Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 8.djvu/161

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The White and Fraiiconia Mountains.

��141

���PEABODY RIVER AND MOUNT WASHIN

single powwow and his wife, who fled for safety to these elevated regions, and thus preserved the race from extermination. Their fancy peopled the mountains with invisible beings, who indicated their presence and manifested their power by storms and temp- ests, which they were believed to control with abso- lute authority. The savages, therefore, never attempted to ascend the sum- mits, deeming the undertaking peril- ous, and success impossible. But, though thus cher- ishing a supersti- tious respect for their utmost eleva- tions, they still frequented the en- virons and moun- tain defiles, and

��propogated many mar- velous stories of what they alleged could there be seen. Among other things, they gave ac- counts of immense car- buncles seen far up the steep and inaccessible sides, which shone in the darkness of night with tne most brilliant and dazzling splendor.

The first white men who visited these moun- tains, were Messrs. Neal, Jocelyn, and Field, who explored the region carefully in the year 1632. They were in- cited partly, no doubt, by curiosity, but more probably by the hope of find- ing mineral treasure. They were dis- appointed in finding gold, however, but they gave a glowing account of their adventures, and of the extent and grand- eur of the mountains, which they

��GTON

���THE BOURNE MONUMENT.

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