^0\ m, V, •"♦y ^■«*?.vyv*.w^.. ^LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.! 'IC"^'2^'^''^^*^ni FORCE COLLECTION.] ^ UNITED STATKS OP AMERICA. ^ \(% il^^i M'^ :^„W^, SOME ACCOUNT WHITE MOUNTAINS NEW HAMPSHIRE. i^^^ Br Jacob Bigelow, M. D. Lecturer on Materia Medica, an» Botany, in ]\ Harvard University. ■ i [From the New-England Jom-nal of Medicine and Sui-gery, for October, 1816.] 1 HE terms mountain and hill are words altogether relative in their signification, and are variously used in difierent parts of the world, according to the experience and conceptions ot" those who apply them. In this country, elevations which are known only as hills, would in Great Britain assume the character of m«»untains : while on tlie other hand, our highest summits dwin- dle to an inferior size, when contrasted with the peaks and ridges of Switzerland, of Tibet, and Peru. The face of the country in many parts of the United States is uneven, rugged, and precipitous; its chains of highlands occasionally shoot up into eminences which are conspicuous at a great distance, and which are long and difficult of ascent. But the highest of the^e elevations has no claim to be considered a mountain even of secondary size, when compared with others which may be found in every quarter of tlie globe. The surface of the lake of Lausanice, in France, is higher than any mountain in the United States, and the City of Riobamba in Peru is huilt at an eleva- tion more than twice as great.* Ja'mcsion's "Nfiiierajngy, Vol. III. ja <^k \ 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. It is not however for their great elevation alone, that moun- tains become interesting to the naturalist and traveller. Those of minor or secondary size, are equally objects of curiosity, and often furnish to the explorer more satisfactory results. The mediocrity of tlieir height renders them of course more accessible, and more susceptible of investigation in all their parts. Being short of the lin^ts of perpetual snow, they are covered with vegetables, wherever the earth on them is suffici- ently deep. The prospect from such mountains, as Baron Humboldt has observed, is far more interesting, than that from extreme elevations, where the scenery of the adjacent country is lost and confounded by the remoteness of its situation. In the United States, exclusive, or possibly inclusive, of Louisiana, the highest point or ridge of land is undoubtedly that of the White mountains in New Hampshire. From the earliest settlement of the country these mountains have at- tracted the notice of the inhabitants, and of mariners along the coast, by the distance at which they are visible, and the whiteness of their appearance during three quarters of the year. They were for a long time the subject of fabulous re- presentations ; the Indians had a superstitious dread of them, and travellers who occasionally ascended their summits, re- turned with exaggerated reports of the difficulty and distance, as well as of the strange productions found on the more elevated jiarts of their surface. The earliest account of an ascent of the White mountains is given in Gov. Winthrop's Journal, and appears to have taken place in the year 1642. This account is somewhat curious, if not otherwise, at least for its antiquity.* * " One Darby Field, an Irishman, living about Piscat, being accompa- iiicil with two Indians, went to thf: top of the White Hill. lie made his journey in eighteen days, llis relation at his return was, that it was about 160 miles from Saco, tliat after 40 miles travel, he did for the most part ascend ; and within 12 miles of tlie top, was neither tree nor grass, but low .savins, which they went upon the top of sometimes, but a continual ascent ujion rocks, on a ridge between two vallles filled with snow, out of whicti «;anc two branches of the Saco river, wliicli met at the foot of tlie hill wliere was an Indian town of some 200 people. Some of them accompanied \:'.i\\ witnni 8 miles of the top, but durst go no further, telling him that no I'kI.U! e\;tr dared to go higher, and that he would die if he went. So tl^fv DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. ^ Within the last 40 years the White mountains have been repeatedly ascended by different expioiino; parties, and several accounts of their productions and phenomena have been published. The object of this paper is to detail such ol)ser- vations as were made by a party from Boston, who visited them in the beginning of July of the last summer. These mountains are situated in Lat. about 44° 15 N. and Long. 71. 