The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-10-14
Blue Ridge Scenery.

Blue Ridge Scenery
+ A writer>in the Winnsboro Neacs gives
the following description of one of the
most picturesque regions of the Carolinas
| Leaving Morganton about two weeks
since wo crossed the Blue Ridge on foot
that we might slowly drink the solemn
grandeur The stage road through the
| Swananoa Gap,is too narrow to admit -oi
more than single vehicle. On the one
hand rises q range of mountains, some.
times perpendicularly like solid wall,
and then slopeing off their rock-ribbed
and rugged sides toward their SUBMITS.
On the other lies deep, wild ravine, the
depth Of which is often concealed by
overhanging rocks and foliage, beneath
which flows the Gatawba- shallow
stream-murmuring- like some troubled
beast in his lair. Beyond rises another
range of irregular peaks, covered with
wild, picturesque. scenery. Dark clouds
gathering overhead and the shadow of
twilight thicken the forest gloom, storm
is mutteling around the distant noun
tains, and the tightening flashes across
the pathway of the solitary pedestrian.
from the fountain head Of the ,Catawba.
Mountains are still on every hand, but
they are scarcely visible through the
thick veil of mist and clouds. The storm
is approaching. The crashing thunder
leaps
.iFrom peak 20 peak the rattling crngs among. F"
Lifting the veil, the tightening favors the
behoder with momentary glimpse OF
them from base to summit in distant out
line Thus the curtain rises and falls at
brief intervals. until he reaches friendly
habitation, just in season to escape de-
luee of rain. There was only one thing
which disturbed the poetic flow of our
emotions as we admired the sublimity OF
the storm, and that was the recollection
of the parched and withered fields OF
Fairfield
The view from the top of 'Beau Catch
er Knob" the loftiest of thepeaks around
Ashevillc, is scene of surprising gran
dour and loveliness. The quiet village
reposes apparently in valley, but it is
valley of gently sloping hills, whose
smooth green surfaces are crowned With
charming groves and neat residences par
tiaAy visible among the trees.
The French Broad River winds about
the outskirts of. the town, breaking out
here and there into view, and indicating
its serpentine course by the dense trees
crowding upon its banks. Mountains
stretch away on every hand, range be-
yond range, as far as the eyo can reach.
The Balaam Mountains in Haygood coun-
tv. torty-6ve miles distant, can be dis
tinctly seen. The landscape in the light
of the setting sun is beyond all doscrip-
ton and all Imagination to one who has
never witnessed similar scene. The
scene along Davidson and Mills Rivers is,
if possible, more sublime and enchanting.
A new scene bursts upon the astonshed
vision at every turn Of the road, like the
successive pictures Of moving pano-
rama. We can only daub feeble speci-
men with our unsklful pom.
We are riding along the course OF a
beautiful river, rejecting the changing
and picturesque scenery upon its banks.
Before and around us rises an amnhithe-
atre Of mountains, field of corn Or an
orchard of fruit is growing here and
there uron their slopes, and the cleared
land shows that.a harvest is waving upon
bsld summit, or has been already reap.
ed. This is singular phenomenon, and
wa wonder what enticed the industry OF
man to those apparently inaccessible re-
gions, until wo learn that nature ina
crowned the mountain with q fertility
equal to its grandeur. There is more
than poetry in the Psalmist's language
when he says, "There shall be . handful
Of corn upon the mountains and tho frui
shall shake like Leban.9p."
IT Cosrs TOO MUcn.-What father, o