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Les diagrammes suivants iliustrent la m*thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 \ o^ i-^ ^ '— lA C-lr-^^, 1 ^ ■ SKETCHES (^F AN EXCURSION THRODGH VERMONT AND AMONG THB WHITE MOUNTAINS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, ETC., ETC.; IN 1864 AND 1865. BY JOHN C. BAKER. 3i«o«ttcal: PRINTED BY JOHN LOVELL, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 1869. ;\l I I I I , These Sketches of Local Travel, miide during a trip undertaken for health and recreation, were originally printed in the Montreal Dailij Witness, under tiie tiiie of " A Buggy Uide among the Hills and Dales of N3VV England," and, at the request of some of the writer's friends, are now reprinled in a more permanent form for their acceptance. Stanbridge, P.Q., Canada, Dec, 1869. VERMONT AND THE) WHITE MOUNTAINS. Of late the mode of travel by railway and steamboat is so universal and common, that the title of these sketches pre- sents some novelty, if the hasty jottings of the writer do no'o furnish anything very entertaining or attractive. On a hot, hazy afternoon in June, Ave crossed the Province line, in the Township of Richford, Vt. ; in our rear we had a very fine view of the '* Pinnacle" in St. Armand East, and as ■we descended a long hill, the village of Richford, Missisquoi River, its fine intervales, and the back-ground formed by the Green Mountains, presented a landscape not easily forgotten. Following up the river, we recross the line into Canada. and stop for the night. Getting an early start, we pass the village of North Troy, Vt., but, as the village has a rather rusty look, did not form a very favourable opinion of tlie modern Trojans ; we now took a south-easterly course throuiiji a newly-settled tract, and uninteresting, until, just before arriving at Newport, Ave came in sight of the south end of " our" charming Meraphremagog. Newport has the appear- ance of a thriving place, being the terminus of the Passump- sic Railway, Avhich in summer forms a connection with the little steamer " Mountain Maid." Stopped over night at the Momphremagog House, a fine hotel, well kept. Getting an early start we, on looking back, find that Newport, iu connection with the Lalce, forms a very pleasin::; view. The road from Newport to VVillougliby Lake passes throuj»> several very neat and thriving vilhi-es and a fine farming country, devoted to stock raising and dairy purposes. The Scenery is superb ; beautiful little lakes, (ponds they call theui here), surrounded by fine meadows, give exquisite pleasure to the eye ; the roads are good, and altogether furnishing us a most entertaining day's ride. Wil'oughby Lake, in the township of Westmore, Vt., is of a cresccn't shape, about 6 miles long and from i to 2 miles in width, situated in a deep chasm of the Green Mountains ; near the south end rise, on either side, exactly opposite, mountains nearly perpendicularly from the water. Mount Ananance, the one on the eastern shore, is nearly 2000 feet in height ; the opposite one is not quite so high. The water is of crystal clearness, cold, and well stocked with delicious fish. There is no inlet ; the supply of water is furnished by the small streams from the mountain sides. The outlet is at the north end, and eventually reaches the St. Lawrence. The view of the lake nnd mountains, from the hotel at the south end, is said not to be surpassed in this mountain region. The hotel is superbly kept by Mr. Bemis ; and the lake trout, as served up by the wife and daughters of the host, cannot fail to satisfy the most fastidious epicure. As a retreat from the noise and dust of the city it seems just the place. The Passumpsic Railway passes in Burke within 5 or 6 miles of the hotel, and on each evening a carriage leaves the station for the Lake. It makes a beautiful trip from Montreal, thus : cars to Waterloo, stage to outlet, steamer to Newport, cars again to Burke. Leaving, with regret, our excellent host of the Willoughby Lake House, Monday morning, June 27, our route took us through a very hilly region, but for the first 6 or 8 miles well cultivated ; soon, as we mount higher and higher, to pass the last range that lay between us and the charming 11 1l valley of the Connecticut, the region grows wild and pictu- resque in the extreme. Now crossing the verge of a mountain, giving us extensive and beautiful views, and then buried in the deepest gloom of the forest. Now our buggy bounding over rocks and stones of the hill-top, aiid then over the lo-s^and ruts of the deep, dark ravines ; but '' our noble steed "bears us safely on," and our buggy miraculously sustains the war between wheels, rocks and logs. Some idea of the desolation of the region may be inferred from the fact that for 30 miles no liouae for the " accommodation of man and beast" is to be found ; but wc dined at a mountain rill on lunch furnished us by the hostess of the Willoughby Lake House, and our horse nibbled a acanty " baiting " among the bushes. As we emerged fvom the forest on the easterly side of the