;,,--. £ 
 
THE HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 WHITE MOUNTAINS, 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 FIRST SETTLEMENT 
 
 OF 
 
 UPPEK COOS AND PEQTJAE1ET. 
 
 By Lucy, Wife of Ethan Allen Crawford, Esq: 
 
 First Published in 1845. 
 
 WITH PREFACE BY HENRY WHEELOCK RIPLEY. 
 
 6*188 
 
 ■ 
 
 PORTLAND, MAINE: 
 HOYT, FOGG & DONHAM, 
 
 1883. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1845, 
 
 BY LUCY CRAWFORD, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of New Hampshire. 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1883, 
 
 BY HOYT, FOGO & DONHAM, 
 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. 
 
 
 Printed and Stereotyped by B. THURSTON' & CO., 
 97 i Exchange St., Portland, Me. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction to Edition of 1883, 5 
 
 " " " " 1845, 1 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 The Rosebrooks, 9 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 The Crawfords, 25 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Reminiscences, . . . 34 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Reminiscences, 39 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 Reminiscences, 53 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 Reminiscences, 60 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 Reminiscences, 71 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Reminiscences, .85 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Reminiscences, 102 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Reminiscences, Improvements and Weather, . . 107 
 
 3 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In reproducing the early History of the White Mountains, 
 their discovery and settlement, written by Mrs. Ethan Allen 
 Crawford, we are delightfully carried back to the days of our 
 boyhood, when we first visited those grand old Cathedrals and 
 Temples of Nature, — to the days of that freedom of thought 
 and -life so full of sunshine and hope, which followed our 
 young footsteps among the many changing scenes of grandeur 
 then undiscovered among those "Everlasting Hills," — days, in 
 truth, full of " romance and reality," when the world seemed 
 but the great ideal and central unfolding in one mighty volume, 
 the wonderful gifts and glories of the great Creator's hands. 
 The History of the White Mountains at this period forms one 
 of the most interesting subjects of modern times, and thou- 
 sands have read, who have never visited them, that most charm- 
 ingly descriptive and interesting volume, written and pub- 
 lished in 1859, by that patriot Christian scholar and states- 
 man, the Rev. Thomas Starr King. It was the writer's highest 
 privilege to be a companion of Mr. King for several seasons 
 among the mountains, and whether exploring among cliffs and 
 crags, or midst the wildwood passes, or following stream by 
 stream with rod and line, 'twas all the same, his great heart 
 and soul was the embodiment of nature; living he breathed it, 
 and dying has left its fragrance on the desert air. We can but 
 hope that this best of all White Mountain histories may ere 
 long be republished, to more extensively perpetuate his mem- 
 ory among the scenes he loved so dearly. 
 
 The present volume, which we present to the public, was 
 written in the old stage days of John Smith, the Knight of the 
 Whip, who for nearly forty years drove his elegant Concord 
 coach from Conway to Portland, and who is now living, a hale 
 and hearty bachelor, nearly eighty-five years old, at his adopt- 
 ed, home, Fryeburg, — in the days of Abbott, Thorn & Co.'s line 
 of stages from Center Harbor to Conway, and through the 
 White Mountains, — in the days, in short, when occurred those 
 events of history, that, like the "Crawford," the "Rose- 
 brooks," the '• Willey " families, belong alone to the past. We 
 shall endeavor, in our next edition, to give a general history 
 of the early settlements of the towns comprising the Up- 
 per Coos, Gorham, Lancaster, Littleton, Colebrook, Whitefield, 
 Bethlehem, Conway, Bartlett and Jackson in New Hampshire ; 
 also of the early settlement of the towns comprising the Pe- 
 quaket country, and the writer's native town of Fryeburg, 
 
 5 
 
G PREFACE. 
 
 Maine. We shall also give the history of the building of the 
 Boston, Concord and Montreal railroad into the mountains, 
 the Portland and Ogdensburg through the Crawford Notch, 
 the Mount Washington Turnpike from the Glen House on the 
 east side, to the summit, and the Mount Washington railroad 
 from Marshfield on the west side to the summit, together with 
 whatever events have occurred which will interest the tourist 
 to the White Mountains since the edition was published in 1846. 
 In this edition we give a very perfect likeness of Abel Craw- 
 ford, " the Patriarch of the Hills," copied by Conant of this 
 city, from the original portrait by Chester Harding in 1846, and 
 now in the possession of Mrs. Abby Davis Bemis, his grand- 
 daughter, of Melrose Highlands, to whom the writer is greatly 
 indebted for the loan of it for present use. The likeness is 
 strikingly correct, and will be recognized by many who nearly 
 one-half century ago saw the original work in the parlor of 
 the old Crawford House. r "Old Crawford" was the first 
 man who ever rode a horse up Mount Washington in 1840, then 
 seventy-five years of age. He died in 1852, aged eighty-five 
 years, and the little mound just this side of Bemis' station 
 marks his last resting-place, while grand old Mount Craw- 
 ford is his fitting monument. 
 
 I feel sure that the pleasure-seeking and beauty-loving 
 travelers of this generation, as cosily seated in one of the tri- 
 umphs of modem civilization, an observation car, they glide 
 comfortably over steel rails far up the sides of the mighty mount- 
 ains, will be glad to hearken to the echo of a voice from the 
 misty past, a voice telling the story of these grand and magnifi- 
 cent scenes, telling it not in fine, modern phrase, but in olden, 
 homely, quaint speech, yet full of rugged strength and earnest 
 meaning, like the character of the pioneers of the mountains, 
 like the mountains themselves. 
 
 It was my original intention to have added to Mrs. Craw- 
 ford's history a modern history of the White Mountains, but 
 owing to the failure on the part of various representatives of 
 vicinities to supply me with the necessary data, I am unable to 
 do so in this edition. 
 
 A knowledge gained by a close acquaintance of forty-five 
 years with the mountains and their visitors, of the lively inter- 
 est and enthusiasm felt for everything relating to the White 
 Mountain region, leads me to confidently expect the necessity 
 of the next edition shortly, in which the modern history will 
 be supplied. 
 
 "If thou art worn and hard beset 
 With sorrows that thou wouldst forget, 
 If thou wouldst read a lesson that will keep 
 Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep, 
 Go to the woods and hills ; no tears 
 Dim the sweet look that nature wears." 
 
 H. W. Ripley. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 EDITION OF 1845. 
 
 It may be inquired by some persons, what has become 
 of Crawford, the mountaineer, or Ethan of the hills. It 
 will be the endeavor of the authoress of this tale to relate 
 some of his misfortunes and adventures, briefly as possible, 
 it being always a rule with him to make short stories and 
 not go a great way round to effect a small thing. 
 
 This she has done, in his own language, as nearly as 
 she could, for the information of others and the benefit 
 of all of her own family whom she is desirous of bringing 
 up and making useful members of society. These are 
 all true statements of things which have taken place 
 within her own knowledge, since she has been living with 
 him. These facts he was unwilling at first to have pub- 
 lished, as he did not wish to expose those who seemed to 
 be against him. They have been stated in as moderate 
 terms as possible, as we do not wish to injure the feelings 
 even of enemies if we have any such. It will readily be 
 seen why he was always involved in debt, if this history 
 is read with candor and viewed in a right manner, as it 
 
8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 will show his misfortunes to have originated, first, in the 
 fire, which left him a large sum in debt ; next, in being 
 obliged to build almost every year, so far from common 
 privileges ; and then, in the two freshets, which caused 
 him a heavy loss of property. Taking all these things 
 into consideration, it may be wondered how he succeeded 
 in getting along as well as he did, under so many losses 
 and disappointments. But, saith the poet : — 
 
 "Pigmies placed on alps, are pigmies still; 
 And pyramids are pyramids in vales." 
 
 And, as the scriptures saith of men of ancient times : — 
 "There were giants in those days." 
 
pjioipf of the White iv[oui\itaiw0. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE R0SEBR00KS. 
 
 Hannah Hanes was born in Brimfield, Mass., August 
 3, 1744, and at an early age she experienced religion, at 
 the age of seventeen, I think she told me; and this 
 religion supported her through many trying scenes of 
 life; neither did it forsake her in the time of death. 
 
 Eleazer Rosebrook was born in Grafton, Mass., 1747 ; 
 was married to Hannah Hanes, in March, 1772, and there 
 they lived until after the birth of their first child, a 
 daughter ; and when this child was one year and a half 
 old, he, like many other enterprising men, took his wife 
 and child and came into what was then called Upper 
 Coos (pronounced Quos), as far as Lancaster. Here 
 they made a temporary stay, while he could look about 
 and find a place to settle, until after the birth of their 
 second child, a daughter. They then moved into the 
 woods, up the Connecticut river, as far as Monadnuc or 
 Monadnock, now incorporated as Colebrook, nearly thirty 
 miles from any inhabitant, and without a road. They 
 took the river, in some places, for a guide ; and in other 
 places, they followed by marks of spotted trees, which 
 were spotted for the purpose of shortening the distance, 
 1* 8 
 
10 HISTOKY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 and then went into a little log cabin which had been 
 previously prepared by Mr. Rosebrook, my grandfather. 
 
 Now, in the woods, making a beginning, setting an 
 example for others to follow, suffering many hardships, 
 and enduring many privations common to beginners in a 
 new country, they did the best they could and tried to 
 be content with their situation. They had provided 
 themselves with a cow, the only favored domestic animal 
 they possessed, and, having no pasture, or fence, she 
 was at liberty to range about and go wherever she pleased. 
 Many times did Mrs. Rosebrook, my grandmother, in 
 the absence of her husband, shut her dear child up in her 
 cabin and taking her infant in her arms, proceed into the 
 woods in search of her cow, which she would be directed 
 to find by the sound of her bell. Sometimes she was 
 under the necessity of wading the river to get where the 
 animal was, and then she would return home and find the 
 deserted child safe, and, with the infant still in her arms, 
 and followed by the other child, did she milk her cow. 
 What courage must this woman have possessed, after be- 
 ing for many years among near relatives, such as parents, 
 brothers, sisters and a numerous circle of friends and 
 neighbors, who were near and dear to her, and changing 
 them for the woods ! What a contrast between having 
 a large society and now being confined entirely to these 
 her lisping children ! What woman in these days could 
 do this and not complain of its being hard or severe ? 
 But she had made up her mind to be content and indus- 
 trious in whatsoever situation she should be placed, and 
 having a monitor within, which would say to her that al- 
 though separated from earthly friends, yet she had one 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 11 
 
 that would " stick closer than a brother," and while filled 
 with these thoughts, her fears of wild beasts, and many 
 other things, would flee from her. 
 
 Their living was principally upon animal food ; as God 
 always provides suitably for every one who depends up- 
 on him and will apply himself industriously to obtain. 
 
 The woods were beautiful, and well stored with game, 
 such as moose, deer, bears, etc., and hunters might, in a 
 short time, kill and procure a sufficient quantity of this 
 kind of food to supply their families a long time. Some 
 of the flesh they would dry, and some they would smoke ; 
 and, in various ways, did they preserve it and make good 
 wholesome food of it. 
 
 One grand article wanted now was salt, which was 
 scarce and hard to be got, and they could not well live 
 without it, in this fresh and mountainous country. Some 
 families suffered considerably, by their children having 
 their necks swollen ; the disorder was attributed to the 
 want of salt, which was afterward remedied, in a meas- 
 ure, by carrying them to the salt water, and giving 
 them a plenty of salt fish to eat, and applying the skin of 
 the salt fish to their necks ; but they never wholly out- 
 grew this trouble. I have heard my grandfather say, 
 that while living in Monadnock, at one time he went on 
 foot to Haverhill, and bought one bushel of salt, and car- 
 ried it home, through the woods, on his back, a distance, 
 at that time, as they followed the river the most of the 
 way, of not less than eighty miles. Can this same country 
 produce a man now, with such wonderful power of 
 muscle and strength of mind, to endure this and not com- 
 plain of its being hard? But such was the courage of 
 
12 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 these hardy new beginners that they did not mind trifles. 
 One circumstance I think worth recording. 
 
 One Major Whitcomb, who lived in this country, went 
 on foot to what was then called Lower Coos, a distance 
 of fifty miles from where he lived, and it was late in the 
 spring ; as the people had planted, in that place, he had 
 great difficulty in finding potatoes, which it was his 
 whole business to obtain ; but he at length succeeded in 
 getting one bushel of small ones, and these he carefully 
 carried home, on his back. Those which would answer 
 to cut, he cut in pieces, and then planted them. After- 
 ward he counted the hills, and there were four hundred 
 hills of these planted potatoes ; and, in the fall, he 
 harvested them, and had one hundred bushels of good 
 potatoes. Such was the plentiful increase of almost 
 everything put into the ground. So much so, that this 
 country was considered by people, two or three hundred 
 miles distant, to be equal to the western country now ; 
 and those who left their friends to come to this Upper 
 Coos, (as they then termed it), were generally a robust 
 and self-denying people ; and the friends whom they left 
 behind thought much more of the distance, than we do 
 now of going two or three thousand miles; and their 
 expectations of seeing them again were much less than 
 now ; which may well be imagined, when we reflect that 
 it is more practicable to travel ten miles now, than it was 
 to travel one then. 
 
 About this time was the revolutionary war between 
 the United States and Great Britain. Grandfather vol- 
 unteered his services, as he possessed the same inde- 
 pendent spirit as our forefathers, and was determined 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 13 
 
 as they were, to free our country or shed his own blood 
 in its defence. Before lie started, fearing for the safety 
 of his family should he leave them alone, lest they might' 
 be destroyed by the enemy, he removed them down to 
 Northumberland, and placed them in a sort of fort, 
 which was then erected and guarded by the husbandmen ; 
 they then embraced each other, and he took his leave of 
 his family, having a firm belief that if he had entered 
 rightly into a good cause, he should be prospered, and 
 impressed with these feelings they separated, while his 
 wife's prayers were constantly for him and the general 
 good of the country. But here, in this situation, she did 
 not remain long, having then the addition of another 
 child, a son. A gentleman by the name of White, - kindly 
 gave her an asylum in his house. As his wife was sickly, 
 and not able to work, he gave her and her three children 
 their board for what they could do ; which she considered 
 a great kindness, as it gave her the privilege of supporting 
 herself and family without being chargeable to her 
 husband. 
 
 Mrs. Rosebrook remained where she was, on permission, 
 until her husband came home. He then moved his 
 family to Guildhall, Vermont, and having settled them 
 there, returned to his duty for a number of months, dis- 
 charging it with bravery, and encountering his foes, 
 whenever he was called upon, like a brave soldier. 
 
 He and an officer were once sent to Canada as spies. 
 They were suspected, and finding it out, they made good 
 their retreat ; they were closely pursued by the enemy. 
 Grandfather was aware of it, and they traveled night as 
 well as day, until they came to a considerable stream of 
 
14 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 water ; here they built a fire, and then put it out, to make 
 it appear as though they had been gone for some time ; 
 they then waded the stream, and, w^en at a proper dis- 
 tance, struck up another fire and dried and rested 
 themselves. The enemy came soon after, and found 
 where they had made the fire, which they had extin- 
 guished, and, supposing they were out of their reach, 
 returned ; as one of the pursuing party told him after- 
 ward ; and he likewise said, that he told them it was 
 useless to follow further, as Mr. Rosebrook was a hunter 
 and a woodsman, and knew better than to suffer himself 
 to be overtaken. 
 
 Grandmother, while living in Guildhall, in the absence 
 of her husband, was frequently visited by the Indians. 
 As she was a woman, and alone, they seemed to make 
 her habitation their place of resort, there being no man 
 to resist them. By disposing of their furs, they would 
 provide themselves with a plenty of what they called 
 uncupy, or spirit, which they carried in bladders, taken 
 from moose, and, at times, they would have a great 
 drunk. This troubled her much, knowing their savage 
 dispositions ; she, fearing she would offend them and in- 
 cur their displeasure, bore with them ; at one time, how- 
 ever, she became decided and cleared her house of them, 
 all but one, and she was so far gone under the influence 
 of the spirit, or liquor, that she lay motionless upon the 
 floor ; grandmother took her by the hair of her head, and 
 with the strength of her feelings, dragged her out of 
 doors ; and the squaw by being put in motion, came to 
 herself so much that she had the use of her limbs ; she 
 drew her tomahawk and aimed it at grandmother, who 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 15 
 
 had just closed the door after her, when this tomahawk 
 came so near as to take off the wooden thumb-piece from 
 the door handle ; thus she providentially made her es- 
 cape. Some time in the night, the squaw so far recover- 
 ed as to move herself out of sight of the house ; and the 
 next day, after getting sober and recollecting how 
 ridicuously she had appeared, and what trouble she had 
 caused the good woman the evening before, came back 
 and freely asked her forgiveness, and likewise said she 
 would not do the like again ; and she strictly kept her 
 word. 
 
 Grandfather came home again, on permission, and as 
 his wife had so much trouble with the natives, and her 
 family being again increased, she did not well know how 
 to have him return ; and as he had enlisted during the 
 war, he hired a man to take his place, and remained at 
 home to assist his helpmate in bringing up her young 
 family. As they had begun to fulfil the commandment 
 which was given to Adam, at the beginning, it became 
 necessary she should have help ; and as a reward for his 
 toils and hardships during his services, he was paid off in 
 old Continental money, which proved a nuisance to him. 
 I have now some of it still in my possession, which I 
 keep in remembrance of his courage and valor. 
 
 Peace was proclaimed, and they remained in Guildhall, 
 and the people were, for a number of miles, seemingly 
 all of one family, sharing in each other's bounties and en- 
 joying one another's company, like so many brothers, and 
 if one happened to get a dainty, or a rare nice thing, an 
 invitation would immediately be given to the neighbors, 
 who would assemble, and they all would have a social 
 
16 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 time of it. There was no distinction in those days in 
 point of dress or grandeur, but all wore their own manu- 
 facture. I have heard my grandmother say that when she 
 was dressed in her striped, short, loose gown, and her 
 clean starched and well ironed blue and white checkered 
 linen apron, she felt much better then to appear in a 
 meeting, among christians, than she has since, when 
 dressed in silks. They then, had no ruffles, no ribbons, 
 or anything that appeared like ostentation, but all was 
 neat and tidy ; as this was the uniform manner of dress 
 in those days, they all enjoyed it without a murmur and 
 felt happy. The men wore garments made of the skins of 
 moose, which they had learned to dress of the Indians ; 
 they were, as they said, cold things to put on in the 
 morning, but when once warmed, the cold weather could 
 not penetrate through, and they would last a long time. 
 For shoes, they made of this same kind of skin, a substi- 
 tute called moccasins, until the country began to be 
 opened a little, and then they got sheep ; the wool, the 
 women would card and spin; and such were their 
 habits of industry, as this was a slow way to get their 
 wool worked up, I have heard grandmother say that she 
 used frequently to work a whole week, both night and 
 day, without undressing herself. She would only lie 
 down for a short time with her clothes on, while carding 
 and spinning ; when this was done she would weave it, 
 and then with the bark of some forest tree they would 
 give it a color ; without the process of a clothier, or the 
 workmanship of a tailor, they would cut their own gar- 
 ments and make them ; and in this cheap, humble, but 
 happy way, these people lived for many years, until the 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 17 
 
 enemy of contentment began to introduce articles of mer- 
 chandise, which soon created pride, and a sort of rival- 
 ship commenced, and as soon as one came in possession 
 of a newly imported dress, it stimulated others to follow 
 the fashion, and one extreme generally follows another. 
 In this way has our country since been infested with this 
 foolish pride of dress, making gay the outside; while 
 some, it is feared, have neglected the most important 
 part, the soul ; but another era, it is hoped, will take 
 place, which will yet cause all who watch for it, to be 
 more and more happy. 
 
 Now, while living at that time in this country, the 
 greatest disadvantage, which they felt most seriously, was 
 the want of good schools for their children. As they 
 seldom had any schools so near as to have the privilege 
 of sending them at all, their eldest went but one day 
 their second, one week, which completed their school edu- 
 cation. But, as their mother had in early life acquired a 
 knowledge of letters, and the proper use of them, she 
 instructed them so well that they could read and spell 
 with considerable accuracy. This they found to be useful 
 in after years, as they could read for themselves . and 
 sometimes for others. For instance ; the husband of the 
 eldest became afflicted with weakness of his eyes, so that 
 he could not himself see to read, and being drawn up 
 with the rheumatism so much that he could not walk, it 
 has been a matter of great consolation to him in his dull 
 hours, to sit still and hear her read ; and thus time passed 
 more swiftly away than it would have done otherwise. 
 
 I have often heard my grandmother tell with great in- 
 terest the proceedings of former years. One instance, I 
 
18 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 recollect, was this : that at one time when the state leg- 
 islature met, a man of rather ordinary appearance 
 presented himself. The members viewed him and then 
 asked him if he was the choice of the people ? His an- 
 swer was this : Sirs, I am the only man in my town ; of 
 course there was no one to set up against me ; therefore 
 I considered it my privilege to come here, and I have 
 made my appearance. This caused some glee, but the 
 honest man was not refused a seat. At another time, as 
 the military laws were in those days similar to ours, a 
 neighboring town legally warned a meeting for the pur- 
 pose of choosing military officers and to have a training: 
 After the officers were chosen there was but one remain- 
 ing soldier ; and he, looking wishfully upon his superiors, 
 said : Gentlemen, I have one request to make, that is, as 
 I am the only soldier, I hope your honors will not be too 
 severe in drilling me, but will spare me a little as I may 
 be needed another time. He could form a solid column, 
 he said, but it racked him shockingly to display. At an- 
 other time, when they were to have a training, an officer 
 went fifty miles to Lower Coos, as it was then called, or 
 Haverhill now, for two quarts of spirit, to treat his com- 
 pany with. As they had no carriages in those days, 
 neither had they a road suitable for one, he took his 
 horse, put on the saddle and then a pair of large saddle- 
 bags, filled with provisions for the journey, and a jug for 
 the spirit, and provender for his horse; and as they 
 traveled at that time, it took him three or four days to 
 perform this journey. When on his way home, by some 
 unknown accident, the cork got loose and the bottle was 
 emptied of its contents into the saddle bags. The liquor 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 19 
 
 would have been saved had not the oats soaked up a part 
 of it ; he, however, saved enough to treat his company 
 with. They did not require so much then as too many 
 have required since that time. 
 
 It had been a matter of considerable inquiry, how they 
 should get a passage through the White Mountains. 
 Two men who went in search, by name Timothy Nash 
 and Benjamin Sawyer, discovered an opening through 
 the Notch. One of them climbed a tree to be sure of the 
 fact. Here one of them lost a mitten, it being on a high 
 hill, and from that circumstance they gave it the name of 
 the Mitten Mountain. When satisfied there might be a 
 way found here to get to the fertile country on the Con- 
 necticut river, without going so far round, they gave the 
 information, and were rewarded by having the whole tract 
 of level land given them above the Notch, and it was 
 granted to them by Governor Wentworth in 1773, as 
 Nash and Sawyer's Location, upon condition that they 
 should cut and make a good road through this tract of 
 land, and cause five families to settle on it in five years. 
 This land was surveyed by General Buckman, a deputy 
 surveyor of public lands, then belonging to the Province, 
 now State of New Hanrpshire ; and they had got some 
 families settled here, and the people had begun to settle 
 in Conway and Bartlett, and likewise in Jefferson, all of 
 whom had an example set them by Colonel Whipple, 
 from Portsmouth, who, for years was a real father to 
 them. lie .placed them on his land, and all they could 
 raise, more than they needed for their families, he bought ; 
 and paid them honestly to even half a cent. He used to 
 bring from Portsmouth a bag of half cents to make 
 
20 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 change, for the purpose of being honest himself and try- 
 ing to make his tenants honest. This little surplus of 
 grain was carefully laid up for the inhabitants in case of 
 their own need, or that of other persons who should move 
 in. 
 
 At one time, provisions in Bartlett were scarce, and 
 some of the people took their sacks and money in their 
 hands and came through the woods, a distance of not 
 less than thirty miles, to buy bread. This was refused 
 by the Colonel, saying his own inhabitants wanted all he 
 had ; and they were obliged to return empty. They, 
 however, had the precaution to examine and find where 
 the grain was, and shortly afterward returned, and with 
 an auger, bored a hole up through the floor under where 
 the grain was, secured by a lock, held their sacks under, 
 and filled them. When satisfied they stopj:>ed the hole 
 with a plug, and then carried the filled sacks on their 
 backs to the woods, where they had handsleighs prepar- 
 ed to draw the grain, and thus returned in safety. The 
 Colonel finding it out, and being sensible of his error, 
 made but little fuss about it, yet took care how he dealt 
 with them afterward. 
 
 The inhabitants now while clearing the timber off their 
 lands, made ashes, which was boiled into salts, and ex- 
 changed for goods. Everything was very dear. As the 
 distance was so great to go round to get to the sea- 
 board, they began to contrive means to go to Portland, 
 or, perhaps, Portsmouth was the first place where they 
 went to market. With one horse fixed to a car, they first 
 went through the woods. The form of the car was sim- 
 ply this : two poles cut ten or fifteen feet in length, the 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 21 
 
 smaller ends serving as thills for the horse to draw by 
 and the larger ends dragging on the ground, and fastened 
 nearly in the middle with some short poles, on which 
 they would place a bag, or other articles of loading. In 
 this way they got along quite well until they came to the 
 Notch. This was a trying place to get through. To go 
 where they now do, was then utterly impossible. They 
 then turned out at the top of the Notch and went over 
 the edge and so managed to get to the top, and by taking 
 a zigzag course, as much as possible, got down ; but in do- 
 ing this there was danger of the horse tipping over, the 
 hill was so steep. And when they returned, they would 
 tie a rope around the horse's neck, to keep him from fall- 
 ing backwards. At one time, however, one horse did so 
 fall ; but he was helped up without receiving much injury. 
 At length a committee was chosen to search and look 
 out the best road. They agreed in all places until they 
 came to the Notch. There they held a council. One- 
 half was for making the road on one side of the stream, 
 and the other half, on the other side ; but after consider- 
 able consultation on the subject, one of them turned and 
 voted to make the road on the side of the Saco, where it 
 is now. Reader, when you pass this place, now spoken 
 of, please to look and judge for yourself, if you would 
 devise a way to make a road on the other side of the 
 stream, and then imagine what courage and perseverance 
 our forefathers possessed. They never seemed to take 
 hold of the plow and look back, but drove on. 
 
 At this time, grandfather remained at Guildhall. He 
 had settled on a beautiful piece of land, easy to cultivate, 
 on the Connecticut river, and things began to look 
 
22 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 flourishing. He seemed to be in a way to live without 
 much hard labor himself, as his two eldest daughters 
 were married, and his four sons growing up to help him. 
 But in this easy situation he could not long remain. 
 Having an ambitious, enterprising, public spirited dispo- 
 sition, and after going to market in the manner spoken 
 of, and knowing there must be more help and persever- 
 ance to make this way practicable, he left his situation 
 and volunteered once more to serve the public. In Jan- 
 uary, 1792, he took his family and moved to Nash and 
 Sawyer's Location, bought out my father, who had some 
 time before bought out three or four settlers who had 
 declined to remain, and had been living there alone, 
 keeping bachelor's hall in one of the small huts they had 
 built. 
 
 Soon after this, my father rather than to be crowded 
 by neighbors, moved twelve miles down the Saco river, 
 where he would have elbow room enough ; and then he 
 began in the woods, in what is called Hart's Location, 
 and remains there until this day, making as much im- 
 provement as possible, and laboring for the public good ; 
 while grandfather was beginning again in the woods, yea, 
 more than the woods, in the valley of the Amanoosuc, 
 surrounded by mountains on all sides. He afterward 
 sold his farm at Guildhall, and the effects or proceeds he 
 laid out in this lonesome spot, far from any neighbors, 
 twelve miles either way. In a little log cabin they lived 
 many years, suffering all the hardships which might well 
 be expected or borne in this lonely, uncultivated place ; 
 and as they were dependent on their neighbors for food, 
 they were obliged to go, or send their children that clis- 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 23 
 
 tance to obtain it, always feeling anxious for their safety 
 when they were gone, fearing some accident might befall 
 them. The way was so rough they were fearful the 
 horse would break his leg and injure the child. Many 
 an hour, I have heard my grandmother say, she has spent 
 in meditation of her absent children ; and many times, at 
 a late hour in the night, before they would return ; and 
 then she would pour out her love in prayer and thankful- 
 ness to her heavenly Father for preserving them, and 
 that she was permitted to receive them again to her 
 humble mansion. 
 
 Thus they lived several years, working on their farms 
 and making roads ; sometimes for pay and sometimes 
 without pay, just as it happened, until the Legislature 
 saw fit to grant "them a turnpike in 1803. This was 
 divided into shares to the number of five hundred, and 
 let out to different men to make. After a while, as 
 traveling and business increased, he built a large and 
 convenient two-story dwelling, on an elevated spot, on 
 the west end of what has since been called Giant's Grave, 
 with two rooms under ground. From the chamber in 
 the second story, was an outside door, which opened so 
 that one could walk out on the hill, which was beautiful, 
 and gave a view of all the flat country around it. He 
 built a large barn, stable, sheds and other out buildings, a 
 saw mill and grist mill, etc. ; the latter was of but little 
 use, being one and a half miles from where he lived. 
 The mice injured the bolt so much it was difficult to keep 
 it in repair ; but the saw mill was of great service, both 
 to him and to my father, when building. Thus he 
 prospered and lived well ; but his children were not sat- 
 
24 
 
 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 isfied with their situation; married, and left him, one 
 after another. Their leaving him and setting them off, 
 put him in rather low circumstances in his advanced age ; 
 still, he had sufficient, but was in want of some one to 
 help him, as will be shown in the next chapter. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE C R A WFORD S. 
 
 Ethan Allen Crawford was born in Guildhall, 
 Vermont, in 1792, and when quite young, his parents 
 moved to Hart's Location, in New Hampshire, twelve 
 miles from neighbors, one way, and six the other; in a 
 log house, in a small opening among the trees. 
 
 Here our family lived alone, with the excej)tion of a 
 hired man., One Saturday, my parents went to spend 
 the sabbath in Bartlett, among the christians ; and they 
 left me and a brother older than I was with this hired 
 man, to take care of us, and with a plenty of provisions 
 to last until their return. Soon after they were gone, 
 this man picked up such things as he thought valuable, 
 and what victuals were cooked for us during their 
 absence, started for the woods, and left us, two little 
 boys (to use the words of Ethan), with none to keep us 
 company all night, and without food. We had a cow, 
 but neither of us was large enough to milk her. We, 
 however, got some potatoes, roasted them in the ashes, 
 and ate them ; then, being tired and lonesome, we hugged 
 ourselves up together and went to sleep. On Monday, 
 when they came and found us, and things as they were, 
 my father was so incensed with the man for his ill treat- 
 ment to his little helpless children, that he followed him 
 to Franconia, where he came out of the woods. We re- 
 2 25 
 
26 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 covered some of the stolen articles, and had the man 
 punished for his perfidy. 
 
 While my father was clearing up his land, I and my 
 brother helped him all we could. Many times I have 
 chopped, and my hands would swell and pain me in the 
 night so much, that my mother would get up and poul- 
 tice them, to give me ease. I never had a hat, a mitten, 
 or a pair of shoes, of my own, that were made for me, 
 until I was nearly thirteen years old. I could harness 
 and unharness horses in the cold winter weather, with 
 my head, hands and feet nearly bare, and not mind or 
 complain of the cold, as I was used to it ; it made me 
 tough and healthy. 
 
 After this I was sent to school in the winter, to some 
 one of the neighboring towns, wherever I could work 
 night and morning, and help pay my board, until I could 
 read, write and cipher. 
 
 In 1811, I enlisted as a soldier, under the command of 
 Capt. Stark, for eighteen months ; with a promise, from 
 another officer, that I should have a commission after we 
 should get to Plattsburgh. Here I staid through the 
 summer ; and late in the fall the spotted fever raged in 
 the company, and I was one of the subjects of this con- 
 tagious disease. I was sick, and did not know but that 
 it was even unto death, as numbers were dying daily 
 around me. I was carried to the hospital ; but as it was 
 so filled with the sick, I thought I would fare better hi 
 my own bunk, and got back there some how or other. 
 Here I made the best I could of it, and having a strong 
 constitution, as soon as my fever turned, I crawled out 
 and bought me a turkey and had a part of it made into 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 27 
 
 broth, of which I took a little at a time until it strength- 
 ened me, and I could get about. 
 
 Thinking that if I staid there I would not live long, I 
 made an application for a furlough to go home, which 
 was granted me. I started, but was so weak and emaci- 
 ated, I could walk but a short distance in a day, and 
 when the wind blew I was obliged to stop and lay by, as 
 I could not stand against it. I, however, succeeded in 
 getting home to the White Hills in fourteen days, with 
 the assistance of some kind friends, who would occasion- 
 ally give me a ride. Once on the way I was suspected 
 of having run away from the army and I was obliged to 
 show my furlough. 
 
 In the winter, after regaining my health, I returned to 
 my duty. I afterward had to take the place of a Lieu- 
 tenant, a Sergeant and a Corporal, and as I was called 
 upon oftener than many others on duty, one day when I 
 was gone they chose their officers, and I was left out. 
 This dissatisfied me so much I made my complaints to 
 the man that had promised to raise me above a common 
 soldier. He wrote to Washington, to headquarters, and 
 we soon had an answer saying I might be discharged. 
 This I showed to the officer that had the authority to 
 give the discharge. He was unwilling ; but after he had 
 done it, he gave me a Corporal's commission, which I ac- 
 cepted, and I stayed for a while. The main army moved 
 off, and I was left with a company of invalids, and 
 not much to do ; I thought best to go home, and so I 
 went home. 
 
 In 1814, I hired with two men who had engaged to 
 take out the trees by the roots, and prepare for a road 
 
28 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 sixteen feet wide, leading from Russell, in the State of 
 New York to St. Johns, for fifty cents a rod. We made 
 a beginning soon after the frost was out of the ground ; 
 took our provisions and cooking utensils with us, and 
 there, in those woods, I staid seven months without 
 once coming out. Three men of us, in that time, with 
 one yoke of oxen, grubbed and made a road nearly eight 
 miles long, and then I went home. 
 
 In the spring of 1815, as my eldest brother was in Rus- 
 sell, in the State of New York, and I having been there, 
 and liking the place, I concluded to go again. I bought 
 a horse, and went. The eighth and ninth of June, the 
 ground froze and the snow fell a foot deep or more, and 
 lasted for me to draw logs to a saw mill, two days, with 
 four oxen. 
 
 Here the pigeons were so numerous in some places, that 
 the farmers were obliged to watch their fields to keep 
 the birds from picking up the sowed grain. At one time 
 I went with three other men into the woods, on to a 
 swell or small ridge of land, where the pigeons had made 
 their nests and hatched their young ones, and on half 
 an acre of land, in some beech trees, we found them in 
 great abundance. "We would chop one tree and fall it 
 against another and that would cause the young ones to 
 drop from both trees. Some trees had forty nests in 
 each pi them, with two young ones in each nest. These 
 were a clear squad of fat, and as they could only hop 
 along and could not get out of our way, we picked them 
 up and pulled off their heads and took out their crops to 
 keep them from spoiling. There we worked until each of 
 us had as many as we could carry home in a bag, on a 
 horse's back j and a greater sight than that I never saw. 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 29 
 
 Amono: the numerous branches of business which the 
 man I hired with had for me to do, was working on a 
 river of swift water, where we boated barrels of potash 
 fifteen miles down the river. These barrels weighed five 
 hundred apiece. I could take one of these at a time, of 
 this average weight, and put it into the boat, hoisting it 
 two feet. There was but one other man in the boat that 
 could lift more than one end of a barrel. My strength 
 was so great, and my health so good, I did not know but 
 it would last, until I began to have the rheumatism, by 
 being so often and so much exposed, and in the heat of 
 the day and when in a state of perspiration, obliged to 
 go into the water, and remain there as we oftentimes had 
 to do. 
 
 Here I lived, and had bought me a piece of land in the 
 town of Louisville, in the State of New York, and I had 
 made a handsome beginning, intending to settle there, 
 near this brother of mine; when, in 1816, we received a 
 letter from our aged grandfather, desiring one of us to 
 come and live with him. He said he would not live 
 long, being troubled with a cancer on his under lip ; that 
 his children were all married and settled away from him, 
 such as were caj>able of taking care of the harvests ; and 
 that one of us should have a deed of all his property, if 
 he would come and see him, grandmother and Uncle Will- 
 iam, their eldest son (who was not capable of managing 
 his business through life), and pay his grandfather's honest 
 debts. 
 
