THE UPPER HUDSON.

Where Hudson winds his silver wayAnd murmurs at the tardy stay,Impatient at delay.William Crow.

Where Hudson winds his silver wayAnd murmurs at the tardy stay,Impatient at delay.

Where Hudson winds his silver way

And murmurs at the tardy stay,

Impatient at delay.

William Crow.

[page 180]

The engineers report that the greater part of the material carried in suspension in the Hudson river above Albany is believed to come from the Mohawk river, and its tributary the Schoharie river, while the sands and gravel that form the heavy and obstinate bars near Albany and chiefly between Albany and Troy, come from the upper Hudson.

The discharge of the Hudson between Troy and Albany at its lowest stage may be taken at about 3,000 cubic feet per second. The river supply, therefore, during that stage is inadequate in the upper part of the river for navigation, independent of tidal flow.

The greatest number of bars is between Albany and Troy, where the channel is narrow, and at least six obstructing bars, composed of fine and coarse gravel and coarse and fine sand, are in existence. In many places between Albany and Troy the navigable depth is reduced to 7½ feet by the presence of these bars.

From Albany to New Baltimore the depths are variable, the prevailing depth being 10 feet and over, with pools of greater depth separated by long cross-over bars, over which the greatest depth does not exceed 9 or 10 feet. Passing many delightful homes on the west bank and the mouth of the Norman's Kill (Indian name Ta-wa-sentha, place of many dead) and the Convent of the Sacred Heart, we see Dow's Point on the east and above this the—

Van Rensselaer Place, with its port holes on either side of the door facing the river, showing that it was built in troublesome times. It is the oldest of the Patroon manor houses, built in 1640 or thereabouts. It has been said that the adaptation of the old tune now known as "Yankee Doodle" was made near the well in the grounds of the Van Rensselaer Place by Dr. Richard Shuckberg, who was connected with the British army when the Colonial troops from New England marched into camp at Albany to join the British regulars on their way to[page 181]fight the French. The tune was known in New England before the Revolution as "Lydia Fisher's Jig," a name derived from a famous lady who lived in the reign of Charles II, and which has been perpetuated in the following rhyme:

Lucy Locket lost her pocket,Lydia Fisher found it;Not a bit of money in it,Only binding 'round it.

Lucy Locket lost her pocket,

Lydia Fisher found it;

Not a bit of money in it,

Only binding 'round it.

The appearance of the troops called down the derision of the British officers, the hit of the doctor became known throughout the army, and the song was used as a method of showing contempt for the Colonials until after Lexington and Concord.

When life is oldAnd many a scene forgot the heart will holdIts memory of this.Fitz-Greene Halleck.

When life is oldAnd many a scene forgot the heart will holdIts memory of this.

When life is old

And many a scene forgot the heart will hold

Its memory of this.

Fitz-Greene Halleck.

Rensselaer, on the east bank of the river, was incorporated in 1896 by the union of Greenbush and East Albany. The old name of Greenbush, which still survives in East Greenbush, four miles distant, was given to it by the old Dutch settlers, and it was probably a "green-bushed" place in early days. Now pleasant residences and villas look out upon the river from the near bank and distant hillsides. Two railroad bridges and a carriage bridge cross the Hudson at this point. During the French war in 1775, Greenbush was a military rendezvous, and in 1812 the United States Government established extensive barracks, whence troops were forwarded to Canada.

Albany, 144 miles from New York. (New York Central & Hudson River Railroad,Boston & Albany,West Shore,Delaware and Hudson, theHudson River Day LineandPeople's Line.) Its site was called by the Indians Shaunaugh-ta-da (Schenectady), or the Pine Plains. It was next known by the early Dutch settlers as "Beverwyck," "William Stadt," and "New Orange." The seat of the State Government was transferred from New York to Albany in 1798. In 1714, when 100 years old, it had[page 182]a population of about 3,000, one-sixth of whom were slaves. In 1786 it increased to about 10,000. In 1676, the city comprised within the limits of Pearl, Beaver and Steuben streets, was surrounded by wooden walls with six gates. They were 13 feet high, made of timber a foot square. It is said that a portion of these walls were remaining in 1812. The first railroad in the State and the second in the United States was opened from Albany to Schenectady in 1831. The pictures of these old coaches are very amusing, and the rate of speed was only a slight improvement on a well-organized stage line. From an old book in the State Library we condense the following description, presenting quite a contrast to the city of to-day: "Albany lay stretched along the banks of the Hudson, on one very wide and long street, parallel to the Hudson. The space between the street and the river bank was occupied by gardens. A small but steep hill rose above the centre of the town, on which stood a fort. The wide street leading to the fort (now State street) had a Market-Place, Guard-House, Town Hall, and an English and Dutch Church, in the centre."

I wandered afar from the land of my birth,I saw the old rivers renowned upon earth,But fancy still painted that wide-flowing streamWith the many-hued pencil of infancy's dream.Oliver Wendell Holmes.

I wandered afar from the land of my birth,I saw the old rivers renowned upon earth,But fancy still painted that wide-flowing streamWith the many-hued pencil of infancy's dream.

