Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-07-19


MeSSrs Editors Some few days since, had
occasion Pto visit the mountainous portions ot
Western Virginia, which lie in Montgomery and
Giles. Among other places | suffered my eario,-
ity aided by love Of the beautiful aud piefu-
rescue To lead me 10 the celebrated Sult Pand.
in Giles county had unprecedented some f.
tgur and difficulty in making my way up HE
mountain hut was ngrccahy surprised 10 t..al
we'll graded carriage rond, the whole way Up
So had quito pleasant ride Of it, There are
two mountains which unite and form II iight.
angie, and at the junction, is fine great bo-ln #
the lake. About ono hundred years Hga. a..s
basin deep aud trghnGl cavern. thli Hs IA
make one tremhle II look down into; cos,i. Il
with dense forest of pine oak and biambla 10
the bottom. There a small epriag Of wsfpr
that broke out of the hillside and ran down To the
bottom an1 disappeared in the erevccs al the
rock III the course of time the place AT whir' tir
stream made its escape, became stopped up, and
the waters began To rise. have been informed
that the cha sm was near seventy years in filing.
1t is now lake of pure fresh water Of an i'm.
mense depth and with an area of about 300 acres.
If you to sail over its clear blue mirror like
surface you could sec beneath the surface of the
water, the tops of tnIl pines IN state of pre>cr.
Vaton, and standing erect rs when the soft hrcc-
sighed among their lofty branches, and the
wild beast of forest prowled beneath thor dark
cool shade. To ride in your light s}iH that
loN'7 linz lhiN tt'i lllt tullIl Sllolh Hh ittt 'l
this beautiful lake, and contemplated the wild,
beautiful aud picturesque scenery that surrounds
1.-THE vast heaps of white roCk-as white rs
snow--that lift their lofty and rugged forms
around its margin,lko giants to guard the seerd
spot-the rhododeudrow, the Wild thyme HE
a1aliu, the wild gooseberry and thou sand cher
species Of mountain shrubery, blooming in all
the luxury Of prmoval nature, intwjnrj in
rch and gaudy protu,on amid the rock IA
clit,, and oyerhaugng the calm smooth surface
of the water below. hlushing il at their own
beauties reflected back from natures bfighted
mirror. filing the air with their delicious trng.
rance, aud ciyrlg an air of life, beauty AMI love
lneSs Ia the otherwise, wild and almost awful
graudeur$f the place, forming in the whole, II
unity unsurpassed in beauty aud variety
qualedin widness and granlur, cannot fail l. fill
YOU mind with the most delightful and pleasing
emotions. And then arouse yourself from this
enchanting reyerie and reflect thot this fairy axe
is on the top of the highest mountain in Virginia
that lifts its awful form far above the regions he
! low, aud you are at once filled with emo
tons wild, SO pleasing, novel. that you
would he tempted to excaim. - this is truely the
home OF the Genii of Enchantment."
| have often thought while contemplating ihe
beauties of this place, that if this mountain and
lake he'd been placed some whore in the ella sic
| grounds of Italy ar Greece, how many wild aud
thrilling hctioGs-huw many strange and roman
tic associations, would have been interviewer viii
its history how many myihie gods eoult
have made it their home, and with what awe and
yeneration those truely imaginative people woul,
have looked upon the consccrated spot Bu
this is not all There is still another wonder it
store. While wrapped in the absorbing contem
plation of the still enchanting scene around you
Iorgetful of yourself and the struggling world fa
beneath you are somewhat rudely aroused by
your guide and informed that the day is waning
fact of which you are totally uneonscious) an,
that there is more to be seen You follow tn,
guide along narrow spiral foot path that wind
its way through dense growth of fern, stunt.
ed oak aud whortleberrv laden with it's rich black
fruits around projecting precipiees. covered witt
moss and wild honey suekie, still upward an,
upward, until you surmount the summit of tn
lofty Bald Knob, where the thunders live am
the lightning loves to sport Aud if there is an,
life or soul in you, you will find it beyond you
power TO resist involuntary exclamation q
wonder and surprise. All at once, there burst
upon your raptured vision, a landscape, 5
wild. so beautiful SO variagaed, so houndles
and illimitable that it thrills your very soul wit
the widest and profoundest emotions. Far i
the east you see the Peaks of Otter, sevent