USA > New Hampshire > Gazetteer of the state of New-Hampshire > Part 22
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ly received the name of Mount Washington. To arrive at the foot of the mountain there is a continual ascent of 12 miles from the plain of Pigwacket, which brings the traveller to the height of land between the Saco and Ameriscoggin rivers. At this height, there is a level, about a mile square, part of which is now a meadow and was formerly a beaver pond, having a dam at each end, Here, though elevated more than 3000 feet above the level of the sea, the traveller finds himself in a deep valley. On the east is a steep mountain out of which issues several springs of clear water, one of which is the source of Ellis river, (a southern branch of the Saco) another is the foun- tain of Peabody river (a north- ern branch of the Ameriscog- gin.) From this meadow to- ward the west there is an un- interrupted ascent in a ridge between two gullies, to the summit of Mount Washington.
The eastern side of the mountain rises in an angle of 45 degrees, and requires 6 or 7 hours of hard labour to ascend it. Many of the precipices are so bald, as to oblige the traveller to use his hands as well as his feet, and to hold by the trees, which diminish in size till they are mere shrubs and bushes ; above these are low vines bearing red and blue berries. The uppermost veg- etation is a species of winter grass, mixed with the moss of rocks,
Having surmounted the upper and steepest precipice, there is a large area called the plain. It is a dry heath, com- posed of rocks covered with moss and bearing the appear- ance of a pasture in the begin- ning of winter. In some open- ings between the rocks, there are springs of water, in others dry gravel. Here the grous or heath birds resort and are generally out of danger. The Sugar-loaf which stands, on this plain is a pyramidal heap of grey rocks, which in some plac- es are formed like winding steps. This pinnacle has been ascended in an hour and a half. The traveller having gained the summit, is recompensed for his toil, if the sky be serene with a most noble and ex- tensive prospect. On the S. E. side, there is a view of the Atlantic ocean, the nearest part of which is 65 miles dis- tant on a direct line. On the W. and N. the prospect is bounded by the high lands, which separate the waters of the Ameriscoggin and Con- necticut rivers from those of Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence, On the S. it ex- tends to the southernmost moun. tains of New-Hampshire, com- prehending a view of Lake Winnipiseogee. On every side of these mountains, are long winding gullies, beginning at the precipices below the plain, and deepening in the descent. In the winter the snow lodges in these gullies and being driven by the N.W.and N.E.winds from
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the top, is deepest in those on the southerly side. It is ob- served to lie longer in the spring on the S. than on the N. W. side.
During nine or ten months, these mountains exhibit more or less of that bright appear- ance, which gives them the ap- pellation of white. In the spring, when the snow is partly dissolved, they have a pale blue complexion, approaching a sky colour, while at the dis- tance of eight miles, they have the proper colour of rocks.
These changes are observed only by people, who live in constant view of them, and from these facts and observa- tions, it may be concluded, that the whiteness of them is wholly caused by the snow.
In the western pass of these mountains is a remarkable pass called the notch, the nar- rowest part of which is but 22 feet wide, between two per- pendicular rocks.
From the height above, a 'brook descends and meanders through a meadow, which was formerly a heaver pond. It is surrounded by rocks, which on one side are perpendicular and on the other rise in an angle of 45 degrees, forming a strik- ingly picturesque scene. It is about 40 rods through this gap and then the land resumes its level appearance. .
This defile was known to the Indians, who formerly led their captives through it to Canada, but it was forgotten or neglected till the year 1771,
when two hunters passed through it. It is now part of a road to Coos and Canada. This gap lies from Ports- mouth N. 20° W. 90 miles on a direct line, and from Concord 4° E. 70 miles.
These mountains are in lat- itude 44° 15' N. ; and the line of perpetual congelation in that latitude, as deduced from ob- servations made in Europe, is 7,872 feet above the level of the sea. From the greater coldness of American lati- tudes, this point in them must fall short of the above estimate. The altitude therefore of the White mountains cannot be sup- . posed more than 7,800 feet above the level of the sea. These mountains are surround- ed by settled towns, except about 8 miles on the east side between Adams and Shelburne. Mount Washington is 82 miles on a direct line from Ports- mouth N. 17º W. and from Portland N. 55° W. and from Boston 120 miles N. 3° W.
