USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Warren > The history of Warren; a mountain hamlet, located among the White hills of New Hampshire > Part 48
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The village school once got up an immense omnibus and made a visit to the East-parte school by Moosehillock falls. The East- parte boys painted up a great four horse sleigh in the most fantas- tic manner, and labelled it the " Serpent." In this sleigh all the East-parte scholars visited the village school and sang this song both on their arrival and departure, greatly delighting themselves and everybody else :-
Did you ever see a serpent crawling on the snow ?
Did you ever see the folks laugh to see the serpent go ? Why 'tis nothing but a carryall to carry us along-
And now if you are willing we'll sing you a song.
.
568
HISTORY OF WARREN.
We are a little company of jolly girls and boys, We've just begun to read and spell and make a little noise. The times are hard, our parents poor, our chance is very small; But for our own exertions we could not read at all.
We'll continue our exertions, the hill of science climb- We'll improve upon our talents and not mis-spend our time, When we have gained the eminence and buffeted the storm, We'll double our exertions for a common school reform.
Now don't mistake our motive in giving you this call, Our feelings are quite generous, although our talent's small; We will tender you our thanks, and will show to you our love,
Though we are not as wise as serpents we'll be harmless as the dove.
We respect and love our teacher, for he is very kind To impart to us instruction to cultivate the mind. His task is very hard, his time is very brief,
But the motto of the serpent shall be to him relief. .
'Tis "labor vincit omnia," The motto of our crew, By this we can accomplish much, Although our number's few, 'Tis now we bid adieu to you, And hope again to meet, That the Warren Centre omnibus May the infant Serpent greet.
To return we are now ready To our homes in the east, For the child is not a man, And the serpent not a beast ; For the children they may cry, And the serpent he may hiss, But of all the childish concerts . There is none can equal this.
EAST-PARTE SONG.
A BALLARD BY MERRILL BIXBY.
It is said, though some doubt the truth of it, that the poet sang this song, accompanying himself on a harp. We give only two stanzas, the others are all supposed to be lost :-
Ye Warrenites that live in town, Think this not done to gain renown, 'Tis but a glance that you may see, What simple fools some folks can be .
Think not I censure every one, But those who mischief much have done, I mean those rakes out in the east, Who out of slander make a feast. .
569
APPENDIX.
AMOS F. CLOUGH'S DIARY.
KEPT ON MOOSEHILLOCK IN WINTER OF
1870.
1869, Dec. 31 .- To-day I got my "traps" to make stereo- graphs in order and started for the mountain. D. G. Marsh brought me out to Merrill's, where Prof. J. H. Huntington, of the Geological Survey, was waiting for me. We started at 11 A. M., " traps" on a handsled, rope to draw by; a string team, Hunting- ton on the lead. We made good progress to where he left his sled; snow was hard and the walking good. Here we divided up, took on some luggage, and then began the ascent in earnest. It was warm and we had to rest quite often. My load became heavy and at the steep part I left off the valise, which had nothing to freeze in it.
When we came on to the ridge the scene was the grandest I ever saw. Large, massive clouds were floating along the base of the highest mountains, and sweeping across the tops of the lesser ones. The White mountains, snow white, were all above the clouds, piercing the blue sky. The Green mountains were dark and frowning. Lake Winnepisseogee was a field of glaring ice. The mountains of Maine, of Canada, and the Adirondacks flashed daz- zling in the setting sun.
The wind blew strong as we neared the Prospect House, and we were glad to go in and get some " grub," and prepare for the night. We have made a good fire, and fixed up our room. A cloud has settled down upon the mountain top, it is as dark as Egypt without, and here alone, away from friends and social life, we feel as isolated as though we were in Greenland.
1870, Jan. 1 .- Happy new year " to people down on earth." It is a glorious morning up here. The scene is one of wild mag- nificence. A vast ocean of clouds is below us. Rolling masses, white crested, stretch to the south and east as far as the eye can see ; high mountains pierce through them like islands. The White mountains resemble huge icebergs in mid ocean, so white and daz- zling is their lustre. As the sun rose higher, breaks began to occur in the cloudy mass, revealing the world below, which seemed a dark yawning abyss.
Went down after my luggage and brought it up. A fox had
570
HISTORY OF WARREN.
the curiosity to follow us up the mountain yesterday. He came to the Prospect House, but never asked to come in. He probably thought it was an erratic notion of ours to come up on this bleak peak at this season of the year. I found rabbit tracks plenty among the firs. A Canada grouse had crossed and re-crossed my path before I returned. White winged cross-bills were at work among the cones. Black capped titmice were as merry as crickets, singing all the time and rattling off loose pieces of bark in search of insects, while Canada jays fluttered before me, now cackling like wild geese, then whistling like a hawk, then barking like a small dog, often uttering a weird and querulous note, and finally drop- ping with motionless wings soft and silent as a falling snow-flake, out of sight in the dark firs. These are all hardy birds and endure the rigors of our coldest winters.