I wandered afar from the land of my birth,

I saw the old rivers renowned upon earth,

But fancy still painted that wide-flowing stream

With the many-hued pencil of infancy's dream.

Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Tourists and others will be amply repaid in visiting the new Capitol building, at the head of State Street. It is open from nine in the morning until six in the evening. It is said to be larger than the Capitol at Washington, and cost more than any other structure on the American continent. The staircases, the wide corridors, the Senate chamber, the Assembly chamber, and the Court of Appeals room, attest the wealth and greatness of the Empire State. The visitor up State Street will note the beautiful and commanding spire of "St. Paul." The Cathedral is also a grand structure. The population of Albany is now 100,000, and its growth is due to three causes: First, the Capitol was removed from New York to Albany in 1798. Then followed two great enterprises, ridiculed at the time by every one as theFulton Folly and Clinton's Ditch—in other words, steam navigation, 1807, and the[page 183]Erie Canal, 1825. Its name was given in honor of the Duke of Albany, although it is still claimed by some of the oldest inhabitants that, in the golden age of those far-off times, when the good old burghers used to ask the welfare of their neighbors, the answer was "All bonnie," and hence the name of the hill-crowned city.

Canals, long winding, ope a watery flight,And distant streams and seas and lakes unite;From fair Albania toward the fading sun,Back through the midland lengthening channels run.Joel Barlow.

Canals, long winding, ope a watery flight,And distant streams and seas and lakes unite;From fair Albania toward the fading sun,Back through the midland lengthening channels run.

Canals, long winding, ope a watery flight,

And distant streams and seas and lakes unite;

From fair Albania toward the fading sun,

Back through the midland lengthening channels run.

Joel Barlow.

To condense from H. P. Phelps's careful handbook of "Albany and the Capitol:" in 1614 a stockaded trading-house was erected on an island below the city, well defended for trading with the Indians. In 1617 another was built on the hill, near Norman's Kill. The West Indian Company erected a fort in 1623 near the present landing of the Day Line. In 1664 the province fell into the hands of the English and the name was changed to Albany. In 1686 it was incorporated into a city. It was the meeting place of the Constitutional Congress 1754, the proposed Constitution of which, however, was never ratified. Washington visited it in 1783. The Erie Canal was opened in 1825, a railroad to Schenectady in 1832, theHudson Riverin 1851, a consolidated road to Buffalo in 1853, and theSusquehanna Railroadto Binghamton in 1869. State Street at one time was said to be the widest city thoroughfare in the country, after Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. The English and Dutch Churches and other public buildings, once in the midst of it, but long since removed, account for its extra width. The State Capitol has a commanding site. The old Capitol building was completed in 1808. The corner-stone of the present building was laid June 24, 1871, and it has been occupied since January 7, 1879. According to Phelps, "the size of the structure impresses the beholder at once. It is 300 feet north and south by 400 feet east and west, and with the porticoes will cover three acres and seven square feet. The walls are 108 feet high from the water-table, and all this worked out of solid granite brought, most of it, from Hallowell, Me.

The impression produced varies with various persons.[page 184]One accomplished writer finds it "not unlike that made by the photographs of those gigantic structures in the northern and eastern parts of India, which are seen in full series on the walls of the South Kensington, and by their barbaric profusion of ornamentation and true magnificence of design give the stay-at-home Briton some faint inkling of the empire which has invested his queen with another and more high-sounding title. Yet when close at hand the building does not bear out this connection with Indian architecture of the grand style; it might be mere chance that at a distance there is a similarity; or it may be that the smallness of size in the decorations as compared to the structure itself explains fully why there is a tendency to confuse the eye by the number of projections, arches, pillars, shallow recesses, and what-not, which variegate the different facades. The confusion is not entirely displeasing; it gives a sense of unstinted riches, and represents the spirit that has reared the pile."

Nor let the dear love of its children grow coldTill the channel is dry where its waters have rolled.Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Nor let the dear love of its children grow coldTill the channel is dry where its waters have rolled.

Nor let the dear love of its children grow cold

Till the channel is dry where its waters have rolled.

Oliver Wendell Holmes.

The Governor's room, the golden corridor, the Senate staircase, the Senate chamber, the Assembly chamber, and the Court of Appeals room are interesting alike for their architectural stone work, decorations and general finish. The State Library, dating from 1818, contains about 150,000 volumes. The Clinton papers, including Andre's documents captured at Tarrytown, are the most interesting of many valuable manuscripts. Here also are a sword and pistol once belonging to General Washington. The Museum of Military Records and Relics contains over 800 battle flags of State regiments, with several ensigns captured from the enemy. Near the Capitol are the State Hall and City Hall, and on the right, descending State Street, the Geological Hall, well worthy an extended visit. The present St. Peter's Episcopal Church, third upon the site, is of Schenectady blue stone with brown trimmings. Its tower contains "a chime of eleven bells and another bell marked 1751, which is used only to ring in the new year." Washington Park, consisting[page 185]of eighty acres and procured at a cost of one million dollars, reached by a pleasant drive or by electric railway, is a delightful resort. It is noted for its grand trees, artistic walks and floral culture. Several fine statues are also worthy of mention, notably that of Robert Burns (Charles Calverley, sculptor), erected by money left for this purpose by Mrs. McPherson, under the careful and tasteful supervision of one of Albany's best-known citizens, Mr. Peter Kinnear. A view from Washington Park takes in the Catskills and the Helderberg Mountains.

