Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-10-08
[For the SPECTATOR
Mountains and Hills of Augusta and Abe.
marie

majestic height along our beautiful Valley J.
Do travellers ever notice the peculiar and awful
grandeur of the mountain as they approach
from the eastern side to the entrance of the
tunnel? 1t almost awes the beholder as he
gazes on the magnificent beauty of the heights
towering sky-ward.
| have seen it crowned with the glowing beau
ty Of midsummer, and the dying glory of au-
tumn cannot say which l thought the most
lovely. In summer it was calm and quiet (no
noise, except that attending the train J afar to
the right were hard defined looking clouds,
while occasionally the distant thunder could be
heard muttering. On the left, the sky was
clear. and the old mountain looked as if it was
resting its back against the blue wall. Up the
| sloping sides in every hollow could be seen the
green pines, the low brushy underground hiding
all bare ground, and giving the appearance of
one smooth side at short distance The au-
tumnal view was almost as different as two sep
arate scenes. 1t was in October, that most
lovely month in the year, the sky was overcast
with heavy lead-colored clouds, the wind sighed
down on the mountain as if breathing requiem
for the dead summer. The sides of the noun
tain were arrayed in the
'sMany color'd woods,
Shade deep ming over shade, the country
Imbrown, crowded umbrage, dusk and dun
OF fevery hue, from wan declining green
To sooty dark"
The view from the mountain opposite Buck s
Elbow is grandly sublime. You can see the
farm. houses in the grove, the glittering roof of
the University, the town of Charlottesville, the
| line of smoke made by the putting engine as it
winds It's surpentlne course towards Staunton !;
| far below Charlottesville chain of mountains
extend; the cleared land appearing in many
places. On the right the mountain stands out
boldly, while the deep hollows, valleys, and
even the mountain sides are beautiful cultivated
farms down at some distance lay the beautiful
little village of Piedmont, it's white houses shin
ing in the evening sun; far away to the left
| might be seen that dark, dismal looking circle
of hills surrounding the place, called Shifletts
Hollow; further below the mountain sunk down,
forming Swift Run Gap, where Old Stone
through, while down below at the foot of the
mountain, winding along, swelled by little
streams from the dells in the old mountain
sides, flowed the rafting, dashing Norman
River. This beautiful view cannot be described
as it can be viewed.
The mountains, south of Charlottesville, give
quite picturesque appearance to the little city,
and, if called by any other name than "Rag-
ged, would be quite feature in the county
That part, near Monticello, is very high, and a
splendid view may be obtained from that point,
ing it. There is beautiful hill, west of the
| University, which adds considerably to the nat
ural beauty surrounding this great institution
of learning here and there, over the county,
are ranges of hills, or some standing solitary
and alone.
| Now for Old Augusta, my native county,
every hill and mountain is dear. 1t is guarded
east and west by mountain chains. The Blue
Ridge is not cultivated on this side as on the
eastern. 1t is covered with heavy timber,
whortleberry bushes, (which furnish grand ex-
cursions for the people ofthe county every sum-
mer), and tremendous rocks. There are excel
lent springs issuing from the rocky crevices of
the mountain, besides Loves, John S, Horses
Runs, and some insignificant streams The
Devils Steps and Russell's Rock are points Of
ten visited by huckleberrying excurionists, and
are quite curiosites in the limestone way AS
you approach Staunton, from the eastern side
by rail- you can observe the Hickory Hill, on
the left, which presents quite gay appearance
in the fall season, and is very pretty, if you are
fond Of brilliant colors White and Round
Hills are in close proximity to each other near
the last named one, and are between Christians
Greek and Blue Ridge.
In passing on up, the Piney hills are to be
seen on the left, and as you draw nigh Staun-
ton, the win-sisters," empurpling diadems,
loom up grandy Betsy Bell seems to take the
precedence over Mary Grey, in height and gen.
eral appearance; it forms beautiful back
ground for the Lunatic Asylum. The town is
encircled with lofty and majestic hills of which
are Gospel, CARRIERS, Stuart S, and others
West of Staunton, the Sugar Loaf rears its con
from many parts of the county. Out on the
railroad Buffalo Gap is reached, breakdown
in the great North Mountain, this mountain
extends through Augusta, where the cars pass
through on their winding and circuitous route
towards the Ohio around and at the Gap it is
quite picturesque and romantic looking place.
Proceeding up the Valley, from Staunton to-
wards Lexington, there is an extensive range of
hills for several miles, from some of which mag
nifcent views can be obtained all the beautiful
country bordering along the banks of Chris
tian's Greek and South River may be seen to-
gether with the villages ofFishersville, Sheran-
do, Barterbrook, the old Blue Ridge as a back
ground, with the unassisted eye Near Bethel
Church, there is pine hill, sharp round hill,
covered with tall pines; it looks strange in an
oak country, being about midway between the
two mountains.
Near the village of Greenville, there are sew
eral hills, the Red Hill as you enter the north
side; south, there are three large hills; Kings
overlooks the village and stands with it's YER
dure crowned head monarch of all the surround
lIlS Hills UtdI tuiS Is uldIUl VI Uedu-
tiful amber color, of very fine quality. Buffalo,
little further west, is stupendous bill, almost
perpendicular from every side. A short dis
tance up the Lexington road, about mile
above Greenville, stands the dark looking
Staley's Hill in the times when merchants had
to travel from Tennessee on horseback, gen.
tleman was on his way to some eastern city to
buy supply Of goods, when coming near this
hill, he was attacked and murdered; since it
has gone by his name In all parts of our beau
tiful Augusta are towering hills. great many
nameless, which shall stand while
Rolls the thunder chariot of eternal time.
The mountain views, from the central part of
the county, are grand and wildly beautiful
Last winter when the SHOWS had accumulated
until the mountain presented "a garment of
untrodden snow, it reminded me of what the
Alps are described as the sun fingered in the
Western sky, his shining invisible save on the
mountain sides, where all the hills and hollows,
brought out by the dying rays of the sun SEEM
ed of a bright pink. This shade remained a
short time when it took it's old cold look AS
we gaze on the mountains and hills, and all the
beauties of nature, we can exclaim,
How beautiful is all this visible world
How glorious in its action and itself
VIRGINIENNE.
A CONNECTICUT genius has manufactured
knitting machine that will knit fifty pair of
stockings per day, and is SO constructed that
the stitch can be changed from rib to plain
stitch almost instantly There are savnntv five