Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-07-26
GAZETTE.
From the Baltimore Patriot.

THE PEAKS OF OTTER, IN VIRGINIA.
In AN excursion of health, some time since,
we took horses at Lynchburg, and rode to the
Natural Br,Jye along the pass oil the James Ri
YER through the Blue Ridge. This pass is not
,nneh kuown to travellers from other states; II
"a however. one Of the most magnificent noun
,,;n ,leGes 10 our country. Seven miles from
the Natural Bridge, on our road to the Peaks OF
Otter. the last punt of curiosity in our excursion,
,ve crossed the principal branch OF James River,
and soon struck again into the Blue Ridge, the
clamberns of which occupied the greater part OF
onr forenoon. At the point where the road en-
tsrs the mountain, Jennings Greek, bold, live
ly mountain torrent, with a great volume oil
water. flows into the James, through deep,
Wild uuadrilateral glen, whose woody recesses
and towering cliffs were enlivened with busy
aw.mill, almost the last note Of human industry
we saw that morning. The torrent and our road
ran through the same glen. though in opposite
directions; and this fresh mountain stream, the
mn,t beautiful | ever remember to have seen,
We traced nearl, TO the top OF the mountain,
distance perhaps OF nine ten miles, and cross
| ed, think. twenty-slx times. The former road
crossed it thirty-three times; but we avoided
some Of the fords by DETECTION up the noun
tain. / should rather say we missed them; tor
n a warm summer morning, IN an upward as
cent, such a clear and lively current, here and
there catching the sua, but generally empowered
in vast trees or in the tangled protusion OF the
mountain thicket, and winding, ieaP,nS and
foamng in nuinberless cascades, Is one OF the
most grateful pictures Of GOODNESS and beauty in
nature. The mere sound OF waters is refresh.
ng amidst the silent, quivering heat oil noontlde.
Though we pursued this fine torrent through
thousand or fifteen hundred feet Of ascent, II
net retained very considerable volume OF water
when we crossed it for the last time. Occa.
onally found it resting place in some deep pool,
That to the fringed bank with kaimin cro~n'd,
Her crystal mirror held.
As we threaded this labyrinth Of woods and
waters, the ascent grew more steep and ths tor
ksl more lofty. When near the plateau OF the
nOutain from which the Peaks spring, we were
particularly struck by the size OF the trees; and
Is we passed some half-mouldered trunks, sex
lended long aud large" IN their deep beds OF de-
tayed leaves, we began to amuse ourselves with
computing in what year OF our era some OF them
might have been acorns. The vulgar notion al
lows a century for the growth, maturity and de-
cay of an oak respectively; but this computation,
which took US back only the insignificant dis
rance Of the discovery OF America. by no means
kaus6ed US. A planc-tree was long shown IN the
ale of Cos, thought TO be a thousand years old;
lind il il not long since the remains OF the oak
near which, IL tradition is to be trusted, William
Rafus was killed by ryrrel's arrow, were still!
Known m the New Forest. On the whole, we
hose think il quite probable that some Of these
nosllerinp trunks might have been springing
run the acorn about the signing OF Magma Char
a. or, for auyht we knew. at the dissolution OF
|he Hap,archy. In these hoary solitudes Of Ma
ure was strongly reminded of the remark Of
he Younger Mlchaux on the American Forest
The profound silence" saws he, which reigns
these woods, the absence of every dam
erous animal, and the security enjoyed IN them,
bun an aggregate which is seldom met with in
buer countries" may remark here, that the
sttlesuake is now seldom found IN the Blue
Ridge. The popular opinion Of the neighbour
ood ascribes its disappearance to the range Of
aine through the portions OF the moutaln still
hooded; but as the {" copper-head." a reptile not
mite SO famous, but equally formidable, still
nllatans its ground against the hog in his brsIy
rmour, not only in these mountains, bur in lone-
places near our cities, where the rattesnake
never seen, we may more probably ascribe the
nlgraon of the latter TO its habits and instinct.
Noon was past when on the plateau OF the
Fountain We took our praudial repast seated on
fallen tree, near one of the potable streamlets
hat issue copiously, like veins of silver, from the
arth. At house a little farther on, our steeds
ad the same good fortune, and here we rather
unnecessarily engaged the services of guide to
how Us the path to one of the submits which
Ose steep above US, and which we were to clam
er on foot. The Peaks Of Otter are two remark
Die points which tower very considerably above
be general elevation of the Blue Ridge. The
bore northern summit is the loftiest and most
passlve but visiters usually ascend only the south
rn one, which lpresume is more accessible. The
t,er rises also more conically from the mountain
bat forms its base, and probably affords, from
detached position. more unimpeded prospect
the vast panorama of plain, forest and mountain
ITS feet. At the foot of this peak we saw album
ance Of the rhododendr,n mar'nau"a, here cal
the laurel, asplendid Towering shrub. rare
pa much valued with US. Our ascent cost US
hour and some minutes of hard climbing, in.
'rrpted by many pauses absolutely necessary
rest and take breath, for the path is IN some
ices so steep aste make the hands nearly as
Sessary as the feet We must have sat down
Of breath dozen times, while our guide Jog
On without difficulty. I suppose even the
ae'mlll, the exercise Of which must bear the