No wonder that his countrymen today, led by theCongress of this great Republic, celebrate the transactionand the scene where Washington refused to accepta crown.William M. Evarts.

No wonder that his countrymen today, led by theCongress of this great Republic, celebrate the transactionand the scene where Washington refused to accepta crown.

No wonder that his countrymen today, led by the

Congress of this great Republic, celebrate the transaction

and the scene where Washington refused to accept

a crown.

William M. Evarts.

And now, while waiting to "throw out the plank," which puts a period to our Hudson River division, we feel like congratulating ourselves that the various goblins which once infested the river have become civilized, that the winds and tides have been conquered, and that the nine-day voyage of Hendrick Hudson and the "Half Moon" has been reduced to thenine-hour systemof the Hudson River Day Line.

Those who have traveled over Europe will certainly appreciate the quiet luxury of an American steamer; and this first introduction to American scenery will always charm the tourist from other lands. No single day's journey in any land or on any stream can present such variety, interest, and beauty, as the trip of one hundred and forty-four miles from New York to Albany. The Hudson is indeed a goodly volume, with its broad covers of greenlying openon either side; and it might in truth be called acondensedhistory, for there is no other place in our country where poetry and romance are so strangely blended with the heroic and the historic,—no river where the waves of different civilizations have left so many waifs upon the banks. It is classic ground, from the "wilderness to the sea," and will always be the poets' corner of our country: the home of Irving, Willis, and Morris,—of Fulton, Morse, and Field,—of Cole, Audubon, and Church,—and of scores besides, whose names are household words.

The Hudson's cable-tow of yoreBound gallant sire and sturdy sonWith hearty grasp from shore to shoreRobert Burns and Washington.Wallace Bruce.

The Hudson's cable-tow of yoreBound gallant sire and sturdy sonWith hearty grasp from shore to shoreRobert Burns and Washington.

The Hudson's cable-tow of yore

Bound gallant sire and sturdy son

With hearty grasp from shore to shore

Robert Burns and Washington.

Wallace Bruce.

[page 186]

A pleasant tour awaits the traveler who continues his journey north from Albany, where theDelaware and Hudsontrain for Saratoga is ready at the landing on the arrival of the steamer. A half hour's run along the west bank gives us a glimpse of Troy across the river with the classical named hills Mount Ida and Mount Olympus. Two streams, the Poestenkill and the Wynant's Kill, approach the river on the east bank through narrow ravines, and furnish excellent water power. In the year 1786 it was called Ferryhook. In 1787, Rensselaerwyck. In the fall of 1787 the settlers began to use the name of Vanderheyden, after the family who owned a great part of the ground where the city now stands. January 9, 1789 the freeholders of the town met and gave it the name of Troy. The "Hudson," the "Erie," and the "Champlain" Canals have contributed to its growth. The city, with many busy towns, which have sprung up around it—Cohoes, Lansingburg, Waterford, etc., is central to a population of at least 100,000 people. The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the oldest engineering school in America, has a national reputation.

Cohoes, where the Mohawk joins the Hudson, has one of the finest water powers in the country. Its name is of Indian origin and signifies "the island at the falls." This was the division line between the Mahicans and the Mohawks, and when the water is in full force it suggests in graceful curve and sweep a miniature Niagara. The[page 187]view from the double-truss iron bridge (960 feet in length), looking up or down the Mohawk, is impressive.

Oh, be my falls as bright as thine!May heaven's relenting rainbow shineUpon the mist that circles me,As soft as now it hangs o'er thee!Thomas Moore.

Oh, be my falls as bright as thine!May heaven's relenting rainbow shineUpon the mist that circles me,As soft as now it hangs o'er thee!

Oh, be my falls as bright as thine!

May heaven's relenting rainbow shine

Upon the mist that circles me,

As soft as now it hangs o'er thee!

Thomas Moore.

Passing through Waterford, and Mechanicville which lies partly in the township of Stillwater, with its historic records of Bemis Heights and burial place of Ellsworth, the first martyr of the Civil war, we come to—

Round Lake, nineteen miles north of Troy, and thirteen south of Saratoga, near a beautiful sheet of water, three miles in circumference, called by the Indians Ta-nen-da-ho-wa, which interpreted, signifies Round Lake. The camp-meeting and assembly grounds consist of 200 acres. The air is pure and invigorating and the grove and cottages inviting. The drives in the vicinity are delightful to Saratoga Lake, to the Hudson River, to the historic battlefields of Bemis Heights and Stillwater.

