The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-12-01
(roR TIE ABEEvILLE BANHER.)
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
LETTER VI.

LETTER VI.
But the most popular and attracting curl
osity of this county is the far-lamcd Natural
Bridge, from which it derives its hume; and
trul it is and object of thrilling interest:
A view of it is worth many miles travel.
And accordingly we find ii resortcd 10, lrotl,
every point of our National Conlclracv,
AM many portions Of Europe. Inconpc-
tcncy Oh the part Of the writer; and the
fact you have seen perhaps 4 dozen of gra-
phlc descriptions will prevent me from at
tempting anything OF this order at present.
A few facts, however, may be not inanpro-
priately submitted. The awful chasm
over-spanned by the massive arch is about
SO ieci wide and 2l3 deep. The arch is
80 feet wide and 55 thick. The walls of
the stately pillars are nearly perpendicular,
and arc hyeroglyphiced with nnumeraLlc
names from various portions ofthe globe
Perhaps you will be more agrceably enter
t,ined with few suggestion respecting the
origin Of this marvellous and stupcnduous
fabric Of nature. You know that Jefferson.
IN his notes on Virginia, expressed the
opinion that all Western Virginia was once
an inland sea- The Blue Ridge had for
ages Understandable opposed an insur-
mountabe barrier to the passage of the wa
ters OF this territory to the Atlantic; but at
length the mighty accumulation of floods
forced passage through the heart of this
mountain of rocks. And by a parity of
reasoning, an English visitor, in his cnthu
sastic desert ption has given publicity to
similar sentiment respecting the formation
of the Natural Bridge AS the idea was
borrowed from Jefferson, andas he bclonoc ed
to sect Of Philosophers, whose dogmas it
would not be always entirely safe to adopt
without investigation, we are constrained by
caution and prudence to examine the phys
lcal structure of the vicinity, before we ad-
NIT the lnfallibility Of the opinion. And
research will not progress very far until i.
will appear that for considerable distance
above, and some space below the Bridge,
the ridge was actually solid dense limestone
rock. 1t is Il notorious fact if nature had
not furnished this accommodation for transi-
ton, Cedar Creek could not have been
crossed for miles above or below. Now it
seems quite improbab e, if not unreasonable
that so small a stream could force rocks from
the base of this everlasting hill, and leave
the superintendent cap, or upper captum
unmoved. Besides the Bridge is about
midway between the upper and lower ex-
tremity Of considerable acclivity. Now
upon the principles of human reason. an d
experience, we would be strongly inclined
to conclude the water would force its way
through the narrowest and lowest part o
the barrier. Not very distant from tht
Bridge the surface of the earth docs no
lack great deal of being as low as the con
cave surface of the arch. The water coule
then, more naturally have made its escap
ocer this depression. You have, doubtless
seen in the Book of the United States AM
else where thrilling account of James Fl
Piper, student of Washington College
ascending the Eastern pillar of the Bridg
to inscribe his name higher in the rock thai
General Washington, and not being able +
return, was obliged to force his way FL
feet up the precipitous rock, and on reachin