Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-06-18

CONNECTICUT-THE VALLEY OF BAKERS
RIVER.
The following is second letter of
Mr.. W. G. Prime, who drove through
the state a year ago and recorded his
observations in series of communica-
tions to the New York Jo,yboi IF Com-
mcrce:
at is impossible in driving day after
day through the Green Mountain country
to say which days drive has been the
most beautiful. There j. a constant
change in scene rs you 90 along. now
among pastoral landscapes and now
among rugged mountain scenery. here
by Il broad river flowing through fields
under old elms. there bv roaring torrents
coming down maple-shaded hillsides. or
along the shores of placid lakes.
"A thunder shower detained us at
Bristol, and aS the little inn there was
remarkably comfortable, we stopped for
the night. Toward evening Dupont and
| strolled down the bank of the river
which pourS through this charming
village. and took a few trout. casting
over the rapids. There is very remark
able spring in the side of the river. IA
quarter of a mile below the village
From under a great rock gu>hes out Il
large volume of clear. cold water. ample
to turn a fair-sized mill wheel Trout
enjoy it if man does not. for it runs to
waste in the river. which is sometimes
high enough to cover and hide the spring.
Bristol is one of the most picturesquelv
situated villages in Vermont. and the
drive thither from NdheLpy is SDcciaIly
be0WifU. Perhaps our next days drive
may take rank as first in point of variety
alN beauty of scenery. The route was
Through StarksborO. Huntington. Rich
nond and Bolton to Waterbury. The
road was fairly good for eight miles to
StarkSboro. and then mostly uphill four
or five miles. entering wild bit of
| scenery between a low range of hills on
the left and the high mountains rising to
the lofty Camels Hump on the right.
The valley road through Huntington
was rich in superb views. \ long steep
hill brought Us plunging down into
| Huntington lower village. where we fed
the horses. lunched, and took few trout
out of the river under a mill dam. Thence
our road took IL, over fOrest-covered hill,
| high up above a deSolate dark lake which
winds around among heavy timber and
rocky Lodges that make it very gloomy
some hundred feet below rs. a. we leave
it on the right. and 90 down to Jones
willie on the Winooski. The view over
| the lower lands toward lake Champlail
and Burlington was now far and fine
But far views must always be followed
by long or steep hills. and we reached
the banks of the river by descent which
is both long and steep.
The WinooSl. once known a, the
Onion River, rises in lakes near the east
crn side of the State. flows through
| Montpelier and then into Lake Cham
plain. cutting directly through the Greer
Mountain range. This is the only break
in the entire range. from Massachusetts,
to the Hat lands near the Canada line
Mount Mansfield, the highest peak. lie,
north of the river. which cuts it off from
/ the Cancels Hump and the southern part,
of the range If YOU would cross tn,
state from east to west or west to caSt
south of this anywhere, you must eros,
the mountains, generally by high passes
except Il little below Rutland. where the
range runs lower. and the Vermont Cen.
trail railway finds it, way up from Bel
| lows Falls. We had crossed westward
at Peru. where the road a>cends Somt
two thousand feet. We now struck the
bank of the WinooSki at .Jonesville anG
turning short to the eastward followed
up the bank of the river. with high hill,
on both sides of us. to Waterbury, which
lies practically on the east side of the
range.
The next day | drove few mile,
above Waterbury into the eastern par
of the town of Stowe. and investigated /
lIpui ~lIttlll' lliNt lolIlIll3 10 SAY
about the trout, They were few anc
small. But from the hills above Water
bury Centre, where the road passes ovel
cleared lands, the views of the entire
northern part of Green Mountain rang,
We're magnificent. No mountain view,
in the world are more beautiful, though
muuV are more grand
lit can scarcely be supposed that de-
tails of drive like this | am describing
would specially interest many readers
But again, a. so often before. let ii b,
said, those who travel by rail have small
idea of the beauty of the land, and NOR,
people ought to travel by carriage. Tn,
denominations of Il railway ride in no
weather. through "A lovely country, ar,
indeScribable. We have in Vermont AN,
New Hampshire routes for carriag,
travel second to none in Europe. We
have no high Alps, but Europe has n,
! manila ,.rnN-n.l