Fixed up bed-room at end of dining hall, as it presents more chances for comfort than any other room. Shall paper it through- out, top and bottom. The wind is blowing strong from the south- east. " A storm may now be expected," as the almanac makers "say. Well, I can't help it, so " let-er-rip." Huntington is going to make meteorological observations. I am going to make pictures.
Jan. 2 .- I was awake nearly all night. Wind blew hard and it began to snow. It makes the old stone house shake. It blows a perfect gale, not in gusts, but a steady pull and a pull altogether. At 9 o'clock A. M. I took the anemometer, stood out and held it five minutes. It registered 75 miles an hour. It was all I could do to stand up against the tempest. The wind increased, and at noon I went out again. The wind caught me and swept me sev- eral yards before I could make a stand, and then only by bracing against a rock. I could not hear Mr. Huntington, so had to watch to see when the five minutes was up. He gave the signal and I started to come in. The wind threw me down five times be- fore I reached the door. I clung to the rocks, then crept on my hands and knees, and when I entered the house, my clothing, though of the heaviest kind, was saturated with the rain. I was completely out of breath, and trembled all over with the exertion. We found that the wind was blowing at the rate of 97 1-2 miles per hour-a hurricane- the strongest, fiercest wind ever recorded in the United States.
571
APPENDIX.
Well, if it blows much harder, there is a chance that they will have a first class hotel over at North Benton. If we go it will be by wind, house and all. We can go well enough, but how the devil shall we light. Blow and be hanged. I have my boots, coat and hat on, ready for a start. Huntington looks as if he was ready. How it blows! The wind moans, whines, shrieks, and yells, like a thousand ghosts, the house trembles and rocks though the walls are of stone three feet thick, and the roar is deafening. The rain comes in through every crack and crevice. So fierce is the draft of the stove that the wind has literally sucked the fire out and we have had the greatest difficulty in re-kindling it. Crash! every glass in our window is broken, the fire is sucked out of the stove again, the light in our hurricane lantern is extin- guished. I speak, but no one answers; I call louder, but there is no response; I shout, but no answer comes; I shiver with cold, and wet, and tempest. Darkness, if not terror, reigns.
Well, we have got the window fastened up. I held the boards and Huntington nailed them. Then we nailed blankets over the crevices to keep the wind out. After 9 P. M. the wind lulled; at midnight it was over and we went to sleep.
Jan. 3 .- The storm has passed by. The wind has changed, but the clouds still wrap the mountain top. H. went down to Nathaniel Merrill's, and I have been busy fixing up our domicil. Snow has nearly all gone from the top; icy and slippery. Heard a flock of cross-bills near the house.
4 .- The clouds rise up occasionally, giving us a glimpse of the lower world. We hung out a red light to-night.
5 .- Some snow has fallen. Wind strong. Our life is very quiet-hermit like !
6 .- Snowed all this day. Wind S. W. Am reading geology.
7 .- Cold. Thermometer 3 degrees below. Wind N. W.
8 .- Weather milder. Clouds have blown away. Snow drift as high as the house, and over our window. We had to shovel a hole through it before we got any daylight.
9 .- Cold. Wind N. W. Heavy clouds driving across the mountain. Came down after a barometer. Had tough time get- ting over the ridge where it was drifted. Snow a foot deep in woods-five inches at Mr. Merrill's.
10 .- At Mr. Merrill's.
572
HISTORY OF WARREN.
11 .- Left Mr. M.'s at 10:20 A. M. with a haversack well filled-barometer, gun, and snow-shoes-a heavy load, for the Prospect House. Snow grew deeper as I went up the mountain. Could not use the snow-shoes they " loaded " up so. Had to take them off and wallow up to my knees. Shot at two birds; did not get either of them. At last I gained the ridge where the snow was blown off; it was like taking the fetters from one's feet to be able to walk without wallowing. Never was a breeze more reviv- ing in a hot sultry day in midsummer, than the one on the ridge, though it was far below the freezing point. It infused new vigor into my weary limbs, and I pushed rapidly forward to the Pros- pect House; arrived at 2:30 P. M. having been a little over four hours from Mr. Merrill's. As I came along the ridge, saw rabbit tracks where it had leaped along the path. There were also the tracks of a stoat or ermine, evidently in pursuit; but I lost sight of them where the snow was blown away.
