Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-09-29
Com m unicatiOn
SSPP}R8Y Of THE AGGgR.
Pic Mic.

Twas a lovely September MORNING in S
50. The morning air was cool aud bacing. =
The beauty of the day seemed 0 inyite a =
pleasure excursion, and the lace decided s
on a Picnic under Ezekiels ! Our 3
party consisted of eleyen-ladies 4S5m the =
'sSunny South" and from "the beautiful .
city of Oaks"-and gentleman principally .
from the "Old North State" Our RayAs
was Westward from College some nine $
miles, through a bleak and very undula-
ting country to the Neuse, on which this
curious Rock lies. The river, when it first
comes into view, biakes a bend ike a horse
shoe, and tho the rock is on the East side, 7
it appears On the West, like a mighty shad-
ow cast from some huge body in a deep
valley. Having secured our horses, one of
the party volunteered to procure a boat,
which he succeeded ndoingwithsome diff
ficulty. With umbrellas in hand, We be-
gan to descend a very declivitous hill, to
the top of the rock. With much oblique
walking, and occasionally relieving the la
dies of their briar sweet-hearts, we reached
the broad table rock above the preeipice.-
The feat Of peeping over the edge of the
recipice was accomplished by some Of the
gentlemen, by clinging to the vines, and
shrubbery, tho the ladies fkedSpot the
spectacle, and moved that we refar to a
cool shade of willows on the wates $ edge.
| AS twas now near two o'clock, We by the
| help Of a small plank, laid across the recli-
ming trunks of two willows, spread. a hand
some collation., prepared by our worthy
hostess and Judging from the way sundry
esculents disappeared, our exertion had
certainly sharpened our appetites conside-
rably. The boat appeared presently, and
: after a little hesitation, the ladies entered
d and were rowed round the ledge Of rock,
d which protruded into the river, thus de-
is priving us of access, and even a view OF the
rock below, except from the water. AS
l. the little boat glided gracefully along, one
Te of the ladies, moved by the romance OF the
O. place, swelIed forth a beautiful water song,
cd which [ have now forgotten. All being
J.; safely seated on the small fat rock below,
we had time to survey the grand spectacle
of above us. The rock is a species of hard
re sand-stone-is about a hundred feet IN
es length, and iuts out over e-MsteE- -nea4
forty feet, while the height from the pro
jecting cliff to the waters surfaceis eighty
III six feet. The deep assures, lodges anC
circular indentures in the rock give it
to rugged appearance, while the graceful vii
de lows at the sides, with the vines hanging
over the edge, make it at the same tim
life extremely picturesque. From the alluvia
soil on the fiat rock below, have sprung u
not two large trees, one of which [ can assig
yer to no family, though it seems to partak
sat somewhat of the nature Of a water oak
vas They are of course much deformed, hayin
owe been forced to grow with the rugged SUI
my face of the leaning rock. But a more r
markable tree is a little cedar, some eight
e IN feet high, with very prickly leaves, pc
my haps because the sun has never shone on
The ladies plucRed sprigs of this lit
'ws, cedar, to keep and preserve as curiositie
sers- %#1tn tnee1f respective musical instrument
zed' and glided up the stream executing the
Ter sweetest airs. AS the soft notes float
the mellowly over the waters, the caverno
eep- rock, Ike a great car, concentrated al
ana rolled down the rich sounds to the delight
Ri listeners below. While beholding t
ing stony mass hanging toWerimgly over us, al
10 listening to the music as it rose louder al
OF sweeter, our souls swelled with feelings t
fall deep, too eloquent to be uttered. At tim
the music would melt away on the air, al
all our thoughts would take a gentler turn
l It's Memories Of other days arose. We thoug
, Of some messy oak in a shadowy vale o7
Their which in youthful, joyous glee, we h
that sported to the music of the purling bro
ever below. But the music ceased, and with
lngs our pleasant revery. Confectionares we
wen produced, and while paying our respects
lie; these, the conversation became animate
"ho and the Jeu desprits freely circulate
pro- evlncing the true attic in the intellect,
composition of some of the party. FRI
END this lively scene my thoughts reYeled
the melancholy legend ofthe place. A
sing mantle swain, driven to despair by the
lpon quetry of his mistress, sought at suns
{ TO- the precipice, and cast himself, Sappho-lil
leS; upon the rocks III the river below, nor "
8 a his mangled body ever found. Hence t
emit; name the Rock of EzekieTs Leap" ST.
with dry other legends are connected with Il
'tlon noted rock, by the cofored DANES Of +
Ingty nelghborhood, though the one [ have n;
nlch rated is most authentic. Not far bel,
eT- this rock, may be seen a rock on the rive
hlch edge, on which is distinctly visible t
81 ol impression OF a horse shoe. The story 90,
the that a tory, having stolen a spirited hors
was hotly pursued, and running too ne
II the river, his horse took fright, leaped fro
type the hill above, upon the rock, and both We
" dashed to pieces. Near this last, is a ca,
item with low entrance, but when you ha7eee
es'l- a few feet, a large apartment twenty
ears thirty feet long opens before you. u
Will does not come gifted youth, bring the
but scenes and legends into the n%otorify II
Gus merit, by making them the subject Of 80,
pretty novelette,. But the day was Wani
and We took our leave of Eaekiel,s Roc
feeling as a man Of distinguished taste
ING Gently said, that we had seenthe /" great
I IN natural curiosity in North Carolina F,
tant, of the Pilot" ROMEO
ting WAKE FOREST COLLEGE, Sept. %.
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