The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-28
OK THE BANKS OF THE d CowpAsTURE,


the reader has been informed, II he read my
letters, stands at the western foot OF the
Allegheny mountains. entirely concur
red with the gentleman in his reply to the
exemplary landlady. am sure my fair
readers will find no fault with his opinions;
for they are not inconsistent with proper
alteration OF female excellence. Who that
has had good wife could grow tired Of
her? and who that has lost such one ever
found consolation for his distress save in
marrying another like her? am always glad
when hear that good man has met with
such a reward. and am sure so are the
ladies.
It was pleasant to hear this conversation
| in what the world would call SO Wlld q To-
cality. 1t was refreshing, and showed that
civilization loses not ut all by penetrating
the mountain Businesses and refreshing ltseiI
in their cool shades and crystal waters.
The laughing ripples OF the Greenbrier were
q pleasant accompaniment to the phlloSopn!c
conversation relating to that domestic iue
which finds its sweetest music in the voices
of nature.
WONDERFUL WATERS.
NV last letter related to the features OF
this Yar-off mountain land, which, as L
stated before, is the source OF great rivers
that water a large part of this Union: more
than half of the surface that lies east OF and
including the Mississippi Valley; and it is
curious to see how the streams have inter-
trespassed upon one another. The Parkers-
burg road, which in Highland marks the di-
viding line between the waters of the James
and those of the Potomac, runs IN nearly
western line from Monterey through Poca-
hontas and Randolph viG Hottonsvillc, the
centre of the most beautiful meadow-land
probably in Virginia. Il mean the true Vlr-
ginia.) Yet we find in traversing the
Allenhanies that we first cross Back
creek, tributary of JackSon's river, which
rises north of the road; secondly, the Lau-
rel Fork OF the North Branch, Potomac
tributary which rises south Of the road;
then comes the Greenbrier river, which
rises fifteen miles north Of the line and
empties into New river, and finally the
Ohio; and lastly, we cross Cheat river,
which rises possibly fifteen or more miles
south OF the road. This is the wonderful
stream that has its course along the top OF
the Cheat mountain, one Of the grandest OF
the Allegheny system. This Cheat river,
although destined to go into the
Ohio-as do the waters OF the Greenbrler-
runs in an opposite direction from tntt
taken by the latter, and making northern
and northwestern curve, joins the Monon-
:gahela, which meets the Allegheny river at
| Pittsburgh, and there they together form
the stream which the French called La
Belle riuiere, but which received from the
Americans the Indian name Ohio. Oh, what
a grand stream that Ohio was when first be-
held by the white man. It was so unpol-
lutcd, so clear, and SO mirrored in its
smoothly-flowing bosom that the grand for
est Trees bent over it in SEEM
ing alteration. But the axe laid low the
trees; populations crowded the banks; the
river became alive with boats; it was alto
gether subordinated to utility and its flood
became polluted with the sewage OF hun
dreds OF slovenly towns. Exposure by
evaporation reduces its volume to con-
temptibie stage during long season OF the
, year, and, feeble and foul, it moves along
defloured and scandalized, denuded OF the
grand natural decorations which at one time
: caused the French, who are the keenest ap-
preciators of loveliness, to call it "the beau
! enchantment--an insensibility to all other
recollections OF interesting things.
THE HOMES OF TROUT.
Now, the lover of nature will readily per.
ceive that the land OF which speak must
be full OF interest. Nature is there domi.
nant in the forests, mountains, and in the
: streams that seem to maintain an everlasting
festival amid the. enduring hills that art can.
J not despoil. have but touched the picture
of the wonderful region. While on the
} Greenbrier river learned from one familiar
, with it that fifteen miles north were the
"sink-holes {" OF a fork Of the Cheat river
separated BIZ narrow divide from Green
; brier river. These s'sink-holes '-simple
enough name by which they are locally
J known-are the places in limestone valley
where the stream that waters it dlsap
pears through subterranean passage, soon
again to emerge, and yet again tt
sink and reappear. The several repetitions
of this phenomenon along the valley are
called the sinks. The valley finally strikes
a mountain, through which the water hnds
its way. It enters by "a tunnel grandfy
arched, as my informant described it, AZ
fording space enough for the easy entrance
of wagon and team OF six horses, and
flows through the Cheat river, which runs
Mt the west side of the mountain. Now,
this valley is readily understood from what
I have said to be rich, In all the country
where these limestone basins or sinks oc'
cur, il there be any sort Of approach to SUI
ficient incinationIfor rtillage, there is great
fertility and beautiful foliage. The sinking
and reappearing waters are the delightful
homes of }theatrout. a So here 'ls Q
place for +. pleasure and for the
enjoyment OF nature / could scarcely re-
frain from n visit to them.n hope yet TO
see them-before L see no: more IN tpls
world. 81, !; s.,s,fis IS, s,ia ...t
t2 q THE MOUNTAIN EEIGHT. "a = - ~, 1
/ Well, well; L fear these things grow tire
some to the reader, and will go along home.
! I took my way. from the head spring OF the
4 Jackson river. CWhy hasn't it some better
i name? It was not named in honor Of Old
Hickory; one Of the greatest men this ma
/ tion has produced, nor, Of course, OF yet 9
| more noted Jackson of later days, but pro-
! badly after some unknown person who dld
nothing to cause him to be remembered
| after mis- death over "a week or two In his
J, bailiwiek.) Crossing the lire OF the river
l and skirting, along the foothills OF Jack :,
| mountain (again, what name! 1t W0uld
| be relief to call it Jackass mountain, espe-
chilly since Irwas fool enough to traverse
| it1 to the blind, on horse path, by Wliic j
/ crossed 1t, on Its east side / struck the
Bullpasture within four miles OF my !" dear
| Wiiliamsville. -
Let me say what Is due TO the valley OF Jack
sons river: That after left the Immediate.
territory OF fine meadoWs. fat cattle, and
| smiling homes OF that extremely fertile yRi-
| lev, I crossed great number 3oft streams
/ flowing towards the river from the most Coz
pi0us and refreshing springs. singuiafiy
folded in between the mountain and some
hills that shut out q YiaW OF the river were
some pretty mesdows, wasered by traDuta-