Washington telegraph., 1856-10-15
Correspondence of the Telegraph.

-.
MAGAZINE MOUNTAIN, YELL CO.,
ARk's, Sept. 22d, 1856.
MEssRs. EDfroRs:
1 suppose that ere this time the citizens
of your pleasant little town have returned
from their seekings after pleasure and
health at the various springs to which
they resOrted during the past summer;
and that the din of State politics, Gas else
where throughout the State) has subsidized
into speculations as to the general result
of the Presidential election.
No doubt your pleasure-seekers have
brought conflicting reports as to the supe
riority of their different resorts-each par
ty claiming more excellent mineral quail
ties, better accom- nodations, or better
camping grounds, more picturesque scene
ry and more bracing, adventure provoking
air, at or around their particular springs.
| too, must institute a claim before
next summers migratiOn-then perhaps
several birds of passage will be lured to
alight in Pope or Yell county, to drink
from the various springs of these regions
and scale the ''dizzy heights which. l
have lately explored .
have frequently passed up and down
the Arkansas river, between the counties of
Pope and Yell, and have always admired
the mountainous scenery lying off on ell
ther side, but little idea could | form of
the "magnifcent distances of the height
and wildness of the mountains piled on
| mountains, until [ had wound amongst
them in the back country, traversed their
tallest SUBMITS, climbed their rugged
cliffs and viewed each separate one, from
the most advantageous point on the neigh
boring height.
Dardannellc Rock is the most fantastic
| freak of nature [ ever beheld One mile
above the fourishing village of Dardan-
nellie, lofty ridge or comb of rocks is cut
abruptly off by the river, as if it were a
-sheaf of oats in straw cutter; this ridge
or back bone at the abrupt point, is about
25O feet above the level of the water, the
rock here from some points of view, resem-
bles gigantic human head, with dogs
forehead, capacious mouth, partly open,
and sort of non cOn,n,ittdl chin, with a
scrubby cedar or two in the way of a beard.
(Wonder if any body down your way,
wouldn't like to apply for that chin? 1t
would be a great eonvenience)- By the
way, that backbone of a ridge Is so thin,
that you might almost see through it, when
the sun sets behind it; for about two hun
dred yards back from the point, it is only
about three feet wide on the top, and very
PERCEPTIONS on both sides, so that as you
walk along towards the jumping off place, f"
you might imagine that ,ou were wal
king narrow causeway suspended on the
sky, as you can see the declivity on neither
side.
There is Legend connected with this
mountain as there is with every place,
where there is possibility of jumping off
any where 1t runs thus: 4 long time
ago, an Usage Indian, hunting on the Dar-
dannelie mountains, was pursued by a war
party of Cherokees; the unfortunate Usage,
reached the narrow ledge-his enemies
pressed him, he paused-there was no al
tentative but to turn on his pursuers, or
take flying leap from the brink of the
precipice into the arms of death. He pre-
ferred a magnificent destruction to an ig-
noble capture, summoned his resolution,
made plunge, and was dashed to frag-
ments on the rocks below" Awful aint
it?
| There is a noble view from Dardan-
nellie Rock, but more glorious one from
Magazine Mountain, which looms up a
thousand feet above it, at a distance of
five miles. 1t is supposed that a French
traveller (whose name [ have forgotten,
named this mountain from its great resem-
blance to military magazine. The top
most table, about one thousand acres in
extent, is perfectly level and nearly
round this is girdled by cliff, which
descends several hundred feet, to the sec
ond bench or table which likewise pitches
off, not quite so abruptly "a long and toll
some descent,) to the plain below; on this
bench, there is a fine chalybeate spring of
miraculous virtures, also marvellous yolcan-
ic indications. The top from this bench
is inaccessible except in certain places
where it may be climbed by adventurous
pedestrians. 1t would be in vain, were /
/ to ATTEMPT faithful description of the