Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-05-10
COMMUNICATIONS.
THE SOURCES OF THE PoToMAc.-No. /.

Rossrr. HAapsHIRH COUNTY, (VA.) MAr 2, 1851.
herewith commence another series OF my gosslPPlne
mountain letters for the In,eigencer, and Il is worthy Of
notice that am writing under the roof Of venerable gentle
man who has been subscriber that Journal for nearly hy
wears, and tha, there an immense pile Of the same IN
corner Of my room. You will readily imagine therefore,
that feel somewhat Of home, though distant from my eai
home "o'er the far blue mountains
Az the railroad brought me to Winchester sha oegn 'e
record Of my Journey with what have seen anu
this side Of that goodly town. The dstsnce M ne' :
three mss, and, as must Of necessity spena mo'I = =,
time in the saddle fortunate to accomP''n 'u''
in the mail carriage and ought here 20 'n"ouu..
ACQUAINTANCE my only companion the d''Vo = s''-
or csnyall He is thiry-fve years OF age, s"'' -
and rusty to On uncommon degree. ne
Winchester commenced life as o'acAs npu, .''
rsrsbed ,bs, trade for the Of coach-maxns' ne SUD-
e..-., nal carrier in which capacity be has
,h,,ea for sixteen years. His annual income Is
sioo .nd ,boueh he has family to support tns sum
s.u.1 6lIv ADEQUATE to make them comfortable. he Is,
,o.over without any property to fall back upon ana
;bout prosperous relatives and yet tins man Is one 'ue
bn,ss and mos, ccnlented ever beheld ne oecaieu
me that he knew no, what was to have the oes anu a
ssa sny sense in ones making himself miser-
able when he had plenty to eat coud near goou
oa .onc A rational motto this. after all, and faith
u,, dors my ie..l .aha.s il sPec,men OF his con-
versaton will testify
Much Of the country over which be transported me is
Mountainous and Wild and in spite OF his own poverty ne
could no, help making fun ofhe poorer inhabitants tnat we
h,nuened to notice on way. We saw SOLITARY iog-
cabin for example, standing upon the summit OF mountain
whereupon he exclaimed "That man has passion LOT
dogs" .WAy so" inquired because ne owns no
less than nine three keep off the wolves three TO keep on
the bears and three pump up wsser by patent pump.
We saw another cabin situated in hollow, between two very
steep u. partly cultivated mountains, and this called forth the
following remark That's very fortunate man; for, when
his pumpkins are ripe and his potatoes dug, all be has to do
is 10 start them and they roll right down into his Kitchen
questioned him with regard the occupan. Of particularly
dapida cabin and he replied That is the victim
of mountain wine "Whst kind of beverage is that
continued "Its made Of JamestounlUe and fish berries,
and tie fashionable liquor this region when people
any money and can't get trusted" We pedestrian on
the road whose clothes very much and
nv friend informed me that he fair specimen Of the
mountains Of Hampshire county. stBut why don't they
dress more comfortably sOh they can't help it." he re-
Piled they live upon persmmons and damage their clothes
by climbing"
But is time that should be giving you account Of
the lee mountain the principal natural curiosity Of this
gion and in fac! the only worthy of particular note. 1t
lies 10 the vicinity of the North river tributary of the Capon
or Cacapou and surrounded with hills Of eight hun
drsd fee, in height willie its elevation is not over FIVE
hundred II is commonplace affair to the casual observer,
bu on being inspected is found to contain its summit
kind Of natural ce-house built of sandstone subject
the rays of the from nine o'clock in the morning until
evening" and yet the oldest nhabtant Of the country cannot
remember the time when abundance Of the puest crystal
ice could be obtained heefom all Of the
The ice mbedded in the rock and in Of the cresces
snow fable and crystalline when newly faen is often
found in the month Of August As might be expected
the waters flowing from the mountain by several degrees
colder than those in the neghborhood Accommodations Office
similar to this have been discovered 10 other sections Of Hamp
shire county, but extensive. To account for this
pte upon scientific principles is out Of my power
but can see much plausby in the following remarks from
the pen Of c. B. Hayden Esq, as published in simans
Journal in lS43 rsst
The solution conceive, s to be found in the large and
unusual collection OF rocks which, from tne porous nomo
geneous texture extremely poor conduc'rs OF hest One
side Of the mountain consists Of massive wall many hun
dred thickness and hesped agains this as an abu
ent is Of rocks containing several thousand cubic
feet As the mountain has general direction from northeast
TO southwest the us heap containing the ice has NORTH
west exposure The nature OF this heap would
admit tie free Of atmospheric waters, which during
the winter would form ice in the interior OF the mass The
situated would De prOtected
surrounding rocks ice in regerater 70 isolated and pro-
teced from the external temperature BY the non conducting
sides Of the refrigerator The Ice mountain only requires for
the explanation Of its phenomenon the application OF the
familiar principle upon which s constructed the common re-
tato which temporarily effects what the Ice mountain
permanently dOesa temperature independent OF external
causes This mountain is in fact, ahnge sandstone rel
eeraor whose increased and unusual effects beyond those Of
the ordinary refrigerator due to the increased collection Of
poor conducting materials which form its sides"
Midway between Winchester and this place the road crosses
the Capon river which indeed charming stream, rapid,
clear and cold It is some FIVE miles long, and near
its upa nesd s called the Los, River, owing to the fact
the distance of several hundred yards entirely dis
spp4ars from view under bill, after which It resumes its
course as naturally and unconeeped if had not perform
cd remakatle feat. Throughout its entire course it Is
heumed in with moderately high mountains, and lis bottom
lands are narrow, but fertile and well cultivated Wheat is
the principal product and the yield is sufficient to support
number Of merchant ms which transport their -four to
market by teams Winchester and the Ohio railroad. As
to the 6h the Capo the leather varieties the
mcr abundant, although am informed that trout e-
queuy taken the Lost River and its tributaes also in
tie North river, which is branch Of the Capon. In the
way Of game, the bill country wen supplied with deer and
foxe', both Of which hunted with hounds.
And now for word about the little village where am
spending couple Of days. is situated within half mile
Of Ice Souh Branch Of the Potomac fsnked the east by
io' Of msceaneousy planted bills while On the western
soe ndse OF steep mountain land. which, when thrown
snaae~ 81 The sunset hour presents the appearance
Immense rampant the river fovno i. hsse ens uvey;ro "a