Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-08-31
O THE vIRGI MAN.
A Visit to the Natural Bridge.

"A party OF IA FOUND dozen oil us, men, women
and children, made IA visit To the Natural
Bridge. during the week of this present writ.
Ing and here follows a brief account of the
events by the way, the sojonrn at The Ridge.
and the return to the busting, busy little civ
Of Lynchburg:
We took the Packer" at The usual land
ing, ut The foot at the steps, under the new loot
hrldge across the canal-thc accommodating
Captain Iestman commanding. Al 8 o'clock
--lnsiead of69. We pushed off. and began to
glide away from our moorings. The deten
ton was occasioned by the failure of the boa,
from Richmond TO arrive ut It's usual time.
We bad but a small company aboard. All
qn'et, g%enteel, clever passengers ; at least, so
Ihoy seemed. am happy to believe they
We're really "hat they appeared to he In u
short time the city disappeared behind the IN
lervening cliffs. and the Tobacco Row noun
talns swelled up before US, ard seemed to cut
oil The prospect of any considerable progress
in that direction, by acater. But Winding round
The battling sleeps that frowned upon us on
the rivers brink. We found ourselves gradual,
passing these lofty barriers. only to be greeted
however by the more elevated sunrnits of the
Blue Ridge range.that seemed utterly to close
up 'nr way, and preclude the possibilit, oil a
water passage beyond their cloud cleaying
heights. But onward and away we speed cur
t%oriuous conrse-now creeping along under
impending rocks-now winding round rugged
aud %jnttlng crags that run up abrubtIy TO the
river. and trown upon those who have the te
merity TO pass beneath. From the Rope
Ferry To the mouth OF North River "a dis
lance OF hive or SIX mlles-we passed amid the
widest, aud most picturesque and romantic
scenery that meets the eye OF the traveller on
any of the great throughiares in this country.
Every element of The grand and beautiful is
harlnoniously combined and pictures Of exauis
he dellcacy. as well as bold, striking views,
marked by the widest STR, INCEST features, will
constantly meet the eye at every turn through
thi. rugged mountain pass.
We arrived at G,lmor's Mil, at the mouth
Of Cedar Creek, while The sun was yet hish
above the mountains. The passengers who
were bound for the Springs took the mail
coach and hastened on, While the party for the
Bridge had 10 wait ill an extra was brought
Out. l~hls,howevcr. was done with more than
ordinary despatch. and in a few moments our
whole company were M, and upon the stage.
and our rather demure looking driver cracked
his whip over a jaded team, and way we roll
ed for the Bridge. And first. We asceoded a
Cohs'aeiaoe mountain, py SLOW gradatlOns,
winding round and round I'LL presently We
were looking down upon the Mills from which
we started. The ascent was made at a snail $
pace. by the time We reached the highest
point, | had talked the driver into a fine humor.
by making various inquiries of the routes he
had driven. and the accidents that had befalIen
him, and speaking well of his horses. For
stage drivers, generally.are as much pleased by
having their horses praised. as mothers are
with the compliments paid to their children.
We had a brisk little irot to the foot of the hill,
then We fell bnck into the snails pace, up, up.
up the next hill when We reached the high
est point OF elevation a magnificent, panoramic
view OF the mountains vas spread before us.
AS the sun was declining, the sides Of the noun
tains, assumed all possible shades and hues-
from the delicate. ETHEREAL blue, to the deer
dark purple. A little skirt of clouds passed
over Us. and a light shower of rain fell, while
the sun was shining and a more beautiful bow
scarcely ever sprung up on the bosom of a
cloud than graced the passing away Of tina,
little Aeecy, vapory wreath that Aoated over u.
on the wings of the wind. The rainbow ben,
so gracefully and majestically over tho noun