Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-11-18

beasts had remained in their lairs, in
Inundated by the quaint and curious
sounds without. The levity of youth,
stimulated by thequickening influence
of hot coffee and roasted tGters, soon
proposed a coon hunt to the minds OF
some, while others, sanguine in the
hope of enjoying sunrise from an
eminence on the eastern slope OF the
mountain, yielded without resistance
to the gentle wooings of Morpheus,
and soon were locked in his dozy en-
brace. Now, silence seemed to reign
around, save the low dull conversation
of u few sleepless adventures who, re-
pelling the attacks of the comforting
deity were plotting in innocent hilarity
some programme Ofamusement for the
hours when, as the old aphorism has
1t, 4" honest men should be in bed.n
We had entered upon the third watch
of the night. Suddenly we were aroused
by a grand march which we began to
realize as such when the hills re-
sounded with the echoes of succeeding
vollnys of musketry, and peals OF
laughter, which we might term shouts
Of Victory, from the adjoining tent
banlshed the idea of sleep. The ball
had opened. A Reed shaken with the
wind had created mighty tempest.
Indeed, IL seemed as ii the restless
spirits of heaven and earth were acting
in concert to disturb the quiet repose
Of sleepy mortals. Sparks are prone to
fly upward according 10 seriptural
teachings, but on this occasion il was
otherwise. Chance had suited even
the position of the tents TO the wishes
OF fun-seekers. Loud and threatening
language issued from the interior
counts, as the sparks, stirred Of course
by accident, In their wild meahderings
invaded the inner apartments of tenn
porary dwellings, and threatened in
evitable destruction to the taters and
wearied humanity. The night is
passing. Bright world above, dancing
along their well-beaten tracks, are just
now ecllpsed bya passing cloud of con-
jectured smoke. Another fits across
the sky, and another, till the whole
canopy of heaven Ia obscured. The
chords of Natures harp are strung,
and the winds are whistling wildly
around the peaks of the mountains. A
change of weather is at hand, and with
detected spirits we doze again, only to
be awaked at peep of day by the fall of
| rain drops upon our uncovered heads
Hastily we roll our blankets, and with
disappointment depicted in every
| couRtenance, we again sit down around
our board of bounty. But listen! the
| rain-drops have eeasel to fall, and
hope fingers still for Hope springs
| eternal in the human breast" After
| u detachment to guard the camp, or
ders were issued fr~ m the Commanding
Trio, and the party began to disperse
| in small squads for days hunt. Over
the woody bluffs and down through
| laurel thickets, a fruitless march of
two long hours left us enveloped in a
| thick fog that had settled down upon
| the brow of the mountain. The clouds
| were heavy and rain began to descend.
Back to camp we felt our way, and
now the scene was different. Although
| il seemed fit time to try the reins OF
men," AZ parties came hurrying from
| all quarters of the compass, some liter
ally soaked. yet mirth and levity pre-
| vailed. But the countenance of one
| wore a graver aspect, and sense OF
responsibility was traceable In his
manly mien and stable bearing. But
soon his apparent meditation ripen I'd
into conclusion, and again we heard
| the friendly counsel of our worthy
| Professor directing rs to abandon the
mountains. Our dinner hastily de-
voured, and we were en- route for the
| precincts of Holson River. Down the
| same, afore mt ntiOned, MorreH's
! Path" We came, our knee joints feel
| ing very soon AS If they were furnished
| with all extra supply of lubricating
material, or as II the main spring of
| our knee power had been seriously
damaged. Our little toes also by this
time had converted their feeble cries
into shouts of man (tos) slaughter.
| Now we stopped again upon the
I" Hdlf-sOay Rock" which hangs far
| out over the variegated forests below,
and seems truly rs If carved out by the
designing mind of the Creator as n
resting-place to enjoy the sublimity of
the sublime. With as much delight
we fingered to repeat the scenes of our
| ascent. Truly, our souls did feast again
upon the beauties of Nature, and we
were 10th to quit the Halfway
Rock" the Joy of our fatigue, the
| Pisgah of our excursion. AT last we
| left it, but as kindred scenes upon our
| descent rCeted the eye, meditation
| woOed our spirits, and we were alarm
iugly convicted with the insignificant
| cy of man, n dot, a speck no, not this;
| ~
| plies more notice than he deserves in
| the universe of God. Downward we
fastened with far greater speed than
we assembled. Here upon the very
margin of our path is a massive lime
stone known IA " Walkers Rock
| In itself il implies something peculiar;
| for il looks as ifskillful art had chiseed
| il down to q level surface sufficient in
| extent to seat perhaps n dozen men.
| Close by stands Il tree with the letters
=" w. W." roughly hewn out in its
trunk; this explains the mysterious
| Significance of the place. 1t stands
commemorative of an inquest held
over dead body found near this place
at no very distant day in the past, and
afterward identified as the remains OIL
n man nan ell Walker; in memory o
| whom the rock has its name. The
verdict was rendered that he had frozen
to death. But 1empus fugit," and
our boys are making rapid strides to-
wa d the HolstOn; while In the blttel
agony Of their burning sOies, and ach
ing limbs, they raise their spirits e
the pitch of familiar tune, and en-
deavor thus to forget their tendel
sensibiiitics; from this we conclud,
that many n smiling face conceals al
aching-pdrt. Safely over our Rubico,
again with dry pocket-handkerchief
and sound hearts, we learn that GU
locality Is one mile below "Reywood'
Fbrd.n Speedily we gain the pcin
previously specified for mailing con
nection with our commissary. w
stop; we listen; we look in vain, anC
grow impatient. We stretch our eye
to reach II possible beyond the line o
vision, and know the destiny of on
precious wagon. No tidings reach on
ears concerning its fate. A look o
desi on lency for moment IL on almos
every visage, and suggestions are th'
order Of the day. We had reached thu
point at which we had anticipated al
encampmert for the night; II is ye
eight miles to Bristol. and our goo,
sense, wearied bones, and Jeet'nl
natures revolt at the idea Of goinl
farther. But necessity makes means
and though we had not, as we thought
/ kha = rautrfl "a nraaaah IA ri no