EXPLORATIONS AMONG THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. IO9 



the day, the wind was as high as seventy miles an hour : consequently we were con- 

 fined to the house. Mr. Smith has much to do, many messages being sent to and from 

 the "lower regions." He sends his first regular report to Washington to-night. We 

 have sent a press despatch of "A merry Christmas to all the world below." 



December 25. There were no clouds above or around the summit. Below, and but 

 a little lower than this peak, the clouds were dense, and covered an extensive tract of 

 country. Through the less dense portion of the lighter clouds, the sun's rays gave a 

 peculiar rose tint, extremely beautiful in effect. This was my first cloud view, and it 

 was a treat beyond expectation. . . . Mr. Smith takes our four-footed friends, the 

 sable and mice, under his especial care, and sees that they get all the waste food. 

 They are our companions, though we see them but seldom. 



January 10. The snow is nearly all off the houses and the rocks — a great change in 

 three days' time. At i p. M. it was 37°. Like April it seemed ; — but who knows what 

 it \^1 be to-morrow? 



January 16. Still raining. At 11 this forenoon, Mr. Smith started out on a voyage 

 of discovery ; but it rained so hard, and the walking was so difficult, that he soon came 

 back. Did n't stop long, however ; he is too energetic a man to give up easily. So, 

 putting on an overcoat, and otherwise prepared, he once more went out, determined to 

 find the break in the wire, if he had to go to Littleton. Wished him good luck, not 

 expecting to see him again for three or four days, — and he was off. But we soon heard 

 the click, click, click of the instrument, and knew that he had found the break. In 

 half an hour he returned : the break was at the Gulf tank. Mr. Huntington 

 went down to the spring to-day, and brought up a pail of water. A week ago 

 this was an Arctic region ; now it is more like April in the valleys of New Hamp- 

 shire. 



January 17. Perfectly clear at sunset. Had one of the best views of the shadow 

 of Mt. Washington yet obtained. The mountains, far and near, look gray now since 

 the rains. 



January 18. I have seen to-day a sea of clouds. At 10 a. m., westward from a line 

 due north and south, as far the eye could see, the clouds presented the appearance of 

 a frozen ocean, — the surface level and motionless, apparently, but really moving east- 

 ward, and only a little below the summit. In no direction west of a line north and 

 south was there a glimpse of mountain or valley. Turning to the east the contrast was 

 striking, for in this direction there was scarcely a single cloud, and the atmosphere 

 was remarkably clear. Saco valley was never more distinct,— while the range, com- 

 prising Clay, Jefferson, and Adams, was completely hidden ; but the Carter range 

 loomed up as on a clear morning when not a single cloud can be seen, and far away 

 the ocean was plainly visible. 



January 22. Having a gale to-day, and not only a high wind, but a temperature 

 below anything I have ever experienced before, now at 9 p. m., — 34° inside the door. 

 The wind is 80 miles, blowing steadily. At 2 p. m., wind 72, Mr. Huntington meas- 

 ured the velocity. He had to sit with a line around him, myself at the other end, 



