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Adirondack Company's Railroad FROM SARATOGA SPRINGS TO MADLEY (LAKE LUZERM:\ THURMAN (Station for LAKE OEORGE), THE GLEN, RIVERSIDE (Station for Chester and SCUROON LAKE), an«l NORTH CREEK (57 miles), FORMING THK MOST DIRECT RAILROAD ROUTE TO THB 31agiiiflcent Valley of*tlie Upper Hudson, AKD THB WONDERFUL NEW YORK WILDERNESS. Connections are made at Thurmftn ivitli a Flrst-Class ■ Stage L,iiie to Lake George — The distance by Starre (9 miles), Through Fare and Time being the same as by the old route, via. Glens Falls. This route afiords New an! Far More Picturesque ami Dcliglilful Scenery i ■ ' Than any other route from Saratoga. At Itiverside Station, supei-ior Stages connect, running to SCHROON Lake, CnESTEu, Pottebsvii.le, and the North Woods. From North Creek, Stagos tun daily, on arrival of morning train, to Minerva, there connecting wltlj tlie Stage Line to Adirondack Iron Works, Newcomb, akd Lo? g Lake ; Concord Stages also run daily from North Creek to Ind an iliver (Indian Luke), Cedar River (Jiick- son'e), Cedar River Falls (Wakelkys), and Ulck Mt. Lake (Dr. Martin's Hotel). From th'if^ pearl of the Wilderne.'*s Waters, it is only 10 miles by boat to tiie queenly Raqdette, which lies in the «, -i»«"s\ i' *' ->--- ^ .d 4: ;/ / ^]<2^uuerne"'' +,V, -'■v .^., ^^^ .^ll»-x'f> ^^ '"/111' :iss"!;S^ ?0 ;*»*! V< % i.# (..^ C '*«N>„J n ^^* // r >**% \ '^ i\^ k^art/iaye \ \\J-'' "VS* A i" ^f ( ^»if >.*k ■,V^'> \. ^)7 V-* ^f'-A.w i '-?: ,/ / Tl A howvitbt^ r\ *2 ,( /' . .-._.i7 wJ ' JtVytlpff V* •^iy ,^. jU^^Bfonvia. '/ ■A. ',/ i "W -/*:-'>■ >/ Z'*"^"' -.^ ::C Rvm»en , y ••X'Vt ~^ , \>(1(^, - " V R£F£RENCE8. 1 Chazy Lake. 2 Upper Chateaugay Lake. 3 Ragged Lake. 4 Liou Mt. 5 Meacham Lake. 6 Lower St. Regis Lake. 7 Upper St. Regis Lake 8 Whiteface Mt. 9 Placid Lake. .10 Lower Saraiiac Lake. 11 Upper Saranac Lake. 13 Round Lake. 13 Pitch-oflfMt. 14 Raven Hill. 15 Mt. Marcy. 16 Mt. Seward. 17 Mt. Morris. 18 Big Tapper Lake. 19 (Cranberry Lake. 20 Bonaparte Lake. 21 Ausable Ponds. 22 Mt. Henderson. 23 Dix Peak. 24 SaudanonaMt. 25 Little Tapper Lake. 26 Sanford Lake. 27 Long Lake. 28 Smith's Lake. 29 Owl's Head Mt. 30 Albany Lake. 31 Mt. Goodeuow. 32 Boreas Mt. 33 Beach's Lake. 34 Blue Mt. Lake. • 35 Blue Mt. 36 Chain Lake. 37 Paradox Lake. 38 Mt, Pharaoh. 39 SchroonLake. 40 Raquette Lake. 41 Twitchell Lake. 42 Fourth LaUe. 43 Indian Lake. 44 Brant Lake. 45 WoodhuU Reservoir. 46 Lake Pleasant. 47 Lake I*iseco. The Crosses indicate the locations of some of the Forest Resorts, etc. ^^i^PWjp^pjB-app Iff '^^ ^ s'; .1 I DESCRIPTIVE ^V^£^^^;^ TOT,. / ^0 4-1 ,S A«0 HAND-BOOK OF TRAVEL H 5 53 3 SARATOGA SPRINGS ; SCHROON LAKE ; LAKES LUZERNE, GEORGE, AND CHAMPLAIN; THE AUSABLE CHASM; THE THOUSAND ISLANDS; MASSENA SPRINGS ; AND TRENTON FALLS. BY E. R. WALLACE. FIFTH EDITION. REVISED AND CORRECTED BY THE AUTHOR, Containing Numbrous Maps and Illustrations. NEW YORK: FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING COMPANY, \^ CHATHAM STREET. 1876. CorTnioHTED, lflT3, bit COLUMBIAN BOOK COMPANY. COPYRIGHTKD, 1875, BY E. R. WALLACE. CoPYUiAHTED, 18T6, BY FOIIEST AND STREAM PUBLISUING COMPANY. ILLUSTRATIONS. A LoDOK INTHK WihOKRiiKBH—Fronitapiece. Tremon Falls Paqb. ... 7 ... 8 ... 13 ... 14 ... 14 An Inhaditant or .Iohn Brown's Tract On the Road to .Arnold's Aunoi.d's CaRKI K3S SHOOTINO — SCENB ON SEVENTH LAKE 21 S.wiTn'.s Lake from Smith'.i Rock. (Sketcheil by Frank Bollet.) 40 White's Hotel, Massena Springs, N. y 59 MKACHAMLy«KB 70 CiiAZY Lake and Lion Mountain 70 Fkrol'son House. Malone, N. Y 81 Scene of Naval Battle on Lake Champl.; .n 86 Fouiit'ET'.s Hotel, Plattsiutroh, N. Y 89 .St. llEai.s Lake— Paul S.m'th's.. 10.3 B1K.MIN0HA.U Falls 103 L'ri'EU r-ARANAC LAKE —PROSPECT H0U8' 108 Devil's Pulpit— Bia Tupper Lake. . , 108 I,owER Saranac Lake— .Martin's 110 Saranac Kiver— Bartlett's 119 The Adirondacks in the Olden Times 123 John Brown's Grave at North Elba 130 S JMMIT OF WHITEFACE MOUNTAIN 1.30 BiQ Falls, NEAR "Wilmington Pass," ]8*2 Mount Marcy— Wolf Pond ... 133 Placid Lake 133 Rainbow Falls 138 Chapel Pond 141 Sa w-Tketh Mountain— Upper Acsablb Pond 143 AusABLE Chasm fkom Table Rock 150 Pitch-Off Mountain— Edmond'b Pond 167 Indian Pass, from Henderson Lake 107 ScHRooN Lake 169 "Mother Johnson's." at Raquette Falls 169 O.sdawa Hotel, Schroon Lake, N. Y 170 Fort William Henry Hotel, Lake George 174 Congress Spring and Park and Columbian Spring, Saratoga, N, Y 177 Empire Spring, Saratoga, N. Y Remingtons' Rifle and Pi.stol Armory, Ilion, N. Y.... Raqijette Lake and Murray's Island Blie Mountain and Blue Mountain Lake Buttermilk Falls Owl'b Head Mt., Loko Lake 180 193 201 201 208 808 t / INDEX. PAGE. Adirondack Railroad 183 Adirondack Park 227-232 PAQB Appendix, (Outfits, Guides, &a.) 2^ Addenda followa Appendix. DIVISIONS, First— -John Brown's Tract, Os- wegatehie and Qrass River Regions Second- Chateaugay and St. Regis Woods Third— Saranac Region Fourth— Adirondack, Hudson 7-59 61- 85 86-160 River, Raquette and Long Lake Regions 161- 193 Fifth— Qaroga, Pleasant and Piseco Lakes Regions 194-200 Sixth— Raquette Waters 201-232 Seventh— Appendix, (Outfits, Guides, Routes, &c.) 238-273 FALLS. Bog.... 54 Big 132-137 Busnnell's 137 Beaver Meadow 1:^8 Hoquet 155 Buttermilk 207 Bog River 2:30 Chateaugay ^i Corinne 145 ClifTord 135 Eagle 31 Gothic Mt. Cascades 145 High 10 KwU's 136 Jamestown 54 Kent's 87 Lyon's »* Little. 112-132 Minnehaha 145 Moody 64 Prospoct 10 Phelps 137 Percefleld 56 Panther Gorge Cascade . 142 Russell i;i8 Rainbow 138 Roaring Brook (Beede's) 139 Round Pond 230 Raquette 2l7 Saranac 99 Stark's 53 Stile's 146 Sherburne 138 South Inlet 202 Trenton... 7 Upper Hull's...... 146 White's 145 GORGES. Ausable Chasm 147 Flume (Wilmington) 132 " (Keene) 141 Hunter's Pass 163 Indian Pass 167 Long Pond and Pltch-Ofl Mts 158 Panther Gorge 142 Poke-0-Moonshine 152-156 Trap Dyke (McMartin) 168 Wilmington Notch 132 LAKES AND PONDS. AJbany 38-39 Ampersand P 118 Ausable P (Upper and Lower) 141 Addison P 228 Adirondack 158 Andrew 166 Avalanche 168 Anthony P [3] 813 Brandretb's (Beach's) 45 Rig P 20 Barsout P 228 Barnum P 102 Big (East) PineP 106 BlueP 106 Big Rook 10 Beaver Meadow P 228 Big Moose S.'O Bug sa INDEX. Ill PAGE. 25 Brantingham *? Beaver *£ Beaver Dam P ^< BoK 41 Burnt f* Sign ckP(RockL) 'i' Bisby ]* Bonaparte •• ^» BayFL5i] 56-105 Boo tree P ;,; ,?'.' Buckpra] •* East Branch, P •" Elbow P 75-77 Ely 228 Eagle P 75 Edmund P [2] 158 Eckford Chain 192 Eldon 2U2 Fulton Chaia (8 Lakes) ■ l3-16 First (N. Branch) 20 Fish-Pole P 238 Francis ^3 Fish P [2] 56,104-106 Fourth P 52-226 Folingsby's, Jr., P 68-107 Floodwood P 106, 126-129 Fish (Canada, Bym) I'M) Fonaa 202 FiveP [51 328 Forked (Big) 205 Forked (Little) 206 Folingsby's P 218 Gibb's 16 Gull 37-229 GrassPr21 62-113 Goose P [21 65-171 Green P (Gourd)... 75 Gull P [2] .. 171-221 '* 10 Grass P 228 GlasbyP 22ft Gal P 229 Grassy P 229 George 172-173 Goodenow P 176 Garoga [2] 196 Green 196 Good Luck 197 Grampus 213 Graves P 226 Hell Gate [2L 15 Harrington P 41 Horseshoe P [3] 66, 75-222 Hoel P 128 HopeP 101 Harkness 166 Hunter's P 166 HornetPL2] 226 Henderson 167 Harris 175 Hamilton ... i»5 High P [3] 306-333 IV INDEX. 'i 1 : PAOU. Handsome P 213' HiLchin's P 2*!;i| lu'ziiiham P 76 Inrtiiui lS4-iy.i J(x'k"8 10-11 Jii;'i;"sP 55 Jouf-!4 P 102-105 J eukins P ''i'H iULit- iVloose 18 l.im.1 Kiln ai LooD 34, 75-101 Ijiitle Hiirnt bti Little Round S(i Little Ti-oiit a.'a Little Salmon 41 Loon P 104 LittleClear P 109 Little Oreen P 109 Little Long P 109-1SJ9 LiitleUuckP ... lai Lownr tiarauac llt> Little Rock 10 Little Bear 10 Lonesome P US Lower Fish Greek P 126 Little Square P V-i>i Lit le Copperas P U'fi Ledge P 10ii-l2i< Little Wolf P l^H Lead P 1^'.» Long P [41 169, 176, 225-22i) Lily Pad P[2J .lul- MudP [7] ...j' -irti Li tie Long ' 1!*5 Lewoy 195 Long 208 Lost 228 Luzerne 182 I/ittle Falls P 2-.i8 Morse 20 Miuuow P 190 AIoosB 186 Morohoii.^o 10 MoshierP[3] 3;i i M, 35, 44, 51, 75, lOli. 1^6, 163, (Elk) 212 Mud [3] " 77, 190-224 Maasawppie 55 McUa venaugh P 6 . M oacham 70 Macauley P 117 McKeiisie's P 117 Middle Fish Creek P 126 Mud Turtle P 127 Mosquito P 129 McDonald P 106-128 Mountain P [-i] 101-129 Mohican P 202 Murray P [2] 2M Moose P [2J li;j-200 MohcKan P 21.J Middle P 223 Bit. Joseph 176 North 10-11 Mik's 15 Mck'sP 228 Nick's Deer P., ;.. 228 Nigtjer 36 Nash's (Beuneit's P) (Mirror L. ).. 133 PAUI£. North P[2] 17l.;i^3 New P [2J i:,:,-:iu Oval P (Darn Xeedle) 5.' Ore^'on P ...75-li)l Ochrti P 110 O.sgood P 1 ,-) (iX liow 195, iy.-v-12S Oliustead P 'i'Zi Oven u..) Otter ]:;i Owls Head P ai.' Otter P 226 Panther 19 Piae P[3] 56, 118-128 Placid liJ Paradox P ]:« Preston P [3] if,7 Paradox iti'j Pharaoh 171 Pickwacket P 178 Partlow :},' t Pond, with a rock in it 1,6 Pleasant L2J V.}5-lil Piseco. .. 195-11)7 Pilsburry 187, 195-li)r I'iiio ]0-l!l() Plumbley P a06 Phiniadoro P 77-101 Panther P j>;>i) Quebec P 17 Haquette aoi Red He cae Chain 35-37 Rose P ;j8 Rainbow 75-99 Rouna P [.>]. 75, 99, 176-2i) Raquette P (Lough Neak) 57-129 Ragged (Salmon) 78 Round [2J .. 119-195 Rollins P 1-.J9 Rainbow P 128 River P U.> Roger's P 171 Rock 184, 175-191 Rich 176 RockP[4J 104, 191, 207->l3 South 10-11 Second (N. Branch) 20 Sand 31 Salmon [2] 36-11 Slim P. 38 S'lingle Shanty 39 Smith's 40 SouthP 46 Silver P 51 Sister P [2] 46 Spring P [4] 65, 75, 109-W7 Silver [2] 103-226 St. Regis (Lower) .. 101 (Upper) lOS Spitfire P KW St. Regis P 108-lil9 Saranac (Lower) 116 (Upper) 121 Spectacle P [5J 107-124 tilang P 128 Saiiford 165 Schroou .. 170 Stephens P 191 Three PoundP 226-227 Triangle P. 2it> Upper Fish Creek P 125 Utowana I'JO Uz P 221 White 11 Whortleberry P 171 WoodhuU 11-12 Wood's (Sylvan) M Witchhopple 36 Wear P (Middle L) 46 Wolf P(;^) 77,176-191 Winnebago P 71 Windfall P 106-128 White Pine P 129 Wells P 129 Wilmart 10 Whey P 129 Woodbury P 129 Whi e Lily P 143 West (Little) Pine P 106 Willis P 106 Whitney 187 WellerP[21 122 West P 229 MOUNTAINS. BBIQHT. Mt. Tahawus (Marcy).... 5,403.., Mt. Mclntyre 5,202 . Mt. Haystack... 5,007.. Mt. Skylight 4.998 . , Whiteface Mt 4,95.5. . , Mt. Clinton 4.9:W... Dix's Peak 4,916... Basin Mt 4,906... Gray's Peak 4,\m. . , Little Haystack Mt 4,835 ., Mt. Colden (McMartin)... 4,753... Gothic Mt 4,744... Mt.Redfleld 4.688.. Nipple Top Mt. (Dial) 4,»)84 . . Santanoni Mt 4.644.. Saddle Back Mt 4,5.36 . Giant of the Valley 4,530 . Mt. Seward 4,:385. . . Macomb Mt 4,371 . . . Ragged Mt 4,16:3 .. Mt. Colvin 4. 142. . . Blue Ridge (Approx.).... 4.000 .. Mt.Lion " ...4,000... Mt. Pharaoh " ....4,0)0... Mt. Wright 4,000... Mt. S .ymour 3,929.. Snowy Mt 3,9(M... Bald Face Mt 3,901. . . Devil's Ear Mt 3,9(>4. . . Wallface Mt 3,893. . . Blue Mt. (BmmonB) 8,825 .. . 169 167 142 142 130 163 142 168 142 i63 167 142 154 216 151) 171 99 171 191 167 191 HE GHT. Hurricane Peak .3,. 0.1... . 154 North River Mt ..3.759... Mt. llofifman ..3,728... Hartlett Mt ..3,715 .. 148 Camel's Hump Mt. .. . .3,518 .. M2 Boreas Mt. ( xpprox.) . .. Ampersand (Moose) Mt. . . .3,726... 163 ..3.4:33... 121 Crain's Mt :3,2H9 .. Andrew Mt . .3.216 ... Hopkin's Peak .31:37... 142 Speculator Mt. Mt. Henderson (Approx.) ...3,041... .:3.(K)0. . . 167 Mt. (Joodenow " .;3.ooo.... 175 Mt. Morris (Approx.). . . . .3.000.. .. 221 Mt. Joseph " .... Poke O' Moonshine, " 3,000.... 176 3.000.. 151 Owl's Head Mt .2.8i-j.... 211 Long Tom Mt. (Silver L.) .2,(J(M ... 225 Indi ui Face Mt. (Approx. ) 2..5;36 . . . . 1:35 Mt. Maxham 2.511. .. Big Pitch 01TMt.(Appx.) .2,'>m .. 158 Cat Mt. (Approx.) .2,;336 BaldMt ..2.:3l)2.... Pratt's Mt. (Smith's). . .2,273.... 39 Long Pond Mt .2.269.... 158 Rift Hill. .2,141.... .2,122.... Holmes' Hill Bald Peak 2,102.... 1,982 1:35 Raven Hill 1.'4 .Cobble Hill 1,936.... 154 I VI INDEX. ROUTES FROM GATEWAYS. PAGE. From Alder Creek Station 11 AuiHterdam 104 " Hdonville 13 " Caithajre 47 " Caldwell 172 " Chateaugay H2 " Crown Point 1(51 OeKalb Junction 50 " Fonda 195 " Governenr 49 " He-.ldiiier 198 " Little Falls 197 " Lowville . 25 •' Lyon's Falls 24 " Martinsbmg Station 25 paoe;. From Massena Springs 68 " Walon,,- (j9 " Rloiia fii " Ogdensbiirg 57 " Poit Kent 144 " Port Leyden '^H " PotHdain R2 " Plattsburg so " I'rospect ]() " Remsen • ji " Ronse's Point 85 " Saratoga Springs 177 •' TiconderoKa 169 " Trenton P'alls 7 " Westport 153 Routes, General View, Modes of Access, Expenses, &c. 266 11 ROUTES (Interior). Chain Lakes .175-18=1 Rrandreth's L from Smith's L 45 Blue Mt. L from Pleasant L 195 Indian Pass 160-l(i7 Long Lake from Newcomb 17ti " Haquette L . . . 205 Mt. Marcy 142, 160-](;2 Mud Lake 41, 52-222 North Branch :», 35-38 Paul Smith's from Meacham .... 74 Spring CO... 67 " " toU.SaranacL 108 Paul .Smith's from Martin's 116-119 Raquette L from Smith's L 45-47 " Martin's 119 " Blue Mt. L. . . 188 South Branch (Moose R) ]8 St. Regis River ]io Shallow Lake from Raquette L 203 Tupper L's from Smith's L 41 " Cranberry L 62 " " U. Saranac L ... 123 " Forked L 20? •' Long L 212-214 m RIVERS. Adirondack, Ausablo 166-168 I Moose. Marion 14-193 Black, Beaver 8-JW Newcomb, Nameless C 176-203 Boquet, Boreas. Bog 141, 142-223 1 Oswegatchie, Opalescent 51-lt)5 Chateaugay, Chub 82-16() | t,^....^,.^ „__t St RaHs J 52, 201, 175 Cedar, Cold. Deer I86, 216-72 i "aq»ette, Uock, St. Kegis, ^ ^g' ^j^ Grass. Goodenow 5i>-17i) ; Palraon, Saranac 76-86 Hudson, Indian, Jessup 166-195 | Sohroon, Sacondaga 162-195 WILDERNESS RESOR S, Arnold's. Old Forge. Austin's 15, 16-192 Bend, Branch P.. Biirtlett's 78, 75-1 19 Beecraft's, Brewster's. Bonney's 9-132 Carey's, Gary's, Chatu'y L. 205, l2;i-8i Cranberry L.Chazy L.Clear P. 51.98-163 t ronk's, Dukett's, Dam 222. 123-76 ! ik (Mud) L , Elizabethtown.. 163-153 Hunter's Home, llathorn's 75- 189 Harrisville 49 Keene. Kellopg's iL. L.) 135-210 Lakes Pleasant, Piseco 191-197 Martin's. Moody's, 115-219 Meacham L, No. 4 71-26 Nash's. Newcomb 132-1(5 Ragj/ed L, Root's 77-162 Spring Cove Cottage 62 Smith's. Scott's, Schroon L, 103, 1.59-170 Tahawus (Cheney's). KM U. Adirondack (Jloore's) 165 VanArnam's, Wardner's 99-126 Wilmington, Wakeley'a 130-185 - i GENERAL DIVISIONS. I. Into the John Brown Tract. Oswegatchie and Grass KrvfTP. Regions. II. Into the Chateaugay and St. Regis Woods. III. Into the Saranac Region. IV. Into the Adirondack. Hudson River. Raquette an Long Lake Regions. AND V ^^gi^on"^ Garoga, Pleasant and Piseco Lakes Rf- The Raquette Waters. VI. VII. Api'Endix— Comprising Outfit, List of Guides, &a ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. N— North. S — Soum. 11 — llaSl. W— West, r— right. 1 — left, long, or length, m — mile, or miles. r — rod or rods. f; — feet. R— River. Ml — Mountain, Pt— Point. L — Lake. ■ P—Pond. (4 X 2)— Dimensions of a Lake or Pond. The example indicates a length of 4 m and a width ol 2 uu INTRODUCTION. The Great Wilderness of north-eastern New York, the limits of whose several sections are indicated below, is generally known as " The North Woods," or as " The Adirondacks ; " — accordinj^ to the view 'aken of its sur- face. The former title indicates merely a wiK', densely wooded region ; — the latter, a region occupied by all the varied scenery pertaining to a most remarkable Lake and Mountain system ! The one may have been the fit bap- tismal offering of a Botanist ; — the other of a Geologist. We can easily understand how strangers, or the more sor- did trappers and hunters, may think and talk of " The North Woods;' but the more intimately the cultivated and intel- ligent tourist becomes acquainted with its wonderful diversity of permanent characteristics, the more instinc- tively he thinks and talks of " Tlie Adirondacks! " And if our State authorities will but wisely take counsel of the increasing host of such, the science of Geography must soon add to its best vocabulary, this euphonious designa- tion of one of the world's popular resorts : — " The New York State Adirondack Park !" Foreigners shall then recognize in it — while perusing " The American Tourist's Guide " — a fitting place for a few weeks rest after their wearisome Atlantic trip ; and a haj)py disciplinary school for the thoughts and feelings, before proceeding to the INTRODUCTION. M< western prairies and the "Grand National Yo Semite Park ! " " yo/in Brown's Tract," perhaps the most widely known of the Adirondack sections, extends across Herkimer County, and into Hamilton on the east, and Lewis on the west, and includes 210,000 acres. ''T/ie Oswegatchie and Grass Rirer Regions" are mostly embraced by the southeastern portion of St. Law- rence. **The Chateaugay Woods" occupy the southwestern portion of Clinton, and the central portion of Franklin. ''T e St. Regis Woods" lying immediately below, also embrace a part of the middle portion of Franklin. "77/^ Saranac Reg on" including the Tupper Lakes section, comprises the southern portion of Franklin, the southeastern corner of St. Lawrence, and the northern herders of Hamilton. The northern portion of Warren, and nearly the whole of Essex, are comprised in the territory of the ''Adiron- dack and Hudson River Regions." '■'The Raqiiette and Long Lake Regions" consist of the northern half of Hamilton. *'The Garoga Lake Region" is included within the northern third of Fulton. " The Lakes Pleasant and Piseco Regions " a.re contain- ed by the southern half of Hamilton. The territorial aggregate of these various sections, amounts to more than 3,500,000 acres — a tract of land affording an area about 75 miles square. Into this wild region of primitive forests, majestic mountains, magnihcent lakes and beautiful rivers, we invite the reader's good company on the following excursions. E R. W. VIITE own imer 1 the are -avv- tern n. also ikes the lern lole VOH' the the lin- ons, and Stic vite J. il ;i I ;'i ? k BIRDSEYE VIEW FROM THE PINNACLE. (Trenton Falls.) I THE PRINCIPAL AVENUES INTO The Great Wilderness, From Northern^ Eastern, Southern and Western New York. DIVISION I. INTO THE JOHN BROWN TRACT, OSWEGATCHIE AND GRASS RIVER REGIONS. The routes usually taken are those leading from Tren- ton, Prospect, Remsen, Alder Creek, Boonville. Port Leyden, Lyons Falls, Martinsburg, Lowville and Carth- age, all of which are located on the Utica and Black River R. R. ; and from Gouverneur, De Kalb Junction and Potsdam, each a station on the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railway. From any of these points a short day's journey conveys the tourist into an unbroken wilderness. - • First. — Trenton Falls. To this romantic spot the route is familiar to many of our readers. Easy of access (17 m. N. of Utica), perfectly adapted to the requirements of the pleasure-seeker, and presenting a variety of charms truly ench mting to the lover of Nature, Trenton Falls will ever remain a popular resort to those who would ex- amine a multiplicity of natural attractions, with but little ^ hM ftn if i DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. trouble or expense ** Among the resorts of romantic scenery in our country," says N. P. Willis, " the most enjoyably beautiful spot is Trenton Falls. To the writer, as to most others who have visited it, the remembrance of its loveliness has become the bright spot to which dream and revery oftenest return. It seems to be curi- ously adapted to enjoy ; being, somehow, not only the ki?td, but the size of a place which the (after all) measur- able arms of a mortal heart can enfold in its embrace. Niagara is too much — -as a roasted ox is a thing to go to look at, though one retires to dine on something smaller. Trenton Falls is the place, above all others, where it is a luxury to stay — which one oftenest revisits — which one most commends strangers to be sure to see." And Wallace Bruce, in his pretty little volume, ** The Hudson River By Daylight," thus felicitously expresses himself on this subject : — " For the last ten years we have heard of these charming waterfalls, but it was not until the middle of June, 1874, that good fortune con- ducted us thither, and led us by the hand from rock to rock, from cascade to waterfall, through all that realm of bewitching beauty. The hotel, a short distance from * this mountain glen, is a model of summer resorts, and its proprietor, Mr. M. Moore, is an educated gentleman.* The first rural resort of this place was built by Mr. John Sherman, a graduate of Vale, 1793. Hither some forty years ago, Mr. Moore, present proprietor, came like Hiawatha of old, and found his Minnehaha, great grand- daughter of Roger Sherman, a line more illustrious even than the tribe of the Dakotahs. It is said that on his return to Manhattan he was not unmindful of the vision, and always heard the Falls of Trenton * Calling to him through the distance, Calling to him from afar off' So much for his personal history, which we only mention as evidence that fictioii is but the shadow of truth. We arrived at Trenton a little before six, and at once de- *And here memory turns to the happy hours we recently passed, ot a wintry afternoon, by his hospitable fireside, in the society of his amiable lamily, and in his own congenial company in his elegant library- — the admirable selection of whose treasures evinces the highest order of cultivated taste.- jO. 1 1 PART OP HIGH FALLS. (Trenton Falls.) TT ; ', u I DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. (j scended the stairs to the natural pavement, which for two miles, level with the water's edge, borders the left side of the stream. This is the pleasantest hour of the day for lonely rambles like these, and the falling water at eventide has all the melody of sadness. Passing a few rods up the stream, over fossil formation which recount fifty million years of history, and under overhanging rock, every leaf of whose folds has been a recording page for science, we suddenly come in lull view of Sherman Fall. Here, it is said, a fiiiry (perhaps great grand-daughter of Undine,) occasionally dances through the mist 'modestly retiring as the visitor changes his position, and blushing all colors when she finds him gazing at her irised beauties.* The Fall has been poetically styled by Mrs. Kemble, 'The djughter of heaven and e.irth, With dark I'yes, white feet, and amber hair.' In no place, save the northern Highlands of Scotland, have we seen such amber f^im, and such dark headlong flow of liver. The arrowy Rhone is not swifter, the Falls of Foyers are not so beautiful. High Falls are forty rods beyond, a succession ot lovely cascades, one over forty feet in height. Here we have the whole organ choir, from the tenor and treble of the sheet of water on the right, to the deep bass of the heavy fall on the left. Above this, the Mill Dam Fall and the Alhambra with its cascade, and still farther on the Rocky Heart, a good spot for lovers to propose in by way of contrast. Wc can only point out these beauties in a general way. It is a place to he visited. Go !" Those not desiring to penetrate the woods farther than Metcalf Creek, Jock's, or the Reservoir Lakes, and yet who would find excellent sporting, regard the route from this locality and from Prospect, three miles beyond — the two becoming identical there — somewhat desirable ones. St'co^icZ—Vrom Prospect Station, by good wagon road, to Prospect Village, t pretty cascade here,) i^ m ; thence to Hinckley's Mills, 2 m. ; Grant, 3 m. ; Ohio, 5 m. ; Wilmurt Corners, 4 m ; VA. Wilkinson's Hotel, 2 m ; Giles Heecraft's, (VV. Canada Creek,) 11 m. ; Wilmurt L., (a lovely trout-producing sheet, but private property,) 2 I Wf V rr I 10 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. J ,T I « M l. m ; across the lake, i m. ; path to Snag L., (a pretty little pond, ^ x i, famous for its bullheads, and also trout,) I m. ; Metcalf Creek, (a cold trout stream, enter- ing the N. branch of VV. Canada Creek, 'i i m. Total — from Prospect Station— 33^ m. From the "landing" on the creek, carry 2 m. N. to Little Rock L. ; thence ^ m. to Little Bear L. ; thence 2^ m. to Twin Rock L. Big Rock L., 3 m. S. E. of the " landing," affords beautiful scenery, good deer-floating and fair trout-fish- ing, but is very difficult of access, it being necessary to wade up the Metcalf a mile and to follow thence the bed of Big Rock outlet to the lake. From Beecraft's to Pine L. it is 4 m. E. ; thence to "G" Lake, i m. E. Morehouse L. is 4I m. S. E. of Beecraft's ; and High Falls, on W. Canada Creek, 8 m. N. At Beecraft's — P. O. Morehouseville, 3 m. distant — tidy accommodations are furnished and Mr. B. officiates as guide. Charges, very moderate. From Ed. Wilkinson's Hotel to Watkins' (Wilkinson's old place,) it is 5 m. — the road branching 1. from the Bee- craft route, 3 m. beyond the hotel ; thence to Jock's Lake, 9^ m. Total, from Prospect Station, 32 m. Traveics will prefer to walk over the latter portion of the route. Jock's or Transparent Lake (^ x 1), is a handsome sheet of water, surrounded by wild and picturesque scenery, and is one of the chief sources of W. Canada Creek, upon which are Trenton Falls. It received its name from its discoverer, " Uncle Jock Wright," one of the noted trappers and master hunters of early days. For years it has been a favorite resort for trout fishing. Three miles to the S. W. is South L. Reservoir, and 2 m. W. of that is North L. Reservoir, the first accessible by path, and the latter thence by road. These pretty lakes are headwaters of Black R., and are termed " Reservoir," on account of their being employed as "feeders " to the Black River Canal. Their length is about 2 m. South L. is especially famous for fish, and what is remarkable for a North Woods lake, furnishes not only trout, but suckers, and in great abundance. .1) DKSCRirTIVE GUIDE. It a pretty and also n, enter- Total— landing " ; thence Rock L. ' affords roiU-fish- necessary tience the ecrait's to i, I m. E. and High ::raft's— P. modations Charges, Vilkinson's [n the Bee- to Jock's n, 32 m- portion of Tlie VVoodhull Lakes, also sources of Black River, are \ isited from this vicirlty by following good paths exlend- ws; to them. Distance 6 to 9 m. A route also leads from Prospect via Ohio to tne Piseco and Pleasant Lakes region, as follows : — Ohio to Mcre- houscvilk., 13 m; foot of Piseco Lake, 10 m ; thence to Lake Pleasant, 14 m. Total distance from Prospect, 47 m. The Myron House and Jones House, are the hotels of this village, where good accommodations may always be obtained. Third — From Remsen to Bellingertown, 10 m ; thence to Daws;on's old place, 7 m ; North Lake R, 5 m ; South Lake R. 2 m; thence to Joe's Lake, 3 m. Road fair. Parties ride to the head of South Lake, and then take boats to the foot, from whence the pathway leads to Joe's Lake. 71ie same localities may be visited from Remsen by way of Pi osi)ect (2 m), or via Dick Paul's place, (16 m). Travelers* at the outset, are provided with comfortable quarters, or with a full variety of supplies at Dawson's Hotel, Remsen. Being an experienced woodman, he is thoroughly posted as to all their wants. Fourth — From Alder Creek Station to Alder Creek Corners (Geo. L. Thurston's Hotel), | m ; thence to For- estpirt (Maibach's Forest Hotel), 2 m ; Bellingertown, 6 m ; where the route joins the one starting from Remsen. Or from Fo; estport to White Lake Corners, 6 m ; Studor's Hotel (a road diverges here to White Lake, i.V m N. Kraft's Hotel); John Landson's place, 3 m ; Woodhull Lake, 8 m. Total 194. The road is in good condition as Ifar as Landson's ; from thence it is well adapted to dys- U'cpiics The V^W)dhull group comprises additionally, " !