Ballston Spa, thirty-one miles from Albany, is the county seat of Saratoga. Here are several well-known mineral springs, with chemical properties similar to the springs of Saratoga. Over ninety years ago Benjamin Douglas, father of Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, built a log house, near the "Old Spring," for the accommodation of invalids and travelers, and at one time it looked as if Saratoga would have a vigorous rival at her very doors; but its hotel glory has departed and the old "Sans Souci" of the days of Washington Irving is a thing of the past.

A gallant army formed their last arrayUpon that field, in silence and deep gloom,And at their conqueror's feet,Laid their war-weapons down.Fitz-Greene Halleck.

A gallant army formed their last arrayUpon that field, in silence and deep gloom,And at their conqueror's feet,Laid their war-weapons down.

A gallant army formed their last array

Upon that field, in silence and deep gloom,

And at their conqueror's feet,

Laid their war-weapons down.

Fitz-Greene Halleck.

Saratoga, thirty-eight miles north of Albany, one hundred and eighty-two miles from New York, is the greatest watering place of the continent. Its development has been wonderful, and puts, as it were, in large italics, the prosperity of our country. The first white man to visit the place was Sir William Johnson, who, in 1767, was conveyed there by his Mohawk friends, in the hope that the waters might afford relief from the serious effects of a gunshot wound in the thigh, received eight years before in the battle of Lake George, at which time his army defeated the French legions under Baron Dieskau. It was not until the year 1773, six years after[page 188]Sir William Johnson's initial visit, that the first clearing was made and the first cabin erected by Derick Scowten. Owing, however, to misunderstandings with his red neighbors, he shortly afterwards left. A year later, George Arnold, from Rhode Island, took possession of the vacated Scowten House, and conducted it with some degree of success for about two years. Arnold was in turn followed by Samuel Norton, who failed to make the venture successful, owing to the outbreak of the Revolution. Norton was succeeded in 1783 by his son, who sold out in 1787 to Gideon Morgan, who, in the same year, made the property over to Alexander Bryan. Bryan became the first permanent settler after the close of the war. The prosperity of the village began in 1789, with the advent of Gideon Putnam, but the wooden inns and hotels of 1830, which seemed palatial in those days, would get lost even in one of the parlors of the mammoth hotels which now line the main street of the village. Chief among these hotels, we mention the—

"United States,"a grand and princely building of noble frontage with a bright and spacious interior court, completed in June, 1874. It constitutes one continuous line of buildings, six stories high, over fifteen hundred feet in length, containing nine hundred and seventeen rooms for guests, and is the largest hotel in the world.

The American-Adelphinear at hand, also fronting Broadway, always cheery and delightful under the management of its popular owner and proprietor, Mr. George A. Farnham, has one of the finest locations in Saratoga, combining comfort, good attention, a fine table, and every convenience of a first-class house. One thing is sure, those who go to the "American" return again and again.

The Speedway, the Race Track, and Driveways.—Saratoga can justly feel proud of her material growth and progress in many directions during the last decade, and prominent among her varied attractions are the[page 189]Speedway and Race Track. Mr. W. C. Whitney and many other prominent men have contributed liberally in this direction.The Electric Lineto Saratoga Lake is also one of the features of the village, and furnishes a delightful forenoon or afternoon's outing.

And boyhood's love and fireside-listened talesAre rushing on your memories, as ye breatheThat valley's storied name,—Field of the Grounded Arms.Fitz-Greene Halleck.

And boyhood's love and fireside-listened talesAre rushing on your memories, as ye breatheThat valley's storied name,—Field of the Grounded Arms.

And boyhood's love and fireside-listened tales

Are rushing on your memories, as ye breathe

That valley's storied name,—

Field of the Grounded Arms.

Fitz-Greene Halleck.

The Springs.—The most prominent springs in and about Saratoga are the Hathorn, the Patterson and the Congress. The popularity of the Hathorn is attested by the universal sale of its bottled waters throughout the United States. The Patterson has won a wide reputation which its excellence deserves.

Historic Saratoga.—But in the midst of this throbbing, gay and delightful Saratoga, we must not forget that it was here the fathers of the Republic achieved their most decisive victory. The battle was fought in the town of Stillwater, at Bemis Heights, two and a half miles from the Hudson. The defeat of St. Leger and the triumph of Stark at Bennington filled the American army with hope. Burgoyne's army advanced September 19, 1777. The battle was sharply contested. At night the Americans retired into their camp, and the British held the field. From September 20th to October 7th the armies looked each other in the face, each side satisfied from the first day's struggle that their opponents were worthy foemen. The Americans had retaken Ticonderoga and Lake George. Burgoyne had no place to retreat, and the lines were slowly but surely closing in around him. October 7th Burgoyne commenced the battle, but in half an hour his line was broken. He attempted to rally his troops in person, but they could not stand before the impetuous charge of the Americans. He was compelled to order a full retreat, and fell back on the heights above Schuylerville. The Americans surrounded him, and he surrendered. It was a decisive victory, and cheered the friends of freedom, not only in America, but in the English House of Commons.

