The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-09-07
From Soushwest Virginia.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch
MOUNTAIN LAKE, GILES COUNTY, Va,

MOUNTAIN LAKE., GILES COUNTY, VA.,l
September 9, 1874.
Seven hours of delightful stage riding
bring US to our destination, and though II
seemed as if our journey were endless We
are fully repaid for all our fatigue by the
beautiful view that greets our eyes as we lifl
them from the paper. Imagine, if you can,
beautiful smooth sheet of water fully o
mile long and half mile wide, bordered or
three sides by rhododendron and Laurel
trees. The water is so clear that the trees
are reflected their full length, and we can
not but wonder how deep this lake is. We
take boat, row ourseIf quietly to where
the water seems deepest, drop our hne in
let it run out to its full length, eighty feet
but do not strike the bottom! The view
from this point is quite grand.
| In front of US rises Bald Knob, the highest
peak in the State, 4,444 feet above the leye
of the sea. On the slope of this peak, upor
which this lake is, stand the various hote
buildings having significant names such a.
the Grand Central, Bachelors Retreat, Lib
erty Hall, and the United States. To oul
right the Beaufield range extends, till lost K
view, while to our LETT appear other noun
t,ins quite lofty though unknown to me bJ
name. We find the exercise Of rowing 81
delightful (there being no current in tn
lakel that it requires the persuasion Of thre'
dinner bells to bring US back to the boat
house. There is what is called hill up her,
Just about two hundred yards from the hote
proper, from the top of which one gets
view of the valley covering fifty miles a
least. In this valley on clear day you cal
easily distinguish Pearisburg the capital sea
| of this county, costly situated at the foot
mountain called Angels Rest. This lsfull!
twenty-five miles from here. -------...-
Not to be outdone by others we arose
early this morning to see the sun rise, hav
ing assembled Bald Knob to get fine view
of il. Well We're we repaid. Beneath us a
a distance of FIVE hundred feet lay q sea 0
clouds, out of which the top of some loft!
mountain appeared here and there. But w
turn to see the sun rise, as slowly the hug
red ball comes over distant mountain. W.
again look at the valley and it is bathed il
rosy light. We tried to look at the sun onc'
more, but concluded not to. We had seei
enough that morning to give us food TO
many an hours meditation. We must no
neglect to mention that we had an excelen
appetite for breakfast.
Hearing some one speak of going to tn
Cascade, we asked permission, and joined tn
party. We feel that we cannot do justice t.
the grandeur and wildness Of the scenery a
the fall, nor give but faint idea Of the i'm
preston it makes upon one when 1t frs
strikes the view. One feels rs if he were Oh
sacred ground; or, rather, as if he had beef
lifted to higher sphere. There are quite
number of tails that are passed on the wa
| down to the Cascade, and it amusing Il
hear the question asked by the unsophiSti
Gated, els that the Cascadef" as each on
| comes in view. When the Cascade is reaches
| no one thinks of asking the question. The
are too full for utterance. =.
! We take seat in the glen, face the cascade
| and attempt to sketch the fall, as also th
natural steps leading down to where we are
| But our feelings are too highly strung 70
anything of that sort. We try to take in
much as we can OF the scene to treasure u
in the store-house of memory, for we fee
that we are gazing upon one OF GODS grea
handiworks. .iat.E ;,;'H
A lunch Of coffee, bread, chicken, han
fresh salmon, apples, whortleberries, an
fresh peaches, to which We are invited eI
ables us to show our hostess that the gran
scenery has not taken away our appetite.
We shall look back to the twenty.fou
hours We spent at Mountain Lake as tim
well employed, and often in the future thin
Of this bright spot visited by us, when roam
| ing around the mountains Of Virginia. ~.
! -. MEL. & MAT.