Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-11-05

done on this road when the war broke out,
and its grades arc yet visible along the route
we are travcll ng That it viii be blilt in
q few years (when the Senate Of Virginia il
able to redeem pledge Of q milli, and
q half dollars towards its construction, or
when capitalists have had the great benefits
Of such an improvement brought fully to
their attention) we do GOT permit ourselves
to doubt for it is in fac, a continuance OF
Norfolk anl Great WeIeri K throat, q
necessary link ia ;hat great line o. commu'
nicaton al which We have already imper-
fectly glanced, and which, joiuing at Bristol
with the railroads Of Tennessee, aud con.
neoting at Cumbe Ian Gap with the Lou's-
vile, Harrodsburg and Virginia road Is to
bring the most productive regions OF the
West into commercial connection with the
tide-water ports of Virg MIA. Tue grades
TO Gu nberland Gap are easy. Aud curl Us
enough this i'm .ortant railroad hnls pas
sage through the Natural Tunnel, which We
are proceeding to visit, and such as the hu.
man resources OF the engineer might not
soon accomplish. Tue Natural Bridge, IN
Rockbridge county, has been remarked foi
the convenience IL furnishes, stage road
passing over it; aud here wo have yet
more rem ,rkabIe ia thncc of the generosity
Of nature, ia furr ishing Natural Tunnel
just where a railroad must seek the passage
Of sn almost impregnable mountain ridge.
1t is certainly singular correspondence OF
natural gifts aad one, too, OF natural won
ders.
Riding through the beautiful and remark.
able scenery that hedges our way TO the
Natural Tunnel, our attent on soon falls of
from railroads aad trade aud we are lost Ia
very different meditations. A single re-
mark conjures up all the resources Of ru
nance. We are travelling precisely the
same road that Daniel Boone traUerssd hun
dred years ago, tchen he moved into Kentucky.
Ii is still the g eat thOroughfare into Ken
lucky, opening out from Moccasin Gap, and
passing through the different chambers or
,,slleiies that run into each other along th'
lovely waters OF the Olinch. u was known
for many years rs =" Doone's trace" aud is
yet called so by the emigrant. The whole
country around here is rich with Indian ira
ditions, which have been neglected Ia com.
parison with those of Eastern Virginia, and
which might yet furnish volume OF vivid
interest. The country we are traversing
AID the surrounding counties formed pro
erly part Of tho Ozark and Bloody
Ground" which the historian aud noveli,t
have too exclusively placed in K.ntucky.
Five miles ON Estillvlle,'an on the ROAD
by which We spproaehedit from Bristol, are
the ruins of block house which protected
the early settlers; and fearful story yet
clingi to a spring within the limits of Ih
village. where a family Of the name OF Far
rs perished under the tomahawks Of the
sayages u err blood dying the waters Of ,hs
brook. Passing OH our way slittle further
west, we are reminded hat We are in the
thoroughfare through which the tribes in
hsbiting the Rockcastle hills, in the wilder
mass Of Kentucky, passed to the old settle
ments Of Virginia. Not far from here too
was the rangs Of the ce ebratsd Cherokee
chief, Dragon conoo," worth to be ranked
with 1ecumseh or Oscoela in courage or
skill and who suffered a defeat fetal 10 hi,
tribe, In l7T6, at the battle of tho Great
Island in the Holston River. What tales OF
blood yet cling to these mounteins--wh
calamities and trisis come fresh in rrmen
brsrse in the midst Of these scenes The,
compose a story as yet but .antily written /;
aud one that cannot be writ, IA entirely 10
the advantage and honour OF the white nia
when we remember that ruthless warfare
sometimes made by the settlers, aud call 20
mind message from Mr.. jefferson, when
Governor OF Virginia (l7sl congratulatine
the success OF an expedition q, ainst the
Cherokees already mentioned as inhabitine
this region, it having destroyed fourteen
Iadian towns and burut afty thousaLd bush
els Of corn |" II is b st ,ry. perhaps, no
in the interest of the present day to revive I;
but the wild scenes being glimps Of recol
lections Of it to the traveller, aud especial
ly in a country which still appears primi
tive.
But enough of these reflections by the
wtyside We are aroused fr, m our roman
tic med.tatiohs-ft preface, however, A.
they have been to that wild ani wond ru
scene where tend the chief interest Of our
Journey. u. A. 7.