The leaves were red with crimsonAnd then brave Gates did cry,'Tis diamond now cut diamond,We'll beat them boys or die.Ballads of the Revolution.

The leaves were red with crimsonAnd then brave Gates did cry,'Tis diamond now cut diamond,We'll beat them boys or die.

The leaves were red with crimson

And then brave Gates did cry,

'Tis diamond now cut diamond,

We'll beat them boys or die.

Ballads of the Revolution.

Mount McGregor, where General Grant died, associates[page 190]the Saratoga of the Revolution with the story of our Civil War. Near the monument to the old heroes at Schuylerville, where Burgoyne surrendered, a monument to the Boys in Blue was dedicated in 1904. It was the privilege of the writer to be the poet of the occasion, and in his lines "The Flag They Bore," to bind the noble memorials of those who made and those who saved the Republic.

Two monuments in triumph standTo catch with joy the morning sun,One chorus joins them hand in hand—Heroes of Grant and Washington.And wider yet the chorus leaps!Two famous hills the song unites,As Mount MacGregor's anthem sweepsAcross the plains to Bemis Heights.

Two monuments in triumph standTo catch with joy the morning sun,One chorus joins them hand in hand—Heroes of Grant and Washington.

Two monuments in triumph stand

To catch with joy the morning sun,

One chorus joins them hand in hand—

Heroes of Grant and Washington.

And wider yet the chorus leaps!Two famous hills the song unites,As Mount MacGregor's anthem sweepsAcross the plains to Bemis Heights.

And wider yet the chorus leaps!

Two famous hills the song unites,

As Mount MacGregor's anthem sweeps

Across the plains to Bemis Heights.

In Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester's book, entitled "Historical Sketches of Northern New York and the Adirondack Wilderness," we learn that the earliest date in which the word Saratoga appears in history is 1684, and was then the name of an old hunting ground on both sides of the Hudson. Its interpretations have been various. Some say "The Hillside Country of the Great River;" others, the place of swift waters, while Morgan, in his "League of the Iroquois," says the signification of Saratoga is lost.

Whatever the origin of the name whether from the old High Rock spring or a "reach of the river," one thing is sure: Saratoga is the most attractive point in the country as a gathering place for conventions and large meetings, and, in response to the growing demand for adequate facilities, a splendid convention hall, with a seating capacity for five thousand people, has been erected by the town authorities. It is a striking architectural addition to Saratoga's attractions.

In 1907 over fifty thousand "Knights" gathered here and were hospitably entertained.

And such were Saratoga's victors—suchThe yeoman-brave, whose deeds and death have givenA glory to her skies,A music to her name.Fitz-Greene Halleck.

And such were Saratoga's victors—suchThe yeoman-brave, whose deeds and death have givenA glory to her skies,A music to her name.

And such were Saratoga's victors—such

The yeoman-brave, whose deeds and death have given

A glory to her skies,

A music to her name.

Fitz-Greene Halleck.

[page 191]

TheAdirondack Railwaydivision of theDelaware and Hudsonfurnishes one of the pleasantest excursions to the north woods. The traveler passes along the romantic and picturesque valley of the upper Hudson—through King's, South Corinth, Jessup's Landing to Hadley (the railroad station for Luzerne, a charming village at the junction of the Hudson and the Sacandaga); then through Stony Creek, Thurman, thirty-six miles from Saratoga Springs, at the junction of the Schroon and the Hudson; the Glen, forty-four miles; Riverside, fifty miles (for Schroon Lake), pleasurable throughout, to North Creek, where "Concord coaches" and patent-covered spring buck-boards are in waiting for Blue Mountain Lake—distance about thirty miles, through a beautiful romantic country.

The water route from this point is as follows: Through Blue Mountain Lake and Utowana to the outlet, a distance of seven miles, where a "Railway Carry," something less than a mile, brings the traveler to a fairy-like steamer on Marion River. The river trip is twelve miles to Forked Lake.

Arriving at "Forked Lake Carry," one-half mile brings us to Forked Lake, where the traveler gets his first real mountain bill of fare. From this point we took a guide to Long Lake. There is a short cut from this point over to the Tupper Lakes, which we can commend in every particular, and the tourist can either return to Long Lake and continue his route to the Saranacs, or go to the Saranacs direct from Lake Tupper.

From this point we visit Keene Flats, a charming and healthful spot, only five miles from the "Lower Ausable Pond." These ponds, the "Lower" and "Upper," are unrivaled in beauty and grandeur. They lie at the foot of Mount Marcy, Haystack, the Gothics, and Mount Bartlett.

'Twas in the mellow autumn timeWhen I, an idler from the town,With gun and rod was lured to climbThose peaks where fresh the Hudson takesHis tribute from an hundred lakes.Charles Fenno Hoffman.

'Twas in the mellow autumn timeWhen I, an idler from the town,With gun and rod was lured to climbThose peaks where fresh the Hudson takesHis tribute from an hundred lakes.

'Twas in the mellow autumn time

When I, an idler from the town,

With gun and rod was lured to climb

Those peaks where fresh the Hudson takes

His tribute from an hundred lakes.

