guests, and a dining-hall capable of seating nearly five hundred persons.

There are many fine residences at Mauch Chunk, among which may be noticed those of Hon. Asa Packer and John Leisenring, conspicuous for elegance of design, and beauty of surroundings. The town is supplied with gas and water of the purest quality. It is full of the enterprise and industry which

several collieries, and the offices of the two railroad companies, create, and supports two national and one savings bank. Its population is about 7,000. We shall be forced, not very unwillingly, to linger some time, in order to visit the many beautiful spots in the vicinity of Mauch Chunk; and, as Mount Pisgah seems to beckon us up to explore its summit, we will take

that first. But how can we climb that steep height? We need not do this, but simply avail ourselves of the Switchback, or gravity road, which, though planned especially for the coal-cars, has been arranged for the comfort of travellers; and, in future, this mode of ascending to the summit of the mountain is to be given up to the excursionists who visit Mauch Chunk, while the

"THE FLAGSTAFF," MAUCH CHUNK. inclined plane, with a stationary engine at the top, the

ascent being 700 feet in 2,340: they then, over a downward grade, descend by their own weight. The distance from the foot to the summit is 2,322 feet; and a double track has been laid over the plane with great care.

Now let us pause, after the exhilarating and exciting ride upon the Switchback, and rest upon this clump of rocks, far above the town, so far, that the train below looks like a child's mimic toy, and as we lazily gaze upon our stars and stripes, floating out in the breeze from the flagstaff, go over again, in imagination, the wild race we have had. Our starting-point was at Upper Mauch Chunk; and, after the summit of the mountain was gained, we crossed a piece of trestle-work over a deep, wild ravine, which made us shudder as we gazed down into its depths; then, alighting, we followed a winding footpath to a yet higher point, called the Pavilion, where is an observatory, the view from which is sublime beyond description. To the south, through Lehigh Gap, we catch glimpses of the blue, hazy outline of Schooley's Mountain, sixty-five miles off. At the north of Lehigh Gap is Wind Gap, whose horizon is bounded by blue hills and verdant fields. Then we entered the cars, which, by their own power of gravitation, ran a distance of six miles (the descent being three hundred and two feet), arriving at the base of another inclined plane (Mount Jefferson), 2,070 feet long, and 462 high, from whence we were drawn up to the top in the same manner as before, holding our breath as the earth seemed to be receding from us; and, the summit gained, we were hurried along to the mining-village of Summit Hill, 9,075 feet above the Lehigh, with a population of 2,000. It is a curious place, with rambling streets and old buildings, and has a stone arsenal, with turrets and loop-holes, in which are stored arms enough for a company's use, should trouble arise among the miners. Near this place is another road, the original Switchback, leading, by a long descent, to the Panther Creek Valley; and here, also, is the "burningmine," in whose depths a fire has been raging for the last thirtytwo years. And now we started on the continuous down grade to Mount Pisgah's base, our starting-point. One turn of the brakes, and on we sped, faster and faster, until we could compare it to nothing but the flight of a bird; and we did not feel it possible to ever be able to stop at Mauch Chunk, which we began to descry in the distance, when suddenly we found ourselves stationary at the platform. One of the many views from the trestling is given.

Two miles farther on, we arrive at Glen Onoko; and this is indeed fairyland, - cascades and rocks, deep shadows and broken rifts, through which the light comes dancing and quivering. Chameleon Falls, one of the greatest charms of the glen, is fifty feet high; and the stream rushes over down into a half

square basin, densely overshadowed with foliage. A little farther on we come to Onoko Falls, ninety feet in height; and if the spray is not feared, and we venture in behind this misty veil, the beauties we shall find will well repay us. Still on, up this wondrous glen, squeezing through a passage between two