The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-01-31
THE Ak1A ROCKS.


river. about two Hiles from the confu-
ence With the M0nonaahela. there is
a romahtic clfd known as the Alum
Rocks. TheA AIum Rocks consist Of q |
grand and impssiae ledge, several |
hundred yards IA ngth, looking down !
upon the winding river from height
Of fully thr.e hundred feet The
ledge is ragged and Irrcguiafs and the
actiot II the elements, or some chemi-
cal chlnees [pnssibly both) have eaten
into it scch numbers Of cellular cayi-
ties, hs to giq4 to il the appearance of
a honeyco b The main portion of
the ledge = Of gray sandstone, through
which run veins Of pure alum hence
its namsnA
Whe ltlements in this part of
Western Fennsylvania were quite
youhg, the hackwoods people used to
go to these rocks to obtain alum to be
used IN colsfng garments.
1t was at this romantic place that an
early settler met with remarkable.
adventures His name was George
Mitlan. He was famous hunter,
fisherman aud Indian fighter, and fear
ed nothing III The shape of beast or
savage, IS early as 1754, three
brothers, bf the name Of Eckerlin set
| tied nea the mouth of Big Whitley
creek II stream which empties into
the Monongahela-but in few years,
for song reason or other abandoned
this point, and moved to place some
miles uh tie Cheat river, which they
nqaed Dnnkard Bottoms, in honor of
| their religic8 faith, aud there set
abontcstablishing a settlement.
/ Grqwing short Of supplies, one of
theirhumber, q doctor, took some furs
i and vent east to trading post, occu-
pying The present site of Winchester,
| Va Returning with his supplies, he
stopped at Fort Pleasant, where he was
not believed when he stated that he
and bis brothers had penetrated SO far
west through the wilderness.
Finally party of frontisrsmen ac-
conpanied him-among them George
Mitlan-and on arriving at Dunkard
Bottoms, they found that Doctor Eek
erlin's brother had been murdered and
Talpcd 10y Indians, and their cabin
11iIurned.
After burying the fead, the party
Toleturned to Fort Pleasant -all except
Cdng Mitlan, who determined to remain
i while on the shores of the Cheat, aud
TItake a survey Of the country. He was
fmuch pleased with the locality, and
fafter a few weeks he returned to Fort
\ Pleasant, and endeavored to induce
\ some of the frotiersmen to go with
him and found a settlement.
I Mono would 60 so far west, however
aud he determined to take his family
--consisting Of wife and two chil,
dren-and establish settlement him
self on the shores of the Cheat, conf
dent that others would follow within q
year. He did so, arriving in the vicin
ity of the Alan Rocks one evening in
May, just at sunset,
They halted for the night on a .pla
teau within a hundred yards of the
rrecipice, and set about preparing {
Q plain supper. Mitlan began to lool
4 about FIR water and, without knowing
that he was so near the river, started
in the direction ofthe precipice. Ih'
plateau was covered with heavy tim
: Der, but there was no, underbrush, 81
that he might go.clear to the brink 0
! the ledge without going ont Of sight o
his family.
On reaching it, he stood som
seconds looking down upon the quie
river, and upon the wild scenery Q
= the opposite shore.
u The surroundings we're of sue
grandeur as to arrest the eye of an
|. sne, and fora moment George Militia
forgot his errand,
y After admiring the scene while, b
thought of calling his wife to view j
and he turned on the edge of the pre-
10 ipice to do 50. At the same instant h
d heard her utter startled scream, an
= . he was not long in preceiving tn
% eaase.
AS he turned his face toward whei
= he had left his wife and children,
found himself can ifonted by two iarg
~ Indians, with drawn tomahawks. The
sii were decked ont with feathers, an
ad their faces were covered with streal
VI of red and yellow wag,paint.
They we're 6w feet from hiU
!. and mnst have been concealed amor
Is, the assures in the large rocks whic
nd wszlS Scattered about IN great prof
"A sim on the top Of Ihe ledge, and th'
.k regarded the pienEet With hideol
ms grius aud grimaceS as they saw hi
apparently in their power.
The thought Of the two pitiless sa
ages standing between him and his wi