The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-27

THE GLORY OF THE CHESTNUT TREES IN THE
cATsKiLr4s -cLuM, THE DUTCH MOUNTAIN
xnE-AN EXCURSION 10 HIS COLONY AND TO


rnE-As EXCURSION TO MS COLONY AND TO
pARSxy BUTTS HUT.
| CArsgiLL MOUNTAINS. August "a 1870
| Any who has ever been at the Laurel House,
at the head Of the Kaut.rsksl Falls, in July or
August, VIII MOI wonder why that name was gwen
to the hotel. The blossom oil the ordinary chestnut
tree, though, OF course not snowy and inagnid-
cent as that OF its cousin the horse chestnut Is
| SAIL very beautiful, ami when there are
large masses OF them together, their grace
| fu yellow piumes contrasting bcauulully with tho
dark green OF The surrounding foliage tho effect
is exceedingly hue. We impressed
with this Than when standing upon sunset Rock which
commands such 4 superb o. the great kauserskl
Glove, and gazing upon the huge forms OF High Peak
and Iornd Top. opposite Then, too, became aware
how veS the chestnut in tho Cats.
kills, anu .tle astoashcd to tue whole
vast mountain side covered with ihery bloom.
There actually seemed to be OF them
from THIS spot than had before supposed
really in existence IN the whole world What Jolly
region this be for the sharp toothed LITTLE squr-
rels and other lovers nuts Among the latter
be cassed the more imposing family of bears who,
doubt fully appreciate the Kindness OF Dame Nature in
caring for their wants with SUCH lavish hand
Ii Is probable that Us long the chcstnus
are so abundant hero the bears VIII con-
aIording opportunity for tho Nimrods OF the Cats
kills To occasionally entrap uawary member OF
their community and ior timd people from the city to
be hall frightened out OF Their wits by tho exraordi-
nary but, doubt, highly veracious, bear stories
which annually IN circulation hereabouts young
Eugsh bride has recently been here. ~ho thanks 10
representations OF acetious friends, ia mortal
during the whole o.; her stay Ia tho mountains
lest she might wake up some time in the night aud
fluid some huge Master Brun helping himself to tho
Huntey x Palmer sugar waters which she had slowed
away IL her trunk.
THE xuNpArloN VISITORS
II Is not u very ions period since tho Mountain
House and Laurel House tnctncr oi which was tuen
scarcely hall the size OF its present dnensons) were
the places where those seeking rest aud rccrea.
things very different Within Tue last lew years
Vast number OF houses, OF every grade, have been
opened all over and about the mountains for the veal
OF the public, and tho summer visitors to
Greene and Ulster counties are Numbered by the
tens OF thousands All this shows To what an
extent the Catskls have grown favor S a place OF
resort, and certainly those III search OF complete
change OF AR, as wei as OF the most varied and
mantle scenery, nowhere DO more abundantly sat-
isied than here One reason Tor the Increased num-
Der Of visitors has been the improved facilities of
which have been moro rcceutly Afforded. This
has been notably the IN re sard 10 tho beautiful
Shandaken REGION which was opened up to the public
by means OF the New York, kingston and Syracuse
Railroad and along the line OF It's, picturesque
there now hundreds oil boarding places The
fishing OF the Catskis by the way present prin-
cpaly con fined this part of tho mountains, tho
streams in the districts which have been resorted to
Tor longer time having become for the most part
''hshed ouI
Asa result of this annual invasion OF their once
cuded wilds by swarm Of city folk, all
Full of vaine follics aud new-fan -eaessc.
most Of the peculiar characteristics of the original
hub,ants of the mountains have disappeared and
looks almost in VAN now for that rustic simplicity and
quaint dutch primitiveness among the natives which
formerly proved so attractive feature to the pho-
sophical tourist IN the Catsxs A friend OF ours,
who used TO make an occasional excur sion through
Wncu
about leaving In the morning after having put up Tor
night AT some farmhouse or primitive looking nos
telry, 1t always the custom to Kiss all the pretty
girls III the family Qf there we're any, gooaby. But
all that, alas is now changed. There arc no more
farm houses in the Catskiiis-they all board.
