The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-05
THE MOUNTAINS.
In the CatSkills and the
AdirOndackS.
THE CAUTERSKILL GORGES.
Anazonian Experiences Around
Elk Lake.
THE CATSKILLS.

residents OF the mountains that II there forty
days In August would rain here every ono OF them
but we do not appear TO have been really worse oil han
the people In other parts OF this great and gor
Gus, but Just now uncomfortaby moist country. Dur
Ing the last week. however, the weather actually seems
TO have turned a leaf and We have had some
exceptionally charming days. clear, cool and exhara
Ing The long continued rains have at least had
the good effect of filing up all the water courses, and
the picturesque lakes and innumerable falls and
cades Of the Casks be In all their glory
which is rare occurrence indeed during the month Of
August At such time nothing could be lovely to
behold than the great gorges on the south side OF
the Cauterskl Glove, though, unfortunately, these
accessible only 70 the venture
some OF mountain climbers They are
four In number, known by the names of Santa Cruz,
Buttermilk, Green and Wildcat and although some
what similar in general appearance, each has its dis
tnctive characteristics In former have ex
plored them ALL and have enjoyed the pleasure
Of again revlsting the most symmetrical and attractive
Of their number-Buttermilk Gorge Indeed, Mr.
Church considers this ravine Offering, it does, such
combination and variety of rocks cascades, trees
FERNS MOSES and all Of greenery the most beau
tiful thing in all the Catskills. In order TO reach it
rom here 60 down the Cauterskll Gorge from
The foot of the falls and found II walk not devoid
bf pleasurabe excitement account OF the swollen
condition Of the stream whose roar Numbered unceas
ngy in our ears. On arriving at the bridge which
the creek just before unites with that flowing
down from Haines Falls, turned to the left and pur
sued way for perhaps half mile along the vast
and majestic Cauterskll Glove, whero we came
upon quite a largo frame building, fast falling
into decay which, understand formerly the inn,
and is the only remaining house Of a deserted viii
lage which has had Goldsmith to record It's humble
story. II is impossible to imagine q picturesque
and romantic situation than that Of this almost
forgotten hamlet, OF whose existence few passers
dream they ride ramble by On the bank Of the
stream completely overgrown with wealth Of rank
vegetation came upon the foundations Of the large
tanneries which the life Of the place, while
scattered about in various directions the vesges
OF large number OF little houses.
Adjoining the village inn, under some fine old locust
trees stood the mansion OF the proprietor Of the tan
neries but all that remains Of It is . stone wall
about four feet high which was doubt portion of
the foundation.
As long the supply OF hemlocks on the neighbor-
ing mountain sides held out the place hourshed unin
terruptedy but when that oegan to fail It's fortunes
too waned, the tanneries had to be closed and the
houses were finally all abandoned
BUTTERMILK FALLS.
Across the stream, directly opposite the deserted
village, the lower Buttermilk Falls to
reach them we found II necessary to ford the creek
which in some places was two feet deep the rocks,
70 that we came very near being swept off down the
swollen torrent The lower fall is a series Of beautiful
cascades probably seventy five eighty feet high and
beyond that for distance the of the gorge
not very Steep but there are fine rocks in the bed of
Tho stream and either hand the richest masses Of
MOSES and ferns with here and there some fallen
arch Of the forest to Chamber over. The second fall Is
pendicuar wall OF about forty feet In height and is d.
vided into two streams by large rock in the CENTRE
like the falls at Fawns Leap, in the Cauterskl Glove
short distance beyond there towers up on the right
the Old Temeraire, great black rock, which looks
sufficiently like the bulkhead Of some ancient vessel to
warrant the name though would require stretch
Of the imagination to account for the bark
being stranded in such position, unless IL
DO conecured that this grand valley covered
by some aforementioned Had the recent rains
continued much longer we would certainly have begun
10 fear that such a thing might happen again In a
mantle spot little further up the ravine where some
huge of white rock with which the
finely hang high overhead we found painted
fiat stone the inscription ''Butermilk Club, 1870"
followed by the enigmacal word PUSSY" which some
of the members Of the club could probably best explain.
Still further came upon immense landslide
which occurred last spring For many hundred feet
above us on the right clear up to the dizzy heights
browning the side OF the gorge the soil had been
petey swept nom the vast rocks leaving them bare
and shning-a track OF desolaton in the midst of the
greenness of the forest prmeval Every tree had been
uprooted and hurled into the abyss below and their
innumerabe TRUNKS lay piled about US in magnificent
confusion We should like to have heard the reverber
alton of that mighty slide sounding through the
mountains, though It must have seemed like the very
srack of doom any that CHANGED TO be In the clovo
below at the time
We now began to approach the grandest and most
beautiful portion of the gorge,
Where through abysses vast of endless green,
vi, Ia is on fall from the stupendous height,
Mid clouds OF sparkling spray, with sunlight sheen
The foamng food comes leapng down the wild ravne.
IL is impossible to describe the exquisite beauty OF
tho next fall the third in order from the bottom The
ieahery waUr spreads itself completely wall
huge rocks, sixty feet high and many broad which
one living Of the richest ferns and mosses and
dripping from to another In myriad shining
streams, seems like shower OF diamonds vast
bed or emeralds Both the banks of the stream too,
covered with the most luxuriant vegetation, and
the beautiful Wild gcranium blooms on every hand
The fourth fall is neither so high picturesque
this; but just beyond 1t Is the grandest point the
ascent. Here the fifth sixth and seventh falls rising
above the averaging eighty or ninety feet
IN height, burst upon all with glorious effect;
while on the right doomed far above majestic and
scalable wall OF green, and on the lef the DEVILS
Widest and gloomlest description.
At one point in the latter there Is curious square
The weird Cavern of Hecate from whence we CON
ses we half expected TO emerge the CHASTITY form Of
Ga.tdta brevicus iDpiioata dtperis
Grimes 81 iacompttuI cdpuL
The two lower falls were in the deepest shade, but
The top OF the upper like glisening snow In
The sunshine which now began to stream down the dim
vista OF the gorge Near the part OF the DEVILS Ledge
up which we climbed we beheld Merlin's Laboratory
gloomy looking cave hung midway up the perpendcu
nr cliff and equally inaccessible from above and below
Tho eighth fall is the Hottest Of all and consists of two
parts The upper portion Is eighty feet high
Ihen the stream gracefully divides three the lower
portion being probably about thirty feet high
The ninth fall not of so great altitude, but Is holder
In character, and high up on its left is the King of tho
Gorge, towering rock Of the vastest proportions
from the top Of which the outlook Is superb down the
avne and the great Glove to the beeng crags
of South Mountain peeping over which looms the
esc peak Of Backhead In the distance The tenth and
last fall leaps like the Cauterskil into q vast amphi-
theatre Of rocks and must be nearly hundred feet In
height And SO We had at length reached the head Of
the gorge after arduous climb, indeed, but
which more than repaid US by its wdness and beauty
TOP or HIGH PEAK
From thereWe struck into the path leading TO the
top Of High Peak and finally Joined party OF friends
up there, just in time for lunch During the last
years new outlook has been cut, which commands
nne prospect Of the Cauerskil Glove, and North and
south Mountain and the region to the north and west
substantial ladder has been put up the Pinnacle
Iree whlch stands the extreme summit OF the
mountain and nom the top of which there Is sublime
view IN every direction. While perched upon the very
iopm9st branches this tree the artist OF the party
VINO vy Tue way was lady, actually took sketch OF
portion OF the surrounding scone and ever since then
mas oeeh subject OF no little conjecture among us
Rhelher she sketched with In I'll hor toaih