The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-11-23
Clln0mun,s Peak.

Cllngman's Peak.
THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
Extract from descriptive letter from the Hon. Thomas
L. Cingman.I
In letter addressed by the Hon. Thomas l.. Clingmsu
<of the Buncombe district OF n. CO. to Professor Henry
Of the Smithsonian Institution the writer gives
description of his admeasurement, by barometer of
several peaks of the Black Mountain range the said
Buncombe district the hgheat which Professor Henry
has named Clingmans Peak in of the discoyerer
The following is extract from the letter. which Will
disclose to the reader Of the beautiful of all
she beautiful scenery Of the great Appalachian ranqe
From the head of the swtnuonoah at Mr. stems,
where an angler can hnd specAle trout there T. al
easy way to the Mountain House built by Mr. William
tstten, OF chsreston, : lts present occupant viii
provide one wi pleasant lodgings, and what mountain
journeys render so welcome al such comforts sor the
INNER man. rs this region affords with fresh salm ou
from ICELAND and chacspagne fran France 10 make
Them go down easily. After resting here awhile AZ tho
Bhl oil hVe thousaud TOUR hundred and sixty e. 400
feet above tins TEA level two miles of travel on horse
back as hundreds Of ladies' can testify, will bring him To
Ihe ton Of Mount Mitchell
When one Is upon this peuk he appears to be on
centre from which there run oil five immense mountain
chsins, To the northwaId stretches the man ledge OF
the Black, with succession of and spires along
il dark crest
On It's right from the far northeast from the keystone
State across the entire breadth of Vgiuie seemingly
from sn unreasonable distance the long line Of
the Blue Ridge or Allegheny: but when Il masses anost
UNI or him Il is comparatively SO much depressed a.
scarcely to be percepble save where at the point OF
Junction stimulated by the presence OF its gigantic neigh
hunters phrase it would make bazzaras heal swim,
ii he were so attempt to ay over it,,
Thence il southery, till il touches South Cl-oli-
ma when trends to the west and hidden behind
Colossal that obsuct iurther vision in that d
1ectiou AS the chain of the Black sweeps around
wardly il is suddenly parted into two immense branches
sbich cif in opposite courses The northern term
mates in majestic pile with crown-1e summit, with
spurs fom its base; while to tho south there
leads off the iorg ridge of Cragvy with Its naked slopes
sud fantastic peaks over which dominates its great
s'Dome" challenging, in its altitude ambitious com
paIson with the Black itself
Let the observer then lift his eye to distance
AID take circuit in the oppoie direction Looking to
the southeast and 10 the east lie Sees beyond "Kings
mountain sud others less known to "a ne the plain OF
the two Carcnas stretched out field OF iilmi
BILE space IN color and outline, nii tinguishublc from
the 'asufe brow OF the calm oceaa. Near t, him, TO
the northeast the Iinvile mountain saads square
u upright the Tsble rock" with its petpendicular
faces and it twin brother The 'Hawhbn," with It's
Curved eeas o. oyefhaogieg rock snd meek inclined as
there ses in solitary grandeur the rocky throne OF the
,es Iors desraes tho t.m, a,eh o. mountains but nav
lte other royal sNies, he only retains shadow Of his
former authority in patrarcha name, given because OF
the grey beard lie shows when frozen cloud has iced his
Thoaodeperors. Westward Of him stands victorious
1,va, the gently 1nani,,ns psaFie Of the "koan"
green and aowery carpet is terminated by casteatol
Crag the "Blua.n
line Of the {. Unaka through the passes Of which, far
away the entire valley Of ast Tennessee is in
the distance the blue outline of the CT mbersnd
tains, as they penetrate the state Of the "dark and
bloody ground In contrast with the bold aspect and
OF she Bald ucunsio It's smoothly shsven and regu.
lary rounded top bringing t. mind classic cupoe;
for, when the sunlight sleeps upon It's eonvek head, II
Pantheon, its famed Roman rival. As the eye again
sweeps onward it is arrested by the massive pile the
great smoky mountain darkened by its fir .reeE aud
often by the cloudy drapery it From thence there
stretches quite through Haywood and Henderson, to
South Caroir as border the long range of the Balsam
mountain is pointed steeples overlapping the Cold
mountain and pisgah, and attaining probably their
greatest elevation towards The head Of the French Broad
Besides these, the eye rests on many riae green
valley" With It's winding streams, and many a nameess
peak and many waving RIDGE initiating in its curling
shapes the pillows Of the ocean when most dashed by
fhe tempest And i one Is favored by Jove he may PEI
chance hear the sharp shI Of his cloud cleav.
ing ano as he by with that bright eye
which "persc c downward onward or above, with
wings
The wesering beams aslant
But from Noun. Mitchell" where one is still tempted
10 hnger since my first visit, way has been opened
quite to the highest point A. rides along the
aating crest Of the ridge he has presented him
Sometimes he passes through open spots smooth and
green entugh to be the dancing grounds fairies
over ground covered by thick beds of so
soh and elastic, that nearied reposes it as
he would basin of fluid mercury. In the last and
largest of the little praries one viii be apt to pause
awhile, not only for the sake of the magnificent Panor
ans in the distance but also becaused attracted by the
gentle beauty of the spot s grassy waving surface In
1erspersed with atened rocky seats studied ia the
sunlight, with gutterng scales OF mica and here and
there clusters Of young basams fourishiug in their
freshest and richest green in this their votite climate,
pointed al top but spreaoitg below evenly till their
lower branches touch the earth and presenting the out
lines o regular cones.
From this place the highest peak attained Any
one who doubts its aiinne may thus lily satisfy him
seh for it stands and viii continue to stand, courtng
measurement. One who, from the eminence looks down
its vast proportions its broad base long spurs
running ont Fer miits In all directions IN gazes in silent
woneer its dark plmage of countless rs will iee
fear That it, shadow viii ever less that In
the present geological ii will meet the fate fancicd by
The poet whtn he wrote the WORDS -
Winds under ground or waters forcing wav,
Sidelong had pushed mountain from
Half SINK with all his pines
Tear, my dear sir that have made this letter much
too long for patti nce and yet the vegetation and
surrounding scenery Of his noun ain peculiar and
msrksble as II IS might well tempt me 10 say many
things that bave omitted. hope your interest in al
that relates 70 natural science viii find apology
my having so long trespasscd upon your valuable time
Prot. Josrra EENRY. 7. l.. CLlNGNAN