The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-11-04

ttfaiis bus follow tie 'indehtations made
by nature herself, The ancient Indian
trail from Charleston to athe mountains
passed aleng at many points the same as
tie GfeetiHille aud Columbia Railroad,
viz; Ninety six, Green wood, Honea
Path. to old Fort George, on the Keowee,
kthence by Oconee, over, the mountains.
70 Otaytona and the head springs Of the
little Tennessee. AT or near Clayton,
they diverged down the Tennessee, and
across to the Hiwassee, whilst CROSS trails
went Southwark to Augusta and Savan-
nab, We left Clayton with all its quiet
comforts, on the Hiwassee trail, and
com menced the gentle ascent Of the
West branch OF thu Sticoa Creek. For
four miles. we bad o succession Of plea.
SAINT valleys and farm houses, until We
commenced the rise of the hills beyond
Sticoa aud her ueighbor on the West
side. We found the same rich noun
tain cites, cool water and delightful
atmosphere; but soon we commenced the
descent to other streams and farms, and
foDnd ourselves on Timson's Greek, and
going down at a more rapid rate. Here
again. the monstrous timber trees sur.
prised us. Vast numbers OF the largest
specimens of all the kinds useful in
agriculture and the arts, aud no ono to
put them into form and shape. But
stop, at sudden turn of the road, we
came across man. young and athletic,
irving shingles or boards from O tree
and snch tree! He had sawn off three
or four outs, twenty-fonr inches long,
and was irving away. Now we venture,
If he has finished these blocks, and in
| tends to rive up the whole tree, he is
there yet, and will perhaps be there until
the end Of the year. For that tree would
make boards enough to-to-coyer the
accounts Of the city of New York, or the
defalcations Of our Radical officials. The
| stream grows in volume end the farms
enlarge, until we arrive at the Tallulah
River. :, On the bank, just ut the cross
ing, we find merchant with his solitary
store house. We look in-see Northern
sheetings and homespuns, hardware.
spades and shovels, with handles from
Southern ash, and n few spinning wheels,
certainly made at home.
The Tallulah River here is gentle,
quiet, murmuring stream, strangely in
contrast with it's terrific, boisterous,
foaming leaps and dashes q few miles
below. We cross at beautiful shallow
ford, turn up its green banks, and imme-
diately find Dicks Creek, of which we
had heard before and rather dreaded.
In few miles, on each side of the road,
the great heaps Of quartz, rock, sand
and gravel indicate search for gold,
and farther on. the muddy stream, and
splashing noise Of rockers and fumes,
with the stream carried in successive
terraces, until it is high up, on the sides
of the hill, introduce the visitor to the
busy scenes of the celebrated gold mine,
now being worked on lease by Col. Han
son. We hear the usual marvellous re-
ports of nuggets and rioh yields, but
have no time to experiment or verify,
for Dicks Creek has to be run out
to its very spring before we can turn
down into the lovely valley of Hiwassee.
But we did notice, at this very point,
with all the appliances of gold diggers
around us, that here was large and ex-
tensive area Of rich alIuvial soil, more
than 100 acres, which perhaps. if skill
fully used In agricultural purposes, would
yield more than the gold fields, so peril
naoiously worked by the enterprising
lessee. But that is his business, not
ours. for we are mere passers-by.
After leaving these extensive gold
fields, we appronch point where the
water J: taken for eli these washers and
fumes. and We enthusiastically believe
that we are near the summit of Dicks
Greek. But not so; we ascend great
hill, and then we find the road beauti-
fully graded along the side of ccnside-
rable mountain, with these huge timber
trees in full view, hickory, poplar. locust,
birch, walnut, the creek (Dick's) tumb-
ling and dashing, and foaming hundreds
OF feet below, and then we come out
into valley and see the mountain still
above US. We ascend. come to a magni-
foent orchard ot pcsch and apple trees,
all laden with fruit-stop-and regret
that we hsd not with us pocket baro.
meter, to show the elevation-but here
it is. fruit in the greatest abundance. A
short drive, and we are on the summit,
dividing the waters of the Atlantic from
the Gulf of Mexico.
After leaving Clayton this morning,
the number and beauty OF the branches
we were crossing, induced Master Frank,
who was with is, &c keep count; and at
this point, seventeen miles from Clayton.
ha reported sixtv-fve streams. and only
numbering one crossing of Dicks
Creek, although that stream was crossed
seventeen times in seven miles. TO this
day. Frank cannot exactly make up his