Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-06-18
Mlistellaneous Aeaaitg
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
TRIP TO SHELBY, N. G.
YoRKyILLE, June IL, 1857.

IOhhFlLLLJ june 11) iOot'
Messrs. Editors On the evening of the
4th instant, I started on a trip to Eppes'
Springs and Shelby. As made some OBJ
servations and took few notes while on the
way, I shall attempt to give them through
the columns of the ENQUIRER, if you think
they will be of any interest to your readers.
The country between this and Eppes' Springs
is very diversified For some twelve miles
Immediately from this place, it is rolling,
with an excellent road; and in that space, I
find crops as I find them all the way. Wheat
presenting quite promising appearance !;
cotton rather sickly, and with bad stands;
corn with a good color, but usually small for
the season. The cotton and corn crops de-
pend very much on the season hereafter. If
it is good, the farmers will raise a fair crop
of corn and cotton. But despite the season,
. full crop of cotton cannot be raised in this
section. Beyond the first twelve miles, the
country begins to bevery much broken, as
we are then approaching the precincts Of
Kings Mountain--not very disagreeable
change from hot highway, to an unclear-
ed country-where the forest trees with their
thick foliage throw their outrageous arms
across the narrow and broken road. I reach
ed the battle-ground just as the sun was de-
parting over the summit Of the mountain, on
which the royalist Col. Ferguson stationed
himself to await the coming of the brave
mountaineer patriots and from which he
made so many vain and impious boasts The
dark shadows were beginning to take up their
abode for the evening in the ravines on the
eastern side of the mountain. The scenery
around me,.my being solitary and alone
called up involuntarily the exclamation Of
the orator of the day when this hallowed spot
was last celebrated by the "grateful sons of
noble sires:" "This spot, how very beauti-
full in its lonely grandeur" &c., I felt most
sensibly the truth of the exclamation. I
halted in my saddle and recalled, from des.
cription, the movements of the battle-and
then the glorious result. Alone as I was, l
loved to linger around the spot and recall the
"scenes of other days." but the distance I
had to ride warned me that had no time to
lose. I passed round the base of the noun
tain to where the little rivulet runs spark
ling along, and with the ripple of its waters
mingling with the moan of the breeze
through the pines, contributes its part to the
requiem of the brave, whose bones lye undis-
tinguished upon the mountain side and val.
ley below. Just on this side of the little
stream, there is amountain.stone with an in.
scription telling of the battle, and marking
the resting place of several valiant patriots
who fell on that glorious day. turned to
look for it, and found it lying on the sur
face of the ground, evidently uprooted from
its position by-men as saw several le-
vers lying around it I can hardly conceive
the idea, that we have men in America who
would commit such sacrilege, as to destroy
an humble monument that marks the tomb
of patriots. For what purpose it has been
done I wot not. My first impression was that
some drunken posse had imagined that it
would be "smart trick" to take it from its
position, and in accordance with their imagi-
nation, acted. If men refuse the spot more
fit moument, they should not attempt to de-
stroy the simple one formed from its native
stone. now left the mountain, the sun
only about an hour and a half high, and I
had fourteen miles to ride.
Some five miles beyond the mountain the
road is much better, and the country assumes
similar appearance to the first twelve miles
I traversed from this place, aud until I
reach the vicinity Of Buffalo creek which I
think has all right and title to the name of
a river, if we make length and quantity of
water standard. Here the country we find
to be better cultivated and with several
mills, furnace, &c., on the creek, presents q
thriving appearance. On the top of the hill
on the eastern side of Buffalo, had splen-
did view..of sunset. The Blue Ridge stretch
ed away in the distance before me plainly dis
cernable, as the sun was just descending,
tinging the whole western horizon with its
crimson glow,
"And by the bright crack Of his golden car
Gave promise of goodly morrow"
For the absence of the sun, I was agree
ably compensated by the appearance of pale
Cynthia rising above the tree-tops behind
me; and being near her last change, she
shone with brightness that would enable
me almost to read the columns of the En-
ou1RER. The road being now good, and the
air bracing, the spirits Of my horse became
invigorated, and at rapid pace I soon reach
ed Eppes' Springs, where, with the meeting
of friends, 1 soon forgot my fatigue, and at
late hour retired to rest, and slept sound
ly until the sun had risen somewhat higher
in the horizon than I have been usually ac-
customed to have it find me slumbering.
After refreshpent, I walked down to the
most frequented Of the multitude of springs
that rise in the vale of Eppes'. They are
truly numerous; I have often counted not
less than twenty-five in the circumference Of
half mile, including Free-stone, White
Sulphur and Chalybeate. The main White.
Sulphur Spring, or the one considered the
most impregnated, is unfortunately, not a
bold one. But there is sufficient water to
serve the demand of several hundred persons,
unless used for bathing purposes, &C.
Eppes' Springs have never been improved
for the reception Of. the travelling public,
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