USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > History of the White mountains > Part 8
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A peculiar, superstitious man, some years ago, passing up through the Notch to Lancaster from his residence in Bart- lett, camped out in the woods, not far from his path. He was unused to camping in the woods, and in the outset felt some beatings of heart. He made the best of it, however, and laid down. He gained courage, and thought he should pass the night like a hero. He verged towards sleeping. It almost came to him. He was in a transition state, half-sleep- ing and half-waking. sound was in his ears.
But, ah! what was that ? A dismal What was it ? Where was it ? He rose up on his elbow, looked and listened. Now it comes
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again, right from over his head, a peal or a screech that pierced him through and through. Ah ! indeed, thought he, for he dare not speak, what can that be ? Now he trembled, he sweat, his head swam, his teeth chattered. He tried to think of something he should do or say. But, O ! there it is again. Screech, screech, screech ! It seemed as if the very hemlocks would shake off their leaves over his head. Now he was whist as the night-dew, still as he could possibly be. just breathing out from under his blanket, hoping the spirit would go; but no, there it is again. O, dear, what a screech ! It comes again and again. It seems as if all the wizards in the universe were there. Now he rises up, shuddering though he did from his crown down to his very toes. For a moment he sat hesitating, one shudder following another, till he spake out, " You wizard, begone ! I tell you, begone ! Dis- perse yourself! I charge you, begone ! Leave me !" He kept on in this way till finally he succeeded. The owl left, and after a while he lay down quietly under his blanket and slept.
A singular auroral display occurred a few years since at the mountains, causing almost as much wonder and astonish- ment to the beholders as the first appearance of the Aurora Borealis to the people of New England in 1719. A corre- spondent of one of the Boston papers, who witnessed the whole scene, has finely described it.
" WHITE MOUNTAIN NOTCH, September, 1851.
" Meteoric phenomena of such a wonderful kind were wit- nessed here last Saturday evening, that they seemed to those travelling in that region, who were fortunate enough to be- hold them, to demand some public notice, and I trust you will concur with us in our opinion, although no description, much less my own, can do justice to this singularly brilliant,
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and even appalling, display of celestial fire-works. During the whole of the evening we observed the ordinary tranquil aurora, illuminating a portion of the northern hemisphere, and shining with a mild, steady, white light, but remarked no variation of color or form ; and it was not till about half- past eleven that the avant courier of the coming exhibition appeared in the shape of a luminous band, stretching suddenly across the sky, oscillating with a tremulous motion. A gen- tleman from Philadelphia had proposed walking down into the Notch to view it by moonlight; and as we drew near it, the twin Titans guarding the entrance stood boldly forth against a sky of unusual clearness, while the mist collected in the val- ley, lit up by the moon and stars, resembled a sleeping lake.
" Having advanced quite a distance into the Notch, we re- clined upon an elevated rock to contemplate the rugged gran- deur of the cliffs as they rose in the clear, soft light, when our eyes were greeted by the above-mentioned phenomenon. As we lay flat on our backs, on a sudden, from the upper edge of the shining segment in the north, while the lower part grew dark, shot forth innumerable rays, like jets of liquid light, which preserved their form a moment, appearing like a resplendent diadem of solid diamond on the Egyptian brow of night. Oblong spots of a brilliant light now sprang into view in various quarters, which, becoming gradually elongated, burst at the top, scattering masses of light in all directions. Soon broad, shining columns emerged from different points in the horizon, moving slowly at first, then darting up with in- credible swiftness, suddenly vanishing and reappearing of increased brilliancy, eclipsing the light of the planets and moon - now chasing each other in lightning race around the sky, and finally enlarging, after infinite changes of form, so as to occupy the whole heavens. A universal, undulating
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.
motion, similar to the swell of the sea, or the motion of a wind-swept field of grain, but more rapid than the dart of the frightened serpent, now proved the precursor of increased beauty, and of the most truly amazing phenomena. A small pitchy cloud, of irregular form, appears at the zenith, which, as it were, kindles and emits tongues of flame of the most variegated and brilliant hues - green, purple, pink, golden and violet, and streams of fire, shooting in a sinuous course, as when
' Hell's standard-bearer,
- - from the glittering staff unfurled The imperial ensign, which, full-nigh advanced Shone like a meteor, streaming to the wind, With gems and golden lustre rich emblazed ; '
while, all over the heavens, cloud-like masses, flushed with the richest tints, like the glancing light on the polished steel, evolve in the twinkling of an eye countless forms of beauty, as, following the chieftain's ensign,
' All in a moment through the gloom were seen Ten thousand banners rising in the air, With orient colors waving.'
