It's
depths It's for sport ana health ana gwen
TO the public in extended and permanent form
their impressions OF the region.
1t should DO kept In mind, that the hotels Tor the
part are not ~ the Wilderness but along the margin
of IT, and hence people who go farther than Paul
Smiths Martins Bartetts know nothing whatever OF
the Wilderness The Saranac and st. Regis regions arc
those sections which have been numbered ana give one
adequate idea of tho forest which stretches for
hundred miles TO the South. The lakes around these
public houses have been shed for years to supply the
table with food and for the purpose the noun
aius aud streams for miles around have been secured
for deer Now 10 has been as all can see the INTEREST Oh
the prOpretOrs OF these hotels to keep sportsmen as
boarders their tables IN such proximity 10 their
houses as weekly purchasers OF suppes and 30 IL
has come about that many had been deceived as to the
extent, peculiartes, and sporting iactos vi 'o VII
derness People who have spent month or so az SOME
OF these houses had little success In hunting or
fishing have gone out and spread the report we nave
been IN the Adirondacks ana there - no go lv en-
met gentleman. clerical brother, VINO graVely IN
formed Ar Murray had grossly exaggerated the
and knew" Upon inquiry ascertaIned that he had
been from Martins to Cold River the Racquette River
southern end o. the woods he returned to Martins
70 take up testimony aganse The facts go every year
miles directly South from where ne turned BACK,
before make my central camp Yet within twoWecks
this gentleman las publicly repeated ms charge SI eS
have seeD vast deal OF the correspondence pur
ing 10 come 0 a s NOT rom the
Wilderness" Of all but from localities along the margin
years Take illustration extract from letter to-
Chicago PaBerIIs Ess"ing Jonrng think i l. writ
| this letter. our special correspondent SAYS
In ny last letter ie" G, stated MY ~ @ S 0
any hnuuop the has aud raised against Mr. Murray and
b.: s % that sS I ss Gd Soa evenly 5
lSd se NE a' '.I. Se@ bc%oa stories Which
R s5 S ] F % he Tnl sa {sS e m.
mPo' hs to va, cog d DC , "a S Sg b. & esg for
geraon sod Fields Og0ol Co. would DO vel compel him 70
Now tins gentleman states his determination OF going
to the Ad rondacks and OF discovering for hm s
whether or not there any foundation Tor all the nue.
and cry against Mr. Murray and his volume upon these
then writing from the Adlroddacks with every facility
for correct Judgment Bnt where IN point OF iac was
pray Why only thirty miles west Of Fort William
Henry Hotel. on Lake George and forty miles east OF
which has had Office and church for hafa century
with woods worthy OF the within forty miles Of
hm-neyer having boated q single day on one Of the
pronounce whether my description Of the Wilderness is
g fact or ncon" From his abundant data for correct
| Judgment found at Roots Hotel" he comes to the
conclusion that tho said book is about evenly
divided between fact and acton IL IS also at Roots
Hotel that this writer discovers that when Expressed
my belief that 10 IL Impossible Tor one 10 eaten cOld IN
| the Wilderness tell whopper" Now II Is not for
the sake OF retOng upon this gentleman but In order 10
reterlte to the public my belief that say being &C
quanted with hundreds who have camle9 ~ te woods
tuons aud feeble health persons exposed to all the con
tingeuccs OF camp life heat aud frost snow and rain
having them, who guarded from even the least
current OF air ~ home dronehed 70 the SKIN ana ted
known OF an instance where such person camping IN tho
Wilderness has caught cold" In iourneyng by night
ladies' members OF my family slept for hours,
aud slept soundy upon the basan boughs aud es with
which they had flled their boat and with covering
lint Ilp legtye
or descending mist IL may 1e that inc atnsPnere at
cav through glass darby
GUIDES.
ono OF the principal oanses OF the embarrassment and
disappointment experienced by tourists this has
been owing TO many OF the guides employed Some per
sons foreseeiug the rush which would be made to the
wilderness during the Summer. wisely engaged their
guides m early Spring but others neglected TO do this
until all the tusty and capable guides we're engaged
when the rush. therefore occurred IN July the number OK
guides being available. and many OF these inclined to
proh ny lhs Pnp a. enr Sen Vim sncb taa
bonus offered often amounting to go or $50 The
news OF this advance tho wages and tine scarcity Of
guides led and boys. TO offer their services,
Who IN point Of fact knew no moro about guiding nor
about the Wilderness than farm hand In Massachusetts,
Iog-driyers and canal men even, from Whitehall. at
by the rmors OF fabulous prices which guides
commanded ockcd To the hotels ON the edge OF the VIII
dorcss aud hired 10y parties for the most difficult OF
duties without one question as to their character or
fitness Many parties discovered, when 1t was too late
that they duprd and repcned with much vexation
NJ he
would have guarded against a man who VIII MIRO
guide without informing himself rs To his knowledge aud
habits, and start out with him on an intricate and lonely
voyage through wilderness Justly deserves what he Is
SURE experience, failure aud modification Yet this
was done nunberess instances. Men who had never
padded a mile those lakes, men who had never seen
"a map Of the regioD-brutal, drinking, swearing
az double the rates AZ which old and rusty guides were
by men 1 sRd their honor and lives in such Door
keeping All is too, when Information could nave been
had for the asking. In The chapter of directions TO
IN IN
Ter OF selection OF guides warned the public against GER
Tain classes and made tho failure OF the trip
depend upon the party's choice Of guides
Under head OF Guides In my directions to sports
men and tourists, (see Adventures, PIP ~ and 49, say
and 1t sums ny The whole matter
eoneH source constant pleasure 10 the "hole party
,ou I' ,saVI With bred fellow you
nate a et .1 IL hl SSu5 s WI %
IL is not because exaggerated" but because told
simple truth that many have found wood lie so dlsa-
greeable this Summer. Warned and that too IN the
a9es language ney ceTh Mere D Ihey ES q
would have been far wiser II they had; No amount az
deceived but in their hurry and engcrncsI obtain
guide, parties threw caution and prudence To the Winds
which they permitted themselves to be duped. IL is safe
say such condition OF thnss VIII not ee seen again
for the pubc's convenience and because Also OF the
some eases convinced, blame has unJusty, and un
reasonably been laid 70 the guides HUNDREDS visited the
DAYS at tie most The pace ut which parties, composed
of both sexes been pushed through the woods.
appanng AdirOndackers. Ladies' fresh from Sara
toga school girls delicate and fragile and even inyalds
were hurried from Martins up 10 Blue Mountain Lake
and back at "A rate which would have endangered a
divorce In my family had attempted IL, and all this at
The reduest and enroates OF the tourists themselves
Parties had only many days 10 devote 10 the
SION and their chief desire seemed to be 10 far and
suffer as much as possible Guides charged by such
people with "laZiess they did not make their 80 or
40 mles u day regardless OF wind aud weather; and
abused they had arranged better camp at
night which igt have been done could the guide have
had three hours OF daylight TO devote to that pur
puae