The following additional particulars are extracted from an account published in the Medical Journal, by a party of . gentlemen from Boston, who visited these mountains in July, 1816, for the purpose of scien- tific observation,
" In the United States, ex- clusive, or possibly inclusive, of Louisiana, the highest point or ridge of land is undoubtedly that of the White mountains in New-Hampshire. From the earliest settlement of the coun- try these mountains have at-
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tracted the notice of the inhab- itants, and of mariners along the coast, by the distance at which they are visible, and the whiteness of their appearance during three quarters of the year. They were for a long time the subject of fabulous re- presentations ; the Indians had a superstitious dread of them, and travellers who occasional- ly ascended their summits, re- turned with exaggerated reports of the difficulty and distance, as well as of the strange pro- ductions found on the more elevated parts of their surface.
" The earliest account of an ascent of the White mountains is given in Gov. Winthrop's Journal, and appears to have taken place in the year 1642. This account is somewhat cu- rious, if not otherwise, at least for its antiquity .*
* "One Darby Field, an Irishman, living about Piscat, being accompani- ed with two Indians, went to the top of the White Hill. He made his jour- ney in eighteen days. His relation at his return was, that it was about 160 miles from Saco, that after 40 miles travel, he did for the most partascend ; and within 12 miles of the top, was neither tree nor grass, but low savins, which they went upon the top of some- times, but a continual ascent upon rocks, on a ridge between two vallies filled with snow, out of which came two branches of the Saco river, which met at the foot of the hill where was an Indian town of some 200 people. Some of them accompanied him within 8 miles of the top, but durst go no fur- ther, telling him that no Indian ever , dared to go higher, and that he would die if he went. So they staid there till i.is return, and huis two Indians took courage by his example and went with him. They went divers times 27
" Within the last 40 years the White mountains have been repeatedly ascended by different exploring parties, and several accounts of their pro- ductions and phenomena have been published. The object of this paper is to detail such ob- servations as were made by a party from Boston, who visit-
through the thick clouds for a good space, and within 4 miles of the top, they had no clouds but very cold By the way among the rocks, there were two ponds, one a blackish water, and the other reddish. The top of all was
plain, about 60 feet square. On the north side was such aprecipice as they could scarcely discern the bottom. They had neither cloud nor wind one the top, and moderate heat. All the country about him seemed a level, ex- cept here and there a hill rising above the rest, and far beneath them. He saw to the north, a great water which he judged to be 100 miles broad, but could see no land beyond it. The sea by Saco seemed as if it had been with- in 20 miles. He saw also a sea to tl:e eastward which he judged to be the gulph of Canada ; he saw some great waters in parts to the westward, which he judged to be the great lake Canada river comes out of. He found there much Muscovy glass, they could rive out pieces 40 feet long, and 7 or 8 broad. When he came back to the Indians, he found them drying them- selves by the fire, for they had a great tempest of wind and rain. About a month after, he went again with five or six of his company, then they had some wind on the top, and some clouds above them, which had the sun. They brought some stones which they supposed had been diamonds, but they were most chrystal."-Winthrop's Journal, p. 247. " The relation of Darby Field, may be considered as in the main correct, after making reasonable deductions for the distance, the length of the Muscovy glass, and the quantity of wa- ter in view, which it may be suspect- ed has not been scen by any visitor since his time."
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ed them in the beginning of the Pondcherry mountain. It July, 1816.
" These mountains are situ- ated in lat. about 44° 15' N.and long. 71º 20' W. from Green- wich. They are distant about 150 miles from Boston. Their Indian name according to Dr. Belknap, was Agiocochook.