Charles Fenno Hoffman.

[page 192]

The traveler will find trains and excursions to suit his convenience from Saratoga to our fairest lake. His route takes him through Gansevoort and Fort Edward to Glens Falls with the narrowing and bright-flowing Hudson for a companion. About one mile beyond Fort Edward Station, near the railway on the right, stood, until recently, the tree where Jane McCrea was murdered by Indians during the Revolution. From Glens Falls the tourist proceeds over the well-conducted Lake George division of theDelaware and Hudson, and soon finds himself in the midst of a historic and romantic region. About half way to the lake stands a monument to Col. Ephraim Williams, killed at the battle of Lake George in 1755, erected by the graduates of Williams College, which he founded. Bloody Pond, a little farther on, sleeps calm and blue in the sunlight in spite of its tragic name and associations, and soon Lake George, girt-round by mountains, greets our vision, stretching away in beauty to the north.

Near the railway station on the ninth of September, 1903, a monument was unveiled commemorating the battle of Lake George one hundred and forty-eight years before. The monument embodies the heroic figures of Sir William Johnson and King Hendrick the Indian chief. It represents the Indian chief demonstrating to General Johnson the futility of dividing his forces. Governor Odell of New York, Governor Guild of Massachusetts, Governor Chamberlain of Connecticut, and Governor McCulloch of Vermont and others delivered appropriate addresses.

The Trossachs of America.—Capt. Wm. R. Lord, author of "Reminiscences of a Sailor," in a recent article contributed to a Scottish paper, has happily called Lake George and its surroundings "The Trossachs of America."[page 193]In writing of the autumn season he says: "Its similarity to the Trossachs of Scotland impresses one most vividly as seen at this season; the mountains are clothed in a garb, the prevailing color of which is purple, reminding me of a previous visit through the Scottish Highlands when the heather was in full bloom. I at that time felt it to be impossible that any other place on the face of the globe could equal the magnificently imposing grandeur of the 'Trossachs.' I must, however, freely admit that in its power of changing beauty this region of America fully equals, if it does not surpass it. Deeds of 'derring-do,' enacted in these mountain fastnesses in days gone by, still add to make the comparison more close. Our path at times seemed to be literally strewn with roses, for the different colored leaves that carpeted our way conveyed that thought. The depth and variegated beauty of coloring that marks this season of decaying foliage, would enrapture the heart of an artist. In my vocation I have had occasion to visit the four quarters of the globe, but never have I seen tints so strikingly beautiful."

The early fragments of our Colonial poetry and Revolutionaryballads are chanted in the midst of such profoundsilence and loneliness that they sound spectrallyto our ears.Bayard Taylor.

The early fragments of our Colonial poetry and Revolutionaryballads are chanted in the midst of such profoundsilence and loneliness that they sound spectrallyto our ears.

The early fragments of our Colonial poetry and Revolutionary

ballads are chanted in the midst of such profound

silence and loneliness that they sound spectrally

to our ears.

Bayard Taylor.

Lake George, called by the French "Lac St. Sacrament," was discovered by Father Jacques, who passed through it in 1646, on his way to the Iroquois, by whom he was afterward tortured and burned. It is thirty-six miles long by three miles broad. Its elevation is two hundred and forty-three feet above the sea. The waters are of remarkable transparency; romantic islands dot its surface, and elegant villas line its shores. Fort William Henry and Ticonderoga, situated at either end of the lake, were the salients respectively of the two most powerful nations upon the globe. France and England sent great armies, which crossed each other's track upon the ocean, the one entering the St. Lawrence, the other the harbor of New York. Their respective colonies sent their thousands to swell the number of trained troops, while tribes of red men from the south and the north were marshalled[page 194]by civilized genius to meet in hostile array upon these waters, around the walls of the forts, and at the base of the hills. In 1755, General Johnston reached Lake St. Sacrament, to which he gave the name of Lake George, "not only in honor of his Majesty, but to assert his undoubted dominion here."

The progress of that October month had been likethe stately march of an Orient army, with all thesplendor of blazing banners. It looked as though theglories of the sunset had been distilled into it deckedwith the glowing hues of crimson, scarlet and gold.John Henry Brandow.

The progress of that October month had been like

the stately march of an Orient army, with all the

splendor of blazing banners. It looked as though the

glories of the sunset had been distilled into it decked

with the glowing hues of crimson, scarlet and gold.

John Henry Brandow.

The village of Lake George is situated at the head of the lake. It contains two churches, a court house, and a number of pretty residences. Just behind the court house is the bay where Montcalm landed his cannon, and where his entrenchments began. It ran across the street to the rising ground beyond the Episcopal church.

Fort William Henry Hotelis the largest and best appointed hotel on Lake George. It has a most beautiful and commanding location, and the view from its great piazza is one long to be remembered. The piazza is twenty-four feet in width and supported by a row of Corinthian columns thirty feet high. The outlook from it at all times is enchanting, commanding as it does the level reaches of the lake for miles, with picturesque islands and promontories.