20. W. from Greenwich. They are distant about 150 miles from Boston. Their Indian name according to Dr. Belknap, was Agiocochook. Our approach to them was made from the North west, com- mencing at the town of Lancaster, a village situated on the Connecticut river, 25 miles from their base. From this town a road has been cut, passing through a gap of the mountains to Portland, and constituting the principal outlet of the Cous country. This road takes the course of the Israel's river, a staid there till his return, and his two Indians took courage by his example and went with him. They went divers times through the thick clouds for a good space, and within 4 miles of the top, they had no clouds but very cold. By the way among the rocks, there were two ponds, one a bhickisli water, and the other reddish. '^The top of all was plain, about 60 feet square. On the north side was'such a precipice as they could scarcely dis- cern the bottom. They had neither cloud nor wind on the top, and mode- rate heat. All the country about him seemed a level, except here and there a hill rising above the relt, and far beneath them. He saw to the north, a great water which he judged to be 100 miles broad, but could see no land beyond it. The sea by Saco seemed as l." it had been within 20 miles. He saw also a sea to the eastward which he jxidgcd to be the gulph of Canada; he saw some great waters inpai-ts to the wcstwai-d, which he judged to be the great lalce Canada river comes out of. He found there much Muscovy glass, they could rive out pieces 40 feet long, and 7 pr S broad. When he came back to the Indians, he found them drying themselves by the fire, for tliey had a great tempest of wind and rain. About a month after, he went again with five or six of his company, then tliey had some wind on tlie top, and some clouds above them, which hid the sim. They brought some stones which they supposed had been diamonds, but they were most chrysisii ."—IVinthrop's Journal, p. 247- The relation of Darby Field, may be coiisidered as iathc main correct, after making reasonable deductions for the distance, the length of the. Muscovy glass, ajid the quantity of water in view, which il r.iay be su:- IMicted has not been seen by any visitor since his thne. 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE MOUKTAINS. branch of the Connecticut, passing betwepti the Pliny moun- tains on the left and the Pondicherry mountain on the right. The village of Lancaster is situated in a valley sur- rounded in several directions hy very elevated ridges of laud. A number of the summits in sight of this place could nut be estimated at less than 3,000 feet in height, judging from the experience we had acquired of several hills of known altitude on the road, and the accounts given l)y the inhabitants of the time necessary for their ascent and descent. The road from Lancaster passes through Jefferson, (formerly Dartmouth) Bretton woods and Nash and Sawyer's location, to the Notch of the mountains. This road in its course runs over the foot of the Pondicherry mountain. It lies for most of the. way through thick woods but rarely enlivened with the appearance of cultivation. At Playstead's house, 13 miles from their base we had a fair view of the White Hills. They pre- sented the appearance of a continued waving range of summits, of which it was difficult to select the highest. At Rosebrooks, 4^ miles from the Notch, the view of them was very distinct and satisfactory. We could now clearly discern the character of the summits, five or six of v.'hich were entirely bald and presented the appearance of a grey and ragged mass of stones towering above the woods, with which the sides and base were clothed. In several places we observed a broad continued stripe descending the mountain and having the appearance of a regular road cut through the trees and rocks from near the base to the summit of the mountain. On examining these with a telescope they were found to be channels of streams, and in several, the water could be seen dashing down the rocks. Between Rosebrooks and the Notch is a plain, or rather a swamp, the waters of which pass off" in different directions, partly to the Ammunoosuck, a branch of the Connecticut, and partly by an opposite course to the Saco. After crossing several brooks running towards the former, we came to another stream, the water of vvliich was so sluggish that it required some time to become satisfied that it was actually flowing in the opposite direction. This stream has its origin in a pond of one or two acres, situated near tlie road, and having no other inlet or outlet. This pond appears to be the principal source of the ^aco river. DESCRIPTION OF THE' WHITE MOUNTAINS. ;» The waters of this stream being