^W III f DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. Chub, Bisby, &c., Lakes. One and a half miles beyond Woodhull is Moose River, where excellent sporting may be found ; and 6 m farther in the same direction is the Old Forge. This was the first of the three roads that John Brown, the owner of the "Tract" opened to the settlements, which terminated at Remsen. From the Forge to Woodhull Lake it is now mostly overgrown with trees and only a hunters' trail indicates its course. Par- tics will always find men in readiness at the different villages named on the line of the railroad to convey them to all the lakes thus far noted, where beats can invariably be procured. Fifth — " BooNViLLE," says a correspondent of the Utica Herald, whom we frequently have occasion to quote, "has long been the common point of entrance to the ' Hunter's Paradise.' The people of that village unite in making welcome and aiding pleasure parties. There men can be found who have passed the greater part of their lives in the woods, who know exactly what the tourist needs and what he should leave behind. There guides, horses and conveyances are to be obtained on short notice or on demand, unless the demand prove too great. There is located the Hurlburt House, which for the last thirty or forty years, has been the rallying point of pilgrims to the Wilderness, where they have planned their trips, and where they have returned to celebrate their success with rod and rifle. The flavor of trout and venison is as natural to the place as fragrance to a rose. Many of our readers, whose steps are feeble and whose heads are gray, will recall with a smile and a sigh the days when ' Dick Hurlburt, most genial of landlords, dealt hospitality with a generous hand, and when they told the story of their If miles beyond ellent sporting same direction the three roads act" opened to 5en. From the Dvergrown with > course. Par- it the diflferent convey them 1 can invariably :nt of the Utica to quote, " has the 'Hunter's ite in making re men can be f their lives in rist needs and es, horses and notice or on iat. There is : last thirty or ilgrims to the eir trips, and • success with venison is as Many of our eads are gray, when ' Dick spitality with story of their 11 ft: n i AN INHABITANT OF JOHN BUOWN'S '! RACT. (Killed by Mr, Giavoa, of Boonville, N. Y.) * n DESCKIPTIVK '"UIDE. 13 exploits by his blazing fire. Richard Hurl hurt will never a --ain irive words of cheer or advice to hunter or fisher ; but the Hurlburt House still remains, and under the able management of its courteous proprietor — George A. May — is as popular as ever." Parties desiring to have horses, guides, or rooms engaged, or any other arrange- ments made for them in advance, should address George A. May, B. P. Graves, or Ed. N. Arnold, Boonville, N. Y. Clothing, Hats and Caps, Water-proof Goods and other articles of outfit may be obtained of B. P. Graves 81 Brother, whose store is within a few feet of the Hurl- bur*; House. These merchants are also extensive dealers in raw Furs, for which they pay the most generous prices. They are enthusiastic sportsmen, too, as the several "trophies of the chase" displayed in their show-win- dows sufficiently prove. / long them is a huge panther which was brought down by the rifle of the senior of the firm a few years since, near Little Moose Lake. {See illustration^ The following are the distances ett route ixom Boonville to Raquette Lake : — * Boonville to Lawrence's, (Moose River,) 12^ miles. Thence to Arnold's, Old Forge, Moose River, P^irst Lake, - - _ " Second Lake, Inlet, . . - - Third Lake, Inlet, - . . _ Fourth Lake, Inlet, - . - _ Fifth Lake, II- « 2f « 2l « li « I « 20 rods. I mile. (( 6 << 1 4- .p A, <« '■'Route to IVoodhull Lakes. — Bocnville to Hawkinsville, 3 m ; Whitt; L;ikc Ciirners, 7 m ; WoodhuU Lake, II m. } — Total, 21 m. Road good to Wliite L.ike Corners. \ n W M : ( ■t i • I ! I . I ! I 14 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. Thence — Portage, - J miles Sixth Lake, -- -J *' Inlet, I Seventh Lake, 2 " Inlet, li " Portage, -- -i " Eighth Lake, if " Portage, i^ ** Brown Tract Inlet, 4 " Total, 52^ " Several miles from Boonville the road enters the woods, and when the traveler arrives at Lawrence's, with an appetite sharpened to a razor-like keenness, by the jolt- ings he has received while passing over the several patches of corduroy occurring on the way, he is ready to dispose of the excellent dinner that awaits his coming at this Hun- ter's Inn. It is truthfully remarked that " no steam whistle or driver's call, will give unwelcome warning that the train or stage is about to start, before the appetite is dulled." The houses of the small settlement here, now called Moose River Village, are mostly occupied by the families of the employes engaged in the mammoth tannery of C. J. Lyons, located at this place. Moose River at this point, is twice as large as W. Canada Creek, and is very rapid. From its principal sources, the " North and South Branch " and the " Eight Lakes," it flo'vs from Hamilton Co., S. W. across Herkimer, into Lewis where it empties into BlackRiver, just above Lyons Falls. Those familiar with this particular route, will be pleased to learn, tha^ a bridge now spans the river here, obviating f miles I i< 2 u li (1 I t( li rks on this llude to this -in terms :s of it as To say kn. Where )f glittering Ich lovelier id his true Ithe follow and form lin size and ■4i shape, each with a different frame-work of hills, and the change is ever from beauty to beauty. " There they repose like a bright chain in the forest, the links connected by silver bars. You row slowly through one to its outlet, and then entering a clear stream over- hung with bushes, or fringed with lofty trees, seem to be suddenly absorbed by the wilderness. At length, however, you emerge as from a cavern, and lo ! an untroubled lake, with all its variations of coasts, timber and islands, greets the eye. " Through. this you also pass like one in a dream, wonder- ing why such beauty is wasted where the eye of man rarely beholds it. Another narrow outlet receives you, and guiding your frail canoe along the rapid current, you are again swallowed up by the wilderness, to be born anew in a lovelier scene. Thus on, as if under a wizard's spell, you move along, alternately lost in the narrow chan- nels and struggling to escape the rocks on which the cur- rent would drive you, then floating over a broad expanse, extending as far as the eye can see into the mountains beyond. A ride through these eight lakes is an episode in a man's life he can never forget." Of the physical outline of this " Tract," Prof. Lardner Vanuxem, thus remarks in his volume of the Geology of New York : — ** The most interesting feature of the Wilder- ness region is its chain of lakes, placed so nearly upon a level, that but little labor from man is required to connect those of several counties together. The lakes of Herkimer and Hamilton are arranged upon a line which is parallel with the St. Lawrence R. and Ontario Lake, and with the Ohio, etc.; appearing not to be accident merely, but the result of a law whose operations were in their direction, and on several parallels. These lakes, if a communication n^ ■f ,,.i, If t i 1 8 DESCRIPTIVE UUIDI-; were opened from E. to VV., would be much resorted to. The beauty of their waters, their elevation, and the wild scenery which surrounds them, would not fail to attract visitors." We need not here enumerate the many other crystal lakes and rivulets that adorn this section, all situated in the midst of the finest scenery, as they are noticed in their proper places. Here at the " Forge," where HerreshoiT, nearly 60 years ago, erected his mills, is one of the best water-powers in the world. The old dam, some 40 ft. long, is still stand- ing, and when first constructed, raised the water in the P'ourth Lake 2 ft. (It has since been raised four ft_ additionally.) No other vestige (except a rusty trip-ham- mer) remains to remind the observer of the former busi- ness activity of the location. Entering our boats and pass- ing up the stream, pausing at Indian Ft., (1) to examine the spot where Uncle Nat shot his aboriginal foe, we enter First Lake. Here we will briefly turn from our route to make an excursion to the sequestered and rarely visited region o^ ' South Branch," of Moose R. Turning sharply to the right, when near the middle of the lake, we pass Dog Islr.nd, and land at a little opening about 40 r this side of the marsh, and from thence " Carry" S. over a good path ^ m to Little Moose Lake. This beauliful sheet probably covers a surface of 450 acres and contains no islands. A long green promontory nearly divides it in twain, and from its elevated summit we obtain an entranc- ing view of the whole lake, \.'hich is one of the purest and deepest on the " Tract." " It has a beach of incomparable whiteness, and the bottom of the lake, which looks like a vast bed of fine white salt, can be seen, as we sit in our boats, glittering beneath, at an immense depth." — Headlev ;sorted to. 1 the wild to attract •ystal lakes ted in the id in their ly 60 years -powers in still stand- iter in the 2d four ft • y trip-ham- )rmer busi- es and pass- to examine lal foe, ^ye n from our and rarely Turning e lake, we bout 40 r ' S. over a diful sheet lontains no ides it in n entranc- urest and om parable oks like a sit in our Headley HESCKIPIIVK (;U10K. '9 It is famed for the abundance and superior quality of i's trout, and it received its name, as did Big Motse Lake, li.)m the fact that it was once a favorite haunt of the now rare moose. The inlet, which enters its easterly extremity, }]()ws from East Pond, containing 40 or 50 acres, which i> reached by a carry of 4 m N. E. Its outlet unites with tlie South ISranch, Traversing about two-thirds of its Ivngth, we land en its S. shore, opposite the rocky p- int, and carry \ m S. to Panther Lake, which supplies one of its inlets. Passing over this sheet (.^ m) wc make a ])()rtage of 2 m S. to the South Ikanch. This carry is a difficult one, but our efforts will be rewarded by some of the very best speckled trout fishing to be found in the North Woods. The noted " Combs Spring Hole," at the foot of the still water, 3 m below the river end of the Panther Lake carry, and " Canachagala Spring Hole," 6 m above the same point, are of remarkable interest to fishermen. Deer are also found here in considerable numbers. On this stream, and nearly opposite Moose Lake, is a small clear- ing of several acres, called " Canachagala," and supposed to have been made by Indians. Canachagala and the VVood- huU lakes, are visited from this locality by taking a path leaving the river, S., which follov/s the course of the old Remsen road. Distance to Woodhull L., i.j m ; to Old Forge, in opposite direction, 6 m. The trail to the .ummit of Bald Mountain, an elevation ising from the N shores of Second and Third Lakes, nd presenting a majestic front of naked rock, nearly a mile in extent, starts from Grant's Clearing, at the head of Third Lake. Distanv.e to extreme height alout i m. At P^ourth L^.ke, the queen of the group, we will again eviate from our course ^o examine another resort, very nteresting to the sportsman, namely: ^le North Branch V ; <|. i I 1 I 20 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. (of the Moose R.) Chain. These waters lie parallel to the eight lakes, and their particular names are : First, Second, Big Moo^e^ M^«s or Morse, Cascade, &c., Lakes. Wc take out our boats about i m above the foot of Fourth Lake, 1, or ^ m above the Jack Siieppard and Sny- der Camps, situated some 20 to 40 r beyond the first point that we pass after entering the lake. The abundance of cold springs in this vicinity render it a favorite camping- ground. We carry N. f m, then cross Big Pond, ^ m ; thence carry i m ; thence pass over a portion of First Lake (| x |-), and up the inlet, r, N. E. (Moose R.) 2^ m ; thence carry, 1, ^ m ; thence take stream again f m ; thence carry, r, ^ m ; thence through Second Lake i^ m ; stream, N., i m; thence carry, r, i| m to Big Moose Lake. This most beautiful and secluded sheet (4,^x1) furnishes, it is said, the best June fishing in ti : \^ ! c'er- ness, and there is no scarcity of venison here. 1 he Con- stable families, of Constableville, N. Y., and New York City, so long identified with the woods — most enthusiastic admirers of forest life — have constructed a model cabin on the shores of this lake. Big Moose is also accessible from the Beaver R. region. (See route from No 4). The route to Morse Lake leads E. from the head of Second Lake (N. Branch), and thence N. E. to Cascade Lake. These waters are more easily reached from Fourth Lake, as follows : — Carry N. from the shore opposite Elba Island, ^ m, to a lovely little pond ; thence carry ^ m to another pond (^ m 1) ; thence carry to Mo"se Lake, ^ m ; and from thence to Cascade Lake, or follow the trail (not cut out) from Eagle Point, Fourth Lake, 3 m to the latter. This lake is seldom visited except by the hardy hunter. Leaving Fourth Lake, boats are generally paddled up \ the length of the inlet, and then pushed the parallel to the First, Second, akes. ve the foot of pard and Sny- the first point abundance of ^orite camping g Pond, i m ; Ttion of First ose R.) 2^ m ; I again f m ; d Lake i^ m ; to Big Moose sheet. (4^ X i ) II ti'c ''. V 'v'er- -e. The Con- id New York St enthusiastic L model cabin also accessible n No 4). I the head of E. to Cascade d from Fourth ihore opposite :hence carry i ) Mo"se Lake, or follow the h Lake, 3 m except by the are generally n pushed the i ■"^ff^ m ' ! i ri Ml ^1 1 » ( 1 1 i fei > t 1 i i i iliii DESCRIPTIVE OUIDK. 21 I balance of the distance, by the guides, travelers usually preferring to walk over the pleasant portage. About mid- way of the carry, is a comfortable log house, built by some trapper, for winter's use. Lime Kiln Lake is reached by following a trail leading ifrom the head of the Fifth Lake — from a point lo rods up Ithe inlet, R. Distance 3 m S. The path is hardly per- ceptible and the marked or " blazed " trees must be closely ^observed. This lake is about i^ m 1, contains several pretty islands, and is famed for its beauty. Its outlet is tie S. Branch of Moose R. i From the Fifth to the Sixth Lake there is a continued «|fall the intervening distance of ^ m. With a single lock ^between these two lakes, a water communication might 'leasily be obtained through the whole extent of the eight *lakes. ("Trappers of N. Y.") The portage encountered here is a rough one, j The Fifth and Sixth Lakes are considerably noted as ^dcer resorts. Their shores are generally marshy, and nu- ■^merous pond lilies abound in their waters. Passing from the Sixth up the narrow and rapid inlet, ,.we enter the Seventh Lake, delighted with the panorama .^t this point unfolded to us. Thi ^ lake has one island MWhites) of some 50 acres, not far from its center, cov- "Jred with rocks and pine timber. Near the island, off its S. shore, salmon trout have sometimes been caught, weigh- ing from rs to 20 lbs. in 100 feet depth of water. For f peckled trout, visit the little stream that enters near this )lace, and the inlet and outlet. Eligible camping places will be found near the foot, on ^ shore ; at a spot about ^ m from the head, on the same '^ide (Camp Comfort), opposite this, across the lake, at " Pt. *leasant" and near the inlet, bythe " silver beach," (Cumj) 5 20 rods, and straight as an irrow ; hence its verjy appropriate name. The following [s from the pen of Patrick H. Agan, Esq., of Syrac . v N. Y. gentleman who has furnished many interesting papers Relative to this section :* *Mr. Agan, once a confirmed invalid, is another living proof of the cura- Ivc qualities beluni^ipg to tiiis health restoring region. T ! fti if 11 i :S DESCKIPTIVIC GUIDE. w j' IP "Number Vovn,A?i^nst 20, 1871 •'Something over a week aii^o, as Mr. Fcnton and hi; hired man were .spending a night on Crooked Lake, a pan- ther came provvHng about tlie camp, leaving his tracks in close proximity to the slumbering hunters. A day or two afterwards, Fen ton set a trap for his nocturnal guest, ana going to the spot, soon found the trap missing. He had fastened it to a " clog," ten or twelve feet in length and two or three inches in diameter. Seeing evidence ail around of the departure of some animal from the spot, he followed the trail, and at the distance of about twenty rods he struck a large hemlock, under which lay the missing clog, together with a dozen large branches freshly severed from the trunk of the tree. On examination, Fenton saw that these scattered branches had been cut from the tree by the teeth of some animal, and the clog had been gnawed off the trap ! On one side of the tree, for a distance of sixty feet, all the limbs, small and great, had been trimmed off as closely to the body as an axeman could d •:. The appearance of things demonstrnted conclusiv,^ tO Mr. F^enton that the real visitor had not been entrapped, but that a good-sized bear had got his foot into the infernal machine ; and as the clog had failed to perform its expected service, the animal was now roaming at large somewhere in the untrackcd wilderness, and, in all probability, not far from the place of its capture. ft "The discovery of the capture and subsequent revelations, happened just at evening, and next morning Mr. Fenton 1 and the hired man, after spending a sleepless night, went ^ in search of Bruin, It was a close and sultry morning, and # the two hunters, not anticipating such an adventure as this, had provided themselves with no supplies for the un- certain expedition. Mr. Fenton had his rifle along, with B^ ;i '*iiiiL. DliSCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 39 tst 20, 1 87 1 cnton and his 2(1 Lake, a pan- r his tracks in A day or two rnal guest, ana missing. He e feet in length ng evidence ail )m the spot, he out twenty rods lay the missing freshly severed on. Fen ton saw t from the tree lad been gnawed or a distance of ,d been trimmed uld f^ ^ The usiv. .0 Mr entrapped, but ito the infernal 3rm its expected irge somewhere bability, not far lent revelations, no; Mr. Fenton 3SS night, went y morning, and 1 adventure as lies for the un- lifle along, with Iplenty of amuuuiilioii, and thus armed, tlie two started in [pursuit of the retreating foe. It was no easy matter, as [one may well imagine, to follow the trail of the animal IthiDUgh such a wilderness. His tracks could be seldom jcL-n, and would not suffice as a means of tracing his foot- steps. But for the trap, which still clung to the animal ■ iwith a remorseless grip, and which, dragged along by the ^powerful creature, would occasionally tear the moss from :Jthe trunks of decaying trees, it would have been impossi- ,,|l)le to follow the animal on his tortuous course. As it was, ^iiphe undertaking would have been fruitless to any one .^except to a person experienced in woodcraft. j^; " It was early in the morning when the two hunters set but. They had swall-owed their last morsel of food the iprevious night, and the wilderness afforded them no means pi replenishing their empty knapsacks. Into the dense ^Ibrest they plunged, resolved to overtake the ol)JLCt oi Itheir search, or starve in the attempt. Pie who walks be- ..|^ond two miles an hour through the compact undergrowth ■pf this great wilderness, accomplishes all any vigorous per- son is ex]3ected to do. How must it have been with Vcw- ^on and his companions in their search after Bruin .-* They lad no trail to guide them, except here and there the foot- )rints of the anim?l and the few marks made by the trap, 'he bear's route was very circuitous, and this added to the lifficLilty of tracing it. An hour was sometimes consumed finding the course the animal had taken from one point another. The hunters were constantly expecting to ertake the bear and capture him, loaded down as he was rith the trap ; but his strength and endurance proved to far greater than had been estimated. The sun rose to eridian, and the patient and resolute hunters were still )paioiit1y as f^ir from the o[)iert of their search as in ^1' |1 'I 30 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. the morning. One, two, three, four o'clock passed, and still Bruin held the advance. Night was coming on, and. the hunters were seven miles from home, with the cer- tainty of lying in the woods over night without food or shelter if the search was longer pursued that day. Under these straightened circumstances a comparison of views resulted in a determination to suspend operations until next morning, and return home, which was done. The time thus consumed in the search was full twelve hours, ant' the distance t/aveled calculated at about seve miles. " Meanwhile the people at Number Four, becoming alarmed at the unexpectedly long absence of the missing parties, Mr. Green, one of the proprietors of the estabish- ment, was dispatched to Crooked Lake to ascertain, if possible, the cause of their failure to return at the time expected. On reaching the lake, the true situation was apparent at a glance ; but he could do nothing except to return as speedily as possible and report, which he did. The missing hunters were too quick for hini, and made a report of their own, in person, of their day's adventures, be- fore he reached the house, " Next morning Mr. Fenton shouldered his rifle and again started, this time alone, in pursuit. He had about 7 miles to travel before reaching the spot where the trail was left the evening before. Reaching that starting point, hepressc.l on with renewed energy and resolution. The trail was no more distinct than the day preceding, and led thnnigh a low, swampy region, not often traversed. The trap still clung to the retreating animal, as was evident to tUe pur- suer, and this fact alone led Fenton to believe that 15ruin's ultimate capture was sure. After following the trail three or four hours, and keeping meanwhile a sharp lookout foi the animal, Fenton al last caught a glance of him througii DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 31 the underbrush, and fired. But the ball did not take effect. On the bear went, the hunter not far behind. Rising a small knoll, the animal again exposed his body to view, and another shot was fired, which took eftect. Still the animal, although badly wounded, held on his course, making tracks apparently faster than ever, and soon got out of sight again. Fenton, reloading his rifle, followed as fast as possible, and in the course of half an hour, or less perhaps, obtained another shot, as the bear was on the run, and brought him do'vn, the ball entering the head and killing him instantly. The successful hunter immediately stripped the hide from die animal, and it now ornaments the front side of the barn at Number Four. 1 his, no doubt, was among the most exciting bear hunts that have occurred in this great wilderness." To visit Sand Lake, a charming little pond (^- x ^) lying i^ m farther N., and a favorite locality for deer hunting, row the length of Crooked Lake, and follow the trail lead- ing from the head of that sheet. Those who would " float" with almost certain success, will p.tddle down the Beaver River, to the large rock just below the portage to Crooked Lake, bridge their boat from this rock to another a few feet away, shoot the little rapids from thence to the still water beyond, and there obtain their venison. By descending the stream a short distance farther, (2 m from Beaver Lake,) passing over 2 or 3 intermediate carries of a few rods each, access is gained to one of the wildest and grandest scenes of the Tract, name^ : : Eagle Falls. The. circumstance of a pair of the " wii ;eil Arabs of the air," having built, for a succession of years, their eyrie on a cliff overhanging this charming cascade, suggested the name. T T 1 111 I 32 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. Francis Lake (i:l x |) is also quite a deer haunt. About i^ or 2 m S. W. of Fenton's, in Burnt Creek, near the Watson road, there is a remarkable trout resort, called '* Burnt Spring Hole." To Smith's Lake the distance is 28;^ m, according to the following table, compiled by one of the oldest guides of this vicinity, for Mr. Agan : MILES. No. 4 to Francis Lake, by road, i Thence to Sunday Creek, by road, 4 Hog's Back, " i Lizard Spring, '<_----.- 2 Stillwater, " 3 Rock Shanty, " - 4 South l^ranch, " 3 Little Rapids, " 2 Thence by River, -- i]j Portage, | River, ---- i| Albany Lake, -- 4 Portage, - |j River, i\\ Total, 28i| The principal road into the Wilderness from No. 4, — thcj old Carthage road, — is kept open and unobstructed as i:\\ as Stillwater (11 m), beyond which wagons are no longorl available, as the bridges intervening are either swept away or in no condition to be crossed. Parties occasionallyj when the water is high, take boats at Beaver Lake fori ascending the river. In this case, should they wish to tarry and fish on the way, comfortable camps, located i ml kCl,' DKSCKIPTIVE GUIDE. 33 haunt. About ]reek, near the ; resort, called [1, according to i oldest guides MILES, i _ _ - . I ... 4 _ _ - - I - - - 2 - - - - J) ... 4 . . . . 3 . _ . 2 li] 1 I 4 28M om No. 4, — tlic| structed as fai are no longer cr swept avv;iy| :s occasionally,! :aver Lake fo: they wish to )s, located i ml and also 5 or 6 m above the lakes, will aftbrd them decern shelter for a night. It is the usual practice, however, to follow the road, — the able-bodied traveling a-foot — as it is so rough in places that the ride is far from being enjoy- able. From a point about 6 m above Beaver Lake, a blind trail extends from the river N. 2^ m to the 3 Moshier Ponds, These waters, being seldom disturbed, are gener- ously supplied with trout and are the common resort of tlcer. This is equally applicable to numerous other lakes and lakelets lying .^till deeper in the wilderness. Hence the peculiar attractiveness of this particular section as a sporting territory. Perhaps 3 m farther up the stream, a patn is taken also N. to another and larger group of ponds, styled the " P^leven Lakes," from i to 5 m distant. Stillwater is really where navigation commences with parties passing up toward the headwaters of the Beaver At this important point is located Wardwell's place, and those not already provided with boats and supplies can obtain them here, also comfortable quarters for a night, or a longer season. Beaver River is 75 or 80 m long, and from its extreme source, within a hundred rods of Beach's Lake, (Trout Pond), and within 5 or 6 m of Raquette Lake, flows in a southwesterly direction, in a line nearly parallel with that of Moose River, draining in its passage 25 or 30 hand- some lakes and ponds, and discharging its waters into 'le Black River, some 6 or 8 m below Lowville. P^ifty miles of its course is buried in a dense, unbroken wilderness, rarely trodden by the foot of man, and but a single habita- tion (Wardwell's) in all this extent, indicates any encroach- ment upon its primitive character. Throughout most of H 1 i ! 