Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-23
LETTERS FROM THE ALLEGHANY MOUNTAINS.
[coRREsPosDEscE OF THE NATIONAL ISTEILIcEscRn.]
AsuvILLr, BusconBr COUNTY, N. c.

Twenty-Five miles from this place. northerly direction
stands Black Mountain, which is the goomy-ookng patr
arch Of the Aeghanes and claimed to be the most elevated
point of land eastward Of the Mississippi 1t is nearly
thousand feet high and with Its numerous pnnaces
Of territory which in length distance
OF at least twenty miles, Unlike its fellows in this Southern
land it is covered with dense forest from base summit
where may be found nearly every variety of American trees
FROM the willow and the elm, to the oak and the Canada fir
and it is the parent Of at least hundred streams Not rood
Of its rocky and yet fertile surface has been cultivated
and its chief inhabitants the panther, the bear and the
deer. Almost its only human denizen Frederick Bur
net mghy hunter" who is upwards of forty years
Of age and is said have slain between five hundred and six
hundred bears upon this mountain alone To obtain ade
quate idea Of its height and granduer should be viewed
from al least dozen points Of the compass and with regard
the circular and apparently boundless panorama which
commands can be far better imagined than described. On
questioning Of the wild natives Of the region the
character of this prospect he replied: Good God sir it
looks down upon every seaport in the United States and
the whole Of Mexico" On learning this truly remark
able circumstance, my curiosity Of excited and
questioned my informant the facilities Of looking of from
the peak Directly the highest point, said he " stands
single fir which you have to climb and thus look down
all creation" "And how do you reach the summit :"
continued co. it's very easy natter stranger; you only
have yak about six miles, and right straight the rough
est country you did see." -
With all this intelligence fully satisfied and there
upon concluded that should waste Of my strength merely
for the privilege Of climbing tree though the
elevated in The land One Of my Ashve friends, how
ever whom had brought letters of introduction, spoke to
Of the Black Mountain in the most enthusiastic TERMS said
that ought visit it, and added that he had gotten up
party Of one dozen gentlemen including HIMSELF who were
resolved upon visiting the foot Of the mountain in my
pany They described lovers of scenery anglers and
hunters and it proposed that should go horseback
though accompanied by kind Of TENDER consisting of small
wagon load Of provisions fishing rods and guns, which
to be under tie especial charge Of old negro named Sam
Dynond. of course delighted with this arrangement,
and the expedition accomplished to the satisfaction of
all concerned will give OF its principal incidents
Our cavacade started the break of day, and, Miss
Fortune would have it, in what we imagined morning
shower happened, however, that il raned almost with
ceaing until reached place of destination, which
log shantee not far from the base Of The Black Mountain
and about six miles from its summit Our lay up the
valley Of the SDannano1h, which, in spite Of the rain, could
but admire for its varied beauties This river rises the
Black Mountain charming tributary of the French Broad
from FIVE twenty yards width cold and clear, very rapid
and throughout its entire length soveshaded most uxur
growth o. graceful and scented and vines The
plantations this highly cultivated, the surround
ing scenery mountainous, graceful and picturesque and
among the small but waterfalls which make the first
half Of its exceedingly romantic may be enjoyed the
finest Of trout fishing.
To describe the appearance Of party assembled
the Swannsnoah through the mud and an quite mpos-
sbe without employing military phrase. Weooked more
like party Of used up cavaliers, returning from unor-
siege, than in pursuit Of pleasures and in spite
Of efforts be cheerful few Of faces lenghen
ed uncommon degree Some Of company de.
cded characters and variety Of professions represented
Our captain banker, highly intelligent and rode
perb horse second captain Labeh-ke gentleman
with scarlet Mexican cloak had editor with u.s. whose
principal appeudage long pipe there also young
hysician, wrapped up in blue blanket also young gra-
duaie enveoped in Spanish cloak, and riding beautiful
pony also young artist, and then farmer also
merchant and last Of all the deponen, with i'm
plaid blanket wrapped round his body and huge pair
of boots hanging from his legs, whose romantic appearance
somewhat enhanced by the fact that his horse the
ugest in the country Long before reaching place Of
destination eshe pouring down the bed Of the Swan
nsnoab and had ford least twenty tines
with variety Of mishsps. which particularly amusing
We arrived a, cabin on the mountain, which
place OF noon, when
came clear and dropping spirits revived The cabin
stood the margin Of the Swannanoah and completely
hemmed in by immense forest Our first movement
fasen and feed the horses and having satisfied
apostles with cold lunch, portion Of the company went
fishing while the remainder secured the services OF the hunter
Burnett and some half dozen Of his hounds and eDdeavored
70 kill deer AZ the sunset hour the anglers returned with
lot Of three hundred trout and the hunters with
handsome doe With this abundant supply Of forest deli
caccs, and few nc-nacs' that had brought with US
managed get up supper Of the first water but each
his cook, and fingers and hands
poycd in the place Of knives and plates While this interest
ing business going dispatched Burnet after fiddler,
who occupied cabin his own and when the musical
gentleman made his appearance ready for the "cven
ngs entertainment"
We devoted hours series OF fantastic Dances and
when became tired Of this portion Of the olc, spent
hour singing songs and wound up the evening by
telling stories. OF the hundred and that related
only few al all connected with the Black Mountain
but these Indian legends and gathered from different
sources byhe gentlemen present, will preserve them in
this letter for the ed6caon Of those interested in such mat
On the north side Of Black Mountain there was once
cave, where all the animals in the world closely
fined and before that time they had been known
the mountains they do All these animals
in the keeping Of old Cherokee chief This man,
who had mischevous son, often home with fine bear
or deer would never tell his son or any other person
where be found much valuable game. The did
like this and when his father went alter