Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-03
NOTES BY THE WAY.
Editorial Correspondence Of the Sfdr.l
sTEANISG on THE RoAD.-NO. Nv.

sTEANISG ON THE ROAD.-NO. ".
MONDAY, June lip m.
The oyerhanging cliffs of rock rising perpen-
dicularly hundred feet, and yet within arms
reach almost of the cars as we passed under
their frOwning and threatening projections,
caused those not familiar with the route to
spring from their seats-the curious to get bet
ter views of arts pranks upon the stupendous
wonders of nature there Astounding.
The sight of the once familiar city of Berlin,
where, in my junior days, 1 have so often shaken
with its most remarkable production % the
agur'-have fought cocks, made quarter-raccs,
played "oid sledge' with the tawny- faced and
Iank indigenous, and drank the most villainous
whisky that ever sslfdeluding youngster burnt
his gullct with-brought pleasurable yet mel
aneholy recollections to my mind 1t has m no
particular altered. The very old locust trees
and log cabins each seemed to tender me IA
miliar greeting-saying, welcome to your old
haunts young fellow 10 longer.
From Weaverton to Harper's Ferry all was
intense excitement among the e1cursionsts
The far-famed wonders of the Gorge-the out
bursts of the Potomac and Shenandoah-the
perpendicular rocks Of the Blue Ridge a thou
sand feet high-the handicraft of nature and
the almost as wonderful handicraft of mans
science and mechanical skill, ELECTED outburstso of
admiration, such as one expects only from such
pleasure party Of for the most part highly in
telligent persons. Harper's Ferry came so
suddenly in view, with its picturesque houses
churches, &c, perched amid the hanging, and
indeed shaking, rocks hundreds of feet above the
rivers in whose confluence it stands, and its
every foot of low ground covered with canals,
dams, bridges, factories, stores, depots, immense
machine shops, &c, as much too soon to break
up the influence, the wonderful sights of the
forge There, too, we found crowd Of hun
dreds of people on the platforms, anxious to get
sight of the excursionists, among whom how
ever, the fair sex were by no means as plentiful
as at Mount Airy.
We tarried at = The Ferry where there has
been no ferry tor half a century we'll nigh,
though it still retains its ancient sou5riquet.
but for five minutes. Fastening on, the rich
and carefully cultivated farns of Jefferson coun-
~, Va, next claimed the admiration of the voy-
ayers Inc plateau to the south, bounded by
the Blue Ridge some ten miles off latter pass
ing Kearneysyille,) which in location and soil
equals any agricultural territory in the valley
OF Virginia, made the mouths of many of those
along water and their eyes to open wide; gentle
men so absorbed in business as that they know
the South only through the philauthropic and
new light press of the North We wendell our
way at the top of the locomotives speed to
Martlnsburg, where we dine, through this mag
nifcent country we are just entering So put
up paper and pencil for the present.
W.D WI
srEAHIya ON TIE RoAp-So. vi.
June l, 1857.
My last was closed as my patience gave out
as well as the light Of the sun, by which had
been writing since an early hour this morning,
with paper in hand under the motion of the
rail car; no very agreeable concomitant for
such pursuit. L may not, therefore enter so
iuily into particulars as when scribbling with
everything concerning which L wrote immedi-
ately and rapidly passing before my eyes
From Piedmont to Oakland our journey was
without incident other than such as resulted
from the remarkable ascent Of the Aleganies
10 Hitamont amid dark and dim prccipices. on
one side dark, and green overhanging cliff. on
The other The ever varying character of the
foliage, as We mounted towards the clouds nm
I'll IN their very midst-rising quite seventeen
hundred feet higher in distance of seventeen
me, my taste running in that line, and the
changes being rapid and marked. until the
growth had entirely changed its character. be-
coming such as one might look for in much more
northern attitudes
Al o"anton L was greatly struck with the
beauties OF the wild cherry, just in full bloom.
i"e Tree there is Pyramidial, very graceful in |
FORM, and so full Of delicate white bloom a.
mat lts 50 iringy and fine blossom made IL look |
nough covered with spray suddenly CONCEAL. |
more truly ornamental tree is rare 10 no !
seen "nen In bloom The mountain side and |
"p IN TINS vicinity is full of it, and I wonder |
si'aiy 'na' It's curiosites and grace have not |
'ogethef MADE 1t popular with seekers for orr.-
mentaI iohage fine troutinu s,rsam-,ho
niue savage source Of the Potomac co,,s,d
along the railroad until We reached The $3.50.
tain's very summit, C2,7OO feet abov. ,id. -
at Baiumore) There-at Altamont ~. -
the country so well known by name to al, - ~.
region who are lovers ofcapital venisop and -,
ter-the Glades-a fat territory on the ,or, 90
the mountains-capital grazing and oat land.
but Of a temperature too Siberian for the growth |
Of wheat
oakland, at the foot Of the glades on the west |
END oil the route, is already famous resort of !
persons from below seeking to escape the heat
OF the summers sun. We supped-a hungry |
caravan truly,-at its grand hotel, calculated |
70 accommodate sojOurners by the hundred. |
All were satisfied with the entertainment set |
before them for who travelling can reasonably
ur 10 capital coffee, bread, steak, fish and |
ou"ef- After delay of twenty minutes, the
cry all aboard" sent us back to our seats with
rush Then We commenced the descent IF .
INC mountains in earnest. We were in the
CLOUDS, literally The moon, though shining
brightly gave but a faint glimpse to the ,igb,
eeers OF the wonders of the celebrated "Cbs.t
River grade before introduced by nv pen to
the untraveled of the Stars reader. Tb.