12 .- Rains. Wind S. W. No fair weather since Jan. 1.
13 .- Snowed nearly all day. Shoveled out our window. H. went down and got the snow-shoes I left. The storm has broken up this P. M., and massive clouds roll along the base of the moun- tain. Snow squalls are to be seen here and there over the country. Still and calm, more so than usual up here. House is well chinked .
and daubed with frost.
14 .- A remarkably fine day. We are up in a clear, beauti- fully transparent atmosphere. All below is covered with clouds; a vast ocean of clouds dotted with islands to the east and north- east, the mountains rising through the dense vapor.
I have made some glorious stereoscopic views; frost views and cloud views, and mountains in the distance. How I have enjoyed this day !
15 .- A hard storm, snow and rain. Terrible long days and nights up here !
16 .- H. went down to-day. Got back at 4.30 P. M .- brought lots of letters. Played boy to-night and went sliding down the side of the mountain on a sled.
17 .- Hard storm. Rain and snow. Wind S. E.
18 .- Wind shifted to N. W., and blowed hard enough to knock the storm all to shreds. Clear as a bell this A. M. The mountains
APPENDIX. 573
are gray, snow mostly gone, only large drifts left in the ravines and gorges. Dug out the spring to-day-don't fancy snow water much.
19 .- Pleasant. Went over to " Jobildunk " ravine. The falls are ice crags,-splendid! Shall make some views there. Cross- bills and chickadees were plenty in the hackmatacks. As we came up over the brow of the mountain, saw what I took to be a smoke and thought the house had burned. I went a few rods pretty quick ; it proved to be a thin cloud, so I was sold cheap.
20 .- Pleasant. Got breakfast, took my gun and started down the mountain. Shot some cross-bills; heard a bird whistling away ; mocked him, he lighted on a stump to investigate; I fired and he flew " like thunder." Lucky fellow ! he was about two thirds as large as a robin. Shot at a large pileated wood-pecker, but did not hit him. Saw an abundance of chickadees. Got to Mr. Mer- rill's at noon. No letters, no papers, " no nothin,"-a big joke ! Sent the birds to a taxidermist. Got dinner, talked with a minis- ter of much religion and but little sense; started, struck a two- forty gait, and came up to the Prospect House on time.
21 .- Cold. Five men and a " spotted dorg " came up to see us from North Benton.
22 .- Made some pictures-good ones. Cross-bills were plenty about the house to-day. An ermine crossed the mountain last night, about half-way between the house and the spring. They are hardy fellows and pursue their game with a great deal of tenacity. H. is getting lonesome.
23 .- Rained. H. went down-brought up two letters. Shov- eled snow to keep out the wind.
24 .- Made picture of frost feathers to-day. Glorious! Also cloud view over Lake Winnepisseogee,-grand and sublime! The Adirondacks were lighted up to-day, their sharp peaks gleaming in snow with dark clouds for a back-ground-never saw them so magnificent before.
25 .- Stormy.
26 .- Storm has abated, but dark heavy clouds drive across the mountain, making it almost as black as night. The bushes in the sheltered spots are covered with great balls of ice of a tea green ' color. On these form the "frost feathers." What is very pecu-
4
574
HISTORY OF WARREN.
liar, these feathers form or build up against the wind, while the side opposite is left bare. The same effect is produced on the rocks, presenting a complete covering of pure white snow feath- ers. Went down towards the ravine.
27 .- Mounted my snow shoes, took an axe and an old iron tea- kettle, and started for Jobildunk ravine. Splendid view there; ice columns a hundred feet high. What a time I had getting down to the foot! First, I sent the axe down on a voyage of discovery and to bush out a path. How it leaped and slid and plunged as it went down to the woods a thousand feet below! Next went the snow-shoes; but the kettle would be smashed and I kept it along with me. Then I slid a little way clinging by the bushes, and holding to a birch got down a perpendicular descent some ten feet. From this I could not get back at all nor down except by jumping. Then I sent the tea-kettle ahead-it went leaping and whirling twenty feet at a bound, smashed in pieces and was lost in the firs. I never saw it again. I looked over the precipice. There was a shelf of the rock twenty feet below and a snow bank on it. It was the only way. I jumped and settled to my knees in it. The rest of the way was easier, and sliding and jumping, I was at the foot in almost no time, It was a wild, grand scene, ice precipices rising one above the other a thousand feet, till the tops are lost in the clouds.' Spotted my views, and was two hours climbing home through the woods. The ravine is one of the wildest places in New Hampshire, especially in winter. The Asquamchumauke comes down through it.
