Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-08-21
ADIRONDACK SCENERY.
Pleasures Of Camp Life In the NoPth
Woods.

| ~0O0Ss
WHERE LAKE, MOUNTAIN AND SKY COMBINE
TO PLEASE THE EYE-NILLIoNAIREs LIVING
| IN LOG HoUsEs-GAME SCARCE AND TROUT
wARy-BAD MOUNTAIN ROADS, &C.
Correspondence OF THE EVENING STAR
In CAMP, IN THE ADIRoNDAcKs. August 1s.
This region is no longer the wilderness IL was
| a few years ago, and Old sportsmen find here no
more the attractions which In the past endeared
| the Fulton chain of lakes to their hearts. The
Fulton chain contains eight lakes. all but one.
the Fourth, at the foot of which our camp is sit
uated, being small sheets of water hardly
worthy the name of lakes. They are connected
by inlets and small steamer plies as far I'D as
the head OF the Fourth lake, which curves like
vast crescent of OxydiZed silver among the
deusely wooded mountains for q distance OF
six miles. 1t is as pretty a sheet of water a.
can well be imagined. Peak over peak the
mountains retreat in all directions away from
IL, and above them like irregularly drawn cur
tains OF gauze the haze hangs in varying shades
OF beautiful smoky blue. becoming more and
more deep In the distance until the farthest
spurs seem like faint clouds anchored on the
horizon or the ghosts Of departed mountains.
Here and there through the dense vegetation
which covers them like a growth Of giant
yeIlowishh amid the beautiful slopes of deep
green. The Fourth lake is prettily diversified
with bays and inlets. and there are several
islands in 1t, one of them about thirty acres in
or cape is now occupied by a "camp." These
camps, for the most part, are built of rough
hewn logs and plank, and are intended for
summer occupation only. There are few very
picturesque camps constructed alter rustic de.
signs, OF unhewn pine logs, with verandahs on
two sides and carefully sealed with narrow pine
boards within. \ few of the public camps
where sportsmen and other visitors lind accom-
modations, are pleasantly lifted up, and fair
meals and toierable beds may be obtained at
low rates. A few years ago it required good
deal OF courage on the part of u lady TO come
fare and rude canS WHICH Ss
endured rather than enjoyed. The
CHANGES OF RECENT YEARS
have, however, rendered this part of the will
derness quite attractive summer resort
even for people who are accustomed to coddle
themselves, while the sportsmen seek more Sc
questered and congeniai retreats farther north
in less accessible regions. The majority OF the
ero,ls appearance and the dry, hard cough
which indicate that most dreaded and destruct-
I've I've, OF diseases consumption Many OF the
hopes OF relief cure of lung troubles,
and , as a rule they claim to have been
greatly benefited. Indeed, there can be
little doubt that people with incipient
consumption may check the ravages, II not
permanently cure the disease, by a residence
amid the aromatic pines and balsains of these
woods Numerous alleged cures of people far
gone In consumption occur every year. After q
residence here of six weeks or two months the
invalid, who came in feeble and emaciated re-
turns TO the city fat and apparently strong. A
couple OF months passed under the same condi.
lions which orig finally brought on the trouble
usually put the patient down lower than he
was when he first went to the woods, and from
these reiapses, as rule, the rallies are lew. A
residence of a lew weeks in the pure, bracng
air OF the mountains, while it tones up the sys-
TEN generally and relieves the more marked
symptoms OF disease, leaves the lungs more sus-
ceptible than ever to the bad air of the city,
and this is the reason why the supposed cures
DO not prove permanent.