1 i I J I I : 34 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. this distance, the scencrj' investing the borders of the river is full of wildness and beauty. From Stillwater to T..ittle Rapids there is a reach of navigation of 20 or 22 miles, uninterrupted save occasion- ally l)y a fallen tree over which boats must be lifted. On account of the sinuosity of the stream, some tourists j^rcfcr the land route, even at the expense of the wet feet they obtain by fording the streams that cross the way. Let us examine the different points of interest em- braced by both routes and hrst the one by land : (i). Two and one half m beyond Wardwell's, a path or trail leads to the r from the road, ^ m to Mud Pond, ^ m 1. (The reader is here reminded that there are several " Mud" and " Clear" Ponds in the Adirondack's). Rock Shanty was so named from the fact that the first cabin constructed there stood by the side of an immense rock. This occurred 20 years ago, and the architects and builders were Uncle Orville Bailey, Priggs Whitman, Lewis Diefendorf and Orlando Reynolds, all residents of Hunt's Corners, N. Y. The same party also assisted Uncle Chauncey Smith in rearing his woodland structure at South Branch. We are thus particular in chronicling these unimportant matters, for the simple reason that two of the participants were more or less concerned in several events., some pleasant and some mournful, that are recorded in these pages. Rock Shanty is situated within 20 r of Loon Lake, a beautiful little pond ^ m 1, whose outlet empties into Beaver River. A liandsome pine-tree-covered island of 4 acres, called Round Island, rises near its center, l^hough often visited by hunters it is still frequented by deer, and trout are abundant in its waters. Wood's, or Sylv^an Lake, another very pretty sheet of equal size, is reached by trail DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 35 •orders of the is a reach of save occasion- be lifted. , some tourists )f the wet feet 5s the way. interest em- and : ill's, a path or Lid Pond, ^ m 1. sever?! " Mud" Rock Shanty )in constructed This occurred rs were Uncle )iefendorf and orners, N. Y. cey Smith in nch. We are tant matters, icipants were [some pleasant se pages. Loon Lake, a empties into |cd island of 4 ter. Though by deer, and Sylvan Lake, ched by trail from Mud Pond, or from the road a few rods S. W. of Rock Shanty. Distance 2 m S. One can walk on its clean and sandy shores, without difficulty, entirely around it. There is a large and peculiar rock near its outlet. It is a famous locality for wild ducks. The route to Big Moose Lake, S. E., offering the advan- tage of perfect solitude, leaves the State road i.^ m E. of Loon Lake, It was formerly traveled by pack-horses, but the road is partially grown over now and is but little used. Twitchell Lake, (2 X f) another smiling water, lies on the route, 6 m from the main road. It was the scene of the unfortunate drowning of Briggs Whitman, a trapping com- panion of " Uncle" O. Bailey, by accidentally breaking through the ice many years ago. This, and Wood's Lake, are especially sequestered, and their solitudes are seldom in- vaded except by the trapper. The scenery around them is very attractive, and but for the difficulty of reaching them with boats, they would soon become favorite haunts of the sportsman, as game and fish are always plentiful. Both are tributary to Twitchell Creek, a stream entering the Beaver a few rods E. of Wardwell's. It is 2 m from Twitchell Lake to Big Moose Lake, (S. E.), Mud Pond lying midway between the two. At South Branch, Uncle Chauncey's double log house is located in the midst of a pleasant clearing. At the confluence of E. and S. Branch, the former flowing from two little ponds not many miles distant, and the latter from Deer and Slim Ponds, still deeper in the heart of the forest, S. E. of Uncle Chauncey's house, perhaps | m, is ^ notable spring hole. Here, the fisher, rarely throws his fly in vain. A short distance beyond South Branch, the road divides, the 1 hand branch leading to Little Rapids, (2 m); and ther, the Car- thage road, to Beach's Lake, (9 m). From the latter im ;•■. t 1 i * 1 I r i ^ 1 * 1 36 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. route, 3 or 4 m beyond the fopks, footways lead N to Thayers Lake, and S. to Rose and Deer Lakes, lying near the road, and to Terror, etc.. Lakes, more remote. {See route from Albany Lake to these waters. (2). Three miles above Wardwell's, a carry leaves the river 1 for Fish Pond, so called because it contains no fish. One and one half m farther up the stream, a path is taken to the r, to Little Burnt Lake, (f x ^,) only 5 or 6 r distant. Two and cnc-half m above that, a stream empties into the Beaver, 1, flowing from a series of 6 or S lakes and ponds, N termed the " Red Horse Chain," which furnish very attractive scenery, and which are regarded as superior fishing and hunting localities. They are accessible with boats over passable portages, as follows : — Carry to Burnt Lake, (f x ^,) ^ m. A very comely sheet, and being so easily reached, is a popular camping ground. Carry from thence to Little Round Lake, (i x 4,) i m ; thence from W. side of inlet if m, to Salmon Lake, (ii><|). This lake is hemmed in by mountain peaks, and is greatly admired for its picturesque features. Carry from thence i:^ m, to Witchhopple Lake, (| « i\) ; thence \ m to Clear Lake, (f x ^) — water exceedingly pure, and " fat " with trout. Crooked Lake (2 x i^), fountain head of Oswegatchie River, and distinguished for its big fish, is reached from Clear Lake, by a ^ m poftage leading (N). East of this, about 2 m, lies Nigger Lake {i\x i), the uppermost link of the Red Horse Chain. It is enveloped by lovely surroundings, and is considered the gem of the group, though each has its peculiar and distinctive charm. Being extremely difficult of access, and therefore left almost entirely undisturbed by sportsmen, its borders are DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 2>7 the frequent resort of deer, and its waters are richly stocked with portly trout, comprising both speckled and salmon. Some of the former here attain the unusual weight of 3 lbs., and the peculiarly dark color of the flesh of the lat- ter originated the name of the lake. About 2^ m N. W. of this is Gull Lake (i^xl), also noted for its beauty and its fine fishing. Partially between Nigger and Clear Lakes lies Beaver Dam Pond, S. W., another link of the " Chain," and through this leads the direct route connecting these two lakes. {See route from Little Rapids and Albany Lake to the Red Horse Chaiii). Near the mouth of the Red Horse stream, where the ^ carry to Burnt Lake is taken, stands a comfortable camp, i which is frequently occupied for a night by parties passing up or down thv*^ Beaver. F'rom the opposite side of the I river a carry leads S. E., \ m, to Loon Lake and Rock Shanty. The South Branch, which enters the river, r, about 15 m above Stillwater, affords good sport to the j fisherman. By ascending this stream 50 or 60 rods and following a path from thence r, \ m, Uncle Chauncey [Smith's domicile may be visited. Little Rapids, 5 m beyond the mouth of South Branch, lis an important "station " on this route. Good camps and cold water are afforded here. A carry leads from hence N. W., \ m, to Clear Pond or Fall Lc.';e (^ x |), a noted deer resort; and one from thence N. 'f, to Big Rock Pond or Rock Lake, (i x i), whose waters, though deep and cold, contain no trout, a singular exception to the general rule. By following a " line " from this lake N. \l. 2.]- m, — no carry yet cut out — Nigger Lake is reached ; and lother members of the Red Horse Chain are accessible [from Rock Lake by way of Beaver Dam Pond, W. Only rl 4 r h i 1 38 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. by the assistance of marked trees and compasses is it practicable to follow these rarely traveled pathways. Boats must either be towed up Little Rapitls or carried around them 45 r ; f m above this point, inar a sand-bar, 1, where a little brook enters the river, there is the most remarkable of the many spring-holes that furnish excel- lent trout fishing along this stream. One-half mile above that, the second rapids are reached, through which also the ])oats must be dragged or carried, r, over the uneven portage. From thence to Albany Lake {^ m) navigation is considerably obstructed by boulders. Big Moose Lake and the intermediate waters are some- times visited from this lake by the following route, start- ing from the foot : Good carry, r, S. E. f m to Thayer's Lake (i>. l^oats may at some risk and by great exertion be dragged up the stream here, but they are usually carried, 1, over the fair portage. At the head of these rapids, stands a dilapidated dam, built by order of the State, some 7 or 8 years ago, in the furtherance of a plan for imj)roving the navigation f)f the Beaver, for the benefit of lumbering interests, for which, an appropriation of jf; 10.000 was made by the Legislature. This amount was the same as waited in an abortive attempt to accomplish this object. A passage of i| m up the river from this point, brings us to Smith's Lake, the brightest gem of the Brown Tract waters. Its size is (3 x 3) and its shape like that of a letter X. Upon several of the picturesque islands it en- circles, especially Snell's Island, delightful camping spots are found. Traces of an Indian fortress are still apparent on Pine Island. Pleasant locations for camps abound — with nice near springs — on the N. W. shore and on the S. E. side on Eldridge Bay. The •" Syracuse Camp," a short distance above the outlet, is the model of this locality. Tourists will observe and respect the inscription addressed to them upon the walls of this sylvan lodge : — "All sportsmen welcome to its use, But not abuse." Two other camps of nearly equal merit, stand within i m of this farther up the lake. Salmon trout weighing upwards of 20 lbs. are sometimes taken from these waters and speckled trout of unusual size are also obtained. wofxls it is inlet a few c will nolo ipids in the )ats may at the stream "air portage, dated dam, ago, in the ition of the , for whieh. Legislature, m abortive ^int, brings Irown Tract e that of a lands it en- iping spot.s ill apparent Dund — with e S. E. side ort distance ourists will d to them within I m g upwards vaters and 1 J i ■"^ n ' ii*'i '■ \ 1 1 III i 1 1 ' i .1 1 ! 1 y 'i 1 'l li DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 41 Pratt's Mountain, sometimes called Smith't Rock, rises from the N. W. sliorc. Some 30 years ago, it is said, an Englishman located at the base of this mountain, near the beach, and for a long period led a hermit's life, with no rompanions but his dogs and gun. Several acres of land were cleared by him, now covered by a thrifty growth of smallish trees. •* None knew ought of his history, whence, he came, to whom related, or by whom begot." One win- ter some hunters in pursuit of deer, upon visiting his lodge, found it silent and deserted. From that day to this the mysterious stranger, known as Smith, has never been seen — nor has anything been heard of his fate ; and from that day to this, this lonely but lovely inland sea, sur- rounded on all sides by forests primeval, and nestled in the bosom of a group of lofty hills and picturesque mountains, has been known as Smith's Lake. — | James Grant Wilson. The path we follow in ascending Pratt's Mountain, leads from Smith's clearing. The Tupper waters are accessible from Smith's Lake by three routes, two of which are indirect and difficult, but which possess the advantage of passing through the very best sporting grounds of the Brown's Tract region. (i). Carry from mouth of North Inlet (first sand beach), ;'t m N., cross Harrington Pond ^ m ; thence carry from head of pond, i m N ; cross Clear Pond (rightly named, but what is wonderful, contains no trout), ^ m ; thence carry 1-5 m N.; cross Bog Lake (i^ x ^, splendid sporting) afforded here), thence carry from a point on N. side, about midway of its length, 3 m N., or descend the outlet, push- ing your way, 4 m, to Mud Lake ; thence to Grave's at Big Tupper Lake, 15 m. {See route from Tupper to Mud Lake). l^i" ^ 14 I •t i'^ 42 - DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. (2). Direct route — Carry from the snndy beach N. E. shore, the place being indicated by a rocivy point, upon which is a sparse and stinted growth of cedar trees. On one of these trees, which serves as a guide board, is pen- ciled : — " (j^ Portage to Charley I'oivl, i y.\ m. W. \V. Ely, M. D,, Rochester, N. Y. Wm. W. Graves, Guide, Tapper's Lake." We need not say that the former is the compiler of tbi excellent publication, " Colton's Map of the New York Wilderness," a' d that the latter was the late lamented proprietor of ** Sportsman's Lodge," Tuppcr Lake. This portage is quite uneven and considerably inter- rupted by fallen trees. A prettier sheet than Charley Pond ('fx{) is rarely seen. Perfectly sequestered, " with not a hand's breadth of civilization aroinid it," it is a congenial spot for deer and trout. Its name was doubtless derived from the fol- lowing incident, given by James Grant Wilson, in the lan- guage of one of his guides : — " Eight years ago I was out deer hunting in the winter with two other men. At Charley's Pond, which was frozen over, Charley l>rown said he was going across after a deer. We told him it was unsafe, but he would go, although the ice was thin and rotten, and, when about twenty yards from shore, he fell through. ]3oth being heavier men, we were afraid to venture on the ice to aid him, but we threw him a pole, which he got hold of, and, driving it into the muddy bottom of the lake, there about ten feet deep, climbed up on the ice, which again gave way under !\is weight. This he did several times until benumbed with cold, and unable to draw himself up, or V\ DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 43 even to hold on lon<;er, he caught hold of the j olc with his teeth. When I got back from our camp with a r()j)e, and threw it out to him, he was too far gone to take hold of it, so I determined to save him at all haz .rds. I crawled out, lying flat on my face, and moving as cautiously as IHKSsible. Not a word was said as I slowly moved forward, nearer, nearer, till at last I laid my hand in his. It was as ccjld as the ice on which I lay. Poor Charley was frozen to death ! Fastening the rope around him under the arm- pits, I cautiously and successfully made my way back, and \w pulled him ashore with his teclh still fastened on the pole. We had a sad time getting poor Charley back to the still water," was the conclusion of the guide's short story of Charley's Pond. Pass over about two-thirds the length of the jiond, land r K., just off those islands, and carry to Smith's Inlet (out- let of the sheet), -i- rn — portage fair, but blind at com- mcmrenient. Inlet very shallow and narrow fur the first 40 or 50 r, over which boats must be towed ; thence to Little Tupper Lake, 3 m it is passable boating. We are in- debted to " Honest John Plumbley " for pointing out to IK a notable spring-hole located in this stream, about i m above the lake on S. side — a stake and a large pine log nidicating the spot. airam gave (3). Pass up the S. E. Inlet (really the Peaver River), which enters Eldridgc Bay. It is a desperately crooked stream, with its navigation considerably obstructed by " iV)od-jams." Avoid the branch, entering 1, several miles uj) , 5 m above the lake, where the river divides, take the 1 hand stream ; r branch leads into Deer, Little Rock, West and Shingle Shanty P'oncls. Trout cc^ngregate at these forks. P^rom hence boats are generally towed or I u *4 I 4 .] 1 ■ i'i) i ' ^ I ! Ill i 44 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. poled ^ or f m to the portage r of 30 r. Pass over Mud Pond (f X ^) bearing S. E. ; very irregular in shape — really two sheets connecled by a short strait. Lower body mostly covered with iily-pads, furnishing perfect feeding ground for deer. Wolf killed here, 2 years ago, by Milton H. Barnes, of l.oiig Lake. .Scenery generally very gloomy, l^oth .salmon antl sj^eckled trout abound in large numbers at mouth of inlet, entering r S. E. Pass up this stream, 6 or 8 r, lo the fair carry 1 of ^ m, along the rapids. Camp at farther end. Follow stream pgain | m, dragging boats at commence- ment to Little Salmon Lake {i x {) — very pretty and secluded ; cross its S. E, portion and take inlet r — stream straight and pleasant. Numerous tamarack trees serve to render the otherwise dismal .swamp attractive. Proceed l-J m, towing boat, considerably ; carry 1, | m, (blind*; take the stream again — still shnllnw nnd narrow — | m ; follow main channel, as branches enter r and 1. Poorest here, clean and pleasant — ground carpeted with moss and furrowed by paths of wild animals ; carry r, ^ m — extremely laborious — mere "blaze" — portage should be on opposite side of stream ; boating again 20 r ; carry over ridge 2 or 3 r to Salmon Lake (2^ x i). This handsome body of water is one of the chief sources of the Beaver, and is encompassed l)y mountains of moderate height, which slope gracefully to the shores. Camp on W. side. Salmon trout are very abundant here and of large size- some arc caught weighing 30 lbs. Fish for them by the buoys. Carry from a point near outlet, up which our route to this lake lies, to Rock Pond, i^ m, N. This is the noted " Murray Carry" — rough, swami)v, and difficult. Cross the pleasant waters of Rock Pond — (2 m) and carry ^i m from "N. extremity around the falls and rapids. Merc DESCRIPTIVE (JUIDf-: 45 iss over Mud | in shape — ;rait. Lower iliing perfect | , 2 years ago, lery generally | .)ut abound in | r S. E. Pass of -^ m, along at commence- y pretty and 1 ^.let r — stream trees serve to tivc. Proceed 1, \ m, (blind); nariow — \ m ; and 1. Forest d with moss airy r, ^ m— o-c should be r ; carry over lliis handsome )f the Beaver, Iderate height, ip on W. side. |)f large size—- them by the up which our n, N. This is , and difficult. 2 m) and carrv rapids. Here the river plunges down through a romantic gorge ; thence follow stream 3 m to Little Tupper Lake. Route froin Smith's to Beach's or BraudrctJis Lak£.— To Salmon Lake the route is identical with that just given. Pass to the head of this lake and up the deep and pleasant inlet, bordered by the handsome tamarack, h m ; carry r \'l m. For a third of the way numerous prostrate trees obstruct the path ; middle portion smooth but swampy ; balance of portage a perfect forest road, which merges into the Carthage road about j^ m W. of Dr. lirandreth's " Summer Shooting Pox," situated at the head of Beach's, or more properly, lirandreth's Lake. The many charms presented by this sheet, elicit the admiration of all its beholders. Gentle elevations, alter- nating with abrupt acclivities, completely encircle it. l^ald Rock or Big Bluff rises in rugged prominence from the S. E. shore, its precipitous hoary sides glistening in the sunlight like the snowy locks of a mythical giant of fabulous times. West Mountain, lifting its forest-clad heights toward the eastern sky, is revealed in the shadowy distance. A solitary island picturesquely gems the bosom of the lake, whose waters are hardly surpassed in their crystalline purity. Its size is generally over-estimated, it being only 2\ m long by f m in breadth, according to actual survey, although if its two arms were included, its length would receive an additional mile. It is well sup- plied with fish, salmon trout being caught with good suc- cess near liear Point and in the N. arm of the lake, and speckled trout in the vicinity of Rock Island. Sportsmen sojourning here usually occupy one of the two Brandreth houses, both of which are very substantial, and conveniently fitted up with a view to the requirements of woodland life. 46 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDK. Especial attention is called also to suitable canpini; places at Bear Point, around which the W. arm curves ; and on the pleasant bay E. of the houses, along the extended reach of snowy sand. Other attractions which we will proceed to note, combine to render this comely lake one of the most desirable centers for sporting purposes in all the Wilderness. Several lakelets — admirable fishing and hunting localities — are easily accessible from " Bran- drethville." East Pond (^ x ^), a charming water, is reached by fol- lowing the road i^ ru S. E., and then the path diverging 1 1 20 rods, or by boating down the lake about f m, land- ing on E. shore and proceeding from thence by path perhaps ^ m E. To reach Trout or Little Rock Pond a ^ i)» follow the path that leads from the road a few rods E. of the clearing, ^ m N. To visit West Pond (i{y.}^), (formerly called Middle Lake) row up the W. anii of the lake ^ m, land R. and pass over the good portage .1 m N. From the W extremity of this pond, a trail leads 2.V m N. W. to Thayer's Lake ; and another leads directly W. i^ m to Deer Pond. South Pond (^x^) is reached by a hard carry of i^ m W., starting from a point on W. shore, nearly opposite anr' just above Rock Island. By traversing this sheet and carrying from thence ^ m S., the 2 Sister Ponds are vis- ited. These 3 bodies of water are snugly embowered in " the green depths of the forest," and being so seldom approached by man, they are the common abiding places of deer and trout. The Sister Ponds are sources of the Moose R ; all the others just noticed empty into the Beaver R. We will briefly resume and conclude our examination of Brandreth's Lake. The inlet and outlet of this sheet, enter and outpour DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 47 very close together, the latter paying tribute to Forked Lake, thus rendering Brandreth's Lake one of the fountain iicads of Raquette River. The Carthage road skirts along the margin of the lake and is passable for wagons from the foot entirely through to Cr.vvn Point. The distance to Gary's is 7 m, within the first 4 of which Raquette Lake is reached at Norih liay, where parties re-embark for other points. From Lowville the Oswegatchie fishing grounds aie reached by the following r(nite, over comparatively good roads : Smith's Landing, 2 m ; Dayanville, 3 m ; Croghan, on Beaver River, 5 m ; 1^1 fort, on Beaver River, 4 m ; thence through the forest to Oswegatchie River, 9 m. The waters in this vicinity are well stocked with trout early in the season, but are not much resorted to for sum- mer sport. Deer shooting is said to be good in these woods. This route is a favorite one for invalids, as they can reach the river with carriages and there step at once into the boats. Parties should take supplies from Lowville, although there are hotels at all of the villages named. The route intersects the Carthage road at Belfort. Tenth — Carthage is finely situated upon Black River, and its importance has been greatly increased by the extension of the Utica and Black River R. R. to this place, and by the construction of the railway coimecting it with Watertown. The completion of these roads also renders this a most desirable j)()int from which to outer the forest. Most excellent hotels here, the Levis, the Hatch and the Adams House furnish prime accommodation and also ample facilities for reaching the sporting grounds. II I , I I ! .I 48 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. Carthage is the W. terminus of the "Old State Road," opened through the Wilderness to Crown Point 35 years ago. The magnitude of this " forest waste " becomes manifest when the length of this road is taken into con- sideration. From a point about 20 m E. of this place, to Schroon River (Roots) 94 A^ m, with the exception of the Long Lake, Newcomb's, and several minor clearings, the route lies through a wilderness not yet invaded by civiliz- ation. The following is a table jf distances from Carthage to Crown Point. MILF.S. Carthage to Pilfort, 15 Thence to No. 4, --9 Stillwater, li Brandreth's Lake, (via Rock Shanty and South Branch), ------ 16 Raquette Lake, (Cary,s,) 10 Long Lake Village, 13,' Newcomb, (Pendleton,) - - - - - - 13 Tahawus, (Lower Iron Works,) - - - 7.V Schroon River, (Roots) 19 Crown Point, _.-- 19 Total, 133I As noted elswhere, only portions of this road are trav- eled by wagons now, viz : — Carthage to Stillwater, and from l^randreth's Lake to Crown Point. In entering the woods from Carthage, parties usually travel 2 routes ; one by way o{ No. 4, and thence up llu- Beaver River, or to other points as their inclinations may suggest, the road being good as far as Belfort, and passably DKSCKII'TIVK (iUlDi:, 4') so from thence to No. 4; the other leaclin*,^ to Hanis- villc, 20 m distant, (passing through the internieaiatc village of Natural Bridge, 9 m), and from thence up the W. branch of the Osvvegatchie River and its tributaries, to the numerous affluent lakes and ponds situated therein, or from Ilarrisville through Pitcairn and E. Piteairn and i'iiie to the E. branch of the same river, which furnishes good l)oating from thence, interrupted only by 2 easy port- ages of 20 r, and h m through a dense and primitive forest, to Cranberry Lake, 1 1 m. The road from Carthage to Fine is excellent the entire distance. About 4 m this side of Harrisville, the route passes near lk)naparte Lake (a wagon road extending to its margin , which richly abounds in fish, and which is surpassed in beauty of scenery by but few of the Wilderness lakes. It covers abtuit 1200 acres — encircles several wild, rocky islands and is environed by bold, precipitous shores. It was named in honor of Joseph Bonaparte, ex-king ot Naples and Spain, who at one time was possessor of the town of Diana, and who erected a rustic lodge upon the banks of the lake for the use of himself and companions while out upon sporting excursions during his sojourn at his summer residence at Natural Bridge. It has been cerebrated in song by the Hon. Caleb Lyons, of Lyons- dale. There is a good hotel at Harrisville, Harrisville Hv^v.l, (Ball and Bliss) — from which parties can sally forth in the morning, find and enjoy capital fishing through the day, and return to the house in the evening. A rail road is in process of construction from Ilarrisville to Carthage. — [0. S. Levis. Eleventh ■ 3 (lovKKNEUK is beautifully located on the 50 DESCRII'TIVE GUIDE. U\ Oswegatchic River, and is tlie seat of a flourishing academy, and of a thriving trade. A rich variety of interesting minerals abound in the neighborhood. The Van Buren House, the Central House and Spencer's Inn, are the princijjal hotels. Cranberry Lake, well in the heart of the Wilderness, is the chief resort for hunting parties starting from this point. To Hailesboro the distance is 2 m ; thence to Fowler, 4 m ; I-'ullerville, 3 m ; Edwards, 6 m ; Fine, 10 m ; thence by boat up the Oswegatchie, as by the Car- thage route to Cranberry Lake, 1 1 ni, encountering on the way two portages, one of 20 r and the other of ^ m ; the latter occurring near the lake. Total, 36 m. Tivelfth — Fkom DeKalr Junction (Union Hotel) to Hermon, 6 m ; Russell (Grass River), 6 ni ; Clarksboro (Clifton Hotel), 12 m; Clifton Iron Mines, 2 m — over an excellent wagon road ; thence to Cranberry Lake, IQ rn, over a poor road. There is a daily stage from DeKalh Junction to Clarksboro, where conveyances may be ob- tained for the balance of the route. The R. R. connecting the Iron Mines with E. DeKalb Station is not in operation now. In fact it never was employed as a transit for pas- sengers, being solely used by the Clifton Iron Co., by whom it is owned,* in the transportation of iron ore, which exists in considerable quantities in this neighborhood. Chuksboro is 3 m in the woods. Tooley Pond, 8 m beyond, and Davis Pond, 3 m beyond that , on the route arc good deer resorts. The road strikes the Oswegatchie 2 m below the lake, where is located a little .settlement. Here supjilies, boats, etc., may be procured of G. M. Dillon, I I *Our thanks are due to .Supervisor James Sheridan for inforntation oiulcrcd respccliiis this route. DliSCRll'J'IVI-. r.u 1 1)1-. 