Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-18
ATRUDGE UP .sLOOKOUT.,

10 the EDITORS OF lne Union ana American
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Feb. 13, ISL
On yesterday, which was one of those
balmy, spring-like days, that cUme so sell
dom in mid-winter, even to climate ike
this, friend and myself decided to visit
Lookout Mountain for a Sabbath stroll.
So providing ourselves with copy of
TennysOn, some Limbergher cheese,
crackers, cakes, cigars, ETC., for refresh
ment of the inner man; and two stout
staffs to make our footing sure, and to
help sustain US when our natural props be-
came weary, we turned our backs on
Chattanooga.
1t is about two miles from ChattanOO-
ga to Mount Lookout. As we approached
by line of the Nashville and Chattanooga
Railroad, lis sides seemed quite thickly
populated, for we could see numerous
small houses with their still more diminu-
tive out buildings, which on closer prox-
unity and inspection, proved 10 be quite
substantial bOulders. Somewhat green in
us to take these Triton pillows for cot
tages. l think it excussble, however, in
my friend, because he was from prairie
country and had never seen larger hillocks
than such as moles make, unless to be
sure, we except those deep fissured eleva-
tons, usually known as '"tater hills aud
in me, because l had never seen knobs of
greater attitude than Capitol Hill, of your
own Rock Cit.
THg ASCENT
was quite labOriOus. So much so that
when we reached a house, which from
the mountains base appeared three
fourths of the way up its side, but when
attained, seemed only half the distance,
little rest and cool drink from a stone
basin was quite refreshing to US. From
this point we toiled up an acclivious path
used only by pedestrians to a wooden
stairway going up between natural walls
of solid rock, and which ushers one on
the summit of lookout. 1t is only
few PAGES from the steps to 'Pulpit
Rock" and "Umbrella Point"
THE SCENE BEFORE YOU.
Here, if you have not been looking
back taking halfway views, one of the
most glorious landscapes ever beheld by
human eye unfOlds itself. The rugged sides
of the mountain and farther down below
your feet the broad Tennessee sweeping
maiestically around moccasin shaped
peninsula shimmers away in the distance
between pine crowned hills and bluffs.
In the back ground you see Chattanooga
looking so insignificant along with the
rest of Gods footstool. Looking east and
southwark "acrOss the hills and far away
beyond their utmost purple rim, " we saw
the Smoky Mountains OF North Carolina;
so indlstinct were they as to seem like
shadows of the clouds.
THE HOTELS,
on the mountain, number three or four.
One quite handsome, and built in Gothic
style, is now in operation. On COM
manding site, near this house, is the unique
villa of Gen. Heron, of New Orleans,
who makes this his summer residence,
and who, l suppose, must be lineal de-
scendant of that witChing, willy female
who wrought such havoc ia royal James
heart, thereby, according to the bard,
causing much deso'atiOn to fair Scotia
But whether the General be or be not of
| such extraction, l cannot trace his pcdi-
gree.
The distance from "Umbrella Point"
/ to the hotels and the cottages occupied
| during ''the season." (Of which latter
thsIe G~e quite d number) is about one
mile. In traversiDg the mountain, one
/ sees much to interest HIM, not the least
among which are the battle SCARED trees
and the old telegraph wire used during