Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-09-28
Communication.
The Beauties of the Hud-
- .s..'.- son. .+...
For the Fayetteville Observer.

New YORK, Sept. 13, 1876.
On the morning of the lot
|; of September, day dawnet
bright and beautiful. The ray
Of the rising sun were shut from
the busy city only by the gildet
clouds which floated here ant
there, through the pleasant air
Although the scenes of rura
life had changed to the busy
city throng, the change seemed
as the morning, truly delight
full. At eight o'clock we might
have been seen, with pleasant
faces and joyful words, max.
ing our way toward the boat
landing, through the busy
streets of Albany, bound fol
New York. Half an hour later
we launched forth on board the
steamer "Daniel Drew" com
mencing our sail down the Hud-
son at Albany, the capitol Of
New York State, which is
pleasantly situated. 1t is a city
prominent both in historical as
sociations, and prosperous in
the traffic of to-day.
The Hudson is too famous a.
mong the rivers of the world,
to require here a description of
its geographical situation. Its
beauties have been the theme
of the historian and the poets.
song ever since it's discovery.
Well may it receive the appella-
ton Of "The Rhine of Ameri-
Ca" for it is surely such.
From the deck Of one of the
fine steamboats,, that daily
plough the bright blue waters
of the Hudson, affords an ex-
cellent opportunity for noting
the beautiful scenes and inter
esting places, which are con-
stantIy presented to our view;
which are but dimly described
by our best writer's.
The first few miles from our
starting point the scene is some
what monotonous, yet beautiful
IN the strictest sense, present.
ing on either side grassy hill
locks with groves of trees, dot
ted with neat cottages, and an
occasional edifice with its tower
reared above the charming spec
tacle. Having passed several
villages of exquisite beauty,
and islands verdant with grass,
the city Of Hudson rises in full
luxuriance, on a bold promon-
tory fifty feet in hight, bearing
a picturesque appearance. Its
inhabitants number about fif-
teen thousand. Opposite the
city is seen the flourishing vii
lage of Athens. A short dis
tance below is a beautiful mount
called Merino. This is a SYM
metrical elevation coated with
grass and clumps of trees. 1t
is said to have derived its name
from the flocks of Merino sheep
which were once pastured there.
The next object that attracts
the attention is Prospect Point
Hotel; q mammoth yet magnifi-
cent structure situated near the
rivers bank. Near this place
the Catskill flows into the river
through a deep channel, walled
with rugged cliffs. At this
place it is said that Henry Hud-
son, the discoverer Of the Hud-
son river, anchored his boat on
the Goth Of September 1909,
and was visited by the Indians.
On the west side Of the river
now may be seen in the distance
the CatskiIl Mountains lifting
their giant forms above the sur
rounding country, capped with
silvery spray or fleecy clouds,
which lead us to exclaim-
Distance lends enchantment to the view.'
These mountains are celebra-
ted as being the place where
Rip Van Winkle fell into his
twenty years slumber, as wei
read in one Of fIrving's best sto-I
ries. Roundtop, the highest
peak on the -Catsk;ll mountains,
is about four thousand feet high.
An excellent view Of this point
may be obtained from Tivoli.
Kingston, the next point of
interest, is said to be about one
hundred years old, and twice
destroyed by the Indians and
once by the British. 1t still
survives andis ii beautiful place.
Sailing down the river, the next
town of much consequence is
Poughkeepsie, a word signifying
safe and pleasant harbor.' 1t
is built on the table lands above
the landing. The streets are
beautifully shaded by numer-