" Our approach to them was made from the northwest,com- mencing at the town of Lan- caster, a village situated on the Connecticut river,25 miles from their base. From this town a road has been cut, passing through a gap of the mountains to Portland, and constituting the principal outlet of the Coos country. This road takes the course of the Israel's river, a branch of the Connecticut, passing . between the Pliny mountains on the left and the Pondcherry mountain on the right. The village of Lancas- ter is situated in a valley sur- rounded in several directions by very elevated ridges of land. A number of the summits in sight of this place could not be estimated at less than 3000 feet in height, judging from the experience we had acquir- ed of several hills of known altitude on the road, and the accounts given by the inhabit- ants of the time necessary for their ascent and descent,
" The road from Lancaster passes through Jefferson, (for- merly Dartmouth) Bretton Woods, and Nash and Saw- yer's locations, to the notch of the mountains. This road in jts course runs over the foot of
lies for most of the way through thick woods but rare- ly enlivened with the appear- ance of cultivation. At Play- stead's house, 13 miles from their base we had a fair view of the White Hills. They pre- sented the appearance of a con- tinued waving range of sum- mits, of which it was difficult to select the highest. At Rose- brooks, 4₺ miles from the notch, the view of them was very distinct and satisfactory. We could now clearly discern the character of the summits, five or six of which were en- tirely bald and presented the appearance of a grey and rag- ged mass of stones towering above the woods, with which the sides and base were cloth- ed. In several places we ob- served a broad continued stripe descending the mountain and having the appearance of a reg- ular road cut through the trees and rocks from near the base to the summit of the mountain. On examining these with a tel- escope they were found to be channels of streams, and in several, the water could be seen dashing down the rocks.
" Between Rosebrooks and the notch is a plain, or rather a swamp, the waters of which pass off in different directions, partly to the Amonoosuck, a branch of the Connecticut, and partly by an opposite course to the Saco. After crossing several brooks running towards the former, we came to an- other stream, the water of
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which was so sluggish that it required some time to become satisfied that it was actually flowing in the opposite direc- tion. This stream has its ori- gin in a pond of one or two acres, situated near the road, and having no other inlet or outlet. This pond appears to be the principal source of the Saco river.
" The waters of this stream being collected from several sources proceed directly to- ward the side of the mountain. At the point where to all ap- pearance they must be inter- cepted in their course, there occurs one of the most extra- ordinary features of the place, well known by the name of the notch. The whole mountain, which otherwise forms a con- tinued range, is here cloven down quite to its base, afford- ing a free opening to the wa- ters of the Saco, which pass off with a gradual descent toward the sea. This gap is so nar- row that space has with diffi- culty been obtained for the road, which follows the course of the Saco through the notch eastward. In one place the river disappears, being lost in the caves and crevices of the rocks, and under the shelves of the adjoining precipice, at length reappearing at the dis- tance of some rods below. The notch gradually widens into a long narrow valley, in the low- er part of which is situated' the town of Bartlett.
"There is no part of the moun- tain more calculated to excite
interest and wonder than the scenery of this natural gap. The crags and precipices on both sides rise at an angle of great steepness, forming a sup- port or basement for the lofty and irregular ridges above. One of the most picturesque objects in our view was a cliff presenting a perpendicular face of great height and crowned at its inaccessible summit with a profusion of flowering shrubs .* For many miles below the commencement of the notch the eye meets on both sides a succession of steep and precip- itous mountains, rising to the height of some thousands of feet, and utterly inaccessible from the valley below. The sides of these mountains con- sist in some parts of bald rock, streaked or variegated by the trickling of water, in others they are covered with + trees and shrubs. The occa- sional torrents formed by the freshets in the spring have in many places swept away the stones and trees from their course, for a great distance, and left the vestiges of their way in a wide path or gully o- ver naked rocks.
" In some instances the fire had run over the sides of the mountain, destroying the vege- tation and leaving the dead trunks of the trees standing like stubble in a field, and pre- senting a singular appearance of desolation for some miles in
* Rhodora Canadensis, in full flower June 20th.
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extent. Several brooks, the tributaries of the Saco, fall down the abrupt declivities, forming a succession of beauti- ful cascades in sight of the road. We were told that the wind sweeps through the notch at times with great violence. The lightning is said to strike frequently in the mountains from the clouds about their sides, and the sound of the thunder in this place is repre- sented as unusually loud and severe. The report of a mus- ket discharged in the notch, was followed by a long echo, reverberated for some time from both sides of the moun- tain.
" The White Hills have been ascended by various routes, from their different sides. The course which is usually con- sidered as attended with the least difficulties, is that which commences at the plain of Pig- wacket, at present the town of Conway,and follows the course of Ellis river, a northern branch of the Saco, having its origin high in the mountain.