ing house hotcs " with high sounding appcllatons
There is scarcely house anywhere among the
mountains. however mcagre IT'S accommodations, but
has It's quota OF summer boarders OF course, the
more that can be packed in together the more
prohtab.e II is, ana must be confessed that the
unsoph sticated mountaneer has too often become
transformed into the water ms place shark. Siili
but fair 10 state that in great many of them will
with excellent country and real country hos
pl,aty aud If the visitor does expect too OF
the comforts and reinemcnts OF his city homo he will
be very wen pleased with his entertainment. HIS
landlady viii probably not begrudee him his BIG noun
tain appetite but the other hand take pleasure in
providing tho best that her resources will Afford to
satisfy us extensive demands: not little delighted
that he really enjoys her meals II one rs gong to
make stay OF but few days in the Catskllis the
Mountain House OF all others the place to stop; but
II sh to remain for some time aud do not care
to pay highest price always the best
modations you can be quite as comfortable In almost
every respect, and probably derive moro real enjoy
ment from your sojourn among the mountains, at
some OF the smaller establishments In many Of them
you will find delightful socety-in few exceptionally
but of the others have the reputation oil being
decidedly 'mixed"
ONE OF THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS
Among the number Of the ''oldcst Inhabitants" of
the CatsEis there is one antquaed gentleman by the
name OF Clum who is really excellent specimen OF
the original Dutch mountaneer He was born on tho
land which he stills occupies, speaks English very i'm
perfectly, and. believe, has been a steam
boat railroad train in his lle His quaint, old rest
dcnce which, during the entire period OF its existence
seems to have been wholly innocent paint is Of
the very few houses in the mountains where they do
not take boarders; but his good dame Is not above
turning honest penny by supply ing the parties who
come thither sometimes 10 see tue superb view from
| the top OF the hill which the house stands with
strawberries raspber-cs and cream, swceened with
maple sugar. the only KIND that the premises afford.
| The old man always grects his visitors with a good
naurcd smile anu on ore occasion recently remarked
! facetously TO gentleman who came along acconpa-
| med by quite bcvy OF blooming damsels, "Vel, by
4 tam, YOU nev too many vile. y
rhe excursion to Gums Hill-which by the way,
would be called very Respectable mountain in almost
1 any other part OF the country--has always been
avorte with visitors to the Catskills. Although of
but small altitude, compared with many OF the vcncra
bic peaks by which IT surrounded its central location
| among them renders the prospect from its rounded
summit one Of the most comprehensive, with reference
TO the mountains themselves winch can DO obtained in
all The CaisKs, ana one which is only surpassed by
those from the High Peak and tine overlook IL Is
vastly accessible than either OF these, and, 1t is
preferred one can ride all the way to Ciums house,
whence 1t is easy walk of only about quarter OF
mile To the top Once there the lover OF nature
not but be enrapturei with the magnificent panorama
which Is spread out before him IN every direction.
| Directly to the east the view Is oil by the
majestic TO of the great mountain whose two loiti
est points, High Peak and Round Top can be dissin-
gushed far and wide whereverthc Casks in sight;
but little to the left the bold front OF South
Mountain, with ITS rocky baitlements frowning nearly
| 1900 feet above the kaulerskill Glove Further
around, embowcrcd in wilderness OF grcenery, sp.
pears the dark amphtheatrc into whose abyss leaps
| the ioamine flood of the Kauterskil Falls when the
water is turned and at It's top brightly CLEAN In the
afternoon sunshine the white verandas OF the Laurel
| House Then the great mass OF North Noun.
TAM while above tho lesser elevations continuous with
H. which stretch out toward the west loom three huge
peaks OF most impressive form, the centre one OF
| which is well known Bickhead, or the Bone
Mountain. Turning now to the westward we get SUR
passlnsy beautiful view OF the valley OF the
Schohare The village of Hunter, some four or five
miles distant, hidden by in,erccptius blun Out
beyond il the blue domcs OF Jewett aud Ashland and