New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-12
AMONG THE ADIRONDACKs.
MURRAY's FOOLISH PLAIN Talk ABOUT TIE
~ II. - WILDERNESS. .------ .


... .Ht rs WILDERNESS i.''.t ,
RAo1yETTy LAKE, July.-Were not time
short and tongues exceeding long, IL would Ill Decoo
me 10 begin my adventures in the wilderness elsewhere
than at the beginning; but though even Doctor MATT
eodv ilterate cheap john he was, would not an
toipate all Adirondack signs fail in wet weather, and
that the ruth may be told before 1t is too late to be Of
Dresent use the graces of literature must be forgotten
IN the regard for human kind First, let me deal with
the patron saint of tho Adirondack Lakes the Rev. MT
Murray Far away from newspapers, sublimely ndlner
ent to and ignorant OF the state Of tho country ana
whether peace I'm pieces there yet come 10 mesH
nifcant echoes that make this indeed "howng wilder
ness" And the echoes from the hills are scoding AFTER
this fashion @Nurray is humbng." Murray IS
LIAR OF am one of Murray's fools " Murray ought
TO be- assassinatedo MURRAY is responsible for more
than one death" To all of which and TO much moro OF
like nature reply that the authors Of those echoes are
far moro guilty Of exaggeratiOn than he whom they
vlify. Early in the Spring there appeared breezy,
hearty book entitled Adventures in the Wilderness"
written by young and enthusiastic clergyman 10 had
great success for three excellent reason because the
public hungered for taste Of nature pure and undehed
they thought they their way TO Paradise through the
portals of the Adirondacks. and shouted Eureka be-
fore they had even got the woods Because the book
WAS graphically II not elegantly written, and therefore
impressed the most careless reader Because II was pup
shed by responsible firm and had the benefit OF extern
sve advertising There is accounting for the vagares
Of human nature hencet is useless to be astonshed at
the consequences that followed the reading of this book
Certainly Mr. Murray dreamed Of such results or
he would have walked through fiery furnace before
giving 20 the public his impressions OF wOodhe Every
body determined TO visit the Adirondack, and wonder
full to relate everybody insisted upon taking every incl
dent Of Mr. Murray's adventures du pied de d tehre
When people put their common sense their darkest anu
deepest pockets and then abuse some one else TOT the
blunders enailed thereby impartial jury Is likely TO
render verdict Of unreasonable Intelligent readers
are in the habit Of taking adventures with several grains
of allowance IT, however they oH believe that horse
did go mad in freight car and that ghosts 90 wander
about Phantom Falls and that deer are caught by
the tail, and that atrout aIieays jump six feet
ont OF water, they have one to blame but
themselves. These are Mr. MurTay's adventures, and
while allow that 1t would have been wiser had the line
between fact and fiction been drawn moro distinctly
none OF these stories have anything whatever 20 do with
Sfr Murrays advice TO tourists II is for advice only
that they should hold him responsible .'
What Mr. Murray says OF the climate Is true The ex
oursion is 'eminently adapted 10 restore impaired
health provided people able to bear certain
amount Of discomfort and are equal TO walking several
miles day, for Of the carries are very muddy
quite hilly and vary from quarter OF mile 20 three
miles In length. There longer carries but no one
need follow their unless disnnsHh "b"" ""' hA
found which to camp whore carries are as short as In
frequent For example, the journey from Martins to
Big Topper Lake which is perhaps the finest OF the Adj
rondack waters, involves comparatively little fatigue
Any onewho can walk mile. having the back well sup
ported all day in easyrowing boat ought to
attain Big Upper without grumblng. Raquette Lake
makes greater call upon time and muscle
No invalid will 90 into wilderness unless advised 70 do
so by the family physician, and no physician viii adj
wise such step without due consideration. MI Murray
relates the marvellous recovery Of eons1mptiSe who
went into the Adirondack last hope but he does not
urge all last hopes follow what undoubtedly an
/ al wit
the grave visit the Adrondacks and after few days
weeks leave the woods somewhat less alive than when
they entered surely their friends display the most
raordnary absence OF IN atbutng their decease
to Mr. Murrays book. Yet this is being done. Several
persons have come here in dying condition. and have
died. whereupon relatives and lockers have denounced
Mr.. Murray in most offensive language. Newspaper
writers multiply two three dead by fertile i'm
aginaton and produce numbers Of dead and dying"
Such criticism Is outrageous and such reports will
fully malignant Go to MARTINS" and you viii find a
lady from Ohio the wife Of Judge who viii tell you
that on leaving home her life had been despaired
Of She had frequent hemorrhages, night
sweats, and every symptom Of quick consump-
ton. She has gone further than the Lower saranao
has camped out every night in tent beside the water
locality which 10 me TO be singularly damp for
this REGION and claims that in three weeks abe has
passed from death to life. All hemorrhages and sweAs
have ceased and there remain dangerous symptoms.
have myself seen LADY, and received the informa-
ton from her own lips. But lest those with deeayed
lungs should think their chances OF recovery equally
good let add what should not have beon told had
not questioned closely that this ladys maady was es
ssntally bronchial hence her speedy conyaescenee
do doubt that ncpient consumption may be stayed,
IL cured by breathing this dry air redoent OF bal
SAM lost lungs rarely II ever, found although
there are those LYING lung who believe in
this climate for their particular say thus much
with no desiTe to attract more nyalds the Aoron-
m ~
the travelling pubic, should be daring indeed did offer
inducements to my best friendsl 1 merely doing
Justice this delightful climate do not know its supe-
ror and the time s not far distant when the Adron-
daoks viii be the greatest summer in America II
not the world. There those camp who aver
age gain Of four pounds week. and whose appetites
in spite Of musketoes, beggar description.
Many spOrtsmen rampant because their favorite
hunting and hshBg grounds have been made known to
the public The greatest good OF the greatest number u.s.
believe the true democratic PLATFORM and II several
hundred think that the life giving principles OF the
North Woods Instituted for the benefit OF few guns
and rods, they are sadly mistaken Every year VIII
increase the number Of tourists and subtract the
number Of sportsmen. Nevertheless there VIII be many
deer and trout caught by the present as well as by the
future generation The present season IA exceptional
every freQucnter OF this region will tell you Owing to
tie high water caused Ia almost unnecessary 10 say
by excessive rains the deer do not come down from the
hills TO feed the lily pads that carpet the inlets
and creeks Of the lakes Hence Jack or nghtshootinE
has, so far been comparative failure Pp the Raquette
but friends Of mine In ess iequented localities are meet
ing with very fair success Where these localities
do not propose 10 state any AGi:pndacker discovers
good hunting or fishing grounds the WIS., course he
pursue h keep his Information to himself c. lis game
will vanish before the rifles and poles Of an invac,S
army Later In the season. when the waters 20 down
that k If IL stops raining and the waters do 70 down
Tho deer will show themselves in greater nuInbers
For the fishing also is unusually bad Tho
waters having been kept cool by the trout have not