Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-11-18
Our NYeuntnin ESambIe.
"IIAes olim lneminisss juvabit."

uaec olim ineminissS juvabit."
TWAS Thursday morning. The gray
nlists that-hung around nights retiring
shades had been dispelled by the bright
light OF an autumn sun. Hearts bound
ing with delightful anti eipations beat
within the bosoms of til Z students OF
King College, as with joyful eyes they
gazed upon an auspiciOus sky snd saw
the distant mountains d. essed in robes
of blue. A mountain Scursion was
at hand. On all sides were seen young
men, equipped in the b abiliments of
foot-soldier, (for it was TO be foOt-
back excursion) hurr wing along
with elastic step al I'd buoyant
spirit as though a Rubicon was TO be
crossed or an Alps to he climbed. Soon
!. merry crowd had assembled at the
gate If our College Cam pus. Shout
after shout broke the stiffness of the
morning air, aud as war horses pran-
cling for the onset, srwe wi tn impatient
spirits were eager to begin the march.
Our RENDEZVOUS was a mile distant,
within the precincts of royalty, or at
least at the habitatiOn of King. An
other short hour and we were there.
Gladly we committed our trappings 60
the baggage-wagon, and ae ain the air
WIS rent with claiGorous greetings as
we hailed our three respec ted leaders
awaiting. with cooked hats .lndsbddled
steeds flor officers of infantry are allow
ed to ride, full saddle-pockets and
| ingling spurs, the time for departure.
Ere long the signal was given and
our watch-wOrd was Mou'ttdin7Ddrd.
Nothing of interest occurred save now
| and then raid upon an appl q orchard,
| or frequent reports of pistcll and shot
guns, or perhaps brief but pathetic
| appeal to rest q title, till we reached
| the majestic HolstOn; which, flowing
gently along IL rocky bed, soon told Us
| by It's low murmuring tones md wide
| ~ separated banks that we HI d indeed
| reached our Rubicon. but il must be
crossed and the dogs OF he sa0untdin
| instead of the dogs of war; were let
loose, and its rolling water, no longer
| babe defiance. After some few anus
ing incidents, and display Of gymnas-
tic attempts on the part Of some in
| turning summersaults from the ferry
| boat, we were over the Hol .oI, but we
were not at our journeys e Id yet, for
the majestic peaks of Iron Mountain
were still in the distance. The min
| utes seemed rs hours, and ~ miles ",
though they been measured by an ca
| giles flight, while our little u YES began to
| cry out in the incipiency OF heir troub-
| les. The monoton0us tramp, tramp,
| tramp, and the ever recurring sight of
rocks and hills had impaired the ap-
preciative interest We had manifes ed
ut outset; but il had only passed into
a state of lethargy 10 be aroused by
something more sublime. Now We
apparently began to climb the noun
tain, and were congratulating ourselves
upon our easy ascent as we danced up
q gently inclined plane. Good spirits,
il not good flesh, pervaded the entire
company, as was verified by the fire.
| quent exclamatiOns of Onward and
| Upward, Excelsior, sc.
But we were only little chagrined
TO find ourselves after All hours march
ut the foot of the mountain; we had
only been climbing to the foot. Here
we again assumed our military garb
| which we had so willingly flung aside
and calling to mind the familiar " M
Desperdndun," the veteran watchword
or sch0ol-boy dreams, we started for
the summit by the steep and difficult
route kn.wn as Morrell's Path" Not
like the nimble-fo0ted raamois did We
bound up the mountain side, but slow
| ly wended our way, while testing the
physical strength of shool-boy habits
by the arduous duties of hunters life
| Here and there a moss-covered seat
which Natire seemed to have fitted out
for our convenience invited repose.-
| Now we began To be remunerated fer
the toll and fatigue Of the day; for, as
we accomplished step by step our diff
cult task, our eyes drank in with ca
ger delight scene after scene which
might fifty decorate the studio of the
most skilled artist, and which, beggars
description. The forests below us Were
clad in their richest robes, while the
distant valleys seemed in themselves a
roll of mountains. Our section of cou-
try lay before Us as mighty map
In front of us was the towering range
known AS Walkers Mountain, while
far in the distance the cl0ud-Teaching
Cumberland, 10y sudden indentation,
bowed us where Nature, us she is
wont to do, had conlOrmed her works
to the convenience of man and by an
apparent depression from the laws OF
symmetry had hewn outa mighty Gap
in her lofty ramparts. Stil higher we
climb, and now little bright spots in
the distant valleys show us where the
hand of industrious art had made rapid
innovations in the fOrest-wilds of ma
ture, and fixed the abode of civilization.
Another gnze, and yonder i'm the dis
lance il Bristol, the point fOm which
we started, peeling our IN its solitude
from among the ute mountains that
characterize East Tennessee aud South
western Virginia. We recognized some
residences but the Palace and King
College were eclipsed by am interven-
, ing wood. Look again, ard with one
weep of the eye we take in Blountvilie
aud Union-grand in themselves but
comparatively insignificant. Indeed
to the natura! eye they seem respective
~ as mere cluster of dinlnutive
white specks upon the surface of Wis.
ion. But upward still we mount, and
: rs our view is extended By widening
horizon our souls are intoxicate with
delight, and in their incapability t.
drink IN all the grandeur, magnifli
cence. and subiimity Of the scene pre-
scented, they bound upward to grasp
only in vain nj the goodness, greatness
! aud power of the Creator. We musi
, hurry on for already the eamp-firei
. are lighted, by some more active anC
I enduring than we, on the slope beyond
the summit. We have attained thu
? top at last. Wearied and fatigued W,
would fain drop our aching limbs upoI
; the evergreen carpet which Natur,
has spread upon the very ores
: o the mountain, but the smell Of coffee
l and the cracking fires below induces
US farther; and at last we halted
I around the bright camp fires wher,
! amid many amusing incidents passed
I our first night on the mountains.
9 brief sketch of its trials and laughabl
y O ,currences might not be out of place
The sacred hour oftwilight had melte'
into the deeper shades OF night ere W
had finished our evening repast, am
i spread our blankets fora gifts repOse
Eolus hsd fniAhedb Is evening ranbles