Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-11-22

and Yancey its godfather Above the dark blue sea,
rest its summit sleeps in undisurbed
serenity and composure elevation Of CATO feet land
whilst the rocks Washes and the great bulk Of the
known world. II rises like tall cliff with grandeur and
ubmy that defy competition opens the rain clouds, peers
above the husbands the ice and of winter
gives life and beauty an eternal green vedure carpets
itself with dark green moss; Is first challenge the admra
ton Of the and last to witness its departure, receiving the
first and last kiss Of his golden rays and eve. Who
would stand upon the top Of such honored and time
patriarch and view landscape from centre to circum
ference which for its beauty, variety, extent and sublmy
perhaps ia unadoned nature, unsurpassed by any In the
known world There are not many reading persons who
have not heard Of its not great many among who have
had glmpses Of from point but there hum
dreds and thousands and been raised with
in thirty miles of it who know little about more than it
is the Black Mountain they do about the g mouan
ia the and, without being particular among
the numbers though old enough for king, priest patriarch,
president We had for years desired to wipe of the
proach but misfortune and another deprived Of the
opportunity till Thursday, the 2Sd Of October 1851, when,
after failing TO induce several friends to accompany for fear
bail asans the Geld" swung the spne horn about US,
and. in company with Mr. A. g. MeIrmoD, struck the
g winding way" Ginning to ourselves
"Awsy away. to the mountain brow,
Where the streams are gently lavng. taf YtEE
Away away !" 60. Ne 4gi s'sf ss,if
We left Ashevie at 10 o'clock A. NJ, and with mode
ride reached the Lodge" Mount Hor handsome.
Improvement made at Whakers Spring" spur Of the
Black Mountain, twentyfour mias from Ashevle, having
secured the the services Of Mr. Jesse Sepp guide
In the evening partook of plain repss found our
thermometer "a retired rest, and hapsst four got
up and prepared for the accent starting quarter before
five we made way up the sleeps of the mountain keep
ing the windngs Of the only path on it, under the dark
foliage Of the millions Of bsssm that cover it like
cloak for miles, as best could, now in il and but
Excelsior was inscribed on our hearts, and de-
point by sunrise After made the FIRST long ascent we
gained the main ridge, leading to the "Potao Top next
in height to the Black this kept for distance and
then turned the left making direct change for the main
top and, though the ground ced and ICY perspraon
flowed freely and DER rock and cag, and earth and moss
Oh, onward and upward went, toilng to make the
ascent on side while the bursting from the
eyeds of morning dash with the velocity Of lightning his
briants upon the other Occasionally gave blast from
horn, which, though elsewhere clear and shr some
how had here lost its voice. and it fell poweress
breath against strong wind listened in vain for the
echo and if tever found home in heaven AS our
favorte song says And gan, shall echo in heaven again.
Perhspsh did, but we can't say. 3a s,l i
At last ushered into open plain Of four or
i've acres peril destitute Of every thing except grass and
the cold air struck very sensby while passing through ;
into the dark baam forest dashed again. and in two or
three moments shouted EUnEKA ~ for we stood upon
the highest pinnacle of the highest mountain ia America and
very considerably heaven than expected TO be
while editor Of country newspaper but was and 90
was It once with his birthstone majesty. The atmosphere
was clear and beautiful; nothing to the sight, bu, long,
white, and vaegaed cloud that stretched itself like cur
tain across before and behind the hills and mountain
peaks below which occasoned by TIE burning Of the
woods on the Swannanoa side. We planted our guns,
mounted the highest rock, and had hardly time to look ali
rounda moment had not passed in all this time-.l the
glorious and beautiful of the morning peersd up the
dappled east with brghtness Of glory, dazzling bril-
liancy an ndescbabe spendor, 6ey flashing Of bright
where else upon earth We have often watched his
rising and setting at have him from hside from
valley from mountain, and from plain but before did
we him from the Black Mountain never did we be.
hold him literally taking the wings 81 the morning and
flying to the uttermost parts of the esrh" gliding with
thousand hues the whole earth in his dazzling fight and
bis holiness the city Of God yet we felt that
the God who rules on high" Is terrible mighty God in
bis MAJESTY, his handiworks and his omnipotence and we
nvountay exclaimed, "Great thy wondrous works ~
10 this instance we did behold " bis footsteps in the sea-"
see him riding the Storm but we saw him shooting
his moral light from hill to hill from mountain to mountain,
and from valley to valley waking up and calling to action
millions o. ms creatures Under these reflections turned
and saw the rays Ct his dashing from mountain to noun
sin now here now there tipping this peak glancing that
cl yon Precpice that hillside; and anon, with blaze
pc spread his omnpotence DER the whole scene leaving no
hing far the could upon which his rays aud his
brightness did not fall. 9F, nee!T5aIk sf'
Higher and higher be sscended and now the ms began
o clear away in the distance, end object and another in
apo succession presented ITSELF till we thought Of the poet
ss.' 'sAnd still new beauties may / see tt@
Il And still increasDg light"
And % was fol ID the east eyes glanced rapidly upon
he Blue Ridge, Table Mountain Hawk Bill Brushy Noun
ain. the Grandfather, Turkey Cork and multitude of
'therf, apparently rising in the distance till the background
became one vast plain, level blue as beautiful as the
ea on the north, the Bald the Tennessee and the Paint
were glistening 10 The sun the west the
orsggy the French Btosd Range Psgab, Hog Back Look
ng Glass CLASSY, &c. studded the picture on the SOUTH
he highest peak Of the Aeghanies the PnnacIes Rocky
Anos. Slaty Gray Beard, Bear Walow, Sugar tosl and
lue and measuring and filing every descriptive height.
From this point may be the east and Immediately
lnder it the Ise Of the Toe River just beyond the beau
iful Caawba on the NORTH Cansy River; ON the we Ivy
md Laurel; on the south, the limpd Swannanos, whose
waters help 70 swell the mighty Mississippi We made the
scent from Mount Hor by pressing walk, IN lust forty
minutes After feasting eyes intoxcation we made
ur way ba X and afcended the Potato Top. Ia making
ne trip up the 6wannanoa, this mountain stands square
cross in front Of the Black and entirely hides from sight
nd y SO called BY lis highest point resembling bunch of
rish potato tops the Black derives s name from the
asting black appearance presents by bang covered with
aIsam both winter and summer From the Potato Top
post picturesque view s pesened taking in the EASTERN
oushern, and western view, including the Catawbs Toe
Iver Swannanoa, and Homony valleys, Marion, Morgan
,n and huntsville can be from the Black, On the
otato Top one may stand moment in the counties Of
'urke, Mcdowell, Buncombe and Yancey, all Of which
oner there The between the Black snd the Cmg
y, both OF which lock arms is srikngy beautiful. The
'mer ever stands in lis dark, preciptou., gloomy, and
ombre hue the latter with its beautifully soped and curved
P is numerous pointed and peaked ridges Of which
70 naked and barren and Others wearing heavy foliage
nd the whole presenting quite avey and animated appear
nee though Of bronzed and syh hue. We took long,
voaH o1t~ ~. L..