And sulphurous flames, seeming to issue from the mountain, darted from behind, resembling the bursting forth of volcanic fires. Such a scene, calculated to excite the noblest emotions, I never expect to behold again ; it was worth a voyage across the Atlantic. It might be compared to a vast canopy, or tent, suspended from the zenith, inwrought with gold and silver, rubies and emeralds, and shaken by a mighty wind. And it would not require a vivid imagination, for one, shut in as we were by eternal rocks, with the sky kindling over our heads, to see above him the fretted roof of Pandemonium set
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with 'crests, fed with naphtha and asphaltus,' and around, gigantic forms reposing on their couches ; or to think 'her stores were opened, and this firmament,' spouting cataracts of fire ; 'impendent horrors threatening insidious fall.'
" Nearly all the colors of the spectrum were exhibited in dazzling succession, green being especially prominent, which our landlord told us, has never been seen here before, though red is quite common. Nothing was wanting except the hiss- ing and crackling noises sometimes heard here, and frequent in high northern latitudes : the solemn stillness, however, added, I thought, to the sublimity of the scene.
" After the lapse of about half an hour, the varied colors gradually faded, and a dim, white light alone remained in the northern sky. The Aurora Borealis of Lapland, as de- scribed by Maupertuis and others, are very similar to this display. The weather at the mountains for two or three days has been the warmest of the season ; the thermometer ranging ninety to ninety-eight degrees."
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CHAPTER VIII.
THE SLIDES.
THE EFFECT OF THE TURNPIKE UPON TRAVEL THROUGH THE NOTCH. - COUS TEAMSTERS. - PLEASURE TRAVEL. - WANT OF PUBLIC HOUSES. - THE FIRST HOUSE BUILT AT THE NOTCH. - MOVING OF MR. WILLEY TO THE NOTCH. - THE FIRST WINTER AFTER HIS REMOVAL. - THE FIRST SLIDE IN JUNE. - THE FEARS OF MR. WILLEY AND HIS FAMILY. - THE GREAT STORM. - THE GREAT DROUGHT PREVIOUS TO THE STORM. - THEORY OF SLIDES. - THE FIRST SIGNS OF THE STORM. - THE GATHERING OF THE CLOUDS ABOUT THE MOUNTAINS AS SEEN FROM CONWAY. - NIGHT OF THE DISASTER. - VERY PECULIAR APPEARANCE OF THE MOUNTAINS ABOUT MIDNIGHT. - RAPID RISE OF THE SACO IN CONWAY. - FIRST DISCOVERY OF SLIDES. - FIRST NEWS FROM THE NOTCH. - THE SHRILL VOICE IN THE DARKNESS. - THE CON- FIRMATION OF THE FIRST REPORT. - THE MANNER OF COMMUNICATING THE NEWS. - THE TRUMPET AT MIDNIGHT. - SETTING OUT FOR THE NOTCH. - CONDITION OF THE ROADS. - THE APPEARANCE OF THE SACO VALLEY. - ARRIVAL AT THE "WILLEY HOUSE." - SEARCH FOR THE BODIES. - FIND- ING OF SOME OF THE BODIES. - BURIAL. - THE PRAYER AT THE GRAVE. - FINDING OF OTHER BODIES. - OXEN. - THE FIRST NIGHT SPENT IN THE HOUSE SUCCEEDING THE STORM.