 My brother, who was always' considered the wiser of 
 us two, said he would not do this, and advised me not 
 to ; setting forth the many difficulties that would arise 
 
30 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 on the part of near relatives, who, though not willing to 
 go there themselves, yet might find fault with another's 
 going; and the great responsibility resting upon the one 
 who should undertake the care of old people. Although 
 he honored and respected them, yet he felt inadequate to 
 the task, and thought it devolved upon some one better 
 qualified for it. This counsel I heard and concluded to 
 abide by. 
 
 Unfortunately, I got lame and could not work; I 
 therefore thought I would go home and visit them and 
 my parents who lived twelve miles distant from them ; 
 and, in December, I started. On my arriving there, the 
 old gentleman expressed marks of gratitude for my obe- 
 dience to his summons but as I had made up my mind 
 according to my brother's advice, I told him I had not 
 come to stay, only to see him. On hearing this he put 
 his hand upon my shoulder and entreated me in such a 
 manner, with tears trickling down his furrowed cheeks, 
 that my former resolution was shaken ; for he had ever 
 been a kind grandparent to me, and how could I deny 
 him my services now when he so much needed them ? 
 
 I then concluded to go back to Louisville and sell my 
 possessions there, and return to their assistance, and do 
 the best I could for them. Accordingly, I went back and 
 sold, and in March, 1817, returned to them again. I 
 brought with me two hundred and eighty dollars which I 
 had earned. This I contributed to the benefit of the 
 farm. Then I gave my notes for a sum of from two to 
 three thousand dollars, and took up his. Afterward he 
 gave me a deed of his farm, by me giving them a mort- 
 gage back, for their maintenance through life. I provided 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 31 
 
 every means which he and his friends thought proper, to 
 remove the disease, but to no purpose, it was so far ad- 
 vanced it was incurable. 
 
 * It was now necessary to have a nurse, one who would 
 feel an interest in his being made comfortable, as the 
 disorder so much affected grandmother she could not 
 dress it, neither could she bear to stay in the room when 
 it was being dressed. And they desired me to go for a 
 cousin of mine, by the name of Lucy, who was a particu- 
 lar favorite of theirs, and get her to come and take care 
 of him. I went anct obtained her consent, with that of 
 her parents, who well knew his situation, and felt anxious 
 that his last days might be made as comfortable and easy 
 as possible. 
 
 The 5th of May, Lucy came home with me and took 
 the whole care of grandfather ; and he was so well 
 pleased with what she did for him, that he thought no 
 one else could do for him as well ; and would never let 
 his own children dress his lip when she was there. His 
 pains, which were severe, he bore like a christian, with- 
 out a murmur or a groan, when awake, and he would fre- 
 quently say he had no more laid upon him than he was 
 able to bear. He would converse upon death with as 
 much freedom as though he was going to take a long 
 journey into a far country, and never expected to return* 
 
 He gave Lucy and myself a great many counsels, and 
 expressed a desire, in the course of the summer, that as 
 Lucy took such good care of him, he hoped she would 
 unite with me, and continue there to stay ; and, in the 
 like manner, rock the cradle for the declining years of 
 grandmother, as she did for him j and likewise for Uncle 
 
32 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 "William, who, he said, might cause some trouble, as most 
 people in his situation possess a quick disposition, and 
 would sometimes be irritable. He told us not to mind 
 such things but to discharge a clear conscience toward 
 him, and we should have a reward for it, and if no other, 
 we should have a peace of mind, which would surpass 
 everything in this world. He would often say to Lucy 
 when his cancer increased so much as to become an in- 
 habited corruption, that he was only a glass for others to 
 look into and see their own final corruption at death. 
 He would never suffer any one .to sit up with him, or 
 even go into his room in the night to ask if he wanted 
 anything ; always seeming to be afraid we should do so 
 much for him that we should get sick. In this way he 
 lived from May until September upon nothing but sweet- 
 ened milk and water, with sometimes a little spirit in it, 
 which he said he could not well do without, as the can- 
 cer in his mouth and throat was so offensive to him. 
 When his flesh was all gone, and his teeth fell into his 
 mouth, his spirit left his body, without a struggle or 
 a groan, with his hands and eyes uplifted toward heaven ; 
 he, by signs, commended Uncle William and grand- 
 mother to my care. Our good neighbors, who lived at a 
 distance of twelve and twenty miles, assembled and paid 
 their respects to his remains, on the 27th. 
 
 As Lucy had with so much judgment, alacrity and 
 perseverance discharged her duty toward grandfather, 
 and knowing no other that would fill her place, I solicit- 
 ed her to engage with me in the jDerformance of the re- 
 maining obligations I was then under. She accordingly 
 agreed to, after I should have obtained the consent of 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 33 
 
 her parents, and on the first of November, we were mar- 
 ried. She now became a partaker of all my joys and 
 sorrows. 
 
 In the winter of 1818, being in good*health, and pos- 
 sessing a goodly share of strength, I, with the help of 
 Uncle William, managed to do all our own work, without 
 having any other help, as we wished to economize all we 
 could to meet my notes and take them up when they 
 should become due. In this way our honest endeavors 
 were prospered ; and I was able to make my first pay- 
 ment without trouble, and after getting through with 
 my spring work, in the summer I hired men and went to 
 labor on the turnpike, for pay, laying up everything we 
 could earn and' save from our common, necessary living, 
 for that purpose, as I was determined to pay every de- 
 mand as soon as it should be called for. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Eauly on the morning of the 18th of July, my family 
 not being well, I went to our nearest neighbors for some 
 assistance. It was nearly eight o'clock when I returned 
 with Mrs. Rosebrook, and not long after we had a son 
 born, which weighed nearly five pounds. After doing 
 what was necessary to be done at the house, at eleven 
 o'clock I went to carry some dinner to our men who were 
 at work on the Cherry Mountain road, one and a half miles 
 from home. Grandmother desired me, on my return, to 
 bring her some trout, as she said I must give them a good 
 treat and do something extra for their services and my 
 good fortune that morning. I accordingly, though re- 
 luctantly, obeyed her commands. The trout were in as 
 great haste for the hook as I was for them. I caught in 
 a few minutes, a fine string of good large sized ones. I 
 was gone about one hour from home, and when on my 
 return, the first sight which caught my eyes as I came 
 out of the woods, was flames of fire ascending the tops 
 of the chimneys, ten or fifteen feet in the air! I added 
 a new speed to my horse, who was then under a good 
 headway, and I was soon there. Here I found Lucy and 
 her infant placed on some feather beds behind an old 
 blacksmith's shop, where she could not see the flames of 
 fire in the open air. I passed her immediately by and 
 flew to the house, and tried to save something from it, 
 
 but all in vain, the fire was raging, and to that height I 
 34 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 35 
 
 could not save a hive of bees, which stood a few rods 
 from it. These were suffered to perish. There were no 
 men there excepting a Mr. Boardman, from Lancaster, 
 who, with his wife, on their return home from Saco, 
 called for some refreshments, and while this was prepar- 
 ing, Mrs. Boardman came into the room and inquired of 
 Lucy how she did, and what she should say to her mother 
 who lived three miles from them, when she should get 
 home. After a little conversation and receiving thanks 
 from Lucy for her kindness, she took her leave and went 
 out. The room where Lucy lay was about ten feet wider 
 than the other part of the house, which was built with 
 these two rooms under ground. And there was a large 
 poplar whose boughs and leaves touched the chamber 
 window where grandmother slept. While in conversa- 
 tion with Mrs. Boardman Lucy saw smoke and leaves 
 pass her window ; but as she was much engaged and the 
 wind shifted, she forgot to mention it. The girl, going 
 into one of the rooms, heard the crackling of fire over- 
 head, and when she opened the chamber door, the flames 
 met her. She immediately closed the door and gave in- 
 formation. In a few minutes Mrs. Boardman returned 
 and said, Mrs. Crawford, do not be frightened, the house 
 js on fire and cannot be saved ; be quiet and keep still, 
 you shall be taken care of ; remember your life is of more 
 value than all the property which is to be consumed. 
 These words, coming in so friendly a manner, and from 
 so good a woman, calmed all her fears, and, when left 
 alone, she had the presence of mind to command herself 
 without trembling. She arose and dressed herself, then 
 went to the desk, which stood in the room, unlocked it, 
 
36 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 took out all the papers and other things of consequence 
 from the drawers, and put them in a pine chest, which 
 stood near by, then asked Mr. Boardman to save it, which 
 he did. She then went into another room and took out 
 some drawers, and they were carried out and saved. 
 She would have taken down the top of a brass clock, had 
 it not been for Mrs. Boardman, who would, every time 
 she saw her making exertions, admonish her by saying 
 she was not aware of her critical situation, and as it 
 hindered her by these arguments from doing much her- 
 self, Lucy gave up and was placed in an arm chair, and 
 carried to the place where I found her. The infant was 
 the last thing taken from the burning ruins, as Mrs. Rose- 
 brook had takei 1 it and laid it upon a bench in the bar- 
 room, for the house was built for a tavern. Mr. B. ask- 
 ed where it was? She said she knew, and ran in and 
 brought it out. We had a pig shut up in a pen so near 
 the building, that before he could make his escape, was 
 burned. The noise of this pig attracted the attention of 
 the other hogs and brought them to the place, and it was 
 with difficulty that Lucy and one little brother of hers, 
 four years old, who lived with us, could keep them from 
 tearing everything to pieces. Beds all on fire — cheeses 
 all around — hogs in the midst of them — all hurly burly ; 
 while the female party had much to do to keep safe 
 what they had taken from the house, and Mr. Board- 
 man had his horse and chaise to look after. As there 
 was but little help, there could not be much saved. The 
 day was fair, and the wind strong, and it blew in differ- 
 ent directions, so that the bed on which Lucy lay caught 
 fire three times, which she extinguished by smothering it 
 with her hands. 
 
HISTORY OF THE "WHITE MOUNTALNS. 37 
 
 The fire is supposed to have communicated from a 
 candle, accidentally left burning in a kitchen chair, in the 
 morning, in a tightly ceiled room, by our grandmother ; 
 and it was some time making its appearance, owing to 
 the stillness of the air, as that was the place where 
 it was discovered. Lucy having been unwell in the 
 night, the old lady was called upon to come and see her, 
 and after rendering her services, Lucy was better and de- 
 sired her to go to bed again. This, she was at first 
 unwilling to do ; but after a little persuading, she went. 
 I gave her a new long candle, which she took and set in 
 the chair, and then she lay down on the bed, not think- 
 ing to sleep, as she said ; but she did fall asleep, and 
 when she awoke, the sun shone brightly in her face, and 
 thinking she had neglected Lucy, and unmindful of the 
 candle, left it burning ; coming out of the room, she shut 
 the door after her and came down stairs. 
 
 Dear reader, my feelings at this time, may better be 
 imagined than described ; no inhabited house within six 
 miles, on one side, and twelve the other, my family in 
 this destitute situation, all my carriages sharing the 
 same fate with the buildings, and no means to convey 
 them hence. As Mrs. Boardman was a feeble woman, 
 and out of health, she could not think of giving up her 
 chaise to carry away my family with ; neither was it a 
 desirable carriage for them. And while we were contriv- 
 ing some means to get them away, it seemed as though 
 directed by the hand of Providence, a tin peddler hap- 
 pened along, and after we had put what things we saved 
 into an old barn which stood at such a distance from the 
 other buildings that it escaped the fire, he kindly emptied 
 
38 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 his cart of its contents in the field, and we placed some 
 feather beds in his cart and put Lucy and her brother and 
 the babe in it. I then gave the before mentioned trout 
 to Mr. Boardman, helped them to their carriage, and they 
 went their way, and we went ours. While on the way, 
 the baby was uneasy, and Mrs. Rosebrook picked rasp- 
 berries and gave them to the child, and to its mother. 
 Grandmother and Mrs. Rosebrook on horseback, myself 
 and the peddler on foot, made up our traveling party, 
 and about the setting of the sun, and over a very rough 
 road, we all arrived in safety at Mrs. Rosebrook's. The 
 two girls we had living with us, staid and slept in the 
 barn, and likewise the men, when they returned from 
 work. I had laid in a good store of provisions for my 
 family's use, as we were not always sure of a crop, and 
 depended on buying. We had a small store pretty well 
 filled with salt and salt fish. I had bought forty dollars 
 worth of wheat and forty of pork. I had made two- 
 thirds of a barrel of maple sugar, and when done sugar- 
 ing, had taken the large potash kettle which I had used 
 and brought across the Amanoosuc river, I walking over 
 on a log, the kettle on my head, Uncle William helping 
 me to put the kettle on my head ; after putting it in a cart 
 I brought it home. These and all other kinds of provis- 
 ions were destroyed. Some new cheese, however, was 
 saved ; this was in the furthermost part of the house, 
 where the fire came last. All my farming tools were de- 
 stroyed, excepting those that the men had working with, 
 such as plows, harrows, hoes, shovels, rakes, pitchforks, 
 scythes, etc. In the morning we had enough and to 
 spare ; in the evening, nothing left but this new cheese, 
 and the milk of the cows. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath ; the horses were sent 
 for, and the girls came down and joined us. One inci- 
 dent, by the way, I would just relate. The swallows, 
 after losing their nests, followed the family, and the 
 
 barns of Mr. Rosebrook seemed to be alive with them ; 
 
 « 
 
 they were actually partakers of our trouble. 
 
 Monday, my parents and Lucy's came to see what was 
 to be done ; and they agreed to move a small house, 
 twenty-four feet square, which belonged to me, one and 
 a half miles from where ours stood before it was burned ; 
 and sent an invitation to our neighbors, who immediately 
 collected, with provisions for themselves and oxen, to 
 draw the building. 
 
 My loss by the fire was estimated at $3,000, and there 
 was no insurance. I was young and ambitious, but this 
 shock of misfortune almost overcame me ; and I was for 
 some days quite indifferent which way the world went. 
 I at length was constrained to arouse my feelings, and 
 once more put my shoulder to the wheel. 
 
 My house was placed upon the spot, and left, with one 
 outside door, and chimney up as high as the chamber 
 floor ; there were no windows and there was nothing but 
 a rough, loose floor to walk upon. Yet we could not pre- 
 vail upon Lucy to stay any longer than two weeks where 
 she was. We therefore spread bedclothes for a carpet, 
 and hung some up for a partition, to keep her from taking 
 
 39 
 
40 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 cold ; and, thus situated, she was accidentally visited by 
 several gentlemen and ladies from Portland. They 
 seemed to sympathize with her, and afterward sent her 
 several articles of furniture for the table. Lucy, however, 
 took cold, which caused her some pain and trouble ; and 
 she was obliged to go back to Mr. Rosebrook's and 
 remain there three weeks longer. 
 
 I hired two joiners, and went twelve miles for lumber, 
 to work with, and while we were thus engaged, Colonel 
 Binney, from Boston, with two young men, came along, 
 by the way of Littleton, to my place. Finding us so 
 destitute of everything, they staid but a short time, 
 and then went down to father's. The young men wanted 
 to go on the mountain ; they consulted him, and agreed 
 to take him for a guide, with a man to carry provisions 
 and other necessary things. They rode to the top of the 
 Notch, then sent back their carriage, and proceeded to 
 the woods. They had much difficulty in managing to 
 get through ; they, however, proceeded slowly ; sometimes 
 crawling under a thicket of trees, sometimes over logs 
 and windfalls, until they arrived where they could walk 
 on the tof) of trees. This may seem to some strange, but 
 it is nevertheless true. They never reached the summit 
 but managed to get along on some of the hills. 
 
 As the day was growing to a close, they returned to 
 the woods, in order to pass the night, and erected a 
 shelter for their protection. A dense fog arose and dur- 
 ing the night it rained. In the morning, owing to the 
 darkness, they could not tell the best way to proceed, 
 but took the surest way, by following the Amanoosuc 
 river, and came to my house. These men wore fine and 
 
HISTORY OF THE WhItE MOUNTAINS. 41 
 
 costly garments into the woods, but when they returned, 
 their clothes were torn and much injured by the brush, 
 and their hats looked as if they had been through a beg- 
 gar's press. They were much exposed all night, without 
 fire or food. 
 
 In September, there came two gentlemen to my father's, 
 and engaged him to go with them to the top of Mount 
 Washington, where they placed an inscription in Latin, 
 which was engraved on a brass plate, and nailed it on a 
 rock ; they likewise filled a bottle and put it in a rock. 
 The inscription was as follows, as I had it copied and 
 kept carefully at home. (I vouch not for the Latin or 
 translation being correct ; it is at all events, a true copy, 
 as found on the plate ; and was translated, with the ex- 
 ception of the word "perspire" by a friend, who was 
 afterward in the vicinity.) 
 
 "Altius ibunt, qui ad summa nitunteer" — They will 
 go higher who strive to enter heaven. u JVil reputans, si 
 quid superesset agendum " — Think nothing done while 
 anything remains to be done. "Sic itur ad astral — We 
 go thus to the stars. " Stinere facto per inhostales sylvas 
 Hustribus prarngtis feliciter superrtes. {Eheu quantus 
 adest vius sudor!) Johannes Brazer, Cantabrigsensis, 
 Georgius Dawson, Philadelphiensis, hie posuerant ivid 
 Beptembris MDCCCXVIII." After passing inhospita- 
 ble woods, and surmounting abrupt ledges ( how it made 
 us perspire), John Brazer, of Cambridge, and George 
 Dawson, of Philadelphia, placed this inscription here on 
 the fourth day of the Ides of September, 1818. 
 
 We succeeded in having a comfortable, small house, 
 for the winter 1819. We had now many difficulties to 
 
42 HISTOBY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 encounter, owing to the limited size of our small house ; 
 it being at that time the principal, if not the only market 
 road then traveled by the people, who depended upon 
 going to market in the winter with their produce, from 
 the upper part of New Hampshire, and even west of Ver- 
 mont ; and the snow did not fall early to make a good 
 sleigh path. When it did, our house was filled, and Lucy 
 would many times have to make a large bed on the floor 
 for them to lie down upon, with their clothes on, and I 
 would build a large fire in a large rock or stone chimney, 
 that would keep them warm through the night. It was 
 no uncommon thing to burn in that fire-place a cord of 
 wood in twenty-four hours, and sometimes more. 
 
 At this time my father thought it best to sell, as there 
 was a chance, he thought ; he being holden with me on 
 the notes, I suppose, would like to have been liberated 
 from them. He consulted with grandmother, and gave 
 her and William a mortgage of his farm, at that time 
 worth two of mine, so that there should be no incum- 
 brance on my barn. But the man to whom we expected 
 to sell, drew back, and we still remained, and struggled 
 along as well as we could, through the winter. 
 
 In the month of May four gentlemen came on horse- 
 back to visit the mountains. I gave them the best infor- 
 mation I could. They set off together, and made the 
 best they could of their excursion through the forests, 
 but suffered considerable inconvenience by the thickness of 
 the trees and brash, which would every now and then 
 take hold of their clothes, and stop them ; they returned 
 well satisfied, notwithstanding the unfriendly brush. 
 
 As this was the third party which had visited the 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 43 
 
 mountains since I came here to live, we thought it best 
 to cut a path through the woods ; accordingly my father 
 and I made a foot path from the Notch out through the 
 woods, and it was advertised in the newspapers, and we 
 soon began to have a few visitors. As my accommoda- 
 tions were limited, small jparties were under the necessity 
 of stopping at my father's, eight miles from the Notch. 
 
 This summer I succeeded in removing a barn from the 
 place where our house had been brought by our neigh- 
 bors, after the fire, and I converted the barn into a stable 
 for horses. We considered it quite comfortable for the 
 winter, and as I had payments to make, I had to work 
 economically to be able. 
 
 I spent the winter of 1820 in doing my own work and 
 assisting the traveler up and down the Notch, and over 
 the mountains toward Lancaster. As it is a common 
 thing for the wind to sweep away the snow through the 
 Notch, opening and leaving it bare, so the teamsters 
 required help to get along, and sometimes they have 
 been obliged to leave a part of their loads at the Notch 
 House, and I have gone down there and taken it and con- 
 veyed it to the owners, and on my return would bring 
 home grain and other necessary things for our use, as I 
 ever calculated to manage so as to load both ways, and 
 not lose my time or the wear of my horses for nothing. 
 
 In March, as I had a famous dog for catching deer, I 
 told Lucy one pleasant morning, I was going out to the 
 Notch with my dog, and I hoped to bring a deer home, 
 alive, and we would tame him. She smiled and said to 
 me, she thought I had better give up such an idea as that, 
 for who could catch and halter-break a wild animal like a 
 
44 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 deer. Never mind, said I, there is nothing like trying. 
 So I took my rope, dog and snow-shoes, and commenced 
 my journey. After traveling about four miles in the 
 roads, I turned out and went into the woods, say half a 
 mile, when Watch, my dog, gave an alarm, which told 
 me he had found a deer. I went as fast as I could and 
 told Watch to be careful and not hurt the deer. He 
 had found a young buck and stopped him ; I went up and 
 Watch took him by the ear, and held him, while I tied 
 on my rope in form of a halter, and then began to descend 
 the hill, and come into the road. He was rather turbu- 
 lent at first, but soon became quite tame and peaceable, 
 and would smell of my hands, as I perspired some, as if 
 for salt. I brought him home, and made a place in the 
 stable and put him in, and Lucy's little brother fed him 
 with cabbage and small pieces of cut potatoes. We kept 
 him until June, when by accident, the little boy happened 
 to leave one whole potato, which got so far into his 
 throat, that I could not remove it, and consequently the 
 poor thing died. 
 
 In May, there came a gentleman and lady, and put up 
 with us, for the night; it began to snow, and in the 
 morning the snow was good twelve inches deep ; and they 
 being in a hurry, were desirous to proceed on their jour- 
 ney, but did not know how they could get through the 
 snow with their wagon. I then brought up my horse 
 sled, took off the wheels from their wagon, and placed 
 them and the wagon on the sled, and prepared a seat for 
 each of us to ride comfortably, attached my horse to the 
 sled, and carried them to Bethlehem, twelve miles. As we 
 had now got out of the snowy region, and they could 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 45 
 
 travel by themselves, I assisted in putting their carriage 
 together again, for which he gave me a dollar, and we 
 took our leave of each other, and they pursued their way 
 and I returned home. I went one and a half miles down 
 the Amanoosuc river, or Ompompanusuck, according to 
 the ancient Indian name, and took the frame of an old 
 grist mill, which stood there useless, and which belonged 
 to me, and brought* it home, having taken it apart, and 
 made a temporary cheese house, and had a dairy, and 
 made twelve hundred weight of cheese, which I carried 
 to market m the fall, and sold for a good price. This 
 enabled me to make another payment of $200. 
 
 This summer there came a considerable large party of 
 distinguished characters, such as the author of the New 
 Hampshire map, etc., to my house, about noon, to ascend 
 the mountains and give names to such hills as were un- 
 named, and after a dinner of trout, they set out, taking 
 me for a guide and baggage-carrier. We rode to the 
 Notch, and there I was loaded equal to a pack-horse, 
 with cloaks and necessary articles for two nights, with a 
 plenty of what some call " Black Betts," or " O-be-joy- 
 ful," as it was the fashion in those days, to make use of 
 this kind of stuff, and especially upon such occasions. 
 We traveled on until we reached the camp, about three 
 miles from the road, then I struck up a fire, cut wood, 
 and prepared our usual supper, spread our blankets, 
 brought for that purpose, and after some interesting sto- 
 ries told by the party, I believe we all fell asleep. In the 
 morning, after breakfast, we started on our intended ex- 
 pedition, taking only provisions enough for the day, and 
 a sufficient quantity of " O-be-joyful," and set forward 
 
46 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 and went over several hills, and came to a beautiful 
 pond of clear water, distant one mile from the apex 
 of the hill. Here we made a stop for some time, 
 enjoying the water, which was delicious, and then went 
 to the summit of Mount Washington. There they 
 gave names to several peaks, and then drank healths 
 to them in honor to the great 'men whose names they 
 bore, and gave toasts to them ; and after they had all got 
 through, they put it upon me to do the same ; but as this 
 was a new thing to me, and not being prepared, I could 
 only express my feelings by saying I hoped all of us 
 might have good success and return to our respective 
 families in safety, and find them in health ; which was 
 answered by a cheer from all, as they had cheered at 
 other times before, when any one had drank a toast. 
 The day was fine, and our feelings seemed to correspond 
 with the beauties of the day, and after some hours had 
 swiftly passed away in this manner, we concluded to 
 leave this grand and magnificent place and return to a 
 lower situation on earth. We then left the hill, and 
 came down to the before mentioned pond. Here we 
 staid a long time partaking of its waters, until some of us 
 became quite blue, and from this circumstance we agreed 
 to give it the name of Blue Pond, and at rather a late 
 hour we left it and proceeded toward the camp, but did 
 not all arrive there until nine o'clock in the evening. 
 This water so much troubled one of our party, or the el- 
 evated situation on which we traveled, fatigue, or some 
 other cause, had such an effect upon him that he could 
 not get along without my assistance ; and he being a man 
 of two hundred weight, caused me to make use of all my 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 47 
 
 strength, at times. I, however, managed to get clown at 
 last, and when I did, I was so tired, I prostrated myself 
 upon the ground and told them I could do no more that 
 night, they must look out for themselves, for I was tired 
 to the very bone. They cut some wood and did the best 
 they could that night, and in the morning, sleep had again 
 restored us, so that after taking some refreshment, we 
 started for home, where we all arrived in safety, and in 
 good spirits. Here we with pleasure recalled the pro- 
 ceedings of the previous day, and j^artaking of another 
 dinner, most of them returned to their j)laces of residence 
 the same day. 
 
 In September, at one time, there came a number of 
 gentlemen up through the Notch, and sent to me to pre- 
 pare and furnish them with provisions and other necessa- 
 ries for the expedition. I was accordingly fitted out, and 
 when ready, my pack weighed eighty pounds. I carried 
 it to the Notch on horseback, and when I arrived there 
 the sun was setting, and the party had taken the path 
 and gone along and left their cloaks by the way for me. 
 I piled them on top of my load and budged on as fast as 
 possible, and when I arrived at the camp it was dusk ; 
 there was no fire ; wood was to be chopped, and supper 
 to prepare, and when all this was done, I was tired 
 enough to sleep without being rocked in a cradle. 
 
 In November I went on the hill in front of my house, 
 south, and there set up a short line of sable traps, twenty- 
 three in number, and caught twenty-five sables of fine 
 quality, and one black cat, or fisher. 
 
 The winter of 1821 I spent doing- my own work and 
 buying salt, and transporting it from Portland to Lancas- 
 
48 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 ter, and exchanging it with the merchants for grain and 
 other things for my family's use. And as I had been 
 somewhat unlucky with my pet deer last summer, I 
 thought to try again for another, and in a manner like 
 the former one, I prepared and went near the same place. 
 I found several, one of which I took alive. This was a 
 beautiful young doe and she was with young. I now felt 
 quite rich in taking this prize. I suppose my feelings 
 were similar to those spoken of by Robinson Crusoe, when 
 he succeeded in taking the llamas on the island. I did 
 not know but that they might increase ; we could build a 
 j)ark and keep them, as these animals are easily tamed, 
 and then I should have them to show our visitors in the 
 summer when they came. Perhaps I could now and 
 then spare one for the table, if requested by them ; but 
 alas ! this was only imaginary, like the fable of the maid 
 and her milk pail. I put on my rope in the same manner 
 as I did the former one, and began to try to lead her, but 
 I could do nothing with her ; she would not walk with 
 me, so I shouldered her and brought her into the road ; 
 this made quite a load for me to travel with, as I was then 
 four miles from home ; but said I to myself, without some 
 pain there will be no gain ; so I made the best I could of 
 it, and when in the road would often set her down 
 and try to lead her, but I could not. This was not ex- 
 actly like the one I had taken the preceding year, it was 
 of a dark brown color. After I got her home, I had 
 either hurt her in bringing her home, or she was so deli- 
 cate she would not partake of food, and to put her out of 
 misery, I concluded we had better dress her. This was 
 as fine a jriece of venison as I had ever seen. Now as I 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 49 
 
 had not saved this one's life, I said I would go again ; 
 so I went and my dog started a good sized buck, and 
 followed him toward home, and near the road he had 
 stopped him, and then waited for me to come up and 
 take him, and while there they were observed by some 
 travelers passing along at this time, before I had 
 time to come up with him, although I made long strides 
 on my snow-shoes, as I feared something would happen 
 to him. When I came up, I found the traveler had 
 been to the house and obtained a gun and shot him, and 
 to my great mortification I found him dead, with the 
 man exulting in triumph over this great feat which he 
 had performed. I then told him the great disappoint- 
 ment which he had unconsciously given me ; but as he 
 was dead, it was of no use to make many words about it, 
 so he helped me to bring him home, and here he was 
 served like the former one, and sent to Portland. 
 
 In March, I hired Esquire Stuart to come with his com- 
 pass and go into the woods, and see if there could not be 
 a better and more practicable way found to ascend the 
 mountains. We set out with provisions, blankets, fire- 
 works, and snow-shoes for the woods. We set our c©m- 
 pass, and spotted trees, which made a line to be followed 
 at another time. When night came on, I built a camp and 
 struck up a fire. We ate our supper and retired with 
 our dog quietly to rest. We spent three days in making 
 this search, and returned well satisfied we had found the 
 best way ; for the road which we had heretofore traveled 
 was an uneven one, going up a hill and then down again, 
 and this in so many successions, that it made it tiresome 
 to those who were not accustomed to this kind of jour- 
 3 
 
50 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 neying. The way which we had now found was over a 
 comparatively level surface for nearly seven miles, follow- 
 ing the source of the Amanoosuc, or Ompompanusuck, 
 until we arrived at the foot of Mount Washington, and 
 then taking a ridge or spur of the hill. We could now 
 ascend without much difficulty, and found there might be 
 a roacT made, with some expense, sufficiently good, so 
 that we might ride this seven miles, which we thought 
 would facilitate the visitor very much in his progress ; 
 and, to add to my encouragement, some gentlemen from 
 Boston made a subscription in 1823 to this purport : that, 
 providing I should make a good carriage road, and have 
 it passable in three years, they would be holden to pay 
 the sums which were set against their respective 
 names ; and we had nearly $200 subscribed for this pur- 
 pose ; but as I was already under so much embarrassment 
 I did not feel able to build an addition to my house, and 
 I well knew that if I made this road, and did not have 
 suitable accommodations for those who would be likely 
 to come, it would only be imposing upon the public to 
 have a road to the mountain and not have house room 
 enough to make those comfortable who came to stay 
 with us. I, therefore, was obliged to give up this gener- 
 ous offer of theirs, and at my own expense do what I 
 could from one year to another ; but still intending to do 
 everything in my power to make all happy as possible in 
 my humble situation. 
 
 In the summer, just before haying, I hired men and 
 went with them to cut this path, and while in the woods, 
 at the distance of three miles from home, as I was stand- 
 ing on an old log chopping, with my axe raised, the log 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 51 
 
 broke, and I came down with such force that the axe 
 struck my right ankle and glanced, nearly cutting my heel 
 cord off ; I. bled freely, and so much so that I was una- 
 ble to stand or go. The men that were with me, one a 
 brother of mine, and another stout man, took the cloths 
 we had our dinner wrapped in, and tied up my wound as 
 well as they could, and then began to contrive means to 
 ' get me out of the woods. They cut a round pole, and 
 with their frocks which they wore tied me in underneath 
 it, and thought they could carry me in like manner as we 
 bring dead bears through the woods ; but in this way I 
 could not ride. They then let me down, and took turns 
 in carrying me on their backs, until we got out of the 
 woods; and then one of them came home and got a 
 horse, upon whose back I was helped ; and I thus rode * 
 home with both feet on one side in ladies' fashion, 
 and when I arrived there I was assisted in alighting. 
 There happened to be at my house then, a Mrs. Stalbard, 
 who is known in our country and bore the name of 
 Granny Stalbard, whose head was whitened with more 
 than eighty years ; who ought to be remembered for the 
 good she had done, and many sufferings and hardships 
 she endured to assist others in distress, and who seemed 
 to be raised for the same end for which she lived in those 
 days. She was an old Doctress woman ; one of the first 
 female settlers in Jefferson, and she had learned from the 
 Indians the -virtues of roots and herbs, and the various 
 ways in which they could be made useful. Now the old 
 lady said it was best to examine this wound and have it 
 properly dressed; but as it had stopped bleeding I 
 told her I thought it better to let it remain as it then 
 
52 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 was ; but she thinking she was the elder, and knew bet- 
 ter, unwrapped it, and it soon set bleeding afresh, and it 
 was with difficulty she now stopped it. She, however, 
 went into the field, plucked some young clover leaves, 
 pounded them in a mortar, and placed them on my 
 wound ; this stopped the blood so suddenly that it caused 
 me to faint ; this was a new thing to me — a large stout 
 man to faint ! — which made me feel rather queerly, but 
 there was no help for it. This wound laid me up pretty 
 much the rest of the summer, but still we persevered, 
 and these men, with some others, finished cutting the 
 path through the woods. So it is that men suffer various 
 ways in advancing civilization, and through God, man- 
 kind are indebted to the labors of men in many different 
 spheres of life. 
 
>> 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 This fall Captain Partridge came with a number of 
 Cadets to ascend the mountain, and as I was not able to 
 walk, we were under the necessity of sending for our 
 nearest neighbor, Mr. Rosebrook, to guide them ; and 
 likewise at other times, we were obliged to send for him 
 to guide gentlemen up the hills. 
 
 At this time, there was to be a general muster at Lan- 
 caster, and as I was lame, and not able to walk, Lucy 
 was anxious to visit her parents in Guildhall, just oppo- 
 site that place, and we concluded to go and see them ; 
 and on the day appointed, I, with others, went to see the 
 soldiers perform ; and while I was sitting down on the 
 ground, there came a man who was celebrated for wrest- 
 ling, and laid hold of me, and stumj)ed me to throw him. 
 I eased him off, and then he went to others in the same 
 way, and received similar treatment, until he upset a 
 whole row of old men sitting on a rail fence or board. 
 He came again, and insisted upon my taking hold with 
 him. I told him I was not in the habit of that kind of 
 sport, and also, I was lame, and could not, if I had a dis- 
 position to ; and he came the third time and caught hold 
 of my vest and rent it several inches in length, and at the 
 same time with his foot gave me such a blow on my lame 
 ankle, that the hurt raised my temper to such a degree, 
 that, unconscious of what I did, I put my fist in such an 
 attitude that it laid him prostrate on the ground. He 
 
 53 
 
54 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 was taken up with rather a disfigured face ; for which I 
 was immediately sorry, for I knew he was influenced by 
 liquor; but it was done, and many were glad of it, while 
 I was ashamed to think I had given way to passion, and 
 when I came to where Lucy was, I asked her to forgive 
 my imprudence by mending my vest. I told her it should 
 be the last time I would give way to an angry passion, 
 and I have thus far kept my word. 
 
 In August 31, 1821, there came three young ladies, the 
 Misses Austin, who were formerly from Portsmouth, to 
 ascend the hills, as they were ambitious and wanted to 
 have the honor of being the first females who placed their 
 feet on this high, and now celebrated, place, Mount 
 Washington. They were accompanied by their brother 
 and Charles J. Stewart, Esq., who was then engaged to 
 one of them, and married her, July 4, 1822, and Mr. 
 Faulkner, who was then a tenant on their farm in Jeffer- 
 son, attending with their baggage. They were provided 
 with everything necessary for the exjDedition, and set for- 
 ward. They went as far as the first camp that night, 
 dividing it into two apartments, and then put up. The 
 next morning they pursued their way until they reached 
 the next canip, which they in like manner divided. It 
 came on unfavorable weather, and now being in pretty 
 good quarters, they staid and waited for a better pros- 
 pect. And as their store of provisions began to fall 
 short, Mr. Faulkner came in and said that I must, if I 
 possibly could, go and relieve him, as he had grain out in 
 the field, then suffering, and they wished to have me ac- 
 company them. 
 
 I now mustered all my courage, as I was then lame, 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 55 
 
 took a load on my back and a cane in my hand to help 
 my lame foot, which was now healed over, and went and 
 overtook them. The weather also looking favorable, we 
 ascended at six o'clock in the morning, and reached the 
 summit just as the sun had got to the meridian. What a 
 beautiful siojht ! We could look over the whole creation 
 with wonder and surprise, as far as the eye could extend, 
 in every direction, and view the wonderful works of God ! 
 Every large pond and sheet of water was plain to be seen, 
 within the circuit of one hundred miles, for some time, 
 until the sun had got up so high as to cause a vapor to 
 rise from the waters ; this, also, was grand to see ; the 
 commencement of the little vapor, which would grow 
 larger and larger, until it made a cloud and entrenched 
 the view. Houses and farms were to be seen at a dis. 
 tance, so far off that they appeared nothing more than 
 small specks. At one time, previous, when here with 
 some gentlemen, we counted forty-two different ponds in 
 different directions. The Sebago Pond is distinctly to 
 be seen, and some have thought they could see the ocean 
 from this place ; but as there is no object beyond, it ap- 
 pears to look like a cloud, differing only a trifle in color 
 from the sky. The ladies returned, richly paid for their 
 trouble, after being out five days and three nights. I 
 think this act of heroism ought to confer an honor on 
 them, as everything was done Avith so much prudence 
 and modesty by them ; there was not left a trace or even 
 a chance for a reproach or slander excepting by those 
 who thought themselves outdone by these young ladies. 
 
