WHITE MOUNTAINS. 43 
larly, it has been reported that carbuncles have been feen 
at immenfe heights, and inacceflible fpots which give a 
luftre in the night. 
Thofe who have attempted to give an account of thefe 
mountains, have afcribed their brightnefs to fhining rocks 
or white mofs, and the higheft fummit has been reprefent- 
ed as inacceflible by reafon of the extreme cold which 
threatens to freeze the traveller in the midft of fummer. 
They have alfo differed fo widely from each other, and 
their accounts have been embellifhed with fo many mar- 
vellous circumftances, and on the whole have been fo un- 
fatisfactory, that I have long wifhed for an opportunity to 
vilit thefe mountains in company with fome gentlemen of 
a philofophical turn, furnifhed with proper inftruments 
and materials for a full exploration of the phenomena that 
might occur. This pleafure I have in part enjoyed the 
prefent fummer; and though the roughnefs of the way 
which prevented the ufe of convenient carriages, proved 
fatal to fome of our inftruments, and the almoft continual 
cloudinefs of the weather while we were in that region 
hindered us from making fome obfervations which we in- 
tended; yet till a better account can be obtained, I flatter 
myfelf that what follows will prove more fatisfactory than 
any which has yet been publifhed or reported. 
The white mountains are the higheft part of a ridge 
which extends north-eaft and fouth-weft to an unknown 
length. The area of their bafe is an irregular figure fome- 
what refembling an ifoceles triangle, whofe longeft ex- 
‘tremity is toward the fouth, and whofe whole circuit can- 
not be lefs than fifty miles. The number of fummits 
within this area cannot be afcertained at prefent, the coun- 
try round them being a thick wildernefs. On the north- 
weft fide feven fummits are in plain view, and this is the 
greateft number that can be feen at once from any flation 
that is cleared of woods. Of thefe, four at leaft are bald. 
The higheft of them is on the eaftern fide of the clufter, 
oe on 