" O loneliest, wildest, most forsaken spot ! Here in the valley's lowest depth embowered, Reposed in humblest guise one poor, rude cot, Beneath its eaves the wild geranium flowered ; On the few sharers of its lowly lot Plenty and Peace and Love their blessings showered. But Danger came and rattled at its door ; Silence and Safety, the old warders fled,
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And one returned to that lone place no more ; A midnight darkness o'er the sky was spread, Lightning and storm, with flash and gusty roar, Loosened, and on its fearful errand sped The rocky avalanche, crashing, strong and blind, While Terror stalked before, and Death was close behind."
THE Tenth Turnpike in New Hampshire, says an old Gazetteer, was incorporated in the year 1803, December 27th, to extend from the west line of Bartlett through the Notch of the White Hills, a distance of twenty miles. It oc- cupied the site of a laid-out but never well-finished county road, which had been projected years before. The effects of the labors of the incorporated company were soon seen in the increasing travel. In a short time from its opening it became one of the best paying turnpikes in northern New Hampshire. The only outlet to the large portion of country north of the White Mountains, beginning then to be settled, its numerous advantages were not long in being appreciated. Prior to the extension of the northern railroads, and the opening of the numerous markets along their lines, its demand, as an outlet to the Coös, was much more strongly felt than at present. The original cost of the road was forty thousand dollars, its repairs were many and expensive, and yet its dividends were large, and its stock always good.
Portland, the nearest and most accessible of the seaboard towns, was, in those days, the great market for all this part of New Hampshire. Well can we remember the long train of Coos teams which used to formerly pass through Conway. In winter, more particularly, we have seen lines of teams half a mile in length ; the tough, scrubby, Canadian horses har- nessed to " pungs," well loaded down with pork, cheese, butter and lard, the drivers rivalling almost the modern locomotive
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and its more elegant train of carriages in noise and bluster. Hardy, resolute men were those early settlers of the Coös ;
· Rough,
But generous and brave and kind.'
Besides this Coös travel, compelled, as it were, to pass through this gateway of the mountains, the mountains them- selves had already begun to attract much attention. Visitors to them, though few in comparison with the large numbers which now resort thither, journeyed mostly in private car- riages, and thus gave to their travel an importance far beyond what at the present time the same number would command.
The want of public houses on the road, especially through the mountains, to accommodate the increasing travel, was sorely felt. From the elder Crawford's to the old Rosebrook place, where recently stood the Mount Washington House, a distance of thirteen miles, there was no public house, indeed no occupied house. To appreciate fully the necessity there was for these places of shelter, one should pass north through the Notch in the depth of winter. The roads are then buried beneath the snow, piled up in drifts to a great depth. This is continually blown about by the wind so as to render im- possible a well-beaten path. The traveller has, frequently, shovel in hand, to work his way through the mountains, the cold northern winds, concentrated by their passage through the Notch, blowing directly in his face, almost instantly penetrating and benumbing him.
To open, then, a public house somewhere on this distance, it was seen, would be not only a work of profit, but of kind- ness. For this purpose a house had been erected, some years previous to the time of which we write, by a Mr. Henry Hill,
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and is yet standing, being familiarly known as the " Willey House." It was kept by Mr. Hill and others as a public house for several years, but was at length abandoned, and, at the time of my brother's moving into it, had been untenanted for several months. It was in the fall of the year 1825 that he first moved his family into this house. It had been roughly used by the mountain storms and winds, and needed much repairing. The fall was accordingly spent in making
it comfortable for the winter. He enlarged the stable, and made such other improvements as time would allow, to make it a comfortable shelter for man and beast. But, with all his most earnest labors, he was but imperfectly prepared for the intense cold and storms of those mountain winters. Still he was hailed as a benefactor, and often were he and his shelter greeted with as much warmth by the traveller in those moun- tain passes, as the monks of St. Bernard by the wanderers upon the Alps.
The winter passed, nothing unusual occurring, beyond the arrival and departure of his various company. In the spring further improvements were projected and commenced in his buildings, with the design of making them worthy of the in- creasing patronage. Travellers, who had been his guests, often gave us flattering accounts of his success, and not the least apprehension was felt for his safety. The first thing that particularly diversified his history and awakened his fears, was the slide which took place in June following the spring just referred to.