" The place of leaving the road, to follow the track of this stream is in the town of Adams about 20 miles from the summit of the highest part of the mountain. Of this dis- tance seven or eight miles may be rode over on horseback, the rest must be performed on foot. After leaving the bor- ders of cultivation, our course lay through thick woods, on a level or with a gentle ascent, not much encumbered with an
under growth of bushes, for six miles. The walking was tolerably good, except the cir- cumstance of being obliged once or twice to ford the streams. Our encampment for the night, was made at the mouth of New river, a princi- pal branch of the Ellis. This river takes its name from the recency of its origin, which happened in October, 1775. At this time, during a great flood, that took place in con- sequence of heavy rains, a large body of waters, which hid formerly descended by other channels, found their way over the eastern brink of the mountains, and fell down toward the Ellis, carrying the rocks and trees before them in their course, and inundating the adjacent country. By this freshet the banks of the Saco were overflowed, cattle were drowned, and fields of corn were swept away and destroy- ed. Since that period, the New river has remained a con- stant stream, and at the place where it descends the last prec- ipice, forms a splendid cascade of 100 feet in height.
" From this encampment, which was seven miles from the top of the mountain, we proceeded the next day, (July 2,) two or three miles by the side of Ellis river, on a grad- ual ascent, occasionally encum- bered by the trunks of fallen trees. We now left the Ellis, for one of its principal branch- es, called Cutler's river, lead- ing directly towards the princi-
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pal summit. After climbing by the side of this stream for a considerable distance, the trees of the forest around us began to diminish in height, and we found ourselves at the second zone or region of the mountain. This region is en- tirely covered with a thick low growth of 'evergreens, princi- pally the black spruce, and sil- ver fir, which rise to about the height of a man's head, and put out numerous, strong, hor- izontal branches, which are closely interwoven with each other, and surround the moun- tain with a formidable hedge a quarter of a mile in thickness. This zone of evergreens, has always constituted one of the most serious difficulties in the ascent of the White Hills. The passage through them is now much facilitated by a path cut by the direction of Col. Gibbs, who ascended the mountain some years since.
"On emerging from this thick- et, the barometer stood at 25, 93, giving our elevation above the sea, at 4,443 feet. We were now above all woods, and at the foot of what is called the bald part of the mountain. It rose before us with a steep- ness surpassing that of any ground we had passed, and presented to view a huge, dreary irregular pile of dark naked rocks.
"We crossed a plain or gentle slope, of a quarter of a mile, and began to climb upon the side. There was here a con- tinued and laborious ascent of
half a mile, which must be performed by cautiously step- ping from one rock to another, as they present themselves like irregular stairs, winding on the broken surface of the moun- tain. In the interstices of these rocks were occasional patches of dwarfish fir and spruce, and beautiful tufts of small alpine shrubs, then in full flower.
" Having surmounted this height we found ourselves on a second plain. This like the first, was covered with wither- ed grass, and a few tufts of flowers. Its continuity is in- terrupted by several decliv- ities, one of which we descend- ed to our left, to reach a brook that crosses it here, from the rocks above. There remained now to be ascended only the principal peak, the one desig- nated in Winthrop's Journal, by the name of the Sugar-loaf, and in Belknap's New-Hamp- shire, by the name of Mount Washington. This we accom- plished in half an hour, by climbing the ridge to the north of it, and walking on this ridge to the summit.
" If the traveller could be transported at once to the top of this mountain, from the country below, he would no doubt be astonished and de- lighted at the magnitude of his elevation, at the extent and va- riety of the surrounding scene- ry, and above all, by the huge and desolate pile of rocks, ex- tending to a great distance in every direction beneath him, and appearing to insulate him
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from the rest of the world. - But the length and fatigue of the approach, the time occupied in the ascent, the gradual manner in which the prospect has been unfolding itself, are circum- stances which leave less novel- ty to be enjoyed at the summit, than at first view of the sub- ject, would be expected.