 The winter of 1822, as my ankle was weak, and the 
 rheumatism now found its way to it, I staid at home as 
 
56 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 much as possible, doing only what necessity really com- 
 pelled me to, and in the spring I made a considerable 
 improvement on my mountain road. That summer I 
 went on the mountain with one gentleman, and as he was 
 a good traveler, we reached the top of the mountain 
 and returned to the camp before sunset. He proposed 
 coming home that night, so we took some refreshments 
 and started, and came along until it grew quite dark, and 
 I proposed to take a little nap and wait for the moon to 
 rise and give us some light. He hesitated a little in con- 
 sequence of the wild beasts, which he said might happen 
 along, and take us while sleeping. I advised him to calm 
 his fears for my faithful dog would keep watch. We 
 took our blankets and lay down and soon fell asleep. 
 Presently there came a large bear spattering along in full 
 speed, and as the air came along with him he did not per- 
 ceive us until within a few feet of us, and then the dog 
 sprang up and went after him ; this awakened us, and as 
 the moon had now got up so high as to shine among the 
 trees, we could pursue our path quite well, and arrived 
 home about twelve o'clock. 
 
 We set traps, and caught two at one time, and some 
 more at other times this season, from which, we obtained 
 considerable oil. 
 
 In August we had some young gentlemen from a Uni- 
 versity. They were preparing for the ministry, and as 
 they needed exercise, and a respite from their studies, 
 they chose this place to spend their leisure hours, and 
 regain their strength, and view and contemplate upon 
 the works of God, and climb the mountain. I went 
 with them as guide, and on the way I tried to shorten 
 the distance, and make their toil less tiresome by some 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 57 
 
 anecdotes, and telling some little stories ; but as this did 
 not coincide with their feelings, I gave up these trifles, 
 and remained silent most of the way ; and when arriving 
 at the summit, they on this high and elevated spot of- 
 fered prayers to Almighty God for his goodness. This 
 was, I think, the first prayer T ever heard on this moun- 
 tain. This appeared solemn — now so high in the air, 
 where we could look down upon inferior objects — what 
 could be more interesting ? 
 
 The same month others came, and among them was a 
 sea-captain, a man of good stature and heavy ; he, while 
 coming down from the hill, and in the act of jumping 
 from one sto*ie to another, lying there promiscuously, 
 slipped, and unfortunately sprained his ankle. This was 
 some trouble to him the rest of the way ; however, he 
 managed to get home. This was the greatest injury 
 happening to any person while going up or coming down 
 the hills, to my knowledge, during our stay at the White 
 Mountains. 
 
 This summer we had some trouble with Uncle Will- 
 iam, as brother had predicted, when he told me if I 
 should go up there I must expect trouble from near rela- 
 tives. As our situation was so uncomfortable, grand- 
 mother was under the necessity of making my father's 
 house her home, and she was desirous of having William 
 live with her ; yet she did not complain of his being ill 
 treated, but wanted him, and coaxed him to go there and 
 live with her. But he did not stay long, as they could 
 do without him. They advised him to come home 
 again, but this was contrary to the old lady's feelings, 
 and she then advised him to go and live with his broth- 
 3* 
 
58 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 er, and as he had ever been at her command, he obeyed 
 her, and. went. But this was not home to him; and 
 after a while he returned, and said he would not be con- 
 trolled any more, but would remain on his farm; he 
 therefore came back, and received from us as good treat- 
 ment as he ever had done. 
 
 In September, as I was ascending the mountain with 
 two young gentlemen, we saw in the path, at some dis- 
 tance from the camp, a large bear's track, but saw noth- 
 ing of the bear. On our descent, near this place, the 
 dog left us, and in a few minutes went to barking in 
 great earnest. I said, he has something. I went a few 
 steps, and saw a cub, the bigness ^f a good-sized cur dog, 
 climbing a tree. How we could get him was the next 
 thing. We talked it over, and agreed that one should 
 stand in the road and keep watch for the old one, whom 
 we expected, should she hear the cries of her cub, and 
 the other should climb the tree, and get him off, while I 
 and the dog should remain at the foot of the tree and 
 take him. The cub was followed up the tree in good 
 style. He then walked out pn a limb, "and from that into 
 a small tree, which I took hold of, and shook so hard 
 that he fell off, and the dog caught him. I then took 
 hold of him, and tying his mouth with my handkerchief, 
 brought him safely home, and kept him some time. At 
 length a hired man set up a pole, and tied a leather strap 
 around his neck, and gave him a trough of water to 
 bathe in. This he enjoyed remarkably well for a while, 
 but when the strap stretched he slipped out his head, 
 and said, I suppose, good day. 
 
 This winter, 1822, I spent in buying salt, and trans- 
 porting it from Portland to Colebrook, and exchanging it 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 59 
 
 for grain ; I likewise bought a nice mare, for which I paid 
 in salt. I transported the salt with this mare by sleigh 
 loads. This winter my dog caught a great many deer, 
 and would go with any one who desired him ; but an 
 enemy wanted him, and as he could not have him, be- 
 cause he was engaged, he gave him poison ; and I lost my 
 famous dog. But shortly after, I bought another equally 
 as good. 
 
 In June, when returning from the camp, in company 
 with two young gentlemen, as we were traveling along, 
 we saw a bunch of "mountain ash ; they stopped, and each 
 cut for himself a beautiful, nice and straight cane, which 
 they intended to carry home with them ; and after this 
 was done, we again pursued our path, I forward, and 
 they after me, in Indian file, as this was the manner in 
 which we used to travel. The one behind saw another 
 bunch, from which he thought he could select a better 
 cane. He stopped to cut it, while we were walking on ; 
 and he, being in a hurry, after he had cut this, to over- 
 take us, unmindfully crossed the path, and steered di- 
 rectly into the woods. The other one that was next to 
 me, observing his companion was not with us, was alarm- 
 ed, saying he was subject to fainting fits, and thought he 
 must, have fainted. I immediately threw off my load and 
 ran back to where I supposed we left him ; there I hollo- 
 ed as loud as my lungs would admit, a number of times. 
 He at length heard, and stopped. He was completely 
 lost, and could not find his way back. He answered, and 
 I went to him, and put him in the right path again. 
 This frightened me more than all the bears in the woods ; 
 but it however served as a lesson to others, never to give 
 up a certainty for an uncertainty. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The summer of 1823, Chancellor Kent, from New 
 York, came to my house with two young gentlemen. As 
 he was desirous of passing this way, he hired a private 
 conveyance here, after leaving the stage, which did not 
 then pass through the Notch, as the mail was then some- 
 times transported on horseback and sometimes in a one 
 horse wagon. He chartered me to carry them to Con- 
 way, when they wculd take the stage again. After 
 putting up with our accommodations through the night, 
 in the morning I harnessed my two mares, who had each 
 a young colt, and they took the road forward and their 
 mothers behind, which made a regular team ; this amused 
 them much. I carried them to the destined place, the 
 same day ; and while on the way, we had an interesting 
 time in exchanging jokes, etc. 
 
 In July, another man and myself took blankets, pro- 
 visions, and other necessary things, for a small party, 
 who were going to stay the second night on Mount 
 Washington, as they were desirous of being there and 
 seeing the appearance of the sun, when it should set in 
 the evening and rise in the morning. After staying at 
 the foot of the hill over night, we ascended, and being 
 there in season, went to work and built three stone 
 cabins. We then collected a quantity of dry moss, laid 
 it in them for beds, spread our blankets, and at an early 
 hour, on this elevated spot, retired to rest, now prostrate 
 60 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 61 
 
 on the ground, so much nearer Heaven than what we had 
 ever been accustomed. Our sleep was not exactly sound, 
 but was interrupted by dreams, which one would natural- 
 ly suppose would be the case. In the morning we awoke 
 betimes to view the object we came for. We had the 
 advantage of our neighbors in seeing the appearance of 
 light first ; and when the sun rose, it came up, as it were, 
 behind a veil, and appeared the bigness of a good sized 
 cart-wheel. We could look upon it without straining 
 our eyes, as well as we can look upon the full moon ; and 
 then it rose from behind this cloud, and came out in its 
 full splendor and glory. This was the first night I ever 
 slept on Mount Washington. One of the party made the 
 following lines : 
 
 The Muses' most inspiring draught, 
 From Helicon's pure fountain quaff d, 
 What is it, to the rising sun, 
 Seen from the top of Washington ! 
 Canst thou bear a dreary night? 
 Stranger! go enjoy the sight. 
 
 We then returned over Munroe, Franklin and Pleasant 
 Mountains, following our old path, came in at the Notch, 
 and from there home. 
 
 It was now beginning to be fashionable for ladies, at- 
 tended by gentlemen, to visit this place, both for health 
 and amusement, and we were most of the time crowded. 
 As our house was so small, we could accommodate but 
 a few at a time, although we could give them clean beds ; 
 but they were obliged to stow closely at night, and near 
 the roof, as we had but two small sleeping rooms down 
 stairs, and these were generally occupied by ladies ; the 
 
62 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 gentlemen were under the necessity of going up stairs, 
 and there lay so near each other, that their beds nearly 
 touched ; but as we did all we could for them, they 
 seemed satisfied with it. 
 
 In August, there came at one time, three different par- 
 ties, which made quite a number for us in those days. 
 Early in the morning, the gentlemen set out for the hills, 
 leaving the ladies to amuse themselves and achieve such 
 victories as they, in their capacity, might think proper. 
 After dinner, the ladies inquired if the hill north of my 
 house had ever been visited, and whether there were any 
 views that were interesting? And after receiving an 
 answer in the affirmative, they started and took the near- 
 est route, which was a very rough one. One of them be- 
 ing active and ambitious, said she would be the first one 
 up. She then set out in great haste, supposing that this 
 could be done in a few minutes. The day being warm, 
 she soon grew fatigued, and perspiring freely, she gave 
 out before she had attained half its summit, and returned 
 nearly exhausted. She said this hill should bear the name 
 of Mount Deception, for its deceptive appearance ; and, 
 from this circumstance, it has since been called by that 
 name. The other ladies, taking it with more moderation, 
 reached the top of the hill ; here they could see some 
 habitations in Bethel, and had a good prospect of the val- 
 ley, and the way in which we travel to go up the moun- 
 tain, which is a delightful view. They returned in a 
 different way. In the evening I amused them with the 
 sound of my long tin horn, sent me by a gentleman from 
 Portland, for the benefit of the echo, which, when the 
 horn was sounded, would vibrate along the side of the 
 
HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 63 
 
 hill, until the sound would die away on the ear. This 
 had a strange effect on one lady, as she said it seemed 
 when the horn was sounded as if it were answered by 
 a supernatural voice from Heaven, inspiring her with 
 strange ideas or feelings, which she never before experi- 
 enced. 
 
 Again, we had another party cbme, from which I will 
 relate a circumstance. We went up the mountain, the 
 weather then looking favorable, until we reached the 
 top of the hill, and then we went into a cloud, which 
 was dark all around us. Having reached the summit, 
 and not having any landmarks to direct us back, and not 
 being acquainted with the weather here, we staid only 
 long enough for them to carve their names, and then 
 tried to return ; but I was lost, myself, for a short time. 
 I started toward the east, and we wandered about until 
 we came near the edge of a great gulf. Here we staid 
 and amused ourselves by rolling such large stones as we 
 could find loose, and these being started, went with such 
 force that they would take others with them, and then 
 rest only in the valley beneath. Although a little dan- 
 ger was encountered in this kind of sport, had one of us 
 slipped accidentally and been precipitated down the 
 gulf, yet it was actually a grand sight ; and while we 
 were enjoying this, there came up a strong wind and car- 
 ried away the clouds in as short time as they had been 
 slathering: and coming on. Now what a contrast, to have 
 the darkness all taken away, and then a perfect, clear 
 sunshine come on. It cheered all hearts. We then had 
 a good prospect of all the country around, and this op- 
 portunity was not lost. We could see what course to 
 
64 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 steer, beat our way toward the path, and succeeded in 
 finding it, and returned home. 
 
 At another time I went up the mountains with two 
 gentlemen. We started in the morning, with the prospect 
 of a clear day, and having attained the summit, could 
 see the clouds gathering below us ; and as the lightning 
 streaked along in the clouds, a rumbling noise was 
 heard, but not like the sound of thunder. Here, as 
 there was nothing to give it an echo, it only sounded like 
 a rumbling noise in the distance, but it was near us. 
 What a situation to be placed in, so high in the air ! 
 Like the eagle, we could now look down upon a raging 
 storm, while the atmosphere above was perfectly clear. 
 We then went down to Blue Pond, and, while here, the 
 wind came up, attended with hail, which descended with 
 such violence that it seemed as though every hail stone 
 left a mark on our faces ; and to prevent losing our hats, 
 we were obliged to tie them on with our handkerchiefs. 
 We Avent strii£fo;linGf against the wind a distance of one 
 and a half miles ; sometimes it was with difficulty we 
 could stand or walk, until after we had attained this dis- 
 tance ; we then got below the wind, and could now pur- 
 sue our way home, in a moderate rain. We arrived there 
 completely drenched. 
 
 Two gentlemen from Boston came, and went up the 
 mountain. After remaining on its summit as long as 
 they wished, returned by the way of Blue Pond, and 
 from thence down Escape Glen, as they termed it, to the 
 camp, — a passage romantic, but precipitous, where one of 
 them, as they said, came near losing his life, by taking 
 hold of an old root of a tree to support himself, which 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 65 
 
 gave way. He was over a perpendicular precipice of 
 fifty feet, but fortunately saved himself, and returned 
 safely home. He experienced- no injury, save that of be- 
 ing frightened. 
 
 This spring and summer, the gray cat or Siberia lynx, 
 troubled us very much, making several depredations 
 among our sheep and geese, and we underwent some 
 fears for the safety of our children. These cats were 
 bold and not afraid of man, never putting themselves 
 much out of the way to shun him. At one time a gentle- 
 man was coming down Cherry Mountain in a sleigh, and 
 saw two of these animals engaged in a quarrel, as it ap- 
 peared to him, in the road before him ; and it was with 
 some difficulty that he could convince them that the road 
 belonged to him ; but with some entreaties, they separat- 
 ed, one on either side, giving him just room to pass. He 
 said he might have reached them with his whip, but as 
 they were content to let him pass, he was content not 
 to disturb them in their angry looking position. I set 
 traps, and in various ways tried to catch them. I even 
 killed a hen and set her for bait, feathers and all on, in 
 the appearance of life, supposing they would like this, 
 but they only seemed to amuse themselves by this, in 
 coming up and looking at it, and then passing on. At 
 length I thought of one more thing to try. I took some 
 pickled fish, which had a strong smell to it, for bait ; and 
 the first one afterward who happened this way, had the 
 curiosity to see what was there ; and as the trap was be- 
 tween him and the fish, he put his foot in the trap and 
 was held fast. He managed to move the trap a little dis- 
 tance, but was soon fastened by the grapple, which 
 
66 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 caught in a thicket, where I found him. He was lying 
 i:>artly hid, and I did not perceive him until I came near 
 stepping upon him, when he suddenly started up, and I 
 as soon sprang back to find something to defend myself 
 with ; and when prepared, entered into an engagement 
 with him, which was rather a tough one, he having the 
 advantage, being in the thicket. I conquered him at 
 last, and brought him home in triumph ; he measured six 
 feet and over. In this, and similar ways, I caught six of 
 them. The next spring I took one by stratagem, as I 
 was traveling down through the Notch with a team and 
 dog. Below the Notch House, while we were going on, 
 my dog came upon the track of one of these animals, who 
 had just crossed the road before us; the dog followed so 
 closely that the animal sprang into a tree, and then the 
 dog sat at the bottom, barking earnestly at him. I knew 
 he had something, and leaving my team in the road, took 
 my small axe with me, which I always carried, and went 
 to him ; he was up a tree thirty feet, watching the move- 
 ments of the dog. I then cut two birch sticks, the long- 
 est I could select, and twisting the ends put them to- 
 gether, and at one extremity of the stick I made a ring 
 with a slip noose to it ; this I ran up through the boughs 
 of the tree, and so managed to get it over his head, then 
 giving a sudden jerk, brought him down ten feet ; he 
 caught on a limb, and the halter slipped off. I then fix- 
 ed it again, and he being nearer, gave me a better chance. 
 I put it over his head, down on his neck, so that it held 
 him fast, and then giving another jerk, fetched him to 
 the ground. The dog instantly seized him, but the cat 
 soon extricated himself by tearing him with his claws, 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 67 
 
 which he seemed to know how to apply very actively, 
 causing the dog to cry for quarter. The cat then gave 
 a jump the length of the stick, over a spruce top -four 
 feet high, with the halter still around his neck, and here 
 he hung ; I then fell to beating him with a club, which I 
 had previously prepared, and the dog, recovering himself, 
 assisted me, and we soon finished him. Shouldering my 
 booty, I returned to my team, and placing him on it, car- 
 ried him down to my father's, and there leaving him, re- 
 sumed my journey. On my return I took him home. I 
 never saw but* one afterward, and that, as I was coming 
 down Cherry Mountain ; the dog drove him into a tree, 
 and I followed him up there, myself ; but the trees were 
 so thick that he jumped from one to another, and thus 
 made his escape, for the time. But shortly after, I had a 
 trap set in a brook, near the mouth, where it empties in- 
 to the Amanoosuc, hoping that I might catch an otter ; 
 the trap set near the end of a log which crossed the 
 stream, and was fastened by a chain to a limb, six feet 
 above the water, and this cat, wanting to cross the brook 
 here, walked on the log, when, stepping off, he put his 
 foot in the trap, and there he was held. He managed to 
 get back on the log, and then on the limb, and wound up 
 the chain in such a manner, that he could not get either 
 way ; here I found him, dead, suspended between heaven 
 and earth. On these animals I had a premium of three 
 dollars apiece, which nearly paid me for my loss and 
 trouble. After making this havoc among them, I was 
 never troubled with any of them again, while living at 
 the Hills, and there being no signs of them, I supposed 
 I destroyed the whole family. 
 
68 HISTORY .OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 In October there came to my house, a family from 
 Portsmouth, who had hired a man to carry them to Jef- 
 ferson in a coach, and it had begun to snow before they 
 arrived here, and they concluded to put up with me for 
 the night, and had it not been for this circumstance, 
 they would have had time to have finished their journey 
 that night. The next morning, as it continued to snow, 
 the man hired me to carry them the rest of the way, and 
 the other returned home. They staid the next day, and 
 the second morning, as it had done snowing, I harnessed 
 up two horses, and put them on before a good yoke of 
 oxen, and commenced my task; and when going over 
 Cherry Mountain, the snow was plumb two feet deep. 
 We worked hard all day to get twelve miles ; there I 
 staid over night, and the next day I made out to get 
 home again. This snow all went off before winter. 
 
 I had this fall engaged the Notch House, and agreed 
 to furnish it with such things as are necessary for the 
 comfort of travelers and their horses. It is the case 
 sometimes in the winter, that if no one lived here, peo- 
 ple, it seems, must suffer with the cold, for the wind 
 comes down through the narrows of the Notch witli such 
 violence, that it requires two men to hold one man's hair 
 on, as I have heard them say. I have never found it to 
 blow so hard here as to equal this, yet it has blown so 
 hard as to take loaded sleighs and carry them several 
 rods to a stone wall, which was frozen down so firmly 
 that it was impenetrable, and there the sleigh stopped. 
 I heard a second-hand story from a clergyman, that the 
 wind was once known to blow so hard here, that it took 
 a log chain and carried it to the distance of a mile or 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 69 
 
 more ; Init I do not tell this as a fact, only as a story 
 which is told, and perhaps believed by some credulous 
 folks who live at a distance and form strange ideas of 
 this place. At one time I was going down to the Notch 
 House with a load of hay, to an occupant there, when 
 going round the elbow of the Notch there came a gust 
 of wind and upset my load toward the gulf ; I instantly 
 turned myself, and placed my feet against the railing on 
 the road, that was put there for the purpose of keeping 
 horses from running off, which, if I had not done, my 
 load must have gone over a precipice of a hundred feet, 
 with the horses attached to it, and I cannot say where I 
 should have been. 
 
 Here I waited until the wind abated, and then I put 
 my shoulder under and righted it again, and went on. 
 At another time some young people were going down 
 here, and at or near the top of a long hill, one of the 
 company's horses made a misstep and fell. In the fall, 
 by some means or other, the horse entirely cleared him- 
 self of all his harness, and lay by the side of the road, 
 while they were permitted to pass by and go a consider- 
 able distance by themselves, and the horse stopped yet 
 behind, which made sport enough for the rest of the 
 company for some time. 
 
 The winter of 1824 I bought hay at Jefferson, and car- 
 ried it sixteen miles to furnish the Notch place with ; 
 and I had been advised by my friends to build an addi- 
 tion to my house, which I was at first rather unwilling to 
 do, owing to my limited circumstances not yet being ex- 
 tricated from my first obligations ; however, I commenced 
 drawing lumber from Bethlehem, a distance of twelve 
 
70 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 miles, and this work, with drawing hay and other neces- 
 sary business, occuj)ied my whole time for this winter. 
 In the spring I hired hands, and went industriously to 
 work, and soon had a frame thirty-six by forty feet, two 
 stories high, and it was raised by thirteen hands. This 
 was thought to be sufficiently large to accommodate all 
 who would be likely to call upon us. During the summer 
 and fall we had the outside finished and painted. In 
 July, we had a number of excellent gentlemen, some of 
 whom were from the Southern States, to visit us, who 
 gave us an account of their manner of living there, and a 
 description of the country, manners, etc., which was in- 
 teresting ; and another gentleman, a painter, from a dif- 
 ferent part of the country, who took some beautiful 
 sketches of the hills and likewise of the Notch, which 
 sketches, I presume, have been finished and presented to 
 the public. 
 
 In August, we had another party who ascended the 
 mountain, and while there the clouds passed swiftly from 
 under us and a rumbling noise of thunder was heard, 
 which excited a clergyman, one of the party, who offered 
 up a very appropriate prayer to Almighty God, and then 
 we sung Old Hundred, in the lines set to that tune. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 This summer, owing to the dampness of the place, on 
 Mount Washington, where we built stone cabins, we 
 never but once afterward slept in them. I went to Port- 
 land and there bought a marquee, for which I paid twen- 
 ty-two dollars, sufficiently large for eighteen persons to 
 sleep under at a time ; and a sheet iron stove, for which 
 I paid six dollars ; and these I carried on or near the 
 top, spreading our tent near a spring of water which 
 lives here. Our tent with the tackling belonging to it, I 
 had put up in as small a compass as possible, and it 
 weighed eighty pounds and over. I then took it on my 
 back and carried it almost the whole distance myself; 
 but I had some visitors then going up with me, and one 
 who looked and thought he felt as stout as I was, kindly 
 offering to assist and relieve me, took my load, but could 
 not carry it far before he was satisfied with it. He then 
 laid it down and I took it again and conveyed it the re- 
 mainder of the way ; and on the way we cut a pole to 
 stretch this round, and I carried that up also. This, how- 
 ever, did not last long, as the storms and wind are so 
 violent here that we could not keep it in its place, and it 
 soon wore out. At the same time we carried up a piece 
 of sheet lead which I had purchased, eight or ten feet in 
 •length, seven inches wide, and the thickness of paste- 
 board ; this was put round a roller, which I made for the 
 purpose, for the benefit of those who went up and wished 
 
 71 
 
72 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 to leave their names, which they could now do much 
 quicker and easier, with an iron pencil which I made, 
 than they could carve them with a chisel and hammer on 
 a rock. 
 
 Shortly after this, a gentleman from Boston came and 
 went up the hill without a guide, and while on the sum- 
 mit of this majestic mountain, he thought it a favorable 
 occasion to reconsider the doings of the meeting held at 
 the same place on the 27th day of July last, by Thomas 
 C. Upham and others. He called a meeting for the pur- 
 pose, and as no other prominent personage seemed to 
 offer, he was invited to take the chair, nemi?ie contradicte. 
 He fully explained the object of the meeting, to wit : To 
 select a suitable man to govern this mighty people. He 
 soon heard the name of the Hon. Jas. Kent, late Chan- 
 cellor of New York, called out from all parts of this im- 
 mense canopy, under which our meeting was held. On 
 taking the vote, it was unanimously agreed to recommend 
 him as a candidate to fill the highest office in this repub- 
 lic. When he declared this vote, applause, long and 
 loud, rent the sky, the echo of which still fills his ears. 
 Believing the above nomination will be hailed with joy 
 by those who wish a virtuous man, unused to intrigue, 
 to rule over us, and who are heartsick of cabal, political 
 juggling and roguery, he hereby published it to the na- 
 tion, believing it his duty so to do. He then returned 
 home well satisfied with the proceedings of the day ; an 
 account of which he published in the Album and left. I 
 have here transcribed it, to show how many different ob- 
 jects are sought on these mountains. 
 
 September 10, another party ascended the mountain ; 
 
HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 73 
 
 the day was clear and warm ; they found ice in great 
 quantities, from four to six inches thick. 
 
 October 2, Captain Partridge came with fifty-two 
 Cadets, and as I was gone from home, Lucy managed and 
 got along with them as well as she could. It was not far 
 from the middle of the day when they arrived, and the 
 Captain, as he had been there before, took a part of them 
 and proceeded toward the camp that night, for the pur- 
 pose of having the next day before him to make some 
 barometrical observations, and the others went the same 
 afternoon down to view the Notch and its wonders. 
 Thence they returned the same evening and staid with 
 us that night. Lucy gave them all the beds she then had, 
 which was not enough to accommodate them. Some 
 slept on the floor, and some slept in the barn, and at one 
 time a number stacked themselves up in a pile by the 
 side of the fence, in the bright moonshine ; but this was 
 not a very comfortable situation, for the bottom 'ones re- 
 moved their quarters and returned to the barn. The 
 next morning after breakfast, they took a guide and went 
 and met the Captain and his party coining down the hill ; 
 they, however, went up, and back as far as the camp, and 
 there staid that night, while the former party came home, 
 and the next morning they all came together again to 
 breakfast. We had one room half the bigness of the 
 house, which we used as a kitchen, a victualing room, a 
 sitting room, and when crowded, a sleeping room ; but 
 we were a little better off at this time, having a cooking 
 stove in a woodshed adjoining the house, but this place 
 was not large enough to do all the work in, therefore we 
 had to use the kitchen to do the rest of the work in. 
 4 
 
74 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 Though suffering all these inconveniences, Lucy never 
 murmured or complained, but bore them with patience, 
 saying there was an overruling Providence in all these 
 things, and that these and some other difficulties were to 
 try us, and she would always put some good construction 
 on everything, and view things on the bright side, and in 
 this way we got along, and lived peaceably together with- 
 out any difficulty. 
 
 In the winter of 1825, I bought brick for a chimney, 
 and had to draw them twenty-one miles, which made 
 quite a job of it ; the lumber I had to draw from twelve 
 to twenty miles. This, with what other work I had to 
 do, made a good winter's work for me. The doors we 
 had made in the winter, and in the spring the joiner came 
 and finished his work ; and then, the mason and painter 
 completed the rest, so that we had a house for our sum- 
 mer company, which increased yearly. 
 
 At this time we began to feel quite comfortable, as we 
 had plenty of house room. This room required a good 
 deal of furniture to make it any way decent, without 
 extravagance, and we were obliged to buy such things as 
 were really necessary, which did not seem much like get- 
 ting out of debt, but still plunging in deeper and deep- 
 er. Yet my creditors were so generous as seldom or 
 ever to call upon me, when I was unprepared to meet 
 them. 
 
 The first day of June, some gentlemen came, and went 
 up the mountains. They had rather a fatiguing time of 
 it, as we had not cleared the path of windfalls, which had 
 fallen the preceding winter, and it was excessively warm 
 in the woods, the thermometer standing at 95 deg., and 
 
 
HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 75 
 
 , on the summit at 60 deg. Heat so excessive is seldom 
 experienced here. Notwithstanding, however, the ex- 
 treme labor which we had to encounter, we felt ourselves 
 amply rewarded by the clouds which enveloped the sum- 
 mit. The clouds on the top, occasionally broke away and 
 gave us beautiful views ; others appearing between the 
 mountains around us, now rolling up their sides, and now 
 descending into the valley beneath, forming a magnifi- 
 cent prospect. As I have made some extracts from the 
 visitor's album, I will make a few more, to show the dif- 
 ference of the weather, and the different descriptions 
 given by them, as they come in course, not all, but only 
 those which I think will be interesting for those who 
 have never been here, so that they can form some idea of 
 the place. 
 
 July 12th, two gentlemen and a small boy came, and 
 ascended the hill, unattended by a guide ; they went 
 within three quarters of a mile of the top, when they 
 were overtaken by a thunder storm. One of them, with 
 the boy, returned to the camp, while the other persever- 
 ed and reached the summit. Mr. Hibbard, one of the 
 gentlemen spoken of, gives the following account of his 
 ascension : — " In the aforesaid excursion, I, the said Hib- 
 bard, with precipitancy, ascended the mountain, and 
 reached the summit within three or four hundred feet, 
 when I was overtaken with a thick cloudy vapor, which 
 rushed on with awful majesty, unmolested in its course 
 even by the mountain itself, and so completely becloud- 
 ed my way that it was with difficulty I reached the sum- 
 mit. I then concluded to descend to the camp, but was 
 met by the cloud, which shot forth vivid lightning all 
 
76 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 around me. It was then dark, and I made my way for 
 the tent, on the summit ; and made myself as comfortable 
 as I could through the night, but suffered some with 
 cold." The following lines were afterward appended by 
 M. F. M. Waterford jr. : 
 
 " Whoe'er thou art, go view the White Mountains, 
 Their cloud cap't tops and crystal fountains; 
 Ascend and breathe the healthy mountain air, 
 And view the prospect spread so wide and fair — 
 Then view the Notch, my friend, return and tell, 
 Could you have spent your time and cash so well? " 
 
 The evening before, the view was grand and sublime. 
 
 The same afternoon, a j)arty from the Columbian Acad- 
 emy, with their instructor, Rev. S. R. Hall, came, and 
 at six o'clock in the evening set out, intending to reach 
 the camp that night, but they were overtaken by the 
 storm before mentioned ; and I make use of their lan- 
 guage to describe it. " The members of the Columbian 
 Academy, proceeded at a very late hour, six o'clock, p.m., 
 from E. A. Crawford's, and were overtaken with a se- 
 vere thunder shower, before we arrived at the first camp 
 three miles distant, and there was darkness impenetrable. 
 We were obliged to camp in an old camp, wet, cold and 
 uncomfortable, but we took no cold ; started at three 
 o'clock, and arrived at the other camp, where we ob- 
 tained fire, and soon had a comfortable breakfast. We 
 then went toward the top of Mount Washington, and 
 found it covered with impenetrable fog and clouds. We 
 returned pleased but disappointed. " 
 
 July 27th, four gentlemen came from different parts of 
 the country, and I went with them on their excursion. 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 77 
 
 We started, and staid over night at the camp ; early the 
 next morning we went up Mount Washington and there 
 enjoyed a noble prospect. On our way home, two of 
 them and myself determined to fish, and after we had ar- 
 rived at the right place, we turned out and went to the 
 river, while the other two proceeded toward home. Here 
 we commenced our work, and as fast as we could put in 
 a hook, the trout caught it. One of the party had three 
 hooks attached to his line, and frequently caught three at 
 a time ; but the bushes were so thick here, that thejf 
 would get tangled and pester him. I told him I could 
 beat him in taking them ; for I could put in and take one 
 at a time, and get them faster than he could. He came 
 to the same conclusion, and accordingly took off all his 
 hooks but one. We # had sport enough until satisfied I 
 could carry no more home, and then we left off. We 
 caught in a short time one hundred and thirty-five trout, 
 as many as I could stow in my provision sack, then went 
 home, with a plenty of this kind of food to last during 
 their stay, which was enjoyed with equal pleasure, as 
 when we were taking them. 
 
 About this time a botanist came, who was making a 
 collection of the plants of the White Mountains, as he 
 could obtain here some rare ones, such as are not to be 
 found elsewhere in America. I accompanied him in 
 some of his tours around the mountains, and learned the 
 different plants and names, and the different places 
 where they grew. He went three times up and around 
 the hills, and staid some weeks with us. In one of his 
 excursions, he was accompanied by three gentlemen and 
 a guide ; and the following description of the excursion 
 
78 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 was given by one of the party : " Left Mr. Crawford's 
 house at seven o'clock, a.m., and reached the summit at 
 one o'clock, p.m. In the afternoon we were governed by 
 the botanist and his guide. We concluded to camp on 
 the summit, and accordingly stowed ourselves away up- 
 on the moss on the lee side of a rock, without fire or can- 
 dles, shivering and shaking in the mountain breeze, like 
 aspen leaves freezing with cold, the thermometer stand- 
 ing, at sunrise, at 38 degrees. In the morning, two of 
 tl^em descended to the camp, while the botanist, in com- 
 pany with the other, coasted along by Blue Pond and 
 Mount Munroe, and descended the mountain by the 
 most villainous break-neck route of the Amanoosuc. God 
 help the poor wight who attempts that route, as we did. 
 And now, gentle reader, Heaven bless you and preserve 
 your goings forth forevermore. Good day." On the 
 4th of July, 1825, I think it was, but I may be mistaken 
 in the exact time, although I was not concerned in the 
 affair which then took place, a party from Jackson came 
 up, on the other side of the Hills, and after enjoying the 
 prospect as much as they chos£, and using the spirit 
 which we had left there in bottles, — which I justified 
 them in doing, but did not justify them in carrying away 
 the bottles, which belonged to mother, — robbed the hills 
 of the brass plate, my sheet lead and everything left 
 there by our friends, carrying all away. The lead, I was 
 told, was run into balls ; the bottles, of course, were use- 
 ful ; but what use they could make of the brass, with the 
 Latin inscription thereon, I am not able to say. But one 
 thing I know, it discovered a thievish disposition to take 
 things which did not belong to them, and could not do 
 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 79 
 
 them any good, things which had been placed there with 
 care, and was expected to remain, and would undoubt- 
 edly have remained but for these mischievous persons, 
 who did not understand what belonged to good manners. 
 I have felt myself condemned for not prosecuting them, 
 as they ought to have been chastised and dealt with in a 
 manner according to their deserts. They were found out, 
 and promised to return the things they had purloined ; 
 and that was all they ever did about it ; but the names 
 are known, and their deeds are registered. 
 
 In August, a gentleman came from Boston, attended 
 by his sister. She had made every suitable preparation 
 before leaving home, and was determined to ascend the 
 mountain, although she had been tried to be discouraged 
 on her way, by all who knew her intentions, yet she was 
 not so easily turned, she did not mean that there should 
 be anything lacking in a good will. She desired Mrs. 
 Crawford to go with her, and as she had been, for a long 
 time, anxious to go, I consented ; and in the afternoon, 
 having everything in readiness at four o'clock, we start- 
 ed. We rode to the woods, and, each taking a cane, 
 pursued our journey. We walked that night nearly six 
 miles, and arrived at the camp in good season, with a 
 tolerable prospect for the next day. Here all spent the 
 night well, and early in the morning left for the mountain, 
 but before we had got up fairly out of the woods, there 
 came on a fog, with a thick mist of rain ; this was a 
 great disappointment to us. A council was held, and we 
 agreed to return to the camp, and there wait for another 
 day. We accordingly descended to the camp, and spent 
 the remainder of the day ; in the night it all cleared away, 
 
80 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 and the next morning, in good season, we were on the 
 summit. How delightful ! Now the sun had risen, and 
 as the rain had laid the smoke, the air was perfectly clear 
 and warm, not a cloud nor a vapor to be seen. We could 
 look in every direction and view the works of nature as 
 they lay spread before us ; could see towns and villages 
 in the distance, and so clear was the atmosphere, that we 
 could distinguish one house from another ; but should I 
 attempt to describe the scenery, my pen would fail for 
 want of language to express my ideas of the grandeur of 
 the place. The butterfly was here, busily employed like 
 ourselves, but, perhaps, not in the same way. I have 
 here seen, seemingly, being a mile in the air and a mile 
 above vegetation, squirrels and mice, near the top of this 
 hill, and large flocks of ravens, ducks, pigeons, robins and 
 various other birds, fly over and around ; a flying squir- 
 rel was once caught here, and also a rabbit ; partridges 
 are found in the vicinity, and insects of various kinds. 
 After staying a sufficient length of time, we all started 
 for home. Mrs. Crawford went and returned without 
 any assistance, excepting in descending what is called 
 Jacob's Ladder, where I assisted her a short distance. 
 We arrived at the camp, and taking some refreshment, 
 proceeded home, where we arrived about six o'clock. 
 The ladies considered themselves richly paid for their 
 trouble and fatigue, walking nearly eighteen miles. This 
 was the second party of ladies which ascended the moun- 
 tains ; never after this did we persuade ladies to follow 
 their example, but discouraged them whenever we could, 
 endeavoring to prevent them from attempting it, as we 
 thought it too much of an undertaking; but when they 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS.' 81 
 
 became decided and must go, we did all we could to as- 
 sist them. 
 
