National Republican., 1884-10-16
ON FROZEN HEIGHTS.
Beautics and Terrors OF Christmas
bay or Mount Washington.


bay on Mount Washington.
After dangerous ascent through snow
drifts from six to twelve feot deep, and
over many places whore false stop would
have sent Inc TO the bottom Of precipicc,
| reached the summit of Mount Washing
ton in al exhausted condition at 0 p. m.
Dec. q. In making tho ascent one has TO
pass through cloud area more or less
dOnse, and the moisture quickly saturates
your clothing, and then tho low tcmpora-
ture mt a higher elevation freezes your
clothes. Such was my experience, and
before could remove my apparel | had
to bo "thawed out"
Tho officers of the signal service wero
very much astonished when | mado my
appearance At their station, and gave mo
n most cordial greeting. l was told that
q large percentage OF those who havo at
tempted the ascent during the winter
season have paid dearly for their tenor
ity. After rost of three or four hours
| walked out to obtain Wow of tho
mountain by moonlight. Tho night was
nearly calm and tho full moon mado
everything appear rs bright ~ day. There
was neither cloud nor fog, but slight
mist hung over the valleys. Each par
ticular peak of the Presidents range
stood out In bold relief and tho moon
light on their mantles Of snow and ice
made n luminous halo somewhat akin to
the corona, while the frost work on tho
buildings noar me flashed aud sparklod
in the light. Long gazed in silent ad-
miration OF tho scene. So still and beau
tiful. yet so drcar, IL recalled to my mind
an Arctic night Of many years ago. whom
H.. Nl..A e.. \ -. 81. "A
looked on u similar scene Of snow aud ice,
and the same thought entered my mind
as then--it Is q woird, beautiful scene,
but 80 desolato that tho bright star OF
hope enters with light so subducd rs If
1t were the ray from some distant planet
penetrating cavern Of ceaselcss silence,
solitude, and woe.
The intense cold awoke mo from my
reverio and l slowly retracod my steps to
the warm fire. Early the noxt mOrning 4
| (Christma3 day | was called TO sec the
sun rise. Tho samo condition prevailed
on the summit as the night before-the
same quiet atmosphere, FREQ from fog, but
the light mist Of tIo night had settled
into heavy belt Of fog below us. If the
night was goriously beautiful tho pano
rama Of tho morning was surprisingly
grand as the sun rose in tho
east. The rays falling on tn,
fog bolt illuminated 1t with all tho color,
of the rainbow. 1t appeared mass o.
shimmering light and color. Each pcab
was encircled by luminous bands, Will,
tho small prisms of ice in frost work oil
the different buildings sparkled ant
danced, showing all the colors of the sola
spectrum, and changing from one to tn
other with tho greatest rapidity-al
| rn1nr and aanninulx- tnntiAn A,
indeed fairy land. A scene of such gran
deur, dazzling beauty, and gorgeousnos
never again expect to see. AS tho SUI
rose higher and higher the fog heaved nj
under its warm rays, forming itself, lik
the billows of the ocean, in immense wave
of color. But the scene soon changed. From
calm tho wind rose suddenly TO We
lOcity of seventy miles an hour, and th
fog rising formed n cloud completely oh
scuring tho sun. 1t seemed that natur
during my brief stay intended TO shoS
inc not only her beauties, but also he
grandeur in storm. Snow and sleet be
gan to fall, and the wind increasing il
violence, the building, although hoavil
braced ON the outside by heavy rafter.
rocked and swayed to and fro like
staunch ship in gale at sea, and l fol
1t would surely be moved from its foun
dation. NenturinB forth in such storm
would have been seeking destruction
so | solaced myself by watching its effect
from window. The wind was the
blowing over 100 miles an hour, an
owing to the binding sleet and snow
could not see further than ton or fiftee
yards. Immense pieces of frost work fou
feet thick and eight to ten feet long wei
torn from the building and blown out
sight. Mover before had | experience
ANYTHING 50 sublime rs well as fearful, ar
while the scene of the morning excite
my admiration. the storm Of tho afteI
noon created profound wonder and re'
erence.
1t ceased as suddenly as IL began. oil
much to my astonishfa1ut. on going OF
of doors to see the effects Of the storm.
found the summit as bare Of snow and il
as 1t would have been on a summers da
The next morning prepared to descer
the mountain. and by dint of c0nsiderab
labor, many falls and numerous slides,
successfully reached the base. The seen
/ witnessed fully rlcompensed mo for 0
the hardships and dangers Of the trip.
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