mountains, forming the western barrier of the Connecti- cut valley, a glorious view burst upon us. The night before had been rainy and the day misty, but now the clouds left the mountains, and the descending sun formed a golden light on the Connecticut valley, and lit up the hills on the oppo- site side of the river and the distant White Mountains of New Hampshire with such delicate tints and fine lights and shadows that it formed the most delightful landscape it had ever been our lot to witness. We stopped over night at Lancaster, N. H., a beautiful villa'^e. It has several nice churches, a monster hotel, and is one of the stopping places of White Mountain tourists : the approach to them by Lancaster and Jefferson is equal, if not superior, to that of any other of the numerous routes, but much less frequented in consequence of its requiring more staging. The distance from Lancaster to Gorham is 24 miles. ° Portions of the Franconia range are in full view a part of the way, and the Mount Washington range nearly the entire trip. From the Waumbec House, Jefferson Hill, kept by Mr. Plaistead, (vide Anthony Trollope,) is obtained the grandest view of tlie Groou ^vlountains of Vermont, but as it happened to bo very smoky, the view to us Avas much obscured, and Mr. Plaistcad's large telescope, by which fine views of parties climbing the cone of Mount Washington can be liad, was of no use to us. In tlie afternoon we rode from Jefferson to Gorham, and the smoke disapi)caring somewhat, we had very good views of the northerly side of the Mount Washington range. Gorham, N. II., n fair specimen of a New England village, situated on the Androscoggin River, contains two churches, two hotels, one very large, and the other of more moderate pretensions : the business of both is principally to accommodate the travel caused by the attraction to the mountains. The railway from Portland to Montreal, in following the valley of the Androscoggin, passes through the village, and forms the nearest railway approach to the White Mountains. Berlin Falls are 6 miles from Gorham, and the drive along the banks of the Androscoggin discloses some fine mountain and river scenery. On the east bank of the river they almost seem to overhang the stream, and are covered from base to summit with a dense growth of forest trees of a very deep rich green ; the wide majestic flow of the river at some points, and the rapid, tumultuous movement of it at others, add much to the beauty of the scene. At the falls the large river is confined to a narrow granite pass, through which the water rushes down a series of short falls boilins; and foaming Avith intensosfc fury. From afoot-bridge, thrown across immediately over the foil, a fine view of them is to be had, as well as from a projecting mossy bank below. The return down the river to Gorham is grand ; Mounts Madison and Adams on the right, and Mount ilayes on tlie left, with the river apparently running to and under their very base, form a view really sublime. Our next drive was down the river to " Lead Mine Bridge," four miles from Gorham, where there are several islands of Jt great beauty, the meadows of rich green, and the view of Mount Madison from the bridge is superior to any single mountain view in the region, as its Avholo form is to be seen from base to crown, towering up 5,400 feet, the focal distance also being right to give its size and height the full effect. The ascent of Mount Washington (the highest of the White Mountain group, 6,285 feet) is now principally made from the " Glen" by the carriage road. Starting from Gorham after breakfast, in a light waggon with two sturdy ponies, we reach the Glen (8 miles) by a good road. As a sort of " side show" we visit the Garnet Pool, a beautiful reservoir among the rocks of the Pcabody River. There are many of these pools on all the streams that flow from the mountains, which are very attractive from the crystal clearness of the water and tlie curiously worn appearance of the rocks. The Glen House is a very large, fine-looking hotel, situated at the very base of Mount Washington, but, being in haste to make the ascent, Avhile the weather is favourable, we do not stop. The road is a feat of engineering skill, and it cost a " heap" of money, and entails heavy expense to keep it in repair, the means for so doing being furnished by tolls, amounting on three persons, buggy and two horses, to 13.36., The grade is very uniform, being from 12 to 18 feet in tlie 100, and the road is eight miles in length. A short distance from the Glen House we leave the road to Jackson and cross the Peabody River, in its present low stage and high altitude, a mere mountain brook, and strike into the forest and com- mence the ascent at the same time, — it goes quite pleasantly for a time, but now it seems as though we ought to have a little "down hill," or at least a short level ; but no ! up, up we go, stopping occasionally to give our puffing ponies a short respite ; the heat is intense, the unclouded sun shining directly on our heads, and any movement of the air about the