The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-23
WHITE HILLS ADVENTURES
MEAsURING the FACE or the OLD
MAN OF IHE FOUNTAIN.

In n Pros. Cloud on the Francon,n Peaks
Climb ma Eagle Ciin Planting Flax ontbo
Old Mans Brow-l he Voice Of Echo Lake
Visitors to the White Mountains in 1850
md since will remember the deaf mute carpon-
ter, William u. Swett, employed at the Profile
House, and rendered famous 10y his hazardous
exploits In measuring the face OF d" The Old
Man of the Mountain" the planting Of the
wooden panther and Indian on Eagle Clif, aud
other IKE feats Of danger. lie has printed
pain ohet, now In Ito tWenty-scve edition,
giving a fun account OF hts adventures. The
profits froui this pamphlet thus far have been
given to the Industrial Home Fund for Deaf
Mutes. Mr.. SWEET was a skilfui corpenter, born
In uerkimer n. H., and educated at the 1nsu-
tuition for t'e Deaf and Dumb in Hartford
Conn. Early in 1865 re engaged to aid ia repair
ing the Profile House In the Francona noun
tains. he wotkmen, to WHOM deaf mute
was great CURIOSITY, were much perulexed with
his gestures and his little slate. and one, an
Irishmsn. aitei eyeing him intentlv Tor while,
stopued no, laid his hand On the strangers
shoulder. looked HIM in the face. m ,de the sisn
Of the cross. anu went back 10 his zee an 4 re-
sumed his seat, sppsrenuy sa,isned." says the
author, that vas all iight" Tho deaf aud
dumb carpenters story Of hts FIRST visit t. the
"Od Man 81 the Mountain" is worth giving IN
" Aoout the last Of July determined to pay n
visit TO the head OF the 'Oid Man While get
tin1 ready for the ATTEMPT, | thought II got
there would set up pole aud RAISE fag
also concluded to remain on the top OF the
mountain until after dark, and then ruld "A
large hrc. procured Ratchet, which always
thereafter carried IA my belt Ia all my wandw-
| long cord, a tac OF shavings aud kind1ng wood,
anu some provisions. Altogether they made
heavy load to GARY to the top OF the mountain,
a mile and huif. On a hot day In summer. !
| followed the footpa;h. ana found II very hard
/ work to get along with my load but reached the
! use at the proper time. After resting q little |
| beg to descend toward the odd Man, which
| IS about "A mile away In an opposite direction
! from that IN which | hscrnded. LoOk,ng around
Tor a nsssser, loand tnat the y crest w"od
/ the way TO u 10y along the briuk OF trizhtfui
prrcipice. Tae descent requited great care, Tor
! in some places sltp OF the foot would send me
/ u De dashed TO pieces on the rocks more than a
tn 5usand feet below, and falee step anywhere
would oe serious thug. | hnalll reached tue
| wood and SELECTED line stick, wuich trimmed
with nav hatchet, ana succceIed afies immense
labor In transporting II 10 what seemed to Uo the
RAISING THE POLE.
prom the spot where stood could see ~
| lake at tho loot OF the modntain, and many
intention when lett a. hotel. and now BEGAN
90 regret a. as. " anything prevented me from
| getting back. not ocy would know where to |, ok
! Tor Mc, ana the cOiseQucnces might not te
! pleasant However. 10y setting ON IA iarge rock
/ the people WHO waved bats and bandker-
! chiefs 10 show tnat they saw fnc. | now
lei! easier - nay mind ~ a. WI.
/ Inferred. Rising tie pole. | placed II it, a
/ cirft Ia rock, aud then Euug the hag - the
freeze. II We gctuns late, aud made the best
| OF my way back 10 tb- place wfefc had lsit
| my load. The descent was h4td. uui tue return
was worse, and ~a- nearly Ok austed bef -
reaching the top. Selecting good place near
the Cannon collected wood Urush, anc green
| spruce trees auu at uine q clock I ufod the pile
! Tue WIND Tanned the fame to huge bl 10 thirty
fcet OF more IN height. Waich illuminated the
| scene for miles around, and was quickly seen
from the hotel After lOuE aud tedious jour
mes srrven at toe 1T, Me House. with no otner
/ damage than bruised knee. The next morn
linz fFsIA At IN. Mr.. la
! sire VS. expressei 10 see the person who had
made It. was presented to the COMPANY, wno,
90 being acquainted VITA the iacts, made up
! handsome contIibu ION Tor me
Ar. scott bfter~ard fouad that the pole had
! not been placed On the Head but com distance
v. HE therefore m de another Journey. and
planted Il 10 the riGnt place. HIS description 4
Echo lake and us echoes n peculiar. seeing ~ u
| iiis NritteL by one To whom tho seLse Of hear
inc has been denied.
