New-York tribune., 1882-08-13
SUMNER LEISURE
IN THE KAATERsKILL VALLEY.

K1sKAroM. N. Y, Aug. 1O.-A friend
recently asked me where clerk OF small
salary and sedentary habits compulsory by nature
of his employment could find good air and exer-
else and good yet cheap board, not 700 distant
from the city. l can answer him now, though
could not quite satisfactorily then. III he can be
contented with mountain air, without demanding
that it shall be that OF the highest peak let him 90 to
any of the score or two of villages about the base of
the Catskill Mountains There are hundreds of farm
houses about the villages OF Durham, Wndham
Freehold Palonville KiskatOm and AGRA. IN Greene
Comfy. at an elevation of 1900 feet above the
Hudson, whore he can obtain board at from 80 to
So week. That and the fare ooth ways are
all the absolutely necessary expense 10 winch ne
will be exposed 1t is difficut to dvviso methods
of extravaganza unless by doing what sensible
man of sedcntary habits will not do-hire convey
ances W here shanks-mare VIII serve as well ana
brig him better appetite, strength and health
Us NAV occasionally have to buy. ronto, glass
of milk but as a rule if he asks at the hrst larm
house for "a cooling draught Of milk he will be
turned loose in a big spring house surrounded by
racks of broad but shallow pans. filled with milk
IN which the cream has formed so thiclIy as SEEM
rolv TO encrust it, and generally barrel or two of
cider in close proximity. When he asks for glass
or goblet he will get great deep bowl from which
TO drink and the amount which under the entlcing
circumstances he drinks Will be a subject of con-
variation after he Is gone. for the housewife will
feel complimented if he drinks heartily, and CON
cerned for her COWS if be does not
For equipment buy nothing extra, unless it he a
change of Yachting or wn tennis shirts Everybody
wears them here. and they are at once comfortable
and convenient and in not too pronounced colors
are considered attractive. If affects the aesthetic
and has good calves, and. moreover, does not mind
being laughed at, he may provide knee brceches
but ordinary business suits most worn, and
however much worn they arr GOOD enough Tor TINS
country. Bathing tights arc auaicient The bath
mg is plentiful and fine, there beng any number OF
large dams in the streams, OveThung by willows
which droop so low that drowning man may clutch
their boughs and atfording such ample shade that
there Is 10 need to protect the back fiom the suns
rays. One wants neither Gnide nor compass III BIS
rambles Let him 20 out indifferent as 10 his desti
nation and lie is sure to find shelter and comfort
wherever he may 90, aud he can't get lost IN
country gridironed with crossroads. lie should be
careful TO walk only short distances at first. Five
miles the first dav if accompanied by lady, or ten
miles if alone taken leisureiy and with many a
stop wherever the fancy or the eye rs caught Will
not knock one ul-or uut, Su,poSc ~ ~snouii say say
since Sullivan is the fashion both III music ana
athletics. Increase this distance ana the galt
gradually and at the end OF the fortnight morn
ing stride OF ten miles in three hours and back again
i'm the ccol of the afternoon anu evening to good
meal of berries bread aud milk, ought 10 DC an easy
and arpetizlns and seep-produclhg TASK ioi @ tilo
regions ] made the tramp from CAIRO TO LAY liead
ana back by way of Freehold, distance OF hiteen
miles during one morning, the actual walking tne
being tour and a half hours, without Iatlgulng
effects Such "A fortnight as suggest ought not 10
cost any New-York clerk for fares both ways
board etc, over T23, allowing - lot extra OK
penses Above all, travel light Saratoga
trunk is Tie most useless and expensive of INJURIES
The capital letter is useful in illustrating the
,f fla nnrfo of a
the Catski Mountains and the hudson kEor
The shank and right prong represent Catskin
Creek At its base lies CatSkiil Village ana the
stream, usiDg thirty miles away Is confined 10 ltS
place by the Catskl the left or south and
Indian Ridpe on ITS right The lett prong represents
the Kaaterskill Creek which rises III the heart OF
the Catskill Mountains at the head 0I deep raVihe
or canon called here kaaterskll Cove. Inc
regions through Shch the TWO streams HOW are As
different as the spelling of their names WINE
both flow through broken anu almost mountainous
country one is bounded by far more rugged ana
picturesque scenery than the other have already
attempted to describe the valley OF the Catsklll
The Kaatersk valley is much more narrow III IN lts
limits The hills lar more preclpltous. lher1
are no such broad flats those along the Catskll
ovor which the stream when swollen spreads INTO
miniature lakes of a few hours duration, ana
which flats are so extensive as TO warrant thclr
being call led after Jefferson and Madison ana various
other Presidents here are le" Hre SiU'S % ner T so
| sions The hillsides are more pieclpltous; the
| roads more difficult; the rayines narrow anu INC
cliffs OF white limestone on either side more nearly
nerurndicular than those on the banks of the Cats
| kill The valley of the kaateTsklll creek VIII
| therefore have a greater attraction LOT inc 'r1e
| mount,iueer among the visitors to this region III
has the additional advantage Of beng the valley
| through which runs tho short and main turnpike
road to the summit OF the Catshill at lhe POM
| where the Principal hotels This creek is
| bounded by the Caskill Mountains on the right or
northwest side Of the prong OF the ana py sia,I
and underlined ridge OH the left, while the Listening
| Hills arc at the point OF the junction Oh the TWO
| streams. ,.. s ..,;t ..
take foot ranblcs along The kaxterskil ana IN It's
| valley such ! nave suggested than from ulrh-
| wood 1t is geographically the same Us hlaNatoh,
| Co he found ON the maps, and is about i've miles
from Catskill. due west by the road to te Mountain
| House. and about eight miles from that point OF
| greatest vantage in viewing the surrounding conn
| try. G,cnwoOd consists OF hotel ana cluster oI
| farmbouscs but the farmhOuses are OF the better
sort and the hotel is the best country house l nave
| vet encountered. The proprietor may DC Httlc
chimerical: he certainly is rather sangune OF sue
cess in season when all others IN thls region ae
dcspOndent-but he believes tbat soou summer
boarding house and good alltbe year-round road
! house. may he made by giving superior accomIno-
dations TO that of his neighbOrs at noninally the
| sour rates lie has therefore, furnished the house
| capable of accommodating 100 guests, WIN the
finest of furniture. and hc sets taDle equa 10
| that of the average city hotel serving everything
in city style He has ut present only lorty encs's.
| which he attributes to lack OF appreciation but
| finding the guests he has had al come rom Doarl-
ing farms near by where they had heard tak oi ms
superior table, attrbue.hls partial ialurc 10 iack
of sensible advertising of his rates and ms iarc III
il too late in the season Tor ms Eotce 10 nc vi uy
| benefit TO him most families TO whom ne caters
having already been domiciled for the summer; but
! would recommend such persons as my irlenu lle !
| clerk previously mentioned. and all others VINO
| desire good board at say 20 or Tio week, ana
| plenty of good walking and sleeping 10 Try the
| GIenWood as a centre OF daily departure III score
of directions for short picturesque mountaln-cllmh-
ine tramps in lovely region. In front OF the house
! the Listening Ridge rises 900 leet aDoFe' ~il,1e h
| hehind II descending through the ravine OF By
Crre the Kaatersklll is nealy as far distant dow
in tbc shades of deep woods OF ancient and towering
| tr.cs Nature has done all tuat possible TO
make natural park here and II the proprietor VIII