National Republican., 1881-09-06
WILD AND LONELY.
INDIAN LAKE, IN THE MOUNTAINS.
Tho Heart or tho oAdirondacks-Graud and Besuti-
fnl Scenery--A Magnificent Group-An
Invading Army In tho New
York Mountains.
Special Correspondence Of rnr REPUBLICAN.

Special Correspondence Of THE REPUBLICAN,,
ADIRoNDAcKs, Sept. l.-Here l am at the
Indian Lake House. What plunge from Sara.
toga to the heart OF the Adirondacks Leaving
Saratoga, the railroad carries passengers 1fy-
seven miles to North Creek; arriving there, Con-
cord stages and express wagons are wait
ing to carry travellers and baggage to their
required destination. The proprietor Of our hotel
had written that he would meet us with Dig
We were full of curiosity to know what such We.
hicle might be. We were agreeably surprised to
find that the "dig" was comfortable covered
spring wagon, often called blackboard The
horses were powerful, and looked Just right for
these mountain roads
THE PROPRIETOR HIMSELF WAS OUR DRIVER.
He looked us over In the station, and We returned
the compliment farmer In his everyday.
wcather-worn clothes, no collar, bald head, a
small, shrewd eye, that twinkled good
nahiredly In his round unwhiskercd face, a
little above medium stature, weighing in
the nelshborhood Of two hundred and fifty
pounds. His excellent relations to gravitation
suggested encouraging representations of the
commissary department, which were happily full
filled. Such prince of drivers, n perfect Jehul
AT frstwhen we saw his contempt for all obstacles,
the hairbreadth escapes we were continually
making, and our great speed, we thought
our necks would pay for our ride.
But soon fear gave way to confidence
in his SKILL and we felt sure we would come
through all right We stopped at n hotel four
miles from the station and had an excellent
dinner Here we met the stage party, and when
we saw twenty packed in and on II we felt thank
ful we were to make the ascent in dig" The
whole way
THE SCENERY II GRAND AND BEAUTIFUL.
We were soon surrounded with mountain peaks
more SUBMITS came into view, tier beyond tier,
dovetailing rs far as the eye could reach. At one
place sevcnty-fye Of these beautiful mountains
tops can be seen, all covered with forest verdure
and cone.shaped except Snowy Mountain, the
highest of this magnificent group. II
looks as If the top had been cut Off and the frus-
trum lcft standing. So seen II Is easily recog-
nizcd. A turn in the road would oflen hide II
from view, but again and again ii would come In
sight And so we went on, always enjoying the
10 vely scenes. Toward sunset we arrived at Indian
Lake. It was partially hidden by the deep woods,
but us we rode on we caught such delightful
glimpses of II that called forth rapturous admira.
ton. 1t lies at the base of an amphitheatre OF
mountains One island Of rocks and trees and
shades reposes its blue waters The lake is well
named;
so WILD AND LONELY
no sign nor sound of civilized life to mar the
silence OF nature. The setting sun glorihes the
mountains, the calm lake mirrors, the gorgeous
clouds, the shadows lengthen the mist falls on the
mountain-tops and slowly descends, color fades
from sky and water, the forest trees come close to
us, the curtain of night Is drawn around
us, the rain falls noiselcssly; 1t Is dark
we are awed-no word is spoken-we are in the
wilderness, The gay, busy life we have LEFT is but
a vision of the nlght-!bis deep solitude only is
real. ThespulI-is broken. We emerge from the
thick darkness An opening gate tells
us we are near the habitations of man.
A campfire burns before US and blazes
our welcome In banners of flame. Our journey is
ended; we are housed, and seek rest in comforta-
BILE and clean beds. And what have we to entI
Beside the staples, the bees give honey. the NAPLES
syrup, the hills lamb, the brooks trout, and the
mountains venison.
THERE Is SOMETHING SAVAGE
In man at his best estate, or as Emerson would
say, n tendency to return to quadruped condition
lie goes forth for recreation, but is that all? lie Is
weary of the conventlonalilies aud tiresome cerc-
monies of this our advanced civiiza-
ton He escapes for awhile from this
lie rejoices that one suit of clothes will do for
mouth. How delightful to so in shirt.seeye
tumble on the grass fling away his hat
kick of one boot here and anothe,
there, and enjoy freedom and nature
But, alas this wild vsn soon become tame
Already tourists are invading 1t like an army
The Adirondacks-loity mountain tops, lovel!
lakes, pleasant valleys, the sweet songs Of tn,
brooks, the dense forests, the deep solemn silence
| aud solitude of the wilderness. ARIES.