Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-09
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al yPRosPEoT POINT arhqE ga
Is on the crest of mountain directly on.
poslte the hotel, and at the distance Oh
one and half miles in ,Iirect line
From the top of large sandstone rock
which has been detached bv some com
vulslon OF nature from the mountain
mass, and separated from it by an inter
val OF ten feet, 8 more extensive, if no,
more varied view, may be had than
from any other point around Beersheba.
The rock is about thirty feet in height.
and the top is difficult of access. By
cutting a pole with numerous limbe. and
placing it against the face of the
rock, we were enabled 10 reach a
secure foothold, from where we Chamber.
ed up to the upper surface. This is some
hfteen feet square, divided nearly in the
middle by chssm q foot or more in
width. From this chasm few shrubs
have sprung up which give grateful
shade to the surface of the rock at mid.
day. The prospect from this point is
magnificent. On the opposite mountain
stands the buildings of the hotel, glitter
ing Like gems in the sunlight, and on the
face of the mountain below are orchards
and fields and thick forests alternating.
and giving a varied and delightful aspect
TO the scene. Looking 10 the left
deep gorge runs up between
ranges OF mountains for five miles
or more, where it is terminated abruptly
by mountain peak. Far beyond this in
southeasterly direction, and distant
forty miles or more, is deserted a blue
range OF mountains that shoots up con-
siderable height above those intervening.
The serrated crests of the range on each
side of the valley below form rude pic.
lures of grandeur and Wildness of scenery.
The breadth of landscape is greatly en-
larged from Prospect Point, and the dis.
tant mountains swelling from the vale
are mingled with q pleasing indis-
tinctness with the eastern horizon. A
bold headland which marks the termi-
nation of the eastern boundary of
the cove at Stone Door is distinctly seen.
IL rises IN clear and distinct outlines
against the sky, and makes one of the
most prominent objects in the landscape.
The view to the right at Prospect Point
would be equally grand, but for a few
trees near by, that shut out the view in
The direction of McMinnville. To the
west and across the valley may be seen
Middle Ridge and the Backbone, making
prominent pictures in the landscape.
Visitors who are able to endure the
fatigue of the ascent should by all means
get the view from Prospect Point. From
no point can better idea of the country
De obtained.
LAUREL CREEK FALLS
5 another place of great beauty, and is
more admired than Long Mills
falls. The creek that forms these falls,
liter flowing on the mountain plateau for
everal miles, plunges into deep ravine
,ashed in the side of the gorge, through
which the east fork of Collins river flows
nd finds its way down to that stream by
J succession of rapids and falls, and de-
cends more than 1000 feet in the dis
ance of five miles. The Laurel Creek
falls form one of several, by which the
Tater descends TO the foot of the
mountain. Il is distant from Beer
heba about one mile and a quarter,
nd the road to it makes
elightful evening walk after tea. These
ais pitch over mass of conglomerate
Ock, some six feet in thickness, which |
ests upon bedOf crumbling shale. This |
as been disintegra.ed and washed out
rom beneath by the floods, so that the |
ard cOnglomerate sandstone projects a
considerable distance over, which pro-
'ction increases on the right and below
lie falls to twenty or thirty feet over the
lIptical grotto, some sixty feet in length
nd nearly the same in breadth. The
'ater has fall of thirty feet, which
fter striking broken mass of rocks be-
w, sweeps around to the left, find.
g its way amidst huge boulders, at
ne time resting IN quiet pool, and then
ashing hesdlOng down deep cbssms
by the overhanging trees. The
lggedness and wildness of this gorge are
lequalled by anything around Beershes
|, sGd form picture of mighty con-
llsions where huge rocks have been
led upon each other, intermingled with
lien trees, in wild confusion. The
,soms of some of these boulders are
'vered with wild ferns, which make
EN- resemble green Islands in the rug
d sea of rocks.
The projection of the conglomerate
cks makes it easy to walk behind the
ling water. On the overhanging cliff
! the right of the falls several tall hens
cks adhere to the rock which seem
ady to fall, clutched firmly by the en-
looping roots, which feed upon this rock
the frankincense of Abyssinia does upon
e cliffs of pure Parian marble, which
eile over the Hawash river. A singu-
: fact is observable in relation to these
Il hemlocks growing upon the cliff, and
the bed of the creek below. There
e several apparently ready to fall with
e masses of rock clasped by the roots.
hers have tumbled over and are stand
3 bolt upright in the stream. Falling
Om a great height, their roots still cluag
rocks of many tens weight, which ,
me down first, while the lighter trunk,
nbs and foliage of the trees followed
hind like the feathered ends of the
'ne-headed arrows of the sborigiues;
d although the fallen masses Of stone
2 sometimes shattered, enough of the
bid fragments are tied together by the
DTS of the hemlocks to hold their trunks .
yether upon firm foundation, which !
2 floods cannot move. There they
ntipue to grow, and in seeking their !
cessary light, their boughs have I
lched upwards until they have risen
oye the shadows of the dark chasm,
their tops have reached the level of
ose which grow upon the over
nging cliffs, and share with
I'm the light and heat of
sun. Some of them are
IRE than one hundred feet high.
ose which have grown from the seed {
the gorge below, are bent and broken
the wsters which when swollen by !
aVy rains rush down this rsvine with
fearful and crushing force of an ava !
lche. Just above the falls rude mill
N of logs is constructed, which once
Ilected the water for running a saw
il. The mill has been removed, but
name still clings to the falls. An OBJ
'vable fact about all the streams on
8 mountain is the absence OF fish.
It minnow, or frog, or other live !
ng ia seen inhabiting the water. This l
doubtless owing to the fact that the | /.