 The appended extract gives a description of the tour : 
 " The weather was tolerably clear, many clouds floating 
 about, but not so as to obscure the sun. The wind blow- 
 ing keen and very strong, prevented our stay longer 
 than half an hour, on the top. The view, of course, is 
 very extensive, and presents a great sameness on every 
 side ; barren and bleak, innumerable hills, many ponds, 
 and the Green Mountains may be discerned in the more 
 distant view. The river Amanoosuc presents one of the 
 most pleasing objects, in its descent from Blue Pond, 
 forming a sheet of silver down the mountain, and wind- 
 ing its serpentined course in the valley. This, contrasted 
 with the deep shade of the pines and other trees, in some 
 degree, relieves the eye. Several small streams uniting 
 their waters with this river, soon make a sufficient body 
 for trout lishing, many trout of a small size being caught 
 in it. The weather improved on our descent, and after 
 amusing ourselves to our notice, we returned about six 
 o'clock, took supper and again rested all night in the 
 camp, and the next morning arrived at Mr. Crawford's 
 to breakfast. " 
 
 I will omit making any more extracts, but will insert 
 fragments of the remaining album, (much being lost,) 
 and return to what transpired at home, according to my 
 own knowledge. The following is transcribed from the 
 album, being written there in the handwriting of Dr. 
 Park : "August 27, 1825, John Park, Mrs. Park, Louisa 
 Jane Park, John C. Park and Mary Ann Park, of Bos- 
 ton, Mass., arrived at Mr. Crawford's, with the intention 
 4* 
 
82 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 of ascending Mount Washington. Unfortunately for us, 
 Mr. Crawford had left home a few hours before we ar- 
 rived, for Lancaster, and was not expected to return un- 
 til the evening of the next day. Being limited as to 
 time, and the mountains appearing clear, except a little 
 bluish smoke, we determined to proceed on our visit. On 
 the 28th, at two o'clock p.m., we set out, with a young 
 man for our guide, (Mr. William Howe) ; took the car- 
 riage down to the field about a mile and a half from the 
 house, where we were to enter the woods. 
 
 " In justice to Mrs. Crawford, I must here mention, that 
 beside all her civilities, she added the very friendly of- 
 fer to attend the ladies to the top of the mountain, and 
 expressed the most kind anxiety for them. After a walk 
 not very fatiguing, and, to us, in many parts, romantic 
 and pleasant, we arrived at the camp twenty minutes be- 
 fore seven. Here Mr. Howe made us a roaring fire, pre- 
 pared us supper, and all of us, sachems and squaws, be- 
 took ourselves to the apartment alloted to us. About 
 midnight it began to rain furiously, but as the clouds 
 came from the west we were still in hopes of a clear day. 
 In the morning clouds flying thick, but as blue sky Avas 
 occasionally visible, we concluded to ascend, and, after 
 breakfast, took our departure from the camp, ten minutes 
 past seven, on the morning of the 29th. Hitherto the 
 path had been on a general but moderate ascent. The 
 camp is on the Amanoosuc, and on quitting it, we began 
 immediately to ascend the steep, here making an angle of 
 45 degrees. To be particular would be tedious. The task 
 is excessively laborious ; for ladies, though not impractic- 
 able, it is too severe. Having been joined at the camp 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 83 
 
 by our driver, Batchelder, each lady had an assistant, and 
 though after passing the woods and bushy region, the 
 wind became very fresh, we all continued to ascend, 
 scrambling over the cliffs for some time. At last, ex- 
 hausted by fatigue, and coming to a shelf of rocks which 
 appeared more than usual steep and difficult, Mrs. Park 
 and my daughter Mary Ann, concluded it impossible to 
 proceed. Unpleasant as it was to separate so near the 
 summit, for we were now within three quarters of a mile 
 from the apex, we saw no other plan ; and, lodging Mrs. 
 Park and Mary Ann in a cleft between large rocks, 
 where they would be in some degree sheltered from the 
 wind, we proceeded, my daughter Louisa Jane, having 
 Mr. Howe to support her on one side and Batchelder on 
 the other. It was a desperate business ; the wind grew 
 more violent every step we ascended, and the fog or 
 cloud which enveloped us was wet as rain. At twenty- 
 five minutes past ten, we reached the top, in the midst 
 of a dismal hurricane — no prospect — but certainly our 
 situation partook much of the sublime, from our known 
 elevation, the desolation around us and the horrors of 
 the tempest. 
 
 " I have experienced gales in the Gulf Stream, tempests 
 off Cape Hatteras, tornadoes in the West Indies, and 
 been surrounded by water spouts in the Gulf of Mexico, 
 but I never saw anything more furious or more dreadful 
 than this. I staid on the top but five minutes, anxious 
 for those whom we had left. In less than half of an 
 hour, I found them safe, though cold and anxious. The 
 rest of our party soon arrived, and taking a little refresh- 
 ment, we began to descend together.- Soon after we left 
 
84 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 the regions of barrenness and desolation and entered the 
 woods, we were met by Mr. Crawford himself, who had 
 kindly come out to see what might be our situation. We 
 arrived safe and well at the encampment, at fifteen min- 
 utes after one, took a little refreshment, and continued 
 our return to Mr. Crawford's, where we arrived precisely 
 at six o'clock, p.m., having been absent about twenty- 
 eight hours. 
 
 s " Gentlemen, there is nothing in the ascent of Mount 
 Washington that you need dread. Ladies, give up all 
 thoughts of it ; but if you are resolved, let the season be 
 mild, consult Mr. Crawford as to the prospects of the 
 weather, and with every precaution, you will still find 
 itj/br you, a tremendous undertaking. 
 
 " Though we were disappointed after all we had read 
 and heard, in not having Mr. Crawford for our guide, yet 
 we had no reason to complain. Mr. Howe, who conduct- 
 ed us, will be found a faithful and obliging young man. 
 Of Mr. and Mrs. Crawford's kindness and attention, dur- 
 ing our short stay here, we have ample reason to join in 
 the common report of all travelers " 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 In September, the same year, a small party of gentle- 
 men and three ladies came to visit the mountains, and I 
 went with them. We staid at the camp over night ; 
 next day we went up the hill and back again to the 
 camp, with little trouble or fatigue. After this, when 
 walking on a more level way, one of the ladies became 
 lame in her ankles, and it was with difficulty she could 
 walk. I then took off the bundle of clothes from my 
 back and made a good cushion of them, and placed them 
 on my right shoulder, took my hat in my left hand ; the 
 gentlemen then sat her upon my right shoulder, and I 
 brought her some miles in this way quite well. I have 
 brought gentlemen along in a similar way, when they 
 thought they could go no further. 
 
 The following is another extract from the album: 
 " When we started in the morning, we were fearful of 
 rain, but the weather was good and the temperature of 
 the air comparatively warm on the summit. Our pros- 
 pect but ill repaid us the fatigue of ascending, as the at- 
 mosphere was smoky. After remaining on the summit 
 for more than an hour, and singing Old Hundred, in 
 which the whole party joined, at half past eleven o'clock, 
 we began to descend, and reached the camp in two hours 
 and a half. Here the party rested and refreshed about 
 an hour ; left the camp and arrived at Mr. Crawford's at 
 seven o'clock in the evening. As the ladies of our party 
 
 85 
 
86 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 make a third of the number who have reached the sum- 
 mit of Mount Washington, something may be expected 
 to be said of them and of the practicability of the ascent 
 for ladies. • Miss Harriet C. Woodward performed the 
 ascent and descent of the mountain and the walk from 
 the camp to Mr. Crawford's, with much less fatigue than 
 could have been expected. Miss Lawrence suffered a 
 little more. Miss Elizabeth Woodward supported the 
 ascent and descent to the camp tolerably well, but be- 
 came excessively fatigued and lame during the return 
 walk from the camp to Mr. Crawford's, and had it not 
 been for the kind and humane attention and assistance 
 of Mr. C, which we here record with much gratitude, 
 would scarcely have been able to have reached Mr. C.'s, 
 In conclusion, could ladies be carried and find a little 
 more comfortable accommodations on the mountains, the 
 ascent of Mount Washington even, would be a compara- 
 tively easy achievement. As it is, ladies, do not attempt 
 it ; at least, never but in fair weather. Of Mr. Craw- 
 ford's kindness and humanity nothing need be said ; all 
 who visit the mountain will be satisfied with it. " 
 
 Getting tired of carrying blankets every time we went 
 up this mountain, and not being able to leave them in 
 safety on account of the mice and squirrels, for they 
 would make holes in them, unless we hung them on a 
 tree, and then they were exposed to the weather, some- 
 time in the forepart of the summer, I bought a sufficient 
 quantity of sheet-iron and made a chest that would hold 
 ten bushels, apparently large enough for the man who 
 carried it to lie down and rest himself in. This we 
 placed at the camp and there made a deposit for all 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 87 
 
 things that might be left there. We had eleven blank- 
 ets, and cooking utensils for cooking a good warm meal, 
 and would frequently add to the variety, by a dish of 
 trout, which could be caught but a few rods from the 
 camp. These I could cook to a charm, much better than 
 an old experienced cook in a city hotel could, — at least, 
 they tasted much better here than there. I had plenty 
 of good salt pork to cook them with, and that is the very 
 thing that gives them a relish ; and fatigue w r ould never 
 fail of giving us good appetites. Afterward I made my 
 tea, and then could drink it in clean fresh-washed cups. 
 I had here every convenience for doing all this work. I 
 was presented with a box of tin-ware of a superior qual- 
 ity, from the before mentioned botanist, containing an 
 apparatus sufficient for a number to eat and drink with 
 together ; and on the corner of the iron chest, I would 
 sometimes put birch bark from a tree and spread it as a 
 substitute for a cloth, and in this way I have enjoyed 
 many a good meal with my friends. 
 
 We had two camps built and they stood facing each 
 other, and there* was a good fire in the middle. The 
 wood we cut from six to eight feet in length and rolled 
 it together, any way or size we could manage, and when 
 one pile burnt out, we would put another on, and thus 
 kept a good fire through the night. One camp was for 
 ladies and the other for gentlemen. For beds we took a 
 large quantity of spruce and hemlock boughs and laid 
 them down, spread our blankets upon them, and this 
 would make a healthy bed. To secure the ladies, Ave 
 would make a blanket curtain in front of their camp, 
 and they were entirely by themselves. Now the until- 
 
88 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 ing mosquito would sing to us constantly and every now 
 and then would stop and taste a little. 
 
 I never knew a single person that ever took cold from 
 these wild excursions. We frequently received letters 
 from invalids saying their healths were much improved 
 by this visit with us. 
 
 Now we were in trouble again, there being a complaint 
 for want of a shed and more stable room. The winter 
 of 1826 was at hand with a great deal to do. After hav- 
 ing done other necessary business, I went to hauling 
 boards and shingles from the same short distance of 
 twelve miles only, up through the Notch. My father 
 had put him up a new saw-mill, and I could get boards 
 from there now better than from anywhere else, but it 
 was some trouble to draw them up the Notch hills. 
 Some perhaps think this a heavy job, but when a thing 
 is undertaken in good earnest, it is soon over ; so with 
 this job. In the spring I hired men and went to work 
 and soon had timber prepared for a stable sixty feet by 
 forty, and a shed to stand between the old stable and 
 the new one, fifty feet by forty, which accommodated 
 both stables, and the whole length of these buildings was 
 nearly one hundred and fifty feet, in a straight line, fac- 
 ing the road. The outside of these buildings was nearly 
 finished, when a stop was put to all business in conse- 
 quence of the great rain, which you will soon find re- 
 corded. 
 
 In June, as my father with a number of men was at 
 work repairing the turnpike road through the Notch, 
 there came on a heavy rain, and they were obliged to 
 leave their work and retire to the house, then occupied 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 89 
 
 by the worthy Willey family, and it rained very hard. 
 While there they saw on the west side of the road a 
 small movement of rocks and earth coming down the hill, 
 and it took all before it. They saw, likewise, whole trees 
 coming down, standing upright, for ten rods together, 
 before they would tip over, — the whole still moving 
 slowly on, making its way until it had crossed the road, 
 and then on a level surface some distance before it 
 stopped. This grand and awful sight frightened the 
 timid family very much, and Mrs. Willey proposed to 
 have the horses harnessed and go to my father's, but the 
 old gentleman told her not to be alarmed, as he said 
 they were much safer there than they would be in the 
 road ; for, said he, there may be other difficulties in the 
 way, like the one just described, or the swollen waters 
 may have carried away some of the bridges, and they 
 could not be crossed ; and after some reasoning with her 
 in this way she was pacified and remained safely. The 
 next day, as the storm had abated, they set about re- 
 moving the burden from the road, which required much 
 trouble and labor. This seemed to be a warning and it 
 appeared so to them. Mr. Willey had looked round and 
 about the mountains and tried to find out a safer place 
 than the one they then occupied ; and, having satisfied 
 himself, as he thought, placed a good tight cart-body in 
 such a manner as would secure them from the weather 
 in case a similar thing should occur, as visitors had ad- 
 vised them to leave the place, as they were anxious for 
 their safety ; and he, it appeared, was fearful, or he 
 would not have made this effort. Bat there is an over- 
 ruling God who knows all things and causes all things to 
 
90 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 happen for the best, although we short-sighted mortals 
 cannot comprehend them. Had they taken the advice of 
 St. Paul and all abode in the ship, they might have been 
 saved ; but this was not to be their case, — they were suf- 
 fered to perish. 
 
 August 26th, there came a party from the West to as- 
 cend the mountain, but as the wind had been blowing 
 from the south for several days, I advised them not to go 
 that afternoon, but they said their time was limited and 
 they must proceed. Everything necessary for the expe- 
 dition being put in readiness, we all, like so many good 
 soldiers, with our staves in our hands, set forward at six 
 o'clock and arrived at the camp at ten o'clock ; and I 
 with my knife and flint struck fire, which caught in a 
 piece of dry punk, which I carried for that purpose, and 
 from that I could make a large fire. This was the only 
 way we had in those days of obtaining fire. After my 
 performing the duties of a cook and house maid, we sat 
 down in the humble situation of Indians, not having the 
 convenience of chairs, and told stories till the time for 
 rest. The wind still continued to blow from the south. 
 In the morning, about four o'clock, it commenced rain- 
 ing, which prevented their hopes of ascending the moun- 
 tain that day, and not having provisions for another day, 
 and they being unwilling now to give it up, when they 
 had got so near, a meeting was called and it was unani- 
 mously agreed that I should go home and get new sup- 
 plies and then return to them again. I obeyed their 
 commands, shouldered my empty pack, took my leave of 
 them and returned ; but, as the rain was falling so fast, 
 and the mud collected about my feet, my progress was 
 
HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 91 
 
 slow and wearisome. I at length got home, and being 
 tired and my brother Thqpaas being there, I desired him 
 to take my place, which he cheerfully consented to do, 
 and in a short time, he was laden and set forward ; and 
 when arriving at the camp, the party was holding a coun- 
 cil as to what was to be done, for the rain had fallen so 
 fast and steadily that it had entirely extinguished the 
 fire. They consulted Thomas upon the matter to know 
 if they had time to get in. He told them that to remain 
 there would be very unpleasant, as they must suffer with 
 the wet and cold, not considering danger, but if they 
 would go as fast as they could, they might reach the 
 house. Each taking a little refreshment in his hands, 
 and having the precaution to take the axe with them, set 
 off in full speed, and when they came to a swollen stream 
 which they could not ford, Thomas would, with his axe, 
 fell a tree for a bridge, and then they would walk over. 
 They got along tolerably well until they came to a large 
 branch, which came from the Notch. This was full and 
 raging, and they had some difficulty to find a tree that 
 would reach to the opposite bank, but at length suc- 
 ceeded in finding one, and they all got safely over, and 
 those who could not walk, crawled along, holding on by 
 the limbs ; and when they came to the main stream, the 
 water had risen and come into the road for several rods, 
 and when they crossed the bridge it trembled under their 
 feet. They all arrived in safety about eight o'clock in 
 the evening, when they were welcomed by two large 
 fires to dry themselves. Here they took off their wet 
 garments, and those that had not a change of their own 
 put on mine and went to bed, while we set up to dry 
 
92 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 theirs. At eleven o'clock we had a clearing up shower, 
 and it seemed as though the windows of heaven were 
 opened and the rain came down almost in streams. It 
 did not, however, last long before it all cleared away and 
 became a perfect calm. The next morning we were 
 awakened by Our little boy coining into the room, and 
 saying, " Father, the earth is nearly covered with water, 
 and the hogs are swimming for life. " I arose immedi- 
 ately and went to 'their rescue. I waded into the water 
 and pulled away the fence, and they swam to land. 
 What a sight! The sun rose clear; not a cloud nor a 
 vapor was to be seen ; all was still and silent, excepting 
 the rushing sound of the water, as it poured down the 
 hills. The whole interval was covered with water a 
 distance of over two hundred acres of land, to be seen 
 when standing on the little hill which has been named 
 and called Giant's Grave, just back of the stable, where 
 the house used to stand that was burnt. After standing 
 here a short time, I saw the fog arise in different places 
 on the water, and it formed a beautiful sight. The 
 bridge which had so lately been crossed, had come down 
 and taken with it ninety feet of shed which was attached 
 to the barn that escaped the fire in 1818. Fourteen 
 sheep that were under it were drowned, and those which 
 escaped looked as though they had been washed in a 
 mud puddle. The water came within eighteen inches of 
 the door in the house and a strong current was running 
 between the house and stable. It came up under the 
 shed and underneath the new stable, and carried away 
 timber and wood, passed by the west corner of the 
 house and moved a wagon which stood in its course. 
 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 93 
 
 Now the safety of my father and of the Willcy 
 family occupied our minds, but there was no way 
 to find out their situation. At or near the middle 
 of the day (Tuesday $f there came a traveler on foot 
 who was desirous of going down the Notch that night, 
 as he said his business was urgent, and he must, if 
 j)ossible, go through. I told him to be patient, as the 
 water was then falling fast, and as soon as it should fall 
 and I could swim a horse, I would carry him over the 
 river. Owins: to the narrowness of the intervals be- 
 tween the mountains here, when it begins to fall it soon 
 drains away, and at four o'clock I mounted a large 
 strong horse, took the traveler on behind, swam the riv- 
 er, and landed him safely on the other side and returned. 
 He made the best of his way down to the Notch house 
 and arrived there just before dark. He found the house 
 deserted by every living creature, excepting the faithful 
 dog, and he was unwilling at first to admit the stranger. 
 He at length became friendly and acquainted. On going 
 to the barn he found it had been touched by an ava- 
 lanche and fallen in. The two horses that were in it 
 were both killed, and the oxen confined under the broken 
 timber tied in their stalls. These he set at liberty after 
 finding an axe and cutting away the timber ; they were 
 lame, but soon got over it. What must have been the 
 feelings of this lonely traveler while occupying this de- 
 serted house, finding doors opened and bed and clothes 
 as though they had been left in a hurry, bible open and 
 lying on the table as if it had lately been read? He 
 went round the house, and prepared for himself a sup- 
 per, and partook of it alone, except the company of the 
 
94 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 clog, who seemed hungry like himself ; then quietly Iny 
 down in one of these open deserted beds, and consoled 
 himself by thinking the family had made their escape 
 and gone down to my father's. Early the next morning 
 he proceeded on his way and he had some difficulty in 
 getting across some places, as the earth and water were 
 mixed together and made a complete quagmire. He suc- 
 ceeded in getting to father's, but could obtain no infor- 
 mation of the unfortunate family. He told this story as 
 he went down through Bartlett and Conway, and the 
 news soon spread. 
 
 On Wednesday the waters had subsided so much that 
 we could ford the Amanoosuc river with a horse and 
 wagon, and some of the time limited party agreed to try 
 the ground over again ; so they, with the addition of 
 another small party who came from the West on Tues- 
 day, with Thomas for guide, again set out, while I, with 
 a gentleman from Connecticut, went toward the Notch. 
 After traveling a distance of two miles in a wagon, we 
 were obliged to leave it and take to our feet. We now 
 found the road in some places entirely demolished, and 
 seemingly, on a level surface; a crossway which had 
 been laid down for many years and firmly covered with 
 dirt, — that to the eye of human reason it would be im- 
 possible to move, — taken up, and every log had been dis- 
 turbed and laid in different directions. On going still 
 a little further, we found a gulf in the middle of the 
 road, in some places ten feet deep, and twenty rods in 
 length. The rest of the road, my pen would fail should 
 I attenrpt to describe it ; suffice it to say, I could hardly 
 believe my own eyes, the water having made such de- 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 95 
 
 struction. Now, when within a short distance of the 
 house, I found the cows with their bags filled with milk, 
 and from their appearance, they had not been milked for 
 some days. My heart sickened as I thought what had 
 happened to the inmates of the house. We went in and 
 there found no living person, and the house in the situa- 
 tion just described. I was going down to my father's to 
 seek them out, but the gentleman with me would not let 
 me go, for he said he could not find his way back alone, 
 and I must return with him. We set out and arrived 
 home at four o'clock in the afternoon. 
 
 I could not be satisfied about the absent family, and 
 again returned, and when I got back to the house found 
 a number of the neighbors had assembled and no infor- 
 mation concerning them could be obtained. My feelings 
 were such that I could not remain there during the 
 night, although a younger brother of mine, being one of 
 the company, almost laid violent hands upon me to com- 
 pel me to stay, fearing some accident might befall me, as 
 I should have to feel my way through the Notch on my 
 hands and knees, for the water had in the narrowest 
 place in the Notch taken out the rocks which had been 
 beat in from the ledge above to make the road, and car- 
 ried them into the gulf below, and made a hole or gulf 
 twenty feet deep, and it was difficult, if not dangerous, 
 to get through in the night, as all those who visited this 
 scene of desolation will bear testimony to ; but my mind 
 was fixed and unchangeable, and I would not be pre- 
 vailed on to stay. I started and groped my way home 
 in the dark, where I arrived at ten o'clock in the even- 
 ing. Here I found that the party from the mountain 
 
96 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 had arrived ; as they had nowhere to stay, they were 
 obliged to come in that night. Now we began to relate 
 our discoveries. They had much difficulty in finding 
 their way, as the water had made as bad work with their 
 path as it had done with the road, in proportion to its 
 length. The water had risen and carried away every 
 particle of the camp and all my furniture there. The 
 party seemed thankful that they, on Monday, had made 
 their escape. What must have been their fortune had 
 they remained there ? They must have shared the same 
 fate the Willey family did, or suffered a great deal with 
 fear, wet, cold and hunger, for it would have been im- 
 possible for them to have come in until Wednesday, and 
 their provisions must have been all gone, if not lost, on 
 Monday night. It seemed really a providential thing in 
 their being saved. No part of the iron chest was ever 
 found, or anything it contained, excepting a few pieces 
 of blanket that were caught on bushes in different places 
 down the river. 
 
 The next morning our friends, with gratitude left us ; 
 and we had the same grateful feelings toward them, 
 wishing each other good luck. 
 
 The same day (Thursday) before I had time to look 
 about me and learn the situation of my farm, and esti- 
 mate the loss I had sustained, the friends of the Willey 
 family had come up to the deserted house and sent for 
 me. At first I said I could not go down, but being ad- 
 vised to, I went. When I got there, on seeing the 
 friends of that well-beloved family, and having been ac- 
 quainted with them for many years, my heart was full 
 and my tongue refused utterance, and I could not for a 
 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 97 
 
 considerable length of time speak to one of them, and 
 could only express the regard I had for them in pressing 
 their hands and giving full vent to my tears. This was 
 the second time my eyes were wet with tears since 
 grown to manhood. The other time was when my fam- 
 ily was in that destitute situation. Diligent search 
 being made for them, and no traces to be found until 
 night, the attention of the people was attracted by the 
 flies, as they were passing and repassing underneath a 
 large pile of floodwood. They now began to haul away 
 the rubbish, and at length found Mr. and Mrs. Willey, 
 Mr. Allen, the hired man, and the youngest child not far 
 distant from each other. These were taken up, broken 
 and mangled, as must naturally be expected, and were 
 placed in coffins. The next day they were interred, on 
 a piece of ground near the house, there to remain until 
 winter. Saturday, the other hired man was found and 
 interred, and on Sunday, the eldest daughter was found, 
 some way from where the others were, across the river ; 
 and it was said her countenance was fair and pleasant, 
 not a bruise or a mark was discovered upon her. It was 
 supposed she was drowned. She had only a handker- 
 chief around her waist, supposed to have been put there 
 for some one to lead her by. This girl was not far from 
 twelve years of age. She had acquired a good educa- 
 tion, considering her advantages, and she seemed more 
 like a gentleman's, daughter, of fashion and affluence, 
 than the daughter of one who had located himself in the 
 midst of the mountains. It is said the earliest flowers 
 are the soonest plucked, and this seems to be the case 
 with this young, interesting family; the rest of the 
 6 
 
98 HISTOKY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 children were not inferior to the eldest, considering 
 their age. In this singular act of Providence, there 
 were nine taken from time into eternity, four adult per- 
 sons and five children. It should remind us, we who 
 are living, to "be also ready, for in such an hour as ye 
 think not, the Son of Man cometh." It was a providen- 
 tial thing, said Zara Cutler, Esq., who was present af- 
 terward, that the house itself was saved, so near came 
 the overwhelming avalanche. The length of the slides 
 are several miles down the side of the mountain. The 
 other three children, one daughter and two sons, have 
 never to this day been found ; not even a bone has ever 
 been picked up or discovered. It is supposed they must 
 have been buried deep underneath an avalanche. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Willey sustained good and respectable 
 characters, and were in good standing among the chris- 
 tians in Conway, where they belonged. They were re- 
 markable for their charities and kindness toward others, 
 and commanded the respect of travelers and all who 
 knew them. Much more could be said in their favor, 
 but it would be superfluous to add. Suffice it to remark 
 that the whole intention of their lives was to live humbly, 
 walk uprightly, deal justly with all, speak evil of none. 
 
 There came a large slide down back of the house in a 
 direction to take the house with it, and when within ten 
 or fifteen rods of the house it came against a solid ledge 
 of rock and there stopped and separated, one on either 
 side of the house, taking the stable on one side, and the 
 family on the other, or they might have got to the ren- 
 dezvous ; but there is no certainty which of these divis- 
 ions overtook them, as they were buried partly by the 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 99 
 
 three slides which had come together eighty rods from 
 the house ; the two that separated back of the house here 
 met, and a still larger one had come down in the place 
 where Mr. Willey had hunted out a safe refuge. When 
 the slide was coming down and separating, it had great 
 quantities of timber with it. One log, six feet long and 
 two feet through, still kept its course, and came within 
 three feet of the house, but fortunately it was stopped 
 by coming against a brick, where it rested ; the ends of 
 trees were torn up, and looked similar to an old peeled 
 birch broom. The whole valley, which was once covered 
 with beautiful green grass, was now a complete quag- 
 mire, exhibiting nothing but ruins of the mountains, 
 heaps of timber, large rocks, sand and gravel. All was 
 dismal and desolate. For a monument, I wrote with a 
 piece of red chalk, on a planed board, this inscription : 
 
 THE FAMILY FOUND HERE. 
 
 I nailed it to a dead tree, which was standing near the 
 place where they were found ; but it has since been taken 
 away by some of the occupants of the house and used for 
 fuel. 
 
 But to return to my own affairs at home. Fences 
 mostly gone, farm in some places covered so deeply with 
 sand and gravel that it was ruined, and, on the interval, 
 floodwood was piled in great and immense quantities, in 
 different j)laces all over it. The bridge now lay in pieces 
 all around the meadow, and the shed also ; there was a 
 large field of oats, just ready to harvest, from which I 
 think I would have had four or six hundred bushels, 
 which was destroyed j also, some hay in the field. My 
 
100 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 actual loss at this time was more than one thousand dol- 
 lars, and truly things looked rather unfavorable. After 
 the fire, we had worked hard and economized closely to 
 live and j>ay our former dues, in which we made slow 
 progress. As it was necessary for the benefit of the pub- 
 lic, to buy so many things, which we could not get along 
 without, I could do but little toward taking up my old 
 notes, but still I must persevere, and keep doing while 
 the day lasted, and I thought no man would be punished 
 for being unfortunate. Therefore, taking these things 
 into consideration, I would still continue to do the best 
 I could and trust the event. My father suffered still 
 more than myself. The best part of his farm was en- 
 tirely destroyed. A new saw mill which he had just 
 put up, and a great number of logs and boards, were 
 swept away together into the sand ; fences on the inter- 
 val were all gone ; twenty-eight sheep were drowned 
 and considerable grain which was in the field was swept 
 away. The water rose on the outside of the house 
 twenty-two inches, and ran through the whole house on 
 the lower floors, and swept out the coals and ashes from 
 the fire place. They had lighted candles which were 
 placed in the windows, and my mother took down a 
 pole which she used as a clothes pole, and stood at a 
 window near the corner of the house, when the current 
 run swift, and would push away the timber and other 
 stuff that came down against the house, to keep it from 
 collecting in a great body, as she thought it might jam 
 up and sweep away the house, for the water was rising 
 fast. And while thus engaged, she was distressed by 
 the cries of the poor bleating and drowning sheep that 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 101 
 
 would pass by in the flood, and seemed to cry for help, 
 but none could be afforded. 
 
 My father at this time was from home, and but few of 
 the family were there, so they made the best they could 
 of it. This came on so suddenly and unexpectedly that 
 almost everything in the cellar was ruined, and a part of 
 the wall fell in. 
 
 This loss of my father's property, which he had accu- 
 mulated only by the sweat of his brow, was so great that 
 he will never be likely to regain it. Many suffered 
 more or less who lived on this wild and uncultivated 
 stream, as far as Saco. 
 
 We had now a difficulty which seemed almost insur- 
 mountable. The road in many places was entirely gone ; 
 the bridges, the whole length of the turnpike, excepting 
 two, a distance of seventeen miles, gone ; the directors 
 came and looked at it, and found it would take a large 
 sum to repair it. The good people of Portland, how- 
 ever, to encourage us, raised fifteen hundred dollars to 
 help us with; it was put into the hands of Nathan Kins- 
 man, Esq., to see it well laid out. The directors voted 
 to raise an assessment on the shares, to make up the 
 balance ; and that, with some other assistance, was di- 
 vided into jobs and let out, and we all went to work ; 
 and, as it was said, the sun shone so short a time in this 
 Notch, that the hardy New Hampshire boys made up 
 their hours by moonlight. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 We got along much better with this work than we ex- 
 pected. We were favored with good weather, and had a 
 decent sleigh path for the winter. This great and won- 
 derful catastrophe, which happened among the mountains, 
 caused a great many to visit the place that fall. Among 
 others there came two gentlemen for the purpose of go- 
 ing up to the mountain and visiting the slides, to ascertain 
 the qualities of naked mountains, as they were in search 
 of minerals. We found on the west side of Mount 
 Pleasant, the largest slide; it appeared one thousand 
 acres in dimension had slid off and rested in the valley 
 below. We wandered about, looking at the wonderful 
 works of God, until night overtook us, and then on a 
 ridge of the hill, near the Amanoosuc, by the side of a 
 large pile of floodwood, I built a camp, or wigwam, which 
 was sufficiently large for us then. I cut my wood, struck 
 a fire, and we each took our blanket and retired to rest. 
 As might be expected, the night at this season of the 
 year, was long and cold; a thick mist of rain came on, 
 and our quarters being small, they complained of the cold 
 and want of room. I arose, renewed my fire, and spread 
 my blanket on them, and retired, myself, to a thick fir 
 tree, under whose boughs'l took shelter, and soon fell 
 asleep ; being very tired, and now having plenty of room, 
 and feeling my companions were more comfortable, I 
 slept till morning. When I returned to my companions 
 102 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 103 
 
 they were glad to see the light of another day. I have 
 been over and around the mountains in almost every di- 
 reetion with botanists and with mineralogists. I hava 
 been up and down all the slides of any magnitude, and 
 have taken pains to find out if there were any minerals of 
 value there, but have never as .yet found any of conse- 
 quence. 
 
 It has been supposed by some that there were valuable 
 mines somewhere about the mountains. I have searched 
 for these also, but found none. I recollect a number of 
 years ago, when quite a boy, some persons had been up 
 on the hills and said they had found a golden treasure, or 
 carbuncle, which they said was under a large shelving 
 rock, and would be difficult to obtain, for they might fall 
 and be dashed to pieces. Moreover, they thought it was 
 guarded by an evil spirit, supposing that it had been 
 placed there by the Indians, and that they had killed one 
 of their number and left him to guard the treasure, 
 which some credulous, superstitious persons believed, 
 and they got my father to engage to go and search for it. 
 Providing themselves with everything necessary for the 
 business and a sufficient number of good men and a min- 
 ister well qualified to lay the evil spirit, they set out in 
 good earnest and high spirits, anticipating with pleasure 
 how rich they should be in coming home laden with gold ; 
 that is, if they should have the good luck to find it. 
 They set out and went up Dry river, and had hard work 
 to find their way through the thickets and over the hills, 
 where they made diligent search for a number of days, 
 with some of the former men spoken of for guides, but 
 they could not find the place again, or anything that 
 
104 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 seemed to be like it, and worn out with fatigue and dis- 
 appointment, they returned. Never since, to mj knowl- 
 edge, has any one found that wonderful place again, or 
 been troubled with the mountain spirit. 
 
 I have heard it said by the people of Portsmouth, that 
 when children were. at play and happened to fall out with 
 each other, the worst punishment they could inflict upon 
 their mates was to wish them up at the White Hills, as 
 that was considered the worst place in the world by 
 them. Perhaps their minds had been affected by the 
 story of Nancy, who perished in the woods in attempting 
 to follow her lover. She had been at work in Jefferson 
 for Colonel Whipple, when the heart of this honest girl 
 was won by a servant of his ; as he was going in the 
 fall to Portsmouth, he promised to take her along with 
 him, and after they should arrive there, he would make 
 her his wife. She was honest herself and thought him to 
 be also, and as he had contrived every means to please 
 her in all the domestic concerns in which they were en- 
 gaged, while under the control of the Colonel, she had 
 entrusted him with her money, which had been paid her 
 for her labor, and went to Lancaster to make preparations 
 for the intended journey. While she was preparing, her 
 lover went away with the Colonel and left her behind. 
 She was immediately informed of his treachery, and was 
 determined to pursue him. There had been a deep snow 
 and there was no road, nothing but spotted trees, beside 
 the tracks of the Colonel and her false lover to follow. 
 When she arrived at Jefferson she was wet with snow 
 which had collected upon her clothes, and was wearied. 
 The men that were there tried to persuade her not to go 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 105 
 
 any further, setting forth the many difficulties she would 
 have to encounter, and likewise the danger she would be 
 exposed to in such an undertaking, through a howling 
 wilderness of thirty miles, without fire or food. All 
 these entreaties did not move her, or alter her determi- 
 nation ; for such was her love either for the man upon 
 whom she had placed her affections, or the money she 
 had placed in his hands, that she was inflexible. Having 
 a great opinion of her own ability, in her imagination she 
 thought, as they had only been gone some hours, and 
 would probably go no further than the Notch that 
 night, probably camping there, she might, by traveling 
 all night, overtake them before they started in the morn- 
 ing. In this she was disappointed ; they had left 
 before she arrived ; but from every appearance the fire 
 had not gone out. It may be inquired how it was known 
 that the fire had not gone out there? When a fire is 
 made in the woods, it is made of very large wood, cut 
 and rolled together, and then left to burn, as was evi- 
 dently the case here, and there will be brands left at each 
 end of the fire. These brands she had put together, and 
 they burnt out, as the ashes plainly showed for themselves 
 when the men found them. She was tired and worn out 
 with fatigue and hunger, having taken nothing with her 
 to eat on the way. Yet her passion was not abated, and 
 she still persevered, thinking she should overtake them. 
 She went on and got a distance of tw'enty-two miles, 
 when the men thinking she was in earnest, followed her. 
 When she set off in the afternoon, they thought she 
 would not go far before she would come back, and they 
 waited until late in the evening, expecting every moment 
 5* 
 
106 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 to hear the sound of her footsteps at the door ; but in 
 vain did they imagine this. They j^ressed on and found 
 the fire in the situation just described, which made them 
 think she found fire to warm her benumbed limbs. Here 
 they rested only a short time and then proceeded and 
 found her just after crossing a brook, in a sitting posi- 
 tion, with her clothes frozen upon her, having wet them 
 while crossing the brook, and her head was resting on 
 her hand and cane which had been her support through 
 the woods, and she was frozen to death. 
 
