3 
Account of the Kaatskill Mountains. 29 
Wolves a few years since were very abundant, destroying 
the sheep of the inhabitants. They are disappearing rapidly, 
as there is a reward of eighty dollars paid by the state and 
county for every one killed. Foxes are found here in great 
numbers, and often hunted with success. Wild cats are 
not unfrequent, and are often very furious. [na few in- 
stances the Hedge Hog has been caught, armed with quills 
of from three to five inches in length. Minks and the mar- 
tin are found in some parts of the mountain in considerable 
numbers. These are the principal beasts that are of any 
ize. Small animals which usually frequent our woods, are 
found here in abundance. 
The length of this chain from north to south, is twenty 
miles, when it turns towards the west, and extends in that 
direction still farther. As faras these mountains have been 
explored, they present a rugged surface, peaks msing on 
peaks in endless succession. Between these heights of land, 
is usually found a deep ravine, through which some stream 
fed by the numerous springs in this alevated region, pours 
its pellucid waters, exhibiting its brillant surface through 
the gloomy umbrage which surrounds it; or occasionally 
appearing to view, it gives life and motion to the wild sub- 
limity which is so strikingly visible in these mountains. 
The scenery which I have described, may be considered 
as a fair representation of those parts of this chain, where 
the foot of man never wandered, and where no eye ever 
rested, excepting His who “ hung the earth upon nothing,” 
and adorned it from the stores of his magnificence. The 
scenery on the Plaaterkill, and that through the clove bear- 
ing the same name, I have been informed is not inferior in 
sublimity to that I have described. Many parts of this 
chain which have been explored by the hunters, are de- 
scribed by them as exhibiting the bold bluff, the tremendous 
precipice, and the awful chasm which so strongly mark the 
sublime. 
The Botanist would find a rich repast in exploring these 
mountains, as they abound in medicinal plants and in wild 
flowers. With the hope that some individual conversant 
with this science, will ere long explore these os peaks, I 
will conclude the account of these mountains, already length- 
ened much beyond my original intention. 
