Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-08


stone. sSuperimposed on this is sandstone
with perpendicular assures filed with "a por-
Gus sandy soil. These assures widen as they
approach the cap of the mountain and
form the greater portion of the surface.
Sandstone forms the escarpments OF the
mountain sites and acts as solid walls to
retain the loose soil. This porous soil,
resting upon an impervious rock and
clay, retains the wafer which falls
upon it as sponge, and when
hole is dug into it few feet, the water
oozes from the sides and fills the cavity,
just as it would fill hole cut in sponge
put in a cup and saturated with water.
This view is strengthened by the fact
that most of the mountein streams sink
and reappesr at intervals, descending in
some places by succession OF falls and
cascades until they reach stratum where
they disappear from view, TO be seen no
more until they emerge in The valley be-
low as the headwaters of some river or
creek. Some of these falls are very
beautiful aud form attractive objects OF
interest to visitors.
Z LONG MILLS FALLS, rf
five miles west of the hotel, are the most
famous. They are on what is called
Firescald creek, which flows IN an easter
" direction, and after uniting with Laurel
creek, disappears in. the sand and is be-
lisVed to break out at the foot of the
mountain, forming the headwaters
of Collins river. In gong to
these falls, we proceed along moderate
ly good country road of sand, through
piney woods, with an unusually large
number of creeping plants among the
underground, among which we observed
the mimosa, or sensitive plant, green
brier, grape vines, etc. We soon reach q
position whence it is necessary; by reason
of the declivity, to proceed on foot.
Leaving our carriage, we follow cordu-
roy and gravel road for distance of one
hundred yards, when we behold on our
right terrible chasm, with precipitous
sides, one hundred and fifty feet deep,
down which it swes and affrights the eye
to look. On the left rises up perpendic-
ular bluff of conglomerate sandstone,
which gradually projects over the road
as we proceed, until its huge
mass overhangs a greater portion of the
pathway. Still descending, we leave the
main road, which leads down to the grist
mill, and take left hand, obscure path,
fringed on each side with mountain lau-
rel and rhododendrons. The decliyity
here becomes very steep, and the way is
obstructed by huge boulders that have
been precipitated from the oVer-hanging
hi,.ff h. Af all
and thaws. At one place apsir of wooden
steps is required to effect the descent.
Upon reaching the foot of these steps
and looking to the right the first view of
the falls is had, but is mar
red, to some extent, by the large rocks
at the foot of the falls that shut out q
full view of them. Turning squareiy to
the left, right under the Ladder, with the
perpendicular escarpment 10 the right,
and following the path down gentle de-
clivity for fifty yards further, all the wild
grandeur and magnifcence of the falls are
clearly displayed. The water is precipi-.
tated from beetling ledge of rocks some
fifty feet above into q cuL de sac, or
bowl, with precipitous sides rising one
hundred and fifty feet, except
where the stream makes its ingress
and egress. The stream has worn
down channel some fifty feet
feet In depth, thereby giving fail to the
water only about half the height of the
surrounding bluffs. The water pours
down upon q mass of broken rocks be-
low, and is dashed into snowy spray
and gathers itself into placid pool few
feet further on. A space of fifteen feet
intervenes between the base of the bluff
and the foot of the waterfall, which
enables visitors to pass behind the falling
water. the rocks that form the escarps
ment of the cul de sac are conglomerate
or pudding stone, sandstone and shle.
Large pieces of these rocks have been
detached from the sides of the bluffs and
precipitated below, many of them weigh
ing hundred tons, which give Wild,
rugged and remsntic aspect to the floor
of the arena beneath, and against
which the waters as they pa s cut
of the quiet pool, at the foot of the falls,
beat and fret themselves as they go muir
1pring down the dep gorge, through
thick fsurel and pine, hemlock and holly.
ANY morning, WheA tbs sun is shining,
beautiful rainbow may be seen just at
the point where the water of the falls
strikes the broken rocks below. The eff
feel is understandable. The colors of the
rainbow, comnIingEng with the white foam
of the waterfall gives the appearance of
partieolored pearls set in animated ala
bsster. For many feet around, the
force of the waterfall is such
that the mist floats in the sunlight and
bedews the face of the observer. The
whole waterfall with the deep gorge below
makes picture of singular beauty, at
tractiyaness and grandeur. No one shou d
eyer visit 6eershebs and fail to see this
romantic spot.
A place that aliures more Vieitoss thai
any other about Beersheba
THE STONE DOOR.
This is fearful chasm which separates
a point of an angle of one of the peaks
Of the Cumberland Mountain from the
mountain Iaass, This fissure is about
four feet wide and is spaaned By 6 nat u
raj bridge. Looking over either side of
this bridge down the deep fssure with its
lcI StOS-, VIC ASsAt4 AAilo, oAO
one draws back instinctiVely, clutching
to something or SOMEBODY fer support.
Passing over the bridge and going come
thirty steps, you stand upon az out jlt-
ting rock, from which may be seen one
of the grandest views in the Safe. Look
ing straight out before you,
towards the East is lofty
ridge slightly higher than the
mountain upon which you stand. Be
meath, thousand feet, is valley sleep
ing in beauty and silence, and in which
the tops of the trees present a surface as
emooth and as unbroken as the ocean.
This living SEQ Of green extends to the
right some four miles where 1t is stopped
by rising mountain. To the left it e4
tends for miles towards McMlnnviile, va
ried occasionally by patches of lighter
green, where fields have been cleared and
put in cultivation. Behind you, little
to the left, and at right angles to the
main valley, is deep cove, with nearly
perpendicular sides rising up thousand
feet. This cove is about seven hundred
yards across, and about one thousand
FROM It's head 70 the point, where it mer-
ges into the main valley, Recrossing the
stone bridge, and turning few steps to
the right, you stand upon q shelving rock
from which you have magnificent view
Of this eoSe, A stone thrown from the