New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-22

AMONG THE JERSEY HIGHLANDS.

4
FROM Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
CHESTER, n j., Aug 19.-Somc statistician has
estimated that 60 900 people have left their homes
in the ciey this summer for n sojoun, longer
shorter, i'll the country. Tie number is too
piciousy round to command absolute faith in
its exactnoss Possibly the statisteian has
guessed az n quarter Of the census, aud
then multiplied the result by four.
But certainly the great vacation exodus was never
more general and the muser-roll Of Itjnerant pleas
ure-seelers VIII longer year by year. OF these
tens of thousands, those who satisfied with sand
ana sea air, will continue 20 court the tonic baths
and Oreeles of the coast line Others aspire to climb
above the level to the freedom of the mountain
tops. They long for the twilight shade and fragrance
Of the woods for the deep-bosomed valleys and fash
ing streamets OF hllcountry and fortunately there
are places within easy reach to meet the taste and
temper of every class One who will not stop short
the luxury of ulster in July must journey far and
climb high, but the humber soul who is content il
he find himself / 900 800 feet in the air can
reach this unambitous level in q couple of hours by
crossing the North River and taking any railroad
exc ept the Pennsy lvania-for they all wind about
the ridges Of tle Highland range their way to
the West.
This Highland range is broad elevation Of
archaic rock-a part OF the Appalachian system
which sweeps across Northern New-Jersey. It's
tiuuation after crossing the Dclawar into Penn
sylvania is known the South Mountain and in
NewYork it is called the Highlands. Its width at
tho New-York line is moro than twenty miles,
but it g.ows narrow III its south
westerly course, and is less than ten miles wide
when it reaches the Delaware south Of Easton.
Altogether 1t &C area of about 750 square
miles. From the general elevation rises q series of
short ridges mainly parallel to the axis of the range
tho highest of them reaching an
altitude from 400 to 1900 feet. Commencing
at the north the chief ridges known
the Podchuck, Wawayauda, Beaufort Ra-
mapo. Hamburg, Copperas, Green Pond, Schooey's.
Alamucke, Pohatcong, Musconetcong and SCOTS
Mountains. While there is general similarity Of
feature throughout the entire range it is to be re-
marked that tho southern portion of it is entirely
below the glacial drift area, and the hills rise with
more gradual swell and uniform slope than
they do to the north the uoraine line, where the
rocks have been tumLled down in irregular leaps in
front of the pushing ce-fclds
u would be diticult to find q more charming
region than the high lands west of Morristown to-
ward Chester. Enough of mountain energy has been
eXerted to lift the land into great folds but the sur
face remains smooth never having been ploughed
up and carried away by tie grinding ice-shcet, nor
covered with lnds of unsorted gravel and bould-
ors. The soil is made UP of tho docouposed gneiss
upon which it rests, and is strong and fertile such
soils always are. Astounding springs fur
nsh excellent water, and the roads have
that smooth, parh-liko hard-tinish which
churacterizes highways Quilt of material furnished
by this formation. In the carly days, when gentle
men drove their carriages from Philadelphia aud
even from rs far south as Virginia, TO spend tho
summer at Schooley's Mountain these perfect ro ads
were quite as much of an aluIencnt as the healing
waters of the springs the insigorating air for
which it is still famous More rugged features
however, are not altogether wanting in tho
range south of the drift line. Some of the
valleys, for example, which open from Scotts
Mountain toward the Delaware are as wild and pic
tuesQue as the tourist will discover in many days
travel.
One of the most noticeable reculiarities of the re-
gon north of the irregular line of hills which plainly
marks the border of The leo cap is the
not only the valleys, but even the mountain
range up to the very summit ,os its. ridges
the Gebris pushed before it 20 form the great
mlnal moraine damned 40 t. mouth of the valley
%mc IN B 6 LafS noS hl, an4 COMPELLED it TO
the southernInost OF "a chain of springfield lakes
which rest among the SUBMITS Of the Highlands
Most OF them were formed il. tho same
way by the rotreating ice whenever 1t hated
iong enongh to leave frontal moraino
which traversed Some water course, or wherever P
drift lam was dropped across some valley. The
scenery bout many of these lakes is of srypas.iIg
loveliness. Some OF them. like Lake Hopatcong,
Greenwood, Nawayanda and BudGs lakes, aIc
More beautiful than any OF these is Green Pond
which is 1000 feet above sea rse and n dozen
Others could be named any of which would make
f9rl ane Tor an accom- lshed hotcl-kecpcI who
on It's banks. Most of these lakes are already
stocked it'll black bass, which are guaranteed to
furnish Il, be- ,tary and contemplative pleasure TO
people VIII delight to doze at the end Of a fish line
The mountail north Of the drift line are them,
selves an unfai,Dg attraction to those who love the
contact with rude and unframed nature. For tho
most part unbroken forests, sweep Up their
while the opposite sides are nore broken
and precipitous, and on Their shattered cliffs
OF granite and iron deeply engraved the records
loosened from lodges many miles to the NORM
ploug'ed over them i'll the grip of the glacier M
eleneAG wioL appeals either 10 the sense or the i'm
az nation Is lacking, save that of positive grandeur
which is found alone among mountain masses
or the nrsl magnitude. Between the ridges are
deep valleys with terraccd sides which mark
them through dark hemiock shadows noisy brooks
loan and tumble. From every hilltop and through
every forest opening combination of woods and
waters anu Verdurous slopes spread out into land
scapes az fresh and Varied a highly diversified
surface and q wealth OF sylvan and pastor al ma
terlal can make them.
Beyond the Highland range parallel to it and sep
arated from IT by the fertile kittatnny Valley runs
the Blue Mountain, q narrow ridge rsiriy at
times 10 the height of 800 feet and extending
from the New-York line across the northwest
iint OF the State to whore the Delaware breaks
through it at the Water Gap. UPON this mountain
and IN the valley which itself is from 900 to $50
feet above the ,de level, there is the same abund
anco OF clear lakes, DeckcTs Pond and Culver and
tnrcsque surroundings. The Kittarinny Valley.
wnicn includes the greater part Of the most pro.
r uuctiyo farm and grazmgiands in Sussex and War
rem Countess ~ little than ten miles wide and
rom some peaks ON the Hamburg Mountain it
can pc seen throug hout its entire length
rom the water Gap to the Hudson The richness
magnesium limestone and the luxuriant nastyypaoa
upon its slate formations are well known ard ~