28 .- Cold. Made some pictures of frost work, and one mag- nificent cloud view. H. went down to Mr. Merrill's and brought up letters and papers. I am pleased. Two white-winged cross- bills came into the house to-day as I left the door open. They were lively and are the only living things that visit us except a few mice who have taken lodgings on the outside of our room, where they can get some heat from the stove. A man by the name of Adams started to come to the house, got lost and stopped out on the mountain all night. He got back, having only frozen his feet. . Wonderful that he did not perish.
29 .- Storms. Terrible lonesome here to-day.
30 .- Wind fifty miles per hour. Snow flies. Dug out the
575
APPENDIX.
window three times to let in daylight. The house is snowed up very tiglit-very monotonous. Clouds and storm, storm and clouds. Not so cold here as I thought it would be.
31 .- Cool but pleasant. Ther. stands at 0. Made the best pictures of the White mountains that I have ever got. The moun- tains are clear and white, and seem brought forward.
Heavy banks of clouds have been hanging on the horizon, south and east, all day. About 3 P. M. they began to come inland like a huge sea, enveloping the hills and valleys. Then the vapor rose up over the high mountains forming dark domes in the sun- light, and at 5 P. M. we were enveloped with so thick and black a cloud that we could scarce see three rods. Such is life on a moun- tain.
One month has gone since we came up here. It has slipped quickly and quietly away, and I have had about all of this that I want, but shall stay a while longer if nothing happens.
Feb. 1 .- Went down on earth. Huntington stops at Merrill's, and is to walk up and down the mountain to get the record of the thermometer and barometer.
15 .- Well, after two weeks of sojourn below, I am here in the region of bleakness and storms once more. A dense fog envelops the mountain, shutting out all distance.'
16 .- Cold; wind N. W. Clouds drove over our mountain peak till about noon, then cleared off clear as crystal,-clearer than I ever saw it before. We can see the ocean plain as the nose on a man's face. It is through the notches of the hills beyond Lake Winnepisseogee, a long bright line of blue.
It is growing cold, thermometer 16 degrees below. Hope it will be cold as Dante's hell, for it gives us a glorious view.
17 .- Cold. Made a few pictures, then started for Mr. Merrill's. Slid on sled half a mile down to the ridge. Was one and a half hours getting to Mr. M.'s. Got letters, papers, pail of sugar, and gun, and am now on the road back, snow-shoeing it up the bridle path-am stopping on the ridge now. Can see the ocean distinctly. Heavy clouds are coming from it. 5 P. M .- Am at the Prospect House, and the clouds are here too. They were just one hour com- ing from the ocean to Moosehillock. My boots froze stiff coming up. Storms to night.
576
HISTORY OF WARREN.
18 .- Storms. Well, I like a storm; it rouses peculiar feelings ; excitement, when it goes in strong, and it does that to-day, sure. One incessant roar all day; driving sleet and rain. The house shakes and trembles, though one side is buried in a snow drift to the top of the roof, nearly, with five inches of snow and ice on the roof and walls.
10 A. M .- Went out with the anemometer. We had a barrel set for the purpose, but the snow and ice had filled it up. So I held the machine for ten minutes. Sat down back to the wind as- tride of the barrel. It was no boy's play. Machine won't weigh five pounds, but it tired me terribly. The wind would ease a tri- fle, then come with a rush and a roar louder than thunder, that made me cling legs and arms to the barrel. The roar was deafen- ing-I could not hear. Huntington gave signal with his hand and I made for the house. Was thrown flat down by the wind, then crept in. How queer I felt. I reeled and staggered like a drunk- en man. My head was giddy, my eyes on fire, a thrill like elec- tricity shot through my whole body, making me wild and reckless. How it would have operated had I stopped longer, I cannot say. I should be careless of my life to try it again. The wind is blow- ing a hundred miles an hour-the sleet cuts like a knife-and my skin smarts wherever it was struck.
Blows like great guns this P. M. Rain comes down a perfect shower. Runs in streams about our window. We have got pails, buckets, kettles, &c., to catch it and keep from being drowned out. This is worse than the storm of Jan. 2; but we are better prepared to meet it.
8 P. M .- No abatement in the storm yet. Blow! blow! I like it. It is like a roar of thunder all the time.
10:30 P. M .- Still continues. Wind howls now like ten thou- sand fiends let loose from the infernal regions.
19 .- Well, the storm has spent its fury at last. The wild deaf- ning roar has died away, but occasional gusts sweep along, sigh- ing with a low moan, the last dying throes of the wild, terrifying hurricane. It began to abate last midnight. Would like to have . the clouds lift a few minutes to see how it served people down on earth. H. has gone down and when he comes back he will report.