 This place is near my father's, and has ever since, 
 from that circumstance, borne the name of Nancy's 
 Brook, and Nancy's Hill. 
 
 "Now in this volume let me build a tomb 
 For Nancy, love's sweet victim, in her bloom. 
 Her tragic end, though awful to relate, 
 Shows how true love controls a woman's fate ! 
 Oh ! had she early given her heart to God, 
 Perhaps she had not felt the chastening rod. 
 But let us trust her sins are all forgiven, 
 And with her Savior, that she rests in Heaven." 
 
 J. C. N. I. 
 
 The reader would perhaps like to know what became 
 of her lover. Shortly after hearing of this, his own con- 
 science was smitten and he became frantic and insane, 
 and was put into the hospital, where he in a few months 
 after died in a most horrible condition. This is a true 
 story,. as I have heard it told by those who were know- 
 ing to the facts, as related in the above statement. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 October 14th, there came a gentleman from Germany 
 to ascend the mountains. I provided him with a good 
 guide, and they set out early in the morning, knowing 
 they must return that evening, as there was no place for 
 them to stay on their way over night. I waited for 
 their return until nine o'clock in the evening, feel- 
 ing anxious for them, fearing they might be lost, as 
 there had come down in the flood a large quantity of 
 timber and filled up the path, so that it was difficult 
 finding it, not far from the entrance of the woods. I 
 did not know but they might be lost in this place, as it 
 would be dark before they could arrive there, and well 
 knowing the night must be long, cold and tedious, in 
 their destitute situation, I took a lantern and my long 
 tin horn, mounted a horse and proceeded to the woods, 
 where I alighted and then commenced blowing the horn, 
 which was soon answered by the guide. I took my 
 lio-ht and steered toward the sound of his voice ; there 
 I found them completely lost, not more than a quarter 
 of a mile from the open ground. When they came there 
 it was dark, and though the guide had been there many 
 times before, and knew the way well, yet the darkness 
 bewildered him so much that it was in vain he tried to 
 get out, and when satisfied he could not, he groped his 
 way about in the dark, and had broken some boughs to 
 lie down upon, without a blanket, and no other cover- 
 
 107 
 
108 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 ing than the canopy of heaven to cover them. Desti- 
 tute of food, and not having the means of making a 
 fire, they had made up their minds to spend the night 
 in this uncomfortable situation, when the joyful sound 
 of the horn caught their ears. I soon put them in a way 
 to get liberated from this place, and when they came to 
 the horse, I helped the gentleman on his back, and then 
 we all came home ; and a more grateful man than this I 
 scarce ever saw. When arrived at the house, and find- 
 ing his situation changed from that cold and lonesome 
 one to a good warm fire and supper, and the expectation 
 of a good bed, it almost overcame him. 
 
 The winter of 1827 I spent much like the former win- 
 ter seasons ; buying and laying in a still larger share of 
 provisions than usual, for the benefit of those who 
 should need them while at work on the road, and for the 
 purpose of assisting the weary traveler through the deep 
 snows, and over our rough roads. 
 
 In the spring I went to work on my mountain road, as 
 soon as the ground would permit, and I made a road 
 suitable for a carriage a distance of one and a half miles 
 into the woods. We could now ride in a carriage from 
 my house, three miles, and our custom was at that time, 
 to carry visitors to the end of the road, and then return 
 with the carriage, and leave them to try their own 
 strength from there up and back, and then we would be 
 ready there on their return, to bring them home again. 
 I had intended to work on this road every year, when I 
 could, until I should have completed it to the foot of Mt. 
 Washington. 
 
 After reading the description given by Dr. Park, and 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 109 
 
 the other party of ladies, shortly after their return, and 
 finding their opinion was that it was not exactly fitting 
 for ladies to attempt such an arduous undertaking, all 
 the ladies that visited the mountain were more willing 
 to give up the idea of the ascent, although they had as 
 much curiosity to view and contemplate things not 
 made with hands ; and still they, in general, possess an 
 ambition to excell and attain to such noble and roman- 
 tic acts, for some energy both of mind and body is re- 
 quired to perform such an enterprise. There had never 
 been but four parties of ladies up the mountain since I 
 had come here to live, now ten years past, and I had 
 promised the ladies that whenever I could make a road 
 suitable for them to ride a part or all of the way to the 
 foot of the hill, I would never, in good weather, discour- 
 age them from going there, but would go with them my- 
 self, and assist them wherever it was necessary. I had 
 made a road to ride on part of the way, and ladies be- 
 gan to take me at my word, and this summer began to 
 ascend the mountain again. Whenever we had more 
 company than what belonged to any particular party, I 
 would furnish them with another guide, so that they 
 should not be troubled or hindered in the least ; they 
 might go with us or by themselves, just as the parties 
 chose. I spent this summer in going up and down the 
 mountain with my friends, visiting the Notch and the 
 desolate Willey House, giving them as good an account 
 of what took place on that memorable night of the 
 second of August last and answering all their inquiries 
 as promptly and correctly as my humble capacity and 
 judgment would allow me to do. 
 
110 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 It now became needful for the benefit of the company, 
 as it increased, to have an establishment at the top of 
 the Notch, as many wanted to stojj there and leave their 
 horses, and pursue their way down the hill on foot, to 
 view the cascades as they come majestically down the 
 hill and over the rocks, and form such a beautiful sil- 
 very sight. The flume, likewise, that is curiously cut 
 out by nature through a solid rock, the avalanches, and 
 then the Willey House, etc. On their return they 
 needed refreshment, and having a disposition to accom- 
 modate the public, and feeling a little self-pride to have 
 another Crawford settled here, to make up a road, I con- 
 sulted with my father, and we agreed to build there 
 and place a brother of mine in the house. We accord- 
 ingly made a plan upon the best and most convenient 
 construction we could invent, and, in the fall, prepared 
 timber for a frame one hundred and twenty feet in 
 length, and thirty-six feet in width. Just as we were 
 about to raise this, the snow fell so deeply that we were 
 obliged to give it up for the present time. 
 
 I think that it was this fall that a man from Falmouth 
 had been to Lancaster and bought some fat sheep and 
 oxen ; he had a team of horses and a wagon, and on his 
 way home as he was coming over Cherry Mountain, it 
 began to snow. He arrived at my house, where he put 
 up for the night, and it continued to snow until it had 
 fallen two feet, and over; here he staid until it cleared 
 away, and then he could not travel with his sheep, the 
 snow was so deep. I then, with him, began to contrive 
 means to help him along. We harnessed his horses, and 
 put them to a wagon, the oxen on forward of them ; 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. Ill 
 
 but this did not make a path sufficient for the 
 sheep to go in. I then harnessed a horse and drove 
 a wedge into a short, large, round log, put a chain 
 around this wedge, and led my horse, and this log 
 made a complete road for them to go in, single file ; 
 in this way* we got along quite well down into the 
 Notch, a little way, when the snow became thin, then he 
 could go without my assistance. I then left my log, 
 mounted my horse, and returned home, while the trav- 
 eler pursued his journey, without suffering much incon- 
 venience from the snow. It was no uncommon thing 
 for us to have two feet of snow, while in Bartlett, they 
 would not have more than two inches ; as we lived so 
 high in the air, and the mountains generally attract or 
 hinder the storms, we had snow, while others, who lived 
 not more than twenty miles distant had rain and some- 
 times sunshine ; such was the variableness of the weather 
 where we then lived, still in the summer we generally 
 had a good share of good and clear weather, but spring 
 and fall were the times when we had most of these 
 sudden changes. Uncle William says, that in former 
 days, when they first went there to live, the snow would 
 sometimes be ten feet deep, and he has seen the time 
 when they could drive a team of oxen and horses any- 
 where in the field, on the crust, over stumps and fences, 
 and draw their wood home from any place they chose, 
 wherever they could best get it, as this hard crust made 
 a smooth surface for them to go on. Had it not been 
 for this, they could not have got along where they did, 
 because it was rough and stumpy, and from such little 
 circumstances it seems that there is nothing made in 
 
112 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 vain. I have seen the snow so deep when I lived there, 
 that it was difficult for men to pass each other with 
 teams, when they met, until they had stamped down the 
 snow, and made a path for one of them to get out, and 
 then sometimes they would have to unhitch their horses 
 and compel them to turn out, such was the depth of 
 snow; and where there was a crust on it, it was still 
 more difficult. At one time when I was coming home 
 from Portland, with a loaded sleigh, when I got up as 
 far as my father's it was snowing, and there I baited my 
 horses ; intending to reach home that night, I went on 
 as far as the Notch House, and there hired a man to 
 help me up the hill, with t wo horses ; we went on part 
 of the way, but the snow was so deep, that his horses 
 would not work and we were obliged to leave the sleigh 
 and return to the house. I had the precaution to put 
 the tongue of the sleigh upward, and the next morning 
 when I came to where I had left the sleigh, all that I 
 could discover of it was the tongue ; this stood upright. 
 The rest of it was entirely covered with the snow, and it 
 was then utterly impossible for me to take it with me, 
 so I there left it. A man happened to be with me, 
 who had staid with me the preceding night, and was on 
 his way to Vermont, with an empty single sleigh and a 
 good horse. One of my horses I put on forward of his, 
 and I and the other horse made a track for them to fol- 
 low ; we worked hard half a day to get six miles, such 
 was the quantity of snow that had fallen in a few hours. 
 Other descriptions I could give similar to this, but I do 
 not wish to tire the patience of the reader, with more 
 than what is necessary to show the difference between 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 113 
 
 the climate we live in, and .other climates not far from 
 us, and what difficulties and hardships we had to en- 
 counter in this region ; but in later years, for some cause, 
 we have not had such quantities of snow, and have not 
 been much troubled with its depth, but many times for 
 the want of it. 
 
 In the winter, in the beginning of the year 1828, we 
 went to work and bought lumber, and had it drawn a 
 distance of seventeen and a half miles. I bought my 
 brick, and had to haul them twenty-two miles, which 
 kept us busy through the winter, Avith what other work 
 we had to do. In the spring we collected men and 
 raised these buildings. I hired two joiners, and they 
 went to work on them. 
 
 In June, I again worked on my mountain road, and 
 then made it passable for a carriage, with what I had 
 done the year before, a distance from my house of about 
 six miles, on which I could carry in a wagon, with two 
 stout horses, seven passengers at a time, and this made 
 it much easier for the traveler, for ladies could go up 
 much easier than they could at any other time before. 
 They went oftener, and I spent the most of this summer 
 in ascending the mountain with my friends at the house, 
 and in fishing and hunting with them as much as they 
 chose, and bestowing every act of kindness on them 
 which I was capable of doing. The joiners, with what 
 other assistance we could afford them, had the outside of 
 these buildings finished and the inside so much done 
 that it was comfortable for the winter. We were still 
 at work, when on the 2d day of September we were 
 again visited by a heavy rain, which was as great as the 
 
114 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 one we had two years before. The water in some places 
 on the Amanoosuc, where the mountains come near to- 
 gether, w r as higher than in the former freshet. On the 
 Saco, it was not so high, yet the other freshet had made 
 the channel of the river so wide, that the water flood 
 could pass without being dammed up, or stopped in 
 places, as it had been in the former one, therefore it did 
 not occasion so much damage, but passed majestically 
 along, taking only what lay in its course. The bridges 
 wdiich had so lately been built anew, were mostly taken 
 from their places and move I away, but not so far but 
 that some of them could be brought back and put in 
 their former places again. The road was in many places 
 entirely destroyed. This put an end to all our business, 
 at present, as we did not know what would be the re- 
 sult of this. The joiners packed up their tools and left 
 them and went home. As I was at this time transporting 
 the United States Mail from Conway to Littleton, twice 
 in each week, and it being impossible to go with a horse, 
 we carried it regularly on our backs, without losing 
 more than one single trip, to the satisfaction of our 
 friends and employer. The directors of the turnpike 
 came and looked over the road again, and finding it 
 would take a large sum to repair it and make it passable 
 for the winter, they refused, saying that the corporation 
 was not able then to do it, but must have help from 
 some other quarter and they knew no other way for the 
 Craw T fords than that they must remain shut up by them- 
 selves, as they could not then make another road there. 
 This did not exactly correspond with my feelings, to be 
 entirely shut up without any communication with our 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 115 
 
 southern neighbors, and not have the privilege of get- 
 ting provisions and other necessary things for my family. 
 I concluded I would try my own luck, and see what I 
 could effect myself. I set out in good earnest, took a 
 piece of paper, and a man of judgment with me, and 
 went down through the whole length of the road, and 
 made an estimate of what I thought it would cost to re- 
 pair it again. I consulted with my father upon the mat- 
 ter, to know what was best to be done, then took my 
 estimate and went down to Portland, and saw where the 
 principal proprietors of the road lived. On my way 
 there I called on one of the directors and took from him 
 a letter directed to one of the principal proprietors and 
 owners, to this purport, that the Crawfords were doing 
 a little on the road, but could not effect much, and we 
 as a corporation, have concluded we cannot do anything, 
 at present, on the road, but must let it remain in the 
 same condition for the winter. After having this letter 
 read, and showing him what I thought it would cost to 
 make it again, this proprietor gave me a power of attor- 
 ney to act on his shares, and others did likewise, until I 
 had enough to rule the meeting, which it was then my 
 whole business to effect. On my way home, I bought 
 two yoke of oxen, hired men and set them to work on 
 the road. The first Wednesday in October was the 
 time for the annual meeting of the corporation of the 
 turnpike, to adjust their business. When they had 
 transacted their regular affairs, it was put to vote 
 whether there should be an assessment raised to repair 
 the road. There were some against me, but I had the 
 power in my hands and I could rule them as I pleased. 
 
116 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 I then, with the advice of my father, voted to raise an 
 assessment on the shares, and that, with what other as- 
 sistance we had from Vermont, and the adjoining towns 
 around, was sufficient. We divided the broken places 
 into jobs, and let it out to different men to make, similar 
 to the way we had done in former times, and we had a 
 tolerable sleigh path again for the winter. I went to 
 Danville Bank and hired three hundred dollars, to pay 
 off the men, and for other expenses, and, after spending 
 a sum of four hundred dollars more, I was obliged to 
 live without this money for nearly four years, with no 
 interest, and could not get it, until it was collected from 
 the benefit of the road. Such was my reward for per- 
 severing and making the road contrary to the opinion of 
 the directors, yet I could not charge them with the 
 fault, for they did not wish to have it done until Con- 
 gress could assist, or some other means could be devised 
 to help them ; but it was done and I did not feel sorry 
 for it, although my prospects suffered ; still, as it was for 
 the benefit of the people, and I had done it for the gen- 
 eral or public good, I did not mind it so much, as I 
 would have done, had I done it from any selfish motive. 
 But to return to my own affairs at home : a field of grain 
 which was partly cut, and still standing in the shocks 
 was swept away. As the channel of the river had been 
 made wider in the former flood, it did not bring so 
 much timber as at the other time, yet great quantities of 
 sand and gravel were brought on to my interval, and the 
 bridge and fences upon it were again carried away, and 
 thus my mountain road was again destroyed. My loss 
 of property was then considerable, but I did not make 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 117 
 
 an exact estimate of it at that time,' as there did not 
 seem to be much consolation in counting up one loss up- 
 on another. My affairs looked gloomy, and I felt almost 
 discouraged, as one misfortune kept following another, 
 and I could not tell where my troubles would end. But 
 in those times of trouble, Lucy was always calm and un- 
 ruffled, whenever she thought they proceeded from the 
 hand of God. She received things differently from my_ 
 self; seldom if ever did she complain for the want of 
 anything, but to know how to bring up our children in 
 the right way, as they then began to be numerous ; she 
 would say there was still more work for us to do. 
 
 This fall a large number of men were at work on the 
 road down through the Notch, and among them w r as a 
 young man who was subject to a kind of fits, which 
 would take him suddenly, and sometimes when he was 
 not aware of it. These fits did not hinder him from 
 laboring, though in some measure they affected his mind, 
 and so much so that they always looked after him, and 
 generally kept with or near him, in order that no acci- 
 dent should befall him. At one time he had one of these 
 turns after working hard through the day and at night 
 he was tired; in the evening he showed some signs of 
 wildness, which had been noticed by some of his, com- 
 panions. His father was then with him, but the young 
 man did not wish to sleep with his father that night, but* 
 slept with another man. Sometime in the night, as it 
 appears, he was thirsty and wanted some drink ; he got 
 up and came down stairs, unnoticed by the rest of 
 the company, went out of doors, and it seemed that he 
 lay down to drink out of a small stream of water which 
 
118 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 then crossed the road near the house, and while in the 
 act of drinking, he was taken with a fit, as it was sup- 
 posed from every appearance, for in the morning when 
 the men awoke and came down, and went out* of doors, 
 they found him, lying dead and stiff, with his face in the 
 water. How long he had lain there, they could not tell. 
 He was taken up and conveyed into the house, where a 
 rough coffin was prepared for him. My brother Thomas 
 being there, came to my house and got a horse and 
 wagon, and he was carried home, followed by his father, 
 to Jefferson, the place of his nativity, to his friends and 
 connections, there to be interred. Here again we had 
 an evidence of the uncertainty of life, and the impor- 
 tance of being prepared to meet death, let it come in 
 whatever shape it may. This was a great grief to his 
 friends for they were in rather low circumstances, and 
 depended upon him for his labor, to help them support 
 an aged mother who had been blind for twenty years. 
 She was the first female settler in Jefferson, and I think 
 her blindness Avas caused by a shock from lightning, 
 which had affected her eyes, and they could not restore 
 her sight, although some skilful physicians had tried. 
 She lived to be almost one hundred years old. 
 
 I went to Portland and bought furniture for my new 
 establishment, and supplied it with pro visions, and Jan- 
 uary, 1829, my brother Thomas married and moved in 
 and took charge of my new stand. It being a new thing, 
 and so convenient and accommodating, he had a great 
 share of the winter company. It was thought that this 
 would make a great place of resort for those who would 
 decline the more arduous undertaking of ascending 
 Mount Washington, for just behind the house was the 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 119, 
 
 path which we first made to ascend the hills, and a good 
 way might be found, one that could be made fit to ride 
 in, on horseback, by taking a zigzag course from one side 
 of the hill to the other, which would only make the dis- 
 tance a little further, but would make the ascent much 
 easier ; and then the eye of the curious might be almost 
 satisfied with the sublime, magnificent and delightful 
 prospect from Mount Pleasant, which is not much infe- 
 rior in the opinion of some, to that from Mount Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 This winter I had given up the transporting of the 
 mail, and I had no great business on hand, beside my 
 necessary employment at home. The 4th of May, grand- 
 mother dejoarted this life in the eighty-fourth year of her 
 age, after struggling through several cold winters. Being 
 afflicted with a cough, and worn out with a decline simi- 
 lar to that of consumption, for the cold weather affected . 
 her very much, nature at length gave way, and she could 
 withstand it no longer. Our good neighbors and friends 
 assembled and paid their last respects to her remains, 
 and she was interred by the side of her husband on a 
 piece of ground which was selected by them, not far from 
 where they had lived and slept many years of their lives 
 together. Here their bodies will remain until called up 
 at the last day. I have placed some suitable monuments 
 at their graves, which can be plainly seen by their 
 friends, and their inscriptions can be read by all who 
 would like to see and read them. 
 
 "Their names and years, spelt by their lettered Muse, 
 The place of fame and e-jgy supply; 
 And many a holy text around she strews, 
 That teach the rustic moralist to die." 
 
I 120 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 In the spring, I gave up the idea, at present, of my 
 carriage road to the mountain, and thought it would an- 
 . swer for a while to make a bridle path to the foot of it. 
 I accordingly went to work and made a path sufficient 
 for a horse to travel in seven miles, and I have sometimes 
 gone further than this, but not often. On arriving at 
 the place, we would alight from our horses and take off 
 our saddles, lay them away, tie the horses to a tree, and 
 thus compel them to remain there until our return, with- 
 out food generally, with the exception of one whose age 
 and fidelity commanded more attention than the rest, 
 and which at the advanced age of thirty had the spirit 
 of a colt, and would carry a visitor safely and in good 
 style. For him I used to carry, or cause to be carried, a 
 sack of oats, as often as possible ; yet this was not exact- 
 ly the right way of treating the dumb beasts, to ride 
 them on the run, early in the morning the distance of 
 seven miles, and then in a state of perspiration, give them 
 grain immediately, but there was no alternative. It had 
 to be done in this way or not at all, and thus we drilled 
 our horses from day to day, and frequently they have 
 gone on the same route six days in a week. It was 
 wearing to the flesh and trying to the spirits, to stand all 
 day tied to a tree, and then run home again as fast as 
 possible, at night. The only time they had to eat, was a 
 few hours designed for rest, but in this way we traveled 
 the rest of the time while I staid at the mountains, but 
 not without remorse of conscience on my part, as our 
 treatment of the dumb beasts was rather inhuman. But 
 I was not able to remedy it, although I often promised 
 so to do, by carrying in the winter on the snow a quan- 
 tity of hay for them to eat when we were gone. 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 121 
 
 This summer there came some botanists from Boston 
 for the purpose of making a collection of plants for them- 
 selves, and to collect an assortment to send to Europe, 
 and to get some live ones to send to New York to a 
 friend, to be placed in a botanical garden. I went with 
 them and two other men beside, to assist them in carry- 
 ing blankets and buffalo skins to make them comfortable 
 during the night, and also other things needful for such 
 an expedition of three days. We traveled over and 
 around the hill; and I and one of them went down into 
 • a great gulf, and here we found plenty of snow. One 
 place, I think was worthy of notice, where two ledges of 
 per{>endicular rocks stood within six or eight yards of 
 each other, and the snow had drifted over on top of 
 these ledges and covered them both, making a complete 
 roof. The sun had softened this snow by day, but at 
 night it would freeze ; this had been done so many times 
 in succession that it had formed a crust which was al- 
 most impenetrable ; and I could not safely walk uj)on it, 
 because it was glassy and slippery, and I could not make 
 a dent upon it with the heel of my boot ; and underneath 
 this the ground was filled with water, and warm springs 
 seemed to be there, which had caused the snow to melt 
 away from under. Such was the size of this empty space 
 that a coach with six horses attached, might have been 
 driven into it. I do not know how far this cavern ex- 
 tended, as I did not go far into it, for the water was fast 
 dropping from the roof, but it appeared to be of consid- 
 erable length. It was a very hot day, and not far from 
 this place, the little delicate mountain flowers were in 
 bloom, and here we procured as many as we chose. 
 6 
 
122 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 There seemed to be a contrast, — snow in great quantities 
 and flowers just by, — which wonderfully displays the 
 presence and power of an all-seeing and overruling God, 
 who takes care of these little plants and causes them to 
 put forth in due season. 
 
 As we were going up the mountain about three miles 
 from home, where blueberries grew in abundance, we 
 found roads in different places in the woods which were 
 daily traveled by bears. William Howe, a brother of 
 Lucy, being then with us, we concluded we would take a 
 few of them, if they would please to let us. We went 
 to work in the woods and made several log traps, such 
 as are called by hunters dead-falls, as they were built in 
 such a manner that when a bear came to one of them 
 and wanted the bait, he would have to go in such a way 
 that while he took hold of it, the trap would fall, and 
 generally kill him immediately. 
 
 I had two steel traps, which I set also at one time. 
 When I was gone from home, William went and found 
 a steel trap gone ; he returned home, and taking another 
 man with him, pursued the remainder of the day, but 
 overtook nothing. Early the next morning they again 
 set out, and following, found where the animal with the 
 trap had lain the preceding night ; they chased him all 
 day, but could not overtake him, and returning home- 
 ward, came into one path some distance above, where we 
 had set these traps, and when passing them, in the dark, 
 they heard a great noise, which seemed to them that an 
 old bear was cuffing her cub, he cried and took on in so 
 lamentable a manner. William was . anxious to go and 
 see what was the matter with them, but his companion 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 123 
 
 would not suffer him, as he was better acquainted than 
 William, and knew that if a cub was there confined and 
 its mother was chastising him for his imprudence, she 
 would be likely to show them some signs of her displeas- 
 ure. They came home, and voluntarily said they would 
 not go again after him. 
 
 Having that night returned home myself, and receiv 
 ing directions from them in regard to the route, and not 
 feeling satisfied to have such a loafer make off with my 
 property, — he all the while suffering with pain, while in 
 his thievish act, — I concluded to go and look for him. 
 Accordingly, the next morning, in company with my 
 brother Thomas, I set out, and soon found where he had 
 lain the second night ; we continued to pursue him as 
 closely as we could trace him by the marks he made on 
 the bushes, by breaking them with the trap, and laying 
 the green brake leaves, which grow common here. I 
 guess he began to think that Ethan, the Old Hunter, 
 was after him in good earnest, and he was driven so 
 hard and so closely, that he probably concluded to seek 
 out for himself a good place, and then give us battle, as 
 it appeared from the situation he was in when we over- 
 took him. He was in a thicket, dangerous to encounter, 
 for he was one of the long legged kind, savage in dispo- 
 sition, and now being covered, I thought it best to look 
 out for him. Thomas, coming up with the gun, was de- 
 sirous of demonstrating Lis skill in shooting him, but as 
 the gun had been injured by hitting it against a tree, it 
 could not be fired easily ; he however aimed at the bear's 
 head, but to his astonishment the ball entered his fore 
 foot, the one he had at liberty. Beginning to fear for 
 
124 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 his safety, I took the gun and reloaded it, held the lock, 
 the affected part, firmly in my hand, and firing, fortu- 
 nately shot him through the head ; he keeled over and 
 soon died. We now released the trap from his foot, 
 which was nearly worn off. He had managed to carry 
 the trap and walk on three legs, on logs and over wind- 
 falls, by carrying it entirely up and clear of them. The 
 trap when he first stepped into it was fastened with a 
 chain and grapple ; this he broke, leaving behind all but 
 a few links, and that part which adhered to the trap did 
 not trouble him much. We stripped him of his skin 
 and then returned home with it and the trap, feeling jus- 
 tified for our humanity in releasing him from misery. 
 
 Early the same morning, William went to find out 
 what had been the trouble the evening before, and when 
 he came to the place, he found a small cub caught by 
 one hind foot ; it appeared true what they had heard the 
 night before ; the trap was in a measure torn to pieces, 
 and the dirt and other stuff seemed to indicate that an 
 old bear had been there sure enough, but did not happen 
 to release the young one. As this cub was small, it was 
 suffered to go entirely through, excepting one hind foot, 
 and when he took hold of the bait, the trap fell and 
 caught his hind foot. William took hold of him and 
 bound up his ivory, then securing his feet to keep him 
 from scratching, brought him home alive, thinking he 
 might be tamed and made a pet, as he seemed not much 
 hurt, and being so young and small he supposed he 
 might be taught as much as any other of his kind. He 
 would also make a curiosity, as he was actually a native 
 of the place j but either the hurt, or the different posi- 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 125 
 
 tion in which he traveled from what he had been accus- 
 tomed to, affected him, or else he intended to show 
 proper resentment, and he died, shortly after being 
 brought home, notwithstanding he bathed him in cold 
 water and gave him water to drink. His skin was taken 
 off and fastened to the barn. 
 
 Shortly after this, word came about the middle of the 
 day, that there was a bear in a trap. A party from the 
 west having just arrived, one of the gentlemen said he 
 would go and shoot him ; accordingly, we, with others, 
 mounted horses and galloped off. On arriving at the 
 spot, we found a good sized bear in a steel trap. The 
 gentleman chose his distance, and this was not far, of 
 course, as he did not apprehend any danger from the en- 
 emy now before him, for Ethan was close behind. He 
 fired three times, resting his gun and trembling as if he 
 were freezing, (for any one under such untried circum- 
 stances would naturally have tremor of the nerves, al- 
 though naturally brave and determined,) and after the 
 third shot, I took a club or lever, and finished the matter 
 of killing him ; then placing him on my horse behind, 
 brought him home, as this was the way I was accustom- 
 ed to carry game home. 
 
 Once, when going out, I found a good sized, fat, short- 
 legged bear in a steel trap, and having a small gun, with 
 only a partridge charge in it, I stepped up to him and 
 put the whole contents of the gun into his face ; he fell 
 back and died immediately. It was always against my 
 principles to keep wild animals in misery, when they 
 were in .my power, or to try to sport with or torment 
 them, (further than to try their strength), because they 
 
126 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 were savage by nature ; but I would relieve tliem from 
 pain as soon as possible. I considered they had feelings, 
 and were not to blame for the sjDecies to which they be- 
 longed, therefore I had no right to do so ; but I would 
 treat them as well as I could. This bear weighed three 
 hundred, and I had some difficulty in getting it on my 
 horse. Some horses are afraid of them and sometimes 
 get frightened by them ; this was the case with the one 
 I had, for whenever I made an attempt to put the bear 
 on her, she would snort and jump about in such a man- 
 ner, I could not get him on. I then pulled off my coat, 
 blindfolded her eyes, put the bear upon a stump, tied the 
 horse close by, her head to a tree, and then putting my 
 shoulder under the bear, lifted him on the saddle. I af- 
 terward rolled him back on behind, loosed the horse and 
 then mounted the saddle myself, took off the blinders, 
 and went on home. Perhaps we made rather an awk- 
 ward appearance, but as my companion was now civil, I 
 had no reason to complain. Still it required some care 
 and management to keep the balance of him, and look 
 out for the horse, for she would turn her head round and 
 see her burden, snort and stop short, and appeared to 
 feel quite dissatisfied and uneasy with her load. This 
 we dressed nicely, but the flesh was not of much use to 
 my family, as there was an antipathy to it at home, in 
 consequence of stories respecting their barbarous conduct 
 sometimes, when they get hungry and tear to pieces hu- 
 man flesh and devour it. No one would eat of the bear 
 when cooked, although it smelled and tasted well. We 
 managed to save the oil of what flesh we could not give 
 away to our neighbors. 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 127 
 
 At another time, when going out to this now cele- 
 brated place for bears, I found a good sized yearling bear 
 caught in a steel trap by one of his fore feet, and he ap- 
 peared not to have been long there. He had fastened 
 the grapple to a bunch of roots, and there was a chain 
 between the grapple and the trap ; here he was sitting in 
 an humble and ashamed-looking position. I looked him 
 over and at length concluded to contrive means to lead 
 him home. I cut a round stick ten feet in length, suffi- 
 ciently large and stout to lead him with ; then taking 
 the throat-latch from the bridle, the stirrup leather and 
 the mail straps from the saddle, set the horse at liberty, 
 and managed to get hold of the bear's hind feet ; these I 
 straightened and tied to a tree. I then went up to his 
 head and secured his mouth, but not so tight but that he 
 could lap water. While thus engaged, in spite of all my 
 care, he put out his fore paw, the one that was at liberty, 
 and placed it so hard against one of my legs, that I real- 
 ly think had it not been for a good strong boot, he would 
 have torn the skin, but the boot prevented him from 
 tearing my leg ; he, however, took a piece of my panta- 
 loons with him ; still I would not give up the idea of 
 bringing him home alive. I then fastened a strap around 
 him, before and behind, and the stick upon his neck, 
 loosened his feet and began to try to lead him ; here we 
 had a great struggle to see which was the stronger, and 
 which should eventually be master ; and he played his 
 part so well I could do nothing with him ; he would turn 
 upon me and fight me all he possibly could. I now 
 thought I must kill him, but 'as I had never been beaten 
 by a wild animal, I was unwilling to give up now. He 
 
128 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 would come to a tree and hold on, so that I found I 
 could not lead him. I again contrived a way to confine 
 him, but with more difficulty than before, as his feet 
 were entirely free, and being quick and active with them, 
 I had hard work to get them again, but after a Avhile, I 
 made out to. I tied his hind and fore feet together in 
 such a manner that he could not scratch me, then plac- 
 ing him on my shoulder, with one hand hold of his ear, 
 to keep his head from coming too near mine, in case he 
 wished to make a little closer friendship, I trudged on ; 
 but he was so heavy and ugly to manage that it made 
 me sweat, and I was obliged to lay him down often 
 and rest, and whenever I came to water, I would let him 
 lap it. I made out to get two miles, he all the while 
 growing worse and worse. At last he actually turned up- 
 on me and entered into an engagement with me by 
 scratching and trying to bite, and after tearing my vest, 
 I concluded I would once more lay him down, — and the 
 way was not easy, — lifting him up as high as I could, I 
 let him fall, and the ground being hard, the breath left 
 his body. Here I left him and went home, and sent a 
 man after him. 
 
 This fall, at that place, we caught ten bears, for which 
 I had three dollars premium apiece, and the skins were 
 worth about as much more, which paid me pretty well for 
 my time and trouble. 
 
 As we were passing back and forth through the woods, 
 we cliscovered signs of sable. As they appeared plenty, 
 I thought it expedient to catch them and make merchan- 
 dise of them, their fur, at this time, bringing a high 
 price, for the fur of those sable which live in this cold 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 129 
 
 region is much better than the fur of those of a milder 
 climate, and superior in quality. I hired two men and 
 went with them myself into the woods. We set up traps, 
 spotted trees to make a line that might be followed 
 again, several miles in length, and then selecting from a 
 flock of sheep the oldest and poorest, such as we thought 
 would hardly winter for age, killed a number, and took 
 them for bait. This business we stuck closely to while 
 in the season for it, but it did not last long, as the snow 
 falls early on the mountains, and a small depth of snow 
 with a warm day and cold night, would freeze the traps, 
 so they would suffer being robbed without any resistance. 
 At one time when William was going round to these 
 traps, he found a live sable in one of them, which, from 
 its appearance, had just got in. This was a pretty crea- 
 ture. He was three miles from home, and knowing their 
 dexterity and fondness for mice, and being infested with 
 rats at the house, he thought he would bring him home 
 alive, and try an experiment with him. So he pulled off 
 his mitten, put him in head foremost, then placing 
 him snug in his coat pocket, went on his way. The lit- 
 tle fellow being warm and comfortable, enjoyed it quite 
 well. When he got home, we tied a cord around his 
 neck two or three yards in length, and then let him go. 
 He did not seem wild, but would partake of food such as 
 was set for him. We put him in the cellar, and he soon 
 cleared out the rats. He soon became satisfied with our 
 treatment toward him, and, gnawing off the string which 
 left the cord around his neck, climbed a window that 
 was cracked a little, made a hole through it, and escaped. 
 He appeared to understand longitude, as he steered di- 
 6* 
 
130 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 rectly back, and the first time after this on going to the 
 tra]3S, we found him in the next one to that in which he 
 was first caught. Poor fellow, he was now dead, the 
 cord still around his neck, and thus we knew him. These 
 animals are beautiful in form, color and motion, more 
 active than a cat ; and their fur is excellent for trim- 
 mings. 
 
 This fall we caught about seventy-five of these sable, 
 for which I realized nearly one dollar apiece, and felt 
 quite satisfied for our work. We made considerable 
 havoc among the wild animals, and a handsome profit 
 from them, beside clearing the woods of some pernicious 
 ones, such as might have troubled us had they been suf- 
 fered to live, as they were getting plenty. We felt quite 
 easy with the thought that we were mostly free of them. 
 
 While engaged in this hunt, we discovered a beautiful 
 little pond about two miles back of the Notch House, 
 one of the sources of the Merrimac. The appearance of 
 this pond and its situation pleased me much, as I thought 
 it would afford abundance of amusement for our visitors, 
 such as were fishermen. Beside this, the way in which 
 we traveled was through romantic scenery. Leaving the 
 main road half a mile below the Willey House, and trav- 
 eling in the woods half a mile, we came to a ledge of 
 great height, impossible to climb ; this we took a differ- 
 ent course to go round. For beauty and grandeur it is 
 nowhere surpassed by any spot, to me known, about 
 these mountains. This pond was well calculated for 
 moose, as here grew the lily, such as they were fond of 
 pulling up, eating their roots. Beside, we saw signs and 
 tracks of them recently made, but we did not happen to 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 131 
 
 come in sight of any of them while hunting this fall, al- 
 though one was heard ; but it was dark and he took care 
 to make off with himself before it was light enough for 
 him to be made a mark for the hunter. 
 
