The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-08-28

a.Id Suhlimliy of lehavah's works are nntuuC hr1i
| by human hands Tn rapids are IN The bosom,
Ola forest. IN which are seen burrows OF foxes
aud deus ol rattle snakes. and IN which ave heard
The howlIng of wolves. and the screaming of ca
| grs--ihete the wild deer bound graceful,
through the small bushes, and passed ths trees
riiied 10y lightning.
ln front of the spectator. the perpendicular
face oi the rocl, lie opposite share ifeScuing
IA endless variety Of colours, Thrown, white.
/ azure aud ple=-uvsThaugin rccedrd, angu.
lar and square surfaces --hgutr. IN bass teet oi
namentrd with shfubbory small risulris ial-
ling ~ graceful Cascades down the precipicc--
/ the opeGng abyss. lined with massive rock
The inamiug. roaring water ut the bottom encir-
cled hy ralnbows. All seen NJ one view, produce
sensations unnaerahle, The iecling anee enjoy.
ed, YOU desire To recall bat 4 can he recalled
only 10y placing yourself again upon the spct.
M, does the scenery lose IFS po~et by long and
minute examination. fingered abpm the ra-
pids three days. aud The effect rather height
ened by new discoveries, than weakened by Ia
mlliaruy.
The most magnificent geoeral view is from n
part of the precipte winch projects over the u.
byss twenty feet. aud which Ii gained by de.
scent OF fifteen feel. IhIs is half why between
the commencement and termination Of the ra-
pids, near the highest part OF the mountain lhro'
which they pass not less than one hundred feet
above the water. and affords the hes, view OF the
second aud ihitd balls, one OF which is almost
nndrr the projection. Our company had jus,
san"d the site, sufficiently agna,ed with or sit
naion, when INSTANTLY appeal OF thnndrr burst
over us, and the rain descended upon ny. The
young ladies took shelter under u projecting
bank from which oneis,ep NIGH have ptccipna.
ted Them one thousand feet into the loamlng ri
he roe al la, fty rrn dol IA gIn
gle umbrella upon the pont OF the oseahangng
rock. The rock house formerly the entrance
ofihe Indians paradise, but now the eagles
hahitat,ou was before us---,h earth IN front aud
ON either hand opened vide aud deep-over ~
ronred the thunder--under Us, AZ about the same
distance, were seen aud heard the pouring add
dash'ng oi,tho cataracis--" Heavens red nI'il-
lery" played atonnd--and the wind suep, by
with great violence Al this moment large
pine near Us was riiird by the lightning, aud IT'S
trunk entirely splintered 10 The ground. Echo
answered echo from side to side, rnmhlmg long
mud loud through the cayerns oi the broken
mountain,--Nr all irembed, aud looked AT
each other in silence. The ladie, sustained the
shock with unexpected cJuanimity, aud kept
their places In haitian hour The cloud passed
over-the wind slept--thc SUI casting lis bril-
liant rainbows round the falls, spread over the
wilderness mild aud rnchan ing serenity, anu
we pursued our discoveries with augmented in
terest,aS
This, however, was the most sublime and aw
ful hour Of my lie. Perhaps few hive ever
been f1vored with display more magnhccnt-
~ impressive Of the power and presence OF
Dmnipntence. Heaven aud earth seemed to
display their most terrific operations, and con
spircd to make ms feel our own fceheness.
The Rock House is an entrance apparently
len feet square leading into the perprndcuinI
face of the rock loo ial down the side 10 he ac-
crssiblr. We we're informed, by the guide, OF
an Indian tradition tina, this is the door of pnrn-
disc. TKSv had Frequently traced their lost com
unnionS N this spot, aud could never henf9t u~rar
again sinceNpnich no Iudlan has heeu.known Ia
hunt alone neai the rapids Of lallulah. Al pIr-
sent the suprritious Gag lie finds this safe re-
treat TO rear hcr young.
There are ihrer places of dcsc cent 10 the bed
Of the liver; two OF these meet nj the same place,
aud the other leads 10 the bottom OF the upper
fall. The other falls have been approached very
seldom aud only bv Inrd,ng up the stream,
Both drsccnts cannot easily be performed the
same day the upper one 10 the fall Is the most
interesting. 10 look out at the opening of this
deep guilt paws the excessive fatigue ot the lower
de, cent hut the view from several positions ~
hove, produces the most enchanting effect OF
grandeur aud snbimry.
AZ these Rapids. Very forcibiy feel the innu
ence bv which the Pr worshippers, select
ed grand aud terrible sceucs as the most Gvora-
bic places 10 hid converse with the ncny. The
mountain stop--the deep valley--lhe base al
tie waterfall. and the mouth of the Rtoiio, were
selccirdhy The tude inhabitanis of untaught
nations as the dwelling place of "A presiding di-
Yinliy.
lett tbs place with an upsaiislpd curiosity
convinced that n year might have been consumed
ia examining every ohjrcl interesting 10 scien
nlic traveller.
In prctrtring the rapids 10 the table Noun
Tain, rs dccid rdly do, ~ common With MANY
Of superior TASTE IN scenery, would object II
no pant of the animation so Justly aud 80 large
~ bestowed on the latter. lach presents
scenrs like no other IN the United states; the
one is So perfectly unlike the uihrr, aud boil
are 50 remarkable, that n visit To the one, N ~
respect snperscdes The p,UpIieiy Of seeing ih'
olhar
The effect from ~ TOP Of tho Table Rock j.
| one ruu,Scd overwhelming "nsaiion OF the sub
lime. As the spectator walks along the pdg'
ortbe gloping rret ice for the dird al Il mnc
his mind demands time for expansion 10 )"
cciyc the Giii influence of It's new ItuRliou Thu
Is accomplished by Ii ng the attention upnu eacl
object separately the falls of Sinking before
hnn, the plantations below him and 'ht
broad bosom of the forest spreading =
very ~av bpi the effect Of the pfcrlplce M
! DIR him prevails over pll other emoiinus n the
+ spectator walks half = mite under the pr""ilicc
+ the height Of which is Al this iii tance about 81"
/ ven huntred aud thirty feet, aud The base o
! y ch coutaiusa narrow path midway between
+ the summit aud base 81 the mountain, variety
Of emotions senjoyed too complex 'e b" dctl
niltly Described. Objects pleas ng. novel, beau
! uful and sublime, ale every moment d"mant
I ing his attention. On the summit his coun'e
nance IS grave, his word, few, and hrs imaRin
alton strongly excitpd. Al the base, his coun
frnancc lighted up. and his conversation an'ma
+ ted sud brilliant. for his visit 10 the suunf
] he iecls rewarded. and his mud has expanded
/ With his vlsit To The base he is more than y" Us
! fed he is delie he'd his feelings have berr
! kmdicd-Ih e company are enheafrd to ihm
! aud ON retiring II, saws, no day 81 my lie has
/ passrd more agreeable 81 more rfohihhle
he hos, Judges. however, unanimously cypress