collected from several .sources proceed directly toward the side of the mountain. At the point where to all appearance they must be intercepted in their course, there occurs one oi the most extraoiditiary fea- tures of the place, well known by the name of the Note!). The whole mountain, 'which otherwise forms a continued range, is here cloven down quite to its base, aftbrding a free opening to the waters of the Saco, which pass off with a gradual descent toward the sea. This gap is so narrow that space has with difficulty been obtained for the road, which follows the course of the Saco through the Notch eastward. In one place the river disappears, being lost in the caves and crevices of the rocks, and under the shelves of the adjoining precipice, at length reappearing at the distance of some rods belov/. The Notch gradually widens into a long narrow valley, in the lower patt of which is situated the town of Bartlett. There is no part of the mountain more calculated to excite interest and wonder than the scenery of this natural gap. The crags and precipices on both sides rise at an angle of great steepness, forming a support or basement lor the lolty and irregular ridges above. One of the most picturesque ob- jects in our view was a cliff presenting a perpendicular face of great height and crowned at its inaccessible summit with a profusion of flowering shrubs.* For many miles below the commencement of the Notch the eye meets on botli sitles a suc- cession of steep and precipitous mountains, rising to the height of some thousands of feet, and utterly inaccessible from the valley below. The sides of these mountains consist in some parts of bald rock, streaked or variegated by the trickling of water, in others thev are covered with trees and shrubs. The occasional torrents formed by the freshets in the spring have in many places swept awav the stones and trees from tiieir course, for a great distance, and left the vestiges of tiieir way. in a wide path or gully ever naked rocks. In some instances tlie fire had run over the sides of the mountain, destroying the vegetation and leaving tlie dead trunks of the trees standing like stubble in a field, and present- ing a singular appearance of desolation for some miles in ex- Rliodora Canadensis, ia full flower ,lunc 20ilv 6- DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE MOt^TAINS. tent. Several biooks, the tributaries of the Saco, fall down the abruptdeclivities, forming a succession of beautiful cascades in sight of the road. We were told that the wind sweeps through the Notch at times with great violence. The lightning is said to strike frequently in the mountains from the clouds about their sides, and the sound of the thunder in this place is represented as unusually loud and severe. The report of a musket discharged in the Notch, was followed by a long echo, reverberated for some time from both sides of the mountain. The White Hills have been ascended by various routes, from their different sides. The course which is usually considered as attended with the least difficulties, is that which com- mences at the plain of Pigwacket, at present the town of Conway, and follov/s the course of Ellis river, a northern branch of the Saco, having its origin high in the mountain. The place of leaving the road, to follow the track of this stream is in the town of Adams, about 20 miles from the sum- mit of the highest part of the mountain. Of this distance seven or eight miles i*iay be rode over on horseback, the rest must be performed on foot. After leaving the borders of cul- tivation, our course lay through thick woods, on a level or with a gentle ascent, not much encumbered with an under growth of bushes, for six miles. The walking was tolerably good, except the circumstance of being obliged once or twice to ford the streams. Our encampment for the night, was made at the mouth of New river, a principal branch of the Ellis. This river takes its name from the recency of its origin, which happened in October, 1775. At this time, during a great flood, that took place in consequence of heavy rains, a large body of waters, which had formerly descended by other channels, found their way over the eastern brink of the mountains, and fell down toward the Ellis, carrying the rocks and trees before them in their course, and inundating the adjacent country. By this freshet the banks of the Saco were overflowed, cattle were drowned, and fields of corn were swept away and de- stroyed. Since that period, the New river has remained a constant stream, and at the place where it descends the last precipice, forms a splendid cascade of 100 feet in height. From this encampment, which