The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-03-07


MoRGAN's STEEP
is justly held the most sacred. 1t is alike the
rendezvous of tourists, the oft frequented9spot
of the residents, and the trysting-tree of lovers
Its location is on the south side of the domain,
and is an elevated point of cliff that forms
the northern boundary of a picturesque gorge.
This cliff is not less than fifty feet high, and
extends along the mountain verge nearly a
mile, presenting throughout varied and ro-
mantle views of mountainous scenery. The
rugged spurs which enclose the gorge at length
terminate into valley that lies in the dreamy
distance at the base of the lofty Cumberland,
and telescopic view of which is grandly beau
tiful. A gentle declivity, covered with vari-
ETY. of evergreens, leads to the steep, and the
tops of the moss-gray oaks from the gorge be-
low gracefully tower about the verge. short
distance down the pass two purling streamlets
meet, and send upward, with the delicate noun
tain airs, a continuous plaintive murmer-
Adown this otherwise quiet pass the earth is
strewed with fragments of rocks from the cliff
and the debris of decayed oaks. Only the grim
walls, keeping watch and ward over all around,
have witnessed the growth and decay of these
forest monarchs, and still they stand immutable
and silent. Under the steep there is project
ing rock facetiously called Lovers Leap" and
although, in the annals of the University, no
disappointed lover has yet made his exit there
from, it nevertheless affords every advantage
| for one so to do.
Within view of the Steep is
PRoCTOR's HALL, =
another frequented point, and than which a
more novel freak of nature can scarcely be
imagined 1t consists of several large rocks
that seem to have suddenly sprung from the
main cliff during some great upheaval of ma
ture, and after leaving their original base few
yards formed into their present position; or,
for aught we know, they now appear as when
by the breath of Omnipotence they we're called
into substance. The principal rocks are four
in number and are so resting upon each other
that they form complete hall, twenty feet in
length and five high, and from its dusky aspect
somewhat resembles the oft described sepul-
chres of the ancients. The rock forming the
base appears loosely implanted in the mountain
sidey and held there more by some invisible
magnet than by its own foundation. The sur
face of the rock forming the roof Is covered
with downy green, and aside from the danger
which the visitor is wont to ascribe to the mo-
mentary toppling of the structure, the spot is
one of romantic loveliness. The view is nomi-
nally the same as that espied from the Steep,
and it is to the Botanist and Geologist that the
place is especially interesting. To the former,
the seeming countless varieties of moses,
lichens, ferns and other petrean plants would
demand careful and interesting classification
while the latter would have presented subject
replete with entertaining and scientific investi-
CATION in the diversified strata of the bold cliffs
around him. -.
The Hall seems to have derived It's name
from the students, but as Proctors are in no
wise congenal to the minds of the boys here,
1 am at loss to state why it received this ap-
pellation. 10y
Leaving the Hall and passing along the brow
half-mile-every step of progress being fraught
with curious and entertaining knowledge we
arrive at ..,.,- 3.-
| UNIVERSITY VIEW,
and now command q prospect equally as grand
and enhancing as any yet mentioned and OF
much more interest Before us lies beautiful
valley-the one seen in part from the Steep
bounded on the south by the Cumberland, and
on all other sides by spurs of the Sewanee. On
the left is seen the Sewanee Railroad, situate
midway up the mountain and vending its spiral
course through the rugged scenery, and whose
terminus is at the famous tunnel oft Nash
Vile & Chattanooga Railroad. On the right,
Winchester, the county seat, with its spires and
well known Female College, looms up, and, as
half hid in the large groves around it, forms a
| a pleasing object in the outlines of the land
scape. Perhaps Winchester is better known as
having formerly been the residence of Mrs. L..
| Virginia French, the talented Southern author
ess, and who now resides at McMinnvlle, Tenn.
In the centre, Cowan Station, an important
railroad junction, presents conspicuous aspect,
and it is interesting to gaze at the trains almost
hourly arriving and departing, and whose rapid
flights through the valley are indicated only by
white, curling lines of smoke. In the back
ground, the lofty peaks of the Cumberland
tower in eublime majesty above all around, and
thus in this view alone are presented all the
ideal desires of the painter.
Now, Mr.. Editor, in this and my last article
have family given you sketch of the most
important views of Sewannee. Time and space
fail me to describe all the objects of interest
here for there are "Silvery Cascades" "Fairy
Glens," "Chalybeate Springs" "Natural
Bridge" and scores of other objects, interest
ing alike to residents and visitors, that cannot
have said enough already to prove to the
stranger that Scwanee is interesting, if for
nothing more than the enjoyment of its scenery,
and this, forsooth, is but meagre portion of
its interest. On account of its social and moral
| al,.aataa.o.. ,,laaaatst l,cat;n1, and saluhrnus