"The day of our visit was un- commonly fine, yet the atmos- phere was hazy, and our view of remote objects, was very in- distinct. The Moosehillock, one of the highest mountains of New-Hampshire, situated in Coventry, near the Connecti- cut, was visible on the south. The Kearsarge, Double-head- ed mountains, and several oth- ers were in full view at the east. The country around in almost every direction, is un- even and mountainous. Its appearance is described by Josselyn, in his " Rarities of . New-England," published in 1672, who says that the coun- try beyond the mountains to the northward, "is daunting terrible, being full of rocky hills, as thick as mole hills in a meadow ; and clothed with in- Gnite thick woods."*
* " Messrs. J. W. and F. Boott, who have visited the mountains since, and. found the atmosphere very clear on the summit at half past 7 A. M. have favoured me with the following bear- ings of objects in sight. The sea, sup- posed near Portland S. E. by E .- Lake Winnipiseogee S. S. W .- A long hill having an eminence at each extremity, said by the guide to be the highest in
-" Our anticipations were not realized, in regard to several phenomena, we had been taught to expect at the sum- mit. The state of the air was mild and temperate, so that the over coats which we carried up in expectation of extreme cold, were left at the foot of the last ascent. The thermometer stood at 57, Fahr. on the summit at 12 o'clock, and on the same day at Conway, 25 miles dis- tant, on the plain below, it was at 80. The snow lay in patch- es of an acre in extent upon the sides, but appeared to be rapidly dissolving. We were not conscious of any material alteration in the density of the atmosphere, as neither sound nor respiration were percepti- bly impeded. Instead of an absence from these barren re- gions, of animal and vegetable life ; we found a multitude of insects, buzzing around the highest rocks ; every stone was covered with lichens, and some plants were in flower ir the crevices, within a few feet of the summit.
" The ascent from our en- campment at the mouth of New river, including stops, had employed us six hours and
Vermont, W. by S. a little S .- Sebago lake S.E. ¿ E. McMillans Inn.Conway, S. by E. ¿ E .- The second highest summit of the White hills N.N.E.by E, This summit is separated from the one called Mount Washington, by a gulph opening eastwardly. It is very lofty, falling but little below a horizontal line obtained by a level on the former place.
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a half. The descent from the summit to the same place, oc- cupied about five hours. We left on the mountain our names and the date, inclosed in a bottle, and cemented to the highest rock .*
" Height of the White Moun- tains. The great distance at which these mountains are visi- ble, and the apparent length of their ascent, have led to esti- mates of their height consider- ably exceeding the probable truth. The Rev! Dr. Cutler, who twice visited them, and took barometrical observa- tions computes the height in round numbers, at 10,000 feet above the level of the sea. Dr. Belknap, in his history of New- Hampshire, is persuaded, that this computation is too moderate, and that subsequent calculations will make the height even greater. Mr.Bow- ditch has published in the transactions of the American Academy, a logarithmic cal- culation founded on the barom- eter, as observed by Dr. Cut- ler and Professor Peck, in 1804, which gives them an el- evation of 7,055.
" Capt. Partridge, an engin- eer in the United States' serv-
* Parce, viator, cui fulmina parcent .--- Hoc fragile monumentum Lemuel Shaw, Nathaniel Tucker, Jacob Bigelow,
Franciscus C. Gray, Franciscus Boott, Bostonienses ; Die Jului 2do. A. D. 1816, Monte Agiocochook superato, hic reliquerunt.
ice, visited the mountain some years since, and took barome- trical observations on several of the principal peaks. His observations now in possession of Professor Farrar at the University, give to the high- est summit an elevation of only 6103 feet.
" A mountain barometer, of Englefield's construction, car- ried by Mr. Gray of our party, stood on the summit at noon at 24, 23 ; the accompanying thermometer being at 57. At the same day at Cambridge, the barometer stood at 29, 95, and the thermometer at 76. This difference of the barome- ter, after making the necessa- ry corrections for temperature, and variation in the surface of the cistern, would give, ac- cording to Sir H. C. Engle- field's formula, a difference of 6230 feet in the altitude of the two places. A logarithmic calculation was made, from the same data, by Professor Farrar, which resulted in a difference of 6194 feet. This number being added to 31 feet, the height of Cambridge above the sea, will give 6225 feet, which may be assumed as the „probable height of the White Hills, above the waters of the ocean.
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