Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-08-31
Salt Pond.
Correspondent # The Warenton ludex.
GILES CoUNTY. VIRGINIA,
Auu1I.f % J.

August 2j =.
Yesterday visited the fam us IS 1t Pond, >
or as il is rc.chr>'encd. "NouptaiI L,kc, :
and the BAL! kaoh, ciaimed by some Dustin,
p,ished mri,urrrs of height Ia he tn 'allc>t
,,I,ce in NMsl ia A::,r a tuiI,ume ascent CT
miles. when winding around the prrclpl'ous
verge of mountain submits some 4uOU lert
,boye the level OF the SEA, as he Iuros the sharp
angle of ragged cliff the traveller lavoiuu-
t.iily starts wits sort of glad surprise to be-
hold living at his feet in those elevated reglous
= unac, ful lake. the cam EXPRESSION o! whose
crystal waters contrasts strangely with the saw
400. grandeur of the rocky wilderness watch
grlmly, silently frowns Upon the scene. About
This spot there srems To dwell lingering myS-
tery. We are told 10y sumo that wtAlu the
memory Of the latest ngercrS Of tormer gen.
GRAFTON. usually called the oldest Inhabitants,
there was neither pond nor lake to be seen IL
this place, but simply dry gullcy where the
aforesaid Oldest inhabitants used to salt thel!
cattle, trom which usage the little poud. winch
after tine Appeared was called the Sali Pond;
from which beginning this Salt PAL has
now gown TO b.. the modern "Mtuht in Lake, y
three-Iourths of uiiIe long, onc-tourth OF a
mile broad, and - fee: deep in the deepest
part.
This lake occupies PARTON Of a u.oun1aiD
gorge which is the low~si point in a ba in q: az
AVERAGE diameter Of three miles with prccipl
tnus sides. which basin ta+ been staodng here
spread abroad to catch the rains aud the miss,
and the fr.,SlS and the SHOWS, Of successive sea
sons ever Si.cc bctor" Alan wa>; and all wat
er> falling into this basin from that tlme,
wherever il was, to Ills day obaying the unl.
vcr,al law of gravi;a,inn did undoubtedly run
down to the low, s. point. or 10 thc site OF the
present mountain lake. Why is it then thar
the lake is not as old as the hills thcm-elrc.
Very simply bccau:c there vas Formerly su b.
tcrranpan passage, now filled up, through
which the waters flowed out invisible, as fast
as they fl wed down from the hills, and "a the
cattle traupel up the soil AM som" small
PATCHES Of land began to be cultivated, the
oo~ened earth washed down from the adj accnt
hills and began to choke UP this Subterrancmn
passage, and the waters began to accumulate
in the gorge above, so that the mystery of the
Salt Pond IS Il simple matt"r OF daming up wat.
err. That the rise Ut water to It's present level
has been somewhat III len is evident from the
fact that the submerged pines AID cadarS are
still standing upright in their original positions
beneath the water The present surface out
let of the lake discharges alb Dut 300 gallons of
water per minute. Blankets are in order at
night throughout the season. From the Lake
to the SUNNI; of B. knob, W. ascent by a
circutous path OF half mile. From this bleak
rock which has been estimated to be t 500 feet
abavc the level of the sea, a most extensive
prospect is commanded, inciulng portions of
five States, viz: North Carjna Tennessee,
Kentucky, and the TWO Nirginias Sunrise
and sunset viewed from this spot ave very
grand. tlN!S