Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-10-19
Far hs Enquirer.
TIE mouNTAINs-wESTERN VIRGINIA.

Far M. Engmrcr.
TIE MoUNTAINs-WESTERN VIRGINIA.
"But wha, have you met with - said Christian:
.Msn-"Why, we were almost IN Tue 'a"ey "'
shadow OF Death,' sc.
@Bn, what have you seen ." said Christian
-M,n-.Scrn. why, the Valley Itself, when Is a.
dark as pitch - &c BanyG"'s Pilgrims Progress.
SHADES or DEaTn,
Fayette County, Virginia, lc4"}
Messrs. Editors: PERM, ME 10 drop you d ~
ei,i.e line from This self constituted hapi'auono
The great Destroyer, "a sqnaiter, anu srieVouS -,
lrutcr as he i';) yei, alsho' il Is ho'qune as :
AS Ina, mentioned By the PsalinIst, uf Jeicm'ah
=, bv Eunyan. !, is dfeary, dismal and rumaniic
enough. Notwithstanding. During an excursion
through these mountains, found myself one very
sulny afternoon. descending and enterihS ih'o
those yeritable ashades," and although nolln all IT,
respects corresponding with The descent oil Eneds
or relemschus. nor 10 The shadowya bodeso itnoss
departed spiriis, amongst whom these Trojan ne.
roas m;uoIed. il may nevertheless be considered
pre,ty good imitation. considering that This IS a
new world and that Virginia is far behind The age
in manufactures and internal improvement. Here,
however. | must pause 4 inomeni, and by way VI
DEPRESSION, acknowledge The valuable acts ana
dcines Of the Legislature last sIon-Dem
cratic as i, was-on This subject OF improvement.
Il would, however, be still more wise, patriotic
anu bukdl'dSSppS u 80 aNaa~
10 Covineton, aid then a railroad IL Ohio river
or Kanawha, in tulflmenl OF The original design.
which woald BRING them 10 these very shades"
unless indeed they are fearful OF entering upon
this his n~iaiesiy's fearful dominions. But, 10 re-
turn 10 my Tartarean visit, say whatihey may,
West Virginia is a fine country, take il al. in all.
The "Shades of Death" in Fayette is an inter
eslins spot. | heard many tradilionary tales and
Indian legends connected with The place; such as
a man being found dead al one time AID place,
and another found sufocated in the LILLE creek
flowing al The boliom;-a white man and an In
dian killed al another period, when there were
Two little boys who were leillo pefish;-howlingS
occasionally heard in The adjacent woods, and
all such fairy tales and amusing stories as are
told on the banks OF the Elbe, The Rhine, The
Tweed and The Shannon.
The Shades Of Death are situated on what is
known as the old Kanawha road, leading TO the
Wesi, about six miles East OF Rawyers ferry on
New river, down which The improvement, whe-
Their canal or railroad, intended TO connec, The
East and West, must pass. Here, many years
ago, (iSl. lhink) Judge Marshall, Charles
Fenton Mercer, and Others, made the first survey
Of The county in pursuance Of law in reference
to a plan OF Improvement and made a favorable
report as 10 The practicabilily and necessity OF
uniting The Eastern and Western waters.
But | have not lime TO dwell on this subject al
present, as | barely have p%encilrd out these pas
sing remarks Oh a rock on The brink Of the purl.
ing stream that dances over The smaller mass.
es of tree stone through the bottom of this narrow
ravine. The distance from the top OF the hill
on one side 10 The other is about a mile, but it is
a narrow space, encoinpassed on each side with
dense, impenelrabIe lhickets OF pine and laurel
furnishing no vista, but at the same time
producing those u%nlading evevgrecns lha, never
Tail 10 preserve their natural complexion in The
mos, blighIing season when all around is gloomy
sad and desolaie.
Al another time | will give you some incident.
respecting The history, traditions and locale Of lht
Yves, but must close on This topic al present.
More anon. VIATOR.