Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-07-26
Sec. Of the Navy, Washington.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM MONSIEUR ToNsos

dNOTHER FROM MONSIEUR lONS0N.
Correspondence Of The Star
Rapid Morsments-COn of DIonsisur's
Trip from Memphis-Fine Country, Grand
Scenery and Good EatHg-Gnd other items
SALISBURY, N. c., July 18th, 1853
How little wood and water properly used
will shoot fellow about over the country. NV
last letter to You was dated Memphis, July 10th
On the same afternoon, at 7 O'Clock, | took nv
seat in the cars Of the Memphis and Charleston
Railroad, and at O'Clock Sunday morning dis
embarked at Barton's Depot, In Alabama where
| found a conveyance waiting my arrival to carry
me out to the residence of Mr.. James T. HALEY,
mile and half distant, where. with sever al
quand ON citizens of the Old North State, spent
the Sabbath very pleasantly, and the next morn
Ing at four again took the cars, and resumed my
journey eastward.
On my outward trip l enjoyed only a night
view Of all that portion of the country lying be-
TWEEN Huntsville and Chattanooga. Unsatisfac-
tory as 1t was however, ii nevertheless had the
effect TO impress me very favoraby. On my re-
turn trip had daylight along all this portion of
the route, taking an excellent breakfas at Hunts
Vile and an equally fine dinner at Chattanooga.
(And here, since | am on the culinary depart
ment let me say that at the supper house at
cleveland, Tenn and the dinner house at
Wytheville, Va found the very best tables
remember ever to have fallen In with in any
country; In fact, with one solitary excep ion
every eating house OH the entire route is perfect
model
AT Stevenson the Memphis cars are coupled on
10 those or the Nashville and Chattanooga rail-
way, and without the least change or disturb
the East.
The region Of country lying in North Alabama
and known as the Valley Of the Tennessee seems
10 me 10 be The most lovely farming country in
the world. For the entire distance the rail and
the river are so near each other that the planter
has choice Of trans pOrtation both for himself and
his produce, while the lands lie almost as level
rnxd a..
which on either side enclose the valley and send
down refreshing and wholesome bre-zes to the
Inhabitants The soil IL rich and exceedingly
productive, and the climate pleasant and health.
ful. saw here the finest corn and cotton have
seen anywhere In my travels But, IL you would
have an unspeakable awe to take possession of
your very soul and impart proper estimate OF
your lns1gnhcance, take yOuT position, soon after
leaving Stevenson, on the platform i'm the rear of
the hindmost car, where you will have an unob-
'trncted view Of the whole country through
which you pass. There was a pretty taIkatiye
youngster on the cars, selling newspapers and
period Gals and cheap literature, and some of us
asked him early in the day il there was ANYTHING
on the route worth seeing "No,' said he, sits
the d-st roughes country you ever saw in your
life Thinking he knew what he was tai king
about, portion Of the inquring party went to
sleep, and when in the afternoon the rest of us
were speaking OF the grand scenery through
which we had passed, think IL this Young nan
could have heard what the sleepers said abont
him, he would hardly venture such an opinion
TO another party.
The river and the mountains are reneafedIv In
view, ana coming so near together that thew &C.
tually seem to meet and head YOU off hut the
iron horse on his iron track-those z eat annihi-
lators OF time, speed, space and ohstacles-as IL
in defiance Of the combination, PUSHES across the
stream and cuts around the mountain sides and
bears you away to the open country beyond All
this scenery Is grand, bold and sublime. but
you do not reach the climax till you ind Yourself
at the base OF that immense pile of solid stone
the Lookout Mountain: Here the deep green
waters of the beautiful Tennessee come up and
lave the very embankment Of the railway on the
one side, while the mighty mountain OF stone
towers hundreds OF feet above on the other The
railway track Is as smooth and level as the most
skilful engineering, and the most ind-fatigable
labor could possibly make It, and having al ready
become amply satisfied that the train is in the
hands OF prudent and skilfnl officers you feel not
me sish,est degree OF concern as to your safety
Dut, that lovely and quiet stream, the tall bare
Gins on It's opposite bank, the mountains every
where around you, and more than all the one
looming straight up to the clouds over your head
nils you with silent awe, and causes You to feel
as the Psamist did, when he exclaimed hat
is man, that thou art mindful Of him, and the
son OF man that thou vsitest him,''
Iou WIN readily excuse me for not even at
tempting description Of this scenery And
here let me express my surprise that no artist has
ever immortalized himself by PUBLISH ny sketch
- OF the grand and beautiful scenery, all along
this entire route, from the noble old CITY OF
Lynchburg, that sits like jeweed crown npon
the heavy brow Of giant M omar h, o the lovely
young bride TO which he has lately been unitrd
by iron bands, the city Of Memphis emin.ntlv
worthy Of the sOubriquet Of the Queen CITY of
the West.
Other portions Of the route have alluded IN
in my former letters; but, IL you Lav. ever seen
1t, you will readily perceive that have fallen far
short or the demands of Justice; and IL you have
not seen 1t, the very best advice can give Won ia
= lose no more time about it, delay the glorious
t.eat no longer.
As passed the Montgomery White SULPHUR
Spring, it required all the resolution | could
muster to keep me on the cars But, the rempm
bfance Of an eager little lady, and three of the
sweetest little prattlers that ever charmed do
nestle circle, did the business for me. and I
hurried on learned from visiters to the diff,r
ent places, however, that there was a very oav
party Of upward OF two hundred nj the Montpom
cry White, but not many at either the Yellow
or the Allegheny, though the number at each
place was augmenting daily. l hope to visit
many Of these delightful places during the sum.
mer, and shall take occasion to give YOU an ink.
ling of life at the Springs -
arrived In Petersburg on "Wednesday morn
ing last, without accident or detention, having
parted at Burkeville with the crowd of tbroug6
passengers with whom l had travelled the psst
two days, they taking the Richmond and Dan
vile cars for Richmond; whence they proceeded
Nor via the Virginia Central and Oran ge and
Alexandria route, and continuing on the South
Side than which there never was a more unfor-
tunate misnomer1 for the road should he called