of Neil' Hampshire. 35 



to the Ammunoosuck, a branch of the Connecticut, and partly 

 by an opposite course to the Saco. After crossing several brooks 

 runnuig towards the former, we came to anotlier stream, the 

 Avater of which was so shiggish that it rec|uired some time to 

 become satisfied that it was actually flt^whig in the op]jo?lte di- 

 rection. This stream has its origin in a pond of one or two 

 acres, situated near the road, and having no other inlet or out- 

 let. This pond appears to be the principal source of the Saco 

 river. 



The waters of this stream being collected from several sources 

 proceed directly toward the side of the mountain. At the point 

 where to all appearance they must be intercepted in their cour-e, 

 there occurs one of the most extraordinary features of the place, 

 ue!l known by the name of the Notch. Tije whole mountain, 

 which otherwise forms a continued range, is here cloven down 

 quite to its base, affording a free opening to tiie waters of the 

 Saco, which pass off with a gradual descent toward the sea. 

 This gap is so narrow that space has with difficulty been ob- 

 tained for the road, which follows the course of the Saco through 

 the Notch eastward. In one place the river disappears, being 

 lost in the caves and crevices of the rocks, and under the shelves 

 of the adjoining precipice, at length reappearing at the distance 

 of some rods below. The Notch gradually widens into a long 

 narrow valley, in the lower part of which is situated the town of 

 Bartlett. 



There is no part of the mountain more calculated to excite 

 interest and wonder than the scenery of this natural gap. The 

 crags and precipices on both sides rise at an angle of great 

 steepness, forming a support or basement for the loftv aiurirre- 

 gular ridges above. One of the most picturesque objects in our 

 view was a cliff presenting a perpendicular face of gieat height, 

 and crowned at its inaccessible summit with a profusion of 

 flowering shrubs*. For many miles below the couunencement 

 of the Notch the eye meets on both sides a succession of steep 

 and precipitous mountains, rising to the iieigiit of some thou- 

 sands of feet, and utterly inaccessible from the valley below. 

 The sides of these mountains consist in some parts of bald rock, 

 streaked or variegated by the trickling of water, in otht-rs they 

 are covered with trees and shrubs. The occasional torrents 

 formed by the freshets in the spring have in many places swept 

 away the stones and trees from their ceurse, for a great distance, 

 and left the vestiges of their way in a wide patii or gully over 

 naked rocks. 



■* Khodora Canadcinis, in full llijwcr Juiiu '^Otli. 



C Z In 



