Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-12-24

surrounding mountains the "Elk" seems
to look down on the other as it's offspring.
Here again could be seen mountains in Va,
Tennessee, and Kentucky. Far in south
erly direction, like mere speck on the
horizon, could be seen the celebrated Kings
mountain. Six miles west, though appa-
rently not more than one, is "Snake noun
tain" "a very unromantic name) the boun
dary line between N. G. and Tennessee.
1t is long ridge, and the top is said to be
not more than four or FIVE feet in width at
any place. The summit is sparsely cover
ed with stunted shrubs one single birch 4
stands there, from the top of which We
were told a Minister oane delivered SER
| mon; some Of its topmost branches were
selected as mementoes. While here some
discussion arose relative to the respective
merits of the candidates for the presidency,
and the probable result; vhereupon it was
proposed to hold on election which resulted
quite differently from the election by the
sovereign people; then such shouts arose
as would awake the seven sleepers.
No pre- vious or subsequent view was as
fine in some respects as this; the view
from the Grand Father which we were on
afterwards was more extensive. If any
one would have his, or her ideas enlarged |
aud his natural vision extended almost to |
the outer edge of muHdanity, he should 60
up into an exceeding high mountain"
such an one as the Elk Knob There you
are so near heaven that you instnctively, |
as it were, turn your ear up and listen for
the songs ofthe seraphine or the soul-shiv-
ering cries cf the cherubim, but you arc
more likely 20 hear a musical rattlcsnake
submitting some delightful specimens of
his scientific "sbakes" about your feet
l. There as you stand upon the "mountain' S
brow" and overlook the tafT frEe;s tree; ,l1sl 1sl h~ck
the declivity, and view the broad expanse,
of terra frma beyond, studded here and
there with farms, with green vallies and
winding streams, you feel as if you could
criticise all creation "and the rest of man
kind il general on half sheet of foolscsp
But the longer you gaze, the more you are
lost in wonderment. Weary Fancy soon
= throws her pencil at the feet of Reality, aud
, you turn your back upon the scene with
feelings Of humiliation, astonishment and
awe. Here more is conveyed to the mind
= at single glance, respecting the power and
: wisdom of Him who rides upon the storm
and controls the winds, than in whole
! volume of sermons.
= = Frequently while in the vallies we could
: see the rain pouring out in torrents on the
. rugged mountains, while all around us was
8 scorched with heat. But this rain is not
:, lost; itsuppies the numerous springs gush
. ing out of the mountains side, and ttIroug gh
the myriads of hidden channels flows down,
fcrtilizing and irrigating the vallies below
= Thus, and in a thousand other ways can the
:. traveller in mountain region trace the
= wisdom of the Great Am.
y All returned to camp wearied out, having
- :. walked thirteen miles. AS pedestrian we
~ y. must yield the palm to cur friend B.
." Saturday 26h.-En route early fo1
- " North Fork, two miles distant. After trav.
:. cling about four miles We came to "Thret
:. Top Fork" which takes its name from the
~' mountain 10 which it rises. In this stream
= some Of the Rangers ished with considera
- - Die success. At noon we had accomplished
- about six miles. Within two miles Q
- where we took dinner, we were informeo
90 ~ that on the summit of the "Big Bluff
~ - there is a considerable marsh, out of whicl
=; issues stream of some size. which plunge
- over a nrecipice sixty feet in height. A
~ we were anxious to proceed We did not visi
lid ~ ~, 49,,
W valley gradually contracts, until there
:. scarcely passage for the stream, but
"a "a dashes madly on, defying opposition. tn
- road very complacentl takes to the water
MA ~ to wash off the dust perhaps, or because
- cannot go anywhere else most probabF
~ ~ the latter. In distance Of about FIVE milS
80 the road crosses the stream forty-two times
no As you may suppose, it is crooked and bad
,ho M aud as rocky as some places in New Eng
~ land, where the sheep are obliged to remov
~ the rocks in order to find the grass. TIE
,bo driver said it was decidedly bad road.
;, The dark forests almost excluding th
j. light of day the rugged precipiOes on eith'
eide of the road the death-like silence {
:. all things, save the roaring Of the wild to
. rent, inspires the mind with feelings of awi
~ or rather terror but suddenly the roarin
y. Of the torrent ceases, and beautiful litt
49, valley lies spread out before US, all gree
with fields aad meadows glittering in ii
;s evening sun. In this beautiful valley, Il
.Pl Pl wild stream that had been our compano
''0 cmpIies into the North Fork of NeE Rive
The scene here presented was most ples
GO ing. The lowing of the sleek, fat cattle ,
49, they returned from their mountain pastur
,nn the gentle nurmuring of the clear strear
,no the setting sun shedding food of lig
.b;n on Three Top mountain on oar right, sci
;ses cning its rugged outlines, all conspire
nor soothe the feelings and lull the soul In
r,od dreamy forgctfnlness. Here within fe
~ feet Of this beautiful river beneath 4
= spreading sycamores, We pitched our TEN
q Intending TO remain two or three days
iuSn rather suspect the Capt and Lieut. propos
l. - this stay for other purposes than to viz
le 70 the natural scenery in the vicinity. r
aenS lS haps it may not be uniuteresting to TAX
'her peep into our tents They sat facing eS
ore other with blazing FIRE between, and t
! sun- appearance indicated perfect satisfacti
rom with the present, and bat little concern
as,d, the future. Some lying taking their r
ss1' after their day S walk, some quietly sn
the king and "chewing the cud of fancy
the thinking of "the old Folks at home," .
ceu'' the young ones too; some listening to
ar lively tones of the violin, flute and clAI
mag ueb Us they rung through the quiet vail
that while the performers themselves looked
gran if their motto was "geit while you
, pu' young"