Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-07-31
Camping ONt.

my mind that We would find some
place to "camp out in, for surely the
Catskill mountains must be full of nice
places for such exploits. Where
there's will there's Why" you know;
and as I had the twill" the "way"
was made, and just q week from. the
day We left home We started for High
Peak, the highest of the Catskill
Mountaine.
There were seventeen of us, aud We
drove of amid the waving of handker-
chiefs, throwing Of old shoes, footing
of horns, cheers, and whatever else
could make noise. We shocked the
country people, As We drove along, by
singing all the college AMI drinking
songs We had ever heard.
When We reached Haines' Falls,
which was as far as the wagons could
go, We stopped to strap on our
burdens, for every one had to carry his
own blanket, aud help with the provi.
sions and cooking utensils, and every.
thing must be strapped on our backs
to leave our hands free F.; then, like the
" Pilgrims" We started up tho "Hill
of Difficulty" and O, such a bill rs it
was five miles Of stones, bogs, wet,
slippery moss, rugged rocks, steep and
dangerous, with the pleasant prospect
of being dashed to pieces on the rocks
below If We made ono misstep. But
tho longest lane must have turning,
and so I suppose the highest mountain
must have top; and finally we reached
said top, tired, dirty and hungry as I
think Christian must have been, and
a. glad to drop our burden a. he was
when he arrived at his journeys end.
The prospect was grand; We were
four thousand feet above the sea,-but
after one look we had to turn our At
tention to the necessities of this life;
for We cannot live upon scenery, how
ever grand and beautiful it may be.
First, there was the fire to be made, so
tho gentlemen chopped wood enough
to last all night, and soon we had
splendid blaze. Then the meat was
cooked and the coffee boiled, and our
dinner was ready. The next thing was
to make hut of boughs, for we bad
no tent; SO we went to work at once.
for it was after seven o'clock, and
would soon be dark. The hut was al.
U4O0S AAtc0OuS 0uN "O W0E0 COukl&GU.
lating ourselves on our shelter for the
night, when, by some eccident,
the whole thing fell with
crash, and We were houseless,
homeless wanderers on tho face
of the earth, or rather the top of
the mountain. As it was too dark to
build another house, we decided to
sleep on the ground in the open air;
q very sensible decision, since it was
the only thing We could do. We sat
by the fire and sang and talked until
twelve o'clock, AMI then eve folded
our cloaks about us," and would have
"silently" stolen to sleep, but one of
the gentlemen insisted upon singing us
to sleep with that classical song, "His
heart was true to Poll" We iii stern
Morpheus with such key, and, rs he
persisted, aome one called out, 20, do
kill that Poll!" and faint voice was
heard, saying, "Will some one please
choke Mi. Smith," Still he kept on
until he stopped from sheer exhaus-
ton, I think.
There was one of the loveliest Aurora
Borealises to be seen that night; ana
a. there was nothing between US and
tho sky to intercept the view, we had
tho advantage over those who slept in
houses. We sat and watched it until
two O'Clock: then fell asleep.
There was a glorious sunrise next
morning,-ag great ball of fire coming
up from the sea, over hills, and casting
lovely glow over the whole sky: but
again tho necessities brought us down
from romance to reality. We had eaton
almost everything the night before,
and there was only piece of bread
and butter for each until we would
reach home; so We shouldered our
burdens and were about to start,
whea it was discovered that both
our names had not been re-
corded on the rocks. Now that is a
ceremony that should never be omit
ted +; and if any one should go to High
Peak, We would find the "Tapleyites "
immortalized in white paint.
OF course we could not come home
worn and tired, for that had been
prophesied by those who stayed at
home; besides, We were Tapleyites.
and must be "jolly under all circum.
stances" So two Of the gentlemen ran
ahead blowing horns, and the rest of
us Followed in the wagon, singing, at
the top of our voices, eve won't 20
home till morning. At every house the
people wore waiting to see US pass, for
all the village knew that a party had
camped out on High Peak the night
before. We came home covered with
glory, and our exploit was a nine days:
wonder, as everything new is in the
country.