The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-12-15
I,yc,srra. q Oct. 10Th, 1853.

LANCASTER, o., Oct. 10Th, 1853.
MY "DEAR Lilly" Since my letter of
the 9Th, / hava visited another scene which
surpasses, in beauty aud grandeur all that
had seen before; and like all the other points
that | have visited here, entirely exceeded
INV anticipationsH A wild and massive cliff,
situated some four mite s Southeast of the
city, rises perpendicularly out of the valley
beneath to the heighth of several hundred
feet, Overlooking the valley of Clear Creek
which has been, for what reason ! cannot
conceive, called Jacobs Ladder" and for
the reason that | like the name better, and
because it seems much more appropriate,
shall call it"Eagle Cliff" If you have ev-
er looked over the precipice at Niagara,you
will be better able to form some idea OF this
place, when | tell you that the depth OF the
chasm at Niagara has no comparison to II
fer grandure, and dwindles into nothing
when compared with this in regard to a con-
centration Of natural beauties. AT Niagara,
you look down upon a whirling sea OF wat
ers, Iashed and tortured into foam and spray,
which excite awful emotions, it is true, but
nothing else. Here, you have combined
with the terrible grandeur Of the overhang-
ing cliff, one ofthe most enchanting land
scapes that the eye ever rested upon. IN
medistely below you-so far below that you
grow sick and faint rs you look; a perfect
sea of many colored forest trees clothes a
little valley THROUGH which you catch
g.impses OF Clear Greek rejecting back the
clear sky. like a slieet Of polished silver,
peeping out here and there, Evening up the
stern features of the picture, and giving the
eye delicious points of view TO rest upon be-
- 49, -. n - 18Th oNhara aucaFsoIu
B less attractive. Far away in the distant
: valley which winds below, the cultivated
, fields in various hues Of green and god,
present another feature Of beauty as well as
the hills and trees which overtop and bound
3 them on all sides, and IN the extreme dis
l.. lance the blue hills rise one upon another
|, in glorious gradations of matchless tints,
which make me feel sad enough when
: think how childish are even tho best efforts
: to give any adequate conception upon can
. yass of such q scene as this. The road from
a Lancaster leading TO this place is like all
i, the roads diverging from that point, exceed
: inpIy picturesque, abounding in fine views
: of hill and va. ley, the latter containing soil
: equal in fertility to the celebrated "Scioto
VaIley;" and the hills with a few exceptions
$ susceptible of cultivation to their very sum-
- mits, and any of them affording excellent
, ranges for sheep.
r Ihave seen n number of paintings Ofthe
b "Hawk's Nest" in Virginia, and In some re-
@ spects there is q great similarity between the
= Eagle Cliff of Fairfield county and that, bu'
even in the points where they are similar,
the views from Eagle Cliff will be acknowl'
edged to possess a greater number Of beau
e ties, at the same time that 1t combines will
" these. points Of grandeur, which would sat
: isfy the most poetic imagination. Will
, we we're here we were favored with a sigh
which but few visitors will have the goot
fortune 10 see, as il is not often likely to oc
T. cur. Just now, this whole region is alive
= with pigeons, aud they c0ngregate by mill
ions in tho Wiley below the cliff to roost
20 and Just before SHUTDOWN we had the goot
is luck TO witness their arrival. Thousan d'
a upon Thousands came swooping into thu
70 valley, many times passing so near hs tina
we could almost knock them down will
stones. When FAR below us, dnrting along
le over the treetops in search OF a favorable
d. place to light, the rays Of the sun were re
aectel from their backs in such a way as t
:, make each pigeon look like polished silver
=" and this ~peculilr appearances, In conneXior
l. with the gorgeous colors Of the trees, still
le farther below, was most beautiful indeed
" Standing here upon the edge of this cliff ant
!, looking into the abyss below, 1t requires bu
a slight effort 10 imagine ourself the last lv
y iDg human creature on earth, so still ant
D. solemn il the s~ilen'e, undisturbed, excep
Is by the fight of wild birds, as they return L
their nests in the rocks beneath your feet
md YOU individually shudder aud look a
-" bout you, hoping to see some human thinl
to break the spell. All, Chilly" II you
, were here, you would 60 stark mad, an
d. would be wild with delight, at the field af
I'd forded for Improvement in our beautiful art
I expect YOU would get started upon one o
these crooked roads, which you so much adj
mire, and never stop as long as there ,Dds
o' croot in il, and knon you would find mate
I'd rial for the exercise Of both pen and pencil
TO 20 your hearts content.
am more and more astonished that veal
: thy men in Cincinnati and other points, VIII
10 are able. and who are hunting points ofin
1t terest for summer residences, do not visi
IN Lancaster. There is scarcely a knoll o
ia ridge for miles around, which is not capabl
= of being made a delightful summer home,
and many Of them unsurpassed in natural at
ie fractions In the country. The Cliftons an
,r Yellow Springs, and the Little and Big Mi
l. amis, nre a mere fudge. compared with thit
=, rcrion and when the GAINESVILLE md Nor
row Railroad Is completed, four hours wi
" be all the time consumed between the tw
r plnces. um going tomorrow to the NAT
Id nral Bridge" in the Northern part of tn
county, which was recently discovered, an
which is said to rival the Virginia bridge |
Ie many particulars.
As ever, truly yours, GUY.