Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-05-31
: For the Spectator.
Elliott,s Knob and Trip Thither.

along "takin notes. with premeditated design
of "printin 'em," propose, with your permits.
sion, brief notice of the trip in the columns OF
the Spectator; less, however, with the inten-
ton of recording the Incidents of the day, than
Of reminding the citizens of this county that
there is within its borders mountain peak, q
by no means difficult access, commanding 9
prospect, which for extent, beauty, variety and
picturesqueness of landscape, is unsurpassed by
any, and equalled by but few in our widely ex-
tended country. a-f
The early morning of Saturday, you will per-
haps remember, was of character somewhat
resembling the one on which Mother Goose"
met the "old man all clothed in leather" and
which in her melodies" is beautifully described
as Eu
"Mlsty, mOlsty morning when cloudy was the wealth
But the rising sun soon dissipated the clouds and
mists, and as the fog rolled in graceful wreaths
up the leafv sides of the mountain, q bright and
beautiful day was revealed.
The party, consequently, assembled in fine
spirits about O'Clock, at Buffalo Gap Hotel, and
a census being taken were found to number "for
Ity, save one;" about one-third being of the
gentler sex" as the "lords of creation" are some-
times pleased, CALAMITY to designate their moth
ers, wives, sisters and sweet hearts.
The ascent of the mountain is commenced at
what is called on the Central Railroad the ''sum.
init cut" but what in the parlance of the neigh
borhood used to be known as the "turn of the
waters" it being the ridge dividing the waters
flowing into the James, from those that fall into
the Shenandoah river. a.it.s-R
AS the ladies were mounted on their horses
and defiled through the bushes was quite fiat
tered at hearing gallant friend, who although
he has not been able to prevent sold time" from
sprinkling few gray hairs among his sunny
locks, has yet been completely successful in pre-
venting him from cooling his enthusiasm, chill
ing his feelings or lessening his admiration for
the beautiful, declare, in kind of soliloquy, that
old Spencer was right when he sung,
"But chiefly skill to ride seems science
Proper to gentle blood"
The recollection that this sentiment was not
originally applied to our sex in no degree less
ened the value of the compliment, in my estima-
ton.
In ascending the mountain nothing occurred
worthy of being chronicled, our party being
more fortunate than the one last summer, of
which you were magma pars," Qom, who has
been to College, says that latin is for acting a
prominent part in any undertaking. as we en-
countered no "copper" heads or rattlesnakes" as
fierce and bloodthirsty as the dragon OF Want
Iy." Whether these hereditary foes of the hu
man family were restrained from making their
appearance by wholesome prudence engeDder
ed by the severe lesson taught to their fellows
on that occasion, by the prompt and vigorous use
of ''empty shot guns, loaded revolvers and iron
shod boots" or because the season bad not be-
come warm and genial enough for these serpent
lining mountsineers, am not learned enough to
determine.
"Like roses in bed of lilies She'd"
the grand and magnificent prospect from the
summit will not undertake to describe. 1t in
cludes on the east the entire valley, the view in
that direction being bounded by the Blue Ridge.
North you can SEE far into the counties of Rock |
ingham and Shenandoah; and on the South the
House and Jump Mountains, with many others
in Rockbrdge, are distinctly visible and on the
West, just at your feet, and apparently so near
you almost feel as if you could leap into it, is the
lovely valley of the "Calf Pasture" and then in
the same direction mountain after mountain
meets the eye in endless succession, As gazed
eagerly around thought of the beautiful lines OF
q great English poet
"Straight mine eye hath caught new pleasures,
Whilst the landscape round 1t measures;
Russell lawns and faows gray,
Where nibbng focks do stray,
Mountains, on whose barren breast
The lab'ring clouds do often rest;
Meadows trim with daisies pied,
Shallow brooks and rivers wide"
Since this excursion learn that the intelligent
and enterprisDg proprietor of Buffalo Gap con
templates improving the path to Elliott's Knob
by cutting out the bushes and removing the
loose stone that now so much interfere with the
pleasure of the ascent. For this good work be |
will merit, as he will doubtless have, the graft.
tude of all the lovers Of the beautiful and grand
in rature. But must close this desultory com |
munication, which fear has already grown too
long alike for your patience and your crowded
columns. LAURA LAWN.
May 26th.
The PIXIES PEAK DELUsIoN.-The Pixies
Peak Ell Dorado has turned out, as the most
reliable accounts from the beginning indicated
it would, delusion of the most pretentious
character, bringing misfortune to thousands,
and involving those who have sought the dis
tant hesd-waters of the Platte and Arkansas
rivers. in the utmost suffering and restitution.
Not that there is no gold in the locality indics-
ted but that it Is not to be found in such guam
titles as to employ the army of emigrants who
have reached there, or even to remunerate
much less number who could bring to the search
for it nothing but the crudest implements and
an entire inexperience in mining. Experience
has proved that only in the richest auriferous |
regions, such as California and Australia, can
the search for gold be lucratively prosecuted
without the appliances of art and the knowledge |
of science, and even the rich places OF these
regions have brought more of disappointment,
OF death, and of crime than OF happiness and
wealth to those who rushed there eager with
the hope of becoming suddenly rich. But Gall
tornia and Australia have their bright side
Pixies Peak is dark and dscouraging without
mitigation. Homes and families have been de-
serted, promising prospects elsewhere abandoned,
and an amount Of toll and suffering incurred
which ititcould be actually presented to obser-
walton, would appal the world, and the result
of all we have in the tale of thronss Of famished
and suffering men, struggling back through
the Wilderness and desert to the confines OF
civilization, fighting and numbering for the
means of sustenance, and marking the path
which they come with the bones OF those VINO
prove UNEQUAL to the seventies of the struggle.
All this has been brought about primarily by
unprincipled spectators, who sought by direct |
inc and encouraging the emigration to make
market for their lands. The country has been
flooded with exaggerated accounts of the won
derful riches OF the mines, the beauty of the
country, and the certainty of fortune for all
that came. Occasionally demonstrating voice
has been heard and truer account has been
given. but it had no effect. The emigrants
were too willing to be deceived, and though
thew NAV now execrate their deceivers, they
should remember that their own credulity must
bear no insignificant portion of the blame
Bait. american.
WHlTEwAsHINa ExrRAoRDINARY.-The De-