Major Ellis, known for his book West African Sketches and other works, compiled detailed notes on the West African islands. His observations include information about the geography, climate, and inhabitants of these islands, as well as their role in trade, culture, and colonial history. The notes highlight the natural beauty and strategic importance of the islands, while also describing the daily life and customs of the local people. Major Ellis’s work provides valuable insight into a region that was little known to European readers at the time.
The Latest Slides in the White Mountains
By Edward Channing
The White Mountains of New Hampshire have experienced significant landslides this season. The largest occurred on July 10, on the north slope of Cherry Mountain, and was described in Science on July 31. Since that time, new slides have appeared in several locations, especially near Waterville West African Islands Major Ellis.
On August 13, heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in Waterville. Fields and hillsides around Elliot’s Hotel were submerged, and the Mad River rose twenty to thirty feet. Around the same time, it was discovered that the famous slide on the south side of Tripyramid Mountain had grown larger, while a new slide on the north side also appeared. This northern slide is only visible from Mount Washington, the highest peak in the region.
On September 10, I visited both slides with several guests from the hotel. We first climbed the northern slide, then ascended the north peak of Tripyramid, walked along the ridge to the south peak, and finally descended the old slide to its base near Beckytown.
Description of the Slides
At the upper end of the northern slide, four smaller slides converge into one stream. Two of the tributaries are extremely steep and unsafe to travel. Each is about half a mile long, while the combined slide stretches about a mile through the forest. At the lower end, a large pile of tree stumps and roots marks where the slide ended. Most of the exposed rocks are gabbro, a common igneous rock in the region. From north Tripyramid, one can also see slides on the west side of Mount Lowell (formerly Brickhouse Mountain), which have also moved this season Walking Tours Istanbul.
The original Tripyramid slide occurred on October 4, 1869, during a major storm that caused 1–2 million dollars in damage. That slide traveled over three-fourths of a mile down the slope, bent at a right angle, and continued for over two miles to Beckytown. Compared to the old slide, the new one occupies three times as much space at the top, but the lower part was less destructive. Bushes had grown on the old base over sixteen years, and not all were removed by the new slide, showing that it was less extensive than the 1869 disaster.
Even so, the flood that moved a boulder from the Flume in Lincoln three years ago seems to have been more powerful than any of this year’s slides.
— C. H. Hitchcock
