Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-08-23

their camp-ground, and the place is prepared
for religious festivities AZ Baldwin we
begin to getoccasioua glmpses Of the rugged
hins in the distonce. At Fryeburg, fifty
miles from Portland, we come to the actual
region of the mountains, and at North Con
way, ten miles further, we enter the mag
nifcent gateway of the great temple Of these
everlasting hills. Here the changeis made by
the fortunate persons who possess the requi-
site skill or strength, from the common TO
the observatory car open on all sides TO the
survey of the grandeurs which unroll 10 the
RAPIDLY moving eye, like the brief visions Of
a panorama, and speedily dissolve, to make
way for still more wonderful sights. We
have no hesitation in saying that the ride
| through the Notch was revelation of
unexpected sublimity. There was enough
sense Of danger on the way 10 produce the
highest effect. Once in awhile We were
compelled to look to the security Of the
track over which we were so rapidly passing, |
in order TO regain the composure necessary |
to enjoy the scenery. The road winds along |
the side Of the mountains. II skuilt on the |
very face Of the abrupt escarpment of these
ancient granite mountains. Below is the |
awful gulf Of the Notch aud above are the |
steep Businesses Of rock which no foot could |
scale, and accessible only to the flying bird |
Across the narrow deiie Of the Notch rise |
the huge ramparts of primitive rock steep up |
into the region Of the clouds. Their sides
are SCARED and bruised with storms and |
thunderbolts. Great channels are worn out
in the naked granite, down which the melted
SHOWS and the rains have flowed for hun
bred centuries The face of the mountain |
| looks like the face Of an old man. II is |
scanned and channeled with the sorrows Of
generations, and yet lifts itself up in the
eternal repose Of venerable aud crowned
dignity. The transit is swift and the eye
has no time to linger, aud yet into one short
hour nature seems 10 crowd all her wild and
sublime spectaclcs. These great massive
heights seem to speak Of God They impress
the soul with the divine attributes. They
declare the power which established the
mountains aud set them fast forever.
We doubt, if, on the whole, there is finer
ride in the world, unless it may on the
Rocky Mountains. Certainly it is not sur
passed by the scenery along the road over
the Apprentices from Florence to Bologna.
Nor is the Semmering Pass, from Trieste to
Vienna, any more impressive. The whole
region is a region Of wonder. 1t is the very
wonderland Of this country. 1t gives to the
most accustomed traveller, who has become
biase with the sights and sounds of the world,
anew sensation II is not necessary to give
any particular description Of it, for no de
scription could give any idea of the Notch.
1t is enough to state the impression the ride
through the mountains produced.
1t is Ruskius' idea that God created the
mountains to feed the rivers and purify the
winds. And lie also intended to fill the thirst
of the human heart for the beauty of His
working TO startle its ethargy with the deep
agitation Of astonishment, The high mis-.
sion of the White Mountains in the majesty
of their enthroned strength, is TO fill and
satisfy the sense of grandeur in the hui
man soul. They are a wonderful archi-
lecture OF God. They give the impression
of an invisible power behind their visible
greatness. They give shelter, comfort and
peace. They are covered with sculpture.
They are full of illuminated treasures. They
are the great cathedrals of God, with their
3 doors OF rock, their columns of granite and
porphyry, their choirs of stream, wind and
Storm their dome of sky and cloud traversed
. by the stars, and they are forever lifting up
their heads to heaven and declaring the sta.
bility and eternity of Him who made them,
And while the mountains were made TO
satisfy the human thirst for grander archi-
4 lecture than is possible to man, we could
wish that they might be accessible in far
! greater degree to all classes OF men. We
almost every town sent forth more or less
excursionists for trip through the Notch
and a days sojoum among the mountains
But we are not aware that any such oppor
tunity is offered from this side of the Notch
If it ever has been offered it was on Sunday
, and the objective point was man preacher
/ and not the great mountain preachers o.
. God And so only few people could Of
would 60. 1t seems TO us that there might b,
a short period in each gear, when the road
\ on all sides Of the White Hills and from
"a points remote from them, might reduce thei
:, fares TO less than half, and with benefit t.
themselves offer the privilege of seeing tn,
grandest scenery on this continent to al
classes. They might so time the running
y Of trains as to give this opportunity to al
= within certain radius of the mountains
-. without the expense of being absent from
their homes over night. An excursion traiI
a might be run from Montpelier to Nortl
- Conway or Bartletts, returning the same day
,e at rates SO much reduced as to put the tril
- within reach of all. With such an arrange
,f ment, on the part of the railroads, there woul,
- be very few who would not avail thcmselve
y of the opportunity to see the scenery of th
a. Alpine region.