About twelve miles from the hotel is Fourteen-mile Island which, with a number of others, form "The Narrows." The lake here is 400 feet deep, much fishing is done, and in the right season hunting parties start out. Black Mountain, the monarch of the lake, rises over two thousand feet above its waters (being 2,661 feet above tide), and from the summit a magnificent view is obtained of Lake Champlain, the Green Mountains, the Adirondacks, and the distant course of the Hudson.

A carriage drive to Schroon Lake and conveyance from Schroon Village to Adirondack resorts can be made from Lake George.

Those who have only a day can make a delightful excursion from Saratoga to Caldwell by rail, then through the lake to Baldwin, and thence by rail to Saratoga, orviaBaldwin and up the lake to Caldwell, and so to Saratoga.[page 15]But, to get the full beauty of this unrivaled lake, the trip should be made with less haste, for there is no more delightful place in the world to spend a week, a month, or an entire summer. Its immediate surroundings present much to interest the student of history and legend; and to lovers of the beautiful it acknowledges no rivals. The elevation and absolute purity of air make it a desirable place for the tourist. It is 346 feet above the level of the sea, 247 feet above Lake Champlain, and is now brought within six hours of New York City by the enterprise of theDelaware &Hudson Co. It is a great question, and we talk it over every time we see the genial Passenger Traffic Manager of this enterprising line, whether Lake George or Lake Luzerne, in Switzerland, is the more beautiful. We were just deciding last summer, on the steamer "Horicon," that Lake George was more beautiful, but not so wild, when, as if the spirit of the lake were roused, a great black squall suddenly came over the mountains, and, the "crystal lake" for a few minutes, was as wild as any one might desire. We all were glad to see her smile again as she did half an hour afterward in the bright sunlight.

Oh the mystical glory that crowns themReflected in river and lake,Like a fire that burns through the firs and fernsBy the paths that the wild deer take.Eben E. Rexford.

Oh the mystical glory that crowns themReflected in river and lake,Like a fire that burns through the firs and fernsBy the paths that the wild deer take.

Oh the mystical glory that crowns them

Reflected in river and lake,

Like a fire that burns through the firs and ferns

By the paths that the wild deer take.

Eben E. Rexford.

"At its widest point Lake George measures about four miles, but at other places it is less than one mile in width. It is dotted with islands; how many we do not know exactly—nobody does; but tradition, which passes among the people of the district for history and truth, says there is exactly one island for every day in the year, or 365 in all. Whatever their real number they all are beautiful, although some of them are barely large enough to support a flagstaff, and they all seem to fit into the scene so thoroughly that each one seems necessary to complete the charm. On either side are high hills, in some places rising gently from the shores, and in others beetling up from the surface of the water with a rugged cliff, or time-worn mass of rocks, which[page 196]reminds one of the wild bits of rocky scenery that make up the savage beauty of the Isle of Skye.

"Its clearness is something extraordinary. From a small boat, in many places, the bottom can be seen. Indeed, so mysteriously beautiful is the water that many visitors spend a day in a rowboat gazing into it at different points."

Each islet of green which the bright waters holdLike emeralds fresh from their bosom rolled.Charles Fenno Hoffman.

Each islet of green which the bright waters holdLike emeralds fresh from their bosom rolled.

Each islet of green which the bright waters hold

Like emeralds fresh from their bosom rolled.

Charles Fenno Hoffman.

Charles Dudley Warner says: "Bolton, among a host of attractive spots on the lake, holds, in my opinion, a rank among the two or three most interesting points. There is no point of Lake George where the views are so varied or more satisfactory, excepting the one from Sabbath-day Point. At Bolton the islets which dot the surface of the lake whose waters are blue as the sea in the tropics, carry the eye to the rosy-tinted range which includes Pilot, Buck and Erebus Mountains, and culminates in the stateliness of Black Mountain. Or, looking northwest, the superb masses of verdure on Green Island are seen mirrored on the burnished surface of the lake. Behind rises the mighty dividing wall called Tongue Mountain, which seems to separate the lake in twain, for Ganouskie, or Northwest Bay, five miles long, is in effect a lake by itself, with its own peculiar features." The Champlain Transportation Company runs a regular line of steamboats the entire length of the lake, making three round trips daily, except Sunday. The "Horicon" is a fine side-wheel steamer, 203 feet long and 52 feet wide, and will accommodate, comfortably, 1,000 people.

At Fort Ti the tourist can continue his northern routeviatheDelaware &Hudsonto Hotel Champlain, Plattsburgh, Rouse's Point, or Montreal, or through Lake Champlain by steamer. The ruins of Fort Ti, like old Fort Putnam at West Point, are picturesque, and will well repay a visit.

Far off the dreaming waters lie,White cascades leap in snowy foam,Lake Champlain mirrors cloud and sky,The Hudson seeks his ocean home.Benjamin F. Leggett.

Far off the dreaming waters lie,White cascades leap in snowy foam,Lake Champlain mirrors cloud and sky,The Hudson seeks his ocean home.

