Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-05-31
THE SOURCES OF THE PoToMAc.-No. v.
WINSTON, ALIrsHAxr Cousrr, MD.,

Mar II, 1851.
am writing this letter from capital tavern, known ia
and wide this country the Mountain Retreat,
kept by Mr.. EDwARD TOWNS, and situated on beautiful
slope of cultivated land the summit of the Allegheny
mountains But before proceeding to speak Of this place
and vicinity intend must briefly record the substance
Of my observations since left Beverly The ride thher
sixty miles in LENGTH and for the most part through
cheeress and unneresng country, both regards the
ry and the fertility Of the SOIL Farms indeed scattered
here and there along the road but they have were been
whitfield out Of the solid Forest and what the people
the West term dead clearngs. The common lighthouse is
almost the only kind Of habation here met with and the
majority Of these poorly and careessy built They usual
contain but two rooms, comprising the whole Of the
first floor and gare! to which you ascend BY common
ladder With regard to location however, these cabins
almost invariably upon agreeable and appropriate spots
sometimes by spring in lonely ravne of the mountains,
sometimes by rvulet elevated hillside and sometimes
upon the extreme summit Of mountain, with grassy lawn
around whence may be world Of rank and rolling lux
urance, recedDg to the sky The people Ignorant
far bookearnng concerned but they we'll supplied
with common sense, and industrious enough to deserve
better than the Of them enjoy In religion they
are usually Methodss and Bapst and quite consistent
in their Of life the better informed in other sections
on for murder is said have occurred in the county
Of Randolph The exports Of this region in any branch Of
husbandy should imagine be extremely limited the in
habitants to make point to live upon their own re-
sources much possible To hoard up money is by no
means ruling passion with the majority they
enough Of the solids and really good things of @ they are
contented and happy To the extent Of their they
hospitable; and have really imagined, from what have
Geen of Vignia, that for true Vrginan be compelled to
DO otherwise than hospabe would render him truly wreched
About midway between Beverly and this place. the wind
ing road by which the Cheat river and at this
point spent very agreeable night the guest of Mr. WIZ
EwIzs. The contrast which bis comfortable frame
house, well cultivated farm, good collection of books and
pretty children, sporting upon velvey lawn presented
what had recently witnessed among the mountains was
quite refreshing found him Of superior intelligence
and devong himself to the making Of surveying instruments
in which department Of mechanical labor he much Of an
adept to receive, in spite Of his ouofheway residence
good deal of patronage from the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company The Cheat river, opposite his residence
rather large stream. and might, he informed me- with
little expense be made navgabe this point for keel boats
On my way from Mr. Ewinss residence to this place met
with only one incident worth recording my bride path led
me for considerable distance up little stream of pure wa
ter in othe pools of which, while seated upon my horse
| caught no less than twenty-six trout.
And for paragraph about the Retreat where am
spending little leisure time most pleasantly. 1t is in the
first place. situated the Northwestern Turnpike and COM
mands most interesting view Of wild mountain land bro
ken, far the eye discern, by only cultivated
FARMS which resemble garden fats far than they do
ensve fields where cattle might Craze by the thousand
The air is salubrous to degree and the sun
rise well the sunset which may frequently be
witnessed imposing and beautiful Among the many
attractions of the place, accessible herefom in the way Of
natural scenery, the Backbone Mountain, the Mrth
Potomac and the Falls Of the Black Water. The first the
highest pinnacle of this portion Of the Aeghanes and
mands view not only Of great world Of mountains fading
ridge beyond ridge, to the western sky but also Of that ex-
ensve and unique glade country waered by the Yugho-
gany This mountain, distant two miles, is covered
with uxuran growth of oak and other hard woods and
affords fine red deer and in great abundance any other
part Of Maryland in testimony Of which assertion may
mention that in passing down Of its avnes yesterday
saw herd Of twenty Of these lovely creatures and
not long thereafter before my aued by strain
Of rich and deep music from pack Of hounds the baying
melody echong into the deepest sotudes Of the old hills
And to those who appreciate the thousand charms
wild and clear and cold and rapid stream winding and sing
Ing among the mountains here the Potomac, only half
mile away The splendid of this stream through one
the richest coal mines Of the world through tho gorge
Hapers Ferry, past the metropolis of land and by The
sacred soil Of Mount Vernon had led imagine its oun-
tain head to be something particularly interesting, and have
not been disappointed Lovely indeed the pools that here
invite the bather into their amber bosoms and to the trout
which they harbo these almost abundant the peb
bles Of the stream With regard the Falls Of the Black
Water, tributary OF Cheat river have to state that they
distant fifteen miles, and at the end Of particularly
rough tramp but will well repay the vise for any fatigue he
may experience. The is quite large and the falls has
been asceained to upwards Of fifty feet and
nearly perpendicular The Of the stream are Of very
dark hue hut translucent extremely cold and superabound
in the finest Of trout Another attraction Of the Mountain
Retreat to the sceneryoving tourist or those who may visit
for the purposes of hunting and fishing OF to invigo
rate their health by its pure air. is the character Of the land
lords table This is indeed all that could be desired BY the
lover Of variety the asdous the vsnds are not only
rstrae, but placed upon the table in manner which
by means expected in isolated spot and what's more
the best Of wines is always obtanable
Bot this place also attractive one to those who have
taste for business especially that kind resulting from the drv
ing Of cattle from Ohio the Eastern cities The farm at
ached to the Retreat contains sixteen hundred
and Ohough rich in the two minerals Of and coa affords
every facility for the feeding Of cattle and is consequently
resting place for the Western dovers At this yrv moment
look upon the surrounding fields can discern herr
herd Of hundred fat cattle, there flock Of Eve hun
ded Sheep and yonder drove Of four hundred hogs All from
the Ohio and bound the Washington and Baltimore mar
kes The rovers are unidue class of men IN bone