was seven miles from the top of the muuDtain, we proceeded the next day, (July 2,) two or DESCRIPTION or THK WHITE MOUNTAIN'S. / three miles by the side of Ellis river, on a gradual ascent, oc- casionally encumbered by the trunks of fallen trees. We now left the Ellis, for one of its principal branches, called Cutler's river, leading directly towards the principal summit. After climbing by the side of this stream for a considerable distance, the trees of the forest around us began to diminish in height, and we found ourselves at the second zone or region of the mountain. This region is entirely covered with a thick low growth of evergreens, principally the black spruce, and silver fir, which rise to about the height of a man's head, and put out numerous, strong, horizontal branches, which are closely inter- woven with each other, and surround the mountain with a for- midable hedge a quarter of a mile in thickness. This zone of evergreens, has always constituted one of the most serious diffi- culties in the ascent of the White Hills. The passage through them is now much facilitated by a path cut by the direction of Col. Gibbs, who ascended the mountain some years since. On emerging from this thicket, the barometer stood at 25, 95, giving our elevation above the sea, at 4,443 feet. We were now above all woods, and at the foot of wliat is called the bald part of the mountain. It rose before us with a steep- ness surpassing that of any ground v/e had passed, and pre- sented to view a huge, dreary, irregular pile of dark naked rocks. We crossed a plain or gentle slope, of a quarter of a mile, and began to climb upon the side. There was here a continued and laborious ascent of half a mile, which must be performed by cautiously stepping from one rock to another, as they pre^ sent themselves like irregular stairs, winding on the broken surface of the mountain. In the interstices of these rocks were occasional patches of dwarfish fir and spruce, and beau- tiful tufts of small alpine shrubs, then in full flower. Having surmounted this height we found ourselves on a second plain. This like the first, was covered with withered grass, and a few tufts of flowers. Its continuity is interrupted by seveial declivities, one of which we descended to oir left, to reach a biook that crosses it here, from the rocks above. There remained now to be ascended only the principal peak, the one designated in Winthrop's Journal, by the name of the sn^ar Itiaf. and in Belknap's New -Hampshire, by the name ol' 8 DfcSCRiniON OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. INfourit Washington. This we accomplished in half an hour, by cliiubiiig the ik\^e to the uorth of it, and walking on this ridge to the summit. Iftlie traveller could be transported at once to the top of tliis mountain, frovn the country below, he would no doubt be as- tonished and delighted at the magnitude of his elevation, at the extent and variety oftlie surrounding scenery, and above all, by tlie huge and desohite pile of rocks, extending to a great distance in every direction beneath him, and appearing to insulate him fiom the rest of the world. But the length and fatigue of the approach, the tiuie occupied in the ascent, the gradual man- ner in v;hich the prospect has been unfolding itself, are cir- cumstances which leave less novelty to be enjoyed at the summit, than at first view of the subject, would be expected. The day of our visit was uncommonly fine, yet the atmos- phere was hazy, and our view of remote objects, was verj indistinct. The Moosehillock, one of the highest mountains of New-Hampshire, situated in Coventry, near the Connec- ticut, was visible on the south. I'he Kyarsarge, Double headed Mountains, and several others were in full view at the cast. The country around in almost every direction, is uneven and mountainous. Its appearance is described by Josselyn, in his "Rarities of New-England," published in 1672, who says that the country beyond the mountains to the northward, " is dauiiting terrible, being full of rocky hills, as tliick as mole hills in a meadow; and clothed with infinite thick woods."* Our anticipations were not realized, in regard to several phenomena, we had been taught to expect at the summit. The state ot the air was mild and temperate, so that the over coats which we carried up in expectation of extreme cold, were * Messrs J. W. and F. Boott, who have vJaitcd the mountains since, and ibund the atmosphere very clear on the summit at half past 7 A. M. have favoured nie with the following bearing-s of objects in sight. The sea, supposed near Portland S. E. by E.— Lake Winipisseogee S. S. W.