Ii Is remar2 ale for lts echoes" says he.
| THE flowing tin horn Or shouting wit
the voice will awake tue babbln. sosrfps Of
tue lii. VITO will return the sounds with won
cerlul distino,ness The report - swivel or
| quo Hired IN cctt 4iD difec,iun Will feNetberate
iles peais - tLunaer among tue mountains.
Al 'his know from heArsay, sri wNains Tn.
| echoes 10 QUE Of the few occasions on when I
SsenIs feel M loss Of heirins.' lie - .in 'oa.
| u visit t. III lake by moonlight. II c0uud
see 10 .uing ana tue Perfect stiffness, toeeth =
VITA tho strange hour, gave me sud leu pane,
AMI ! d.shei into Il, boa, aud swept bone
| w.rd with oil possible speed
IL - not Of ga that deal mute hH@ been atle
70 describe at snort raugs the movements 4
! tie oisd OF freedom, out this priyii--c was sew
srll lines accorded MIR. S~ett on Idle Ciin. ,
| hDgs cuiumrar cfdg ovvrrsnglug the Profile
ii use. lie was also maze .iac ~ uuu Ter 4
Interview Win bluf, but reni'l Admiral r RI =
gut, who tooS great interest ~ thc buld sui e
/ ui the White mountains, and fTequeuti, en-
plOled aliu 20 escVgi tai, party over tae Lac
IN IHosr CLoUD.
On one occasion Mr. SWEET. ascended tho
mountains with pho'o saner aud had is
INST experience with fr0st ciOud. The y
wa warm, nut ne could see That above hin u
the uce- were covered Win elstening ice coat.
tNasl I.4. I "a
CeTtaID now far | could endure H. Go - up
wnen frost cloud Is abroad ana sprroach Il
r. IN below rs very different tnlug from hnyia. =
one s~eep down add envelon tue unfoftuuu .
pctsou wEo happens to te IN the WY. In T. 9
latter one seldom escapes ~itn liie.i carried
with ne over coa, ana utttens. winch did nOt
need u but On i'f some Tune AZ aptruaco"t
IN" uorder oi the irost cloud p9l '~n on aud
veutrrcd some di-t-Uco up. t,lt u. "a e
enough. IL Was stin-ing officiating cold TIC
ar vas hlCd win minute psriicies Il frozen
mist, 40 ny IA II and heard sere quickly whlt.
whi.e my cioths-, before / Left, Wel. irulen stu.
hen could beJT tue cold no longer beat a
Ietfe 4. noticed a very slngul thlns during
ny ay lhS wiud was Glowing harI, sni the
/ pariicies Of mist or froa chnging 80 the ire, :
and 10 eacn otter, msde icicles. witch did II I
hdng i IVA as We grrcIally see them, hut STOOD
GU olzonlllS from tees. rocks, and stu -,
| glying tine whole O very Striking abpcaranre.'
! N-.SNett, most remarkable ieat vas that II
taking me measure OF the ola Man 81 the Noun.
taln. his WAS not Culy difhcult, but exec =
! insiy dangerous. That IL was successfully
accomplished Is attested by many living VT.
t.c -imiies Of the great cuupsity now H. tllg
hduds II White Nonntnn tours, he daliu,
hr. l-t's description 81 the WORK NJ performed -
well worm reproducing iu his own wuras:
"preIaring a clothes line forty fcrt lOur and
/ IA piece 81 cotton clotD about four feet square,
10 the top and bottom Of which fastened
heavy ri~ces Of wood, 50 that their weight
suouli Keen the cloth smooth wien preId out
aud suspended, one morning without Informing
an. one Of my Intention, started uut
early, taking along the line AN cotu. not for
-. ting my little Ratchet ana lnnch. and m de-
the eDt direet from the bowling Alley sirai. uI
to th- Face, inst, al II bV the ordinary pam.
After careful examination bel Nv reached tho
TOP - the Head, ana having attached nay Clotu
to the hue, lowered ~ over the fee aud IT.
eutd ~ IN crack IA tue rock. could not seq
whtre It landed; SO, after paTtaking ~ my
lunch, star Ell mack do~n the mountain, heiug
Obliged to 90 10 point elghty iods beyond tna
hotel IA oder to zee Wore the cloth had rested
| i found thaD IL nad landed On the nose, -nd, ~
that was one bali the height of the whole pf0-
lie, | knew that the wuuie height must be
eishty feet, " twice the length Of my fprty foot
line.
uRnER TIE CHIN,
awhile | was SIN lookinE up AZ the fee
some one gare the alarm thai some Vlnual mad
painted = NhltS aput uH the old mans nose, ana
quite spoiled his uuaItY. / ne hotel Keeper Sent
MS clerk to ascortdin what h1d been duue, AMI
20 stop further depred ulns Finding mo ia
t-ntly ~htChiUg ths mead, ne presumed at once
4 .f..f