Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-07-07
EAST TENNESSEE NEWS.
A Trip 20 the Mountains.


MARYvILLE, TENN, June 26, 1875
To the Editors Of the Chronicle!
a few weeks ago your humble SER
want was enjoying the sceneries OF our
northern borders. where broad and
fertile valleys stretch out before the
view great cities are crowded with
tall, magnificent buildings; where
one is held in amazement and wopder
at the works of art AS they are seen on
this side and on that; and to cap the
climax in sightseeing the combina-
ton 10y nature of the grauC, the awful
and terrible Niagara Falls, as it is 10y
the handiwOrk of man, was visited.
So you may well imagine the contrast
Of rapid transit from these scenes of
civilization and a plunge into the wilds
of the Smoky Mountains. where ma
ture unadorned presents tie beautiful,
the picturesque aud the sublime, and
one may feast lifetimeO on tue beauties
Of the scenery.
Tuckaleechee and Cade's Cuves, rs
the mind runs back to the history OF
these mountain garden spots, the con-
clusion is fOrcibly presented that it is
no wonder John Mitchell, the Irish
patriot, sought home here; neither
Is il strange that one of BlUunt cuun-
TVS public men desired 10 spend the
evening of his life in one of these
quiet, secluded places. Leaving Cade's
Cove, 1t Is not lUug unJll all traces Of
civilization save Il narrow, mountain
path, disappear but streams OF clear,
sparkling water come tumbling down
over Que precipice after another, some
times falling fifteen or twenty feet,
muTmuriug ana ringing as they 90.
Stop, listen and look Here little
cataract sings out u keen soprano just
little way of a deeper ana larger one
adds the alto, and then again in Uuoth-
er direction all unite and plunge over
higher and deeper precipice, giving
the bass, to which another joins Us
baritone and so on. al iptinitItHp. But
pass Ou-the road runs zigZag up
rugged mountain. At length the falls
are left behind, and their music is only
dimly heard, when other and different
charms are presented. The ivy is lit
orally covered with clean, white bios
SONS, reminding one of u beautiful
damsel adorned for marriage but this
is passed and its beauty surpassed
by the laurel, which grows from
ten TO fifteen feet, but uniform
in its heighth. Patches are crowned
with soft, rich blossoms, of purple
color, while the ground being clear of
underground is carpeted with fallen
flowers. The Imagination is aroused,
and the question naturally presents
itself, Have we suddenly been trans
ported, and is this really a fairy land Pr
With the visionary the fairies them
selves could soon be added and seen
passing from place to place on this mag
nificent carpet, under the shadow of
such rich covering. These charms
must all be left behind as the ascent is
slowly made, until the summit lays
claim to her attractions, offering no
less than view of the valley of East
Tennessee on the northwest and a con-
tinuation of the mountains of North
Carolina on the south and east. Quar-
tiers are Hospitality offered in little
house known as Spence's cabin, which
the proprietors admit to be of rude
structure, but claim that it is of the
finest material, being in no less than
mahogany. Here we remained three
days, and met Mr.. ID. L. Ross, of
Knoxville, who is experimenting a
mining operation on Valley River, in
North Carolina, and appears sanguine
that there will soon be developed a
very rich gold mine from his labors.
Neither are his expectations ground
less, as we were entrusted with the
custody Of bag of the precious metal
in its original state, among which was
a nugget of unusual size, which was
forwarded to his ftaher, Mr.. &. w.
Ross, at Knoxville. W.