Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-24

The time used in coming from the
summit to the booth was eight minutes ;
from the Upper to the Lower Spring, six
or seven minutes from the Lower Spring
to the crossing of the timber-road, twenty
two inmates, The descent of horses oc-
oupi-d An hour aud quarter.
My third visit to Killington was made
on Wednesday, the 2nd of the present
month. There were about a score in the
party. On blackboard, dangling along
after (tkough not behind) a skewing tan
dcm.team. was Cuc1tmJerS, the prince OF
picnjcers, and beside him the fnest en-
b2jiment of fue sense. There
were "Chibia50s, the musician, and
the theoloRi4n, augustine the
Country P1rS0n, and Sjgnorjna Br0Un-
eyes Sir Enthlsju8n and "1he old Pro,
it," Mine Host was OF the purity, and so
were F0rccp8, aud the brothers Major and
Minor, and the schoolma'ams w., " 7.
and n II, etc,
It was not Jar from midday when we
halted at little distance from the steam
mill and dsembarked The horses were
frat cared for Then baskets, boxes and
bottles began 10 disgorge their contents.
and wa d;ned. The horses re-appeared,
and the serious business of packing them
was uudert ken. Here the military at
tsinmeuts of Col. Cucumber8 and the
Yankee sconco of Sir E had full scope.
Behold the dry goods-tent cloth, buffa-
loes, rubber and wooden blankets, shawls,
water-proofs, great-coats, sc. Then come
the packages of provisions for man, and
of proyjnder for beast. Finally three or
four saddles, which are mounted by so
many ladies, in the Mexican style, you
sbserve,-a novelty that acquires much
favor after tie first plunge. Several of
the ladies will make the ascent on foot.
It is not quite two o'clock, and we are
ready. Which route The old, original
path" beginning third of mile, more
or lesa, below the steam-mill, used to be
more agreeable, decidedly, than the mod
ern timberroads are; but believe that
path is disused now. and it may probably
be uuusable without some renovation.
So we will take the timber-road that
starts by the brook, and pursue it nearly
halfway up the mountain, when we shall
strike the old foot-patb, and pursue it
thencefor ward.
How far is it? I used to call it four
miles by the old path. Perhaps the mod
ern route would not actually measure
more than three miles. Indeed 1 have
heard a young man, while endeavoring to
illumine the mind of a young lady upon
the feasibility of the ascent, express the
opinion that the distance TO be climed was
not over mile and a half
We move upward-only paus1ng now
and then to rest a bit, or cool of, or sip
from little spring. or admire some deli
cate snemone, or decorate with a spray of
red berries, or tighten a girth, or adjust
pack that has got away, or cut away
tree that has fallen across the way, or
hunt for the obscure detour around some
INSTRUCTED section Of the road. You hear
courageous lady exclaim-"Psrfeotly
splendidw 1t is an unsoldierly gentleman
that YOU hear exclaiming-at some
treacherous spot-"Perfectly awful" AS
we approached the Lower Spring, one in
advance cried-"Water, hoH and the
sound was full of music. THAT is the
best water ever tasted" said Madame,
a. she sat ia ths saddle and quaffed from
a gptts-pereha cup,
Through the primitive forest Of ever
green we pass eagerly on, and reach the
Upper Spring at four o'clock-the ascent
having occupied round two hours. A
minority of the party proceeded more
leisurely. arriving about an hour and
quarter after the others.
Subsiding upon logs, rocks, hummocks
&c, we rested-and that too with the
quiet placid air of those who are consci'
Qua that they have earned the right to it,
and that there is no other duty now in
order. The spring ia patronized, and the
horses are disburthened. The Major as
sails the trunk of large dead tree, and
fells it, when Cucumbers, Brown.eyes 4