New-York tribune., 1871-07-13
THE BLUE RIDGE,
FROM CRsAR's HEAD TO FLAT ROCK-MoUN-
TANNERS AND THEIR CABINS-NORrH CAR
OLINA yALLEYS-THE FLAT ROCK PLATEAU.
IPRoM ORR SPECIAL CORRRsPONDENTI

| IRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
| FLAT Rock, N. c., June 30-On "Wednesday
left C8sar's Head and set out to descend the Blue
Ridge into one of the secluded little valleys that lie along
the northern base of these mountains The road ut rst
followed for several miles tho summit of tho ridge,
through the forest and passed the cabins OF two
or mounaineers who had cleared little space for
fields OF corn. These people live in the greatest sim
pcity The entire OF log hut such they nhabit
cannot exceed s., where nails are used to fasten
the shingles and there hinges for the doors; but
| where these dispensed with, as Is often
| the case and the roof Of the structure Is
fastened with pegs and the door hung wooden hinges,
the expenses beyond the labor builder next to
nothing The walls are of logs, the shingles and the
planks for the floor split with and the chin
ney built OF stones from the mountain side. There are
windows a rule and where there is an exception
| there is no glass; but only hole closed with rough
board shutter The cabin usually contains two rooms
often there is but The simple furniture IL
home made and besides few dishes and two or three
iron skets frying there is little to be seen that
has been bought at store There Is never any stove
the cooking being done the hearth, and tho bread
baked in round iron pan, which placed over the IRE
while Goals heaped top. Cabins of this descrp-
ton scattered along the narrow valleys, and are
sometimes found high up the ridges where lcve,
space OF a few acres be found free from rocks.
| on which be raised. The people who inhabt
these cabins snbsst by cultiyatng few of corn
rarely than five siX-and dozen rows or pOta
toes They three pigs that feed in the woods
on acOrns and roots and two that like the pigs,
depends for subsistence upon what be picked In the
forest. The precarous living of the family Is eked out
by hunting, the being all expert hunters and tho
country abounding In deer and wild turkeys simpler
uder life than these people lead cannot be observed
in any civilized country They seldom read write.
Their dress is of coarse homespun CLOTH The men are
quite TALL and the usually much above the me
dium hight. Both gaunt and angular, with
salow complexions high cheek bones and thin
hair. They appear be destitute Of all ambition to
improve their condition. and where they have land
enough cleared to produce the years cOnsump
ton they will not take the trouble to clear and plant
more.
In the Of the days journey had good illus
traton of the stupidity of these people. Half way down
the to aipace where the roads orked,
and taking the righhand road according to directions
received at starting, passed diminutiye sawmill
Just big enough contain the saw the sawyer, and the
log that was about sawed In the road by tho mill
cart and yoke Of cattle completely blocking up the
track In response to our repeated halls tall clay
complexioned man sauDtered slowly up from the mill,
looked at and then the cattle alternately for
minutes and then put his hands in his pockets and
gave up the problem that presented itself how to get
OF the road The problem was too difficult for
him 10 sove and finally our negro driver D0geye had
TO 90 and unhch the cattle and the cart OF the
way The stupid driver seemed mildly astOnished at the
darEcy's superior wisdom. nalt mile DeyOnu in
the road proved of those of which LOngfellow
speaks, which end in squrrelrack and run up tree
We wheeled about with much difficulty TO repeat at the
mill the performance as that OF the ox-team Inc
men at mill did not appear to have let us go astray
through malice but through that stod stupidity whch
Is characteristic of their race-a stupidity TOO dense lor
curiosity
Once in the right road we descended rapidly the noun
tansde following little stream that leaped from rock
to rock in a succession of beautiful cascades In the
afternoon out OF the forest lhtoa pretty 'ae''
bounded by picturesque mountains that stretched away
to the north The valley was divided into small iarms,
producing good crops of wheat rye oats ana eorh anu
ne nosturoge IL was pleasant to grass again. Tor
all ~ South Carolina excepting narrow Det sKlruhH
the mountains is grassless country Inc houses Ill tho
valley were of logs unpainted boards we stopped al
no ., the latter class and asked for dinner.
tor,a Lind-featured woman, in coarse hOmespun
Gown said that dinner was over, Dut she eoulu
., 80 something To eat If would only wait till she
coud bake some bread. The house was unpainted out
side and inside There were three rooms on the ground
aoor. one contained three beds another one, and the
,ird Uas the kitchen with large stone fireplace ana
hroad hearth Two tall, notwithstanding young
women hustled about to get dinner. fire was made
With corn-cobs dough mixed, put in a bakepan,
and act over the Goals. Coffee made and bacon
fr,ed and the meal ready in half an hour. The old
lady said that she" meaning her husband "loted to
enb the house." but it did prime" it In the
Gouth the country women always speak OF tneh
husbands AS "he." She said: "There hant
mo summer school in the neghborhood, which
wa ort to- but we hant." The teachers
had not been paid for last Winter, which
vas "mighty dlsencOuragng." Finding her guests
were from the North she told us that there were
"power" OF Union men in the Deghborhood, and that
heap on eIn the Union side" Her three sons
had font into the and through the war, and had
fout their way home, and they their blue coats
lang after the ended. company OF 30 men was
raised in the Valley and got through the Rebel lines,
and oined the Union forces in Tennessee "He" laid
out in the bush much OF the time for year. to avoid the
conscrpton The old lady said she had fed heap" OF
Union soldiers escaping from the prisons in South Caro-
lima she reckoned she had fed the wuth of mule"
IN them she never glad as they when
they found there Union people in the Valley
After dinner resumed our journey, and, turning
from the broad main valley into narrow valley that
led us eastward skired the northern base OF the
main chain OF the Blue Ridge which here a steep wall
of green almost level along its summit. We passed
occasional farm. the at work in the fields stopping
the muzzled with which they blowing out the
corn TO stare at the unusual spectacle of carriage,
| until we we'll out Of sight. Toward evening
we eached the head this little valley and ascended
| ridge After wandering for some miles through the
| forest we came ont at sunset upon the great Flat
Rock pateau-a stretch OF slightly rolling land ten miles
wide and twice that distance in length surrounded
| by aofty and picturesque mountains The peculiarty
OF this place ia that here the evidences OF
| a high civilization are brought into direct contact and
with the Wild rude, and simple life on the
mountains Upon this plateau some thirty wealthy fam
iles chiefly from Charleston, have built their villas and
cottages and made their Summer resort To escape the
heats and fevers OF the low country Their residences
scattered at distances of half mile apart along two
roads that cross al spot where half dozen houses cus
ter together called Flat Rock Village. These houses are
surrounded by charming grounds, with flower gardens
lakes cnps of noble oaks aud loug sweeping avenues