The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-03-19

During the summer months, these trees are
literally alive with snow-birds, the little
creatures congregating here in millions to
build their habitations and rear their
young.
Notwithstanding the wild and romantic
beauty of this grand elevation, and the ex-
hilarating effects of the highly rarifed at
mosphcre upon the system, hundreds and
thousands of people have lived and died
within the sight of it, without ever having
paid it "a visit. The reason for this has
been, the difficulty of access want of ac-
commodations in the vicinity, and the
mere cattlc-paths by which it is approached
through deep and intricate gorgcs and al
most impenetrable laurel jungles, some
times infested by bears, wolves, wildcats
and rattle snakes. There are but few of
these "yarmints" there now, except the lat
ter, the Hermit having nearly cxterminated
them. Rattle snakes, however, are still as
plenty us there is any use.for, as saw with
my own eyes pile of sixty-nine few
summers ago, all of which had been killed
. by one man in one day, and that, as he said.
not very good day for snakes!
The view from the summit of White Top
is grand beyond description or even con
ception. Looking toward the south, you
have, within the scope of vision, stretching
away from East to West, that grand range
of mountains known as the Blue Ridge,
which, in the dim distance looks like an
azure band bordering the horizon, with
here and there tall peak hiding its head
in the clouds. To the east, mountain piled
upon mountain meets the view, their gentler
slopes in places dotted with "clearings,"
and a column of smoke here and there as
cending, or laying in long lines along the
mountain-side denoting the rude habita-
ton of the ruder "squatter." Looking to-
wards the north, you have the grand old
Cumberland range, the line that divides
the Ozark and Bloody Ground" from the
Old Dominion, as if swelling up from an
ocean Of green, and struggling to lift itself
above the vapor that hangs lazily upon
its sides. To the west, the view, though less
imposing, is not less beautiful You have
before you the broad Valley of Hoston,
which, although diversified with hill and
dale, bold promOntories and pine-clad
ridges, still, from the attitude from which
you look out upon it, it has the appearance
of vast sea dotted with picturesque
islands. In the distance, the spires and
tin roofs of the town of Abingdon glisten
in the sunlight, large plantations look like
blankets spread out in the forest, and at
intervals, rs it dashes out from behind a
promontory, or winds it's way through a
green meadow, may the Laurel Fork of
Holston be seen, like serpentine thread
Of silver, its clear bright waters sparkling
like diamonds in the rays of the sun.
have enjoyed the luxury ofmany a mag
nihcent scene i'll my wanderings, but never
have I seen that from the summit of White
Top eXcelled, or even equal!ed. I was
there on one occasion, when storm came
riding on the blast more than a thousand
feet below where a company of us were
standing. The whole valley was shrouded
as with pail. The Aeep-toned thunder
reverberated far below us, followed by brill
liant flashes oflightninG frightening up the
dark bosom of the cloud. : The scene was
awfully grand and so far trancends the
power of mortal description, that would
not dare attempt it.
1t was near the base of this mountain
near forty years ago, in an obscure gorge,
where the light Of the sun is partially shut
out by the dense foliage Of grove ofgiant
ugar-trees, that Wilburn Waters, then
about twenty years of age, pitched his
lonely tent. He chose this spot for several
reasons, which heard from his own lips
at his own campfire. First because the
| foot of man had never polluted the virgin
soil; second, because it was the covert of
wild animals in cold and stormy weather,
and third, because a light and bubbling
spring of pure cold water leaps from the
cliffs, and dashes Off singing its wild lul-
laby among the gorgeous flowers and
the songs of birds of strange and brilliant
/ plumage.
Wilburn is halfbred Catawba Indian.
/ For some reason he has never given, ex-
/ cept his fondness for solitude and hunting,
he sought and settled the wild spot in
which he has resided SO many years, and
still thinks he would be crowded to suf
location, were a family to settle within
sight or hearing of him. l sought him out
soon after I first heard of him, now more
than twenty years ago. When I first APP
preached him found him eating his morn
ing meal upon "a log-which consisted of
corn-cake, bear-meat and wild honey, and
water from the spring-his two savage
bear-dogs meanwhile standing sentinel,
awaiting his word for action. The ride
through the mountains having given me
keen appetite, broke bread with him,
and from that moment friendship sprang
up between us that has never abated and if
have friend on this green earth on
whom could rely in any and every en-
Urgency, that friend is Wilburn Waters,
the great hermithunter of White Top
Mountain.
Although some sixty years of age, he is
still active and athletic, still devoted to
hunting, still unerring in his aim, and is at
this moment on wolfhunt in the Black
Mountain Of North Carolina, where he had
succeeded in killing eleven the last time
| heard from him. Whenever he finds the
the sign of bear, wolf, or any other an
imsl, he never loses the TRAIL although he
may have to follow it from mountain to
mountain for days together, and to great
distances, and is just rs sure of his game
as if he had it. He is very pious, and will
have no intercourse with swearer or sab.
bath breaker.
I have spent many days and nights with
him, both i'll his cabin and out upon the
Notwithstanding a great fondness for
that sort of lifc-and have heard many
thrilling adventures from his lips 1t was
my purpose to give you some of them in
this letter, but will have to defer them to
another. l have tried to give you an &C.
curate, uncolored description of the White
! Tpp md tha ron, orly 1,lo ,,,on ubn no,