The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-07-21
PARTICULARS OF TEE DEATH OF
PROFESSOR MITCHELL.
From the AsheriHe Ners, July 10Th.

Most of our readers will already have
learned the lamentabie death of the Rev.
Professor Mitchell, of Chapel Hill. DIR.
Mitchell, who was engaged in making a
scientific survey and exploration of the
| Black Mountain, left the Mountain House"
about two o. clock p. NJ. on Friday the 9th
uItimo, telling his son, Mr.. Charles Mitchell,
| that he was going to Mr.. Thomas Wilson's,
on Caney River Ia distance over and through
| the mountains of about ten miles,) and that
| he would return on Monday following. His
not returning at the time appointed did not
at first, excite such uneasiness as it might
otherwise have done, from his known habit,
on such occasions, of making, often, long
er absences than he had anticipated. But
on Wednesday, his son, now thoroughly
alarmed at his continued absence, went
over to Mr.. Wilson's, and finding no tidings
| of his father there, or in the settlement, a
| general search of the whole mountain was
instituted, which, after several days lost il
attempting to pursue supposed trails in
| other direction, resulted in finding his body,
on the afternoon of the 9TH inst, in pool
in the "Cat Tail Fork" of Caney River,
about three miles below the top of the
mountain, (the Cat Tail Peak,") on the
Yancy side. The trail was first discover
ed by Mr.. Thomas Wilson of the Caney
River settlement, just below the well known
''prairie.''
A storm of wind and rain had fallen about
half all hour after DR.. NJ. left the Mountain
house, which probably detained him some
what: and it is supposed that he either
passed the Caney River path five miles
from the house, without seeing it, (perhaps
surrounded by fog,) or desired to go down
the ridge from the Cat Tail" which he
had assembled years ago, and instead of
keeping the middle of the Ridge, edged off
until he came to the River, here but a
brook; in attempting to force his way
! down which, over route almost inaccessi-
| BILE to the foot of man, from its singular,
choly fate. The cliff, around the face of
which he seems to have been clambering
at the time, and where the moss and stones
to which he appeared to have chung had
given way, was about 35 to 40 feet above
the pool; which latter, formed by the cas-
| cade, was about fourteen feet deep and as
many across. His body, which was still
| lying at the bottom, when taken from the
water was natural looking and undisfgur-
| ed, except by bruise on his forehead,
which led to the supposition he was proba-
bly, stunned to insensibilty, by the fall
His watch, found on his person, had stop
ped at a little past eight, indicating, pro-
| baby, nearly the time of the catastrophe,
which occurred on moonshiny evening.
No individual calamity ever produced so
great and painful q shock in this communi-
ty. On the first alarm, many persons re-
paired to the Mountain, to assist in the
search. Among these, though it was part
| ly during the busiest time of our County
| Court, were several gentlemen of the Bar,
and other citizens of this place. But it was
especially the people along the base of the
mountain, the hardy mountainous of Swan
nanoa, Caney River, and Ivy, who turned
out in numbers, with an alacrity and earn
estness of sympathy that speak volumes in
their praise, and prosecuted the search to
its termination, with an energy, hardihood
and noble devotion to the cause of humani-
| ty which does honor to them and the hu-
| man race.
| On Friday, the corps was met at some
distance from Asheville, by large number
of citizens, in carriages and on horseback :;
and on its approach to the town, the Court
was adjourned, all houses of business closed
and the bells of the churches tolled, as the
crowded procession followed the coffin in
mournful silence to the Presbyterian church
Hero an eloquent and touching funeral ser
mon was preached by the Rev. DIR. Chap
man-instructive and yet consolng as he
pronounced words of warning to the living,
and described the scene in that lonely DELL
| where ''in the awful solitude of those tower
ing mountains, amid the sound of those rush
ing waters, with hone but the angels of God
around, the Christian found death and we
| can but believe that the God in whom he
trusted, did not forsake his servant in that
| hour" At the close of the discourse the
body was conveyed to its last resting place
in the Presby terrain burying ground.
A public meeting was held in Asheville
and Committee appointed'T consisting of
Messrs. w. NJ. Shipp, charlottesville, DR.
John A. Dickson, of Morganton, and z. B.
! Vance, A. S. Merriman, j. A. Patton and
| David Coleman, Esq'rs, Of Asheville, to
receive subscriptions for erecting monu-
ment to the lamented deceased, at some
suitable point on the Black Mountain. We
! consider that this fact has only to be known,
to insure from persons in all portions of the
| State who will be proud to give their aid,
any amount requisite for the purpose. The
eminent learning. piety, public services. and
widely spread faEe of the distinguished
| dead, in connection with the place and cir
| cunstances of his death, martyr in the
| cause of science, render such tribute.
thus paid, peculiarly appropriate and will