mountain is kept from us by the dense forest with which we are surrounded for the first three or four miles. Now 8 and then we stop to drink of the delicious ico-cold water that comc3 musiciilly down the mountain side. At length, after a two hours' pull, wo emerge from the forest at the *' Ledge," where there are a house and harn ; the old bridle path here crosses the carriage road, and the telegraph wire leaves the road and takes a more direct route over the rocks towards the summit. The glories of the ascent now begin as we round the ledge ; on our right is a deep, deep ravine, or as it is sometimes called" Tlio Gulph," down which one almost fears to look ; then across it riso the burly, enormous, but still beautiful forms of Mounts Clay, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison— their sides dotted with patches of snow, furrowed with deep, dark ravines, and huge scars and scratches, caused by descending rocks and slides ; but all harmonized by the sunlight and shadow, cast by a few fleeting clouds, and forming an intensely beautiful and sublime view. On the loft, towering up still far above us, rises the rocky cone of Mount Washington, the road winding above us, on which occasionally a team could be seen slowly creeping, like our- selves, towards the summit. Just before reaching the top, and quite near the old bridle path, we arc shown a pile of stones, indicating the spot where Miss Bourne died near midnight in September, 1855. Her uncle, cousin, and herself had started in the afternoon without a guide, to walk to the summit ; darkness and fog overtook them, and the young lady, utterly exhausted and benumbed , with cold, died among the rocks, within a few rods of the house of which they were vainly in search. The prospect from the summit of Mount Washington, on a clear day, is said to be one to be remembered for a life-time ; but for us, on account of the smoky state of the atmosphere, it did not equal or compare with the ascending views. The air is chilly, and overcoats are quite necessary, although the heat was oppressive in the glen below. The descent is made in about half the time of the ascent, 9 and the views ai atncs are snporh ; the White Glen TTouflo, and tlio valley of the Poahody Uivor, form a very ijleasiu;^ sight. July 1st. — Early wo gathered our '* traps," packed onr hng^gy and left Gorhain. Our route, for 8 mi'o^, wiis the game we travelled in goiii;^; to the base of Mount Washington, ou what is calleil the Glen Road. The mornin-j; was pleasant and the road good. We make o\ir first halt ahout 1 ! mik<3 from Gorham, where the guide-hoard informs us that the Crystal Cascade is to he found. Fastening onr horse by the road-side, we strike into the forest by a well-beaten but steep and rugged path, and after about 20 miiuKcs of brisk walking we reach the fall. The volume of wa er is small, (smaller still at this time, in consecpience of the drouth). The descent of the water is about 80 feet, and is very justly regarded as one of the most exciuisitc and lovely of water- falls ; the impression made by a view of it is altogether one of grace and beauty. After lingering as long as possilde, often halting to take a last look, and listening to the tailing waters, we retraced our steps,— their music gradually decreasing as we reluctantly left the fairy water-fall. About a mile further on, we again leave our team, and by a five minutes' walk in the woods, catch the deep, bass sound of the Glen Ellis Falls, and in about ten minutes more reach them. The first view, if taken from a bank that overhangs the stream, (100 feet below), is startling and grand; the volume of water is much larger than that at the Crystal Cascade ; the height of the fall is about the same, but GO feet of it is nearly perpendicular. The scene around is one of remarkable wildncss and grandeur, leaving upon the beholder more an impression of awe and wonder than of the pleasure and delight experienced by a visit to the Crystal Cascade. After four or five miles of travel through dense forests, 10 ^-ith occasional views of the mountains on f ther side ^-e hail with pleasure tl.e cleared lands and n.tervales of the Ellis River Tic first farm-house is much visited by artists and others who delight in the wildness of the scenery and the n^ Itain fare. To this location Joseph Pinkham removed from the lower part of the State in 1790; the family came up over the snow, five feet deep, with all their household Ids on a hand-sled, and their log-cabin, (built the previous Ltumn,) wr.3 fcand almost, covered with snow One ot the sons of this family constructed the notch road, and gave it his name, " Pinldiam Notch." A few miles more brings us plain evidence of returning civilization, m the view ot he white spire of . neat little village church at Jackson Fals ; it beloncrs to the Baptists, ani the society was founded mtlus wild region as early as 1803. This is one .f the most cele- brated trout districts of the mountains, as the Ellis and Wild Cat Rivers furnish abundant stores for the crowu of devotees of the piscatorial art, who fish