Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-06-08

Aney neglected. 10 do so the train ac-
qulred accelerated speed with every
foot of space it traversed the driver
shut off steam and reversed his engine:
the brakesmen applied the brakes with
all their might, and some of the men at
the risk of their lives actually jumped
oil and tried to put humps of wood be-
tween the spOkes of the wheels. Rut
all Efforts Were unavailIng. The mo-
mentum increased. The train rusbed
down the descent with terrific velocity.
1t dashed past the reversing station with
a whlrl and rush and plunoed over
the precipice beyond. It's motion was
so swift that, envelOped in the dense
CLOUD of dust which it raised. it was
not seen by the inmates of the SOLITARY
station past which it swept and but
for the remarkable noise which it made
the accident would have remained I'M
Known. Search was made, and the
train and its freight were found smash
eel to pieces at the bottom of the preci-
plce, and the poor men who had charge
of 1t crushed to death beneath the
ruins.
SCENERY OF THE GHAUTs.
TO describe the scenery which n
traveller sees from the windows of
railway carriage in going up or down
the Ghauts is scarcely possible. To
convey au idea of it is nearly as diff
cult; for scene succeeds scene with SO
much rapidity, that soon nothing but a
vague notion of having witnessed a
series of magnificent views is all that
remains impressed upon the mind. The
great heart of the mountains of pri-
mary formation, enclosed by alternating
strata OF more recent origin, but these
have been broken up by prOdigious
upheaVals of volcanic rocks, and for a
large extent of the Western Chants the
everything rocks are of trap formation.
The result IS "A series of ''stupendous
scraps, fearful chasms, numerous water
falls, dense forests, and perennial yer
duSe. Many of these, of course, the
railway traveller never sees; but as the
train proceeps the passengers have
some most striking sDectacleS OF noun
tain scenery presented to their view
As the ascent begins there is little to
look at, except the massive hills them
selves, some wooded TO the tops, others
destitute OF vegetation, and still others
aflording sustenauce To every conceiya-
BILE species of shrub.
The outlines of tue mountains them
selves are of the most diverse character
some towering up like conical peaks;
some presenting abrupt and i1gged
outlines against the clear blue Sky;
some hi.h, bold, level submits. and
others whose tops are hidden amidst
the clouds. As You SO ON, the scene
perpetually changes. Now YOU see "A
beautiful cascade leaping from some
craggY mountains brow, and tumbling
down its base until it loses itself in
some deep pool beneath; now. you are
buried III the darkness of q tunnel;
then you emerge again into the light
and fad the train winding along some
narrow ledge with an immense cliff
towering on one side of you and deep
ravine on the other: now yOu are rush
ing along a Viaduct; then thro' a ire
mendous cutting down, over whose lofty
sides the water tTickles and splashes
now up a steep embankment; then
across the ridge of lofty hill; and so
on, until the Journey is at an end
Sometimes, rs you get towards the
upper part OF the range, You see far
down below yOu "A beautiful valley,
which reminds you OF Arcadia. t. Is
enriched with hills, and tbro' the mid
die of - lazily meanders a silvcry
stream formed by the cascades which
descend from the mountain sides. IL is
carpeted with deep verdnre, and dot |
ted here and there with sone luxuriaut
tropical shrubs but not single hu-
man being is visible, and the vale looks |
as If it would be fitting place in which !
solitude herself might take up her |
abode. Further up Is a deep Tavine. 49,
Its sides are PERCEPTIONS, and IN some
parts go sheer down for upwards of |
thousand feet. Here and there they are
denseiy wooded from bottom to top,
aud at intervals cascades come Tumbling
down the cllt1-cascades which appear |
In the distance as glitteripg threads OF
silver interlactd IN the mantle of YER
dure wit which the sides of the rayine
are clothed. And this is perhaps the
grandest scene of ali.
As the train sweeps on, the height
of the ridge is passed, and the traveller
finds himself on the vast plain of the
Deccan-the plain which stretches away
to nearly the other side of the Indian
peninsula-in the midst of a different
type of scenery, and breathing colder
aud more invigorating atmosphere than
that left behind him at the foot of the
Chants, up which he has passed
a ride of two hours more brings the
traveller to the end of lis Journey,
pretty well exhausted with his long ride
under blazing tropical sun. ii. NJ.