The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-07-29

lmmedtate colleagues IL nc puus'su ha'ss
books he must do so at the expense OF the
lamp, or BY intruding on those peri
DDS of relaxatianfrom his exhaasting labors,
which perhaps were more wisely spent IN
communion with his fellow men, and acquir-
ing common sense from the common people.
DR.. Mitchell was Professor in the Uni.
versty Of North Carolina, and all that he &C.
ouired, and most If what he did, was with an
eve single to his influence and success III
what he fit to be great Office. Ills reading
was subservient to this end, and what he pub
Iished was manly connected with his duties
as teacher. 10 facilitate the abors, he pre-
pared for his own classes Manuel OF Chem
istry, the second edition Of which was passing
through The Press when he died; Manuel Of
Geology, illustrated by geological map 81
N. Caraina; Manual Of Natural History. and
a collection OF facts and dates respecting the
History, Geography, &C., Of the Holy Land,
minute acquaintance with which he was
always very DESTROYS ID promote among ms
pupils The labers Of such recuse must
lind their appropriate reward, not IN pres,
ent nnturietv, nor in the comforts OF well
filled purse, but in the approval OF an eni,gh-
tened conscience, in the gradual improve
ment &c society, in the permanent wei being
of his ftllow>men, in consciousness oil difiu.
sing an acquaintance with the true laws OIL
Nature, and 50 of magnilying the glory OF our
Great Creator, and in the lnc0ncelpaoie re-
wards Of the Judgment Day. DIR. Mitchell
| felt that he had received command of "0c-
cupy till COME and he was careful lest
that great day should find him either listess
or idle.
The investigations respecting the form OF
the Black Mountain, which must ever have
such melancholy interest to North Carollnl-
ans, we're very attractive to DR.. Mitchell,
and at such times as lie could appropriate
without neglect OF more important labors, he
pursued them with great eagerness. l; had
been suggested in 1899. by the younger Mi
chaux. that these peaks Of the Black Mountain
i in n. Carolina. we're higher than any other east
Of the Rocky Mountains. To this conclusion
he was led by plants being found there which
are not met with again until We reach Canada
The Hon. John e. Calhoun also suggested
the same truth, as accounting for the manneI
in which several large rivers, flowing IN ,arI'
Gus directions, gather their water from IL
sides. These suggestions DIR. Mitchell was
the first 10 verify IN 1855. After very ardu'
( Gus labOurs in country naturally savage and
at that time very little known, he found the
height Of one Of the peaks 10 be 6,416 feet
Mt Washington, in New Hampshire, hither-
to considered the highest point Of the ALE
ghanies, is 6,42S feet high. DIR. Mitchell
never was satisfied with this observation
. always judging IT. result to be too small. u,
/ visited the mountain again IN 1874, and atteI
surveying its line Of peaks from Yates's Knob
which lies on the southwest Of the Blacs
| Mountain, and towards the center OF the arc
on which those peaks are distributed. Here
he selected the highest peak, aud after oh
) tanning the assistance Of mountaineer as
! ed IN getting On tie mountain and on II,
peak. as he thought. Ia this latter point b.
! had to trust 10 the guide, for il was late IL
the afternoon when he reached the top. anC
! the obscurity ola summer mist prevented hin
/ from determining whether or no he was OF
the peak he sought. Ii has been suggested
lately that DR.. Mitchell was mistaken. ant
! that be never measured the highest peak. i
he was mistaken, II was because he wa,
u,isled By his guide, for he certainly
knew which was the highest peak AM
unfortunate expedition, was 10 examine tn
. truth Of the suggestion. The position and con
! nections of tie Mountain gorge, down which
) he was cropping bis way whenhe persisted, wer,
. Of Importance to tins end. Another object
was the connecting tnp Of that highest peak
with the surveys made in the Western Ex
tension Of the n. T.. Railroad by a series o
levels. Tie result Vi this work would have
been a true determination II the height ii
question, aud also an additional solution o.
the problem as 10 tie proper value Of ;hs
IBafumetrlc rueilicignt heretofore used IN as
certalning elevations. To this last inyesti.
! gat.nn he was melted by the isbors Of Capt
Cfam, IT The L. 5. Coast Survey, on ID,
SIDES II Mt. Washington. Grams conciu
sions throw great iuJt on the reliability d
all numbers hitherto representing altitude,
when obtained by tie Barometer, and DR.
Mitchell wanted 10 correct or confirm them.
The line IL levels was left about one hall
done aud toe doubts about the peak that DR..
Mitchell measured IN 1874 are still some
! ghst unsettled. But one would have thought
that The highest peak Of the Back Mountain
would have been named Mount Mitchell,
even Il be lad been plOyidentialiy prevented
from assertaining is height. TO climb the
Black Mountain aud carry up instruments "a
determine is height 10 1855, required eogr-
age anil scientific tastes Of very different
order from what were necessary ~ 1855.
Alter nine has been discoyeredto be vaiua.
bic and its out crop las been laid bare. il ].
often an easy matter 70 20 anil gather W ihe
grains IL gold. u isa singular Tact that the
peak shich bears DE-. w. name was never
measured Nv hin, and lie j. uncertain wheih.
e. be va. ever % IL, in either 1855 or 1874
The name Black Mountain should now be
forgotten. aud tie whole range should be called
] Mltthelg. Mountain. Then the different
! peaks might BE Eamed to tickle thOse who can
! be liekled by such sirsWs. DE-. Mitchell had
no such ambition 10 crafty.
I On saturday, jane 27th, 1857, d.. VI. par.