The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-11-08

the visible, tremOr-like agitation tina
pervaded the whole, plainly evincet
that it could not long withstand tn
tremendous pressure Of the laborin,
column Of waters beneath.
The travellers, who were not to b.
turned back by foot or two of waite
in their path over the ice, 80 long a
the foundation remained firm, drew
up long spruce pole from neigh
boring fence, and, shooting it forward
through the first stream of water
passed over upon it to the uncovered
ice; and then, drawing their spar
bridge to the water next the othel
bank, went through the same process
till they had all reached the opposite
shore unwet and in safety.
Here they again paused to note the
appearance of the disturbed elements
for, in addition to the threatening as
pect which the river was here assum
ing, slight trembling Of the ground
began occasionally to be perceptible
while unusual sounds seemed to come
mingling from distance, with the
roaring of the wind and the noise OF
rushing waters, as il earth, air, and
water were all joining their disturbed
forces for some general commotion.
"The water and ice are strangely
agitated, it appears to me- observed
WOODBURY. to his companions, as they
stood looking on the scene before them.
"See how like pot the water boils
up through that crevice yonder! Then
hear that swift, numbering rush of the
stream beneath The whole river,
indeed, seems fairly to groan, like
some huge animal confined down by
an insupportable burden, from which
it is laboring to free itself. l have
noticed such appearances, / think,
when the ice was ON the point OF
breaking up; but that can hardly be
the case here, at present can it,"
son the point of breaking up
now?" said one Of the company in
reply. "No, indeed Why, the ice
is more than three feet thick, aud as
sound and solid as rock. Should it
rain from this till to morrow noon, it
won't start
"Well, now, ] don't know about
that" remarked an observant old set
tier, who had been silently regarding
the different portions to which we have
alluded. II don't know about the ice
staying here twenty hours, or even one.
This has been no common thaw, that
we have had for the last six or eight
hours, let me tell you.
"And STILL" observed WOODBURY.,
Il should not think the water high
enough as yet to cause breaking up,
should your"
with slow rise, and in still
time. perhaps not, Harry. But when
the water is rising rapidly, as now,
and especially if there is strong
wind, like this, to increase the motion,
as it does either by outward pressure,
Or by forcing the air through the
chunks in under the ice, | have always
noticed that the stream acts on the
ice at much less height, and much
more powerfully. than when the rise is
slow and the weather calm.
Then you look upon the appear
ances ! named as indications that such
an event is soon to take place here, do
your"
81 do, Harry, much sooner than
YOU are expecting; for the signs you
name are not the only ones which tell
that story. as / will soon convince
you all, if you will be still and lis
ten moment.
This remark caused the company
pause and place themselves in
listening attitude.
There" resumed the speaker,
pointing up to the bold, shaggy sleeps
IF the mountain. which we have before
alluded to, aud which, from the OPP
posite side of the Connecticut, and
within a few furloughs from the spot
where they now stood, rose, half con
.ealed in it's misty shroud," like
some huge battement, to the heavens
- there! do you hear that dull roar,
with occasionally crashing sound,
iway up there among those clouds of
'og near the two peaks of the noun
.ain?''
LAY, ay, quite distinctly
"Well, that is an echo, which,
enough, we can hear when
We can't the original sound, and which
s made by the striking up there of
he roar of the river above us: that
If course must be open, having already
broken up and got the ice in motion
But bark again Now.
lon't you hear that rumbling noisef
Can't you, now, both hear and feel
hose quick, irregular, deep, jarring
Iounds?'
Eyes, plainly-very plainly, now
'ou are right. Sure enough, the ice
n the river above us is on the
novel" responded all, with excited
ooks.
"To be sure it is; and from the
loise it makes, it must be coming
lown upon us with the speed of a race
lorse Let us all to the hill, boys
where we can get fair view of the
pectacle.
The company accordingly now all ran
o gain the top of neighboring swell
which commanded view of West
River for long distance up the stream
IS well as one of a considerable reach |
# the more distant Connecticut, both
# which views were obstructed, at the
pot they had just left, by point of
woods and turn in the river in the
ormer instance, and by intervening
ills in the later.
Among the many wild and imposing
of nature, cepulia nature,
,eculiar to the mountainous regions
4 our northern cline, there is no one,
erhaps, of more fearful magnificence,
han that which is sometimes present
d in the breaking up of our large
ivers by winter flood; when the ice,
is full strength, enormous thickness,
nd rock like solidity, is rent asunder,
With loud, crashing explosions and
Iurled up into ragged mountains, and
,orne onward before the raging torrent
With uncomfortable force and frightful
spreading devastation along |
he banks in its course, and sweeping |
way the strongest fabrics of human
over which stand opposed to its !
like the feeble weeds that dis
ppear from the path of tornado.
Such a spectacle, as they reached |
heir proposed stand, now burst on the
lew of the astonished travellers. As
ar as the eve could reach upwards |