New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-10
SUMMER LEISURE.
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.


The sun which has beat fercey upon the whole
country has not altogether spared the mountains.
But, although the temperature has gone cOnsidera-
bly, above its normal range with u.s. it has not been
high enough for very serious discomfort Yes erday
the mark of the mercury in the Office of the
Glen House $50, at time when, if the tele-
graphic bulletin told the truth you had it at 99o in
NewYork. And it should be remembered that
high thermometric register here does not represent
by any means the same inconvenience that similar
record would represent in the city, The heat lasts
but small fraction of the day. The forenoon is al
ways fresh and pleasant We are close to the Car
ter Range on the east that the must climb into
the high heavens before he gets fair chance at the
Glen; and on the west, short half mile the
meadow, rise the great SUBMITS of the Presidential
group, behind which the glowing orb is hidden long
before the hour appointed in the almanac for sun
set. In five minutes after the sun has gone below
the ridge of Mount Jefferson the atmosphere changes.
There rocks to retain the heat; the fields and
forests are kept fresh by the abundant brooks and
springs cool, inygorating air breathes from the
darkening woods; the little fountain before
the door leaps up with new joy; blinds are thrown
open; the baud which has been playing Schubert
and Beethoven, and antiquated dance-neasures of
Handel and Corel in the great shaded paror puts
away its violns; and all troop out upon the
pazzas to watch the colors of and gold in the
sky, and the blue of the mountains deepening in the
boards for evening drive, and fair horsewomen
dash down the wooded crossroad where the branches
of birch and pine hang low enough to brush their
faces as they gallOp by. Presently cloud of dust
rises distant hillOck, and the red mail-coach
with the six white horses rattles up the road. We
scan the new arrivals who look travel-stained, but
generally good humored, for the picturesque and
shaded mountain ride is refreshing after hot day
the railroad call punctually for our letters;
we exchange news over the cheerful and bounteous
tea-table and after u while have music again
something merry this time, with dancing whenever
that exercise is desired.
1t is impossible to describe the beauty of the
evening out of doors. The warm weather follows n
long period-three weeks, ] beheve-of frequent and
copious showers, by which the woods have been
well saturated, and soft haze is spread
the landscape. Sometimes after sunset the haze
deepens to a mist thick enough TO hide the stars.
Then the moonlight is toned down and ditfused
with strange and mysterious effect The nearest
mountains seem to nearer to us still, the dis
tant SUBMITS recede in illimitable perspective. We
no longer discern the zones of timber and shrub
and bare stone. The whole range is a mass of blue
tints, shading off from deep indigo in the Great
Gulf to the cold and icy hue of the far away tops,
where the moon is shining through an atmosphere
much thinner than that of the Glen. On such night,
notwithstanding the haze, the mountain outlines
rising in the soft and luminous air defined with
especial sharpness against the gray sky.
If you are impatient for shadows and cool air you
need not wait for sunset. You can find those lux
uries ut any time a few rods up the Glen, Perhaps
have been especially lucky in my excursions,
but whenever have got into the saddle, these
hot afternoons for ride up that beautiful pass,
have found in five minutes after leaving the house
a deliciOuslv cool temperature and refreshing
breeze The track lies at the bottom of thckly
wooded gorge, with just room between the bases of
the parollp ridges for tbe river and rood
the Peabody River, which hurries brawling over
the stones nOrthward past the Glen House, to join
the AndroscOggin at Gorham, and the narrow stage
road from Gorham and the Glen to North Conway
and to the railway through the Crawford Notch.
1t is well shaded road, and, for the mountains, a
well built Frequent front streams tumble
across it; the Peabody whirls among the rocks and
twists itself into deep pools picturesque foo-paths
lead of into the dark pine forest; views of the Pres
idential Range open here and there through the
trees and in front of YOU you ride up the valley
rise heavy mountain masses which threaten TO bar
your way. On the the right, three
miles from the Glen House, lies
the opening of the deep gorge known as Tucker
mans Ravine, with the famous Snow Arch and
Hermit Lake at its upper end, and two peucid
Tvulets running down to the road-One being the
Peabody, which turns to the north, and the other
the Ellis taking the southern slope of the water-
shed, and minglmg It's waters with the Saco A
llle Ifinef on the Ellis makes two splendid Jumps
OF twenty and seventy feet respectively to the
bottom of rocky glen Mt the base of Wild Cat
Mountain and this cascade, remarkable not less for
its romantic surroundings than for it's height
and FORM is said to be the most beautiful in the
whole White Mountain region Glen Ellis is the
usual limit of afternoon walks and rides in this di-
rection for there is steep grade just beyond where
the road having reached the top of the divide be-
gins the descent of about 600 feet the Lowell of
North Conway, taking the first mile or two in n
precpitous and Dlungng way rather discouraging
both to men and horses. But it is wonderfully
picturesque road. We are here in the very heart
of the Pmkham Notch, with steep slopes closing
in upon u.s. the river roaring unseen in the ravine
FAR below. and tempting vistas opening in the trees
as we go down into the shady depths of the valley
1T is the ideal of comfort to ride into this cool green
retreat on hot afternoon, and returning after sum
set to the cheerful and airy hotel which stands in
soft fields, with wide amphitheatre of mountains
all about to find the swallows hurrying around on
their evening quest and the loaded hay wagons-for
haying is not over welcoming slowly in from the
meadow.
In some parts Of the mountains the heat has been
lar more severe than at the Glen. At Fabyan's il
has been very trying and on the summit of Mount
Washington it is said to have been almost intoler-
able, though the thermometer only registered the
WIND, and no shelter except the pine plank hotel
| wmch is intended for almost anything sooner
| THAN a protection against the sun. and
can imagine the visitor under such circumstances
neins anxious to come down at any cost prnmb
| wall