Skip to content
  • Home
  • About
  • Author Archives
  • Contact Us

Written by Alexander B. Lamberton Part 2: Trip to John Brown Tract with Young Salmon in Midwinter (1876)

—PART TWO—

While researching A. B. Lamberton’s activities at the Fulton Chain, I found an article written for FOREST AND STREAM, March 23 1876, the only reference to Lamberton in “Adirondack Bibliography” published by the Adirondack Mountain Club.  

Alexander B. Lamberton’s  informative and historically entertaining article continues…  

—

The woods were entered with song and story; night overtook us, however, before we reached their heart.

As we advanced, the depth of snow increased remarkably fast, and ever and anon the horses plunged into mud and mire—the sink holes of the road—and the sleighs disappeared, where all remained until levers were cut and the whole pried out.

Stony Creek was reached, the famous slough pond of the woods. In this the horses were mired and the sleigh tongue broken. It took but a few minutes, however, to mend the one and extricate the other.

The road now led through a swamp where the snow lay three feet deep.

The horses now gave unmistakable signs of fatigue. We concluded to stop at a brook and give them an hour to rest and feed.

As John proceeded to light a fire, he expressed his surprise that the bottom had fallen out of the road.

Talk about genius, patience and skill. If I ever saw them centered in one man, it was in him, who had knelt in the snow and essayed to build a fire with everything wet around, and in the midst of a snow storm. He plunged into the snow up to his waist and, with the blade of his axe, swept the covering off a great pine tree.

Striking a few vigorous blows, he hewed out by the moonlight, no, by no light for there was neither moon nor lantern, fuel enough to build a fire.

Next, he scooped a great fire-place in the snow with an immense pine tree as a back-log, then a pile of shaving were manufactured, and the process of match-lighting began. Not less than twenty were consumed before the wood blazed. The fire was kindled, however, and after enjoying it awhile, was left, burning.

A mile further on the horses failed us altogether. We had not the heart to urge them farther.  Whip and word would avail nothing. It was 11 o’clock and we were still six miles from the Forest House [Lamberton’s name for the Forge House built in 1871]. What was to be done?

It was soon decided that two should remain all night with the fishes, and the other two push forward with the horses to the hotel.

This being agreed upon, the teamster and the writer took their departure, agreeing to return as soon as possible with a fresh team.

I would have willingly have given my place to Mark Twain, that he might have ridden that horse bareback through the banks of snow, he would have had communicated to his sensitive system the pleasures of a skeleton ride, and though the animal stood fifteen hands high, I could shut my eyes and see nothing of the quadruped but his back-bone. That impressed me.

 

 

Share Button
More about <a href="http://www.weeklyadk.com/archives/byline/alexander-b-lamberton" rel="tag">Alexander B. Lamberton</a>, <a href="http://www.weeklyadk.com/archives/byline/charles-herr" rel="tag">Charles Herr</a>
Written by: Alexander B. Lamberton, Charles Herr on February 4, 2016.
Last revised by: Gina Greco, our reviewer, on
February 15, 2016.
This entry was posted in admin and tagged Herr-Story on February 4, 2016 by Alexander B. Lamberton, Charles Herr.

Post navigation

← Leszyk earns President’s List honors Pres. Mike Griffin recognized as 2014-15 Distinguished Kiwanian →
June 2022
S M T W T F S
« Apr    
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  

Archives

  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011

Tags

Adirondacks Andrew Getty Cap-21 Card of thanks carol hansen Charles Herr Columnists community Dana Armington Dawn Montanye Daybreak to Twilight DEC events Gary Lee Growing up Adirondack Herr-Story Inlet Jan from Woodgate Jay Lawson Kelly Hamlin kiwanis club Letters to the Editor Letter to the editor Marianne Christy memorial service memorial services Mitch Lee Mrs.Lucky news Niccolls Church Nourished Living Obituary Old Forge Old Forge Library open letter Sen. Seward Senior Activities program senior spotlight SHARP Talkin' Code Town of Webb town of webb school view Webb School Wende Carr
Proudly powered by WordPress