The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1860-06-22
NOTEs OE TRAVEI.

NOTES OF TRAVEL.
The Senior is again at his post, alter
two weeks absence in which, through the
courtesy ext ended to him by the mana
gers Of the Baltimore g. Ohio r. r., he
has visited Baltimore, Washington, Mt
Vernon and the other objects of attraction
incident to the trip.
Our last letter left us on the summit Of
the AlleghOnies, luxuriating upon the
magnificent scenery and beatitudes Of
that eyrie in the clouds known as Oak
land, where we were then bivouached.-
But, night with its heavy and shudowy
wings came darkling DER us and, COM
hitting ourselves to a sleeping car (with
which the road is happily proyidod) and
the "drowsy god" we became oblivious
to outward impressions and, while the
train was jerking us along over fearful,
precipices and chosms, across ravines
and down the mountain side, we were
snoring as contentedly as a well-fed pork
er and feeling as secure as one can feel
who edits newspaper. Our repose was
disturbed, not by the dread of being pre-
cipitated thousand feet down a ledge
of rocks, but by visions of unpaid print
er's bills and the awful retributlon that
awaits delinquent subscribers in the 9TH
or world. ....
In the mean time, we passed some very
imPosingscenery which we had the pleas
ure Of beholding on our return. Passing
on through the gladS-land Of the noun
tain summit, some nine miles brought us
to Altamont, the highest point on the
road and 27OO feet above Baltimore. Il
is between Altamont and Oakland that
the waters divide, part flowing westward
to the Gulf Of Mexico and part eastward
to the Chesapeake Bay. The air at this
elevation is very pure and exhilaruting.
Many pleasure seekers spend the Summer
months here, hunting trouting and recruit
ing their health. Here you can court
Nature in her widest and most Impress
i've solitudes.
Soon we commence TO descend the
eastern slope Of the mountains by very
rapid yet almost imperceptible grade.--
This grade, the longest aud steepest on
the road, is ~ miles in length and follows
the meanderings of Savage River from
its source, down the mountain, to where
it unites with the waters Of the Potomac
near Piedmont. Its descent is ll6 feet
to the mile and it is wonderful, the facil-
ity with which the heaviest trains ascend
and descend il. The scenery is grand
aud new prospects unfold themselves at
almost every step, In every direction,
bold mountains rear their lofty SUBMITS
TO tina clouds, like a succession Of Hercu-
lean pillars and new and beautiful vistaa
form an ever interchsnging picture, while
brawling streams aud mountain cascades
make sweet music for the ear, The see
merry from Piedmont TO Cumberland il
scarcely less imposing. The latter place
seems eircumyallnted by an almost i'm.
passable barrier Of mountains. Il iS q
great coal, lumber and iron depot. Al
we descend the Potomac the scenery be.
comes more tame and the country shows
evidences of civilization.
Daylight found us near Martinsburgh
Va, travelling through highly cultivu.
ted region Of country, with beautiful farm
houses and distant views Of the Blue
Ridge mountains. Soon the whistle
blows and we are breugh, up standing Al
Harper's Ferry, where some mighty ef
fort OF Nature (not John Brown in the
early ages, seems TO have elefl tha noun
tain in twain and made a gap by whiel
the accumulated waters Of Potomac wer,
permitted to rush seawurd. Here yol
can view Nature unadorned in her wild
est and most picturesque aspects. II
this mountain gorge, "roek-Tibbed and an
eient," there is only room for the rive
to pass between the two Precipices, whiol
rise more than 300 feet slmost perpendie
ularly. The little town nestles at tn
foot Of the mountain to the right. Graz,
old John Brown evineed no ordinary ga
gscity when he chose this as the fttes
place to begin his serYlle resurrection. =
We alighted and took a glance al lhs U
s. Armory and the water-house, whicl
lis still perforated with bullet-holes,
AT a place called "Point Of Rocks,
twelve miles below Harper's Ferry, tb