302 Exploring Visits to the Sources of the Hudson. 
here converted into white masses, remarkably crystaline in their 
structure, and interspersed with scales of plumbago. 
On the evening of the 13th we were entertained with a brilliant 
exhibition of the Aurora Borealis, which, between 7 and 8 P. M., 
shot upward in rapid and luminous coruscations from the northern 
half of the horizon, the whole converging to a point apparently 
fifteen degrees south of the zenith. This appearance was succeed- 
ed by luminous vertical columns or pencils of the color, alternately, 
of a pale red and a peculiar blue, which were exhibited in great 
beauty. 
On the 13th we left Port Henry on horseback, and, after a ride of 
six miles, left the cultivated country on the borders of the lake and 
entered the forest. The road on which we traveled is much used 
for the transportation of sawed pine lumber from the interior, there 
being in the large township of Moriah, as we were informed, more 
than sixty saw-mills. Four hours of rough traveling brought us to 
Weatherhead’s, at West Moriah, upon the Schroon river, or East 
Branch of the Hudson, thirteen miles from Lake Champlain. An 
old state road from Warren County to Plattsburgh passes through 
this valley, along which is established the line of interior settlements, 
in this part of the county. Our further rout to the westward was 
upon a newer and more imperfect road, which has been opened from 
this place through the unsettled country in the direction of the Black 
River, in Lewis County. We ascended by this road the woody de- 
files of the Schroon mountain-ridge, which, as seen from Weather- 
head’s, exhibits, in its lofty and apparently continuous elevations, 
little indications of a practicable rout. Having passed a previously 
unseen gorge of this chain, we continued our way under a heavy rain, 
till we reached the dwelling of Israel Johnson, who has established 
himself at the outlet of a beautiful mountain lake, called Clear 
Pond, nine miles from Schroon river. This is the only dwelling 
house upon the new road. . 
To travel in view of the log fences and fallen trees of a thickly 
wooded country, affords a favorable opportunity for observing the 
specific spiral direction which is often found in the woody fibre of 
the stems of forest trees, of various species. In a large proportion 
of the cases which vary from a perpendicular arrangement, avera- 
ging not less than seven out of eight, the spiral turn of the fibres of 
the stem in ascending from the ground, is towards the left, or i 
popular language, against the sun. It is believed that no cause has 
