Woodstock Vt.Aug 23 1858

Page 1

My dear Brother

Saturday being one of the most favorable days of the season for the exercise of my hobby, I made a measurement of the Montague hill North Bridgewater The atmosphere was very clear and in an uncommonly equable condition there being a change of only .006 in the barometer during my absence The height above the town hall I make pr. Guyots tables recd by Prof Noyes 1825.5 fr. The view from the top is of course rather more extensive--but not so attractive as from Long Hill--there being no point the view of which compares with that of Shrewsbury & Killington peaks as seen across the great basin westward of long hill. There is also a wooded hill (from which a view cannot be obtained)

which shuts out the Camels Hump & vicinity I could however see very distinctly, a little north of where I suppose the C. H. should be, a very high mountain ridge with 3 prominancies somewhat elevated above the main ridge--of which the most southerly appears to be highest--its bearing is N.12 W. By applying a protractor to a meridian upon Z. Thompsons map of Vt. a course N.12 W. runs too far west for Mainsfield Mt. but the resemblance is very strong. There is also visible another very high peak, apparently rather more distant bearing N.2.W. a course by protractor applied as above touches Stirling Peak, -- There is nothing on the map or described in the towers between (in the Gazeteer) which I think would intercept the view of that eminence --

Another very high & distant mt. (strongly resembling Mt. Marcy as seen from Burlington) bears N.20.E. which carries us

in the direction of Wheelock & Westmore

Moose Hillock (I suppose) bearing N.68.E. hides the White Mts. But what I suppose to be the Sandwich Mts. of which Chocorua is highest are visible, also Kearsarge & divers other N.H. hills as well as some in the S.W. part of this state which I cannot identify Whenever you are here again I hope you will be able to make the ascent --

I see by the Chronicle that Prof. Young of Darmouth has lately shaken Ascutney down to 3129 ft. Partridge made it 3320.

Mr & Mrs Babcock left for home last week, thinking she had derived no benefit from her sojourn here--but friends of theirs also from Westerly who were staying at the same hotel, as well as other persons that otherwise & considered their departure unwise--she is thought to have consumption --

Lucy & Benjamin started last monday for a visit to their friends in Maine Mass. & R.I. Lyndon is as usual.

With much love to sister CarolineYour Affectionate brotherCharles Marsh

References in this letter:

Swiss-American, Arnold Henry Guyot (1807-1884), taught physical geography and geology at Princeton University. Under Smithsonian Institution auspices, he set up a system of weather observatories that utimately grew into the U. S. Weather Bureau. His barometric tables, published as A Collection of Meteorological Tables, with other tables useful in practical meteorology, published by the Smithsonian in 1852, were very influential. Guyot's contribution to physical geography, Earth and Man (Boston: Gould and Lincoln, 1849) inspired Marsh, despite Marsh's disagreements with some of its premises.

Zadock Thompson, A Gazetteer of the State of Vermont; consisting of a brief general view of the state, a historical and topographical description of all the counties, towns and rivers c, together with a map and several other engravings. Montpelier: E.P. Walton and the author, 1824. Zadock Thompson, (1796-1856), was a naturalist, an amateur botanist and geologist, and a prolific author on the natural history of the state of Vermont.

Charles Marsh (1821-1873), Marsh's youngest brother, maintained the family farm in Woodstock until his death. He and Marsh frequently corresponded about barometric pressure, precipitation, mountain heights, and other natural and meteorological phenomena