Mr. Pierce on the Catskill Mountains, 87 



these the height near Cairo and the Round Top of about 

 equal elevation, are the inost conspicuous. 



Several prominent spurs run from the eastern chain of 

 the Catskill mountains, in a north-western direction, for sev- 

 eral miles. The intermediate mountain vallies are mostly 

 of a good deep medium soil, and afford, when cleared, fine 

 grazing ground. 



In a state of nature these intervals present towering for- 

 ests of hard maple, beach, hemlock, birch, cherry, spruce, 

 and balsam fir. The surface in general is not too strong 

 for the purposes of agriculture. 



The most considerable of the ranges vt^hich take a wes- 

 tern direction, border the elevated vallies and ravines through 

 which the rivers Kauterskill, Schoharie and Platterkill, take 

 their course. 



The clove passages formed by the Kauterskill and Plat- 

 terkill in their eastern descent, present as sublime and pic- 

 turesque scenery as this or almost any country exhibits. 



Though there is considerable similarity in the appear- 

 ance of these cloves, yet some peculiar features make an 

 interesting diversity. 



The road through the Kauterskill clove ascends gradual- 

 ly near the river, where there appears scarcely space for the 

 road and stream. 



In many places the traveller looks down from a perpen- 

 dicular and dizzy height upon foaming waters that pursue 

 a raging course among the rocks falhng with a deafening 

 noise from precipice to precipice. 



On the northern side of the river the mountain is lofty 

 and precipitous, exhibiting near its base stupendous pur- 

 pendicular walls of argillaceous red sandstone and grey 

 wacke slate — the strata in nearly a horizontal position. Fre- 

 quently but a small section of the horizon can be seen. 

 Mural precipices rise in succession and tower above the 

 forest. The mountain's top, which seems almost to over- 

 hang the spectator, is crowned by enormous ledges resem- 

 bling castles or fortifications in ruins, on which a few scat- 

 tered pines preserve their bleak station in defiance of tem- 

 pests, and wave their dark verdure over the cliffs like nod- 

 ding plumes. 



About two miles from the entrance of the clove the Kau- 

 terskill is passed by abridge thrown from crag to crag over 



