AN AUTUMN HORSEBACK TRIP. 



J. F. GORDON. 



After much planning to get away from 

 business, we, Al., Rex., Harry and I, finally 

 decided on a date for a horse-back trip from 

 M , N. Y., to Lackawaxen, up the Dela- 

 ware river. We started late in the after- 

 noon, going through Otisville and over the 

 mountain, from which a good view of the 

 Erie R.R.'s stone crusher, and a little far- 

 ther down the road, a grand view of the 

 surrounding mountains and valleys is ob- 

 tained. This bit of scenery, as viewed from 

 the window of a rapidly moving passenger 

 coach, although fine, is but a taste as com- 



150 feet below; and above, for almost the 

 same distance, tons upon tons of rock over- 

 hang. The canal is so directly beneath that 

 a hat could be tossed into it, and Harry 

 cast a stone far out into the river. We 

 were afterward told that when the road was 

 first proposed, a great many people 

 doubted whether it could be built and 

 whether, in the springtime, it would not 

 slide down the mountain; but the road is 

 still there. 



The game preserve of the McKenzie es- 

 tate is near here. On reaching it we dis- 



EN ROUTE. 



pared with that obtained from the saddle, 

 with time to stop and enjoy it fully. Con- 

 tinuing we wound down the mountain, 

 through Cuddebackville. What a road for 

 bicyclists! For miles it is as hard and 

 smooth as a floor, with no " hills as are 

 hills." _ 



Passing the Standard Oil Co.'s pumping 

 station, from which oil is forced over the 

 mountain, we pushed on to Port Jervis, 

 where we arrived just at dusk. 



Early next morning we were off by way 

 of the Hawk's-nest road which, in its way, 

 is extremely interesting. It is built on the 

 side of the mountain, which, at the highest 

 point, is perpendicular. The road over- 

 looks a narrow valley in which are the 

 Erie R.R., the river and the D. & H. canal. 

 The river and canal are, we judged, about 



mounted and, looking through the fence, 

 counted 17 elk — 2 of which were bulls, 

 with massive antlers. Either pair would be 

 fine to have around, not only as an orna- 

 ment, but useful for cherry picking or as a 

 fire escape. 



In another part was a species of foreign 

 deer which none of us could identify, and 

 there was no one about to tell us. They 

 were entirely different from the American 

 deer and were very beautiful. 



After a dinner at Barryville, which is just 

 across the river from the well known resort, 

 Shohola Glen, we made for the Minisink 

 battle ground. Our route took us through 

 the woods over one of those delightful 

 roads full of rocks, stumps, overhanging 

 branches, etc. Here we flushed a pair of 

 ruffed grouse, which, by the way, were the 



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