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

where a. summer GOULD be spent more
pleasantly A fine farm, lovely scenery,
luscious fruit,' plenty OF hunting and
trout fishing, and charming family
rhe next morning we left this most COM
Portable residence, and, after some three
or four miles drive mp the valley, we
commenced the ascent of the Tasquitta
Mountain, which loomed up TO q won
drous height. The. road. however, is
well graded, and winds and twists and
zigsags along fearful gorges hundreds of
| four miles before you reach the summit.
aud then You turn and look South and
Westward and you have another Of these
panoramic views 80 lovely and grand to
behold, but 80 impossible to describe.
The Flora of this mountain would al
| ways attrnct attention, from the largest
and loftieat timber trees down to the
tiniest flowers, which lined the road at
every step.
We GROSS the sharp ri,1ge of the sum-
nit, descend rapidly among grand trees
and luxurious vegetation, for one or two
miles, and then arrive at what we had
long been anxious to see, the Nahanti-
hala River, SO celebrated and renowned
for the abundance, size and flavor OF it's
specklod trout. The stream was about
100 feet in width. 60 clear that you could
see. from one bank. to the other, the
smallest pebble or fsh-rapid, boiling
and foaming among the rocks and shoals,
but 30 elevated that water in the hottest
days OF August is cold enough without
ice. The trout, these large. fat. speckled
trout, 80 sought after in every direction
by sportsmen and epicures; 80 plenty, so
tame, that we fear to write how we en-
joyed them during our brief visit. In
deed. this river, it's game and fish, and
environing scenery. its peculiar eleva-
ton, being trough between two noun
tains, cannot be treated at the end of
this letter.
The Nahantahala River and valley
have long been celebrated as peculiar
and favored haunt for sportsmen and
stock-raisers in Western North Carolina,
but ls little known outside Of that imme-
diate locality. The river rises some ten
or twelve miles from Clayton, Georgia,
Belts Creek making up from this side
| of the mountain, until it nearly reaches
the handspring of Nahantahala; but
! there is no road, and visitors arc forced
to go by way of Franklin, N. O., then
take the turnpike towards Murphy, MAX
ing circuit of over forty miles, when,
if there was road graded across the
mountain up Belts Greek, this famous
fishing and hunting ground could be
reached in fifteen miles from Clayton.
This river, as we have before stated,
is 80 elevated that it's bed is really but a
trough between two mountains - the
level of the Hiwassee on one side, and
the little Tennessee on the other, being
hundredn of feet lower For instance.
in approaching the river from the Hi
wassee, you ascend by winding road,
it is true, the Tnsquitta Mountain for
four long miles. attaining great eleva-
tion above the Hiwassce, whilst the de-
scent to the Nahantahala is short and
easy, and certainly not more than one
half the elevation. Then, leaving the
Nshantahnla, the ascent of the mountain
kon the Western side is short and easy,
whilst to reach the valley of the little
Tennessee, at the source of the Cartoo-
jaja, takes seven long and difficult miles.
Having no means of measurement but
the eye and distances travelled, OF course
no accurate opinion can be expressed,
but the strange elevation OF this stream
is and has long been noted by visitors
and travellers. The course of the river
is thirty or forty miles long, without
cascades or falls, but one continuous,
rapid descent until it empties into the
little Tennessee, twenty-five miles below
Franklin.
This range of mountains, on both sides
Of this river, formed the great hunting
and fishing grounds Of the Cherokee In
dians, and is yet most sparsey settled;
indeed, for many miles. with thousands
Of acres OF rich pasturage lands, not
house is seen; the only sign of visitation
being shelter for hunters or lick logs
for stock. Deer, bears and wildcats
abound, with pheasants and quails for
the hunter, and the speckled brook trout
are 80 plenty that we fear to tell what
was told to us-from fifty to 800 in one
days fishing was not unusual. The
mountain girls mount their ponies and
ride up from Hiwassee and Franklin.
and actually fish on horseback. riding
down the shallow stream, whilst the
harder race wade. II is moi Uncommon
when you throw your fly into the stream
for several trout to strike, actually jump
ing clear of the water. This delightful
summer retreat can now be reached from
Wulhalln in two days easy travel, and
we hope, in another season or two, from
CLAYTON or Franklin. But The real lover