51 Ifor inforniation fr, and ollicrs ; aiul here j)artic.s may embark for tlu: j^^l^^. — passing up llie river i .1 m and carrying from ihence over a good wagon road .1 m ; it should be remem- bered that boats deseend this stream to Fine, 1 1 m. A new and commodious hotel is located at the termin- us of the road, in full view of the lake and of Silver 1*. (li^f) — ^ silvery sheet but 60 r. away. It needs no better recommendation than the announcement that the veteran guide and hunter, Richard Thomas, (P. O. Clarks- boro, St. Lawrence Co ,) with his forest experience of nearly 30 years, is its proprietor. ( See Addenda.) Stages now run daily from De Kalb Junction to Cranberry Lake. Cranberry, or Oswegatchie Lake, (9 m. long) is really an expansion of the Oswegatchie River, which, rising by two branches in N. [)art of Herkimer Co., pursues a circuitous course of 125 m. through St. Lawrence Co., in a N. VV. direction, and unites with the St. Lawrence River at Ogdcnsburg. The waters of the lake are plentifully supplied with fish — having yielded in some instances, speckled trout, 5 lbs. in weight — and the hunting around it is still very good, although somewhat injured in reference to deer, by the raising of the lake some 15 ft. by means of a dam. The scenery immediately surrounding it is also affected by the same agency, as numerous "drowned" trees stand- ing in the water near the shores, greatly mar its beauty. Clear, Mud and Trout Ponds, E. and Oval Pond S., are accessible by trails. Curtis Pond is reached by boat- ing up K. Inlet as far as practicable, and f(3llowing from thence a good path 2 m S. E. Crooked Lake, the extreme source of the Oswegatchie, lying 12 m S., is reached by piu suing a line indicaletl by marked trees. It is niucli more easily visited, how- evei. from the Rvd Hor-^e Cliain [See tvntc .Yint/f.) 'Tfn » ;■ i« I ' ! ' '1 52 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. There are a large number of good deer and trout ponds adjacent to Cranberry Lake, that have never been laid down upon any map. Take it all in all, this lake and its vicinity afford an extensive field for the sportsman. Adventurous parlies sometimes penetrate the lio;' River region from Cranberry Lake, and proceed from thence to Tupper Lake by the following routes : (i.) By boat, i m. up Chair Rock Creek, entering the lake's S E. extremity ; thence carry 2 m. S. W. ; thence cross Oval, or Darn Needle Pond ; thence carry 2i m. S. E to Fourth Pond. (One authority, Clark Town, states that there is a portage opened from Chair Rock C. to the headwaters of Bog R. Distance 3m)' (2.) Carry from Darn Needle or Oval Pond, 2 m. S. E. ; cross Grass Pond ; carry 2 m. S. E., striking Bog R. a little below Mud Lake. Or carry from Oval P. to Gull P. (^ x j) i m. S. E. ; thence carry i m. S. E., to Craves P. (3.) Prom Curtis Pond, carry S E. to Silver Lake; thence S. W. to Otter, Graves and Fourth Ponds. The portages are not cut out to any extent, but this could be accomplished with a little labor, as they are not very difficult. i^See route from Tupper to Mini Lake) Thirteenth. — Potsdam, a lively and growing village, is| located on Raquette River, which is here "divided byl islands, broken by rapids, and furnishes an extensive] water-power." It is a pleasant town, possessing many fine streets ami liandsome buildings, and is the site of the *' State Nor- mal and Training School for Northern New York.'] There are two good hotels in the place, viz : the Matte- son, and the American, at the former of which guides and conveyances may be procured. (See Addenda.) This! iiKscKii'iiVK tiuiin-:. 53 route to the Great Wilderness is .!;env«irally much under- rated and hence only occasionally followed by the general tourist, but it really possesses many attractions in the way of diversified scenery and sporting opportunities, rarely excelled. A pleasant ride of only 4 hours from the cars, over a mot excellent road (21^ milcs\ is all the exertion it costs to reach good fishing and hunting territory. To Colton, the last place of importance on the route, It is 9 m. This is a flourishing village and it contains a hotel, the " Empire Exchange." of whose superior accom- modations and management any country town in the State might be proud. Mr. C. C. Sanborn, its proprietor, ap- preciates the wants of his guests and caters to their tastes in a courteous and satisfactory manner. The ample livery connected with the establishment is con- ducted with special reference to sporting parties. From Colton to South Colton or Three Falls, a little hamlet, it is 4.^ m. ; thence to Stark's Falls, at the foot of the Little Bog it is 8 m. Here, at the " Forest House," the sportsman takes his first meal (always an excellent one) in the woods ; here also boats are taken, and at this point the sporting field commences. This pleasant hotel possesses adequate facilities for supplying the wishes of transient customers or those who desire permanent board while availing themselves of the attractions and advan- tages offered by the Bog and the surrounding ponds. Boats and guides can be ( n gaged here at any time by ad- dressing, " Norton & Snell, Colton, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y." Concord coaches daily (p. m.) from Potsdam to Stark's Falls ; fare, $2. From hence the journey is continued by boat or wagon at the traveler's option. Proceeding by land, a drive of 6i m. over a fair woods road, carries us to the "Jordan House," at the head of the Bog. 54 DKSCKII'TIVK (JUIDK. 1! E ' '< 1i,-. ' I I: ^ Continuing from Stark's l^\illsby water, a row of i^ ni. conveys us to Bop; Falls, the termination of Little Bog. Crossing a portage of lo r, easily accomplished, as the boat is drawn over on a track without being unloaded, v^e reach the Jordan House, at the head of the Big Bog and near the mouth of Jordan River, by an easy row of 5 ni. It is proper to remark that the name "Bog," as applied to the 6i m. of river just mentioned, is a sad rrisnomer. It possesses nothing of the character of a bog; but with its islands and scenery, is one of the pleasantest portions of the Racii'.ette. On the right are high banks, and in the distance elevated hills ; on the left is undulating lowland covered with small timber, and in the remote back ground, tower the grand Adirondacks. On this stretch of still- water, too, occurs some of the best deer hunting and trout fishing found any where on the route. The Jordan House is well kept by M. N. Ober, and persons not desiring to camp out, but to secure a board- ing place in the heart of good sporting grounds, will find this a most desirable location. His table is invariably well laden with all the fine things the water and forest produce, and each summer brings to him ?in increasing number of boarders. From here access is easily gained lo Chandler, Clear and Crooked Ponds, by taking a short tramp back from the river. From Ober's to Seavey's boat-landing, at the foot of Moosehead Stillwater, a I "draw-by" of 8 m. succeeds, passing Rickey's Rapids Jamestown Falls, Moody Falls and Percefield Long Rap- ids. Mr. O. and Mr. S. hold themselves in readiness tu| transport parties and baggage over this road ; price, $4. Six and a half miles above Ober's and 2 m. from Moosc-I head, a road branches from this route, leading to " Cronk's Lodge," near the head of Big Tupper Lake. Distance PESCKIITIVK (JUIDI.. n ild Long Rap about 1 8 m. At Scavcy's place wc will he provided with boats and all necessary acconimodations. Leaving the foot (ifMooscbead Stillwater i6A m ! . we have 4 n\ of good i):ivl.i;ati()n, passing on the way (3 ni up) the line of the "(Hcat Windfall" of 1S45, end)racing an area 50 ni 1 by in wide. We then encounter about 50 r of "quick water," succeeded by 2.1 m of easy rowing, terniinating ;it the foot of Hedge Hog Rapids. 'I"he Moosehead Still- water is dotted here and there with many pretty islantls, ami as the river winds around and between numerous hills and mountains on cither side, it j)resents a great variety (tfj)leasing scenery. This Stillwater affords many agree- able camping grounds along the dry and pleasant shores. The sj)ortsman, too, will find his occupation successful here. From a point near the head, a good jiath leads r i m to Jock's Pond, near Moosehead Mountain — a noted (leer resort. Lily Pad Hrook, entering the river in this vicinity, is a famous trout stream. At Hedge Hog or Flat Rock Rapids, (an excellent fish- ing locality) occu**s a portage of 50 r. K.\j)erienced guides, when the water was low, have rowed up these rapiils with f^reat exertion ; but the usual practice is to tow the boats or carry around them. From thence, after traversing Burnt Island Stillwater, ^ m 1, we reach the " Piero," where wc carry, 1, 6 r. Passing over 60 r of rapid water and the Plue Mt. Stillwater, 3 m in extent with one little passage of cpiick water we arrive at Downey's Landing, W^ side. The scenery along the portion of the route just passed is grand and b. : iiiiful. Some go so far as to say that there is no finer liver scenery in the State. Parties wL-^hing to make Massawepie Lake and the ad jacent waters their camping grounds, leave the river at Downey's Landing, and take the good road leading W. mi 56 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDK. ' * ■ I ll m to Catamount Pond. Noah Gale, residing: on tlie banks ff this sheet, does the business of transportation, and also hnnishes boat'^, supi)lios, etc, A short passage acros*- the p'• l^lack ]<.apids (.1 or ',' ni above SoVs Island Rapids), up which boats are rowed without much difficulty. A grander e.\hibiti(Mi is seldom witnessed in the woods than tiiat which the tourist finils in I'erceheld High Falls, as st-eii in the distance wlien turning a bend in the river at tlie head of AverilTs Rai)ids, i m below. Over a rug- ged ledge of rocks, the Raquettc fiercely sweei)s to a granite shelf l)elow, where the water is tlirown uj) in finest spray or madilened foam ; thence it leaps to another shelf, from which it pours a seething mass into the agiiated depths iHMieath, The river falls in sheer decent 35 ft. Here is a lianl ^anv up the face of th'^ rock and over the 'iteep l)ank, of 15 r. 'i'hen follows ", or ^ m of Stillwater, succeeded by b'ish Ifawk Rai)i;.;'h 5 or ' , I : :! ,i!!i- 58 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. French in 1748, remain. Ogdensbiir^ stands near the confluence of the Oswegatchio with the St. Lawrence, and is a |)rosperous place, possessing imjDortant commercial and manufacturing advantages. Several steamboat com- panies connect it with the commerce of the St. Lawrence and great lakes. The Ogdensburg and Lake Champlaiii, and Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroads, termin- ate here. The structures of the former are on a magnifi- cent scale. Nearly a mjle of wharves extend along the river, with a grain elevator of the largest size at one extremity. A steam ferry connects these roads with the Grand Trunk and Ottawa and Frescott Railways. The city is agreeably laid out in broad and straight streets, and contains many elegant private mansions and imposing- public edifices. On the opposite shore of the St. Law- rence may be observed the remains of the stone wind-mill, the scene of an nv.ioic defence during the Rebellion of 1837, maintained by a small band of patriots against a far superior Ihitish force. The population of Ogdensburg is about 12,000. The principal hotels are the Seymour House, Johnson House and Myers House. Tourists bound for the Adirondacks i)roceed from hence by railroad to I'otsdam, 31 m; Jh-asher Falls, 36 m; Moira, 47 m; Malone, 61 ni ; Chateaugay, ^t, m; Plattsburg, 126 m. Fifteenth. — "Massf.na Springs. — The.se wafers have been for a long period widely celebrated, and it is a tradi- tion that their healing properties were known to the ab- origines. The springs (of which St. Regis is the most important) are five in numlxr and not essentially diflerciit in their medicinal rjualitie.s. They are Rituatcd on the Raquette rivef and are four miks from the steam- *^''^.f nds near the .awrcncc, and t commercial :amboat com- St. Lawrence c Champlaiii, roads, termin- on a magnifi- LMid along; tlic : size at one oads with the i I ways. The it streets, and nd imposing the St. Law- )nc wind-mill, Rebellion of ; against a far )gdensbnrg is /monr Honsc, :d from hence Kails, 36 m ; gay, 72> "i : waters have 1 it is a tradi- 'n to the nb- ; is the most lially diflerent Liated on the n the steam- ■rr Iji If r f ji r i { i ' ^'! , I! 1 >i 1 wniTirs moiEL. (Maatfona, N. Y.) I I f fi- f 1 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. It boat landing on the St. Lawrence, — to which stages regularly run, — and four from Long Sault Rapids, one of the most attractive scenes on the river." (Watson.) The surroundings of the springs are extremely beautiful, and the climate in this locality is very healthful. There are other attractions besides the springs. To the pisca- torial tourist this section is full of interest. A finer fishing center can hardly be found. Here, he is within striking distance of three rivers which furnish fish in rich variety and profusion, including bass, pickerel and the celebrated masq'allonge. Putting his boat in the lovely Raquette, which sweeps along within a few rods of the Hatfield House — cin elegant structure recently erected at the springs — he can pass to the St. Lawrence (i 2 m ,) shooting like an arrow down the exciting but not dangerous rapids that intervene ; thence up the St. Lawrence (3 m ,) or much further if he desire ; thence up Grass River to the dam (8 m.,) which is only i m. below White's Hotel, at Massena Village — a short mile from the springs. What a delightful trip for a day. The Long Sault Rapids can be run safely with small boats, and in the eddies below is the finest of mu >q'allonge fishing. The Long Rapids on the Raquette, 9 m. below the springs, are the special haunts o( legions of white fish rarely found elsewhere in the vicinity. Trout also are caught in the neighborhood Up Earl Creek a short (li.stance, which empties into the river 4 m. above these rapids, in May, 1874, the late lamented David J. Mitchell, of Syracuse, captured 1 18 bass, 2 pickerel and i pike — averaging over 2 lbs. each- -in 3 or 4 hours' Sail- ing. Similar examples, illustrating the fruitfulness of these streams, might be multiplied to any extent. At White's Hotel — a thoroughly built and sjMcioiHi I i 6u DKSCKII'l IVK GUlDi;. >' I I edifice — llic traveler will find everything in the way of courteous attention, j)leasant apartments, and well- furnisheil tables tliat the most exacting could require. It is a model establishment, having few sujieriors in Norlhern New York, and the proprietor, Mr. J I. 15 White, (P. O. Massena,) is one of the most popul.u landlords in the business. ICnthusiastic Waltonian as he is, too, he knows just what the angler needs and where to conduct him to enjoy magnificent sport. It was under his guidance thai Mr. Mitchell had his extraordinary success. The charges arc very rea.sonable for a house of this class. Concord stages run daily to I'otsdam Junction (15 m.,) from which it is 6 m. by R. R. to I'otsdam, and to lirasher ]"\'ills Depot (10 m ,) i)oth stations on the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain R. R #^! 4) DIVl^ilON 11. INTO THE CIIATI:AL'G.\Y and ST. KluCllS WOODS. The imprc.s.si()n u.sually onlorliiincd, tlial ihc CluUcaiiLjay portion of the Northern W'ililerness, has been so far encroached uj)on by settlements as to be unvvortliy of coi^sideration as v resort to sportsmen, is in the main in- correct. Indeed, so far is tliis from bein}.; true, that even the *' happy hunting grounds of the Saranac " are hardly superior for sporting purposes to the once famed wooils of the '* Shatagee." The usual points of entrance to this section — also to that of St. Regis, lying immediately be- low, are Moira, Malone, Chateaugay and Rouse's Point, each a station on the Northern or Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain R. R., and Tlattsburg, the S. terminus of the riattsburg and Montreal R.R. Sixtcifith. — From IVIoira (Aldrieh's Il(Uel) to Dickin- son, 6 m ; Dickinson Center — a nice little village '>\\ Deer River (Dustin's Hotel), 2.1 m; I.incolnson — large tannery here (McNeils Hotel), ,s "> ; " num|>hrey Nine Mile Level," St. Regis River, 9 m. Total 20.^ m. Stages run daily from Moira to Lincolnson, to wh- h point the road is excellent. I''are$i.oo. Here private conveyances 62 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. |] IM: t' hlii. may be procured for the conclusion of the journey, which portion of the route is a comfortable forest road, or if timely notice is j;iven, the proprietor of "Spring Cove Cotta<;e, " at the "Level," will meet parties at the " tannery, " and convey them to his residence for a fair comj)ensati()n. Address, " 1). S. Smith, Dickinson Center, I'lanklin Co., N. Y." The mail reaches him every Saturday. Not until recently has the attention of sportsmen been attracted in this direction. Indeed, but few are aware of the existence of such a route. The following is the history of " Spring Cove Cottage," furnished us by a gentleman intimately acquainted with the facts : The wife of Mr. Smith had suffered from hereditary lung disease, aggravated by scrofula in throat and stomach, for a period of i6 years — ^just half of her lifetime thus far. After almost the complete list of patent medicines had been tested, and the " M. D.'s " had fully decided that she must speedily die, it happily occurred to the husband, as a forlorn hope, that her life might be slightly protracted by the pure mountain air of the Wilderness region, medi- cated by the healing aroma of the forest trees. The idea, though one of desperation, was put into execution, and upon a bed she was conveyed into the woods, near this ix)int, about 2 years ago. The result was truly extraor- dinary. Shanty life with its concomitants soon produced a marvelous effect u|)on her disease — stricken constitution ; her recovery was most rapid, and within a year she was thoroughly healed. And it is reported to us at this writ- ing, in answer to encjuiries, that " Mrs Smitli, thi* invalid lady to whom you allude as so wonderfully restored, has no longer any cough and is apparently well. Indeed, through the past year she has enjoyed sound sleep and nKSCRIPTIVK GUIDK. ^'3 good health, and has performed an amount of work that was a matter of surprise and comment to all her acquaint aiices. For a long time she has been able to dispense with the expensive luxury of physicians, her re<;iilar attendants throuj^hout the jirevious i6 years."' (Jlher well authenticated instances of equally remark- able cures wrought by a season of camp life passed in this section, might be given would space permit. They all serve to prove the peculiar salubrity and curative charac- teristics of this particular portion of the Great Wilder- ness.* Another correspondent (Mr. Fay) writes us as follows in reference to this locality : •' The past week I spent in the woods and enjoyed some excellent sport. The weather was very severe and the snow very deep, or I shoukl have made a longer tarry of it. Had i)lenty of trout and venison, however, with which to line our rib.s. If not too late for publication I would Hke to give you a few items concerning the section of the Adirondacks I have just visited. " It is as yet but little known to the sporting fraternity, but will doubtless ere long become a popular resort. The district to which I refer, embraces the S. W. corner of Franklin Co., and the particular locality to which I invite your attention, is in the vicinity of what is known as the *' Nine Mile Level," a reach of Stillwater occurring in the Middle St. Regis River, and the St. Regis proper, about lo m S. of the junction of the K. branch, or Meacham Lake outlet, with the principal stream. One m from the head of *\Vhcrc arc the men who .so fiercely conde.iin Mr. Miirray's account of the consumptive young m.in, " whom the Wilderness received almost a corpse, but which ruturned him to lii.s home and the world as liai)py and healthy a man as ever bivouacked under its pines." 64 UKscKirnvK guidk. i!! V ■! w '■ '!• hi' U. Ik this Level, near ii little cove or spur of th<* river, where several bright, bubbling springs roll out from beneath the bank, is delighttully situated a wild-woods retreat, bearing the romantic name of S|)ring Cove Cottage. It stands in an extensive grove, of spruce, cedar, balsam, hemlock and tamarack trees, all so noted lor their healing properties. " 'liie restoration to pertcct health ol an invalid wife, after suffering from pulmonary tlifficuhyfor a space of 15 or 16 years, by a season or two of wilderness life, im})elled the proprietor to locate here a forest home. Recently he has been persuaded to open his house to those coming hither, there being no place of entertainment near. With the contemplated additions, comfortable quarters will be pro- vided for 30 or 40 guests. No pretensions to style or show aie made, but the especial aim seems to be to furnish clean beds and wholesome fare, which includes, throughout the season, fish and wild game daily, and there is a dispo- siti{;n manifested to make visitors feel that they are among friends during their stay at the Cottage. No malt or spirituous liquors are sold on the premises.* "lioats anci boatmen are always ready for the accommoda- tion of jiarties, Mrs. Smith accompanies ladies on boat- ing excursions when desired. " 'I'he morning of our arrival at the cottage, it presented every appearance of :i ' Hunter's .A.bode." Near at hand were hanging 3 saddles of venison, i catamount, 2 bear skins, 6 rabbits, a lot of partridges, and also a string of *Aiul here let us correct the opinion lield l)y many, that tlie use of ardent spirits is indispensable wlicn camping out. No impression could be more erroneous. The pure, l)racing atmosphere of this mountain region, affords all the stimulus that any nature re([uires ; and health will be imuc readily gained, or more firmly establishcil by die utter rcjeetiou of artificial stimulants. Iii;SCKII'TI\ i: liUIDK 0} trout. What picture could l)c more j^lorious to a hunter's " For excellent fishini;" this river is unsurpassed, as Us bed is filled with drrp sprinj^j-holes, and the an,L;ler has 30 ni or more of the stream in which to cast a line — rapids and Stillwater alternating;." The " Cove," 'j m in kM\i;th, affords safe and ample c.vercise for those who choose to leisurely ** paddle their own canoes," while others more ambitious and desirous of prospecting' or an^jlin^c;, may, with or without j;uides, pass into the river and down the Level 8 m, passin*; many sjirings and brooks on the way, in which the speckled trout abound, or ascend the stream to the rajiids i m and see what awaits them there. If not fullv satislied with the result of their oj)erations at this spot, they may pass around these rapids, over a *;'ood path '\ m, and take another boat awaiting; them there, and traverse a second level of 4 m to the "Three Mile Ra|)ids, " where no fisher has ever yet failed to experience the satisfaction re- sulting from perfect success. These river routes should ordinarily be selected by those in search of rest or recrea- tion, as but little exertion is required in following them. There arc a number of picturescpie ponds, easily access- ible from the Cottapfe, where excellent fishing is also found. To Duck Pond (J v\ V) the distance is i m S. W ; Sprint; Pond (small) lies .] m S ; it is also reached by boat from the river — distance by water i.l m, a favorite re- sort for invalids. ICast Iknnch I'ond (ix.^) is 4 m N. W., a waj;on road passin<; within \\ m of it. It is over- shadowed by Catamount Mountain. McCavenaugh Pond ( I i X -I) is 4 m away. To Goose Pond (small and marshy) it is 3 m by ro' (.'. 9, 1^0 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^/ W^ A '* K, 1.0 I.I ■|a|22 2.0 [^ U4 lAO IL25 i 1.4 1.6 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 2;i> H 'EST MAIN ST^SET VSBSTEIii,i4.Y. MSSO (7)6) «7a-4503 \ ^ \ \ rv ^^^ '%'?^ I), i^ Middle St. Regis River (or. road 3 m), 5 Portage around dam at Keese's Mill, ----- ^ St. Regis R, 3 Total, - - - 19I " Tourists generally prefer the land route, as it is some 8 m shorter and less tedious ; but those intent upon sport and adventure, follow the water course, as they always find plenty of fish and game on the way. We have a tri- weekly mail and stage line between Malone and Ausable Forks. The route is identical with that leading to Meacham Lake, as far as Duane, where it strikes the old DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 75 ' Military Turnpike ' and bears thence S. easterly, pass- ing 'Hunters Home,' a spotting house kept by Paul Smith before he removed to the St. Regis waters. His brother, Mr. Lewis Smith, (P. O. Merrillvillc,) now occupies tliis pleasant resort, and is presumed to render comfortable all who favor him with a call. Here you are again in the very center of another famous sporting s.ection. In the vicinity are Loon and Rainbow Lakes, Elbow, Round, Mud, Buck and Oregon Ponds. "Distance from Malone to Hunter's Home, 31 n^ ; to Ausable Forks, 52 m; to Paul Smith's, via Hunter & ! Tome, 47 m ; to Hough's, at head of U. Saranac Lak^j, via Meacham and St. Regis Lakes, 48 m ; to Marti, 's, at foot of L, Saranac Lake, same route, 55 m ; to Martin'^, via Hunter's Homf^niid Vermontville, 48 m. There are many other beautiful lakes and ponds, buried in the deep recesses of the woods, conveniently visited from Malone over good roads, a few of which I will proceed to name. " Branch Pond, an affluent of Salmon River, a fine sheet of water (2 x i), lies 8 m S. W. ; Maple Hill, Haubury, and Branch Pond Mountains, and the thickly wooded for- est surrounding, render the scenery near this pond wild and striking. There is but one habitation here, the Branch Pond House, Andrew D. Rogers, Proprietor, (P. O. Malone,) where tourists will be treated with every attention their wants require. Salmon River, 3 m E., Deer River, 5 m W., Eagle Pond, 2^ m E., Horsehoe Pond, 3 m S., Green or Gourd and Spring Ponds, 2^ m S. W., (Spring being ^ m W. of Green), Twin Pond, 3.^ m S. W. and several other pretty lakelets are reached by good roads or paths from Branch Pond. Round Pond (called Indian Lake by Hammond), is 12 m S. E. of Malone, and is accessible i \ ; I I t 76 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. ! 