Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-01-07

siderable marks Of civilization are visible
Boone, Lcnoir and Morganton could be
seen as mere specks. Doubtless the sight
OF Lenolr excited some peculiar sensations
In the bosoms of some of the Rangers
After gazing on the beautiful scene, and
s'ralnlng our eyes until they were weary
looking for our homes, which we failed to
see, (although one of the Rangers assented
fhat ne saw the smoke coming out of dad
chimney" we all came down from the
look out" and began to prepare to bivou.
ac and sleep. We constructed rude tent
20 shelter US from the chilling winds and
ddews, by piling branches of fir on kind Of
frame, and strewing the ground underneath
with fern leaves, not from "Fannv's Port
1nllo, but from the top of the mountain.
we then drew from our Knapsack our sup
Per,-no, not our supper, for we had neg
lected TO provide sufficient supply. conse-
quentIy we ate sparingly as if in feeble
health; meat sold higher than had ever
been known in that country-a small piece
selling very readily for dime.
Ihere was no water nearer than the Shan
oy Rock, quarter down the mountain
we had little to eat,-the wind was blowing
perfect gale, and everything cold and wet,
so upon the whole our situation was not q
very envlable one but we gathered around
our blazing log-heap fire and wisely con-
ciuded to make ourselves as happy as cir
cumstances would permit.
Guide proposed debate, which of course
was agreed to by all,-he then proposed th
question; 'Does man see more pleasure
IN pursuing after thing or when he's got
IT, GrlmeS took the affirmative and'Guide
the negative. A w&rm discussion then
ensued, III which the Neg. showed consid-
erable skill and ability, bringing forth
sound arguments, in clear and forcihle
manner. The question was then pat to the
house and decided in the neg, much to the
qualification of our mountain orator. As
we were IN the county of Watauga, Guide
proposed to take the stump for the Office of
sheriff IN opposition to any man that could
be brought out against him After con-
siderable eectioneering, attended with the
usual amount of chicanery and wlrepullino.
the vote was polled and Guide was unan-
imously elected OF course he was s.the
lion of the day."
After this the performances closed with
a serio, ludicro, tragco, comico. speech
which gave Guide the lock jaw and bie-eye
by this time sundry individuals showed
signs Of drowsiness, and thereupon wisely
betook themselves to their blankets. 4
tun-loying Ranger not feeling disposed to
a4--a1--sfa-r ha,,s. ss..s---...--is ----sa
to keep the aforesaid gentleman from visi-
ting anybody else, but it was all "no 60"
About tnis time the alarming cry of fire!
tire :! rung out on the clear night Gin
the twinkling of an eye" everybody was
up, dragging his bed-clothes out ofthe tent;
as our water was very scarce, we resorted to
a smotheripg operation fortunately the
loss was not very great; MIR Short lDst his
quilt, ana the Lieut. found the collar of one
of his coats, and the tai! of another was mi
nus.
After time quiet was restored, and the
drowsy god was showering down his popies,
when suddenly the deep baying of "sancho"
and the fierce, low growl of bear aroused
Grimes and the Jour; the latter seized a
gun and Tired, but owing to the utter dark
ness he missed the bear, and fortunately
killed good-for nothing hound, and the
bear bounded off down the mountain.
An attempt to sleep occupied the re-
malnder OF the never to- forgotten night
Of the lst of August.
august 2nd.-The Capt was calling next
morning to arouse the sleepers to see the
sunrise; some yawningly said they had
seen the sun rise many time, and turned
over for second nap. Soon the rest of US
were up in the tops of the fir watching for
the appearance of the sun. Of such sun
rise, from the summit of so lofty noun
tain, | can give no adequate description ::
the pen of the poet, or the brush of the
painter would fail to do the subject justice.
Presently the sun appeared; as if rising
from his dewy bed among the far distant
mountains, robing the eastern sky in coors
of the richest hue. the light feecy clouds,
few moments ago lingering at the portals of
east, were decked in golden colors far u D in
the sky The mountain tops glittered in a
flood of rich sunlight, and the deep noun
tain gorges SC lately enveloped in the dark
ness OF Erebus now were pierced by the
genial rays of the rising sun. 1t seemed as
II Old Nature had concentrated all her beau
ties in the scene before u.s.
On our right aud left the courses of the
Catawba and the Watauga were marked by
feecy vapors. Here and there a dark hill
top pressing through the vapor, reminding
one Of small islands amid the foam-waves
of the ocean, lashed to fury ty the raging
winds.
II atty one would see one Of the most glo-
rlOus sights in all nature, let him ascend
such amountain as the Grandfather and see
the sunrise. That single view compensated
for the toll Of the whole trip.
Some Of the Rangers were anxious to stay
on the mountain and perusc it, as the Guide
said, but hunger and the love of romantic
scenery were at strife, and the former was
the stronger so we determined to return to
camp tnStanter On arriving at the Shandy
Rock We saw numerous signs made by bear
since we had passed the noon previous
Water was drunk in large qualities as we
had not drank much since the day previous
All descended to camp with perfect loose
ness" where Ike had prepared breakfast for
US, which 1t is needless to say was eaten with
relish. An old lady at the foot of the
mountain gave us a graphic description of
the appearance ofa party of ladies after their
return from trip to the mountain, and also
tried to sell US rattlesnaks skin for neck
cloth. Before we got back to shull's Mill we
were overtaken by heavy hail storm. and
some OF the Rangers got a thorough soaking.
The ascent from there to the top of the Ridge
Is so gentle that one would never suspect
that he was ascending it unless he really
knewIt. AT night We camped again at Sum
merville.