32 Some Account of an Excursion t& 



ing-houses, in many of the towns, upon the Connecticut- 

 River, which are distant between twenty and thirty 

 miles. Unluckily, the day* on which we visited the top 

 of the hill, was not very clear, the distant horizon being 

 filled with smoke. Our pilot informed me, that out of 

 ten or twelve times that he had ascended the mountain, 

 there had been only two or three perfectly clear days. 

 Last season (he said) he accompanied General D., and 

 Col. W., to the summit. While they were upon the 

 very pinnacle, a severe thunder-storm came on, which, 

 with a thick fog, completely obstructed their vision. 

 While the lightnings were shooting, in every direction, 

 beneath their feet, they were so completely enveloped 

 in darkness, as to render their descent hazardous to 

 them. They were, therefore, obliged to encamp upon 

 the bald part of the mountain, without fuel, and to 

 submit to incessant rains, during a whole night. I 

 sighed, in secret, for the repetition of the same scene, 

 that I might once behold the truly sublime in nature. 



I saw but little snow. Upon the north-east side of a 

 peak, directly north of Mount- Washington, there was a 

 patch of ground, comprising one or more acres, en. 

 tirely covered with snow. There were, also, some 

 snow and ice in the gullies, upon the northern sides 

 of other peaks. 



The mica interspersed among many of the rocks, 

 upon the sides of the mountains, under certain angles of 

 reflection, occasions them to appear peculiarly brilliant 

 and beautiful. In this appearance, it is probable, ori- 

 ginated the Indian tale of carbuncles, which credulous 