It takes a blow from S. E. to get up a storm and keep it agoing.
577
APPENDIX.
It also takes a blow from the N. W., up in this altitude, a mile above the ocean, to clear it off. It is cold to-day.
This P. M. we got frost clouds, " clouds made up of minute particles of ice, said to bring death to any one caught in them." That story is a myth. We found them as harmless as a summer vapor.
20 .- Ther. 14 degrees below. Clear and pleasant. Looked away to the south-east and saw the ocean. Walked down to the ravine. Got a fall and slid down a hundred feet-brought up in a snow bank; was frightened, but not hurt a bit. Hackmatacks are buried in snow. Wind has changed to south-east again. Another storm is on the stocks.
2 P. M .- It is blowing again. It roars again-it howls again. I thought the wind had blown as hard as it could, but it is now worse than ever before. I shall not wet myself to the skin again to hold up that anemometer. I know it blows at the rate of more than a hundred miles an hour. How it roars. But " roar" don't express the noise. Bellow is too tame by half. In a thunder storm the lightning flashes, blinding the sight. Then comes a sharp report which immediately gives way to deep, reverberatory rumbling that shakes and makes everything vibrate with its power, then rolls away and is lost. Now just imagine, if you can, a con- tinual roll of the first reverberations, after the sharp report is over, and you will have some faint idea of what we have this day,-a continual thunder, making everything shake, for hours together.
Have storms like this swept over these mountains for thou- sands of years, perhaps millions of years, or is this a special storm for the benefit of us two poor mortals who have invaded this bleak and lofty region? Can't tell !
21 .- Snows, and there is a drift fifteen feet high on the south side of our house. Had to shovel out our window to let in day- light. 1 P. M .- I am writing by lamplight; the house is completely snowed up.
22 .- Ther. 17 degrees below. House still snowed up-time drags !
*
578
HISTORY OF WARREN.
23 .- Have worked with the Theodolite this day. The follow- ing are some of the principal points which we have sighted :--
POINTS FROM MOOSEHILLOCK MOUNTAIN.
Mt. Washington
North 70 degrees East.
Mt. Carrigan
88
66
66
66
Mt. Pigwacket
South 86
28
26
14
66
66
14
66
West.
Mount Carr
Mt. Monadnock
51
54
59
66
66
Killington Peaks
North 71
Camels Hump .
66
52
66
66
Lake Champlain
66
42
66
66
Mt. Mansfield Jay Peak
66
11
66
Percy or Stark Peaks
17
East.
Mt. Lafayette .
.
58
66
Lake Winnepisseogee
Mt. Belknap
Manchester, N. H.
Mt. Kearsarge
16
19
60
Mt. Ascutney
Mt. Cube
Mt. Graylock
61
66
Mt. Marcy, N. Y.
66
60
66
66
24 .- Cold. Packed up and have taken part of our things down below the Cold spring. The snow is very deep there, yet the spring runs musical, the same as ever. Cross-bills and other winter birds are very plenty. Coming back, saw where a wolf had crossed the mountain last night. He made a track as large as a dog. Prof. H. froze his feet getting up to the Prospect House yesterday, and thawed them out in snow.
25 .- Here it is noon, and I am writing by lamplight, for we have not courage enough to go out and shovel the snow away from our window. Ther. 15 degrees below. Wind blows hard and we cannot get off this mountain to-day. Just went out in the other room and saw a stoat, or ermine, or weasel. He is about eight inches long, small head, full eyes, body pure white, tail five inches long tipped with black. He jumped out of the window where there is a broken light of glass, then turned round and looked back. I made a noise like a mouse, and he went to looking for that animal. They are courageous, very spry and active, and will kill rabbits and hens ten times their weight. No hens up here !
:
26 .- It is stormful, and clouds rush wildly along over the mountain. We have packed up. Our sleds are loaded. We are going to leave the Prospect House,-leave Moosehillock - are going down on earth. What an experience for nearly two
The Ocean seen
66
66
4
66
66
APPENDIX. 579
months we have had up here. Storms, hail, rain, sleet, snow ; house rocking, dizzying; wind roaring, yelling, howling, screech- ing, screaming, moaning, whining, crying; then thundering, one continuous roll so loud that the most powerful voice could not be heard three feet away. And then what sunshine! How grand the thousand snowy mountain peaks around us! The rivers and the lakes, glaring ice, flashing in a flood of glorious sunlight! The ocean ! how sublime and how distinctly seen, ninety miles away ! No mortals since the world began ever had such an experience on North American mountain top as we have had. .
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