Mr. Pierce on the Catskill Mountains. 9l 



the woodland steeps and dispensing her influence over hills 

 and plains. 



We rose at dawn from a refreshing slumber, to view the 

 beauties of rising day. The eastern sky and clouds glowed 

 in the morning light. The sun soon rose with a dazzling 

 splendor over the distant Taconnock mountains, but the 

 immense valley of the Hudson was still clad in gloom. 



Twilight is of shorter duration on elevated tracts than in 

 valleys. This probably arises from the rare air of the moun- 

 tains having less refractive power. Objects in the valley 

 were gradually disclosed. Here and there white fogs ap- 

 peared, resting on the waters. But they were soon raised in 

 clouds by the expansive power of the sun, and, tinged with 

 gold and purple, sailed far below us. brushing the mountains 

 with their dewy wings, and dispensing refreshing moisture to 

 the vegetable world. 



Our prospect, from an eastern ledge of the Round Top, 

 was indescribably grand. We had beneath us, a vast ex- 

 panse like a world in miniature, which we viewed as upon a 

 map. The Hudson, fourteen miles distant, appeared to us 

 near the base of the mountain, diminished to the size of a 

 rivulet or canal. It was in view from the Highlands to Al- 

 bany, together with every city and village on its banks. 

 Sloops, with all their canvass spread, appeared no larger than 

 small sail-boats. The rising sun, gleaming on the waters of 

 the Hudson and its auxiliary streams, and on the lakes of 

 mountain and valley, rendered them very conspicuous. They 

 appeared like crimson floods or lakes of fire. 



The mountains adjacent to Lake George, the Green 

 Mountains of Vermont, the elevated ranges ofMassachusetts 

 and Connecticut, were in view, and their blue cloud like sum- 

 mits seemed mingled with the distant sky. 



The Fishkill mountain, a continuation of the primitive 

 ranges of the Connecticut ; — the Highlands of New-York 

 and New-Jersey, and the Shawangunk ridge were distinctly 

 traced. The intervening space or valley of the Hudson, ex- 

 hibited the appearance of an immense plain, an alternation 

 of groves and cleared fields. "The hills were laid low and 

 the valleys exalted." 



Northward, looking down on the Pine orchard and oth- 

 er prospect elevations, which from their base appeared of 

 gigantic size, they now seemed depressed almost to a lev- 

 el with the nlain. AVe viewed the summit:^., ravines, lake? 



