Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-03-09


Nature has abundantly endowed the wes-
tern portion of n orth Carolina with these rare
beauties of ar%less rnagnificence 30 pleasing
TO the truy.eantcmpl"tve mind ;-insp'rng
the soul with lofty admiration and wonder at
the gorgeous display sp.eud upon the natural
panorama of the grand and sublime works fresi1
from the chisel and brush of Nature; planned
and finished n Her mysterious and hidden itn-
ratory, long before te weodman's axe Tell the
valley tree long before the mountain stag
leaped from cra9 TO crag; long before the lh-
dams fatal arrow sped whistliBg through the
tangled brushwood: long before the shepherd 3
rural sony rang 'IDong the silent western hills.
The tourist leaving the bleached sea shore
on the east, and directing his steps towards
the setting sun, will not fail to observe the
nice graduation of one tabe.land above smother;
oS one sparkling rivulet after another gliding
steSltlfily away from the more elevated foun-
tain head, bubbling out through a clear and
chrystal spring, gushing out from the cool
mountain vein and gliding away, with merry
ripple, to pour its tribute At last into the Wild
bosom of the Ocean. He cannot fail. TO OBJ
serve and to be struck with the regularity with
which each OPPRESSIVE step places him higher
and higher abovs the level of the sea. as he
wends his way towards the mountain tops OF
western Carolina.
Wnen hi. daily travel has placed him at the
base of one of those natural pyramids that glrt
the western boundary of the Safe, the novelty
OF the feat; the assurance OF Il vision of un-
surpassed beauty and magnihccnce, That may
be enjoyed and realized from the upper pinnt-
Gle, together with the sweet tnounL.in d~iSy,
that, in spring time, hang so temptin.ly by tina
wayside, is generally sufficient in iucem snt for
the arduous task of climbing from crag 10
crag, from rock to rock up the steep until the
1 resting place is some smooth and moss-cush-
ioned stone of the pinnacle, on whose sides
! the names Of autecedent visitors are craven,
'es indestructibe relics OF their toll.
fi2.sn fairly upon tue mountain top cool
49, tl5s,;rn with its airy widgs and his
breeze fans hi.s,cs; - :,
visual perception Is stTTtt tls gisttea
scape that stretches It's ricL and il lated can
vass a nay, awIy farther than the eye can tot
low it. On the one hand tie country neluw
him, through which he travelled, is DOTTED
here ami there with SpIre of curIng smoke
winding II way from a contented farmers
hearth up towards the clouds there are rich
h rseSt fields ro ling their golden treasure in
cIrciIng waves, Ike the when the lalld ward
breeze P ays upon ITS watory bosom, there are
seen little rivu.ets looking like silver wires
trembling In the sunbeauis; awN u many nj es
IS seen large farm, with It's e Ids of grain
yellow and 'ipe for the ryest vet so Tar that
1t reminds US of mammoth star set in the En-
era'd green of the wing forest and the great
mansion where lives the owner, his manly sons
n handsome daughters and his contented and
happy servants looks ike tiny spot in the CEN
ire. On the other hand the maj c Y dd in
hlVerl ls seen lylng apparently moticnesS, bat
the sluggish waves are moving owiy and SURG
y on in ther serpen!ne b.d .!!.a away - ne
like watching, vaporous spirit through which
the bright beams of the rising sun struggle tor
the mastery. and finally. dance md INNER
on the waters CLASSY sur ace and reflect IT'S
rainbow colors on the laurel. the holly and The
honry-suckle that hang ike varlegaiel dra-
perry along its nks In turniag from front
to rear, his admiring sens 8 are greeted by
towering cliffs, hung with mountain shrubs
and vines, and whose misshapen out inc pres
ents rude and romantic f2u e. as cray lies
pied on cray in curious and dis r,lerly confu-
! sion, one upon another, tn their ack, gray
rocks jutting out ike huge cornces through tie
t green curtain that l.Ys a. ound them like
: living s1roud. Seen III the q stance. through
: th- thick. blue mist that unusua ~ 70 Is around
them they look like city Of IN Ilty pI aces,
. mighty temples, in whose 81 ent chambers tiwe.s
the GOdd 81 y ture In solitary + cluse. One
!, would think that Nature in one OF Her widest
moments of playful, highwrouaht fancy. had
designed the ma .nlicenl architecture and ex-
= ecutet the design regardless of law or ORDER
: The imas ination colors strange pictures when
Y the eye rests npon the huge, missllapen mas
ses with little stretch of the i'm ginative
: powers they assume variety of shapes and
q appearance here is one, seen III he distance,
whose huge outline reminds us OF some man.
!, moth beast crouchei rs if ready Tor fatal
prp 10 rTrtln fc
" west, like monster statue Of 81 ut warrior.
$ whose hercu can artist had died ere his work
t was finished just below Us deep nd yaw-
j. n ny chasm, dark as if bottom!ees divi.es two
.r confronting battdlilons OF rugged hills. with
- their dark fronts leaning over. and torn aRd
: shivered. as If they once strove with each otnel
= Tor the mastery. and when in the heat o
ie most de.dy warfare, the fiat OF Ommi potence
Y 'sp Ike. commanded, and they stoud fast ever
Is as they w+re in that day when the, walr.d Will
Sc esc other; away. almost as far as he eve cal
D. reach, We see a dark, blue top that seems 10 b.
:. stuck up against the sky, and as we look at it WI
~ fancy II Is shaped like man hea in proilv
and we fancy il locks like a he .tl we have seer
- "A clown's-no; Of an old good natured sou
y we once knew. who was ever in Jolly goo
pt cheer. laughing ami cracking merry, pooil Joke
ed for the season. Here ard there an evergrce
be tering rock away up the steep side Of cliff
no. which adds an attractive variety to The winie
scenery. a smoky for in the morning usu /
, ly envciops 'he prnrr!tst Of the peaks in il
- damp folds, hiding their spires from view ur
'ar iii tho new born sun casts hs beams aslar
IN ard sheds bis warm;hupon :hen. which dispe
5ht if like tine d rkness Of night-ro!ling it siowI
ro- and s!negishly down to the base where il s'ee
mo off in curling waves along the deep ravins
and finally disappears. Away in the distanc
=, a, sunny noonday long range OF slender peak
al diversified in shape. may be seen dartiag u
'fo and dwinlling away. lie 50 many slarp AT
towcrin. cathedral spires piercing the SIX Us Gle
his blue It's not nnfrrqntnll, the case that cloud
repIete with rain, roll alf way down the sd.
the lufty hills, and it frequently happens til
ilar the base and raliaes are dhged with torrents
rim y hiie tile visitor the pinnacle is bas
ing in the cxuberancc cf godrn sunshin
earn beneath the cannpy Of q clear, ce-ulean 81
lays ard famed and RECALLED by the gentr payir.
iter Of pure, healthy breezr-exhiIarating &
'lnt fragrant
".l CONNECTED with "thoso old, gray rock
A.. l..