— A long hill having an eminence at each extremiu', said by the guide to be the high- est in Vermont, W. by S. a little S.— Sebago Lake S. E. ^ E. McMilhuis Tnn. Conway, S. l)y E. ^ E.— The second highest summit of the White Hills N. N. E. by E. This summit is separated from the one called Mount \\'r.shIngton, by a gulpli opening eastwardly. K is very lofty, fdiir.g but li'tth- hdow a horizontal line obtained by a level on the former place. DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE MOUIJTAINS. ** left at the foot of the hist ascent. The thermometer stood at 57, Fahr. on the summit at 12 o'clock, and on the same clay at Conway, 25 miles distant, on the plain below, it was at 80. The snow lay in patches of an acre in extent upon the sides, hut appeared to be rapidly dissolving. We were not conscious of any material alteration in the density of the atmospliere, as neither sound nor respiration were perceptibly impeded. Instead of an absence from these barren regions, of animal and vegetable life ; we found a multitude of insects, buzzing around the highest rocks ; every stone was covered with lichens, and some plants were in flower in the crevices, within a few feet of the summit. The ascent from our encampment at the mouth of New river, including stops, had employed us six hours and a half. The descent from the summit to the same place, occupied about five hours. We left on the mountain our names and the date, inclosed in a bottle, and cemented to the highest rock.* Height of the White Mountains. The great distance at which these mountains are visible, and t!ie apparent lengtli of their ascent, have led to estimates of their lieight considerably ex- ceeding the pn)bable truth. The Rev. Dr. Cutler, who twice visited theui, and took barometrical observations, computes the height in round numbers, at 10,000 feet above tiie level of the sea. Dr. Belknap, in his history of New Hampshire, is persuaded, that this computation is too moderate, and that subsequent calculations will make the height even greater. Mr. Bowditch has published in the transactions of the American Academy, alogarithiraic calculation founded on the barometer, as observed by Dr. Cutler and Professor Peck, in 1804, which gives them an elevation of 7,005. * Parce, viator, cui fulmina parcent. — Hoc fragile monumentian Lemuel Shaw, Nathaniel Tucker, Jacob Big-elow, Franciscus C. (iray, Frunciscus BooU • Hostonienses ; Die Juiii 2do. A. ]). 1816, iMontc Ag-iucochook superato> liic rcliquc: uiit. 10 DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. Capt. Partridge, an engineer in the United States' service, visited the mountain some years since, and took barometrical observations on several of the principal peaks. His observa- tians now in possession of Professor Farrar at the University, give to the highest summit an elevation of only 6103 feet, A mountain barometer, of Englefield's construction, carried by Mr. Gray of our party, stood on the summit at noon at 24, £3 ; the accompanying thermometer being at 57. At the same day at Cambridge, the barometer stood at 29, 95, and the ther- mometer at 76. This difference of the barometer, after making the necessary corrections for temperature, and variation in the surface of the cistern, would give, according to Sir H. C. En- glefield's formula, a difference of 62S0 feet in the altitude of the two places. A logarithmic calculation was made, from the same data, by Professor Farrar, which resulted in a difference of 6194 feet. This number being added to thirty-one feet, the height of Cambridge above the sea, will give 6226 feet, which may be assumed as the probable height of the White Hills, above the waters of the ocean. In favor of the correctness of the observations on which this computation is founded, it may be observed, that the bar- ometer employed was of the most approved and modern con- struction, being guarded against accidents with an express view to its use in expeditions of this sort ; that it went and return- ed without injury; and at the end of the journey agreed with other instruments at the University, precisely as it had done before its reinoval. In confirmation of the present estimate, it may also be obscrv- etl, that a geometrical admeasurement, taken by Dr. Shattuck and others from the plain in front of Rosebrook's house, gave to the summit an elevation of 4620 feet above that place. This being added to 1648, the barometrical height of Rosebrook's above the sea, will give a total of 6268 feet, differing only fiuty -three feet from our estimate. W. Maclure, Esq. author of the geological map of the United States, informs me, that from two geometrical admeasurements made some years