Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-01-22
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE.
RALL MOUNTAIN.
The Mont Blanc OF America.
NO. XCIII.
LoNGMIRE's Posi- OFFICE,

Pond in this county, last week. and also
having visited Bald Mountain, the Mont
Blanc of America, before my return, /
send you brief account of my trip which
nay perhaps interest some of your readers.
| did not hear the examination of any
classes except those in the higher mathe-
mates. The examination evinced thor
oughness and familiarity with the princi
Piles of the respective branches, that
reflects the highest credit on Prof. Sans
as an instructor, and on the diligence and
perseverance of the students The clos
ing exercises in the afternoon of Friday,
the Sd inst, consisted of speeches and
declarations by the boys and young men
of the school. a large and attentive
audience manifested deep interest in all
the exercises These people are in earnest
in the cause of education.
On Friday evening n small party of us
conceived the idea of going to Bald Noun
tain the next day, if the weather should
he favorable Accordingly, the next
morning two of our party, Mr.. j. NJ. Err
win and Mr.. W. S. Erwin, came to Rev.
Mr.. Carter's, where your correspondent
had been most Hospitality entertained, and
without much delay the party. consisting
of the gentlemen above named, Mr.. w
II. Carter and myself were soon on our
way to the far-famed "Bald Ground
The morning was beautiful-not a cloud
was to be seen. As we BEGAN the ascent
from the lower slopes of the ridges, we
could see the adjacent hills and mountains
1athed in the clear light of the morning
sun, and could feel no sensation Of chilli
ness from the pure, soft air. It seemed
more like an April morning than the 4th
0f January. Some, however, assured us
that the cold would be intense on the eX-
IRENE summit; but we were most agreea.
lily disappointed in this respect. We re-
manned a little over two hours on the sum-
1.
did not have occasion to put OH our shawls
or overcoats. 1t is impossible to give any
thing like an adequate idea of the truly
sublime emotions experienced by an OBJ
server on his first visit to this mountain.
As many tourists have, from time to
time, written more accurate descriptions
Of the surrounding landscape than could
nope to give, / shall merely give the re-
suit of my observations of different objects
of interest as j noted them on the spot.
The first time we halted was at Lookout
Point. This is a cliff, from which very
good view can be taken. For aconsiderable
distance from the base the sun never
shines in winter.
The next object which engaged our at
tention was the DEVILS Stairs, rugged
mass of rocks, with nothing peculiar about
them, except the difficulty of getting over
them.
The next object OF interest is the Bal
ance Lock. This is truly wonder. 1t is
situated about fifty yards to the right of
the path, and is poised on another so
evenly that it can be easily moved up and
down like pair of common scales 1t is
very regular in its outline, and is about
twenty-five feet long, eight in height with
an average width of about ten feet, and
contains at least sixteen hundred cubic
feet.
The timber from this point gradually
decreases in height. Some distance high
er up the mountain is a narrow belt of
high trees, running in q horizontal line
along the ridges that slope off from the
summit.
Beyond these is corresponding belt of
low, sCrubby beeches, standing so thickly
Upon the ground, and their trunks so
overgrwn with moss that they mt once
suggest a feeling of loneliness. Still be-
yond these are scattered in irregular
groups great numbers of hawthorn bushes,
which extend to the limits of the Bald
Ground, on the North I'm side. The soil
appears to be extremely rich, and is cover
ed at present with a close, thiclI-set turf
equal to the finest meadows in the coun-
Try. Not far from where you first pass,
beyond the limit of the timber is still to
be seen ditch, though in places it can
hardly be discovered. We found upon in
curry that this had been dug by u man
named Greer, who led here sort of her
llIG nue. IdlSlllS pOlllOSSi rye, &C.
On the western side of the summit and
Just in the edge of the the timber, is Greer's
Rock where the hermit is said to have
lived. The upper side of the rosli projects
several feet over the base thus forming
roof sufficient TO protect him from the rain
but which certainly afforded lit e security
against the cold winds, which sweep with
resistless fury through these mountain gor
yes.
On the South at the lower extremity of
the open ground, Rock Spring is situated.
A path here leads around the base of per-
pendicular cliff perhaps thirty or forty feet
IN height. About five feet from the base
there is n small crevice i'm the rock,
through which IA stream OF pure cold water
is forced out horizontally and falls into Il
natural cavity in the rock just below,
forming a fountain of surprising beauty.
The distant landscape as seen from the
extreme hight is a scene of sublime gran
deur. But before attempting to give de-
scription of this scene / must relate an in
cident concerning what |, at first view,
thought was great natural curiosity.
The descent or the South is tOlerabiy
steep and is broken by series Of terraces
almost ~ regular as ii formed by the hand
of art While cOngratulating ourselves on
the discovery OF this wonderful freak of
nature the illusion was dispelled by learn
ing that these steps We're formed by stock
as they were grazing around the sides Of
the mountain.
Toward the east and south the view was
not obscured by the least sign ~ cloud or
mist; and not only wR- The told outline
nf tho BOaur the Blu. Ritv. and BLACK