1 '' h «n ! .l;j . by a road diverging from the main road at Titusville. This sheet of water (3 x 2), as its name indicates, is nearly circular, and is juitly celebrated for its. beauty. Not the least cultivation exists on its borders, and no less wild are the surroundings than when the first hardy trapper pene- trated to its shores. Like most of these Wilderness waters, it is the home of the different varieties of trout ; they especially abound near the mouth of a cold stream that enters a little bay at its southern extremity. " Another noted guide, familiarly called * Old Salaman- der,' has located his lonely forest home not far from its shores. " The outlet of Round Pond flows into Salmon R. ; i m S. W., and at the junction of the two streams, the State has constructed a substantial dam, which has a tendency to force the water of the river back into the pond, thus making it a grand reservoir. The Salmon R. is to this county what the Raquetteis to St. Lawrence County — the lumberman's highway. H'^'ice in the spring time, when the river is too low for running logs, the gates of this dam ere hoisted, and this -great body of water, which has been held back from its natural course, now swells the stream, and the logs are speedily forced by the increasing flood down to Malone, where the extensive mills belong- ing to Messrs. Titus & Parmalee receive them. " This dam, being only 1 3 m from Malone, is a favorite resort for our towns-people, and often have I visited it and returned on the same day with a generous string of speckled game. In fact, above the dam, below the dam, and anywhere in the crystalline waters of Salmon R., you can catch the finest kind of trout. The " State Dam House," R. J. Cuningham, proprietor, (P. O. Malone,) is pleasantly located near the dam and has comfortable DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 77 accommodations for 1 5 or 20 guests. The following forest- embosjmed waters sources of the Salmon R., are accessi- ble from this spot :— Round Pond, as above noted, i m N. E., with which there is communication both by road and stream (its outlet) ; the others are reached by paths tihrough the woods or by following up the course of the river and making short portages. Charley Pond, 2 m S., is a pretty lakelet, noted for its beautiful surroundings and its fine quality of trout. The fish in this pond are quite large and differ much in appearance from the trout taken from other waters ; they are known as the ' Silver Skins,' having a bright silvery surface. When cooked, the meat is red and very firm. The distance from * State Dam ' by water to Charley Pord, including a carry of 100 r, is about 4 m. Deer Fly Pond is 2\ m S. E. of State Dam ; Wolf Pond is 6 m S.; Plumadore Pond, a most charming body of water, 2 m wide by 2 1, making it nearly circular, is also reached by diverging a short distance from the Ausa- ble Forks route, at the ' Ross Place,' — 20 m from Malone — situated on the Hatch stream, which is generally alive with trout. " Elbow Pond lies 9 m S. E. As a general rule there is good fishing in these waters in every season, and as the country surrounding is very wild, deer may be seen in this vicinity on any day throughout the year. Five m above the State Dam House (S. E.), Salmon R. receives the waters of Ragged Lake, Wolf Pond, etc., and here is another attractive resort. Ragged or Salmon Lake is reached by a good woods path extending N. E. from the E. shore of RounJ Pond, — distance 3 m. The length of this lake is about 6\ m, (9 m if Mud lake is included, which really forms its northern part,) with a width varying from i to ^ m. In the language of Hammond, 'it is as % ' DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. ■i ! ! -1 ' ■ !. .' ' lovely a sheet of water, as ever enthusiast described, or poet portrayed in song.* " In the S. E., Mount Lion rears his lofty head to the clouds, standing like a gigantic sentinel, overlooking for- est and lake, and watching in moveless silence the wilder- ness around him. This lake is most appropriately named. Its outlines are peculiarly irregular, most emphatically ragged. In its clear and deep waters numberless trout have their homes. " At the Ragged Lake House, the only habitation in the vicinity, travelers will receive the mot courteous treat- ment from its proprietor, Geo. Pond, (P. O. Malone,) either in the way of serving them at his well stocked tables, with slices of juicy venison and well trimmed, crispy pieces of golden trout, or of guiding them through the labyrinths of the neighboring woods. Good pathways lead from this lake N. E. 4 m to the Chateaugay waters, and to Ingraham Pond, 2 m N. W. And here it may be stated that the Lower Chateaugay Lake is visited from Malone by a pleas- ant drive of 13 m over a nice carriage road, and that another agreeable resort, Spring Cove Cottage, is reached by a good wagon road, as follows : — Bangor, 6 m ; Potter- ville, 3 m ; Dickinson Center, 11 m ; Lincolnson, 3 rn ; St. Regis River, 9 m. Another pleasant resort in our vicinity muct not be overlooked, viz., the ' Bend in the River,' which also lies on the main route to Meacham Lake and Paul Smith's ; 2 m S. of Titusville, and 10 m from Malone. The ' Bend, ' true to its name, is a sharp curve of the Salmon R., forming quite an ' oxbow,' and is upon the whole a very romantic spot. Boats ascend the "stream 6 m (within 2 m of State Dam), and there is good fishing and night hunting all the way up. "Down the stn^am a short distance, navigation is obstruct- DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 79 vilder- lamed. .tically i trout in the i treat- ) either is, with eces of )yrinths om this 1 graham :hat the a pleas- nd that reached Potter- in our d in the eacham d lO m a sharp ; and is :end the is good Ibstruct- ed by rapids and falls. The ' Myrtle Bower House' (ro- mantic name of a cheery retreat), at the Bend, kept by Ralph Helms, (P. O. Malone,) furnishes pleasant quarters for the traveler. The scenery arcund the Bend is indeed picturesque. A little W. of the main road and directly in the rear of the Helms place, the land rises to a considera- ble eminence. From this point looking S. E., you have as fine a landscape spread out before you as ever artist could wish to place upon canvas — a bold, broken foreground, admitting a fine view of the river, which, like a silvery serpent, is seen winding on in its course amid mountain ranges, till lost in the dark green foliage of the forest. A year or two ago, a celebrated New York artist who fre- quents this section of the Adirondacks nearly every season, selected this spot, the Bend on Salmon R., for an elaborate painting, which appeared on exhibition at the Academy of Design, valued at several thousand dollars. Lovers of the beautiful or those in search of the picturesque will be delighted with the country here. " On the main road leading S. to Meacham L. and Paul Smith's, within f of a m of the town, is located ' Spring- dale Fish Farm.' Here the tourist can have an opportuni- ty of seeing as fine a lot of speckled trout as ever delighted the eye of the sportsman. The place is always open to visitors free of charge. " Till quite recently 'Springdale' was the property of C. R, Fay, but is now owed by Mr. J. L. Hogle, the gentle- manly proprietor of the Hogle House, who will be pleased at all times to show visitors around, and explain to them the whole modtis operandi of Pisciculture. In the differ- ent ponds may be seen thousands of these speckled beauties, varying in size from \ to 2.J lbs., besides many 'smaller fry.' The larger fish mostly have been brought from the lakes 80 DKSCKIPTIVE GUIDE. ■'I 11 1 fi; i I I ■ i: 1 ': ' and ponds in the Adirondack Wilderness. The * baby trout, ' or smaller fish, have all been raised on the place, where a hatching house has been built for the purpose of propagating, and which has the capacity for hatching 200,000 or more. *' The ponds are supplied by beautiful and never-failing springs, and it is one of the most desirable locations fjr the business in the entire country. " It may be for the interest of the tourist to know that Malone is within convenient distance of other delightful resorts for the sporting world. The St. Regis Indian Res- ervation — covering an area of about: 22 square m — through which the extremely clear waters of the St. Regis R. flow, is distant only 24 m. This stream passes through the mosc charming scenery imaginable. At the mouth of the stream, or where it weds the waters of the beautilul St. Lawrence, is located the ancient Indian village of St Regis. Here the old church with its historic bell still stands, an object of interest. Within 2 m of St. Regis is the little village of Hogansburg, where Eleazur Williams, the 'Lost Prince, ' supposed heir to the throne of France, spent the last years of his eventful and mysterious life, doing 'mission work ' among the St. Regis tribe. Whether he came of royal blood, or was the son of the noble r^d man, we know not. His body lies buried in the little church yard at Hogansburg, beneath the shade of beautiful evergreen trees. " After the sportsman has feasted his eyes upon the beau- ties of the landscape, has gladdened his heart with a satisfactory quantity of the 'fiinny tribe,' he can pay his particular attention to acres of wild ducks that are fre- quently seen at one time within the limits of the Res- ervation. I ' baby e place, 30se of atching r-failing ; for the DW that ;hghtful an Res- through R. flow, jgh the 1 of the ititul St. t Regis, mds, an he little le 'Lost Dent the 'mission came of /e know yard at 'ergreen he beau- with a pay his are fre- tie Res- :l i .1 4 1' t DESCRII'TIVl. GUIDE. 8i " It is told that to an island, an Indian has been banished for life by his tribe, for committing some misdemeanor. This island is situated in the St. Lawrence, near the mouth of the Salmon R., and is known as ' Kar-is'tau-tcc s Island, being named after the exile. " I knew this old Indian well. His name has been angli- cized into * Cris-tu-tu.' The island — a delightful one — is bounded on the S. side by an extensive marsh or rush bed which reaches nearly to the main shore. In these marshes the ducks build their nests and hatch their young; con- sequently in the fall of the year one can have rare sport about ' Cristutu's Lsland.' Canadian sportsmen from Montreal frequent this place every Autumn and spend weeks hunting ducks. ' Indian Summer' is the best period for securing them. " Again, it is but 20 m from Malone to the St. Lawrence. To Fort Covington, which is situated on the Salmon R., the distance is 15 m, and from thence to the mouth of the river 5 m. Tourists can engage small boats at Fort Cov- ington, and guides, who will accompany them to the river 0^ the * Thousand Isles.' There is fine fishing among the islands of the St. Lawrence, especially near the mouth of the Salmon R,; and as far up the river as Fort Covington ; better trolling waters in the spring time cannot be found anywhere. Pike, pickerel and black bass, in large num- bers abound here, and muskallonge are frequently caught weighing from 10 to 30 pounds. Thus it will be seen that those who visit Malone on a sporting excursion, can try their luck in the mountain stream or in the broad waters of the beautiful St. Lawrence, and those not thus inclined may make the highly exciting tour down the rapids (' poetry of the river') and pass on to Montreal ard Que- bec, as steamers that ply between those cities and Corn- wall, run up the Salmon regularly to Fort Covington. 1 1 w 1 < n i1 I i 1 1 ' \ ,1 ,l. 82 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. (' ■ ! m '• Parties preparing for a journey to the Wilderness via. Malone, can procure a full variety of Fishing Tackle at the Drug Store of Noel J. Hunt ; Guns and Ammuni- tion of the practical gun-maker, M. Moses ; and Horses and Carriages of Chisholm & Tobey, who furnish the best of conveyances at reasonable rates. This firm make a specialty of conveying tourists into the Adiron- dacks. (See Addenda.) " The principal hotel in Malone is the noted Ferguson House, which is admirably located within a few feet of the handsome depot recently erected here. In its stately proportions it is a striking ornament to this thriving vil- lage — the imposing central-piece of radiating business marts. Few houses in the country afford pleasanter quarters, better supplied tables, or superior management. Its elegantly furnished rooms and most admirable ap- pointments, are adapted to the requirements of nearly 200 guests — 120 of whom the dining hall will seat. In no hotel is there more attention paid to the comfort and convenience, and even luxury of its patrons. The happiness of * mine host/ the ever genial, ever gentle- manly ' Sandy/ is in exact ratio to the enjoyment of his visitors. The tourist and pleasure-seeker will find this resting place, alike worthy of a visit and all com- mendation." . • ' Eighteenth — Chateaugay, a thriving town, I2 m E. of Malone, has many scenes of beauty in its immediate neighborhood. In close proximity to the station house is a wonderful chasm, 200 ft. in depth, riving the solid rocks, through which the Chateaugay River pours in mad career. In this gorge there occurs a romantic cascade of 50 ft., and DKSCKIPTIVK CUIDE. «3 within 2 m of the village there is a succession of charm- ing waterfalls. The railroad crosses this deep channel worn by the Chateaiip;ay, on an embankment, i6o ft. above the river, and 800 ft. long. There is a remarkable spring near the vil- lage that receives considerable attention. For quite a space of time it emits a large volume of water, highly charged with nitrogen gas, which assumes the form of bubbles on its surface. Suddenly it ceases to flow an^l remains dry for an indefinite period. One mile N. E. of this there is a constant gas spring. The Roberts and the Union are the leading hotels of the place. By permis- sion we quote the following from Judge Winslovv C. Wat- son's excellent work on the " Champlain Valley and the Adirondacks." " We are indebted to the facile and graphic pen of an intelligent lady, for a description of this beautiful locality (Chateaugay Lakes). " The lower lake is situated about 8 m S. of the Cha- teaugay village. Carriages meet the trains at the depot and convey passengers to this lake, by a pleasant ride of about 2 hours. Here is a good hotel, kept by Mr. Lewis Bellows, which affords excellent accommodations for about 75 guests. Board, boats and guides, will be furnished at reasonable charges. At the wharf in front of the hotel, lies the ' Nellie Tupper,' always * steamed up.' This lake is 2j m in length and i wide, and surrounded by fine mountain scenery and rocky shores. Leaving this water, the tourist enters the Narrows, 4 m long, and from 10 to 40 r in width, where there is at some points fine fishing. From a point, 2 m beyond the lower lake on the W. shore, a foot path leads W. to Ragged Lake (4 m), where the best hunting and fishing may be enjoyed and reliable !! I 11 ', i i !: ; • ♦!! ..i I -ii . ,'i $4 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. guides obtained. The Narrows soon widen and the scenery expands. A short turn is made and the upper lake, like magic, is revealed in one of the most lovely views in the world. There are a number of comfortable boarding houses at desirable points, and excellent sport. On the W. shore, fine private residences have been con- structed by gentlemen of Boston and New York, who spend the summers here with their families. In the cen- ter of the lake is Rock Island, with a small private cot- tage. On visiting the spot one could easily imagine he was in fairy land, the picture is so grand and beautiful, and none should leave the lake without getting a view of it from that point ; and few have done so, if we may judge from the hundreds of names recorded there. Chateaugay Lake is one of the most favorable localities in the State for sportsmen and pleasure-seekers, from its easy access to the cars and telegraphs. Sometimes parties, including ladies, incline to stay at the hotel nights, and go up the lake in the morning, either in small boats or the steamer ; others, more romantic, prefer to ' shifty out,* as we call it, in cabins or tents — a very pleasant arrangement in warm weather." Upper Chateaugay Lake is 5 x 2, and thus there is an uninterrupted water reach, including the two lakes and the Narrows of 1 1 m, not to name the several miles of inlet navigation. These waters abound in the finest quality of fish, such as speckled and lake trout, shad and white fish. Deer and other game are found on the neighboring hills. The Twin Ponds lie 3 m from the head of the upper lake and are reached by trail. From the N. E. side of the same lake — say i m from the foot, a pathway ex- tends 3 m E to Bradley Pond, a sheet of water some 2 m DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 85 in circumference — another trout resort ; and from thence Chazy Lake, 2 m. farther E., is accessible by a new plank road. Frequenters of the Chateaugay section will be glad to learn that a new and spacious hotel, needed so long at the upper lake, has recently been erected on the S. E. shore, at the foot of Birch Mountain, back of which towers the tall form of Mt. Lion. The "Adirondack House " is three stories in height, and a dancing hall and three verandas extend the length of the building. Three m. S. E. is a rich bed of iron ore, extensively worked. One mile S. W. of the hotel, on Baker's Point, is the " Sporting Lodge," kept by Nathaniel Collins. The steamer will touch at these and other summer resorts on the lakes. The outlet of the Chateaugay Lakes is the Chateaugay R., a tributary of the St. Lawrence. Nineteejitli. — From Rouse's Point, the E. terminus of the Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain R. R., to Mooer's Junction, 12m.; Chateaugay, 33 m. ; Malone, 12m.; Moira, 14^ m. ; Potsdam Junction, 21^ m. ; Ogdensburg, 25 m. The Montreal & Plattsburg Railway, connects with this railroad at Mooer's Junction, 20 m. from Platts- burg. Tourists from the N. & E. pass over these lines to visit the Chateaugay, and perchance the St. Regis an '^ Tupper Lake regions. {See routes from Plattsburg^, The excellent restaurant at Mooer's Junction — Law- rence's Junction House — demands more than a mere pass- ing notice. The superior lunches and dinners pro- vided here, which are always ready on arrival of the trains, have rendered this stopping-place famous through- out this line of travel It furnishes prime entertain- ment to travelers and permanent boarders. (See Addenda.) "■!: ^1 II .' I \ ) DIVISION IIT. INTO THE SARANAC REGION. '1; I ■'; ! < . Ill ■' * 1 The ordinary avenues of approach are those starting from riattsburg, Port Kent and Westport. Twentieth — Plattsburg is beautifully situated on the W. shore of Lake Champlain, at the head of Cumberland Bay and on both sides of the Saranac River. This stream, in its passage from its " lake-dotted home " in the Great Wilderness, flows with gentle current for most of the distance, until it reaches this point, where it descends some 40 or 50 ft. by a succession of falls and rapids, affording excellent water power to the numerous manu- facturing estabhshraents located here. The surface of the town slopes toward the lake, which renders its situation most delightful. Plattsburg is celebrated as the scene of one of the most important battles that occurred during the last war with Great Britain. " The village has suffered severely from several destruc- tive fires, but has arisen from each infliction in augmenieJ beauty and renovated vigor, This is attested by the mas- sive blocks of new stores and manufactories ; its elegant churches, public buildings and fine private residences. tion of ■' f f r I 4 J , ll U i i' i' f.*" DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 8; ^^ " Kent's Falls, an attractive locality 9 m from Plattsbur is reached by a pleasant drive. " The Ausable Chasm, one of the most wonderful works of Nature in the country, may be visited from Plattsburg by a drive of about 12 m, over a road which for several miles runs directly on the margin of the lake, and by fording the Ausable River, if preferred. In an excursion to the Chasm, the drive might be pleasantly diversified by a circuit over Hallock Hill, or by a visit to the mouth of the Ausable River. The Chasm we shall describe in another connection. "The hotels ofPlattsburg have established high reputa- tions. The Cumberland House and Witherill's Hotel are both excellent and convenient houses, spacious in their arrangements, and calculated for the rccommodation of a large number of guests. " Fouquet's Hotel, has long been a prominent institution of its kind, and familiarly known for more than 70 years to the traveling community. This family, through this long period, have been accomplished hotel keepers, both from education and hereditary qualities. Their American pro- genitor came to this country with LaFayette, and remain- ing, opened a public house in Albany. His son, John L. Fouquet, in 1798, erected a hotel near the site occupied by the present beautiful edifice. That building — one of first class for the period — was burned during the siege of 18 14, by hot shot from the fort. In 181 5 a second house was erected on the same ground, with an improvement both in style and dimensions. This, by repeated addi- tions, had grown into a large and commodious establish- ment, but in June 1864, it also was consumed. With an energy unsubdued by this calamity and with unfaltering enterprise, the Messrs. D. L. Fouquet & Son commenced Si« 88 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. n\ HM Bs .;i .* m ihe erection of the third edifice ; and the next year, on the same day in June on which the last had been burned, they opened a new and splendid hotel for the reception of guests. Such an invincible spirit claims a success which we trust will be achieved. The new building is an elegant and spacious structure, not less imposing by its dimensions and position, than attractive by the novelty and beauty of its architecture. It is capable of pccommodating 150 guests, and with style and elegance that is always satisfac- tory. The rooms are large and well ventilated, and supplied with every promotive of comfort and enjoyment. The grounds and flower garden, animate with beauty and redolent with fragrance, afford a most agreeable retreat. The broad piazzas on two sides of the house, and the prom- enade upon the roof, afford a wide and delightful view of the lake, the battle ground and the scene of the naval en- gagement ; the village, the surrounding country, the Green Mountains on the E., and the Adirondacks on the S., pre- senting every variety of scenery ; the wild, the picturesque, the grand. " This house, by its beautiful and spacious ^rounds, and quiet, furnishes peculiarly safe and pleasant accommoda- tions for the residence of ladies and children during the summer. " The large brick stables, standing on the grounds, and erected at a cost of ;^6,ooo, will delight the amateur in horses by their perfect and elaborate arrangements. They are intended for the accommodation of guests who bring their own horses and carriages, as well as to furnish teams for rides and excursions, A livery is attached to the house. " Fouquet's Hotel was for many years the annual resort of General Scott, who made his home here for weeks at a fifi-i. :t1l •, on the id, they tion of I which elegant ensions luty of ng 150 satisfac- sd, and oyment. uty and retreat. le prom- view of aval en- e Green S., pre- uresque, ids, and mmoda- ring the nds, and ateur in ;. They ho bring sh teams d to the lal resort :eks at a ; ,: i !^ ; '• .: lilt : -=1 .ly DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 89 H o OP o time, not only for the purpose of recruiting his health in this invigorating climate, but also to enjoy the diet of fresh game and fish, provided for the guests of the house by Mr. Fouquet, who was the prince of caterers. " Capt. John B. Magruder, afterwards the Confederate General, made his headquarters here, while his company was stationed at the neighboring barracks. At that time the old regimental mess of the First U. S. Artillery, gave its dinners at the Fouquet House, to which British officers were often invited. Many legends are handed down of those jolly meetings, at which * Prince John' was the pre- siding and irrepressible genius. "The original name of this hotel was * The MacDonough House,' named after the gallant naval officer of that name, who made his home here for a long time, and was the per- sonal friend of the first proprietor. The beSt likeness extant, of the gallant hero, is in possession of the present landlords. " Among the many officers who have been from time to time quartered here and lived at this house, we may men- tion the names of Wool, Booneville, the gallant Hooker, Kearne}'', and the genial Ricketts. Gen'l Worth boarded here a long time, and Stonewall Jackson was also a friend of the house. Of all these officers, many characteristic anecdotes are yet current in the neighborhood. " It is the principle resting place for parties en route between Montreal and Lake George, and is situated upon the threshold of the favorite entrance to the Adiron- dacks. " The proprietors of this hotel have made the Adiron- dacks a study, and will be pleased to answer, by mail or otherwise, any enquiries in reference to modes of convey- ance and distances to any part of the Wilderness." — [ Wat- son s " Valley of Lake Chaplain:' m 90 Dr.SCRIPTIVE GUIDE. I ' fi' f} . ;t ,1 1 Lake Champlain from Whitehall to St. Johns is one hundred and twenty miles in length, and is about thirteen miles in width, opposite Port Kent, at its broadest point. • The rare and exceeding beauty of this lake attracts and entrances the observer. Travelers pronounce it to be unsurpassed in either hemisphere, in its peculiar combination of the picturesque and beautiful with im- posing magnificence. On the eastern shore it is lined by a highly cultivated country, bounded in the horizon by the irregular outline of Green Mountains ; on the west, the dark and towering Adirondacks, broken into dis- located groups, spread into the interior as far as the eye reaches, at points projecting their rugged spurs into the bosom of the lake, and often forming lofty headlands covered by dense forests, or presenting frowning masses of naked rocks. Choice ranges of table land intervene occasionally, strikingly contrasting with the rude moun- tain scenery, by the richest agricultural improvements, and embellishment of pleasant villages. Numberless islands enhance the beauty of the scene. The scenery of the lake in the winter is indescribably beautiful and imposing, when earth and ice are clothed in their pure dazzling mantle of snow, and the mountains glow in the sun beams like vast masses of opal. * Lake Champlain will attain a far more momentous com- mercial attitude than it has ever occupied, if the magnif- icent conception of uniting the waters of the St. Law- rence with the Hudson by ship canals, of which the lake would be an important link, should be realized. Ticonderoga is twenty-four miles from Whitehall. Champlain (from whom the lake was named) undoubt edly penetrated as far as this point, and probably visited Im, ; DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 91 one teen oint. racts it to :uliar \ im- Uned :onby ; west, o dis- he eye ito the idlands masses tervene ; moun- ements, berless pribably clothed Ind the i^ses of )us cotn- Ttiagnil- ;t. Law- jich the ^ed. Ihitehall. imdoubt visited Lake George. In this vicinity must have occurred the merciless battle with the Iroquois he described with such graphic power in his journal, and an account of which will be found in all the recent histories of the region. The venerable ruins standing upon the bold, rocky summit of the promontory are viewed with peculiar ad- vantage in the approach from the south. The fortress at Ticonderoga, called by the French Carillon, bears the same allusion as Che-onderoga, the original of Ticon- deroga, to the brawling waters of the outlet, was Com- menced in 1755. No spot on the continent is surrounded with a deeper and more thrilling interest. Not only from its majestic ruins and hoary age does it claim attention, but deep emotion is arous«?d by the fact that it has been held by the military posst.ssion of three distinct nations, and is the common theatre of their glories and triumphs, and of their defeats and disasters. Its envi- rons were the nursery of the heroes of the revolution. Most of the ramparts, the covered way, and walls of the edifices remain, and will attract and reward the re- searches of the tourist. The bakery, situated near the south-western angle of the barracks and beneath the glacis, is the best preserved portion of the works. Im- mediately above the steamboat landing may be traced the "Grenadiers' Battery," at one period a formidable redoubt. - A section of the Whitehall & Plattsburg Railroad is constructed between Whitehall and Port Henry, (passing through Ticonderoga,) a distance of forty-one miles. A railroad has also been built from Ticonderoga to Lake George (4^ m.) — rendering a tedious stage ride no longer necessary — where the beautiful steamer Minnehaha receives passengers and conveys them through that peerless sheet. l! 92 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. i', t. 1 1 ' 7¥ r > '■■i At Fort Ticor.deroga the traveler will embark upon one of the majestic steamers of the Champlain Trans- portation Company, which form a day and night line between this place and Rouse's Point, connecting with various railroad routes on their passage. These vessels are models of elegance, neatness and convenience ; their tasteful furnishing is wholly of native woods, and they are regarded as second to no steamer that floats on American waters. On the Vermont shore, the first landing, about two miles, is Larabee's Point, in Shoreham, (United States Hotel.) The traveler's attention will soon be attracted by the ruins of Crown Point. A part of the barracks and the fortifications are in good preservation, and, although not tinged with any of the romance that en- trances at Carillon, are interesting as memorials of more than a century ago. Opposite Crown Point is Chimney Point, presenting a bold bluff, designated by the French " Point a la Cheveleur." Two miles across Bulwagga Bay, the boat reaches Port Henry. At the south appears the rough acclivities of the Bulwagga Mountains. Port Henry is pleasantly situated, and is the site of one of the most extensive iron works in the region. Pease Hotel is situa<^cd here ; the Sherman House about two miles in the interior, and contiguous to the vast mineral district. Both are spa- cious and excellent houses. A small steamer, the Curlew, plies between Port Henry and Vergennes daily. Leaving Vergennes at 9.30 A. M., on the arrival of the southern train, and stopping at Fort Cassin, Westport and Basin Harbor, arrives at Port Henry in advance of the northern boat, and departs at 1.30 P. M., after the arrival of the south boat. After leaving Port Henry the DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 93 jpon ans- line with issels 2nce ; ;, and Its on It two States tracted arracks n, and, ;hat en- of more ;himney 1 French reaches :cUvities easantly xtensive cd here ; rior, and are spa- mer, the es daily, al of the ^estport Ivance of lafter the [enry the mountain views on each side of the lake begin to unfold to the tourist, in their beauty and grandeur. The Bald Mountain, standing midway between Port Henry and Westport, is about two thousand feet high. It is easily accessible, and from its isolated position and prox- imity to the water affords a rich panoramic view of the lake a length of fifty miles, and of the Vermont shore, with surrounding mountains on every side. Near the base of the mountain lie the "Adirondack Springs." Westport is ten miles from Port Henry. The spires of Vergennes, in the east, will soon be perceived. Thq lake again contracts in breadth, and at its narrowest point are the ruins of Fort Cassin, at the mouth of Otter Creek (Riviere aux Loutres,) the largest river in Ver- mont, and navigable eight miles to Vergennes. The Fort Cassin House is a quiet and agreeable resort. On the opposite side of the lake are Split Rock Mountains, with a Light House at the north extremity. In front of this is a remarkable formation called by the French " Roch^ Fendu," and now known as Split Rock. It contains about half an acre of earth and rock, and rises thirty feet in a bold and vertical front, being separated from the main land by a fissure ten feet wide. Essex, twelve miles from Westport, is a pleasant village, delight- fully located. (Royce's Hotel.) A few miles north of Essex, almost hidden from observation by overhanging trees and bushes, is the mouth of the Boquet River, a stream of great industrial value and interest, which enters the lake at the foot of the long peninsula on the west shore, rrow called Willsboro Point. This was the site of the pioneer Gilliland's Colony in 1765, and the scene of Burgoyne's noted treaty with the Indians a dozen years later. The four islands directly in front, 94 DESCKIPTIVE GUIDE. I nil' ii '8 ]■ »: M V 4 :■: I If.,' -rii li|: representing the cardinal points of the compass, were known by the French as Isles des quarter vents, and to the EngUsh, the Four Brothers. Near these islands the last desperate battle between Arnold and Carlton's fleets occurred. Nearly opposite, upon one of the highest peaks of the Green Mountains, will be observed a very striking object, which seems like the effigy of a reposing lion, carved on the imperishable rock. The French called the moun- tain Leon Couchant ; it is now degraded into the name of Camel's Hump. We now approach Rock Dunder, which appears almost to interpose in the steamer's track. It is a dark, naked rock, rising in a perfect cone more than thirty feet above the water. Recent researches seem to identify it with the '* Greek Rock Reggio," so prominent in the colonial archives, and, according to the remote traditions of the Mohawks, a grand landmark in past ages in the boundary line between their domains and the country of the Algonquins. They long pre- served the story that a great chief — ages before the advent of the pale faces-^named Reggio, was drowned at its base, and from him the rock and the lake were called Reggio. (Watson's Essex County.) Just on the left is the Light House upon Juniper Island, and on the right hand Shelburn Bay, a long and narrow sheet ot' water extending four miles inland. Here is situated the harbor and ship-yard of the Champlain Transportation Company, where their steamers are built ; and here their condemned hulks are collected, dismantled and left to decay. The elegant, spacious mansion of Col. Le Grand B. Cannon, occupying a conspicuous eminence immediately south of the city, will command particular notice. Burl- »^s; DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 95 inf]:fon is one of the most beautiful and prosperous cities of New England, and its commanding position and great beauty are presented from the lake with peculiar ad- vantage. Most of the streets are shaded by stately trees, and, lined by many elegant edifices, embowered with trees and shrubbery. Th-e " Van Ness " and the "American " are the leading hotels In the transit of ten miles between Burlington and Port Kent, the lover of nature will contemplate her works revealed in exquisite loveliness and in the wildest sublimity. The lake, studded with headlands and Isle, expands on every side in the richest panorama. On one, the eye traces the outline of the Green Mountains, half the length of Vermont, and on the other spread the Adirondacks,- thrown into chaotic groups, with some of their highest summits lifted into the distant horizon. Schuyler's Island, (Capon F.,) which, at an early period was occupied as an encampment by Schuyler, lies on the left. Point Trembleau, on the mainland, is one of the few poetical names preserved from the French nomenclature. The view from Port Kent is among the most beautiful and extensive upon the lake. The large stone mansion standing upon the elevated ground was the former resi- dence of Elkanah Watson.* The passage of fifteen miles to Plattsburgh is crowded with objects of great historic interest. On the pine plain a mile and a half north was the site of Amherst's brief encampment in 1759 The little island almost touching Valcour Island on the south is called Garden Island, from the tradition that it was occupied by the French and English naval * It is now the home of his worthy descendant, VJ^inslow C. Watson,- able historian of Essex County and the Valley of the Champlain^ — £0. -the «« DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. h' J' > M: ■^'- rt* i officers for the cultivation of culinary vegetables. At the southern extremity of Valcour, just in front of a tiny grass plat, lie the remains of the Royal Savage, a large schooner of twelve guns, sunk in Arnold's battle. Crab Island, St. Michael of the French, and known for a time as Hospital Island, from the fact that the wounded of both fleets in 1814 were placed upon it, lies north of Valcour. Between this island and the peninsula of Cumberland Head is the theatre of MacDonough's victory. A mile south of Plattsburgh will be noticed the modern government barracks, The old forts and cantonment were located between the new barracks and the village. The trip between Plattsburgh and Rouse's Point pre- sent aspects unlike any other section of the lake, but is still peculiarly pleasant and beautiful. The steamboat landing is immediately contiguous to the depots of the Montreal & Plattsburgh and Whitehall & Plattsburgh Railroads. Not stopping at this important and interest- ing village, (Plattsburgh,) to which we shall return, we proceed with the steamer on her route to Rouse's Point. After passing Cumberland Head, we leave the broad expansion of water, the rocky cliffs and stern promon- tories, but instead, as we thread a more confined and placid channel are delighted with a view of the rich and luxuriant shores of the islands of Vermont and the main- land of New York, with the scenery of the remote moun- tains on either side softened by distance. Cumberland Head, (Cap Scrononton, of the French,) three miles from Plattsburgh, has been a prominent landmark of the lake, and an interesting point in its annals. On the east stretches Grand Isle, the largest island in the lake, and one of the most fertile and lovely places in Vermont Twelve miles beyond Cumberland Head is Isle La Motte. This island and Point Au Fer on the western shore, a little north, were occupied and important mili- tary positions, both in the Colonial and Revolutionary war. The Little and Big Chazy Rivers enter the lake a short distance south of Point Au Fer. The projection DESCklPTIVK GUIDE. 97 from the Vermont shore, nearly east of the north ex- tremity of Isle La Motte, is Alburgh Tongue, distin- guished by the French as Pointe Algonquin. The entrance to the beautiful Missisquoi Bay will be ob- served east of this point. Eight miles beyond Isle La Motte, on the eastern shore, is situated Wind Mill Point. The French erected at this place a large stone mill in 1731. This fact originated its name. Directly opposite is the village of Rouse's Point, and a mile beyond are the steamboat landing and the depots of the Montreal & St. Johns and Ogdensburg & Lake Champlain Rail roads — Valley of Lake CJia:nplain. Parties traversing Lake Champlain find Plattsburgh a most available point of entrance to the woods. {See Addenda for routes from Plattsburgh to various points of interest^ The various articles of outfit needed in camp-life, may be procured here of the following leading firms : — Guns, Ammunition, F'ishing Tackle, &c., of M. P. Myera & Co., (Hardware) ; Canned Fruits, Jellies, Preserves, Crackers, &c , of John McCadden; Hats, Caps, Trunks, Traveling Bags and Furnishing Goods, of Spear Bros., (this house also pays to trappers the highest prices for Raw Furs ;) Clothing, Rubber Coats, Blankets and Tents, (the latter sold or rented,) of E. Hathaway & Son ; Boots, Shoes and Rubbers, of C. D, Vincent ; Cooking Utensils for forest use, of Geo. N. Webb & Son, (Stoves, Steam and Gas Fitting) ; Musquito Bite Preventive — "Dead Shot" — oh, joy untold! — to every species of insect that mar our felicity when camping out, of F. R. Danis, (Drugs) ; and Liveries, of Stave & Ransom, who have always in readiness superior establishments for excursions to Ausable Chasm, Hunter's Home and other favorite resorts. Surveying in the Wilderness or else- I trr ■ ! ; r !l is I ! I ; ! '1^ 98 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. where will be efficiently done by D. B. Johnson & Son, who possess many valuable original Maps ana Field Notes of Clinton Co. (See Addenda ) Before examining the principal route from Plattyburgh to the Great Forest, we will make one or two pleasant excursions to the Wilderness lakes, by stage or private conveyance. Of these the drive to the Clinton Prison at Dannemora (16 m.) over a plank road, and from thence to Chazy Lake (5 ni,,) is especially noticeable. This " prison in the woods," together with the adjacent village, occupy an eminence 1,700 feet iiigh, the ascent to which is so gradual as to be hardly observable. From this elevation is seen an embodiment of landscape love- liness, upon which the eye dwells with never-failing de- light. In the east, the horizon is bounded by the Green Mountains looming up dim and blue ; Lake Champlain in queenly beauty, stretching far away, cultivated lands richly diversified, and the " silver thread of the Saranac," gracefully curving through its emerald plains, cover the intervening space ; toward the S. W. the imposing architecture of the Adirondacks, rising in Doric sublimity from forests seemingly without limit, fill the remainder of the picture A mo''e glorious view is seldom witnessed even from mountain cops. : _ The Clinton House at Dannemora, (Brooks & Roberts' stage coaches run from Plattsburgh to this place daily,) supplies all the requisite paraphernalia to travelers tarry- ing here. (See Addenda.) The road from thence to Chazy Lake was constructed by the State and is in excellent condition. This magnificent body of water (4 « i^,) a tributary of Lake Champlain, is justly renowned for its attractiveness to the sportsman and to the admirer of Nature's picturesque beauties. Trout in satisfactory f UtbCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 99 :tory numbers and of superior quality, inhabit its waters, and scenery the most charming invests its environs. Mt. Lion, whose peculiar form strikingly suggests the figure of the " king of beasts," in couchant attitude, as if about to spring upon his prey, rises from the shores of the lake in proud conspfcuousness. The Meader House, located on the E. side, between Eagle and Half-way Poin;, is a delightful resort, affording every comfort and facility required by tourists. Bradley Pond, 2 m W., is reached by wagon road and from thence a path extends westward 3 m to U. Chateau- gay Lake. The route of the tourist to Dannemora and Chazy Lake is a branch of the mair road, which forks at Elsinore, a village about 1 2 m W. of Plattsburg. This hig-hway passes through a romantic section of country, generally over- looks the Saranac R. and crosses several of its picturesque branches. At the Great Falls of the Saranac, near Russia and Saranac villages, 18 m from Plattsburg, the scenery is especially replete with grandeur and varied beauty. From thence to Redford it is 4 m ; Clay burgh — within i mof Saranac Forks — 2 m. Here the. route, thus far an excellent one, divides, following the two branches of the Saranac over poor roads. The N. branch leads to Petersburg, ^ m ; thence to " Hunter's Home," situated on N. Saranac (before noted), 11 m ; J. M. Wardney's, 9 m ; another pleasant resort for sportsmen on Rainbow Lake (3 x f ). Hunting and speckled trout fishing are successfully followed he'-j. Round Pond and Buck Pond, which are passed when approaching Rainbow Lake, also aflbrd the very best of sport. It was in Round Pond that the largest lake trout on record was caught, reaching the extraordinary weight lOO DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. ; u , Ml h M U I 'a r>> I i of 52 lbs. The Quackinbush party of Troy '.veie the lucky captors ol tnis monster. Wardner's forest home — the Rainbow House — is em- inently calculated to answer the requirements of seekers after rest, health, sport or scenic beauty. It is emphatic- ally desirable to those who would avoid the bustle and expense of the larger hotels. And people are becoming aware of all this, as each year brings an increased amount of visitors. Situated in the immediate vicinity of a charming group of lakes and lakelets, and furnishing the best of accommodations at the most moderate rates, it is not surprising that it is thus rapidly growing in public esteem. The table is well supplied, the rooms are neat and pleasant, and every reasonable comfort is afforded. Capacity, 50. • Mr. Wardner's great experience too, in forest life, renders him a most suitable conductor of such an establishment. Nor thould we omit to call attention to Mrs. Wardner's talent as a taxidermist, a most im- portant matter to those desiring to have the trophies of their skill properly dressed and mounted (See Addenda.) This locality is especially attractive to sportsmen, for in few places are the trout finer, larger, or more abun- dant. The waters most noted for angling purposes are Rainbow L , Jones P., Round P. (i^ x i), Buck P. (i x |), Lily Pad P. (^ x k), lilbow P. (i x i), and Plumadore P. Besides these, there is excellent fishing in this the N. Branch of the Saranac, from Hunter's Home to the head of the stream — about 3 m. above Rainbow L. — and also in Jones Inlet. Nigger Brook, North Branch, Cold Brook, Rainbow L. and Round P. abound in superior "lakers" — frequently attaining enormous proportions, especially in the latter sheet, as heretofore noted. From Loon L. (ai « f ) three speckled trout were taken at one DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. lOI I time in the fall of 1871, by Mr. A. Washburn, a famous hunter living near, which weighed, respectively, 34, 4 and 4I lbs. Still this sheet is not overstocked with such fellows. Plumadore P. furnishes very peculiar speckled trout — silvery, thick set beauties. Most of the lakes and ponds named, i'lcluding Loon L , are linked together by the North Branch of the Saranac. Plumadore and El- bow Ponds flow into Salmon R.; Jones' feeds Osgood P. and that Meacham L. In making the following excursions, we will visit, in detail, nearly all the waters mentioned. Water Routes from Rainboiv House to Hunter s Home, &c. — Path, \ m. E. ; N. Saranac R., \ m. ; Rainbow L , 3 m. ; river, | m. ; Lily Pad P., ^ m. ; river, 2 m. ; Round P., i^ m. ; road to Hunter's Home, 4 m. N. E. Total, I2'i m. Or the route can be varied thus : — Portage from Round P. around a dam, 5 r ; river, ^ m. ; Mud P. (f '^ i)» ^ ™- ; river, ^ m. to " Thatcherville ;" thence road, 2 m , to Hunter's Home. Total 11 J m. River naviga- tion rather difficult. From Mud P. pass up inlet i m. N. — with 80 r. portage — to reach Loon L. Carry from the river, just above Round P., ^ m. S E. to li'jck P. from Round P., ^ m. to Hope P. {kx\) \ also rom Round P, | N. W. to Mountain P. (i x | ). Ck. r ":. (2 X ^) is 4 r. N. of Rainbow L ; and i m. N. of that is Loon P. (| >^ ,; Square P. (f x ^) is 4 1. N. of Rainbow L —just E of Clear P. Carry over a steep ridge. Carry ^ m S. E from Lily Pad to Oregon P. (lA x,\). Water Route f rem Rainboiv House to Paul SmitJis. — i' .■o S W., I m. ; Jones P., i^ m ; outlet, i^ m. ; Os- ■• 1 1 -3rr , !.; i 102 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 'Ui "'\ ) : ! good P., 2 m. ; portage to Paul Smith's, | m. S. Total. 6| m. Distance by road from Wardner's to Paul Smith's, 7 m. To Barnum P. (i^ x f), it is 5 m. ; Grass P. (^ x J), 11 m. ; Elbow P., 12m.; Duck P. (i x |), 14 m. ; Plumadore P , 16 m. Barnum is reached via Jones and Osgood P. All the others via Loon L. (9I m,), or Hunter's Home. To Clear P., i m. ; Loon P., i^ m, ; Square P, 3im. ; Lily Pad P., 4J m. ; Oregon P., 5 m ; Round P., 6| m., (by road, 4^ m.) ; Buck P., 6f m., (road, 4I m.) ; Hope P., 7 m. ; Mountain P., 7^ m. ; Mud P., 8^ m. Many of thes'^ waters are the resort of deer. Their situation makes apparent. Near the hotel is a slrip of ground e burned over, but now cov- ered by thrifty second growth which affords fine harbor for ruffed grouse and deer, and rare sport is frequently experienced there. It may well be imagined that the varied charms presented by this net work of glittering lakes thus beautifully interlaced, greatly enhance the fascination of sporting in their midst. From Wardner's to Bioomingdale it is 7 m. by excel- lent road. To this place Miller's & Harper's fine Concord stages run daily from Point of Rocks, and here parties who have engaged rooms at the Rainbow House, will find teams in readiness to convey them thither. Ad- dress, J. M. Wardner, Bloomingdale, Essex Co., N. Y. Those visiting the Rainbov; section via Hunter's Home from Plattsburg, will take the stage (Brooks & Roberts' line,) which runstoRedford, (21 m. fare ^i 25) ; from thence the same party will furnish them with pri- vate conveyances to the /aUer point for $8.00 or ;^ 10.00 extra. Mes .rs. Stave & Ransom, of Plattsburg, proprie- tors of the leading livery there, will also provide first- class turnouts at reasonable rates. (See Addenda.) Total. >, 7 n^- i). II ladore )od P. lome. Jim.; 5f m., Hope ^i m. Their itel is cov- larbor uently at the tering i the excel- mcord )arties e, will Ad- . Y. inter's oks & 125); :h pri- g 1 0.00 oprie- i first- ) DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 103 From " Hunter's Home " to Merrillsville, on the Ausable Forks road, it is i m. S. ; tlience to Vermont- ville, diverging from the main road and passing S. over Cape Mt., 5 m. ; Bloomingdale, 3 m. By the S. branch road from Saranac Forks to Silver Lake, (3 xj i,) Marvin's Hotel, it is 5^ m., and the same distance to Union Falls by the divergent road, the two again uniting at the Falls 3 m. W. of the lake ; thence to Franklin Falls, 8 m. ; Bloomingdale, 8 m. But the easiest, the speediest, and hence the favorite mode of transit from Plattsburg to the Wilderness is via the Whitehall & Plattsburg R. R. By this railway to Point of Rocks, (Ausable Station,) it is 20 m., where passengers will find Ensine Miller's or Wm. Harper's elegant four-horse coaches in waiting to convey them to St. Regis or the Saranac Lakes. From Point of Rocks, over a good plank road, to Ausable Forks, 3 m.; Black Brook, 4 m. ; Franklin Falls, (Franklin House — travelers dine here,) 14 m. ; Bloomingdale, 8 m. ; — from which one line of stages pro- ceeds to Martin's, 8 m. ; one to Van Arnam's,* 13 m. ; and another to Paul Smith's, 10 m. In this approach occasional glimpses are enjoyed of the gigantic forms of the Adirondack Range. " Pol. Smith's"! is a name that has become almost as familiar to the ears of the sportsman as that of the "Adi- rondack Woods." To the initiated, it is a name alwavs * Prospect House, at the head of U. Saranac Lake, i-sually called " Hough's." If this name appears on some of these pages it »vill be understood as the traditional name. f P O. address, "Apollo A. Smith, Bloomingdale, Essex Co , N. Y." (See routes from Spring Cove Cottage and Malone to St. Regis Lake, pp. 67 & 70.) I 1 \ I i f! it'] 104 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. it-h i m :: 'i\V ' ;'! - I 1 . suggestive of beautiful scenery, luxurious quarters, epicu- rean meals, delightful hours. The house which has a capacity for 200 guests, is a model of comfort and home like pleasantness, located on the N shore of the lovely Lower St. Regis Lake, in the midst of an extensive pine grove, a dense forest stretching thence away on nearly every side. It is supplied with every modern convenience, includ- ing bath rooms, barber shop, etc., and also billiard tables. There is an extensive livery stable, and a telegraph office connected with the house, likewise a boat and guide build- ing, which affords accommodations for 100 boats and guides. Tents, blankets, and all the paraphernalia required in camp life, also every variety of the choicest supplies, indu- ing numerous delicacies are furnished to all who wish them. Closely adjacent, and forming a beaded net work about the Lower St. Regis, are 15 or 20 exquisite little lakes and ponds with their inlets and outlets, among which, as so many gems, she gleams and sparkles as the chief crown jewel. ' *^ These waters — mostly tributaries of the St. Regis R.— may all be visited from this " Wilderness St, James," on the same day, and embraced in the list, are Osgood, Spit- fire, U. St. Regis, Big Clear, Little Clear, Bog, Loon, Little Duck, Long, Bear, Turtle, Little Green, Big Green, St. Regis, Big Long, Ochre, Fish, Rock, etc.. Lakes and Ponds. . ^ Hence we can hazard nothing in saying that Paul Smith's as a fishing and hunting locality, has few superiors ; while as a wild-wood summer retreat it has, perhaps no peer ; and that taken all in all, it is as winsome a spot as ever charm- ed a traveler's eye or gladdened a sportsman's heart fi DESCRIFTIVE GUIDE. 105 And those adventurously inclined, may from this point, with boats and guides, visit the principal waters that begem this romantic region — the Saranacs, the Tappers, Long, Forked, Raquette, Blue Mt. Lakes, etc. ; pass up or down the sinuous courses of the numerous streams with which they are linked, and thus enjoy an excursion richly abound- ing in sylvan delights, over routes whose aggregate dis- tances would amount to hundreds of miles, without being compelled to abandon their boats, except to traverse the short portages that intervene. But we are passing too hastily ; these delightful routes should be taken up in detail and examined more leisurely ; so we will return to the St. Regis House. Lower St. Regis Lake has many features of beauty which we will not pause to describe. Its favorite camp- ing place is at " Peter's Rock," a rugged ledge, projecting boldly from the mainland into the lake and affording an admirable point for shore fishing. It was so called from the famous Indian trapper, Peter Sabbattis, who frequently in ancient days bivouacked by his camp-fire, upon its sloping sides. Osgood Pond not far away, N., as well as Jones' Pond a short distance E. of that, it should be re- membered pay tribute to Meacham Lake. Bay Pond, renowned for its many charms, is visited by passing down the St. Regis River to Keese's Mills (4 m, waters of Black Pond enter here) ; and " drawing " from thence 8 m S. W.; or by following the river to the head of " Sixteen Mile Level," (9 m from Smith's,) and carry- ing therefrom 2 m S. As its name signifies, it is formed of three romantic bays, whose names and proximate dimensions are as follows : South Bay (i x ^), North Bay (i X i), West Bay (| x i). 