 This winter, 1830, 1 had business at Colebrook. I here 
 found a man who had accidentally come across a hollow 
 log, containing a nest full of young wolves ; two of them 
 he saved alive and tamed ; these were so well domesti- 
 cated that I thought it would gratify our friends and 
 add to the novelty of our scenery to have such an animal 
 with us. I engaged him for the next summer. He was 
 so docile in the spring as to suffer himself to take a seat 
 in the stage to Lancaster ; then word was sent me to 
 come for him. I went and led him home without any 
 inconvenience, excepting when crossing the tracks of 
 rabbits, he would jump and try to follow them and I 
 would have to hold him fast by his chain. I brought him 
 safely home, and fastened him in the blacksmith's shop 
 in full view of any one who chanced to pass. Our little 
 boy tutored him, and would make him howl whenever 
 he desired. We found that when fed on animal 
 food, he was more savage than when fed upon milk. I 
 never but once had any trouble with him, and then when 
 going into the shop door, I stepped upon a bone which 
 he had just buried in the dirt, and he made a violent at- 
 tack upon me ; I chastised him severely, and ever after 
 he remembered it, and whenever I came near, he would 
 appear humble, obedient and fawning. He was as play- 
 ful as any dog, but he did not like strangers quite as 
 well ; if they came near while he was eating, he would 
 then appear cross, but he never hurt any one. 
 
132 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 I bought a beautiful deer which I kept this summer, 
 and a handsome peacock ; these all amused our visitors. 
 But there was in the wolf, a kind of shy, mischievous dis- 
 j^osition lurking within, and whenever he could get a 
 chance, he would lie still and seem to be friendly ; if a 
 chicken would pass his way, and if he came within his 
 reach, he would make a sudden jump and take him ; and 
 the sheep, when they passed his door, he would try hard 
 for one of them. At one time, I tied a long rope to the 
 end of his chain, and let him into the hog yard where 
 there was a number of swine, and an old one, who had 
 young pigs, went at him in full rage, so much that she 
 would not suffer him to take one of her young ones, nor 
 give him any quarter. At another time we let him chase 
 the calves in this way, with a rope tied at the end of his 
 chain, and he would have succeeded in killing one of 
 them, if he had been permitted. The deer possessed a 
 mild, peaceable, inoffensive disposition, letting any one 
 go near her, and would eat bread from the hands of any 
 one, she was so tame and gentle ; but let strangers go in- 
 to her pen and take her by one of her hind legs, and 
 they could not hold her ; such was her strength and dex- 
 terity, that she would get away from them, do the best 
 they could. The peacock was another favorite ; he was 
 a full grown one, and for beauty was not surpassed by 
 any fowl whatever ; he possessed a sort of pride in show- 
 ing himself, and our little boy had taught him to strut, 
 generally when he desired him. These animals were of 
 no use to us and they were an expense, but I always 
 liked to have such things to show to our friends and vis- 
 itors, as they all seemed to be delighted in viewing them ; 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 133 
 
 for they combined, as it were, the nature of the forest, 
 and they, with the romantic scenery, always gratified ev- 
 ery beholder. 
 
 This summer I had no great business on hand. I 
 spent my time mostly with my visitors at the house, and 
 ascending the mountains, whenever they decidedly re- 
 quested it. But as I had been so many times up there, I 
 was tired and worn out. I did not go when I could help 
 it, but I always kept good and faithful guides, and every 
 other accommodation that was in my power. The fame 
 of this mountain scenery beginning to spread, and it be- 
 coming fashionable, many came to view these wonders 
 of nature, and they were generally, if not always, satis- 
 fied, and considered themselves well paid for their time 
 and trouble, and likewise they were satisfied with their 
 fare while they staid with us. We used to tell them 
 that whatever was lacking in substance we would try 
 to make up in good will, and do the best we could to 
 make them happy and their situation as pleasant as pos- 
 sible,* and this never failed of having the desired effect of 
 convincing them they were as much as possible at home. 
 Among others, there came this summer four pedestrians 
 from Boston, to spend several days with us, and ascend 
 the mountain, fish, hunt, etc. One pleasant morning 
 three of them proposed trying the hills ; they were pro- 
 vided with a guide and everything necessary, and set off 
 early, while the other one remained at home with me. 
 As he had been up a few years before, he did not want 
 to go again, and chose rather to try his luck in the forest. 
 
 A short time after they were gone, he took his gun 
 and steered for the woods to a place where I directed 
 
134 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 him, and where I had in the spring put into an old rot- 
 ten log some salt for deer ; they found the salt and fre- 
 quented it. Here he approached with great care, and 
 soon had the good fortune to see a deer, and after shoot- 
 ing him, cut his throat, and with the assistance of anoth- 
 er man, returned in triumph to the house with his prize. 
 After performing the duties of a butcher, he hung him 
 up to ripen, after which it was taken down and prepared 
 for the table, at which he and his friends bountifully par- 
 took. During their stay with us I had a quarter of a 
 fine fat bear sent me ; it was caught in one of my traps, 
 which I had previously lent a neighbor ; this they also 
 enjoyed very much. Here they staid and spent some 
 time, enjoying themselves in various ways, and then re- 
 turned home. This feat which he performed was told 
 when he arrived home, but was hardly credited by some 
 of his companions. He referred them to me, and I con- 
 firmed the statement. 
 
 I went up the mountain by an express desire from a 
 botanist, to collect plants and save them alive, for I* had 
 been there so many times with a botanist to collect 
 plants, that I had acquired considerable knowledge of 
 plants, and the different places where they grew. I went 
 over the hills and came down into the gulf, and then se- 
 lected different species, such as grow nowhere else ex- 
 cept in the cold climate of Greenland. I carefully took 
 them up with a quantity of earth and brought them 
 home, placed them in a vase with some moist moss to 
 preserve them, and then labelled the vase and sent it im- 
 mediately to Boston. It was safely conveyed, and the 
 plants were j^laced in a botanical garden ; how many of 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 135 
 
 them survived I cannot fell, as I never beard from them 
 afterward. The plants that were sent to New York the 
 year before perished by the way, or rather some of the 
 delicate ones. This was a beautiful employment, which 
 I always engaged in with much pleasure ; finding out 
 how curiously Nature had formed them and put them in 
 different places, according to their merits, or properties, 
 and the state of the atmosphere in which they were des- 
 tined to live. 
 
 This summer I guided several parties to the Pond. 
 The first time I went there, we caught in a short time, 
 about seventy nice salmon trout ; they differed a little 
 from our common river trout, as they had a redder ap- 
 pearance, and their taste and flavor was delicious. On 
 the bank of the Pond we struck up a fire, and after dress- 
 ing a sufficient number of them, we cooked them in real 
 hunter style. I cut a stick with three prongs to it, and 
 put the trout on these prongs in form of a gridiron, and 
 I broiled them over the fire ; then I would cut pieces of 
 raw pork and broil them in the same way, and lay them on 
 top of the trout, and that would give them the right rel- 
 ish. When cooked in this way, with a piece of good 
 wheat bread, they made a good meal. I always enjoyed 
 these and similar feasts in the woods, as in such ways I 
 suppose our forefathers lived, when they first came over 
 and settled this country. We had no fears from the na- 
 tives, as I expect they had in that time, but we could eat 
 and drink without fear of being troubled. All the fish 
 which remained after we had eaten, I took up and 
 brought home. My visitors, I believe, were as well sat- 
 isfied as myself in all these excursions, wild as they were ; 
 at least they would express themselves so. 
 
136 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 This fall we again set our sable traps and caught a 
 number of sable, but not so many as we would have 
 done, had it not been for the black cat, or fisher, who got 
 the art of following the line and robbing the traps of 
 bait, and would not then be satisfied, but would take the 
 sable from the trap and eat them. This we did not like 
 so well, but it so happened that we could not help our- 
 selves ; they escaped being caught, although we tried 
 hard to catch them, but they were so cunning or lucky 
 we could not do it. 
 
 The wolves had been for a long time troubling us, and 
 were actually so cunning I could not catch one of them, 
 although I had, in various ways, tried. The nearest I 
 came to catching them, was by setting a trap in the wa- 
 ter in a particular place where they frequently crossed 
 the river. One of them sprung the trap, but it was cold 
 weather, and ice had gathered upon it ; it did not shut 
 so closely but that he pulled out his foot, and lucky for 
 him, he made his escape. One good haul I made while 
 setting the trap here in the water. It so happened that 
 a family of ducks were swimming along, and they being 
 so near together, four of them were caught at the same 
 time in one trap. This, we thought, was almost a mirac- 
 ulous thing, but it is true, for I took them all out myself 
 and carried them to the house. 
 
 In December there came a number of wolves to visit 
 my flock in the night, but the sheep retreated, and went 
 under the shed, and got in among the cattle and carriages. 
 Their enemy did not venture in there, although they 
 went as far as the middle post of the shed, for we tracked 
 them there in the morning ; yet they satisfied their Crav- 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 137 
 
 ing appetites, in a measure, by going just back of the 
 stable and digging up the old carcasses of hears, which 
 had been thrown there a few months before; these they 
 gnawed close to the bone. The dog being shut up in the 
 house, began to be uneasy and tried to get out, and, at 
 length, I arose and let him out of doors, not knowing 
 the cause of his uneasiness. He flew at them and they 
 retired a few rods and then entered into an en^ao;ement 
 with him, and I really think they would have made a 
 finish of him, had I not interfered and driven them away. 
 This was by a bright moonshine, and the dog, after 
 being first liberated from them, ran toward me, and the 
 wolves followed closely behind him, until they came near 
 me. As I had no weapon to fight them with, being in 
 my night dress, I observed to them that they had better 
 make off with themselves, or I would prepare for them, 
 and that pretty soon. They then turned about and 
 marched away, but not without giving us some of their 
 lonesome music. There were four of them. I counted 
 their tracks as they made them along in a light snow ; 
 and it was just day-light. As my sheep had been on the 
 place for a long time, and had taken a notion to ramble 
 in the woods, they were troublesome to us, as we had to 
 look them up every night, for fear of their being caught. 
 I was determined to sell them and get rid of our trouble, 
 which I did the second fall after this. 
 
 This winter (1831) there came some favorite hunters 
 to go with me and search for moose, as we knew there 
 were moose somew T here about the mountain, for two had 
 been seen to cross the road a few months before, half a 
 mile below my house. Everything being put in readi- 
 
138 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 ness, we with our dogs and snow-shoes set off. We first 
 steered to the before mentioned pond. We traveled all 
 day but we found no moose, and at night we went down 
 to my father's ; there we staid that night, and some of 
 our party being wearied, remained the next day and 
 amused themselves by cutting pasteboard mininoes, 
 while father, Mr. Davis and myself went out in search of 
 moose. We traveled another day, but with no better 
 success than the former. We went up so high and so 
 far into the woods, as to get beyond the living animals, 
 such as we were then in pursuit of, as we could not see 
 a track or a sign of one, and had actually got upon a hill, 
 from which it was difficult to get down. We struck up- 
 on a brook which had a smooth surface, being then frozen 
 over, and father, sitting down upon the heels of his snow- 
 shoes, commenced sliding down ; he had got under good 
 headway, when he came in contact with a tree which 
 stood in his way, and, to savfe himself, caught hold of it ; 
 this, as he was coming with such force when he took 
 hold of it, gave him a complete somerset, and turned him 
 completely round the tree. We came down in a similar 
 manner, but not without fears, as it was dangerous. We 
 made out, however, to get in that night. 
 
 The next day, as our party which we left behind had 
 got rested, we started for home, and on our way took 
 some fine deer. These we felt justified in taking, as it is 
 said that wolves follow when deer are plenty, and these 
 ferocious animals had been troublesome, making great 
 depredations among flocks of sheep in the neighborhood 
 by killing a number at a time, and many more than they 
 wanted for present use ; but in my flock they had been 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 139 
 
 more favorable, although at one time they killed and 
 wounded seven ; however, they generally took no more 
 than they wanted at a time. They select the finest and 
 fattest, and on him perform a curious act in butchering. 
 We have found, after they have visited the flocks, a skin 
 perfectly whole, turned flesh side out,, with no other 
 mark upon it, excepting at the throat, where there was a 
 regular slit cut, as though it had been cut with a knife, 
 down as far as the forelegs ; the flesh all eaten out, and 
 the legs taken off, down as far as the lowest joint ; the 
 head and backbone left attached to it ; the pelt left in 
 the field but a few rods from the house. They would 
 sometimes set up a howling, and a more terrific and dis- 
 mal noise I never wish to hear than this, in a clear still 
 night. Their sound would echo from one hill to another, 
 and it would seem that the woods were filled and alive 
 with them. • 
 
 We had some trouble with the old barn that escaped 
 the fire in 1816, as it had received some severe shocks in 
 the times of the freshets, and had some considerable in- 
 jury done to it this winter. We had fears lest the wind 
 would blow it over, and destroy or injure the cattle; 
 however, we propped it up, and it did not fall. I went 
 to work and bought a sufficient quantity of lumber, and 
 brought it home for a new barn. In the spring and 
 summer I built a new one, sixty feet long and forty 
 wide. This I set back of the shed, and I had a commu- 
 nication through from the shed into it, which made it 
 convenient for all the buildings. 
 
 This summer we had a great many visitors, and among 
 others, a member of Congress, Daniel Webster. It was 
 
140 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 in the warm weather of June, and he desired me to go 
 with him up the mountain, which I accordingly con- 
 sented to, and we went up without meeting anything 
 worthy of note, more than was common for me to find. 
 But to him things appeared interesting, and when we ar- 
 rived there, he addressed himself in this way, saying, 
 "Mount Washington, I have come a long distance, have 
 toiled hard to arrive at your summit, and now you seem 
 to give me a cold reception, for which I am extremely 
 sorry, as I shall not have time enough to view this grand 
 prospect which now lies before me, and nothing prevents 
 but the uncomfortable atmosphere in which you reside !" 
 After making this and some other observations, we be- 
 gan our descent, and there was actually a cold storm of 
 snow here on the hill, while below, it was tolerably clear, 
 and the snow froze upon us, and we suffered with the 
 cold, until we came some way down, and reached a 
 warmer climate. We returned safely home, when he re- 
 lated his tour to his female friends, whom he had left be- 
 hind to spend the day at the house. Here they stopped 
 again over night, and the next morning he took his de- 
 parture. After paying his bill, he made me a handsome 
 present of twenty dollars. 
 
 I had bought a little piece of artillery from the com- 
 pany of militia in Whitefield, and put it on a little 
 mound which was called Giant's Grave, just back, or at 
 the end of the barn. This I had there for the benefit of 
 the echo, for when loaded and touched off, it would 
 make a gres t noise, as it stood up in the air above the 
 level of the surface, thirty or forty feet high, and when 
 the air was still and clear, would echo from one hill to 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 141 
 
 another, and then the sound would float along down the 
 stream until it all died away on the car. This was really 
 grand and delightful, and all who heard it were well 
 pleased, and some used to call it Crawford's home-made 
 thunder, as it resembled the sound of thunder more than 
 anything else. It was said that this echo was similar to 
 that on Lake George when a gun was fired there. This 
 cannon was made frequent use of, and for no other pur- 
 pose but to amuse our frierids and visitors. Once it was 
 loaded and filled so full and jammed in so hard, that it 
 burst in touching off, and that put an end to this kind of 
 sport then. We constantly had company in the season 
 for it, and many were in the habit of making us presents, 
 and among them we were presented with another gun, 
 much superior to the former, sent to us by Mr. Gale and 
 Mr. Gibson from Boston to Portland, and brought from 
 there by a man who had been to market with cheese. 
 This gun would hold half a pint of powder at a time, and 
 the first time when we loaded it, w r e fired it off in the 
 road not far from the house, and it spoke so loud that it 
 made the house jar, and cracked some glass in the win- 
 dows. We then removed it to the before mentioned 
 place where the other stood, and there it remained a few 
 years, till we had some men there who were helping us 
 get in our hay. One night it was desired to have it fired 
 off and one of them loaded it with more than a proper 
 charge, and then put in gravel and drove it in hard, as 
 he thought he would give us an explosion such as we 
 never heard before ; then with his match he touched it 
 off and it burst and flew all in pieces. I then sent to 
 Portland and bought another to make up this loss, and 
 
142 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 that I left with some other interesting things at the 
 White Hills. Some seasons we have burnt three kegs of 
 powder in that gun. 
 
 Company coming from all quarters, we now suffered 
 for the want of house room, and many times our visitors 
 were so numerous, that for the want of beds and lodging 
 rooms, Lucy would have to take the feather beds from 
 the bedsteads, and make them up on the floor and then 
 the straw beds would answer for the bedsteads. In this 
 way we could accommodate two, and sometimes four, 
 and frequently she would give up her own bed and lie 
 down herself uj^on the floor, as she was always willing to 
 suffer herself, if she could only make her friends comfort- 
 able. But this, beside being unpleasant all round, was 
 wearing upon the constitution too much, after toiling 
 hard all day, to be deprived of a bed at night to sleep 
 upon. But such are the feelings which many are sub- 
 ject to, if they possess obliging dispositions, and more 
 especially when they are used to misfortunes, as we had 
 been, that nothing seems too much for our friends. As 
 it seemed that it was not intended for us to have enough 
 to buy such things in abundance, as most of our visitors 
 were doubtless accustomed to at home, therefore it became 
 needful to do every act of kindness in our power. I was 
 again advised by my friends to build an addition, which 
 I knew was necessary, but which my circumstances, I 
 well knew, would not admit of. I had been in debt ever 
 since I came here to live, but I had never suffered any 
 inconvenience by it, and I had never been called upon in 
 such a manner as to make me any cost, with two excep- 
 tions ; and after considering and reconsidering, I found I 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 143 
 
 could have fifteen hundred dollars from the Savings 
 bank in Concord, by paying the interest annually for a 
 number of years, if I gave them good sureties, and hav- 
 ing concluded to build, I mortgaged my farm and ob- 
 tained the sureties required. 
 
 The roads were again good, and I expected if they re- 
 mained so there would be more company every year ; 
 and as the situation of my house was such that it had a 
 commanding view of all the mountain scenery around, 
 and this was actually, as I thought, the only proper place 
 for all those who desired to visit this romantic spot, al- 
 though another establishment had been erected three 
 quarters of a mile below my ho use for the same purpose 
 which for its size and construction, was well enough, yet 
 there was but a limited prospect of the mountains there, 
 for Mount Deception stands between that and Mount 
 Washington, therefore all who desired to see it had to 
 come to my house and view it from there. All who 
 acted upon principles of honor and justice, preferred this 
 place to any other, those who lived here having beaten 
 the bush and suffered every hardship and privation, 
 which such a lonely place is subject to when new. I had 
 done everything to open and facilitate a way to the 
 mountains, and make it as good and convenient as I pos- 
 sibly could, therefore, in consideration of all these cir- 
 cumstances, I expected public patronage ; and I always 
 had a goodly share, particularly of distinguished men, 
 and always will be likely to, I thought, at my house, if 
 kept in good style, without having all the affluence of a 
 city hotel, as that will not be expected, so far in the 
 woods remote from market; but always having such 
 
144 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 things as are suitable for such a place, served up in a 
 proper manner, neat and clean, so as never to fail to sat- 
 isfy persons of judgment. 
 
 It is said to be a Yankee custom, that when a man is 
 thought to be doing well, there is always some one who 
 wishes to dip into the same business, as other men think 
 they can do better, especially, if they suppose they can 
 indulge themselves by living easily, and, by fair promises 
 never to be fulfilled, make others work without pay 
 for their labor ; so with a -man from Jefferson, in our 
 opinion, and we have a right to our opinion, and to pub- 
 lish it, with proper motives, for the public good. He 
 came in the fall of 1831 and bargained for a place three 
 quarters of a mile below mine. I had been acquainted 
 w T ith him years previously, and thought him friendly, as 
 most other people are, and, also, that he was, as we were, 
 friendly to the inhabitants around, when, one day, hap- 
 pening to be down where this man was, for he had come 
 to look over the jn*emises, (which he has since left, and 
 which, perhaps, " shall know him " now " no more for- 
 ever, ") and make a bargain for the same, I said to him, 
 " William, what are you here for, and where are you 
 going?" This, by some, might possibly be thought im- 
 pertinent, but it was a friendly way we had of calling 
 one another by the given name. He answered he was 
 going to Bethlehem to see some men there. I soon left, 
 and this man went no further than to Mr. Rosebrook's, 
 six miles, to the man who owned the place, and bought 
 it of him, and, in January, was to take possession. 
 
 This clandestine management was a mystery to me, 
 for we were pleased to have a neighbor near, and no dis- 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 145 
 
 • 
 
 advantage had arisen by the settlement, nor never would 
 have, had this man only taken the right course. We 
 might Jiave been a great help to each other, as had been 
 the case with others who lived there before him ; but, 
 instead of this, he took a different way to manage. He, 
 in the summer, made use of my mountain road, where I 
 had spent considerable money, and which I had labored 
 hard to make for visitors and my own benefit, and 
 thought as much my property as any other part of my 
 own farm, as it was made entirely at my own expense, 
 through my own land. To prevent encroachment on his 
 part, I was compelled to make a fence and to put up a 
 quit against him; and finding he could not have this 
 privilege by stealth, he sent a hired man to have Richard 
 Eastman, Esq., come down to his house, for he was there 
 at our house, wishing him to intercede for him, and see 
 if I would not then compromise with him, and let him 
 have the privilege of my road. The Esquire told him it 
 was then too late for this ; he should have come to me 
 himself before he had attempted to intrude irpon my 
 rights, and then there would have been no trouble in pro- 
 curing this or any other favor, and we could have lived 
 like men, and have been an advantage to each other ; but, 
 instead of this, he tried to live on me and the effects of 
 my hard labor. After this he made a path on the back 
 of Mount Deception, and then came into my road, adver- 
 tising he had made a new road, shortening the distance to 
 the mountain. This I did not contradict in print, and 
 thus the public was inrposed upon and I was robbed of 
 what was actually my own property in this insinuating 
 way. 
 
 7 
 
146 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 When I first came to live here, there was a mail once 
 a week from Maine, up through the Notch to Lancaster, 
 Vermont, and it continued so for some time after. As 
 the inhabitants increased, there was another mail route 
 established from Littleton to my house, intersecting the 
 one running through the Notch, and it was necessary for 
 the postmaster to open it, divide it, and send packages to 
 the directed places. I was properly appointed to transact 
 this business, and then it run twice each week but now 
 three times, each way, once in each working day, through- 
 out the week, all the year. My neighbor having a desire 
 to take this situation of postmaster, got a petition 
 draughted and had a false affidavit sworn to, for the sake 
 of wresting the office from me ; this petition he carried 
 about himself, to the industrious inhabitants, who had 
 not time to read it, as they said, and were not aware of 
 what they were doing, when they signed it, supposing 
 that they were to have an office in their own town, and 
 not disturbing mine. He succeeded in obtaining names 
 of eighteen citizens and three selectmen, as stated from 
 Washington, and this was another misrepresentation, as 
 this was a new place and the town had not been organiz- 
 ed ; therefore they had no selectmen or any other officers, 
 excepting some men authorized to receive public money 
 for schools, and that was all they had the power to do. 
 This is a copy of the letter from headquarters. 
 
 Post Office Department, 
 
 Office of Appts. and Inst. 
 
 August 24, 1832. 
 Ethan A. Ckawford, Esq. 
 
 Sir: It is represented to this Department, in an affidavit, that 
 
 you have, at clivers times, detained letters and papers which 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 147 
 
 were directed to Phineas Rosebrook. The Postmaster General 
 requires your answer to the charge. It is also represented by 
 eighteen citizens and three Selectmen of Carroll, that the pres- 
 ent location of your post-office is very inconvenient, and that 
 the people who depend on it would be much better accommo- 
 dated by its removal to the house of William Denison. The 
 Postmaster General wishes to know if you have any objections 
 to the proposed change of site. 
 
 I am, sir, respectfully, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 S. R. Hubbard. 
 
 This made me some trouble, as I was under the neces- 
 sity of vindicating my own character, in the charge laid 
 against me. I went to Mr. Rosebrook, myself, and he 
 could not say as it had been stated, but only to gratify 
 the man, who was an office seeker, had he spoken as he 
 did, and most of those who signed the petition said they 
 were willing to sign one against it, if I wished them, but 
 that I could do without assistance from them by my an- 
 swering the letter referred to. However, he did not 
 obtain his object ; the post-office was not moved. 
 
 After getting through with my summer and fall com- 
 pany, in the winter of 1832, as I had made up my mind 
 to build, we had a great deal to do. As we had our glass 
 and nails, our paints and oils, and other necessary things, 
 to buy and bring home, we did not get ready to draw 
 lumber until March. We then Avent at it with two 
 teams, myself with one and my little boy with another, 
 and this kept us in employment nearly two months, as it 
 required a great quantity of lumber, such as boards, 
 shingles, clapboards, etc., from this same before mentioned 
 distance of thirteen miles. In the spring, I hired men 
 
148 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 and went into the woods and prepared timber for a house, 
 and in May, we raised it. It was sixty feet long and 
 forty feet wide, two stories, with the addition of a piazza 
 on one side, sixty feet long, two stories, and this fronts 
 Mount Washington, east ; north end, Mount Deception ; 
 south end, the beautiful green hill where deer live in the 
 summer, since named Liberty Mountain, and whence 
 they have frequently come down into the interval and 
 there played and gamboled about in full view, and many 
 times have gratified our visitors by staying some time in 
 this way, and then galloping off into the woods. Again 
 I kept salt in an old log at the end of the meadow, which 
 induced them to come down there. I desired my men 
 never to frighten them, or injure them, choosing rather 
 that they should come this way, than to kill them. In 
 the fall, this hill, like the surrounding mountains, is 
 richly ornamented with various colors, which, if imitated 
 by a painter, would make, as it would at any time, a 
 handsome picture. And there is a one story piazza, fifty 
 feet long, to accommodate the traveler, as he could drive 
 up by the side of it, and step into it right out of the car- 
 riage. I hired six joiners, who went industriously to 
 work, and before the last of July, they had their work 
 done, and the painting outside was finished, so that it was 
 ready for company, exce2)ting plastering, which we post- 
 poned for another year. 
 
 This new addition gave us a great deal of room, which 
 required considerable furniture to make comfortable, 
 without extravagance ; and I was under the necessity of 
 buying all this, and it only involved me more and more 
 in debt ; but still I hoped to see better times, although I 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 149 
 
 did not know when, for I was continually going from one 
 expense to another. Still I had paid away my money as 
 fast as I had received it, and, I thought, to good advan- 
 tage. There was, I may say, another great expense 
 which still hung upon my shoulders, from which I did 
 not know how to extricate myself. I was obliged to 
 keep a number of horses, for no other purpose than to 
 accommodate my friends a few months in the summer, 
 for them to ride upon the mountain ; these I had to keep 
 most of the year, on hay and grain when used, and they 
 were of little use beside this, the rest of the year. Then 
 I had the most of my help to hire, which took away my 
 coppers, as I always made it a practice to pay my hired 
 help, if I did not pay other debts, for I always considered 
 the laborer worthy of his hire, and all those who depend 
 upon their own daily labor for a living, ought not to be 
 cheated, neither ought their work to be trifled with, 
 while* they who trade and get their living by speculation, 
 deserve also to be punctually paid their due, although 
 they do not always have so great immediate necessity ; 
 but were there generally greater punctuality, there would 
 be less failures. I have often heard it said that 
 
 " He who by the farm would thrive, 
 Must either hold the plough or drive," 
 
 and sometimes I thought I did both ; but it seemed I did 
 not get ahead very fast, though I made the best I could 
 of it, laboring myself all the time. I seldom lost a meal 
 of victuals or a day, in consequence of sickness, and I 
 had no other infirmities, exeej^ting at times the rheu- 
 matism, which I think was caused by working in the 
 water when living in the state of New York, and a 
 
150 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 tumor which I then thought was the piles and treated in 
 a manner for the piles ; but this was a painful thing to 
 me. Many times I suffered greatly from the complaint, 
 without saying anything about it, and I kept it to myself 
 for a long time. This, I suppose, was caused by going 
 through so many heats and colds in some of the many 
 and severe hardships which I had encountered while 
 trying to do all I could for the public, and I sometimes 
 went beyond my strength, and had I not more than a 
 common constitution, I could not have stood it so long 
 as I did. This summer we again had many visitors, and 
 among them came a gentleman from Georgia, for his 
 health. He had fallen in company with a party which, 
 after making their visit, took their leave of him and us 
 and returned, while he staid some weeks. As his health 
 was poor, he did not care much about the society of 
 strangers, choosing rather to spend his time in the circle 
 of our family, while he amused us, giving descriptions of 
 his country, and the manners there, which interested us 
 very much. Sometimes he would play some tunes upon 
 a violin, which belonged to the house, and after leaving, 
 before he arrived at home, he wrote to us, informing us 
 his health was improved by our mountain air. 
 
 This winter, 1833, I bought a sufficient quantity of 
 lime, and brought it from Portland and Littleton, to 
 plaster my house, also paper to paper it ; likewise in the 
 spring, the mason came and plastered it, and then we 
 papered it. We had some otjier troubles with our 
 neighbor, by his encroaching on our property, beside 
 what I have mentioned, which I will not relate. Some 
 may say I did not like to have a man settle down near 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 151 
 
 me ; this, if so considered, was not so. I might have 
 had the place where he lived, twice. The first man that 
 bought the land, as he thought, put up buildings, but it 
 happened that he did not buy the lot which he had built 
 upon; this circumstance I was aware of, and I might 
 have gone to the right owner and bought myself ; but I 
 had no disposition for an act like this. He afterward 
 ■went and bought, which I was perfectly willing he should 
 do ; and, after a while, finding that he should not be 
 able to finish his buildings and pay for the land, he came, 
 like a man, and offered it to me, first, and wished me to 
 buy it. This, also, I was advised to do, by my father, 
 and he offered to assist me if I bought it ; but I told 
 him that I did not want it ; furthermore, I was willing 
 to have another establishment, so that the public would 
 not be compelled to put up with a Crawford, because 
 there could be no other place ; and, if I could not do so 
 well as to merit public patronage, I ought not to have it. 
 One other reason induced me to have the place settled ; 
 the more inhabitants, and the better the accommodations 
 at the mountains, the more people would be likely to 
 resort here, as they w r ould be sure of being made more 
 comfortable, and would not be crowded ; and, moreover, 
 they could have a choice. Sometimes we were full, also, 
 and desired some to go to our neighbor's, and they 
 answered, if we had but a spare peg in the house, why 
 they could hang on that, one night, and refused thus to 
 be turned away ; so we would do the best we could for 
 them, and make them comfortable, if possible. 
 
 This summer we had more company than usual, which 
 kept us busy all the time from June, until the last of 
 
152 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 September, and not one night were we without guests. 
 In July, the olst, we had seventy-five to lodge, beside 
 our own family. Early the next morning a goodly num- 
 ber of the gentlemen mounted horses and set off for the 
 mountains, in good spirits, while the remainder, many of 
 them, staid and spent the day at the house with us. 
 They all anticipated, the ensuing evening, a social and 
 merry time,, as they intended to have an innocent dance 
 after the music of a violin, which was to be used by a 
 celebrated player, as they had done the evening before ; 
 but alas! how soon may the expectation of pleasure, in 
 this world, be cut off ! They all reached the summit in 
 good season, and, partaking of the fare carried for them, 
 by the guide, and making such remarks as they thought 
 proper, they, at one o'clock, began to descend. One of 
 the party being a sea-captain, said he would be the first 
 down to see the ladies, and instantly set forward. The 
 guide called out to him, and told him he was going 
 wrong, but he, either not hearing him, or else thinking 
 he might steer his way here on this mountain, as well as 
 on the water, went on, and they soon lost sight of him. 
 The rest of the party kept together until they reached 
 the horses, bufr saw nothing of the Captain; here they 
 found his horse and the rest of the horses, and knew 
 from this circumstance, that he had got out of the way. 
 They then came home as fast as possible, and related 
 this to his brother, sisters and friends, who were wait- 
 ing his return ; they were alarmed and felt anxious for 
 his safety. 
 
 I was called upon and consulted to know how we 
 were to manage to find him. We then agreed that a 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. '158 
 
 fire should be made on or near the stream which crosses 
 the path coming down the mountain, in case he should 
 strike upon this stream in his wanderings, and follow it 
 clown till he came to this fire; then there should be. 
 some one there to assist him home, while I should go on 
 the mountain and search for him. We accordingly set 
 out ; his brother was to take care and manage the fire 
 and then leave some one to blow the horn and be on the 
 look out for the Captain. I ascended the mountain, 
 went up Jacob's Ladder, and out tlirough the woods, 
 that night, and called out to him a number of times, 
 but no answer could I receive ; thus I wandered about, 
 calling to him, until it grew so dark I could see no long- 
 er. I then made my way down to a temporary camp, 
 which we had to accommodate us when at work on the 
 road, and here I staid the remainder of the night. 
 Early the next morning, while it was yet dark, I arose 
 and pursued after him with renewed vigor. I went 
 again on the mountain, and again called out to him, in 
 different places, but all in vain ; no answer could I get, 
 and I found one might as well look for a needle in a hay 
 mow, as to find a man here on the mountain, unless he 
 had accidentally slipped and put out a joint, or broken a 
 bone, so that he could not walk. I feared that this was 
 the case with him, and when worn out with fatigue and 
 hunger, began to call loudly, but I came home without 
 finding a single trace of him. This was sorrowful news 
 to his friends and relatives, but there was still a hope 
 th*t he might find himself safe on the other side of the 
 hills, which was actually the case. Here we will make 
 7* 
 
$54* HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 use of his own language, as he wrote it in the album 
 after his return. 
 
 August 1, 1833. The inclination I felt to reach a 
 warm climate induced me to leave the party with whom 
 I had ascended Mount Washington yesterday. After 
 half an hour's rapid walk I found myself alone, and a 
 little time convinced me that attempting to find them 
 was fruitless. I then found my way to the bed of a 
 stream, a branch of the Saco, and followed its winding 
 for twelve miles, through briers and over rocks, from 
 one till seven o'clock p.m., and when the approaching 
 darkness warned me of the necessity of a bed, I discov- 
 ered an object more pleasing than all the wonderful 
 scenery that had served (though in a slight degree) to 
 while away my six hours incessant labor. 'Twas a log 
 bridge crossing the stream in which I was wading. Fol- 
 lowing the road with renewed vigor, I arrived in an 
 hour at Mr. Hanson's, when a bowl of milk and a good 
 bed left me nothing to regret but the probability of un- 
 easiness in the minds of my friends here. 
 
 This morning I left Mr. Hanson's at five o'clock, 
 walked seven miles to Mr. Wentworth's in Jackson, rode 
 three miles bareback to Mr. Chisley's, who took me in 
 his wagon seven or eight miles to Gould's, in Bartlett, 
 whence I made the best of my way to this comfortable, 
 temporary home, having been absent over thirty hours. 
 
 Jno. S. Paine. 
 
 P.S. So the mountains brought forth a mouse, j. s. p. 
 
 "go it you cripples." 
 
 Kennebunkport party obliged to leave here this day in 
 
HISTORY OP THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 155 
 
 anxious uncertainty for the fate of our cousin and friend, 
 Lieut. J. S. Paine. 
 
 C. A. L. and Party. 
 
 With hearts light and gay, 
 
 On a fine summer day, 
 
 We arrived at far fam'd Ethan's place ; 
 
 When the sun shone so bright, 
 
 And all rilled with delight, 
 
 We welcomed with joy each known face. 
 
 Then we wanted to go 
 
 To the mountains of snow, 
 
 And look on that scene so sublime; 
 
 But our friends said " nay," 
 
 'Twas a dangerous way, 
 
 And the rocks we should ne'er try to climb. 
 
 So we waited to hear 
 
 What our friend Paine would bear, 
 
 From the weather, the road and the sight, 
 
 But we waited in vain, 
 
 For alas ! he ne'er came, 
 
 And dreary and dull was the night. 
 
 May he come in his glory 
 
 To finish my story, 
 
 And tell of his victories won ; 
 
 Then with sun beaming bright, 
 
 And hearts bounding light, 
 
 We'll farewell to Mount Washington. 
 
 This j:>oetic effusion was written by the accomplished 
 Mrs. C. A. Lord, of Kennebunkport, as saith the Album. 
 
