! perfc& calm on the fouth fide, there is fometimes a furious wind on the north, which drives the fnow, fo that it is feen whirling far above the trees.* The town of Moultenborough lies under the S. W. fide of the great Offapy mountain, and it is there obferved, that in a N. E. ftorm, "the wind falls over the mountain like water over a dam, and with fuch a force as frequently to unroof the houses."+ The altitude of this mountain has not been ascertained, but that of the grand Monadnock was measured in 1780, by James Winthrop, Efq. by means of a barometer, and the table of corresponding heights, in Martin's Philofophica Britannica. At the bafe, on the north fide, the barometer being at 28,4, gave an elevation of one thousand three hundred and ninety-five feet. the upper edge of the wood it was at 27,0, which denoted two thoufand fix hundred eighty-two feet; at the highest point of the rock 26,4, which announced an clevation of three thoufand two hundred and fifty-four feet above the level of the fea. At The base of this mountain is about five miles in diameter, from north to fouth, and about three from east to west. Its fummit is a bald rock; on fome parts of it are large piles of broken rocks, and on the fides are fome appearances of the explofton of fubterraneous fires. A fimilar phenomenon has been obferved on a mountain, in the township of Chesterfield, adjoining Connecticut river, called Weft river mountain. About the year 1730, the garrifon of Fort Dummer, diftant four miles, was alarmed with frequent explofions, and with columns of fire and smoke emitted from the mountain. The like appearances have been obferved at various times fince, particularly one in 1752, which was the most violent of any. There are two places where the rocks bear marks of having been heated and calcined. A company of perfons having conceived a notion of precious metals being contained in this mountain, have penetrated it in various directions, and have found further evidences of internal fires, particularly a large quantity of fcorix, in fome parts loofe, in others adhering to the rocks. The only valuable effect of their industry is the discovery of a fine, soft, yellow earth, which when burned, is changed into a brown pigment, and another of the colour of the peach bloffom. There is alfo obferved on the earth, which has been Ainfworth's MS. letter. Vol. II. + Shaw's MS. letter. Vol. II. p. 132. K en out, a white incrustation, having the tale of nitre. White Mountains are by far the most stupendous of any 1 the earliest fettlement of the country, the White ins have attracted the attention of all forts of persons. e undoubtedly the higheft land in New-England, and r weather are difcovered before any other land, by velels in to the eaftern coaft; but, by reafon of their white nce, are frequently mistaken for clouds. They are vifidie land at the distance of eighty miles, on the fouth and fides; they appear higher when viewed from the , and it is faid, they are feen from the neighbourChamble and Quebec. The Indians gave them the Agiochook: they have a very ancient tradition that ntry was once drowned, with all its inhabitants, exe Powaw and his wife, who, forefceing the flood, fled mountains, where they were preferved, and that from he country was re-peopled. They had a fuperftitious veneor the fummit, as the habitation of invisible beings; they entured to afcend it, and always endeavoured to diffuade e from the attempt. From them, and the captives, y fometimes led to Canada, through the pafies of these many fictions have been propagated, which have to marvellous and incredible ftories; particularly, it a reported, that at immenfe and inacceffible heights, + Gay's MS Letter. Od 29, 1790. Te, Vol. I. p. 312. 's Vor je to New-En-guid. p. 145 there have been feen carbuncles, which are fuppofed to ap luminous in the night. Some writers, who have attempted give an account of these mountains, have afcribed the whit of them to flining rocks, or a kind of white mofs; and highest fummit has been deemed inacceffible, on account of extreme cold, which threatens to freeze the traveller in the of fummer. Nature has, indeed, in that region, formed her works on Large fcale, and prefented to view many objects which do ordinarily occur. A perlon who is unacquainted with a ni. tainous country, cannot, upon his first coming into it, mak adequate judgment of heights and diftances; he will ima every thing to be nearer and lefs than it really is, until, by ex rience, he learns to correct his apprehenfions, and accommod his eye to the magnitude and fituation of the object around! When amazement is excited by the grandeur and fublimity of : fcenes prefented to view, it is neceflary to curb the imaginati and exercise judgment with mathematical precifion; or temptation to romance will be invincible. The White Mountains are the most elevated part of a ride. which extends N. E. and S. W. to an immenfe distance, î area of their base is an irregular figure, the whole circuit of w is not lefs than fixty miles. The number of fummits within t area cannot at present be afcertained, the country round being a thick wildernefs. The greatest number which can feen at once is at Dartmouth, on the N. W. fide, where he fummits appear at one view, of which four are bald: of thi the three highest are the moft diftant, being on the caltern. of the cluster; one of thefe is the mountain which make majeftic an appearance all along the fhore of the caftern count of Mallachuletts; it has lately been diftinguished by the a of Mount Wafnington. To arrive at the foot of this mountain there is a continual cent of twelve miles from the plain of Pigwacket, which brin the traveller to the height of land between Saco and Amari.ee gin rivers. At this height there is a level of about a mile fy part of which is a meadow, formerly a beaver pond, wh dam at each end; here, though elevated more than three tho feet above the level of the fea, the