ANOTHER CLASS OF 1NvALIDs
here hat f,,o
in the woods, no matter how irregular and un-
hygienic their habits may be, should make
them we'll and strong. They take violent ex-
ercise until they are in a profuse perspiration,
sit out when the dew is falling, eat unwhOle-
some food at all hours, and sit up late at night
reading or playing cards. Then they are terri
"get rid OF their cough" One great drawback
to these woods as resort for invalids is the
difficulty of obtaining wholesome and we'll
cooked food, unless one brings III his own ma
terials and starts a camp OF his own. OF course
the bracing air and outdoor life speedily give
one a ravenous appetite, but no appetite how
ever ravenous, can long hold out against the
strong butter and canned fruits and vegetables
which, unhappily figure SO prominently in all
doubtless disappear in a season or two, as most
OF the camps now have small clearances about
them on which are raised garden vegetables,
anu at one or two places a COW Is kept.
Quite a number OF parties OF ladies and gen.
tlemen are summering at the different camps
On the lakes this summer. They are from
Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and other cities In
New York state.
The finest private camp on the lakes is owned
by q wealthy gentleman OF Utica, Lewis Law.
renee, chiefly known TO fame eXtravagant
admirer of Roscoe Conkling. Lawrence's ad-
m MIR nd1 OF Sonkling once cost him about
tablish a Conkin organ in Utica. On Little
Moose Lake, which is about mile distant from
the nIst lake OF the chain, Mr.. Taylor, = mill
lionaire iron founder of High Bridge, n. J., has
one OF the finest camps in the woods, and spends
a large part of the summer there.
GETTING INTO THE WOODS.
The elevation of these lakes, and the great
beauty of the region in which they are situated
would undoubtedly make them a favorite re-
sort tor thousands of summer tourists in
search OF rest and health, ii they were at all
accessible. The difficulties OF the road leading
on here keep ali bu- the most enthusiastic
away. The tourist leaves the railroad at Boom
vile, whence the ride of ID miles to Moose
river is over good road. AT Moose river the
trouble begins. The 13la miles OF road from
that point TO the Old Forge, at tie foot OF the
lakes, is indescrbably bad. The formula for
getting an idea OF it is, Imagine the worst pos
sibie road you CEN, and then multiply il by
four. 1t runs through the woods nearly all the
way, ana can he Travelled only on horseback or
by buckboar 1t Is more like the dry bed OF O
mountain torrent than q roadway, so full is IL
of boulders and fragments of wrecked trees.
and so sudden and tortuouS are its turns. The
unsophisticated traveller who goes over this
road for the first time usually requires two
ride. The road ends at the Old Forge house,
SO called because at the beginning OF the cen.
fury an attempt was made TO establish there q
foundry for the purpose OF making iron out of
the excellent ore with which these noun t.ins
abound. In those days it was necessary to
draw the iron to Albany, several hundred
miles, SO it is not difficult to believe the tradi-
ton still current here that every pound OF iron
made in Browns Tract cost an ounce of gold.
AT the Old Forge you are met by the little
steam tug, which takes you up the lakes at q
rate of about five miles an hour, except when
sheltered bay until the wind goes down. But
for all these discomforis and fluctuations one
feels amply repaid the next morning, it the
weather is hne on coming out into the delight
ful air and surveying the magnificent forest
covered mountains that stretch away in every
direction into the SOFT and hazy distance.
FLOATING" FOE DEER.
Amateur fishermen and hunters who come
here with the idea that the woods are full OF
game loafing around to be shot at and the
waters stocked with trout just longing to be
caught, are grievously disappointed. Except
III the early spring trout are not caught without
intelligent and persevering work. Game is
always hard to get, big game especially. The
The hunting of deer by floating" this year be-
came legal on the 18th instant, Sunday last
AS a consequence, all the waters which deer
were known to frequent were filled Saturday
night with silently gliding bO;-ts, each bearing
at the bow large Jack-lantern which threw y
sportsman, who sat. gun in hand, just behind
it in the boat, ali objects on shore. The guide
or paddler sits in the stern, and the manner in
which they prOpel the boat is really admirable
SO silently and skilfully is 1t done. With their
little paddles they send the boat forward or
draw her back, turn sharply and rapidly and
shoot, in and out amid the most bewildering
1,fx infl as.,,ir toll