New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-12
TIE MOUNTAINOUS DISTRICT" OF VIR-
GINA.
AN APPALACHIAN TOUR.


east Of the Rocky Mountains Most persons have noticed
on the map wide belt Of country lying between the inc
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and that OF inc
Lynchburg and Knoxville Railroad, which Is furro"eu
by successive ranges Of mountains, having genera
northeast and southwest direction, Inc average u
TANGO described by this tract may be about 200 miles "uo
by about 800 miles long; and venture to say that 10
equal area east of the Mississippi at leaA are so sPas
settled or is 80 little known travellers 1t commonly
called the Mountain District OF East and West virginia
and was the theater of Of the earliest CONNECTS WI"
the Aborignes 1t par excellence tho mountain reso
of the Eastern States; for the Appalachian chsl Is Io
8rinRled up into succession Of ridges ana FaipSS
averaging from 500 to 1000 feet above sea level oono
very grand views are to be obtained on the heau
waters of the James River aud the slope when Grams
into the Ohio The streams well supplied WIN some
Of the commoner varieties OF FISH, though not an sorry
to add with trout Game, including deer, Is aDuhdant
DESCENDING THE KANAwHA.
Curiosity and chance having led me TO the white SUI
phur Springs, which may be reached by ran, was
TAINTED to accompany party of gentlemen who pro.
posed 20 make trip across TO the Ohio RIVER some Oh
the marty were interested the railroad now Duu-
ing TO the Ohio others in the extensive mneIa uepo0
along the route and or two Ike myself upon
seeing the face OF the country and enjoying tne "u
aspects of nature Our led us first to the Green
brier River which we reached by the old Turnpike road
ON which the legislators Of fifty years ago were wont 10
roach Washington from the West Thence we pushed
down the Greenbrier by bride paths, fordng az some
places and ferrying at others. At the mouth OF inc
reenbrier we could longer follow the course OF Ie
railroad and So sending horses by the inland roau
We prepared to descend the stream We had peeh tou
that the experiment was bold one, 1t was more thah
twenty years since any one had veutured down the TOT
tuous and lpreeptous New River or the Kanawha' as
might be more properly called The engineers Oh ','e
party had secured good sized boat or batteau' ~ 'e
mouth Of Greenbrer and In this our fortunes were cast
Only one Of the had attempted to pass uoWh
before and he had been shipwreeRed. Inc
eonrso for ten miles proved TO DO moderately
safe with Just enough danger TO spice the MP mere
however at Richmonds Falls, II became necessary 70
place one OF the boats on skis anu h"ul ~
gently over the rocks to avoid fall OF twenty
two feet After all hands had been thoroughly wetted by
this wadng process rombarked and kept our course
down the river 1t had taken us two days to accomplish
this fifty miles the succeeding day by stcng 10
our boat we accomplished hrysX miles, running III the
course about fifty rapids The New River can haruy DO
said TO lie in a valley; IL in sharp cut ceit OF
caGon The current has worn narrow ana deepeua'
mel through the successive ridges and now Its torrent
dasbes first against side OF the gorge ana then
against the other aud at every turn 1t has SO undermined
the mountain as to bring down immense masses OF rock
VARYING in size from that Of church to that OF common
bowlder Many Of these fallen rocks lie right across the
channel and so contract that the water ehurned into
foam in rushing through and them. The average
descent of the stream is from ten TO twenty feet to the
mile; at intervals Of about me therefore, we encouh'
tered succession Of falls varying from three TO ten feet
each. Through these boat shot like a railroad
train through a tunnel, grazing the rocks first
on one side aud then on the other some
times getting a pretty hard scrape on the bottom.
At Bowers Ferry at dark halted iand encamped on
the rivers bank Above that point we had occasionally
seen q little clearing in the creyices formed by
the tributary streams The farming must nave been
OF the most primitive Sort for many OF the families
had not wheeled vehicle the spot, nor any mode
of egress better than the senderest bride path In
fact there we're some spots where almost imposs.
bic to get horse and If ever anybody visited them IL
must by Such people apparently nave no need
OF pOsoces or railroads, and they gazed in strange
wonder on us at our advent. Below Boyers Ferry We
we're told that the canon grew still deeper and narrower
and the rocks and rapids frequent There was no
habaon on the river bank for rs miles nor any means
OF climbing out OF the gorge except at point is miles
below We were also reminded that It was too danger
GUS for us to attempt every expedition which had ever
gone down having come to grief.
TIE FIRST SUCCESSFUL EAvIGATORs.
Our horses had been at the ferry below
and we must either follow the riyer boat walk,
so we chose the boat. We realized our situation
After passing rapid, with narrow escape from cap
sizing 10 was deemed point OF conmendable prudence
to land and survey OF the shoals before running
them by This proved TO be hercGean labor as IL
was impossible 70 stop within average Of half mile
above below the rapids some Of them being half
mile or more in extent, thus involving walk OF mile
OF more along the pecptous rock and tangled brush OF
the mounainde This progress, too, was most unsats'
factory being made with difficulty by aid OF hands as
well as feet The poured down Its rays with feryid
glow and every one OF tho party win testify that 1t was
| the hardest days work he had To add 10 the
dangers Of the shore, there raesnakes, copper
heads and the poison oak We killed one OF the former,
and brought his rattes and drowned one Of the cop
1 perheads, and set him adrft The great trouble,
/ cIau pvar flaa pka
This experience soon taught TO trust TO thewater.
| Finally, our party reGmbarked. and some Of them
positively refused leave the boatieven TO reeonnoiter
| the falls BY right OF our place navgators, We
named one OF them the "Wickham Shoals" after very
gallant and hearty old gentleman Of the party second
particularly rough piece Of water we called the iIunt'
ngton Shoals" in honor OF another Of the tourists
| third, the Ewing Rapids; fourth. the Paxton
Rapids 20 a fifth, the Bouncing Shoals" and TO
the end At Mcrs Ferry, 10 miles above the Gauley
Bridge we took TO horses again. after admiring
view which we obtained from preoipOus cliff called
The Hawks Nest / have seen no scenery and
scarcely any picture which is impressive as the scene
from this cliff up and down the river II deserves 10 be
made memorable on canvas by some competent artist,
along with the Yosemite and the Matterhorn.
.. CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILROAD. $500 .
From the Falls Of Kanawba down to the Ohio the trip
was less romantic but stl interesting. at the head Of
navigation at Cannelton found several very fine veins
OF coal opened the three varieties OF btumnous spHnt
aud camel being found In tho order. There
several salt works in operation the bank Of the
river Thenceforward TO the Ohio the country is
rolling and fertile. l am satisfied with the state
ments of the engineers who have heretofore reported
upon this route that only feasible for railroad
but also very direct aud very favorable for grades There
will be gradual and nearly uniform ascent OF nearly
1000 feet between the Ohio aud the summit Of the Al
leghenies, Except for temporary use it will not be
cessary TO have grades exceeding 80 feet to tie mile
There three tunnels proposed which will shorten the
line materially The distances between common points
less than by the other routes and better time be