The Continental Monthly, Vol 6, No 5, November 1864: Devoted To Literature And National PolicyVarious
History
The Continental Monthly, Vol 6, No 5, November 1864: Devoted To Literature And National Policy
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; United States -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Raven Hill is the highest point between Westport and Elizabethtown. It
is a beautifully formed conical hill, rising some twenty-one hundred
feet above the sea level, and contributing the cliffs on the northern
side of the 'Pass,' through which leads the road into the valley of the
Boquet, that vale known formerly as the 'The Pleasant Valley,' in which
was Betseytown, now dignified into Elizabethtown. Does an increase in
civilization and refinement indeed destroy familiarity, render us more
strange one to another, even, through much complexity, to our own
selves? The southern side of the Pass is formed by the slope of the
'Green Mountain,' once so called from its beautiful verdure, now, alas!
burnt over, bristling with dead trees and bare rocks, and green only by
reason of weeds, brambles, and a bushy growth of saplings. The view,
descending from the summit of the Pass into the Pleasant Valley, is
charming. The Boquet runs through green meadows and cultivated fields,
while round it rise lofty mountains--the 'Giant of the Valley' (alias
'Great Dome' or 'Bald Peak'), being especially remarkable, with its
summits, green or bare, round or peaked, glittering with white scars of
ancient slides. To the west lies the Keene Pass, a steep, rocky gateway
to the Au Sable River and the wonders beyond. This view of the descent
into the Pleasant Valley is even more striking from a road passing over
the hills some five miles south of Elizabethtown. The vale is narrower,
the point of view higher, and the opposite mountains nearer and more
lofty. The Giant of the Valley rises directly in the west, and Dix's
Peak closes the vista to the south. On a semi-hazy afternoon, with the
sunlight streaming through in broad pathways of quivering glory, it
would be difficult to imagine a more enchanting scene.
There are in Elizabethtown two inns,[3] one down by the stream, a branch
of the Boquet, and the other up on the 'Plain,' near the court house.
The latter has decidedly the advantage in situation. Both are owned by
the same landlord, and are well kept. We arrived in the midst of court
week, and found every place filled with lawyers, clients, witnesses, and
even, behind the bars of the brick jail, we could see the prisoners,
more fortunate than their city compeers, in that they breathed pure air,
and could look out upon the everlasting hills, solemn preachers of the
might and the rights, as well as the mercy of their Creator.
[Footnote 3: During the past season, the Mansion House, on the Plain,
was not opened until near the close Of the summer. We understand it is
to be henceforth a permanent 'institution.']
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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