Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-10-14


than any other noise AS we ascended
through the lower stratum of clouds and |
through the open space above it, we no
ted by the compass that we were taking
a northeast course, but as we became en-
veloped in the murky mass of the second
stratum, which was about thousand
feet thick and began at an altitude of
about a mile, we were wholly at a loss
to determine the direction in which we
were travelling. From below and again
from above, these clouds appeared dark
though while we were within their folds
they had dim, whitish appearance
Strain our eyes as we would we could not
pierce the misty curtain. The thermom-
eter, which had shown a temperature of
6S degrees upon the ground, had gradu-
ally fallen to AZ degrees just below the
second stratum of clouds, and to Al de-
grees amid the clouds. When we rose
into the open space above the second stra-
tum, we found still another layer of lead
en- colored clouds at no great distance
above our heads. Between the two stra-
ia, in the west, the whitish light of the
sun, now approaching the horizon, was
discerned, but it was soon lost to view as
we ascended into the mystic regions of
the cloud layer above. A mountain
ridge rose through the second stratum of
clouds in front of us, but it was soon OBJ
scured by the floating masses of vapor
which were constantly changing shape,
so that we could not define them. Nei-
ther had we reduced our barometrical
observations by computation so as to be
able to determine our exact altitude;
else we might have known that it was
the White Mountain range proper, of
which Mount Washington is the head
centre. Over the mountains the cloud
strata were less defined, and we seemed
to be among dense masses of rolling va
por which were constantly changing in
FORM
AMONG THE HIGH MOUNTAIN PEAKS.
We had been sailing through the clouds
at varying hight of from mile and a
quarter to mile and half and two
miles, entirely unconscious of our course
or the velocity with which we were trav-
eling-for even the compass could only
, indicate the different points while we
, seemed to be moving not at all-when
we emerged from the clouds and found
: ourselves in close proximity to a bare
!; mountain peak. We were not more than
three or four hundred feet above it, and
as we continued to descend slowly we
, soon found one or two neighboring peaks
towering above our heads. Near us was
; a deep black chasm, in the recesses of
: which we could hear the gentle music of
r a cascade. The bleak mountain tops,
| overspread by black, inky pail, lowered
: up in awful grandeur. twas only quar-
t ter past five o'clock, but the dense and
r murky clouds threw an almost midnight
t blackness over the scene. A few hand
: fulls of sand were thrown out-the first
a that had been expended-and the bal
n loon turned and rose again above the
t peaks. Our progress at this time was
n very rapid, and we had passed over sew.
1 eral of the SUBMITS in briefer space Of
p time than it takes to record the fact
S The strange and unfamiliar appearance
: of the several peaks when viewed from
e above, coupled with the fact that botl
e our course and speed had been wholly
e hidden from us, misled US as to our true
!, position. Although we had left Ply
y mouth only fifty seven minutes before W.
e were already sailing over Mounts Clay
: Jefferson and Adams, forty miles distan
h from Plymouth in an air line While il
It, the clouds we had sailed over Pemige
II wasset Mountain, just west of Mt. Car
IS rigain, Wiley Mountain, and thenc
:, across the White Mountain Notch no
IS far above the Wiley House and owe
e Mts. Webster, Jackson, Pleasant, Frank
: lin, Clay, Jefferson and Adams. Mts
n Monroe, Washington and Madison wer
e left little distance to the east, and witt
: those three exceptions we had passed owe
N every peak of the White Mountain rang
Is proper. Although had been upon th
le summit of every peak east of the Whit
: Mountain Notch save Mts. Webster an
le Madison, | failed to recognize any G
IS those We saw, until subsequent develop
ID ments showed our course to have been a
IS above, circumstance we'll enough at
i'd counted for in the changes and unfamil
V. lar appearance Of everything when see
from above. Mt Washington was velle
at in clouds as we descended from muc
f. higher altitude but short distanc
We northwest of it, and sailed on over Clay
al Jefferson and Adams, and from the la
of ter we looked across the great gulf jus
ce in time to see its cone dimly appearin
ht among the mists which were for the mc
st ment partially dispelled. None of tn
of buildings, however, were to be discerneC
es and it was not until after we had crosse
S, the valley of the Androscoggin and al
}, preached Lake Umbagog, far beyonc
in that the real truth of our position dawl