Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-08-29
1As siaaaafo.
pr1GaMaGE TO THE GRAVE or PROBES
Z - NOR MITCHELL ~

fTIGRlMAUEs 1Ot1I1 y 0tsf1 =
S0R MITCHELL
: The Principal If HE Beaver Greek Academy,
tyilke. county. n o. together with eight oil nus
n,nils visited The Black Mplntain in the month OF
.tfn,e 1900 the folloMfde being narrative OF ne
same. Starting from lkyillr Wilkes county, ~
ys on the IN Of jaue we travelled up ?, tne rich
and fertile valley of the fadkin proEeroally SHOWN
hS the eosnoaen of the Egyp. Oh y estesn Nyrs
Carolina, distance of IL miles and encamped ior
tSs ;shs a Patterson, where fourishing Cotton
Esss,,Sy eas established few years ago, and IS stu
+, sn,.assfl operation under the SUPPLEMENTARY
Of its enterprising founders.
IN the 10th, we crossed the dividing ridge be-
tween the waters Of the Yadkin and Johns River
"a tributary of the Catawba) stream winch lurn,
Western Carolina. We passed this day IN full view
Of the celebrated Table Rock, situated about fifteen
miles West of Morgantosh This mountain is very
elevated. the body Of the mountain being crowned
with casteslated rock, about two hundred feet IN
height presenting bold and rugged outline to the
behoiaeH At once grand and imposing, having IN the
hack GROUND the Symmetrical and beautifully pleas
inc and extended range If the kinsiEe "a cordlera
Of the AAeeghaheyA Upon Our right and to the
Northwest We Behold the heavy, time honored
Grandfather SO Sastiy styled the father of rivers
because the sources Of the two largest rivers OF the
Carolnas (the Pedee and Santee) are to be found Is
sains from his bosom on the Eastern deciiVityi
floods of the majestic Ohio find their beginnings on
his Western slope.
On, the 18th, Shout o'clock A. NJ, we arrived at
The mouth of the Linville river (another offspring
of the father Of rivers. We remained here until
the morning of the 17th partaking of the kind and
generous hospitality of Major jackson Corpenng
and his estimable lady; can we soon forget the
openhearted reception rendered to us by our ex-
ceent host and hostess. May the richest blessings
of Heaven attend them through this life and reward
them hereafter in another world where the sympa-
thies of earth will be lost in pnrer joys.
On the 18th we resumed our journey up the val
lev of the Catawba, and about o'clock passed
through the village of Marion the county seat of Nc
Dowell In this vicinity We first obtained a glimpse
of the Black Mountains, the terminus of our pill
grimage to the grave Of Mitchell. Leaving Marion,
within three miles we passed the Pleasant Gardens
name given to an extensive body of auvial land,
lying upon both sides of the Catawba river, and
reaching for several miles along each bank, and
presenting some Of the finest farming lands in Wes-
tern Carolina Crossing the Catawba at Mr. Err
wins formerly the home of Gen. Joseph Mcdowell,
Of revolutionary memory, and after whom the coun-
ty was named we encamped within three miles of
the Turkey Cove, delightful valley upon the wa
tiers Of the North. Fork of the Catawba the choice
lands Of which formerly belonged John Greenlee,
deceased; and is now owned by his son Harvey,
and the children of an only sister, also decd. Pass
ing through this charming and lovely vale, we COM
menced, on the 18th, the ascent of the Allegheny,
or, as it is most commonly called, the Blue Ridge,
a mountain range, commencing at Catskill, in New
York. and running from the Northeast nearly South
west parallel with the Atlantic coast distance of
300 miles and terminating at Wetumpka, in Ala
bama; and is classed with the great Appalachian
chain, a name inseparably connected with the early
history of North Carolina The reason why we
would prefer the name of Allegheny, is, to distn-
guish it from one Of its cerdilleras, known the
Blue Ridge in Virginia; and because it forms the
great watershed which separates the streams that
flow into the Atlantic ocean from those that send
theirtribute to the father of rivers and fertiZe, in
part the vast basin of the Mississippi. Crossing
the Allegheny at Turkey Cove gap, we had occa-
sionally a pleasing view of the mountain scenery,
presented by the various cordilleras that separate
the different streams that flow from the Eastern
slope of this great watershed varegated alternately
by the regular and irregular serras that crest the
numerous isolated ranges Of smaller mountains in
tine dim distant perspective, with provincial names
as innumerabe as the peaks and protuberances that
decorate their misty brows
Crossing the summit of the Allegheny, we enter
the county of Yancey, and might reasonably expect
the same regular outline Of mountain scenery which
we behed on the Eastern side of this great chain,
but it is not so. Group after group of detached
and isolated ranges varying in height form and geo.
logical position, loom up in the distance; though,
upon the whole, presenting to the eye pleasing va
rety of hill and dale, corresponding to the rregu-
lar features Of the surface and delighting the mag
ination, with picturesque visions of the beautiful
and sublime. The scene becomes more intensely
interesting when we grasp with the eye of fancy
the apparent approximation of the blue hills to the
azure heavens by which they are canopied, and
scarcely perceive the far distant and shadowy boun
Diary Upon the right and in front of the road
leading from the Allegheny to huntsville, there
very many elevated mountains of great beauty of
<-Sfl IT,. Il - . q =
loEe rock IN the wild, watery waste Of ocean, and
bidding defiance alike to the fury of her waves, and
the storms and tempests that beat upon its brow
How highly soeyer our admiration NAV be excited
and gratled by objects serene majestic and beau
tfnl, calming every unworthy passion, and soothing
the mind into softened and pleasing tranquility
yet, when we turn our eyes to the left a scene
presents itself altogether new, solemn and unex-
Pected At the distance of a score aud half miles
the Handicapped SUBMITS of the Black Mountains,
towering alo from their rocky base above the reach
OF their stately compeers. and clothed with dark
dense robe Of fir, covered by thin veil of mist to
soften the terrors of their midnight brows mpresses
US at once with feelings of awful grandeur and the
tremendous power of Him who laid the foundations
of the earth, and planted the everlasting hills.
On the morning of the 18th we encamped at the
residence of Mr.. Thomas Young. on Little Crabtree
Creek name ominous of the bitter trials we were
soon to encounter
On the morning of the 10TH bright and early,
we started for the Base of the Black Mountain, dis
tant abont l6 miles; passing our right the beau
tiful village Of huntsville Economically situated
admidst the high and elevated monuments of crea-
tive power, which we have feebly attempted to de-
scribe and pursued our journey up the pleasant
valley OF Tow river, casting momentary glance
upon some desirable FARMS in better state Of cul-
tiyation than we usually see in new and sparsely
settled country. We arrived safely at Mr. Thomas
Wilson's four kind hospitable and intelligent guide)
and within miles of the summit of the highest
peak OF the Black Mountain range and struck our
tent for the night
On the morning of the goth, after breakfstng
upon some fine trout which we had caught on .he
previous evening, and taking up our several bag
cages, With the necessary provisions and few in
adequate instruments for observation. we commence.