here every season. ^ The falls of the Wild Cat River are well worth a visit; the water for a long distance comes tumbling over rock after rock until it finally turns a romantic-lookmg old mill, and after a few more leaps, leads a more quiet life among the intervales. . Soon after leaving Jackson we have a view of the moun- tains, which, for massiveness and grandeur, is said not to be surpassed by views from any other point, and is one much studied bv artists. . The road now takes us in a westerly direction up the valley of the Saco ; and we pass some very fine farms and beautiful intervales, but closely hedged in by the huge lulls By looking back we get a good view of the lofty and graceful Kearsar^re, * —not the victorious war-steamer, but the moun- tain,-and on thej;er3^mmit (_B,400^eeO wc_can pla^^^^^ "^T^wTui^vious to the above being written, the Jlabama was v,inciui6hed by the U. S. ship of war Keursarge. 11 see the ruins of a large hotel, erected some years since but not long occupied ; it has been twice struck by lightning. This being one of the finest days since our arrival among the mountains, added very much to the pleasure of our after- noon ride. The distant mountainr: were robed in their richcLt purple and deepest blue ; the hills near by with their dark, rich foliage of green ; the sparkling Avaters of the Saco and its cryscal tributaries; and the ever-changing views brought out by the windings of the road ; — all combined to render our drive very pleasant. Toward evening we arrive at Stilling's Hotel — a house of modest pretensions, but justly celebrated for its good fare and reasonable charges — where the nicely-cooked trout were quite acceptable to our mountain appetites. July 2nd.— On arising this morning, we perceived plain indications that what had long been looked and wished for in this region was about to come, namely, a good rain ; the grass in many places having been literally dried to a crisp, and vegetation of every kind suffering from the drouth. A new phase of mountain beauty now presented itself. Heavy masses of misty clouds, not quite ready to part with their precious storei so ardently craved for by the thirsty earth, went sweeping along the mountain tops — anon, rolling far down their sides, sometimes slowly, then swiftly, with an ever changing and endless variety of form and shape. Soon they begin to part with their valuable burthen, gently at first, now ceasing altogether, then a little more, as if playing with the parched and thirsty ground. But at length it settles down to steady pouring rain, to the great delight of our landlord in the prospective fall in the price of hay and oats, an important item in this locality, where such a large number of horses are required for Lhe accommodation of the great crowd of tourists that visit the White Mountains during the months of July, August and September. As yet the 1»r '1 s I i 12 fint rippk only is soon of fte groat ,vavo that uill foUow after tl "4th of July," tho porioaical dato at .Inch Saratoga, N „,ara,Nowp„rUc.,recoivoth.ira„n«alsupplyofp^asnr - sc.ekors sharpers and invalhls, with a small spnnUlmg of d^Stnon, altists, editors, and real lovers ot fine scenery "trr:;. movoments .ere out of the ,ucstion t.day ,ve oecupied the time in writing and readmg. In a B s on paper, we learned for the first time, ot the awful rad.oad dtast r at Beteil, and the aecount confined to a tow hues, r we wished for a few num'ocrs of the in7„c., no havux? eel I Canada paper since leaving Lome ! Our host ahvay .avin- lived in this region, and being a descendant ot tlu. earlv "settlors, gave «s much interesting information concern- r'^e e y lUry of this portion of the White Mountan.^ Several of the neigLuring fanners dropped n, to hear and Cuss the latest war news, and learning that I was from Canada, (with their native curiosity,) ma e - - ,mrur es about the Govennnent, laws and prospects o the 1 ovmce Here, as at other places, many expressed a desn^, and some their actual intention, to remove to Canada, the ,;nne,pa .eason being, I think, to avo.d the excess.ve '-- -P -^ to meet the expenses of the war. There was httle or no t n^.g, and dming our trip thus far I have not seen an ■ Sxicft'ed person ^it is said t';- ^^ »-" '"'I.rmor so, it is out of sight, and the llan,e Law, >l nothn.r mor , prevents that disgusting sight so often seen u. and ab «t country tavo-ns, a reeling drunkard. Perhaps m h ll,,„„/„s ever is sold to, and used by the (»»;l-» ' W sober class, but the Maine Liquor Law keeps u, n, a g eat measure, from tl>e ""-J-'l"""-'*''™^' '»".''