Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-11
Walks in the White Mountains.
No. A.
lKtktor,l Correspondence of The Star.


My last letter left us At the Probe House,
Francouia Notch. after a pleasant walk
through the bill, valley and mountain re-
gion from Bethlehem. The Profile House ts
held to have rather q monopoly OF mountain
shows, big and little, being, with the excsp-
ton OF Its branch concern, the FIume House,
the only hotel in the Franconia Notch; but
one Of Its most attractive features is its
great hall OF an evening, ruddy with the
glow from the immense wood-fire OF logs OF
q size to correspond with the size of the
room and the nre place. This house is, of all
the mountain hotels, the resort OF the upper
tendon OF New York aud the Atlantic
cities, but OF al evening, and, indeed, through
most hours OF the day, the guests prefer to
leave the more exclusive parlors aud con-
gregate In this great hall or Off &c. Here they
sit about in picturesque groups, enjoying
themselves amazingly, apparently, in this
democratic letting down from the rigors of
full-oress and the artificial life of the nome
winter season. or course, there is more or
less dress display In the dining-room or In
the ball room of the Profile House, but IL is
rather the fashionable thing here not to
bother much about dress formalities, but to
60 In for good jolly recreative time. This
Is possible, because the guests are largely OF
stion can sff3ri To- discard ..sfore o ciotbaps S
while In the mountains, aud enjoy them
selves as they please. Many of the guests
nave Deen naOltue6 Tor years.
A NEWSPAPER MAN WHO OWNS A TROUT
LAKE.
L see here Mr.. William G. Prime, of the
New York Journal of Commerce, who has
summered at the Profile" for eighteen years
That is TO say, he has a suite OF rooms at this
house and makes 1t his headquarters, though
he spends more or less time at his trout-lake
on Mount Cannon, near by, where he has
erected q cosy cabin, and in company with
congenial friend or two sometimes luxu
rates up there for a week at q time In q sta Re
''of torpid gorgeousness," fishing and eating
He did not discover the lake, but he dlscOv
cred trout in IL on one of mis- mountain ex
pl0ratiOns. His first hours fishing brought out
th1rty-d i've trout, weighing from 2K pounds
his next move was to buy the lake, the more
especially as his comfortable incoms from
bis interest in the journal of CONNER e ena
bles him to indulge In such luxuries. Mr..
Prime looks the picture OF 81, clear eyed
health for a man who has spent q consider
able portion of his life In sedentary pursuits,
but IL Is not every lawyer or lurnalist VINO
Profile House and q White Mountain trout
lake.
ONE OF THE SIDE SHOWS
here Is the Echo Lake, half a mile from the
hotel. Almost every mountain range has
its Echo lake, but this is held to be the only
real article, just as the Stone FACE outranks
profles. 1t is an unattractive little sheet Of
water, walled in by Eagle Cliff, Bald Noun
tain and Mount Cannon, but its echoes are
something remarkable, aud the disch arge
of the little cannon on the wharf is folio wed
by a roar along the mountain sleeps like
that OF park OF artillery. This Is SOM
times too much of the thunderous for quiet
people, but one does not soou get tired OF the
rich notes OF the well played bugle that
comes back from the great mountain walls
rounded = ha m Zfruy ant
were filled by Olympian lips.
UP MOUNT LAFAYETTE.
The next morning we took an early start
for the ascent OF Mount Lafayette, chief of
the Franconia mountains, as we had q pretty
lard days work before us. The sky was
clCudless, and the opportunity for fiue view
was one OF those exceptional ones that all
mountain tourists know how to appreciate.
The present path up Mount Lafayette at
tacks the mountain side almost immedi
ately In front Of the hotel instead OF making
a detour OF q couple oil miles, as the old path
did, in quest Of an easier grade. For soma
time we were occupied in working up the
shan q ascent Of the flank Of Z agile Cliff, viii Oh
House; and in this part Of the route we came
upon q view OF the Profile, or Old Man of the
Mountain, which represents the great stone
than that obtained at the usual point or
view on the road near Profile lake. That is
TO say, the features are fuller and better
regulation point Of view, where, though
sharply outlined against the sky, they have
the appearance OF being cut out OF sheet iron
rate In the stiff metal except at an angle.
Then came an easier stretch of walk along
the curfously walled pass between the Cliff
and and the main ridge. Entering then upon
vista views along the upward, tree-saaded
path opened upon the eye, compelling q
pause at each turn as some new beauty met
the sight OF cool shadow set of by bright
glints Of slanting sunlight striking through
boughs OF tender green upon delicate ferns
and moses, making picture upon picture
canvas. We said again and again what a
pity no artist was At hand to immortalize
these beauty spots, and when we came back
q little after noon to be sure, q couple OF
vicinity with some sketching materials, but
the sun was then high In the heavens, aud
all the exquisite, shy, tender charms of the
morselees downward glare. The artists said
they had spent q long time in q hunt for
drin king water, and then on returning to
their path found, not twenty steps from
where they had diverged from 1t, an album
dsnt spring Of cool water. Then, apparently,
they had stopped to smoke for another while,
In order to ponder sufficiently over the
curious circumstance OF their missing this
spring, and when we crossed them on our
return the , seemed TO have reached the con-
ner. They are evidently not the early birds
to catch me artistic morning bits" In these
mountain paths.
Another piece of sharp climbing took us
above the forest line and out upon plateau
OF the west spur of Lafay cite, covered with
low growth OF umbrella-shspsd dwarf
spruce trees, so closely matted as to be
almost impenetrable except where q wind
ing path had been tediously cut. Then came
the serious WORK OF the ascent mp the bare
rocks OF the main peak. Mount Lafayette
Is s, 2o9 feet high, and with its sharp outlines
and contcal form presents more Of the
Alpine characteristics than Mount Wash
'uston. The views from its thin keen crest
are magnificent and wide reacbiug, present
ing aD almost unequalled view of the giants
OF the mountain systems OF New England,
diversified by open stretches OF smiling culti-
vateu land, and the beautiful valleys OF the
Pemigewasset dotted with white villages,
hamlets, and farm houses. On this forenoon
the air was 80 exceptionally clear that the
view was uninterrupted In any direction,
save, OF course, to the east, where Mount
Warrington lifts its massive summit above
the eye. The symmetrical cones OF Adams.
Jefferson, and Kiarsage, the rugged peak OF
Chocorua emphasis on the second syllable);
the curious pyramid Of Haystack; and the
massive dome OF CaTrigain, seemed to be
almost within stones throw; while far on
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