since on the eastern and western sides of the i:iountain, he arrived at results nearly similar. Minerals. The White Mountains when viewed from the westward, prf'sent a long ridge bounded by an undulating or DESCRIPTION OS THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. ll serpentine line. On a near view, the outline is found to be notched and ragged, but wholly destitute of sharp cliff's and needles, or sudden perpendicular eminences. When the mountain is ascended, its uppermost or bald portion, 1800 feet in height, is found to consist wholly of a loose, irregular, dis- connected heap of rocks, of all shapes and dimensions, from one to thirty feet in diameter, lying confusedly one above another, but all resting firmly in their places, having found situations wkere they can resist the torrents, that roll over them, in descending the sides of the mountain at certain sea- sons of the year. These rocks are of gneiss and micaceous schistus, or rather of an intermediate substance between the two, approaching sometimes the one and sometimes the other. The mica is abundantand brilliant,butits stratification isuneven and irregular, and often interrupted by thin strata of quartz. Owing to the ii regular position of the rocks, their strata are found resting in every possible direction. Large veins of quartz. very frequently traverse them, and specimens of pure mica may occasionally be obtained, the plates of which are several inchesin iliameter. There is nothing in the colour of the rocks, which can in any way account for the white appearance of the mountains, since they are uniformly incrusted witli dark grey Lichens, which give them an almost blackish appearance. Their dis- tant white appearance can only be accounted for by the pres- ence of snow, which covers tiic summits for two thirds or more of the year. In summer, their remote appearance is blue, like that of other distant objects. In the middle and lower parts of the mountain, the charac- ter of micaceous slate, which in the course we took, appeared to be the predominant constituent of the mountain, is more per- fectly formed. The strata are remarkably smooth and even, and their fissure presents the most brilliant silvery lustre. The bed of the cascade at New River, was principally of this mate- rial, intersected by thick veins of quartz, in which were con- tained large chrystals of schorl. The pelibles in the streams, were chiefly of micaceous slate, and occasionally of gneiss, of granite and of pure white quartz. We also met with horn- blende containing traces of carbonate of lime. The object of most of our party being botanical, and our course generally rapid, the observations and collections, we were 12 DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE :MOUNTAlIfS. able to make in mineralogy, were necessarily limited. George Gibbs, Esq. who has twice ascended the mountain on diiferent sides, with a view to the examination of its ^"alo^^y, ha? favour- ed mo with the following; remarks made by him at the time. In some places where the geology of the mountain was exposed, he found the lower strata of greenstone and greenstone slate, with some granite. Higher up, granite and gneiss prevailed. The greenstone is fine grained, containing pyrites. The greenstone slate contains actinote. The granite contains emerald, tour- maline, white quartz and feldspar, white and reddish mica, and garnets of different sizes. The granite is distinctly stratified. The stiata of these rocks are from six inches to many feet in thickness, the granite being thickest, generally two or three feet. The dip of the strata is small and from the mountain. The rork on t!)e summit and for some hundred feet below, was gneiss, afterwards granite prevailed. Near the notch Col. Gibbs observed rocks of coarse reildish jasper and porphyry, and obtained from tiie inhabitants specimens of fluor spar and magnetic iron ore. Flants. The vegetation of the AYhitc Ilillfe has been divided with propriety, into thiec zones. 1. Tliat of the common for- est trees: 2. tiiat of dwarf evergreens : and 3. that of Alpine piant.