one half miles long by one and one half wide. One writer says there 
are in it six ponds varying in size from two to ten acres. The walls 
are, perhaps, two thousand feet high, nearly perpendicular, amooth, 
and impossible to ascend. At little distances there are tosrent 
beds in which during heavy rains the water rushes down, carrying heavy 
stones with it and wearing into the solid rock. One can ascend in 
one of these dry beds, provided he has enough nerve, strength and 
endurance. The principal danger for a party is that the one ahead 
may loosen a stone which is likely to send those beneath him into the 
basin and eternity. From hear the center of the basin a long 'rid-; 
rr& 
c O 
in V 
called the saddle runs to the summit, cutting the basin into. 
This ridge affords an easier and less dangerous ascent than the sides. 
The floor of the basin is covered with loose rocks which have fallen 
from the top and sides. HSialin. gives the-floor .of the basin as .2000: 
feet above the sea. He also says that the highfT of the main peak 
is 2287 ft. above the basin, making it 5187 ft. above the sea level, 
and Panola is 1895 ft. above the basin. At the time I visited the 
mountain the torrent beds had little streams of pure cool water 
trickling down them. I went down in one of these beds ana climbed 
up in another. In some places I could stand erect and drink, 
from the rill where the water came gurgling down vertical ledges. 
I have to state here that in every place I drank water on Ktaadn it 
was pure, cool,sweet and refreshing. In no place did I find any 
mineral watei or any that had any disagreeable qualities. Wi 
frequently spoke of the excellence of the water, and ail of the brooks 