In the afternoon of one dull, misty day during this month, he and his wife were sitting by a window, that looked out to the north and west. Before them rose in all its grandeur the mountain which is called by their name, " Willey Moun- tain." The clouds and mists almost entirely covered the
10*
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mountain ; but, as they cleared up and the surface came out to view, they saw distinctly a large mass of earth beginning to move. It passed slowly on, increasing in volume and extent, stopping occasionally, as it were to take breath, and at last rushed into the valley beneath. This was quickly followed by another, less in magnitude and extent. These slides took place near the house, and did no injury beyond greatly exciting their fears.
They were startled by them, and took counsel from their fears at first to leave the place. It is said, and is probably correct, that my brother, under the first panic, was even about getting ready his carriage to carry his family to some place of greater safety. He felt for the moment that he must leave.
But still it is certain he did not leave the place. He grew more calm in a short time, and, not long after the period referred to, became almost entirely unapprehensive of danger. I never saw him after this event, but was told repeatedly that he apprehended no danger to himself or family from what had passed. In conversation with a person on the subject, in reply to a query as to his feelings in relation to the recent slides, he said, " Such an event, we know, has not happened here for a very long time past, and another of the kind is not likely to occur for an equally long time to come. Taking things past in this view, then," said he, " I am not afraid." This was certainly fair reasoning on the matter, and such as we might all well make under like circumstances, though now we can see, in the light of all that is past, how little it availed in respect to the calamity that awaited him so soon. His unsuspicious calmness did not protect him from danger. It rather presaged evil than good. It was the dreadful felt stillness that often, perhaps always, precedes the earthquake.
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Now we perceive that the events we have written above had a dreadful significance in them.
In August, succeeding the June we have just referred to, a storm took place in the region of the White Mountains, raging in and about the Notch with peculiar violence. It was memorable for its strength and for its disastrous effects. It can never be forgotten while a single individual shall exist that lived anywhere near the place in which it trans- pired, or any care be taken to transmit the account of it to succeeding times. I lived at North Conway at the time of it, and can, therefore, best present what I have to say from that point.
Previous to the time in which this storm took place, there had been a long and heavy drought. The earth, under a fervid sun, had dried toan unusual depth. This prepared the way for the surface of it to be operated on more powerfully by any quick and copious rain. The soil, dried deep and powdered somewhat, would slide easier under the pressure of any accumulating waters, especially if the roots of plants that traversed it had been made tender by the long-continued heat that had been upon them. In this, perhaps, we have as good a theory of slides as any that can be made.
As the month verged towards its closing, signs of rain began to appear. Clouds gathered on the sky, and though they would disperse in a short time, quickly they would gather again. They continued to do this a number of days in succession, every day assuming more permanence than they did the preceding one. At length they became so con- densed, that they gave rain, small in quantity to be sure, but some - a signal of what was to follow. In this way, things went on till the storm came on in its strength.
The great disaster, in the destruction of my brother and .
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his whole family, consisting of his wife and five children, together with two hired men, took place on the night of the twenty-eighth of this month, August. That day came on Monday, and the disaster took place some time during the night of that day. I was away from home on an exchange the Sabbath previous, and remember well all the circum- stances and events of the gathering storm. On Monday, as I came home, I recollect I was hindered by the rain, occasion- ally falling in showers; so that, though I had but compara- tively a few miles to come, I did not reach home till near sunset.
On my way, as I came up from the south toward my residence, I had the most favorable opportunity to note the gathering clouds. Their movements were all before me, and I had only to look and see them. I had often seen storms gather in the regions of those compacted and elevated moun- tains, but never before with such grandeur and awfulness. The clouds were not so rapid in motion as I had seen before, but their volume and blackness made up, and more than made up, for the want of speed. Their comparative slow movement, indeed, added greatly to the sublimity of their appearance. They reminded one of some heavy armed legions moving slowly and steadily to battle. As they sailed up the giant outline of mountain range extending from Chicorua peak northward for miles, till you come to the White Mountains, and then, pressing upon them, covering them fold after fold with their dark solemn drapery, I could but think of the march of Napoleon, and the measured tread of his infantry, loaded heavily with armor, moving on to some warlike encounter.