^. The woods which cxtciul froia the base up ti;e sivles to the height of a'jout 4000 feet from tl-.e sea, consist of the Rock-raa- pie (Acer saccharinum,) which is the most abundant tree, thft Hed-maple (Acer rubrum.) the Silver-fir (Pinus balsamea.) the Hemlock (i'inus Canadensis,) the Black and White-spruce (Pi- nus nigra ct ali)a,) the White-pine (Pinus strobus,) the Beech (Fagus ferruginea.) the Black, Yellow and White-birch (Betula lenta, lutca, and papyracea.) The undergrowth was compos- ed principally of tiie Viburnum lantanoldes, the Acer monta- liuoi and striatum, and Sorbus Americana. Under our feet was the Oxalis acetosella beyond every other species of plant, Dra- t(Mia boroiilis, C(»rtuis Canadensis, Gaultheria hispidula, &c. WMiere the common forest trees terminate, the second zone of (lie mountiiiM iiumediait-ly commences, the line between them bt'iiig vciy distinctly drawn. This region consists o! a belt ot the black-spruce and silver-fir, rising to the height of seven or tMght feet, and putting; out long. firm, horizontal, or depending (••laudies, so tluvt each tree covers a considerable extent of DESCRIPTION OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 1.3 ground. This mode of {!;rovvth may be ascribed to two causes : 1. The j^reat length ot tiiac that the snow rests iipon tliem, weighins; down their branclres, and oonfiaingthem in an horiz-ontal direc- tion. 2. The extreme cold which probably prevails here in win- ter, and which is destructive to all vegetation, tliat is not secured by being buried under the snow. Upon the ground under those evergreen trees, there were but few other vegetables. The only plants which I recollect in flower were the Houstonia co^rulea uncon>monly large, and Cornus Canadensis. Above the zone of firs, which terminates as abruptly as it be- gun, is a third or bald region wholly destitute of any growth of wood. The predominance of rocks on this portion, leaves but a scanty surface covered with soil capable of giving root to vegetation; yet to the botanist this is by far the mo't interest- ing part of the mountain. Many of the plants of tliis region, are rare, and not to be found in the region below. They arc for the most part natives of cold climates and situations, sucix as are found in high latitudes, or at great elevations. Among them are natives of Siberia, of Lapland, of Greenland aod Labrador. Vegetables of this race, usually known by tlie name of Alpine plants, have always been found difr.cult of cultivation. They are impatient of drought, and of both the extremes of heat and cold. During the severity of the winter, in their native situations, they are preserved from injurv hv the great depth of snow, under which they are covered, which secures th.em fiom the inclemency of the air, while they par- take the temperature of the eartii below them. AVhen the snow leaves them, which frequently does not happen till tiie middle of summei> they instantly shoot up with a vigoui- proportionate to the length of time they have been dormant : rapidly unfold their flowers, and mature tiieir fruits : and having run through the whole course of tiieir ve;;etation in a few ^veeks, are" again ready to be entombed, for the rest of the year, under tiieir accustomed covering of snow. These plants, notwithstanding the high and barren elevations at which they frequently grow, do not suffer for want of moisture, being constantly irrigated by the clouds which embrace them, and by the trickling of water over their roots from the eminences above. The following list contains most of the jdants, which we found on the uppermost or bald portion of the mountain. For acoii- siderable increase of tlie colicrtion. I am indebt-'d to 'riv friend, 14 DESCRlrXION O* THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. Mr. F. Boott, whose botanical zeal induced him to undertake a second visit to the sunimit in August. In flower. Aira melicoides. Mx. ... August 25. Arenaria glabra. Mx. - - - - August 25. Arenaria seu Stellaria, — cauleanguloso ; foliis oblongis, iacutis, enervibus } pedunculis sol- itariis elongatis ; floribus apetalis. August 25. Azalea Lapponica. L. - - - - July 2. Azalea procumbens. L. - - - - July 2. Bartsia pallida. L. - - . . August 25. Betuia lutea. Mx. nana. Campanula rotundifolia. L. - - August 25. Cardamine rotundifolia. Mx. - - July 2. Carex curta. TVilld. - - - August 25. Carex ccEspitosa. L. - - - July and August. Coptis trifolia. Salisb. - - - . July 2. Cornus Canadensis. L. - - . July 2. Diapensia Lapponica. L. - - - July and August. Epilobium alpinum. L. - - - August 25. Empetrum nigrum. L. - - - - August 25. Geum Peckii. Parsh - - - July and August. Holcus monticola — glu^nis trifloris, hermaph- Todito intermedio diandro, viasculis later- alibus triandris, valvuld exteriore dorso aristafa. July 2. Houstonia cccrulea. L. - - - - July 2. Juncus melanocarpus. Mx. . . . July 2. Juncus spicatus. L. - - - - August 25. Kalmia glauca. L July 2. Ledum latifolium. Mt - - July and August. Lycopodium lucidulum. Mx Melica triflora — villosa, panicula coarctata, glumis trifloris, corpustido accessorio ; floscuUs aristatis . - > August. Menziesia ccerulea. Swz. (Erica, IVilld.J July 2. Oxycoccus vulgaris. Pers. - July; and August. Pinus nigra. L. nana. Pinus balsamea. L. nana. Polygonum viviparum. TVilld. - August 25. Potenlilla tiidentatf I. Ait. ' - - July. DRSCRIPTION OF THE WHITE MOUNTAII|l4. 