traveller finds himlel deep valley. On the eaft is a steep mountain, out of wi illuc feveral fprings, one of which is the fountain of 1 river, a branch of Saco, which runs fouth; another of Peab river, a branch of Amarifcoggin, which runs north: from t * meadow, towards the weft, there is an uninterrupted afcent on a ridge between two deep gullies to the fummit of Mount Washington. The lower part of the mountain is fhaded by a thick growth of fpruce and fir. The furface is compofed of rocks, covered with very long green mofs, which extends from one rock to another, and is, in many places, fo thick and ftrong, as to bear a man's weight. This immense bed of moss serves as a sponge to retain the moisture brought by the clouds and vapours, which are frequently rifing and gathering round the mountains; the thick growth of wood prevents the rays of the fun from penetrating to exhale it, fo that there is a conftant fupply of water depofited in the crevices of the rocks, and iffuing in the form of Springs from every part of the mountain. The rocks which compofe the furface of the mountain are, in fome parts, flate, in others flint; fome fpecimens of rock chrystal have been found, but of no great value: no lime-stone has yet been difcovered, though the most likely rocks have been tried with aquafortis. There is one precipice on the caftern fide, not only completely perpendicular, but compofed of square ftones, as regular as a piece of masonry; it is about five feet high, and from fifteen to twenty in length. The uppermoft rocks of the mountain are the common quartz, of a dark grey colour when broken, they fhew very fmall fhining fpecks, but there is no fuch appearance on the exterior part. The eastern side of the mountain rifes in an angle of forty-five degrees, and requires fix or seven hours of hard labour to afcend it. Many of the precipices are fo fteep as to oblige the traveller to ufe his hands as well as feet, and to hold by the trees, which diminish in fize till they degenerate into fhrubs and bufhes; above these are low vines, fome bearing red and others blue berries, and the upper. most vegetation is a fpecies of grals, called winter grafs, mixed with the mols of the rocks.* * At the bafe of the fummit of Mount Washington the limits of vegetation nay with propriety be fixed; there are, indeed, on fome of the rocks, even to their apices, fcattered fpecks of a mofly appearance, but I conceive them to be extraneous fubftances accidentally adhering to the rocks, for I could not difcover, with my botanical microfcope, any part of that plant regularly formed. The limits of vegetation at the bafe of this fummit are as well defined as that between the woods and the bald or mofly part. So ftriking is the appearance, that at a confiderable diftance the mind is impreffed with an idea, that vegetation extends no farther than a line, as well defined as the penumbra and fhadow in a lunar eclipfe. The ftones I have by me, from the fummit, have not the imalleft appearance of mofs upon them, Having furmounted the upper and steepest precipice, there is a large area, called the plain; it is a dry heath, composed of rocks covered with mofs, and bearing the appearance of a pature in the beginning of the winter feafon, In fome openings, between the rocks, there are fprings of water, in others, dry gravel; here the grous, or heath bird, reforts, and is generally out of danger; feveral of them were fhot by some travellers in October, 1774. The extent of this plain is uncertin; from the eaftern fide to the foot of the pinnacle, or fugar loaf, it is nearly level, and it may be walked over in lefs than an hour. The fugar loaf is a pyramidal heap of grey rocks, which, in fome places, are formed like winding steps; this pinnacle has been afcended in one hour and an half. The traveller having gained the fummit, is recompenfed for his toil, if the fly be ferene, with a most noble and extensive prospect, On the fouth-caft fide there is a view of the Atlantic Ocean, the nearest part of which is fixty-five miles in a direct line; on the west and north the profpc&t is bounded by the high lands, which feparate the waters of Connecticut and Amarifcoggia rivers, from thofe of Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence, On the fouth, it extends to the fouthernmoft mountains of New-Hampshire, comprehending a view of the Lake Winipileogee. On every fide of thefe mountains are long winding gullies, beginning at the precipice below the plain, and deepening in the defcent. In winter the fnow lodges in thefe gullies, and being driven by the north-west and north-caft wind, from the top, is deepeft in thofe which are fituated on the foutherly fide. It is oblerved to lie longer in the fpring on the fouth than "There is evidently the appearance of three zones-1, the woods-2, the baid moly part-3, the part above vegetation. The fame appearance has been obferved on the Alps, and other high mountains. 'I recolle& no grafs on the plain. The spaces between the rocks in the fecond zone and on the plain, are filled with spruce and fir, which, perhaps, have been prowing ever fince the creation, and yet many of them have not attained a greater weight than three or four inches, but their spreading tops are fo thick and strong to fupport the weight of a man, without yielding in the smallest degree; the fnows and winds keeping the furface even with the general furface of the rocks. In many places, on the fides, we could get glades of this growth, fome rods in extent, when we could, by fitting down, flide the whole length. The tops of the growth of wood were fo thick and firm, as to bear us currently a confiderable diftince before we arrived at the utmost boundaries, which were almost as well defined as the water on the fhore of a pond. The tops of the wood had the appearance of having been fhorn off, exhibiting a fimooth furface from their uppet lunts to a great dillance down the mountain.' AIS. of Dr. Cutler. |