They were, in all truth, the very significant portents of a most affecting scene of destruction. As we anticipated
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things in the sequel transpired. At the close of that day, when the darkness was just coming on, it began to rain ; and such a rain I never knew before. The way for it had been prepared, and now it came on in its fury. I was not con- scious of all of it, especially the latter part. Being somewhat fatigued, I retired early and slept soundly. As it appeared afterwards, I slept calmly while others, not very far off, my kindred, even, were suffering and dying. Not long after midnight, I was waked suddenly by the slamming of a large door, on the barn, that was ajar and playing in the wind. I arose quickly and went out. As I passed round the corner of the house to go to the barn, which stood north, in the direction of the White Mountains, my eyes fell directly upon them. I saw something about them unusual. It was all clear overhead, not a cloud on the sky, and the moon shone brightly. The storm had passed off. On the White Mountains there lay, close down upon them, a large, dark cov- ering of clouds. It appeared like a pall thrown over sugar- loaves of unequal heights. Save this, all above and about them was clear and cloudless.
Out of them were seen, at short intervals, vivid light- nings. I heard no thunder; I saw only the lightnings. They continued till I had done my work, and returned to the house. These were unusual as we have said; but whatever there might be in them, peculiar in character, we may consider them now the after scene of the storm, just passed, and as impending the spot where death had just ceased its revel.
I had remained in the house but a short time when word came to my door that the intervales were being entirely covered with water, and that they must immediately be cleared of the cattle and horses that were upon them. As we came up from the intervales, having accomplished the object, we
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could but take notice of the marked effects of the storm on the White Mountains. There was plainly visible to the eye the terrible devastations it had produced. All the portions of them facing the south indicated clearly the desolating in- fluences of the rains that had fallen so copiously on their summits and sides. I never saw such in all my life ; and I had looked on those mountains, upon an average, scores of times every week for years. It was judged that more de- struction of trees, and more displacing of rocks and earth, were made on the declivities of the mountain facing our post of observation, on that terrible night, than had been made since the country was settled. And this was but a part of the destruction produced. On other sides of the mountains, quite round the whole circumference, were gorges and grooves, made deep even on the hard mountain surface, to show that the destroyer had been there.
We were so occupied on Tuesday, the day succeeding the storm, with what was directly before us,-the heavy flood sweeping over the fields so near at hand, and the sight of wasting on the mountains looming up before us, - that we could hardly think of anything else.
On Wednesday early, perhaps on Tuesday, suggestions were made a few times in my hearing respecting things about the Notch ; starting the inquiry how the storm might pos- sibly affect my brother and his family. They were but sug- gestions, however, indicating no particular anxiety in relation to their safety, as there was certainly none with myself or any of his kindred near me. As yet we had heard nothing from him up nearly to the close of Wednesday.
Near the close of that day our suspicions were, for the first time, really aroused as to the safety of my brother's family. Dr. Chadbourne, our physician, on his return from
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Bartlett, whither he had been on a visit to his patients, in- formed us that he had heard the whole family were destroyed. He had seen at Bartlett a man, who had just come down through the Notch, who had given him the information. So entirely unsuspicious had we been of any danger to them, and so unprepared for the reception of such tidings, that for the moment we were overcome.
Recovering somewhat from the stunning effects of such sad tidings, we went immediately to a sister's, who lived near. She had heard the same reports ; but both of us, arguing rather from our hopes than the facts, were inclined to dis- believe the story. To satisfy ourselves, however, further on the subject, it was thought best to go at once to my father's, who lived two miles north of us, near Bartlett. Mr. Thomp- son, my sister's husband, and myself, accordingly set out.
We found him having received the news as we had, from the same source, and about the same in amount of informa- tion. He was entirely unimpressed with the correctness of the report, and immediately calmed our fears. He said he knew the Notch well, which was the fact, all its bearings and relations, and though he had heard what he had, still he did not think, from the best judgment he could make, that the family were destroyed. Though they were not in their late place of residence, he thought they were alive in some retreat, whither they had fled from the ruins of the storm. The idea that the family were all destroyed was too much for him to entertain. He thought that, notwithstanding all which had been reported, and all the danger that must have surrounded them that dreadful night, still they were among the living.
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