^-^';"""f;'''* f drh.kers, as when sold to them, the seller ,s quite olten made t„ sutler the penalty of the law. 18 July 4tit. — A fine moniing after the rain of Saturday, which has given the foliage a fresh tinge of deep green, and vegetation -enerally a greatly improved appearance. After an°early breakfast, we bid our pleasant landlord good bye and take our way towards, and through, the oldest and most celebrated of the three mountain passes, called the Crawford (or sometimes the Willey) " Notch," not particularly on account of the scenery being more interesting than that of the other passes, but in consetiuence of the tragic fate of the Willey family, and being the scene of the many privations and hardships of the early settlers of this wild and inhospi- table re "-ion ; giving the pass a romantic and melancholy interest,°not felt in visiting the Pinkham Notch, or the pass through the Franconia Range. After going about five miles, the most of the distance through a dense forest, in many places the trees covering the road and meeting overhead, we pass the place where lived Abel Crawford, the "veteran pilot" of the hills. lie, in 1819, assisted by his son, cut the first rough path through the forest to the rocky ridge of Mount Washington ; he must have been a very hale and hearty old man, as when 75 years old, in 1840, he rode the first horse that climbed to the top of Mount Washington. Ethan Crawford, son of the preceding, lived at the north end of the Notch road, about twelve mUes from his lather's place ; he was a very remark- able man, of iron nerve and constitution. He never wore hat, shoes or mittens until after he was 13 years old, but used to harness and unharness horses in winter without either, not complaining of the cold as he said " he was used to it." He grew to be seven feet in height, and had the strength of two or three ordinary men, exemplified in muzzling and bring- ing home from the woods a full-grown live bear ; climbing Mount Washington laden lilco a horse, and quite often carry- ing some exhausted member of a party on his back ; carry- in° the mails both in winter and summer, when all other Hi 'M ! i > I I ! 14 roeans of getting them along failed, in consequence of deep snows or "great fresliets. The most savage animals of the mountains were the wild-cats, which destroyed the sheep and other animals of the settlers to a large extent ; they denned mostly on the hills that border the Ammonoosuc River; and Ethan, by his prowess and skill as a hunter, nearly annihi- lated the whole tribe. Once having driven one into a tree, he kept him there until he twisted a birch-withe, made a lasso of it, threw it around the animal's neck, jerked him to the ground, a)id after a desperate encovmter, killed him. Ethan's company did not always consist of bears and wild-cats, as it would smnctimes happen that on returning from an encoun- ter with a bear he would meet some judge or member of Congress desiring his services as gu'de. Ho once escwtod DanTel Webster to the summit of Mount Washington. Ethan reported that on arriving at the summit, he made something like the following addri'ss :— " Mount Washington, I have come a long distance to see you, have toiled hard to reach your summit, and now you give mo a <^old reception." Probably the stand was the liighcst and grandest ever occu- pied by the great orator, and the audience the smallest he ever addressed. At this time Ethan kept a small public- house ; but as the visitors to the momitains increased, other and finer houses were built, that took his custom away. The failure of a bargain for the sale of his lands, and the burmng of his house, pressed heavily upon him, and he removed to Vermont; but his bad fortune followed him there, and he returned to his native hills. During all his troubles his cheerful, pious, and uncomplaining wife, Lucy, cheered the toilsome, dreary afternoon of his hfe. He died at the earl y age of 56. " Mfiny baralets soiiglit I then, Many forms of inoiiiitain men ; Found I not a minstrel sied, But men of bone, and good at need 15 Rallying round a parish steeple Nestle wurm the Highland people, Coarse and boisterous, yet mild, Strong as giant, slow as child." As we get a little farther on, Mount Crawford and the Giant's Stairs on the riglit, rear their lofty heads over 3,000 feet. The road, after crossing the Saco twice, turns a little to the West. As originally made, it crossed the river 3*2 times in less than 20 miles. The present road was made by an incorporated company, and cost $40,000. After passing through a dense growth of white birches, the Notch bursts upon our view in all its grandeur and majesty. To the right, towering up 2,0'iC feet of almost perpendicular rock, is the frowning Mount Webster ; on the left, the lofty Mount Willey, with plain evidence of the awful slides that have rushed down its steep and rocky sides ; while a-head, appears the crest of Mount Willard in the mid- dle of the back-ground,— forming together a most startling and sublime view. As we proceed, the road passes directly over the dehru of one of the slides, and brings vividly to our mind the awful fate of the Willey family. We now come in sight of the " Willey House." It was erected by a Mr. Hill in 1820, as an inn, Avhich he occupied for two or three years. In 1825 the Willey family moved into it. The next June there was a slide from the mountain, near the house, but did no material damage ; after this there was a long drouth ; but on Sunday, the 27th of August, 1826, the rain began to fall ; the next day the storm grew more severe ; towards ni