15 Hubussaxatilis. L. . . . August 25. Salix repens. IFilld. - - - - July 2. Scirpus obtusus — Culmo tereti, nudo, mono- stachyo ; spica lanceolata, squamis epic* carnosis, ohtusis. ----- July, Scirpus bracteatus — Culmo tereti, monosta- chyo ; spica ovata, acuta, hracteis invo- { lucrata ; jlosculis monandris. - - August. Spirsea alba. Ehr. - - . - August 25. Solidago multiradiata. c3ii - - - August 24. Sorbus americana. fViUd. nana Vacciniura tenellum. ^U - . . July 2. Vaccinium gaultherioides— ^ros^rafunt, folii» obovatis, integris ; Jloribus subsolitariis / baccis oblongis, stylo coronatis. - - July 2* Veratrum viride ? Wild s.Jl, I.icben velleus, rangiferinus., pyxidatus, cocci- ferus, Islandicus, cornutus, & alii plures. Indeterminatee Salix 1. Poa 1. Menziesia? 1. The vegetation in spots extended quite to the top of the mountain. Diapensia Lapponica and Lycopodiuin lucidulum, the former in full flower, were growiug within six feet of the summit. All the rocks were incruated with Lichens, among which L. velleus is the one which predominates, and contri- butes essentially to the dark grey appearance of the mountain. In the foregoing list of vegetables, it will be seen that a con- siderable number of species are natives of Europe, as well as of this country. A question of some interest has arisen, whether any plants are originally common to both continents,* and whether those species which approach each other so nearly in their external characters, as to be known at present by the same names, are in reality the same species. The analogy of the animal kingdom seems to favour the negative of this question. Baron Humboldt has asserted upon the highest authorities. that no quadruped, or terrestrial bird, and even no reptile or insect, has been found common to the equinoctial regions of the old and new world. In like manner he affirms that the phanerogamous plants, which have been recognized as native? * Humboklt.— Mewoir on the d;slr\bution of vegetable frrm'.. 16 OEScuirnoN ok the white mountains. of the liopical regions of both continents, are extremely few. In the temperate zones, the number of American plants which wear European names, is continually diminishing in booJ: or TME "\YHITK MOI'XTAIXS. 1, But as we approach towavd the north, and arrive in h.i^h iatitudes, tlie probability of finding phmts identically the same, is greatly increased. About tlie arctic circle, the two con- tinents approach each other so nearly, and are so connected by ice during part of the year, that they may, as Tar as botany is concerned, be considered the same country. The same plants may be equally disseminated on both, and tiiese may extend as far toward the south as the general coldness of the climatn suited to their constitution continues. Beyond this they may for some distance be found in alpine situations on the tops ot the highest mountains. There are also plants of such versati- lity of constitution, that they bear all tlie varieties of climate from Iludsons Bay, to Virginia, and Carolina. Such plants may well be common to the two continents. Animals. Tlie unsettled state of the country for some dis- tance around these mountains, the many recesses and soli- tudes which they possess, that are rarely visited by man : has rendered them still a resort for many of the original animals of the continent, whose species have nearly disappeared from the more inhabited parts. The moose (cervus alces?) still re- sides here, and we were told, that upon the Pliny, mountains about twenty miles to tiie N. W. some of these animals are killed in the course of every winter. The bear (ursus JlniPri- caniisj inhabits the v.oods about the base and sides of the mountain, where he is not uiifrcqucntly met with,* The wolves fcanls liipiisj being gregarious, move in troops, and are said to visit this part of the country once in three or four years. Several of them v.ere killed last winter in Eaton, a town adjoining the mountains. The wolverene, fnrsus laxcusj raccoon, furtius lutorj porcupine, fhystrLv doraatctj and sa- ble, the two latter la considerable numbers, are found in vari- parts of the forests; the v.-ild-cat (felis montana?) is occa- sionally killed here ; the catamount (felis concolor s. CGiipmr) is at the present day seldom heard of. Of Birds, we saw but ^&\v. Most of our migratory land bh^^aA^' w^w fe 014 014 939 1 y^i/ ■'»t^ 1-^ 3^ ■>'* J .j^y- .d^ 'Vs. " Vr :H i'^'^)"^ /-^ t -j?- 'W^i^ Jl /WV 'S Ji^,*' F€ .j ■■' \j>J-.'v^^ IMUfJa.-v f».. ,*