1 1; io6 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. .if Carry from Bay Pond i^ m. S. E. ( blazed line ) to reach Cat Pond (f x ^), a pleasant sheet. Nice camping place near the inlet, by a cold spring. From Cat Pond a good portage leads 2 m.S. E to Fish Pond (i X h, another handsome water and affording extra lake trout fishing. This pond is also accessible by water (from Paul Smith's) via St. Regis Lakes, Spitfire, St. Regis, Ochre Ponds, &c. (9 Carry Rotite, pp. 109-110.) Access is gained to Cranberry Pond (| x ^) by boating down the outlet from Bay Pond 2 m. S. W. and carrying thence f m. N. W. Splendid " deering " in this vicinity. Passing down the stream i| m. below the Cranberry carry, we reach Cranberry Rapids, which furnish superior trouting. (West St. Regis River) Carrying from the Cranberry portage 3 m. S. W., East Pond ( I X f ) is reached and we are rewarded by the very best of speckled trout fishing. From that sheet a blazed line extends 3 m. N. E. to Cat Pond above named. Carry 3^ m. S. E, of East Pond to Big Long Pond. Portage cut out, and crosses a spur of Long P. Mt. Carry from East Pond i^ m. S. W. to Windfall P.; thence about f m. S. E. to Dry Channel P. ; thence about i^- m. S. E. to Big Pine P.; thence i m. S. E to Floodwood P. Little or W. Pine P. lies'^ m. W of Big or E. Pine R, a sharp ridge separating them. This empties through " Pond with a rock in'it " into Rollins P., S. W. Ledge Pond lies i^ or 2 m. S. of East Pond ; and from that leads a blazed line i^ m. S. E. to Big Pine Pond. A trail leads from Big Long Pond W. to Windfall Pond. The outlet of this pond empties into McDonald Pond stream (N, W.) and that flows into the West St. Regis River ^ m. farther N. From the N. W. shore of Windfall P. a trail leads iV m W. to Willis P., passing N. of the " Great Windfall," and along the N. shores of Blue and Mud P. (or boat across the latter). Thence it is only a few r. to Willis P. This sheet, from its shape and position, is well adapted for hunting. Deer, wolves and catamounts thickly abound in the vicinity of Willis, McDonald, Windfall, &c., Ponds. It is a wild and romantic region. DECRIPTIVE GUIDE. lo; F6lingsby Jr. Pond, — 3 m. by road, or 5 m. by river N. W. of Kcesc's Mills — is admired for its beauty. Good springs afford eligible camping locatio is here. Following a portage i m. N. W. we reach Quebec Pond ({x,',', near Rice Mt. Three-fourths m. N. E. of Folingsby Jr. Pond is Mud or Slush Pond. • » From Keese's Mills it is I m. to the summit of Jenkins Mt. View, very fine. From the same point it is 3 m. (S.) by bridle path to the summit of St. Regis Mt. — the route passing by the two Spectacle Ponds, ^ m. from the "Mills." The following is a better route : — Taking boats at Paul Smith's we pass up Lower St. Regis Lake, Spitfire Pond pnd Upper St. Regis Lake. Landing on the VV. shore of the last we carry 10 r. ; thence cross Upper Spectacle Pond and pass (r.) down its outlet 3 or 4 r. ; and to the foot of Lower Spectacle Pond. (These Ponds flow into the St. Regis R.) From this point the enterprising "Pol" has constructed a bridle path 4 ft. in width to the top ot the mountain, a distance of 2A m., and soon he intends to erect a sylvan cot near the summit for the entertainment of par- ties desiring to remain over night. The scenic attractions unfolded at the crest are varied and sublime. The eye traverses a circuit of vast extent, and with the aid of a glass, the gleaming silver of half a hundred lakes and ponds is brought into charming display. The billowy expanse of a forest-ocean — one solid ma^.- of boundless green, deeply furrowed by a countless multi- tude of proud-peaked shapes, sweeps away in majestic beauty until lost in the distant horizon. 'i' s ii i ic8 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. From Paul Smith's to Hough's, at head of Upper Sar- anac Lake, there are two modes of access ; one by carriage over a good road for a distance of 17 m, and the other with boats by the following routes : Lower St. Regis Lake 2 m ; Spitfire Pond (very pretty) i m ; Upper St. Regis Lake (2 x |), also beautiful, with its picturesque Birch, Averill, One-tree and Burnt Islands. These waters are linked together by short inlets or narrows. Here a choice of two routes is presented : the one via Big Clear Pond, and the other via St. Regis Pond, the " Chain," and Little Clear Ponds, etc. M U m I:, r^ (i.) The portage (li m) to Big Clear Pond, is called the " St. Germain Carry," and horses, for the convenience of parties passing over it, are kept here by an old pioneer half-breed (St. Germain) whose hut stands on the shore of the pond. Travelers, while pausing at his place, will be interested in the variety of dogs and tame deer kept by the aged hunter. The waters of this sheet are of crystalline purity and exceedingly cold. Its shores are bold and rocky and the scenery encompassing it of considerable interest. Its "^hape is nearly circular (2x2). A trail extends from the W. side to Little Clear Pond, about 2 m. S. W. Crossing Big Clear Pond, the route lies thence down its crooked outlet, S., 4 m to U. Saranac Lake, with a portage at the commencement of less than ^ m around a dam and rapids. The stream is well cleared of obstructions and easily navigated. Thence a portion of the head of the Lake ( i^ m) is crossed to reach Hough's. Teams also carry from Big Clear P. to Hough's, in a more direct line. Dis- tance 3 m. . ,, , . , 1 ;. ' i' I ' 11 BEAD OF UPPER SARANAO LAKH I devil's PLLPIT, UIO TUPPEB LAKE. f m * u DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 109 (2.) From S. W. shore of U. St. Regis Lake, carry 6 r S. VV. to Bog Pond (10 acres*, interesting only as a deer resort ; thence 5 r over " Paul Smith's plank walk," to Bear Pond (40 acres), with 2 islands, and charming sur- roundings ; thence 4 r to Turtle or Middle pond (10 acres) ; thence 40 r to Little Long Pond (200 acres) ; thence 50 r to Little Green Pond (jo acres) ; "one of the clearest gems that spangle the Wilderness;" thence 15 r to St. Regis Pond.* (Good camp here). " These Httle bodies of water," says Dr. Bixby, " are evidently fed by springs, their waters being perfectly fresh and pure. They have no visible connection with each other, but it is thought that they must be connected by subterranean stre.ims. This is a beautiful region and but little ':novvn. There are doubtless numerous other ponds in tins vicinity which have never been explored." "St. Regis Pond, covering about i,goo acres, is a magnificent moun- tain circled sheet, interspersed with numerous forest cover- ed islands, and is as wild as when the tawny Indian rippled its surface in his bark canoe. The St. Regis Mountain to the N., heaves his dark hulk in the air, and numberless o^^her peaks, frown down upon its waters." — [Haviland. Crossing this, we carry S. ^ m, to Little Clear Pond, another exquisite lakelet, hemmed in by mountainous elevations, with waters of crystal colorness ; from thence li m S. to Big Green Pond (| x ^) ; thence 50 r S. W. to Spring Pond, and thence pass down the short outlet to U. Saranac Lake. - This is called the route of the " Nine Carries." With light baggage and experienced guides, the trip over it can be made in about 4 hours. Distance from Paul Smith's to Hough's, by either route, 10 to 15 m. I 1 lO DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. mM SI f>^i The journal of one of a party of enterprising sports- men, who in the year 1869 descended the West Branch of the St. Regis River, and thus opened to the public the mysteries of that hitherto unexplored stream, has been kindly furnished us by its very intelligent author, Dr. Geo. F. Bixby, of Plattsburg, N, Y. A beautiful panoramic map, drawn from the rough notes of this gentleman, and which reflects great credit upon its artist, Mr. H. K. Averell, Jr. accompanies this maHuscript. Dr. Bixby and his fellow travelers in this expedition, are entitled to the gratitude of sporting men, for presenting to them this in- teresting record. " Pursuing our way through St. Regis Pond, we enter its outlet (W.), and a passage of i m takes us into Ochre Pond (60 acres), so named in consequence of plentiful indi cations of fine ochre beds in the vicinity. " From thence we pass through another stream two miles in length to Fish Pond, 75 acres, and from this into a small pond closely adjoining, of about 5 acres, at the head of which — wheie its inlet ripples over the stones — shade of Issaec Walton, what fishing ! " But nevei mind that. Let us push on down the West Branch of the St. Regis, for we are fairly afloat or aground upon that stream now, going in a north-easterly direction. And here we begin to find the barriers which nature has interposed against the inroads of the tourist and fancy sportsman ; barriers which will never be removed except by the ax of lumbermen, which, alas, will too soon be at work here also. From the outlet of Fish Pond to the point where this stream intersects with the outlet of Bay Pond — a distance of perhaps 15 m — there is a region which I will guarantee has never been trodden or navi- gated to any great extent by pleasure seekers ! Guides DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. Ill carmot be hired at any price to traverse it. St. Regis sportsmen avoid this portion of the river by going from Paul Smith's over a carry of 8 m to Bay Pond, and thence down its outlet, striking the main river below this — what our guide called a perfect ' Podgam,' whatever that may be. For miles and miles we were obliged to drag our boats over stones, under, over, through and around logs, alders and brush heaps ; we lifted them over almost insur- mountable places, * shot ' them through rapids and made them do all sorts of preposterous things in a style which would cause any one but a thorough backwoodsm^an to stand aghast. Once we run our best boat upon a sharp rock, knocking a hole into the bottom througii which the water rushed like a torrent. ' Then we three pilgrims,' made up our minds that we were lost and wished ourselves on the timber road, which Dick had taken when he left us, but our guide was prepared for just such an emer- gency — producing a piece of tin, tacks and spruce gum, he soon made the boat good as new, and we went on our way rejoicing. Here we passed a resting place of cranes, who never inhabit any but the most unHisturbed and in- accessible retreats. Wc counted lo nt • ests upon one tree, and probably there were lOO of them upon ^ m acre of ground. We also, much to our surprise, came unon a colony of beavers, which, as we subsequently learned, was the only one in the State of any size. We counted nine dams in a space of 3 m, some of them very old, but three or four exhibiting abundant fresh signs of a numerous colony. Large tracts of ground had been almost entirely cleared by these industrious animals, within a short space of time, the stumps of some of the trees being over eight inches in diameter. One fresh dam set back over ^ of a mile and had a fall of 2^ feet. Here the trout ran in shoals, 112 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. I t and I verily believe a man could catch a barrel of them in a day, if his powers of endurance were sufficient. "And now John took occasion to give us a practical illustration of his ideas concerning the proper mode of trout fishing. Cutting a long green pole, about as heavy as he could comfortably swing, he rigged a small hawser to it, baited his hook with a pork rind, and ' went in,' "Those trout would * bite ' anything, and no sooner did one take hold than John would give a mighty * twitch,' taking the astonished trout out with a 'swish' and land- ing him many rods away into the woods. " Down we went past Bay Pond outlet ; a magnificent river we were upon now — plenty of water, but still occa- sionally a log or two to haul the boats over— very tortu- ous our course was, going upon an average 4 m to pro- gress one, and each turn disclosing a new scene of beauty. "Plenty of fresh signs of deer now, mil 2s of marsh so trodden up by them that you would think a hundred or two of sheep had been turned loose there. " Here one plunges into and crosses the river just in front of the boat, and there stands another peering curiously out at us through the alders. " Now we come to Little Falls, near the St. Lawrence County line, a splendid cascade, falling 15 or 20 ft. in 10 r; around this we ' carry, ' which brings us to the * Eight Mile Stillwater." Then 3 m of rapids down which the boats had to be * tailed/ ? man wading and keeping fast hold of a rope attached to the stern ; one false step and away would have gone boat and baggage. " Next we came to the * Five Mile Stillwater,' then more falls around which was a carry of 40 r, next i m of ugly rapids, another fall with carry of 15 r, after which 5 m of good smooth rowing took us to an old DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 113 saw mill 7 m above Parishville,* and our " grand tour " was closed. •* We had campe ^ for nine successive nights, traveling over a distance of not less than 125 m with the boat, and from St. Regis Pond, through the primeval forest of the most magnificent pines that ever grew, which the ax has never touched. " Very soon, however, a dam will be built at the out- let of St. Regis Pond, that mighty feeder of this wild stream ; the alders which now so beautifully fringe its banks will be cut, the flood wood cast loose, the rocks blasted, the pines laid low, the flood gates above will be opened, and all the barriers, together with all these wild beauties will be swept away forever." — [Dr. G. F. Bixby. Bloomingdale, it will be noticed, is a prominent point on several converging avenues to the Adirondacks. To this place travelers starting from Plattsburg and Port Kent, en route for Paul Smith's, Hough's, Baker's, Blood's and Martin's, generally pay tribute. Upon some days 15 or 20 stages arrive here on their way to these different sporting establishments, with which it is connected by splendid carriage roads. Few villages bear a more appro- priate name. It is literally a "blooming dale." it is beautifully located near the forest, among hills, mountains, lakes and rivers, and within a few miles and ii. plain sight of Whiteface Mountain. The sporting near and around Bloomingdale is not often xcelled. Within aboi't- 2 m of the village is Moore Pond (li^f), which abounds in both lake and speckled trout. One m from that is a small sheet called Grass Pond, charmingly situa- ted and also liberally supplied with trout. The Saranac River passes within f m of the village and affords the *It is 9 m from Parishville to Potsdam, over an excellent road. 7 3H SiMl 114 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. !' H II k '■-■'^ 'ill - 1 :'»■' f' Li- best of fishing, and the same may be said of 3 or 4 little brooks flowing through or near the place. The drives in the neighborhood are varied and delight- ful, offering rich displays of landscape loveliness. Taken altogether it is a charming resort lor those wish- ing to spend a few days of rural life within the precincts of the Adirondacks. An elegant and commodious hotel, replete with every requisite convenience with barber-shop and billiard room attached, and capable of entertaining 100 guests, will be completed and opened for business, July ist. Mail and telegraph facilities perfect — horses, carriages, boats and guides furnished to order. From Bloomingdale to Baker's it is 6 m ; Blood's, i m ; Martin's, i m. The road, commencing as far back as Franklin Falls, lies along the stately Saranac R., which is almost constantly in view, thus rendering the scenery very interesting to the tourist. Milote Baker is the veteran hotel and store-keeper of this section. His hon)e-like house presents an inviting appearance from its pleasant situation. Everything that sportsmen require is kept continually on hand. This is also true of " Blood's," at the little hamlet of Harrietstown. " Martin's," one of the far-famed gateways to the Wil- derness, is a most desirable tarrying place for all in quest of health or sporting recreation. The house has recently been greatly enlarged and now affords apartments for 2$o guests. The parlors are 64 ft. and the dining hall 84 it. in length. The rooms are generally large and airy, and are furnished with taste and neatness, and while occupy- ing them one may enjoy most of the comforts of the "St. Nicholas " or " Fifth Avenue," together with all the rare DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. ns and dainty viands the region yields, and at the same time command an exquisite view of the varied beauties that lake, mountain and forest ever give. For the interest of ladies we will say that the fine croquet ground connected with the premises will afford them agreeable diversion when weary of boating. Stages arrive and depart daily and tri-weekly for Paul Smith's, Hough's, Point of Rocks, North Elba, Wilmington Notch, Keene, Elizabethtown and Westport, and mail and tele- graphic communications are complete. Parties, including a goodly sprinkling of ladies, assemble here in large num- bers during the summer months, some of whom make this their headquarters, while others proceed to Bartlett's, Corey's, Hough's, Dugett's, Kellogg's, Gary's, Moody's and Graves's, or to camp on some of the many delightful lakes or ponds that form a vast net-work in this romantic Wilderness. Martin furnishes the sportsman with a com- plete outfit, comprising boats, guides, terts, and all the requisites of camp life ; as do also all the hotels above noted. Some 22 or 23 years ago Mr. Martin located here at the head of this charming bay. The spot at that time was entirely wild, but he has lived to see the forest imme- diately around him " blossom like the rose." He is a thorough sportsman as well as landlord, :md can throw a fly or secure a deer with a skill equal to that of the most finished disciple of Isaac Walton, or the fabled Nimrod. P. O. address is " Wm. F. Martin, Saranac Lake, Frank- lin County, N. Y." There is a little settlement here which includes the fam- ily of the well-known guide, Stephen C. Martin, the hero of the amusing deer adventure, given in Mr. Murray's fascinating work on the Adirondack s. li ill JBWiWBK Ji Il6 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. The following are the distances from Martin's to various points of interest : MILES. To Blood's, I Baker's, ._.-__.- 2 Bloomingdale, - ----------8 Hough's (direct route), -------- 16 Hough's (by water), 20^ Paul Smith's (direct route), -------14 Ausable Forks, 34 Point of Rocks, 37 Keeseville, --46 Port Kent, 51 Plattsburg, 57 North Elba, 10 Nash's & Brewster's, Lake Placid, - - - - - 12 Scott's, - 13 Mt. Marcy, 34 Indian Pass, -----23 Keene, (old road), ----------23 Keene, (new road), --- 25 Elizabethtown, ---.35 Westport, -----43 Wilmington Notch, 16 Wilmington and Whiteface Mountain, - - - 22 Bartlett's, 12 Lower Saranac Lake is 6 m in length with an average width of 2 m. As the tourist threads his way among the numerous rocky islands, (upward of 50 in all) and past its many striking points and jagged headlands, the massive bulwarks of the Adirondacks, including Marcy, Seward, Mclntyre and many " lesser lights " to the S E., the DKSCKIPTIVE GUIDE. I I Tupper Lake Mountains in the S. W. frequently in view, he cannot fail to admit that this sheet of water possesses many picturesque attractions. But the comeliness of the landscape is sadly marred by the ravages of the many extensive fires, that have swept through the forests in this vicinity. It is said that the echo of one's shout, at some points on this lake, repeats itself 20 times, distinctly enough to be counted. On the W. side, near the foot, there is a curious rocky promontory jutting abruptly out into the lake, called "The Hedgehog," from the elevated summit of which a grand prospect of the most fascinating scenery is enjoyed. There are many interesting places of resort within easy reach of Martin's, to which we will introduce the sporting traveler. Colby Pond, a lovely lakelet (i^ x i), N. of the Saranac Lake, is reached by following the wagon road leading (1) from the hotel 2 m, or by paddling across the bay and passing over the good path, ^ m, starting from the shore. H. C. Avery lives near the head of this pond, upon a small clearing. Macauley Pond is connected with " Colby " by a carry of 2 m VV. ; length f m. This sheet is the frequent rendezvous of deer. Martin claims he once saw 19 there at once. McKensie's Pond ( i| x i) is reached by a good path ex- tending from Baker's 2 m S. VV. Near the commence- ment of this portage is the home of Harvey Moody, Street's famous guide. The old veteran (age 63) is hardy and hearty, and still acts as an occasional guide. He con- tinues to believe the " U. Sa'nac is the handsomest of all the lakes." We are indebted to his courtesy for reliable information respecting the woods. Ray Brook, a branch of the Saranac R., is visited via Blood's and Moody's, also by descending the river from ii8 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. the lake. It is full of trout, and when water, wind anu season are favorable, a skillful fisherman may capture his " pound a minute until he has his backload." Lonesome Pond ( li X k)* which Martin pronounces " the most beauti- ful of all waters," is visited by boating up the lake 2 in, landing on E. shore at head of Lonesome Pond Bay, and following a path 2 ni E. Access is gained to Pine P-' .d. another pretty body of water, by proceeding with boats up the lake 2 m beyond Lonesome Pond Bay, down the outlet (Saranac R.) 3 m and carrying (r) i m. Good port- age. To visit Ampersand Pond, one of the most sequestered as well as most lovely of all the Wilderness sheets, push the boat up the shallow Cold Brook, a most famous trout stream (which enters the Saranac R., r, about 3 m below the lake and near the river end of the portage to Pine Pond 1, I m ; and then carry (r) S. W. across a most difficult por- tage of 5 m leading over a spur of Ampersand Mountain. A good cabin stands near the shore at the termination of the carry, which is the celebrated " Philosopher's Camp," ronstructed at an expense of great hardship, by Wm. F. Martin, for Agassiz and his companions, Holmes and Lowell, a number of years ago. Ampersand Pond is also reached by a 5 m trail leading from Round Lake. And here, completely embosomed in the forest, where the ax of the woodman has never been heard, at the feet of mountain peaks that guard it on every side as faithful sentinels, reposes this sheet, most lonely in its isolation, most bewitching in its loveliness. So far is it removed from the usual routes, and so very toilsome is the task uf its examination, that the deer that frequent its solitudes and the trout that swarm in its waters are not often annoyed by the approach of the sportsman. m 1 . r , : ti ■ i iil ■! i fh l<^ niiSCKlPTlVli UUIlJt. Ily Route from Martin's to Upper Saranac, Long, Raqiictte, Tupper, &c., Lakes : Traversing the length of L. Saranac Lake, pausing near the head on the 1 to quench oi'r thirst, perchance to take our lurch at "Jacob's Well," an ice-cold spring, whose waters come bubbling up from beneath a moss-coveied rock — a most romantic spot — a precipitous, rocky bluff near it frowning down upon us, reminding us of " Rogers* Slide," on Lake George, we pass up the Saranac River 3 m to Round Lake. Midway of the two lakes are short rapids, where the river falls about 10 ft within 10 r. Guides usually "shoot" these rapids when coming down the stream, and tow their boats when ascending it, leaping from rock to rock ; but those cautiously inclined prefer to carry (15 r) around them. Round or Middle Saranac Lake is some 8 m in circum- ference, and is also an attractive sheet, surrounded by an amphitheatre of hills and mountains, including Ampersand, ci!i I is decked with ireveral handsome islands. Here again our eyes are charmed by a distant view of the " Adiron- dack glories." A tree whose foliage assumes the form of an umbrella, furnishes the name for " Umbrella Point." I^'or some unknown reason not yet discovered, Round Lake is an easily-agitated and dangerous water. The breeze that merely ripples other lakes, produces huge waves in this. Crossing this sheet and passing up the Saranac River again, jf m, (a gigantic boulder marking the point of entrance,) we arrive at Bartlett's Clearing and " Sports- man's Home." }^ 120 DI'.SCRIPTIVE (ilM[)E. This popular hostelry has long been favorably known to the sporting and traveling community. I*^ is situated immediately below the rapids, on the outlet of Upper Saranac Lake and on the most direct route into the Wilderness by the Saranac waters. Just in front of the house is the landing, from which boats and baggage are carried by Bartlett's team, lOO rods, to the Upper Lake, (price for transportation, 50 cents per load,) and the sit- uation is always animate with life from the passing of parties in and out of the woods. It is also a convenient and eligible place to obtain an outfit for camping expe- ditions. The house will accommodate about 60 persons, and is well patronized — especially, by tourists from Bos- ton, New York and Philadelphia. As Bartlett is one of tne pioneers of the Wilderness, many old '* Adiron- dackers " have long made this place their headquarters. Some of these have here paid annual court for 25 or 30 seasons. Although not really situated on a lake or large body of water, there are many things which lend an interest to this locality. The Saranac R. runs directly in fron of the house, and the murmur of its rapids is constantly heard. Here is a f^irni clearing, with a num- ber of rustic buildings suited to the wants of the interior life of the woods. The farm is skirted by forests which form its enclosure. Hills, with rich hardwood foliage, rise in the near ilistance, and beyond these, mountains clothed with dark evergreens complete the horizon. From the summit of a moderate elevation in the rear of the house an impressive picture is enjoyed of Round Lake and the Adirondack Mts. l?ut the great event among e.xcur- si(Mis from this point is the ascent of Amj)ersand Mt., without wiiich a tour of the Saranac Lakes would be in- com; )!eie, Wti nKSUKIPTlVE GUIDE. 121 By 30 minutes boating down the river and through Round Lake a good trail is reached which leaus to the top of the mountain. The opening of thi route — a most difficult matter — is solely due to the efforts and en- terp'-ise of Dr. W. W. Ely, of Rochester, for which he is entitled to every praise. The path starts from the lower sand beach (S. E. side of the lake) near where the old carry to Ampersand P. begins. It soon merges into an old lumber road which is followed for half a mile A barked tree at the 1, indicates where we diverge from this road.* The ascent is usually accomplished in about 4 hours and no L,reat discomfort is connected with the journey ; and the spectacle that 'awaits us at the summit is rich reward for double the toil. All around is spread a magnificent prospect. Immediately below, on either side, lie Round Lake and Ampersand Pond — gems of beauty bathing the mountain's base. Rising from the opr^osite shore of the pond, with savage sides and castellated crown, is Mt. Seward, attended by its rugged compeer, Raijged Mt. Farther away — many of them in the blue distance — at the £. and S E., are Pilch-OtT, Edmond's Pond, Mc- Intyre. (concealing Marcy,) Gray & Dix's Peak, Nipple Top. Slide, Santanoni, and countless other majestic mountains. In the S. and S W. the entire length of Long Lake (13^ m.) is revealed, and Blue Mt., Owl's *Andl if you would avoid trouble, de.ir reader, aicept our advice and do not (bllow Uie tatter beyond this point, as we unwisely did two yr...s ago — it looked s!> very iriviting. But it lead us into difficulty as it soon came to an end ntm tiir base of the huge mass wc were to tc.ilo ; and rathn than to retr.ur our jreps, we addressed ourselves to the Herculean task of scalini; the precipitous walb ocforr us, thereby enjoving(M .i rough an-i tumble scramble we have no d.