 It is necessary for all who ascend the mountain, espe- 
 cially for the first time, to be governed by the guide, as 
 the distance of more than a mile is over rocks without 
 
156 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 any surface to make any path or track, and unless the 
 stranger takes particular notice of the way in which he 
 goes up, he may, like the Captain, get mistaken and take 
 a wrong course. Several years ago, when it was the 
 custom to go out and camp at the foot of the mountain, 
 then, early in the morning, ascend the hill, a young Ver- 
 monter with some others came and went there and staid, 
 and early in the morning set out to climb the hills. 
 There came on a thick mist of rain after they had start- 
 ed, but he being persevering determined to go on, and 
 for fear he should lose his way when he should come 
 back, laid up piles of Atones, as monuments or guides, at 
 proper distances from each other, so that travelers should 
 not get mistaken or lost, which remain in honor of him at 
 this day and have been of use to many, who were like 
 himself, determined to pursue after they had undertaken 
 it. He, however, returned to the camp after reaching 
 the summit, sent the guide home for new supplies of pro- 
 visions, and there they remained until they had a clear 
 day. Such was the spirit of a Vermonter. 
 
 I do not recollect anything more, particularly interest- 
 ing, that took place this summer, worth mentioning, but 
 suffice it to say, we had plenty of company until quite 
 late in the fall, and some after the snow had got so deep 
 that they could not reach the top of the hill. 
 
 1834. Now as I was satisfied, for the present, with 
 building, I had not much business on hand excepting that 
 of buying and bringing home supplies for the season. I 
 spent my time in'incipally with my family. Home, with 
 me, was always delightful, after spending the day in dif- 
 ferent exercises and getting weary. To be able to sit 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 157 
 
 down and have half a dozen little ones come and rest 
 themselves upon me, all of them having good reason and 
 proper shapes, which was a great satisfaction to me, was 
 considered a blessing. In April, one week after the birth 
 of our ninth child, Lucy took cold, and as she had been 
 accustomed to administer physic to her family, when un- 
 well, she now thought she would prescribe for herself. 
 She then ordered a dose of hygean pills to be handed 
 her, and took a large portion of them ; but as these had 
 not the desired effect, she took another, which, as her 
 physician told her afterward, was the means of saving 
 her life at that time, but did not restore her to health. 
 She remained sick and feeble, with a slow fever. I then 
 sent eighteen miles for a physician who came and gave 
 her such things as he thought proper, but did not remove 
 the cause. We sent and he came again ; but no better 
 did she get. Her case was now a desperate one. The 
 child, for want of proper nourishment, such as is natural 
 for children, grew very worried and fretful ; this served 
 to add another trouble to Lucy, as she had always been 
 healthy and could satisfy her infants by nursing them, but, 
 at this time, it only seemed to injure and not satisfy it ; 
 and as she had the feelings of a mother, she said she did 
 not know how to bear with its cries. A friend, a gentle- 
 man from Portsmouth, calling at my house at this time, 
 when going on business to Jefferson, saw the situation of 
 Lucy, and she having a brother living there, whose wife 
 had just lost an infant, they sent me word by the gentle- 
 man upon his return from Jefferson, that if I would bring 
 the child to them, they would take care of it. This in- 
 formation I received late at night and when cornmunicat- 
 
158 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 Lag it to Lucy, she seemed rejoiced to think the child 
 was provided for. I brought up several objections to 
 her against parting with it ; told her that if they nursed 
 it, most likely their affections would be so great for it, 
 they would not be willing to give it up ; all these things 
 she could do away with if she could but know it com- 
 fortably taken care of. Her mind being fixed, suitable 
 preparations were made for its removal. My courage be- 
 gan to fail, and I asked Lucy if we had not better wait 
 and bring her brother's wife over here ? She said, no, as 
 it would be a long time before she would be able to come, 
 and she could not bear the sufferings of the babe any 
 longer. It was then wrapped up, and after it had receiv- 
 ed the parting kiss from its mother, which was imprinted 
 with a tear, for which she received a smile in return, for 
 the child was then six weeks old, I took it in my arms on 
 horseback and carried it sixteen miles, without a murmur 
 or a cry from the child, by stopping twice on the way 
 and feeding it out of a bottle, which I carried in my 
 pocket, which had been previously prepared for it. The 
 child was welcomed by its new mother, and after receiv- 
 ing plenty of nourishment, it became satisfied. I return- 
 ed home and related my tour and good success in the 
 conveyance of the babe, and the satisfaction it appeared 
 to take in a new mother's bosom. This, Lucy said, was 
 an act of Providence, for which she hoped to be thank- 
 ful. As Lucy got no better, I was advised to send thirty 
 miles for another physician, who succeeded no better 
 than the former one in removing the cause of her com- 
 plaint. I likewise had the advice of several old and ex- 
 perienced ones, but all to no purpose; she remained 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 159 
 
 sick, weak and in great pain most of the time. She was 
 told by her friends it was not likely she would ever re- 
 cover, or arise from that bed of sickness ; this did not 
 seem to affect her in the least. She kept up good cour- 
 age, as she was desirous of getting well, knowing that 
 she had a large family of her own, beside Uncle William 
 to take care of, and much there is depending on a mother 
 in bringing up her children. These things she took into 
 consideration, with a firm belief that God would, in his 
 wise providence, see fit to send some means to help her ; 
 and after lying in this helpless situation from April until 
 July, her desires were answered. Doctor Warren, with 
 his family, from Boston, came to spend a few days with 
 us ; and his good lady, having been here before and learn- 
 ing that Lucy was sick, came immediately into the room, 
 and seeing how she was, said she would go for the doc- 
 tor. He came in and examined her, but did not pre- 
 scribe anything for her at that time. He came the third 
 time to see her, and then wrote a prescription for her, 
 which as soon as it was obtained, helped her, and in a 
 few weeks she was able to be about with her family. 
 All this did the doctor, without receiving a single far- 
 thing, for he would not accept of compensation for his 
 trouble or advice, for which we are still indebted to Jiim. 
 
 Likewise we are under many obligations to a number 
 of people of Boston, for their kindness, their attention 
 and presents during the summer. 
 
 My affairs at that time began to look gloomy ; sick- 
 ness had ever been a stranger at our house, now it be- 
 came an associate there. Our next youngest child was 
 dangerously ill of the bowel complaint, and company 
 
160 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 began to shun my house, which was on account of the 
 influence of stage drivers, as our neighbor, having made 
 some addition to his establishment, offered to keep their 
 horses on hay, free from any expense to them, if they 
 would influence the company, and bring the passengers 
 to his house. Of this I was verbally informed by them, 
 but as I was then keeping- them at a very low rate, I did 
 not know how to keep them for nothing, and of course 
 they removed their quarters. I had done much for 
 them in making the place fashionable, which caused 
 them to have passengers, who paid them handsomely for 
 riding in their stages. This I thought would be enough 
 to insure their patronage, without an explanation to 
 them. The owner of the line had been promoted to 
 some public stations, which should have insured better 
 principles within his mind than to have let him practice 
 upon such a low, narrow, contracted one, just for the 
 sake of saving a trifle, and try to injure me in this way, 
 at a time when I was in trouble. How much this added 
 to their interest, or to the credit of the stage and its 
 owner, I am not able to say; one thing I know, it was 
 an injury to me, as I depended upon my customers for 
 money to pay for extra expenses, which I had incurred 
 by building, and making things good and comfortable 
 for their convenience. Some people are so avaricious 
 that they must have their own way even if it hurts the 
 honest and industrious ones ever so much, as was the 
 case, I think, with the one just mentioned. I, however, 
 made the best I could of it, hired money to pay some 
 debts, and other creditors I pacified with promising them 
 they should have their pay as soon as possible. In the 
 
History of the white mountains. 161 
 
 fall, as I was returning from Lancaster, on horseback, in 
 the forenoon, I called at a six mile neighbor's, and there 
 borrowed a fan, for the purpose of clearing up* some 
 grain, and when coming down what is called Cherry 
 Mountain, the horse made a misstep, which brought him 
 on his knees ; being encumbered with the fan, I had not 
 the means of saving myself, and I was brought suddenly 
 across the pommel of the saddle ; this struck an affected 
 part of my body, and hurt me very much. The horse 
 recovered himself, and I regained my seat upon the sad- 
 dle. I went home that afternoon, and assisted in fan- 
 ning up twenty bushels of wheat. Standing in the air, 
 so that the air might carry away the dust which arose 
 from it, and perspiring, I took cold, which settled where 
 I was most liable, and that night my bowels began to 
 swell and continued to for three days, and a man in 
 greater distress than I was, I would think never need be. 
 I neither ate more than three crackers nor slept the 
 whole time. I had a high fever which caused me to be 
 thirsty. I drank freely of cold water, which only in- 
 creased my pain. I took physic, one portion after an- 
 other, without any effect. I grew worse and worse, un- 
 til at length, I told Lucy I must die ; I had no desire to 
 live in so much pain. She remonstrated with me, saying 
 I had been the means of bringing a large family into the 
 world, which was depending upon me for support, and I 
 ought not to indulge such thoughts, but should keep 
 good courage, and perhaps there would be a relief. I 
 asked her when ? Oh ! she said she could not tell when, 
 neither did I know how much I could bear until I had 
 the trial put upon me. She told me to be patient and 
 
162 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 perhaps God, who had let me suffer, would in some way, 
 cause relief. 'Well, I said I would try one more thing. 
 I would take half a tea-cup full, or more, of Epsom Salts, 
 dissolved in water ; this was prepared and I swallowed it. 
 Now, said I, if this does not answer the purpose, I must 
 bid you and the children farewell. I began to pace the 
 room ; things looked strangely, and I had such feelings as 
 I cannot describe, if I attempt it. This did not last long 
 before I felt the salts begin to operate, and I soon found re- 
 lief from them. As soon as I was able to ride, I went to 
 Littleton to a physician and told him my case ; he said I 
 was a tough one and wondered I had lived through it, as 
 mortification was near at hand at that time. He then 
 gave me some medicine and advised me to be operated 
 upon as soon as I could get a surgeon, or it might in 
 time cost me my life. Other physicians, also, told me the 
 same story. This I thought I could not live through ; I 
 still held the idea that I might as well die with it as to 
 die while undergoing such an operation, for I thought it 
 would certainly kill me. 
 
 In the winter of 1835, as I had expressed some desire 
 of selling my place and settling my affairs with the world, 
 in consequence of ill health, for I was not able to do 
 much or go from home but little, one night in April, 
 there came a man from Bartlett to make propositions to 
 buy my place. He was then going to Boston, and knew 
 of a certain stage company who would buy it, as he 
 thought, and, in so doing, would confer a favor on me. 
 I thanked him for his good intentions, then went to work 
 and bonded it to him for six months, for ten thousand 
 dollars ; this he wished to have kept a secret, for a short 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 163 
 
 time. My father coming in, before the close of the busi- 
 ness, wanted to know what the man was there for ; but 
 as I had promised not to speak about it, I did not tell 
 him. The old gentleman said afterward, if I had told 
 him or if he had known it, he would have advised me 
 better. In a short time the great cry of speculation in 
 land" was heard on all sides, and I could have sold it for 
 two thousand dollars more than I had bonded it for, but 
 as I had never been in the habit of making children's 
 bargains, there should be no grunting on my part. 
 
 Now to fill the place of the little one we had parted 
 with the year before (as what I had predicted proved 
 true, for those who had taken the child, unnamed, and 
 nursed it so long, claimed it as their own, having no 
 other, and we seemed rather compelled to give it up to 
 them), we had another child born in May, which gave 
 us ten in number, five sons and five daughters. Nine of 
 them are still living. While in this solitary place, so far 
 from human assistance, Lucy did not put her trust in 
 an arm of flesh to save her, but she trusted to a higher 
 power, and was carried through every trial, for which 
 she had great reason to be thankful. 
 
 The man coming home from Boston, sent me word 
 that I might depend upon the money before the time of 
 the bond running out, and I made little other exertions 
 to get money to pay my debts with, supposing this would 
 be the case. As the bargain was so good, I thought 
 there would be no failure upon his part, and depended 
 upon it. He went again, and found a good company of 
 speculators, who had money deposited in a bank in Bos- 
 ton, and every arrangement being made, the papers 
 
164 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 drawn, in the evening, for eleven thousand dollars, of 
 whi<jh ten thousand was to be paid him, and he was to 
 have a share with them of one thousand himself ; the 
 next morning, when they met again to close the bargain, 
 no papers of the evening could be found. This disaffect- 
 ed the company, and they would do nothing more about 
 it, as they supposed the man thought it was going so 
 quickly, that he might have more; therefore, took no 
 care of the papers. But the man says that they were 
 lost by the clerk who kept the office where they did their 
 business. Which of these two was the cause of this mis- 
 take, I am unable to say, but it was a sad one for me, as 
 I had depended so much upon it, and might have done 
 so much better, had it not been for my reliance upon 
 this ; but it seems to show the uncertainty of man and 
 how little dependence can be placed even on those we 
 think our friends. I always thought this man my friend, 
 having been acquainted with him for years ; but so it 
 happened, and there was no help for it on my part. I 
 was informed of all the particulars of this transaction 
 by one of the company which thought of buying. I 
 asked the man to give me the bond, which he said I 
 might have, but I could not get it. He then told me he 
 would try again to sell it, and still thought he could dis- 
 pose of it advantageously both to himself and to me ; 
 but this was all a humbug. He still kept the bond, until 
 it died in his hands. Pie, however, lost nothing more 
 than his time and trouble, with the exception of what 
 he intended to make, as he had not paid me anything 
 for it. 
 
 During the summer we had a goodly share of company, 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 165 
 
 notwithstanding the stage drivers' influence, and that of 
 
 some tavern-keepers, who were interested in this con- 
 certed plan of leading company to the wrong place ; and. 
 many whom they did decoy came to my house, and said 
 they were misled and should not be caught again in that 
 way ; but as I was then suffering with the complaint be- 
 fore mentioned, I felt little ambition about the proceed- 
 ing of things, at times, but let them do pretty much as 
 they did ; and at other times I felt the abuse, and then 
 tried to vindicate my own rights, but this I could not 
 carry into effect, owing to the state of my mind, as this 
 complaint centered in its effects mostly in my head. 
 
 After this, I strove to sell, but the fever of speculation 
 had then begun to abate, and I could not get more offer- 
 ed for it than enough to pay what I was then owing, 
 which was not as much as the buildings had cost ; this I 
 could not in conscience take, as the place was actually 
 ■worth so much more. So we continued to stay longer 
 and do the best we could. 
 
 My complaint increased, at times troubling me very 
 much, and this winter, 1836, I was advised to send to 
 Concord and obtain some of Dr. Morril's patent medi- 
 cine, which was celebrated for effecting great cures ; I 
 was told that perhaps it might reach my case. I wrote 
 to him, and in return, received the medicine, with direc- 
 tions. These I followed as nearly as possible, but it only 
 made me worse, instead of better, having a tendency to 
 heat and stimulate, which was contrary to the manner 
 that my complaint should have been treated ; yet I did 
 not think any one was to blame in the matter. My 
 friends being anxious that I should get well, said I must 
 
166 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 keep trying, and if one thing would not do, try another; 
 this I did, but all to no purpose. 
 
 This winter, as deer had become plenty in the woods, 
 many parties went in pursuit of them, and my eldest son, 
 Harvey, possessing the same disposition as others, desir- 
 ed to go with them, but as his constitution was not 
 equal to that of others, I did not consent to have him go 
 with them. 
 
 In March, a gentleman came to my house, who had 
 been traveling some years, and his horse being weary, 
 he concluded to stay a few days and rest him. He being 
 a sportsman, soon contracted for a little fun with Harvey ; 
 and as I had ever been against his going into the woods 
 with others, I then concluded to let him go. 
 
 They were prepared, accordingly, and in the afternoon 
 set out. They steered nearly south of my house, and 
 went up the green hill where deer were plenty, and hav- 
 ing arrived there in season, built them a camp, and spent 
 the night finely, as they expressed it. Early in the 
 morning before they had breakfasted, not being ex- 
 perienced hunters, as they were anxious to find what 
 they were in pursuit of, they left their lodgings and 
 victuals all together, and went out upon a tour of obser- 
 vation or discovery, intending to return and breakfast 
 shortly. After leaving the camp, the dog went into a 
 yard of deer, and followed them, and they found there 
 was no time to be lost and were obliged to pursue as fast 
 as possible, on snow-shoes, or they would lose both dog 
 and deer. They soon came up with the dog, who had a 
 deer ; they cut his throat and took out his inwards* and 
 left him there. The dog pursued others in a similar 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 167 
 
 manner, .and they caught three of them. By this time 
 hunger began to call loudly upon them ; as they had been 
 in a hurry, and unmindful of the course they had taken, 
 they were so bewildered among the hills that they were 
 not sure what course to take to make for home. They, 
 however, struck upon a small stream, and followed it 
 down to the Amanoosuc river, nearly three miles below 
 my house, leaving their game behind, tired and hungry 
 enough. 
 
 The next morning I observed to them it was not cus- 
 tomary for hunters to leave their game in the woods to 
 spoil, and thought they had better go and bring theirs 
 in, or else we should have to take their word for what 
 they had done. The gentleman said he was satisfied to 
 let his part remain where it then was, rather than go the 
 route over again. He had had a pleasant time and a 
 lucky one, in hunting, and found himself at home ; he 
 was then on good footing, and thought he would keep so. 
 But as Harvey had for so long a time been wanting to 
 hunt, I told him he must go and bring home his game ; 
 and after getting rested he took a hired man and went 
 after it. He, not being yet satisfied, thought he would 
 wander about, and perhaps might find a deer, one that 
 he could catch and lead home alive, as I had done. The 
 south wind beginning to blow strong, and the clouds 
 coming on, it was dark before they were aware of it, and 
 they could not find the camp, which had been built but 
 two days before, where they intended to spend the 
 night, and in consequence of the darkness they were 
 lost, and could find no other shelter than a large hemlock 
 tree. They had barely the means of obtaining fire, and 
 
168 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 that was all. Their axe, provisions, and everything con- 
 ducive to their comfort, were at the camp, while they 
 were compelled to stay and draw out a long night, in 
 that season of the year. The wind blowing violently 
 made the trees writhe and bend on all sides of them. 
 The rain descended in great profusion upon them, and 
 they had nothing to shelter them from the impending 
 storm. But they were fortunate in getting fire in a dry 
 tree, which was some satisfaction, but not much comfort 
 to them, as all the good this did was to burn one side 
 while the other was shivering with the wet and cold. 
 The snow being deep, they had nothing to stand upon 
 beside their snowshoes, and in this perilous condition 
 they spent a long night. They said it was the longest 
 one they ever knew. 
 
 They suffered greatly from fear of being killed by fall- 
 ing trees, as they fell occasionally near them, but the 
 same Preserver who took care of them in sunshine, 
 cared for them then, and they were permitted to behold 
 the light of another morning with gladness, and in a few 
 minutes they found the camp, but a little way from 
 where they had spent such a miserable night. They 
 then provided themselves with a comfortable breakfast, 
 and, after resting awhile, started for home. They had the 
 preceding day gathered some of the venison, and tried 
 to bring it home, but the snow was so deep and soft that 
 their snowshoes would sink deep, and it was with diffi- 
 culty they could raise them, and they were obliged to 
 leave it there, and make their best way home, where 
 they were welcomed. I think parents were never more 
 rejoiced than we were when we saw Harvey coming 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 169 
 
 across the field, as our anxiety had been so great through 
 the night that neither of us had slept. After that I was 
 not troubled any more with being teased by him for 
 want of hunting. He was now satisfied. 
 
 But to return again to myself. Sometimes I would 
 seem to be quite well, and then I did not mind my sick- 
 ness so much as at other times ; then there would a pain 
 catch me in the spine of my back, and run over me like 
 a flash of lightning, even to the top of my head, and 
 every hair would seem to move. Many times I have put 
 my hand to the top of my head, and felt the hair, to 
 know if it did not stand straight on end, as I could feel 
 it 'rise, and sometimes would think it would throw off 
 my hat. The pain from my back centered in my head, 
 which caused me to be forgetful. They who had ever 
 been my nearest and best friends had become my ene- 
 mies, as it appeared to me, and from no other cause than 
 my being sick, and in trouble, when I most needed con- 
 solation, and this caused me sometimes to be irritable, 
 which was not exactly my natural disposition, but I 
 knew not how to help it then. My appetite was gone, 
 and I was attended by a cough, and afflicted by raising 
 great quantities of phlegm ; my blood was reduced, and 
 I would have extremes of heat and cold pass through my 
 veins, one after another. Sometimes in the morning I 
 would think I could get up, and should be smart that 
 day, but after getting up, and only walking in another 
 room, I would begin to shiver with the cold, and have to 
 go to bed again, and have my pillows warmed and placed 
 on my back, and blankets warmed and put upon me. In 
 this way I lived* by turns, until I was returning from 
 8 
 
170 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 Conway in the stage, having been down on business in 
 company with Dr. Bemis, from Boston, and some other 
 gentlemen beside him, when I was attacked with this 
 complaint, and had, in the stage, two spasms, which re- 
 quired the strength of a man to hold me. This sudden 
 and unexpected shock was below my father's, and I did 
 not then think I should live to get home, but I meant to 
 go along as I could. I had the kindest assistance from 
 the gentlemen in the stage, and arrived at home, where 
 I soon after had another spasm. Lucy sent immediately 
 for a physician, who arrived, and took away a portion of 
 blood, which soon relieved me. This kind and humane 
 Dr. Bemis, who was then staying at my house, became 
 acquainted with Dr. Rodgers, from New York, who had 
 previously, before he started, been directed to put up 
 with me, but was influenced by some other persons to 
 stop with my neighbor. Dr. Bemis informed Dr. Rodg- 
 ers of my situation, and he came to see me, told me un- 
 less I would consent to have an operation, I could not 
 live long, as the consumption was near upon me ; said he 
 would go and get his instruments, while another physi- 
 cian Avho was with him, should stop and make preparations 
 for the same. This I did not consent to, neither did I 
 refuse it. The doctor returned in a short time, and due 
 preparations being made, went upstairs with them, when 
 the operation was performed. 
 
 How estimable is the character of a good physician, or 
 of any really good man ! While " man's inhumanity to 
 man makes countless,thousands mourn," so the kind min- 
 istrations of man to man proves that God gives us in 
 charge of his angels. 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 171 
 
 I then came down with them, and soon found relief. 
 I now could sit in a chair much better than for months 
 before. The doctor came and dressed my wound sev- 
 eral times himself, and then showed another person how 
 to manage it, and when he took his leave, I asked him 
 how much I should pay him? He said not anything, 
 but he expressed a desire for me to get well. For this 
 act of kindness I am indebted to Dr. Bemis for his in- 
 terceding as he did in my behalf, and Dr. Rodgers for 
 his assistance. I am well persuaded, had it not been for 
 them, I should not now have been here a living man. 
 Times had now become hard, and my creditors, who had 
 waited on me, were afraid they should not get their pay, 
 because my dissolution, as they thought, was near at 
 hand, and in the course of the preceding summer they 
 had come upon me like a set of armed men. I turned 
 out all my personal property, even to the last cow 
 and some articles I turned out three times, I was after- 
 ward informed, but the state of my mind was such, 
 owing to the pain in my head, I was not sensible of what 
 I did. In the fall, before I was able to get about much, 
 a deputy sheriff came from Lancaster forme to pay a sum 
 of three hundred dollars, which I was owing the bank, 
 and one more demand due a farmer for about forty dol- 
 lars, principal, but as he had taken care not to have it 
 reduced by interest and cost, which he had caused to be 
 doubled, I told him I had then nothing to pay with, but 
 desired him to be patient, as they were not suffering for 
 the money, and they and every other creditor should 
 have their honest dues, if they would only show me len- 
 ity. He then left me, after obtaining a promise, on my 
 
172 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 part, that as soon as I was able to ride, I would go to 
 Lancaster and see them myself, and some days after, ac- 
 cording to promise, I went, and what do you think these 
 men did ? Why, for want thereof, took my poor and 
 emaciated body and cast it into prison, although a 
 brother of mine and one of Lucy's, offered to give them 
 bonds for my appearance at any time whenever they 
 should call for me. But this did not seem to pacify 
 them ; they were determined upon other purposes ; their 
 object was money, and they refused to take them. I 
 was j)ut in jail, and this place was to me a complete hell 
 upon earth, now shut up from air and the society of my 
 beloved family. 
 
 My mind was weak, and the time hanging heavily, 
 forced me to reflect on human nature ; this overcame 
 me, and I was obliged to call for the advice of physicians 
 and a nurse. Here I was attended with a sort of spasm, 
 similar to the former ones, and was really so unwell that 
 one of my physicians affectionately told me he thought 
 I should never pass the Gun hill that was near the bury- 
 ing-ground ; that was as much as to say I should die. 
 He then asked me if they should not send for Lucy. I 
 told him no ; it was enough for me to be there and not 
 her. Here they kept me twenty-five days in this way. 
 I had applied to an attorney before I went in, to make 
 arrangements for me to take the benefit of the law, in 
 such cases made and provided, and when the time ar- 
 rived they told me I could not do it without perjuring 
 myself. I told them something should be done, for I 
 would stay there no longer. They then concluded to 
 take our brothers for sureties, and let me go home. This 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 173 
 
 added nothing to their interest, neither did it help them 
 immediately to their pay. They were secured before. 
 I had good signers with me on the notes, and my farm 
 was holden, but when a man gets going down hill, it 
 matters not what shape it is in, there are enough stand- 
 ing ready to give him a kick and help him down. They 
 have since got their pay, but the tanner dares not look 
 me in the face and say, How do you do ? but passes by 
 as soon as convenient ; they will have to answer to their 
 Judge. Lucy wrote to him in the most affectionate 
 terms, intreating him in the name of a husband and a 
 father to go and see me, and advise some means to let 
 me come home, and sent it by the hand of her son, who 
 handed it to him ; he read the contents, and put the let- 
 ter in his pocket, and never came near me till the day 
 that I was set at liberty. 
 
 Having been for so long a time racked with pain, and 
 having now these troubles, I did not seem to get much 
 better of my complaint, and was advised by some friends 
 and my family to give up my farm and retire to a more 
 secluded spot, where health might be regained. Accord- 
 ingly, for that present time, I changed situations with a 
 brother of Lucy's, and moved to Guildhall, in Vermont, 
 the place of our nativity. 
 
 Before we left we sent to those men to whom I had 
 mortgaged my farm, to come and take possession of it, 
 which they did, and I suppose, in a lawful manner, put 
 up an advertisement in the house to sell it on the lGth 
 of March, 1837. It was then subject to two mortgages, 
 Uncle William's was one and the other was theirs. The 
 amount of theirs was to be made known at the time of 
 
174 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 sale, but as it appeared, no one came to buy, therefore 
 they had the whole management of the affair to them- 
 selves. At this time Lucy was there, and I expressed a 
 regret to leave the place where we had performed so 
 much hard labor, and had done everything to make the 
 mountain scenery fashionable, and had just got in a way 
 to make ourselves comfortable, and to be able to make 
 our friends feel at home. It was hard to give it all up, 
 and let it go into the hands of others. One of them 
 made her this reply, saying, fifty years hence it will be 
 as in old time ; there would be those rise up who knew 
 not Joseph, and it would not then be known who did all 
 these things. They then rented it for one year, and at 
 the expiration of that year rented it again to the same 
 man for five hundred dollars per annum. 
 
 While we were at Guildhall, as there was a sugar lot 
 on the farm, I thought I would make sugar that spring, 
 with the help of my little boys, and as Lucy was always 
 anxious about me when absent, particularly then on ac- 
 count of my health and misfortunes, I happening one 
 night to stay away later than usual, she thought some- 
 thing might have befallen me, as I had only one boy 
 with me, so after putting her children to rest at nine 
 o'clock, she took a lantern and steered for the woods. 
 Never having been there before, she lost her way and 
 was actually under the necessity of calling for help. The 
 boy having amused himself peeling birch bark, while I 
 was engaged in boiling sap, we put some of this dry bark 
 on the end of a pole which was long, set it on fire, and 
 raised it up so high in the air that she saw it and then 
 came to us and staid until we could all go home together, 
 where we arrived at eleven o'clock. 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 175 
 
 We remained on this place ten months, where we 
 raised barely enough to support our family. As Lucy's 
 brother must lease our farm at the mountains, it being 
 put into other hands, he was then wanting his own to live 
 on, so I went down the Connecticut river one mile, and 
 engaged a large two story dwelling-house, which was 
 then unoccupied, for the farm had been rented to its 
 nearest neighbor, and I obtained the use of it until April, 
 when his lease would run out. Sometime this winter, a 
 gentleman, by the name of Jonathan Tucker, Esq., who 
 had an execution against the farm I was then living 
 upon, came from Saco, Maine, and the marshal of the 
 state came also, and set off, to this Mr. Tucker, nearly 
 fifty acres of the best part of the land, with the barn. 
 This is the very place where our grandmother lived when 
 she had so much trouble with the Indians. I have tilled 
 the same ground where their little log cabin used to 
 stand, which was near the bank of the river. Afterward, 
 they or others built upon higher ground. When this 
 land was set off, I asked Mr. Tucker if I might have the 
 privilege of improving it ? He told me to stay and do 
 the best I could, and if it were redeemed he should have 
 nothing more to do with it, and the defendant in the case 
 had six months for redemption ; if it were not redeemed, 
 I could have a living from it. According to human 
 nature, in these days, reader, how do you think this man 
 let us live here after the redemption ran out ? I wrote 
 him an account of our management and asked him if I 
 might pay the lawyer who had assisted in obtaining this 
 land? He said I might. 
 
 Thus we lived upon this beautiful farm, while we had 
 
176 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 the privilege of raising every kind of grain and vegetable, 
 such as corn, rye, oats, peas, beans, potatoes ; and Ave had 
 a first rate garden, surrounded with currants, gooseber- 
 ries and plums. As the river went round this meadow in 
 a semicircle and made a bow in some places, there was 
 capital fishing, where my boys could catch plenty of 
 pickerel, some trout, dace, eels, etc. This made quite a 
 market place, as these fish make grand living when cooked 
 with good salt pork. Here we could send our children 
 to school, six and seven months in a year. One winter 
 we furnished the school with nine scholars, our own 
 children, for which we received the credit of the commit- 
 tee, for, as the law was, every scholar drew a proportion 
 of the public money, and the more scholars there were, 
 the longer the school continued. We likewise had every 
 privilege which is common in towns, such as meetings 
 for divine worship and good society among our own rela- 
 tives and friends. 
 
 As we had always been used to labor ourselves, we in- 
 structed our children, when quite young, to be diligent 
 in whatever they could do ; and this seemed to be a great 
 help to them as they could earn their own living, and be- 
 ing accustomed to work at home, they were not ashamed 
 to go abroad. When they were not at school, those of 
 them that could be spared from the farm and dairy, for 
 we had cows and made butter and cheese, could support 
 themselves at home or abroad, respectably ; while I could 
 do mason work, as I had assisted in helping plaster my 
 own buildings and learned how to make mortar, and 
 could, then, spread it well, and I could earn my dollar 
 per day when I worked at my trade. In this and similar 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 177 
 
 ways, according to the customs of New England, we liv- 
 ed on this beautiful farm, by paying the taxes and keep- 
 ing the buildings in repair, which we consider to be an 
 act of benevolence from this Mr. Tucker, and for which 
 we will return our gratitude. There are but few men in 
 these days who would do so much even for a relative, 
 without some direct condensation from him, if nothing 
 more than a promise, for which he never made me a re- 
 quest. But the fifth year a lawyer who lived in Lancas- 
 ter, by some means obtained a lease of the place and we 
 were obliged to give him half we raised on this piece of 
 land belonging to Mr. Tucker. There seemed to be 
 quite a contrast now, after living in the way just describ- 
 ed and now obliged to go halves with this lawyer, which 
 did not exactly suit my family, working hard as usual, 
 when they had the whole before. 
 
 In 1843, I hired the large three story building, which 
 was then em]3ty, in sight of where we had lived twenty 
 years, at the mountains, and here we are at the present 
 time in 1845. 
 
 It may be an inquiry, how these things have come to 
 be written ? Lucy had been advised to keep a memoran- 
 dum of things as they occurred, for there seemed to be 
 something very extraordinary in our affairs in life, which 
 was an inducement for her labor, in which she has taken 
 great pleasure, in order to be able to show the public our 
 way of trying to get a living, by dealing honestly with 
 men, and having a clear conscience as regards my man- 
 agement with mankind. Moreover, the men to whom I 
 had given up my farm, said they were willing for us to 
 have it again, by our refunding them whatever they had 
 8* 
 
178 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 paid out, with the interest and cost, provided Lucy would 
 publish this history, which, after being published, she 
 could sell and it would be an assistance. As we were 
 then retired from the cares of other people and had noth- 
 ing but our own family to look after, she found time. 
 
 It is the request of some of my friends to have a gen- 
 ealogy of my father's family. Abel Crawford is now 
 eighty years of age, when this year, 1845, shall have 
 passed away, and he was the first man that ever rode a 
 horse on the top of Mount Washington. He was then 
 aged seventy-five, and is now a well, stout, athletic man, 
 capable of doing work and business. My mother, who 
 was Hannah Iiosebrook, is in her seventy-fourth year, 
 enjoying tolerably good health, after having raised a 
 family of nine children. Erastus, their eldest son, was 
 born in 1791, and grew up a large, stout, and tall man, 
 six feet six inches high when standing barefoot. After 
 he was twenty-one he went into the State of New York, 
 where he lived and married, and his wife had two sons, 
 and then he died there in 1825 ; these two sons of his 
 are now nearly the same height their father was when 
 he was living. Ethan Allen is my name, and I am fifty- 
 three, with much better health than when I left the 
 mountains. Stephen was born in 1796, and he died 
 when he was fifteen years of age, with, the consumption. 
 Everett has a wife and four children, three sons and one 
 daughter, and lives in Jefferson, New Hampshire. Dear- 
 born lives in Oxford, New Hampshire, and has a wife 
 who has borne him ten children, six daughters and four 
 sons. Thomas J. lives at the Notch House, which I 
 built in 1828, with his wife and four children, all of 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 179 
 
 them daughters. Hannah II. is married to Nathaniel T. 
 P. Davis, and they live in Hart's Location, with my par- 
 ents, who have lived there fifty years ; she has two chil- 
 dren, both daughters. Abel J. has a wife and one child, 
 a son, and lives in Jefferson, N. H. William II. Harri- 
 son still lives at home with Mr. Davis, enjoying life at 
 his ease, without any care or trouble of a family, living 
 in a " state of single blessedness." Uncle William Rose- 
 brook, who was spoken of in the first part of this his- 
 tory, is seventy-two years of age, and still lives with us, 
 enjoying good health. He never was married. Lucy, 
 my wife, has had ten children, five sons and five daugh- 
 ters. Harvey "Howe, not having a strong constitution, 
 learned the art of making wagons, and has gone into the 
 State of Ohio. Our second son died when an infant. 
 Lucy Laurilla, Ellen Wile, Eluthera Porter, Ethan, Ste- 
 phen, Persis Julia, Placentia Whidden and William, 
 make out our number. 
 
 And now my friends, who have a little time to spare, 
 or whose health is impaired, come to the mountains and 
 make us a visit. You -will find us here, and there shall 
 be no pains spared to make your time pass pleasantly 
 during your stay with us, either in waiting t>n you or 
 giving you all the information in our power, and, as of 
 old, what we lack in substance we will endeavor to make 
 up in good will. We gratefully return our warmest 
 thanks for the public patronage which we formerly re- 
 ceived while at the mountains, and we still hope by our 
 united exertions to continue to merit it. When you get 
 to Conway, if coming in that direction, you will find ex- 
 cellent treatment in a Temperance House, kept by Colo- 
 
180 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 nel Hill, the postmaster, where you will have entered the 
 mountain scenery, and where, in fair weather, you will 
 see the ranges of hills, or mountains, rising one above 
 another along the way, and when passing, reflect on the 
 mighty works of God, and think what the labor of man, 
 in a few years, has accomplished. 
 
 The town of Conway, situated about twenty miles 
 south of the White Mountains, began to be settled about 
 the year 1776, by emigrants from Concord, Durham, Lee 
 and the adjoining towns. The glowing accounts which 
 the hunters gave of the extensive tracts of interval bor- 
 dering on the Saco river, which runs through the same, 
 the fertility of the soil, the exuberance of its forests, es- 
 pecially its sugar maples and white pines, together with 
 its numerous wild animals and fowls, all conspired to fa- 
 cilitate its settlement. At the close of the Revolution- 
 ary war, in 1783, Conway had become more numerously 
 settled than almost any other inland town of its age and 
 size in New Hampshire. Its early inhabitants, however, 
 were obliged to endure great hardships in conveying 
 their furniture and provisions through a wilderness of 
 sixty miles in extent upon pack-horses and hand-sleds. 
 
 They sotm began the lumber business by floating logs 
 and masts down the Saco to its mouth, where they re- 
 ceived bread stuff and other necessaries of life in ex- 
 change, the moose and deer at the same time affording 
 thern a tolerable supply of wild meat, and their white 
 and rock maple trees an abundance of excellent sugar, 
 The rivers and ponds were also well stored with wild 
 geese, ducks and fish of various kinds. In consequence 
 of these conveniences, the richness of its soil and its 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 181 
 
 healthy climate, Conway has now become a very pleas- 
 ant town, dotted with several handsome villages, ami 
 containing about two thousand inhabitants. 
 
