The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-24

FEBRUARY "a, 1911. =
s.ount washington I'm Wsntes-A Ter.
sss. ssare-sroonItGht View and SUM
r,,a--Ytse on the Mountains.
few DAYS ago we gave some extracts OF
am account In the Concord IN. H.) Monitor
of visit to Mount Washington. The wri-
ter. in subsequent number, continued his
interesting sketch, from which we make
further extracts:
THE FRosT-woRK.
The extensive frost-work, he says, which
enyeloped every object on the summit of
the mountain In the early winter, largely
disappeared during the January thaw, and
now lies In masses around rocks, buildings, !,
and trestle.worS Of the railway. For a
month past there have been comparatively
slight formations of frost-work, but in ;
few weeks, when more moisture Is in the |
atmosphere, 1t Is expected that it will again ,
form In abundance. We were fortunS.e,
however, during our visit, in witnessing |
some most beautiful specimens Of this Pc
culiar winter decoration Of our highest
mountains.
The next day after our arrival, on the
summit q cloud enveloped US, and during
through Thursday, the frost work formed,
so that on Friday morning specimens foot
In length were seen, most beautifully clear
and artistically shaped. There is an infinite
variety in this work, from the smallest to
the largest specimens, and yet It follows one
universal law, and forms to the wind, and
that wind from the southwest and north
west. Nothing could exceed the beauty of
some Of those specimens, which is another
nj n haf
characterizes natures works. Frost work
needs to be seen to be appreciated, and
when once seen we are more than ever con-
WINGED that " a thing of beauty is a JOY
forever"
A TERRIFIC GALE.
We hardly expected to be favored with a
heavy gale, as our visit followed so close az
ter the notable gale of the I'd, Sd, and 4th
instants but, as If aware of the fact that
some journalists were out in "pursut of
knowledge under difficulties" the forces
and the furies of Nature did their best for
our entertainment, and Thursday eveninga
gale began which increased in force until
about 8 O'Clock Friday evening, the wind at
the last reaching velocity OF one hundred
miles an hour, it was estimated. Such
wind had the effect of breaking the frost
work from most objects Of the summit,
and bombardment Of our quarters occa-
sionally took place, which sounded very
much like hurting a CARLOAD of rocks
against the side Of the building. The
shaking Of the building and the cracking
ofits tlmbers We're suggestive Of vessel In
aviolent storm at sea, and neither situation
would be comforting to persons troubled
with weak nerves. Between and o'clock
Friday evening we were startled by the
breaking OF two panes of glass in one Win
dow with piece of ice hurled by the wind,
but SO complete were the preparations
made by the party for such emergencies
in the providing of boards fitted to the win.
dows and numbered, that in a very few
minutes the aperture was closed, and every
thing was snug and safe. At II O'Clock it
was evident that the gale had done its best,
and from that hour until Saturday evening
the wind gradually decreased in velocity
and force, and on Sunday, at l0A O'Clock,
it was only 9H miles an hour.
GRAND VIEWS.
About O'Clock Saturday afternoon the
clouds which have enveloped us since Wed.
nesday began to break away, and revealed
to us extensive and magnificent views; to-
yards night the views increased in gran
deur, and language utterly fails to describe
them. For two hundred miles on either
hand the eye took in every mountain peak
from Washusett on the southwest TO ka-
tahdin on the northeast, and from the At
lantic ocean to the st. Lawrence river. The !
Portland, and Sebays and Winnipisscoget
and innumerable other lakes and ponds |
seemed near at hand. AS the sun waned in
the west the shadow of Mount Washing
ton was seen to form with great clearness
on Imp mountain, and thence extended to |
Mariah, and for long distance out into
Maine, and then into the sky, until it final |
ly faded out Of sight in the curtain of night. J
1t was sight worth Il journey to tie
mountain to see, and one never to be for
gotten. How Starr King would have reyel
ed in such grand exhibition Of mountain
grandeur and sublimity!
AN AURoRAL DISPLAY
in the evening complemented the entertain
ment of the day, and it was one of rare bril-
liancy and beauty, q double corona being
visible about O'Clock.
MOONLIGHT VIEW
was obtained early Sunday morning, and
amply compensated for rising at an unsea-
sonable hour and standing in the crisp air.
with the thermometer at three degrees be-
low zero. When we emerged from the
building the headlight of locomotive of
freight train on the Grand Trunk road was
visible, coming toward the mountain. 1t
continued in sight for several minutes.
Succeeding the moonlight view was
GRAND SUNRISE,
which was preceded with most mapnifi
cent crimson SKY III the east and northeast.
The view to the north was the finest of ths
winter, and the ocean below Portland was
plainly visible for few hours, and until
Shut out by the approaching snow storm
which was seen coming on over Massachr,.
sets and the lower part Of our State, and
and finally to strike Moosilauke and i'afav-
cite, and about IL o'clock Mount Washing
ton. AS it was eyiGppt our Sightseeing
was about to tern;aate for the day. we re-
luctantly made preparations to descend the
mountain. cad at II 20 on the 10Th set ont
on our task, and after two hours of "fakinr
heed to our steps we reached the base Of
the mountain, ana found heavy snow
storm prevailing, which continued through
the day and into the night.
LIZ ON THE MOUNTAIN
Is not 30 lnonotOnous as many persons sup
pose The cooking of meals, taking obser-
.ations, making reports, writing letters,
and consulting scientific works, keeps ali
the marty busy. Unly two meals day are
nroyided-breakfast from s to 8, and dinner
from 8 to 4 o'clock. The bill Of fare EN-.
braces canned beef, fresh beef, lamb and
mutton, salt pork, pilot bread, griddle
cakes, corn starch pudding, baked beans,
canned neaches and tomatoes, apple sauce
pickles, and onions.
On the day after our arrival, turkey.
provided by the visitors, was stuffed and
roasted, which afforded the first turkey
dinner Of the scientific party for the winter.
and which was undoubtedly the first turkey
ever roasted on Mount Washington. Tea
and coffee are the only beverages provided,
except when ice is melted for water TO
drink.