-iie to repeat. Peak after peak we surniountcd, ami gorge after gor^je wc ei luntercd, always to find, until the very last, the true summit tow«ring f»> away. No; follow the "straight and narrow p<(th, and not the broad road." I TT 122 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. i^^ Head, Mt. Morris and other less lofty pinnacles disclose their imposing forms. In the S. W. and W, and N. W., Big and Little Tupper Lakes, Raquette River, Simond's, Raquette, Big Wolf, Rollins, Floodwood, Big Square, Fish Creek, Folingsby's Clear, Hoel, St. Regis and Spit- fire Ponds, U. St. Regis, Upper and Lower Saranac Lakes (with their fairy islands,) the Weiler Ponds and mai y sparkling waters besides, with their numerous trihutaries — nearly fifty lakes, ponds and streams in all — display their glistening silver on a bed of boundless green. Westerly and northward, Blue Mt. of Raquette R., Long Pond Mt. and Lion Mt. loom up grandly against the sky. To the N. and N. E the beautiful valley of the Saranac stretches onward until absorbed by the valley of Lake Champlain, upwards of 50 m. away, and faintly discern- ible are the glimmering peaks of Vermont, and less re- mote the massive Adirondack baUiements of Ames, McKensie Pond, Roger's Brook, Saddle-back and Whiteface Well may Ampersand Mt. be pronounced the Rigi of America A picture of grandeur and loveliness more enchanting tlian tiiat Unfolded at its summit was never conceived in a poet's dream ; and it is while surveying such a scene that we completely realize what a wealth of beauty and sublimity Nature has lavished upon this wild and wonderful region. A clearing has been made on the mountain-top, (subsequently enlarged by the State Survey,) and a substantial log and bark shanty, constructed by Dr. Ely's party, assisted by Dr. Rend, of Boston. This mountain is ascended without deviating from the regular route through the Saranac waters, and no one can regret that a brief pause was made in the journey to enjoy the delicious treat the view affords. f ||i:i J| 1 1 n DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. I2^s Upper Saranac, the " Queen Lake " of the Saranac group, is about 8 m in length by 2 to 3 in width. From this lake there are four different methods of appjoach to the Tupper waters, two of which are easy and pleasant, the remaining two difficult but exceedingly romantic. (i.) Cross the foot of the lake (i| m.) to Corey s, thence pass Over Indian Carry, i mile. Over Spectacle Ponds, - - - - 2 " Down Stony Creek to Raquette River, - 3 " Down Raquette River to Big Tupper Lake, 20^ " (Up Raquette River to Long Lake it is 13^ m.) {See route from Raquette Lake to Forked, Long and Tupper Lakes, — ■//. 205, 207, 208 and 214,) Jesse Corey's " Rustic Lodge " is pleasantly located and enjoys a delightful prospect of the broad expanse of this charming lake. Corey is a time-honored guide and is thoroughly familiar with everything pertaining to woodland life ''nd scenery. His table is famed for its excellence throughout the region. The celebrated Indian Carry is a smooth road over a level belt of cleared land. At the other extremity of this portage, on a gentle elevation near the first of the Spectacle Ponds, delightfully overlooking its waters, Dukett & Farmer's new hotel is situated. The well- known guide, Clark Farmer, is one of the proprietors, and this is sufficient guaranty that guests will be accept- ably provided for. In this vicinity, one hundred years ago, the Saranac Indians had their dwelling place, and on an eminence not far from the hotel is a mound- 124 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. I like seat where their chief was wont to keep his vigilant watch for the enemy. Here, too, is pointed out the im- press in the solid rock of an Indian's foot-print. Corn- fields, in their season, then abounded where second growth timber now covers the ground. A fine mountain view is afforded from this spot — Seward, Ampersand and other peaks are included in the picture. Dukett and Corey, with their teams, haul boats and baggage over the Indian Carry — price 75 cents per load. Near the shore of the first pond, at the termination of the carry, on a smooth grassy lawn, near a crystal spring of unusual size, is a lavorite camping place. The Spectacle Ponds are connected together by short channels. The first and third of these linked beauties are nearly round and about f m in diameter. The second is much larger (the route crosses its narrowest portion) and very irregular in form, an island cutting it nearly in two. There is a blind carry of 2 m from the E. shore of this pond to Bartlett's Landing. In going from the first to the second pond the " bridge of the nose " is passed by dragging the boat through the short outlet of 4 or 5 r. In passing up these waters on the way to Saranac Lake, a short turn to the left should be made soon after entering the second pcnd. Just where the Stony Creek departs from the last of these ponds, on its rather shallow and sinuous course to the Raquette River, Ampersand Brook discharges the water it has brought from Ampersand Pond. At the mouth of this stream we advise the angler to throw his fly, as speckled trout of unusual size frequent this spot. DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 125 (2). From Bartlett's Landing, cross the lake to " Swee- ny's Place," (now Daniels,) 2 m above Corey's on W. shore, and pass over the 3 m carry to the Raquette River. From thence to Big Tupper Lake it is 11 m, and hence the distance saved in comparison with the Stony Creek route is about 1 1 m. A lovelier picture is rarely seen than that beheld from the Sweeny Place. Beautiful green islands, frequently fringed with beaches of white sand, stud the waters of the lake in front, and on the right and left. Old Whiteface, with the light spot on his brow, ever conspicuous, towers grandly into the sky, asserting his supremacy over many other ambitious peaks that rise and face him, dim and hazy in the distance. P^ar, far beyond the vision's utmost grasp, the unbroken forest stretches away. It is a scene to be viewed for hours with increasing delight. The " Sweeny Carry " is a pleasant forest road, passing for most of the distance through an immense "sugar bush." Wm. H. Daniel and his brother, one occupying the house on the lake, the other living at the river end of the port- age, do the business of transportation. Price ;^ 1.50 per load. Parties visiting this lake, usually camp upon Bear Point, 3 m above Daniel's ; Watch Point 2 m above that ; Buck Island and Goose Island 2 or 3 m from the head ; and Birch Island near the foot of the lake. Eastern capitalists own much of the land in this sec- tion. A Mr. Grant is possessor of thousands of acres on the Raquette River. Mr. Norton of Plattsburg, is owner of a large tract adjacent to the Saranac waters, including •• Hough's Place." Many an Adirondack " farm " reverts back to the State for unpaid taxes. i i 1 ; U 126 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. (3). Fish Creek enters the lake on W. side, 3 m above Daniel's and 4 m below Hough's. By paddling up the stream a short distance, admission is gained to a chain of upwards of 20 smiling ponds, closely interlacing wiiii each other, which may be visited in detail without carry in?; over 100 r in the entire trip. In regular order, Lower, Mid- dle and Upper Fish Creek, and Big Square Ponds are trav- ersed. It is i m up the creek from Upper Pond to Mud Pond, and i m from thence up the same stream to Duck Pond ; Little Copperas and Little Square Ponds follow in close succession ; and i m farther still by inlet takes us to Flood wood Pond. Here the route becomes identical with route No. 4. In this " Hunters Paradise " the sports- man's " occupation is {never) gone."* Ijiir m ■ (4). Hough's Hotel is situated at the north end and near the inlet of the Upper Saranac Lake, at an elevation of 17CX) feet above tide water. It commands a water view of nearly three miles in a serni-circle, dotted here ami there with beautiful islands, forming a picture of trans- cendent loveliness. Beyond are numerous elevations of g'eat variety and beauty, and farther back tower the prin- cipal mountains of the Adirondacks. Whiteface, Marcy, Mclntyre, Seward, Long Lake Mountains, Ampersand, Mt. Morris and Tupper Lake Range, Wolf and Long Pond Mountains, and the St. Regis, are all visible from the hotel The scenery at this point may be ranked with the finest in the Wilderness, and should be seen by all tourists to the Adirondacks. The house with its new and extensive •Deer Pond is reached by a carry leading westward from theW. shore, at a point about midway between the '^outh of Fish Creek and Daniel's place. DKSCRirTIVK GUIDE. additions is adapted to the wants of 75 to 100 j^uests The fishiiif? for ten months of the year it is chiinicd, in better at and in its immediate vicinity than at any other locality. Within a radius of three miles are over thirty lakes and ponds, all richly abounding in fish. The head of the Upper Saranac Lake has always been a famous hunting ground, and is still entitled to that reputation. - . The house is furnished at all times with venison from the hills and mountains, of which it is in sight. Other desirable fishing and hunting grounds are easily reached from this place. . Stages run daily, morning and evening, over the splendid turnpike road through the forest to Blooming- dale, to connect with the Ausuble and other lines. ■A l:^ Route from Hotel to Big Tupper Lake, via Hoei, Floodwood, Rollins, etc., Ponds, with proximate distances : Inlet, I mile. Spring Pond, -------- ---^, Portage, i Green Pond, ------------1^ Portage, ^ Hoel Pond, I Portage, ----- --5 rods. Mud Turtle Pond, i mile. Stream, -------------10 rods. Slang Pond, ------ ^ mile. Portage, - - - - ^^ " m \ . 128 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. iiif? Long Pond, .... 2 miles Portaf^e, ------------ i " Floodwood Pond, ----------i.J " Portai^e, ------------- i" Rollin's Pond, 2 Portage, -------------^ " Mosquito Pond, ^ " Portage, - ^i" Little Long Pond, i " Portage, --- i^ " Big Wolf Pond, 3 Portage, - - ^ " Little Wolf Pond, I *' " " Brook, 5 Raquette Pond, i " " River, 2 " Total, -----------29 miles. Spring Pond is noted for the transparency of its waters. Green Pond is a most lovely sheet. Hoel Pond is famed for the abundance of trout it furnishes ai/ the year through. Mud Turtle Pond affords but few lily-pads for deer. Slang Pond, on the contrary, is silvered over with them, especially at its upper extremity, and hence is very attractive to this animal. Portions of the shores of Big Long Pond are composed of marshy ground. Between Big Long and Floodwood Ponds a stream enters the outlet, flowing from Rainbow and Pine Ponds N. W. ; by carrying N. W. from these waters we may reach Dry Channel, Ledge, Windfall, Blue, McDonald. East etc. Ponds, sources of the St. Regis River. DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 129 2 miles I I-i i 2 -i i li i I* 3 i 1 5 I 2 29 miles. s waters. is famed through, '. Slang specially ^e to this *ond are L stream e Ponds we may : Donald. Long P. affords good springs and an abundance of trout. Floodwood P. has several very pretty islands, one of which is called Beaver Isle. It is a beautiful and favorite location for camping. From this pond by route No. 3 (p. 126) we may descend the Fish Creek waters 4f m. to the U Saranac, ind pass from thence up the lake — 4 m. — to Prospect House (Van Arnam's). Rollin's, or Rawlin's P. — a delightful sheet, command- ing noble views of Mt. Seward and subordinate peaks — contains Camp and three or four other picturesque islands. By following the inlet entering its N. extremity from the N. W., we may visit White Pine P. ; and by carrying from thence we reach Mountain, River, Wells, etc, Ponds, headwaters of Jordan and St. Regis Rivers.* Mosquito P. is a dismal sheet ; shores low and swampy ; scenery gloomy and desolate. Between Mosquito and Little Long Ponds, acres of the marshy ground tremble be- neath our feet like the throbbing caused by an earthquake. Big Wolf P. — a bewitching lake with shining beaches of sand nearly encircling it — is renowned for the large-sized trout it has produced. In 1871 Dr. Perkins, of Albany, brought one over the side of his boat weighing 25^ lbs.; and •' North Elba " Blin took therefrom a 30 pounder. But latterly none larger than 12 lbs. are taken. Cold springs and good camping sites abound here. Ji! t below Little Wolf P. a stream enters Wolf Brook, flowing from Lead and Woodbury Ponds, lying E. and N. E. Wolf Brook is exceedingly crooked and fre- quently shallow. It may be avoided by carrying 2 m. S. to Raquette Pond. {See pp. 57 and 2ig.) Raquette P. or Lough Neak is a quiet and pretty little lake about 2.^ x i. A pleasing view is here obtained of Marcy, Whiteface, Seward and other summits of the Adirondack Range. " Capt. Peter's Rocks " rise from the water near the foot. It is related that Capt. Peter, father of Mitchell Sabattis — a famous sire of a famous son — in former times made a practice of secreting his game and traps among these granite masses ; and here he made his famous leap to the shore — good 16 feet. ♦From Rollin's F. carry \ m. E.} cross Whey P. (i x ^); carry i m. E.} cross Big Square P. (i^ m i) — thui reaching Upper Fish Creek P. g i • i- I30 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. The " Wolf Pond Route," as this is called, being rough and swampy in many places, is only traveled by adven- turous hunters and fishermen. Ladies never attempt to follow it. W At the village of Ausable Forks, at the junction of the E. and W. branches of the Ausable River, the traveler journeying toward the Saranac waters may diverge from the plank road by a new and most romantic route which is rapidly becojuing a popular avenue to the Wilderness. It possesses the advantages of being a shorter route than the one via Franklin Falls, and what is more interesting, it passes through the celebrated Wilmington Notch, a deep and wonderful chasm j^iercing the E. flank of Whiteface Mountain. From Ausable Forks to Wilmington via Lower Jay it is II m ; via Black Brook, 9 m ; and thus the route may be shortened 2 m by making Black Brook instead of Ausable Forks the diverging point, and pursuing the W. branch in place of the E. branch of the Ausable. Wilmington to Wilmington Notch, 6 m ; North Elba, 6 m ; Martin's, via Blood's, 10 m. The Whiteface Moun- tain House, at Wilmington, is located on the banks of the W. Arsable and near the base of Whiteface Mountain, in the midst of some of the mo.st grand and imposing scenery of the Adirondack.s. Some 40 or 50 visitors can be hand.somely entertained at this house and they will he furnished with boats to use on the stream and con- veyances for ascending the mountains. From base to summit the distance is 6^ m. Parties are conveyed with carriages 2^ m ; here saddle horses are taken for the remainder of the ascent, 3J m. Messrs. Weston & Ayer, the enterprising proprietors of the Mountain House, have Elba, oun- f the in, in osini; s can ill be con- se to with the \ycr, have ii:i\ l> DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE, '31 erected a rustic lodge near the summit, in which good hoard and comfortable lod<;ing can be obtained. Hospi- tality nearly a mile above tide is a virtue worthy of cele- bration. Whiteface Mountain derived its name from an avalanche that swept down its western slope nearly 70 years ago. Viewed from a distance this slide presents a whitish ap- pearance, especially near the crown. Whiteface is in some respects the grandest pinnacle in this princely range. Several authorities from early surveys pronounce it the loftiest. It furnishes, accordinr-* to Emmons, a greater extent of surface upon its summit, formed of chaotic masses of rocks, than any other mountain of the northern counties. It is abrupt in its acclivities, symmetrical in its proportions, isolated in its situation, and commands the most extended and magnificent prospect of all the group. Looking toward the K. we behold the broad bo.som of Lake Champlain, the emerald slopes of the Green Mount- ains, the shadowy outlines of the " White Hills," with ii'tervcning woodland and cultivated fields ; to the S. Adirondack sublimity breaks upon the eye — " majestic forms towering above airy masses " — proudly conspicuous among which arc Nipple Top and the grand Tahawus ; in the W. wo discern a limitless expanse of dense forests where gleams of silver disclose the location of the Sara- nacs, the Tuppers, and a multitude of other lakes ; while at the N. we overlook the flashing mirror of Lake Ontario, the glitteritig waters of the St. Lawrence, the spires and turretiJ of Montreal, and the far-spreading wililcrncss of the Canadas. At the foot of the mountain lies Lake Placid — "a picture of fairy land" — a most lovely feature of a landscape presenting such variety '* that all the elements of beauty and grandeur seem blended together." 132 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. ■ I w 'it ;ti 1 1 .. j, 1^ 1 ffi Staples depart daily from the Mountain House for Point of Rocks, North Elba, Martin's, IClizabctlUown, &c. Leaving VVilmin};ton and approaching the Notch we pause to inspect and admire on the way the h'lume (2' m), as attractive a natural wonder as the Flume of the White Mountains ; Little P'alls (3V* m), a dashing, charming cas- cade ; l^ig Falls, where the stream leai)s down a perpen- dicular precipice of lOO ft. into the dark abyss below, and Coj^j^eras Pond (lOO acres) lying far uj) the sloj)es of Promontory Mountain, whose waters are strongly impreg- nated with sulphate of iron and in whose vicinity native copperas abounds in rich profusion. luUering the colos- sal portcls of the Pass we are filled with amazement and awe by its utter wildness and savage grandeur. Here the Ausable, compressed to a few feet in breadth, bursts through the mountain obstruction and thunders onward in its furious career. On the right, Whiteface, with almost perpendicular ascent, towers in awful majesty 2,000 ft. above its bed ; upon the opposite side another precip- itous mass attaitis an altitude of nearly equal sublimity. Thus for 2 m docs this terrific gorge extend, and through one-eighth of that distance these tremendous walls so nearly approach each other that scant space is allowed for the road and stream. Shortly after emerging from this wonderful gateway of natural mas(jnry, by bearing to the r, by a " turn-off" from the traveled route. Lake Placid may be examined ; but it is usually visited by pri- vate conveyance from North F.lba, from which it is 2 m distant. At the termination of this branch road the tourist will find two very romfortal)1<* lake-side retreats — Nash's and IJrewster's — wher<' all his wants will be care- fully consulted. The former tan accommodate 20 and the latter 60 gue.sts. \\ MT. MARClf— WOKK I'ONIK UIU rALl.li, NKAIl VVIl.MlN(rruN I'A.^H. r>\-.AJ- 1 r„ 1 -., i' 1 ^: \ :.ii i- ' 1 ■p, 1^ ■ f m r 1 i 1 i] . i 1 lit it' 1 'ill 1 wM 1 Iffil riL., W'f^ i *':i;!l ill:' [ '!| mtM mi umm !i:!!! :!ii U^ l| t 111 iii'ii'ii iir If •-♦"■" -7 ■ ^ I III I'W Hi' r!':i(i;:l''iir< DEsckirnvK guide. U^ Nash's Lake, formerly called Bennett's Pond {i^xi). lying E. about {, m, is reached by a good path, and N. o( that a short distance lies Conery Pond (i x j). Paradox Pond connects with Lake Placid at its southern extremity by a narrow strait, its only inlet or outlet. A curious phenomenon <^ives this sheet its name. A swift current of water Hows from the lake into the pond for a space of 3 or 4 minutes, and after an interval of about 7 minutes the current is reversed — the water discharging into the lake again. This mysterious action is of per- petual occurrence. Lake Placid (5x1 A) is the principal source of VV. Ausable River. Being partially divided longitudinally by a row of islands (Buck, Moose and flawk Lsles,) it almost assumes the form of 2 distinct bodies of water, which are locally termed "East," and "West" Lake. It is distinguished for the crystalline clearness of its waters, its unique and comely proportions, and its grand and fascin- ating surroundings. A combination of lake, forest and mountain scenery is here presented, perhaps unsurpassed in all the Adirondack Region. Old Whiteface, the most prominent feature in the landscape, rises majestically from the head of the lake, the personification of loftiness and loneliness. To ascend this mountain upon this side, parties pass up the lake with boats and follow the footway leading from the beach. The rise is very gradual at the commencement, but as the summit is approached becomes quite abrupt. The ascent and return trip to Nash's or l^rcwsier's. however, is comfortably acconvplished within a (lay. Even ladies have performed all this without suffer- ing great fatigue. Fishing and hunting are as good in this vicinity as at any other locality in the mountainous section, though fish 134 ULSCKII'TIVE GUIDK. and (leer are not fjenerally as abundant among the mount- ains as on the plateau. John Brown's* " historic grave," a modern ** Mecca," and the objective point of many a pilijrimage, is within ^ m of North ICiba, and the same distance from the high- way leading to Martin's, being clearly visible from the road. " His grandfather's tombstone, brought at his re- quest from Massachusetts, marks the spot, and loving hands have planted roses and other flowers over anil around his resting {ilace. The humble residence of * Old Ossawatamie,' from which he and his boys departed for Harper's Ferry and to whicii h i s inanimate remains were returned, stands on a high bluff on the VV. bank of the Ausable." This with the farm, which lies adjacent to Scott's, have been secured by a company consisting of Miss Kate Fields, Isaac H. Hailey, John E. Williams, Wm. H. Lee, Geo. A. Robbins, G. C. Ward, D. R. Mar- tin, Chas. A. Smith, Isaac Sherman, Elliot C. Cowden, Tho.s. Murphy, Chas. G. Judson, Salem H. Wales, Sinclair Toucey, Horace C. Claflin, Henry Clews, LeGrand B. Cannon, S. B. Chittenden and J. S. Schultz. To the untiring exertions of the fair name that heads the list, this company i.s indebted for its organization. Its object is to hold this property as a remembrancer of the most startling event in the extraordinary career of the " martyr hero." Again the tourist approaching the Saranac Lakes via Plattsburg or Port Kent may visit the lovely Keene Valley by making a detour from the regular route, also at Ausable Forks, and following the E. or S. branch of the Ausable over a good road. To Lower Jay, a very pretty •This name should not be confouiuled with th.it of the former owner of John Brown's Tract, from whom that section derives its name. DKSCRIPTIV'fc: GUIDK. «3S v^illage, it is 6 m ; Upj)cr Jay, 3 m ; Kccne, 5 m ; Scott's, 10 m ; North Klba, 3 m ; Martin's, 10 m. From Kcene up tlie valley to Kcene Fhts villai;c, 5 ni ; Alma L. Heede's, at the head of the " flats," 2.^ m. Here the road proper terminates, but a roujjjh woods road, passable for vva<;()ns, extenils 3A m farther S. to Lower Ausable Pond. Within the town of Keene the Adirondack Range reaches its loftiest culminations, and Keene Valley is one of the wildest and most enchanting of all the nooks in this region of wildness and beauty. No place commands more glorious panoramic views. The entire horizon is grandly serrated with mountain pinnacles. It is hemmed in and overlooked by Hald Peak, Camel's ilump, Ilayslack, Ik'ar Mountain, Giant of the Valley, Indian I''ace, Hopkins', Baxter's and Dix's Peaks, and with his mighty head up- lifted above the dark shouUlers of his subordinates, Tahawus, the " sky i)iercer," vulgarly termed Marcy, the monarch of these almost countless peaks — this veritable " Legion of Five Hundred." So nearly contiguous are some of these pyramidal towers, that the valley which they overshadow, is in certain places scarcely of sufficient width to accommodate both the road and the river. The narrow district thus encompassed, 5 to 8 m in length, possesses, j)erhaps, with its environs, a richer variety of natural beauties in the way of lake, mountain, chasm and cascade, than any other section of ecpial extent within the boundaries of these " Northern Wilds." A full descrip- tion of the delightful rambles and the superlative attrac- tions belonging to this neighborhood wouKl require more space than the size of our volume will allow. We can only briefly allude to the most important features of this exceedingly interesting section. Clifibrd Falls, which occur upon a brook, an affluent of 136 DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. the Ausable, 2 m N. W. of Kecne, are reached by wagon road, a branch of the North Elba route. Their height is about 60 ft. and the romantic chasm through which they pour is itself one of the most attractive features of this locality. From the bridge spanning the gorge we have a magnificent view of them. Sherburne Falls, upon the Ausable, are i m S. of Keene, near the main road. Their greatest height is about 50 ft. and they present a rich array of charming scenery. Haines's, or more correctly, Hull's Falls, also upon the Au.sable, i m S. of Sherburne Falls, are thus described by the spicy and brilliant pen of a lady correspondent of the Brooklyn Union : " After a drive of 3 m along the ever-pkasant Ausable, after fording the rushing river to their unspeakable con- sternation and delight, and after undergoing thrills of ex- citement every time the wagon went over a stone lest either the intrepid young woman who did the driving with the red reins should fall off her end, or upset the equally intrepid young women who were driven off their end of the very small allowance of seat — after all these and many more little adventures had been passed or forgotten, we came to Hull's Falls. •• Now, what I particularly admire in the Adirondack Region is this : the people never brag. Reason — they have plenty to brag about, con.sequently they never do it. In other places you hear unlimited eloquence lavished upon a lake (now I'm thinking of Saratoga, but don't mention it), and you take a long drive to see a miserable, stupid, low-banked little affair, no more to be compared to tiie Saranacs or Placid than I am to Hercules, or any other man. Or you are carried through perspiring dis- tances to see a waterfall, and you behold a wretched little DESCRIPTIVE GUIDE. 137 Stream leaking over a few rocks in a fit of placid despair Here, on the contrary, they mention incidentally, when you tell them on what road you propose to drive, * Wal, there's some falls along there, some folks think rather handsome ; p'raps you'd like to look at 'em as you go by ' You deign to east a casual glance at the river occasionally on the strength of this mild suggestion, anil you are astonished with a vision of a second Trenton. Hull's I'alls are not so very high — not more than 30 or 40 ft. of sheer j)itch, I should think, and then 10 or 20 more of roaring broken torrents over enormous rocks — but they are very grand indeed. There arc the green wooded banks of the stream above the old log bridge, and the noisy rai)ids tearing along, and just below the bridge down go these fearful masses of rock, and roaring, frantic, foam- ing water, and below them again the straight grey mountain walls towering up against the blue shy. They are like the great fall at '1 renton — not quite so wide, and the amber color of the water not quite .so deep, but with a niore savage wild- ness of expression, a greater ruggedness of rock and ferocity of wpter well suited to their wild surroundings." Phelps Falls, so named in honor of the distinguished guide, Orson S. Phelps, of whom we shall have more to .''ay, are situated upon a little stream near its entrance into the A usable, a short distance N. of Keene Flats. The old hunter's habitation stands within a few rods of the falls, which have a descent of 100 ft. Here, too, much that is lovely and romantic fill the scene. Up John's Brook 3 or 4 m, which also empties near Keene Flats, are l^ig Falls ; and 3 or 4 m above them, upon the same stream, are Ikishnell's Falls; both of which are very .sequtsteiv 1 and most charming. They are accessible only i**; rath way. t[^ ^.^-^ 1^. w. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) &^ ^/ :/. I/., 1.0 I.I 11.25 -||2^ |2.5 2.0 ^ U4 WE U III 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation "fl WeST MAIN STRiET WES$T^R,N.Y. 14SS0 (716) 872-4503 f\ ;V 4 •s^ \ :\ ;\ ■^-a'*' ^