 Colonel David Page, Joshua Heath, Ebenezer Bur- 
 bank, John and Josiah Doloff, were the first who moved 
 witli their families to Conway. They came by the way 
 of Saco, in the State of Maine, thence up the river and 
 across Lovewell's Pond, to the Seven Lots (so called) in 
 Fryeburg, which town adjoins Conway, and had com- 
 menced settling in 1764, by Moses Ames, Esq., and six 
 other families. 
 
 It was at the head of this pond, which lies about two 
 miles east of Conway, that Capt. Love well and his com- 
 pany fought their sanguinary battle with Capt. Paugus 
 and his Indians, on the 8th of May, 1725, and in which 
 both commanders, and three fourths of their men, were 
 slain, consisting at the commencement of thirty-four 
 Englishmen and eighty savages. These Indians belonged 
 to the Pequaket tribe, inhabiting the country from the 
 Notch of the White Mountains to the Great Falls, on 
 the Saco river, about sixty miles in extent, which has 
 borne the general name of Pequaket ever since, from 
 that circumstance.' The town of Bartlett, lying between 
 Conway and the Notch of the White Mountains, origi- 
 nally consisted of several locations, granted to William 
 Stark, Vere Royce and others, in consideration of their 
 services as officers in the French w r ar in Canada. Enoch 
 Emery, Humphrey Emery and Nathaniel Herriman, be- 
 gan their settlement in lower Bartlett, just before the 
 commencement of the Revolutionary war, their land be- 
 ing given them by Capt. Stark, for settling. In 1777 
 
182 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 Samuel Willey, Esq., Daniel Fox and Paul Jills, from 
 Lee, purchased a tract of land in upper Bartlett, and 
 commenced clearing the same. Their horses which they 
 had turned into an adjoining meadow to graze, became 
 dissatisfied with their new location, together with their 
 manner of living and started for home. Instead of fol- 
 lowing the windings of the Saco in the path they went 
 up, they struck off in a straight line. In crossing the 
 first intervening mountain, it is supposed they became 
 separated and consequently bewildered. Diligent search 
 was made for them but all in vain. 
 
 The next spring a hunter's dog brought part of a 
 horse's leg into the road in Conway. From a particular 
 mark on the shoe attached to the foot, it was ascertained 
 to have belonged to Mr. Willey's horse. On following 
 the dog's track, about sixty rods from the road, the car- 
 cass was found. From the appearance of the large ex- 
 tent of bushes browsed, it was concluded that the horse 
 lived till some time in March. None of the rest of the 
 horses were ever heard of. Mr. Willey, not liking his 
 situation in Bartlett, sold his land there soon after the 
 loss of his horse, and purchased an original right in Con- 
 way, where he lived an independent farmer, until his 
 death on the 14th of June, 1844, at the age of ninety-one 
 years, being the last original male inhabitant of that town. 
 An anecdote of him is considered worth relating here. 
 Owing to the scarcity of pro visions among the early set- 
 tlers and the vigilance of the hunters, moose and deer 
 soon became scarce ; but bears remained numerous for a 
 long time and are yet somewhat plenty. These animals 
 often proved an intolerable nuisance to the farmers, de- 
 stroying their sheep, hogs and other creatures. 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 183 
 
 One night in the summer of 1800, Mr. Willey was 
 waked from his sleej) by the noise of his sheep running 
 furiously by his house. Springing from his bed to a win- 
 dow, he discovered by the light of the moon, an enor- 
 mous bear in close pursuit of them. Calling his eldest 
 son, instantly, then a stout boy about fourteen years old, 
 they sallied forth with their gun, and nothing on but 
 their night clothes, to pursue this fell destroyer. By this 
 time the sheej) had made a turn and wire coming, pell 
 mell, toward the house with the bear at their heels. 
 Secreting themselves a moment until the sheep had pass- 
 ed, Mr. Willey sprang forth with his gun to salute his 
 ursalean majesty. Old bruin, stopping to see what his 
 ghostly visitor meant, was instantly fifed at and severely 
 wounded. Mr. Willey and his boy, with their axes, of- 
 fered him a closer combat, and he readily accepted the 
 challenge. After two or three charges they considered it 
 the better part of valor to retreat to the house, which 
 they did, closely pursued by the bear. While they were 
 in the house reloading their gun, the enraged animal 
 went round to a back window, through which he endeav- 
 ored to enter the house, to be revenged of his antagon- 
 ists. The room adjoining being dark, and Mrs. Willey 
 supposing the bear to be on the other side of the house, 
 in attempting to look out through the window, put her 
 head within a few inches of his nose. On discovering 
 her perilous situation, she gave one of those piercing fe- 
 male shrieks which make the welkin ring, and fell back 
 on the floor. By this time they had reloaded their gun 
 and now issued forth to renew the combat. But owing 
 to the bad state of the powder, they were unable to fire 
 
184 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 the gun again. Perceiving the bear to be gaining 
 strength, and now showing signs of an intention to re- 
 treat to the woods, after a few moments' consultation, 
 they determined to make another desperate effort to kill 
 him with their axes. Mr. Willey, after receiving strong 
 assurances from his boy that he would stand by him, ap- 
 proached the bear a second time, and by one well direct- 
 ed blow on his head, felled him to the ground. 
 
 After passing Conway you will come into Bartlett, and I 
 will give you some account of the early settlements there, 
 as I received it from Richard Garland, Esq., in his eighty- 
 second year. His intellect and memory are good now in 
 his advanced age, and he says that in December, 1783, 
 he was one inhabitant among five who came into that 
 location, and that there were but few inhabitants for a dis- 
 tance of thirty-six miles, mostly woods, seventy-five miles 
 from Dover, where they had to go for their provisions ; 
 and then they had them to draw on a hand-sleigh, in the 
 winter, over a little bushed path, without a bridge. The 
 people in Conway, when the streams were open, went 
 down the Saco river in boats, or rather canoes, which 
 they made out of a large tree by digging it out and mak- 
 ing it large enough to carry several hundred weight, and 
 when they came to a place where the falls prevented 
 their passing, they would unlade their boats and carry 
 their provisions and boats until they came to a smooth 
 place again. At one time the inhabitants got out of pro- 
 visions and sent for new supplies, and there came on a 
 heavy rain, and the Saco river was risen to that height, 
 they could not get back for some time, and those they 
 left of their families had to stint themselves to live on 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 185 
 
 seven potatoes per diem, until their return with provis- 
 ions. 
 
 After some years this Mr. Garland had got a small 
 piece of land cultivated, and it then needed plowing, and 
 two of his neighbors offered him a team, if he could get 
 a plow; he then went seven miles and borrowed the 
 nearest one, in the morning, brought it home on his 
 back, and his neighbor used it for him, while he, the 
 same day, did a great day's work, at piling timber. At 
 noon, he went one and a half miles and bought fifty 
 pounds of hay to feed his team on, and this hay he car- 
 ried home on his back ; at night he carried this same 
 plow home on his own back, which made him thirty-one 
 miles, and half the distance with a load, beside doing a 
 good day's work, and then, as he says, was welcomed to 
 partake of the bounties which a kind wife had provided, 
 and then could sit down in their humble cot with her and 
 their family of young children, without fear or trouble. 
 As they at that period began to raise enough to support 
 their families, they had only seventeen miles to go to 
 mill, and in the winter God provided them with a good 
 bridge of ice, and in the summer they crossed the Saco 
 river in canoes. His family in those days, as the old 
 gentleman says, was a happy one ; but he did not realize 
 it then as he now does, while he can look back to that 
 time when he would work hard all day, and at night 
 come in and take his sivpper ; then he would in the even- 
 ing return to his work, and his wife, after putting her 
 children to rest, would go out with him and j>ick up the 
 small brush and keep him a good light to work by, until 
 nine o'clock. She then would go in and make us a cup 
 
186 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 of tea, which we could partake of together, and then we 
 could retire to rest, happy in our humble engagements, 
 trying to get an honest living. 
 
 In 1790, in the month of June, Pequaket being in- 
 corporated into towns, Bartlett was incorporated, under 
 Governor Bartlett, and called after his name. In August, 
 they had a town meeting and chose town officers. Jona- 
 than Tasker, first selectman ; John Pendexter, second ; 
 Thomas Spring, third ; Richard Garland, first constable 
 and collector of taxes in Bartlett. The next winter they 
 had a school. Moses Bigelow was the first teacher of this 
 school, of about fifteen scholars ; now they have their 
 large schools, which will average, in the year 1844, over 
 one hundred and fifty scholars, and they have one hun- 
 red and fifty voters in this small valley amidst these 
 mountains. There was a time when one of these inhabit- 
 ants had got entirely out of meat, and came to this Mr. 
 Garland for some to carry into the woods, while he went 
 and found some moose to make meat for his family. Mr. 
 Garland gave him half he had himself, and then the man 
 steered along for the woods, and in a few days, he return- 
 ed as rich as any man could be, seemingly, with news of 
 having killed eight moose, fine and fat. He then gave 
 Mr. Garland three hundred pounds of this meat, provid- 
 ed he would take a hand-sleigh and go bring it in, which 
 he did, and he now says that a bigger man never need be 
 than he was then with this supply, great as it was, of 
 meat. 
 
 As they had begun to make a road, some people in 
 Portland offered to give any man a barrel of rum, if he 
 would get it up through the Notch. Capt. Rosebrook 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 187 
 
 volunteered his services, and went to Bartlett with his 
 horse and ear, and on the other side of the Saco made a 
 raft, rolled on this proffered barrel, then stood in water 
 up to his knees, and with a long pole pushed it across. 
 He then, with the assistance of others, this Mr. Garland 
 was one, put it upon his car and carried it up through 
 the Notch, at least as much of it as was left through the 
 politeness of those who helped manage the affair. This 
 was the first article brought up through where the road 
 goes now, and the first article of loading ever brought 
 down, was a barrel of tobacco, raised in Lancaster by one 
 Titus Brown, and the road was so crooked, they were 
 forced to cross the stream, as Mr. Garland says, thirty- 
 two times to get from Bartlett to the top of the Notch, 
 where now is the Notch House and the post-office, where 
 Thomas J. Crawford now lives. The first white child 
 born in Conway, was Jeremiah Lovejoy, eighty-two years 
 ago. Leaving Conway you Will pass along through Bart- 
 lett till you come to Hart's Location. This was located 
 to Thomas Chadbourne, by Governor Wentworth, under 
 the crown of Great Britain, for services rendered by 
 Chadbourne in the old Indian wars, and was called 
 Chadbourne's Location. Chadbourne sold it to Richard 
 Hart for fifteen hundred dollars, and then the name was 
 changed to Hart's Location. Then you will come against 
 Sawyer's Rock, which comes down near the river, so that 
 there is just room for the road. This derived its name 
 from the circumstance of Nash and Sawyer, when they 
 first were bushing the path for a horse to travel in, 
 through the Notch ; they got down as far as here, and 
 camped for the night, and in the morning they emptied 
 
188 HISTOEY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 their junk bottle of its contents, and Sawyer broke it 
 against the rock, and gave it the name of Sawyer's 
 Rock, and it has ever since borne that name. And 
 this was the first temperance meeting on the Saco 
 river,- or, so far as my remembrance is concerned, in his- 
 tory, in the White Mountains. 
 
 Some time after this there were two men riding on 
 horseback, by the names of Blake and Moulton, and they 
 saw near the rock two moose at play. They sprang from 
 their horses and frightened them. They attempted to 
 jump the rock, but the men, having the advantage, 
 caught one of them by the hind leg, and with a jack- 
 knife, cut off his heel cords, and hamstrung him. They 
 then went up and cut his throat. As they were travelers 
 and had not the means of saving the meat, they went 
 down to Bartlett, and gave it to the inhabitants, who 
 were glad to receive it. This happened, father thinks, 
 forty years ago. 
 
 There are in this Location eight voters and twenty-six 
 children under sixteen years of age, and they had a 
 school-house built in 1844. It accommodates only four 
 families, on account of the distance they live apart, and 
 the rest have to board their children from home, if they 
 give them a chance for a school. 
 
 Then you will come up to my father's. Here the stage 
 stops and changes horses. Here the traveler may stop 
 for a time, if he chooses, as Mr. Davis, last season, made 
 a horse path from his house to the top of Mount Wash- 
 ington. This was done with considerable expense to him, 
 and for no other reason than to accommodate those who 
 might prefer going from there on the mountains, as they 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 189 
 
 had several fine views in going that way. He charges 
 the same as others do for guiding travelers up the 
 mountains. Gentlemen and ladies also can ascend. 
 Then you will, after leaving father's, come to what is 
 called the old Notch House, which place was settled, 
 Uncle William says, about fifty-three years ago, by one 
 Mr. Davis, who first began there ; since which period, 
 others have lived there for a short time, until Samuel 
 Willey bought the place, and repaired it. He with his 
 family lived there, till that dreadful night in August, 
 when all were destroyed by the great storm, described 
 in the- foregoing pages; then John Pendexter built the 
 barn, and that stands there still, and he improved it. 
 Other have lived there, by turns, until last season Mr. 
 Fabyan made thorough repairs, both on the house and 
 stable, and this season he has built a new frame for a 
 house, seventy feet by forty, for himself, so that by next 
 season, he may be prepared for company that, visiting 
 the mountains, wish to spend a portion of their time at 
 the Willey House. This place which is now nothing but 
 sand and gravel, was over a beautiful valley, covered 
 with maple, and there used to be a great quantity of sugar 
 made there. Then you will come up through the Notch 
 to Thomas Crawford's, called the Notch House. He has 
 a road to the mountain, nearly in the same place I first 
 traveled, which was the first path ever made to the top 
 of Mount Washington. You will pass along to where a 
 man and his wife were once traveling, with one horse, in 
 what used to be called a pung, and met in their way a 
 moose. The snow was deep, and he, thinking he had a 
 right to his path, refused to turn out ; but when they 
 
190 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 came near, the moose jumped over the whole concern 
 and just cleared the woman's head. 
 
 Then from the Notch four miles will bring you to the 
 old Rosebrook stand, where once stood, in or near the 
 road, a shed seventy feet long. As some hunters were 
 pursuing a moose, he came into the road and went direct- 
 ly through this shed, passed on by the house, and made 
 for the river, and went down the falls, dislocating one of 
 his knee joints. The hunters followed about three miles, 
 caught him and made a grand feast of him. It was in 
 those days no uncommon thing to find these animals at 
 any time when they were hunted for. 
 
 This ancient Rosebrook place is thirty-six miles from 
 Conway, eighteen from Lancaster, eighteen from Fran- 
 conia, and a good road we now have over Cherry 
 Mountain, where once was a good turnpike, and it may 
 be traveled with safety both summer and winter toward 
 Jefferson. This place, also, is eighteen miles from 
 Littleton, and stages run six times a week alternately, 
 coming from Conway Mondays, Thursdays, and Satur- 
 days, resting on Sundays, and arrive at either place, at 
 night, fifty-four miles apart. When you get to the old 
 Rosebrook place, you are in the most romantic scenery, 
 perhaps, this side of the mountains. 
 
 The reader may suppose me partial to this place, and 
 well he may, as I have lived here so long, and have seen 
 good times with my friends, who extend all over the land 
 in every direction ; from this place, also, we have a good 
 horse path to Trinity Height, the summit of Mount 
 Washington. Nearly seven miles of this road is over a 
 comparatively level surface, and two and one quarter 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 191 
 
 miles is on rising ground ; and many have seated them- 
 selves on a horse at the house, and never dismounted un- 
 til they have been to the top of the mountain and return- 
 ed. This can be accomplished in six to nine hours. 
 Parties often stop by the way and fish for trout. These 
 in old times were plenty, and of large size ; but in this 
 day, having so many fishing for them, they do not have 
 time to grow very large before they are called for. But 
 they are excellent, although small. Trout is the only 
 kind of fish caught in these cold streams about the hills, 
 and not much game is left excepting deer, which live 
 here yet, and are caught now and then by having good 
 dogs to find and follow them until tired out ; sometimes 
 the dog kills them, sometimes the hunter. Sometimes 
 they are driven to the meadow, sometimes to the pond, 
 where they are hunted after in canoes, and taken or 
 killed. 
 
 As in the providence of God, everything changes in« 
 this world, the weather now is not so cold as it formerly 
 w r as. We have now scarcely a week of steady cold, when, 
 in former times, I have heard grandmother say, she has 
 seen six weeks at a time that neither the heat from her 
 log cabin, nor the sun would soften the snow so much as 
 to cause one drop of water to fall from the eaves of the 
 house. We now seldom have over two feet of snow at a 
 time, and in years past it was no uncommon thing to 
 have from six to nine feet. I have seen nine feet meas- 
 ured upon a level surface, and have known the snow to 
 fall in less than twenty-four hours, twenty-seven inches. 
 Yet we have early and late frosts in the spring, and early 
 
192 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 frosts in the fall, which prevent our raising such things 
 as the frost injures; but we generally can raise good oats 
 and potatoes, and sometimes wheat, rye, and peas. In 
 1820, I raised some sound corn, but have never since had 
 any get ripe. There is not a better place in New Eng- 
 land for cattle and sheep than this. Goats and mules 
 would do well, but they are too troublesome. 
 
 We can now go to Portland and back with a team, in 
 from six to eight days ; in old times, it has taken twenty- 
 two days to go from Lancaster to Portland, and back. 
 The snow was so deep at one time that they were obliged 
 to leave their horses seven days in one place before they 
 could be moved. The average time of snow in the fall 
 is about the first of November, and it goes off, generally, 
 the first of April, so that about the middle of May, we 
 here begin to plow and prepare our ground for raising 
 such things as the climate will permit. Fowls do well 
 here, such as ducks, geese, chickens ; and the turkey here 
 is excellent. We have kept pigeons, but they never 
 seemed to increase to do much, only serving to amuse 
 the children. Bees do well here and are common in the 
 woods. They make the best flavored honey, as they have 
 such a variety of wild flowers to extract their sweets 
 from. As for pork, we do not raise enough here to sup- 
 port our own families, but depend on buying, principally, 
 for our own use. There is some maple sugar made in 
 different places about these mountains, but little in com- 
 parison to what there was in former times. And the 
 probable amount of trout caught from one year to anoth- 
 er, according to my judgment, in the Amanoosuc and 
 
HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 193 
 
 Saco rivers, is from six to seven hundffed weight. The 
 average weight is from four ounces to eight. There 
 have been some caught here, forty years ago, that would 
 weigh four and five pounds, and many and Large ones 
 now are found in the vicinity, in several directions. And 
 salmon have been taken here, fifty years since, of ten 
 pounds weight. Three or four hundred different Alpine 
 White Mountain plants are found about here, and there 
 are still found on some of the slides, near the Willey, <>r 
 old Notch House, handsome minerals or crystallized 
 quartz. There used to be great quantities of fur taken 
 around these mountains, but wild animals have all been 
 hunted so much, they are getting to be scarce ; but there 
 is some sable or martin, and some few other animals 
 caught every year. 
 
 I will give the minutes of the weather : — 
 
 1844. 
 
 Jul;y 
 
 9 2 
 
 c« 
 
 23 
 
 tt 
 
 24 
 
 a 
 
 25 
 
 it 
 
 26 
 
 a 
 
 27 
 
 a 
 
 28 
 
 ei 
 
 29 
 
 (< 
 
 30 
 
 (< 
 
 31 
 
 OS 
 
 •50 
 
 
 -to 
 =0 
 
 ss 
 
 38 
 
 87 
 
 60 
 
 67 
 
 78 
 
 66 
 
 49 
 
 79 
 
 60 
 
 52 
 
 m 
 
 51 
 
 38 
 
 70 
 
 56 
 
 28 
 
 68 
 
 56 
 
 30 
 
 78 
 
 54 
 
 54 
 
 78 
 
 63 
 
 50 
 
 71 
 
 64 
 
 64 
 
 66 
 
 58 
 
 1845. 
 
 January 30 . 
 
 31. 
 
 February 1 . 
 
 2. 
 
 <t o 
 
 o . 
 
 4. 
 5. 
 
 6. 
 
 7. 
 8. 
 
 y. 
 
 
 
 g 
 
 *S 
 
 10 
 
 15 
 
 *1 
 
 *22 
 
 *2 
 
 *33 
 
 *6 
 
 *34 
 
 *8 
 
 *2 
 
 10 
 
 20 
 
 18 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 *1 
 
 6 
 
 a 
 s 
 
 CO 
 
 *4 
 
 *5 
 *21 
 *12 
 
 *6 
 4 
 
 14 
 
 1 
 
 This is the register of the thermometer for a.d. 1844- 
 5, when, on the whole, we had a moderate winter, for 
 this part of the country, and the summers, in general, 
 
 *Below zero. 
 9 
 
194 HISTORY OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 are not so warm as they were formerly. As the land is 
 cleared, perhaps the winds in summer have greater 
 range, render the atmosphere more pleasant; and in 
 winter, snow that used to fall upon the stumps and 
 bushes, and all level places, is blown off by the winds, 
 and there is generally a cooler, more dry, and salubrious 
 air. 
 
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 
 
 WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SEE. 
 
 The White Mountains long noted for beauty and 
 grandeur, have become the most popular summer resort 
 in New England; and are yearly visited by many thou- 
 sand people from every part of the country. 
 
 MOUNT WASHINGTON. 
 
 The highest summit of the White Mountains, Mount 
 Washington, is 6,293 feet above the sea level, and in ex- 
 tent and beauty the view from it is not surpassed by 
 anything east of the Rocky Mountains, including, as it 
 does, a wide stretch of territory in New Hampshire, 
 Maine and Vermont, with the ocean, and mountains in 
 Massachusetts, New York and Canada, visible in clear 
 weather. The Summit House, on the very top of the 
 Mountain, accommodates two hundred guests. 
 
 The ascent is made by the railway from the west side, 
 and the carriage road from the east. The railroad is 
 three miles long, and has an average rise of one foot in 
 four, the steepest being thirteen and a half inches to the 
 yard. The grade is overcome by means of cog-wheels 
 working in a cog-rail in the center of the track, and 
 powerful brakes on engines and cars insure safety. No 
 
 *95 
 
196 MOUNT WASHINGTON. 
 
 passenger has been injured since the road was opened. 
 The running time is one and one-half hours, and only- 
 one car is run with each engine. 
 
 The carriage road to the summit is eight miles long, 
 and has an average grade of twelve feet in one hundred. 
 The ascent is made by stages in four hours, and the de- 
 scent in an hour and a half. 
 
 THE CRAWFORD NOTCH. 
 
 The Crawford, or White Mountain Notch, is a narrow 
 pass about twelve miles long, presenting some of the 
 finest scenery on the continent. The Saco River flows 
 through the valley, and for miles the mountains rise on 
 either side over 2,000 feet. The Portland and Ogdens- 
 burg railroad, which runs along the mountain side, com- 
 manding a view of the valley, in the eight miles from 
 Bemis station to the Crawford House has an average 
 grade of 116 feet to the mile. Observation cars are run 
 through the Notch. 
 
 The entrance to the Notch, at the northern end, near 
 the Crawford House, was originally only twenty-six feet 
 wide, leaving just room for the river, but was widened 
 to allow the passage of a carriage road and afterward of 
 the railroad track. A large rock just outside the " gate- 
 way" is called, from its shape, Elephant's Head. A lit- 
 tle down the Notch on the east side are two beautiful 
 falls, Flume and Silver Cascades. 
 
 MOUNT WILLARD, 
 
 Which stands just at the head of the Notch, is famous 
 for the beautiful view it affords of this wild and pictur- 
 esque mountain gorge, a landscape not surpassed by any 
 
WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SEE. 197 
 
 in the mountains. The late afternoon is the best time 
 to see the view. A good road two miles long extends to 
 the summit. Hitchcock's Flume, a singular rock forma- 
 tion, is near the top of the mountain. On the precipi- 
 tous face of the mountain, nearly a thousand feet above 
 the Notch, is seen the entrance to a cavern known as 
 the Devil's Den. 
 
 THE WILLEY HOUSE, 
 
 The scene of the terrible disaster of over fifty years ago, 
 is in the Notch, three miles below the Crawford House. 
 The house was occupied in 18:2(5 by James* Willey jr. an«I 
 his family. A fearful storm raged in the Notch on the 
 night of August 28, 1826, and the entire family, fleeing 
 from the house to a place of supposed safety, were buried 
 in an avalanche of earth and rocks, precipitated from 
 the side of Mount Willey. A huge rock 30 feet high, 
 directly behind the house, parted the slide and saved 
 the building. 
 
 THE GLEN. 
 
 The Glen House, in Pinkham Notch, at the eastern 
 base of Mount Washington, is fifteen miles north of 
 Glen station, near North Conway, eight miles south of 
 Gorham on the Grand Trunk railway, and has a full and 
 unobstructed view of the highest peaks of the Mount 
 Washington rano-e. Mount Washington is ascended 
 from the Glen by the carriage road, eight miles long. 
 Glen Ellis Fall and Crystal Cascade, near the Glen, are 
 two of the finest waterfalls in the mountain. Tucker- 
 man's Ravine is most easily reached from the Glen 
 House. 
 
198 MOUNT WASHINGTON. 
 
 FABYAN HOUSE. 
 
 The Fabyan House station is the great railroad center 
 of the White Mountains. It is situated in the Araa- 
 noosuc valley, 6 miles from the base of Mount Washing- 
 ton, 9 miles from the summit. All express trains to and 
 from the White Mountains arrive and depart from the 
 Fabyan House. The distances east are : Mount Pleasant 
 House one half mile, Crawford House at entrance to 
 White Mountain Notch 4 miles, Upper Bartlett 19, Glen 
 station 25, North Conway 31, Portland 91. On the 
 west, White Mountain House 1 mile, Twin Mountain 
 House 5 miles, Bethlehem Junction 10, Bethlehem vil- 
 lage 13, Profile House 20, Flume 26, Littleton 20. 
 
 JACKSON. 
 
 On the east side of Mount Washington, and within 
 three miles of Glen Station is the village of Jackson. It 
 is a favorite resort of artists. Goodrich and Jackson 
 Falls are near the village, and are both fine waterfalls. 
 
 NORTH CONWAY. 
 
 In the Saco valley, 31 miles from Fabyan's, and 60 
 from Portland is the pleasant village, with beautiful sur- 
 roundings, of North Conway. It has accommodations 
 for 1,500 visitors. The valley is inclosed between Kear- 
 saro-e and Moat mountains, and a most attractive land- 
 scape is formed by the intervals and the mountain 
 peaks, Avith Washington in the background. For beau- 
 ty of scenery there is none finer in the White Mount- 
 ains. The largest hotel is the Kearsarge House, and 
 among the others are the Sunset Pavilion, Randall, 
 
HISTORICAL EVENTS. 100 
 
 North Conway, Eastman, McMillan, Artists Falls and 
 Moat Mountain Houses. Two miles north of North 
 Conway is Intervale Station. There are several hotels, 
 the largest being the Intervale House, near which are 
 the Bellevue, Pendexter Mansion, and others. Bartlett 
 and Lower Bartlett are a few miles above North Con- 
 way, on the Saco river. 
 
 HISTORICAL EVENTS. 
 
 Little is known regarding the White Mountains be- 
 fore the year 1642, when Darby Field of Portsmouth 
 made the first ascent of Mount Washington. Indian 
 tribes then lived near the mountains, but few of their 
 traditions have been preserved. Their name for the 
 mountains was Waumbek Methna and for Mount Wash- 
 ington, Agiochook. John Josselyn, in his book "New 
 England Rarities Discovered," published in 1672, gave 
 the first description of the mountains. 
 
 The White Mountain Notch was discovered by two 
 hunters, Nash and Sawyer, in 1771. 
 
 The first settlements among the mountains were made 
 in the latter half of the la*t century, Conway being set- 
 tled in 1764, Franconia in 1774, Bartlett in 1777, Jack- 
 son in 1778 and Bethlehem in 1790. 
 
 Capt. Eleazer Rosebrook made the first settlement at 
 the site of the Fabyan House in 179*2. He opened there 
 in 1803 the first house for summer visitors ever kept in 
 the mountains. His son-in-law, Abel Crawford, long 
 known as the " Patriarch of the Mountains," settled at 
 what is now Bemis station in 1793. The hitter's son, 
 
200 MOUNT WASHINGTON. 
 
 Ethan Allen Crawford, the most famous of the mountain 
 pioneers, took Rosebrook's house in 1817. In 1819 he 
 opened the first foot-path up Mt. Washington. His 
 brother, Thomas J. Crawford, opened the first bridle- 
 path to the summit in 1840, and his father, then seventy- 
 five years old, rode the first horse that climbed the 
 mountain. 
 
 The first hotel on Mount Washington was the old 
 Summit House, built in 1852, the Tip-top House was 
 built in 1853, and the present Summit House in 1872. 
 
 The first winter ascent of Mount Washington was 
 made by the sheriff of Coos county and B. F. Osgood 
 of Gorham, December 7th, 1858. John H. Spaulding, 
 Franklin White and C. C. Brooks of Lancaster made 
 the ascent February 19, 18G2, and were the first to 
 spend the night on the mountain in winter. 
 
 The carriage road from the Glen House to the summit 
 of Mount Washington was begun in 1855, under the 
 management of D. O. Macomber, C. H. V. Cavis being 
 surveyor. The first four miles were finished the next 
 year. Financial troubles stopped the work for a time, 
 but the road was finally opened August 8, 1861. 
 
 George W. Lane, now in charge of the Fabyan House 
 stables, drove the first Concord coach that ever ascended 
 Mount Washington, August 8, 1861, on the opening of 
 the carriage road. It contained ,1. M. Thompson, then 
 proprietor of the Glen House, and his family, including 
 George F. Thompson, the present manager of the Went- 
 worth at New Castle. 
 
 The Mount Washington railway was projected by 
 Sylvester Marsh. The building of the road was begun 
 in 1866 and finished in 1869. . 
 
HISTORICAL EVENTS. 201 
 
 The signal station at the Summit was established 
 in 1870. Prof. J. H. Huntington of the state geologi- 
 cal survey was at the head of the party that spent the 
 first winter, having with him Sergeant Theodore Smith 
 of the signal service and S. A. Nelson of Georgetown, 
 Mass. The building now occupied by the observers 
 was erected in 1873. 
 
 The first number of "Among the Clouds," which 
 was the first newspaper published in the White Mount- 
 ains, and the only one printed on any mountain in the 
 world, was issued July 18, 1877, by Henry M. Burt of 
 Springfield, Massachusetts. 
 
 MOUNTAIN TRAGEDIES. 
 
 The destruction of the Willey family by a land slide 
 in the White Mountain Notch, occurred August 28, 1826. 
 
 Frederick Strickland, an Englishman, perished in the 
 Amanoosuc Ravine in October, 1851. 
 
 Miss Lizzie Bourne of Kennebunk, Maine, perished on 
 the Glen bridle-path, near the summit, on the night of 
 September 14, 1855. 
 
 Dr. B. L. Ball of Boston was lost on Mount Washing- 
 ton in October, 1855, in a snow storm, but was rescued 
 after two days' and nights' exposure, without food or 
 sleep. 
 
 Benjamin Chandler of Delaware perished near Chand- 
 ler's Peak, half a mile from the top of Mount Washing- 
 ton, August 7, 185G, in a storm, and his remain- were 
 not discovered for nearly a year. 
 
 Harry W. Hunter of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, per- 
 9* 
 
202 MOUNT WASHINGTON. 
 
 ished on the Crawford bridle-path September 3, 1874, a 
 mile from the summit. His remains were found nearly 
 six years later, July 14, 1880. 
 
 DISTANT POINTS VISIBLE FROM MOUNT 
 WASHINGTON. 
 
 Below is given a list of the prominent distant points 
 seen from Mount Washington, prepared from W. H. 
 Pickering's articles on the subject, in Appalachia. The 
 distance of each point is given, also its direction. If 
 the points are identified by a compass, allowance must 
 be made for the variation of the needle, which amounts 
 to 13 degrees west. Thus, if a mountain's position is 
 east of north or west, of south, add 13 degrees to the 
 given direction ; if west of north or east of south, sub- 
 tract 13 degrees. 
 
 Mount Megantic, 86 miles, north 1 deg. west, one- 
 third the way from Jefferson to Adams ; height, 3000 
 feet. Situated in Canada, in a comparatively level re- 
 gion. 
 
 Mount Carmel, sixty-five miles, north 12 deg. east, just 
 over Adams. Near the northern boundary of Maine, 
 and recognized by the steep slope on the eastern side. 
 
 Saddle-back, 60 miles, north 40 deg. east. Height 3,- 
 700 feet. A saddle-shaped mountain, at the head of 
 Rangeley Lakes. 
 
 Mount Bigelow, 82 miles, north 43 deg. east. It ap- 
 pears as three rounded hills. 
 
 Mount Abraham, 68 miles, north 47 deg. east. Height, 
 3400 feet. A long, serrated ridge. Katahdin, long sup- 
 
DISTANT POINTS VISIBLE. 203 
 
 posed to be visible, is hidden behind this mountain, and 
 2000 feet would have to be added to its height to brine 
 it into view. Should a distant mountain be seen in 
 that direction, it would probably be one of the lower 
 ones about the southern end of Moosehead Lake. 
 
 Ebene Mountain, 135 miles, north 50 deg. east. Seen 
 rising over a valley in the Russell Mountains, 103 miles 
 distant, which are themselves seen through a depression 
 in the nearer horizon. This is the most distant point 
 yet identified from Mount Washington, and is brought 
 into view solely by atmospheric refraction. 
 
 Mount Blue, 57 miles, north 56 deg. east. Height, 
 2700 feet. A conspicuous pyramid peak, near Farming- 
 ton, Maine. 
 
 Sebago Lake, 43 miles, south 51 deg. east, and over 
 the northern summit of Doublehead. It is fourteen 
 miles long by eleven broad. 
 
 The city of Portland, 67 miles, south 51 deg. east, 
 and situated just over the right-hand end of the broad- 
 est portion of Lake Sebago. The ocean cannot be seen 
 as often as are some more distant objects in other direc- 
 tions, partly on account of the difficulty of distinguishing 
 distant water, and partly because the atmosphere in this 
 direction is generally somewhat thicker than elsewhere. 
 
 Mount Agamenticus, 79 miles, south 23 deg. east, 
 rather more than two-thirds of the way from Kearsarge 
 (north), to Moat, and just over White Horse Ledge. 
 It has the appearance of a fiat-rounded hill, slightly pro- 
 jecting above the horizon. 
 
 The Isles of Shoals, 96 miles, south 21 deg. east, ap- 
 pear on the horizon just to the right of Agamenticus. 
 They are rarely seen from Mount Washington. 
 
204 MOUNT WASHINGTON. 
 
 The Uncanoonucs, 90 miles, south 10 deg. east, just 
 over the left shoulder of Passaconaway. 
 
 Joe English Hill, 93 miles, south 10 deg. west, lying 
 half way between Passaconaway and Whiteface. 
 
 Mount Monadnock, 104 miles, south 23 deg. west, and 
 one-fourth of the way from Black Mountain to Carri- 
 gain Mountain, and appears as a very regular rounded 
 summit. 
 
 Mount Kearsarge (south), 27 miles, south 24 deg 
 west, and nearly half way between Black and Carrigain 
 Mountains, somewhat resembles Monadnock in shape. 
 
 Nelson Pinnacle, 97 miles distant is seen over the 
 right shoulder of Kearsarge. 
 
 Mount Ascutney, 81 miles, south 45 deg. west, is visi" 
 ble nearly over Mount Carr. 
 
 The Killington Peaks, 88 miles, south 59 deg. west, 
 are twin peaks near Rutland, Vermont, and are seen on 
 the horizon between Moosilauke and Lincoln. The 
 southern one is called Killington, and the northern, Pico. 
 
 Camel's Hump, 78 miles, north 87 deg. west, appears 
 slightly to the left of Fabyan's. It is one of the high- 
 est of the Green Mountains, and is shaped like a trun- 
 cated cone, with very steep sides. It is plainly visible at 
 sunset on a clear day. 
 
 Mount Whiteface, 130 miles, north 86 deg. west, rises 
 over the right hand slope of Camel's Hump. It is 4900 
 feet high, one of the highest of the Adirondacks. 
 
 Mount Mansfield, 77 miles, north 76 deg. west, be- 
 tween the Twin Mountain House and Mount Deception. 
 It is the highest of the Green Mountains, and bears a 
 fancied resemblance to the human face. 
 
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 205 
 
GLEN ELLIS FALLS 
 Near G!cn House. 
 
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