Far off the dreaming waters lie,

White cascades leap in snowy foam,

Lake Champlain mirrors cloud and sky,

The Hudson seeks his ocean home.

Benjamin F. Leggett.

[page 197]

The reader who does not visit Lake George may feel that he is switched off on a side-track at Fort Edward; so, coming to his rescue, we return and resume our northern journeyviathe main line, through Dunham's Basin, Smith's Basin, Fort Ann, and Comstock's Landing, to—

Whitehall, at the head of Lake Champlain. From this point north theDelaware &Hudsoncrosses all thresholds for the Adirondacks, and shortens the journey to the mountain districts. It passes through five mountain ranges, the most southerly, the Black Mountain range, terminating in Mt. Defiance, with scattering spurs coming down to the very shore of the lake. The second range is known as the Kayaderosseras, culminating in Bulwagga Mountain. The third range passes through the western part of Schroon, the northern part of Moriah and centre of Westport, ending in Split Rock Mountain. The fourth range, the Bouquet range, ends in high bluffs on Willsboro Bay. Here the famous Red-Hook Cut is located, and the longest tunnel on the line.

The fifth range, known as the Adirondack Range, as it includes the most lofty of the Adirondack Mountains, viz.: McIntyre, Colden and Tahawas, ends in a rocky promontory known as Tremblau Point, at Port Kent.

Afar the misty mountains piled,The Adirondacks soaring free,The dark green ranges lone and wild,The Catskills looking toward the sea.Benjamin F. Leggett.

Afar the misty mountains piled,The Adirondacks soaring free,The dark green ranges lone and wild,The Catskills looking toward the sea.

Afar the misty mountains piled,

The Adirondacks soaring free,

The dark green ranges lone and wild,

The Catskills looking toward the sea.

Benjamin F. Leggett.

No wonder, with these mountain ranges to get through, that the subject was agitated year after year, and it was only when the Delaware and Hudson Company placed their powerful shoulder to the wheel, that the work began to go forward. For these mountains meant tunnels, and rock cuts, and bridges, andcash. Leaving Whitehall, we enter a tunnel near the old steamboat landing, cross a marsh, which must have suggested the beginning of the Pilgrim's Progress, for it seemed almost bottomless, and pass along the narrow end of the lake, still marked[page 198]by light-houses, where steamers once struggled and panted "like fish out of water," fulfilling the Yankee's ambition of running a boat on a heavy dew. Then winding in and out along the shore, we proceed to—

Ticonderoga, 23 miles from Whitehall. Here terminates the first range of the Adirondacks, to which we have already referred, viz.: Mount Defiance. Steamers connect with the train at this point on Lake Champlain, also with a railroad for Lake George. Near the station we get a view of old Port Ticonderoga, where Ethan Allen breakfasted early one morning, and said grace in a brief and emphatic manner. The lake now widens into a noble sheet of water; we cross the Lake George outlet, enter a deep rock-cut, which extends a distance of about 500 feet, and reach Crown Point thirty-four miles north of Whitehall. Passing along the shore of Bulwagga Bay we come to—

Port Henry, 40 miles from Whitehall. A few miles further the railroad leaves the lake at Mullen Brook, the first departure since we left Whitehall, and we are greeted with cultivated fields and a charming landscape.

Westport, 51 miles from Whitehall, is the railroad station for—

Elizabethtown, the county seat of Essex. It is about eight miles from the station, nestled among the mountains. A county consisting mostly of mountain scenery could have no happier location for a head-centre. Elizabethtown forms a most delightful gateway to the Adirondacks either by stage route or pedestrian tour.

A health to Ethan Allen and our commander Gates;To Lincoln and to Washington whom every Tory hates;Likewise unto our Congress, God grant it long to reign,Our country's right and justice forever to maintain.Saratoga Revolutionary Ballad.

A health to Ethan Allen and our commander Gates;

To Lincoln and to Washington whom every Tory hates;

Likewise unto our Congress, God grant it long to reign,

Our country's right and justice forever to maintain.

Saratoga Revolutionary Ballad.

A short distance north of Westport we enter the well-cultivated Bouquet Valley, and after a pleasant run come to Wellsboro Falls, where we enter seven miles of rock cutting. The road is about 90 feet above the lake, and the cuts in many places from 90 to 100 feet high. After leaving Red-Rock cut, we pass through a tunnel 600 feet long. Crossing Higby's Gorge and rounding Tremblau Mountain, we reach—

[page 199]

Port Kent, the connecting point for the progressive village of Keeseville.

Ausable Chasm, is only three miles from the station of Port Kent. It is many years since we visited the Chasm, but its pictures are still stamped upon our mind clearly and definitely—the ledge at Birmingham Falls, the Flume, the Devil's Pulpit, and the boat ride on the swift current. Indeed, the entire rock-rift, almost two miles in length, left an impression never to be effaced. The one thing especially peculiar, on account of the trend of the rock-layers was the illusion that we were floating up stream, and that the river compressed in these narrow limits, had "got tired" of finding its way out, until it thought that the easiest way was to run up hill and get out at the top.

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