The New York herald., 1878-03-03
ROMANTIC RAIDS.
The People, Scenery and Game Of
the Mountains.
ROREsT-LOCKED SECRETS. REVEALED.
How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining h0ue,
Ana gnther honey Sil the day

the Blue Ridge ana the adjacent labyrinth OF noun
tain ranges arouse themselves from their summer
lethargy and rally TO the ingathering OF the crops.
For, be 1t known that IN the higher elevations OF
these middle ATTITUDES Pomona and Ceres lavish of
their abundance Corn and rye burst their distendcd
BARS the orchards blush the funess OF their ripe
rution; grass TO the very mountain tops, af-
iording grazing to many ocks Of Sheep the air is
hilarating and balmy, with a maximum temperature
OF eighty-hve degrees and mean summer temperature
Of seventy-two degrees OF great commercial value
would these products be to grocers any markets
easily accessible but the rugged chains rock that
RIB and ntersect this favored country afford no out
lot except Ior diminutive streams that leap
secluded gorgcs. Many Of these are SO choked with
sombre balsam, hemlock and rhododendron, often
Tor miles no ray Of sunshine penetrates tho shade
Through these glens and denes few byways run, and
only into the principal valleys have railroads pene-
lrated by dint OF closely following the larger rivers.
No description Can convey clear idea OF the romark-
bic paraelism of the ridges and valleys which cnar-
acterze the topography Of this REGION the grand
and beautiful features OF its scenery 10 prehend
all one must climb 10 tho summit Of its mountains
and overlook the whole.
THE MOUNTAIN REGION.
casual examination OF u map Will discover that
In Virginia the great chain of the Allegheny Noun
and direction. while tho other civerges
toward tho south until crosses tho State OF North
Caropa, where 1t turns sharply toward west,
ming almost parallel with the Alleghanies until it
gradually sinks into the plans OF Northern Alabama
This last range Is called the Blue Ridge, and divides
North Carolina from South Carolina and Georgia.
The first Is the boundary bowean North Carolina and
Tennessee The area of this mountain region is as
great as that Of several large States, covering, It
does great portion of Virginia, West Virginia Ken.
tucxy, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina
Georgia and Alabama, aud Is six to eight times greater
than that of Ireland Transverse ranges connect the
Alleghanios and Bue Ridge. The Black Mountains,
IN Burcombe aud Yancey countless and the Balsam,
in Haywood and Jackson counties are the most hoted
Of tnes,.
POVERTY OF THE PEOPLE
Before tho rebellion the mountaneers, having little
communication with the world outside, had few
wants They were uneducated, Of simple tastes and
manners, and whole hearted 70 entertain when chance
threw strangers IN their way. They raised lew
sheep, ana from tie wool spun and wove their own
rude garments; ground their corn and rye Into meal
and four or distilled into whiskey for their own
consumption; raised poultry and hogs for "meat," T"
and made up the balance OF not always meagre
larder from the vegetables and fruit they raised and
from The fish that swarmei In the mountain streams
year they went 10 OF the favorite mountain re-
sorts, whittier the wealthy and fashionable dweIiers in
the low country repaired escape the summer heats
and at the store bartored game and wild honey In
change for shoes and nuslins for Possess
Ing tho native s;uggshness Of their Southern breth-
rem In tho lowsnds. they had ambition accumu-
late wealth, and SO lived ana died content, seldom
wronging any and leaving their small
10 their children, portion of tho inheritance fre
quently being diminutive copper still for the
iacture Of what whtskey and fruit brandy the family
and their friends might require for the mountaineers
OF the Blue Ridge were strong ana rugged Made
healthy by the rarned air Of the upper atmosphere
they were fond of drink, which they used enjoyed
with comparative impunity.
The art of distilnR had been transmitted for many
generations from father part OF his educa.
ton. and almost every farmer who could afford It
owned copper still and tho necessary appurcnances
Tor manufacture just tho well to do New England
larmor owned his mill aud cider press
WAR LEGACY.
But with the war sides and issues and divsi on
Of families and communities and neghbors who had
previously owned grudge toward each other found
themselves opposed in arms Then came bushwhacK-
Ing in its most scientific practice. Every mans hand
was turned against his brother each crag and bush
concealed foe. With neglected farms and loss
Of crops and properly came the struggle for
bare existence. And whom the war was over and
destituton was nurturcd by high prices and depro-
GATED currency, seductive men came up into the
mountains quietly aud offered to buy their whiskey at
bettdr prices than they had ever known before The
lew dollars that thus came to their pockets ike
mama to Israel IL helped to put them thor eet
AGAIN. In time thcy came to know that much
money could be mado by utilizing their fruit ana grain
IN the manufacture OF whiskey than by any other
species Of labor Indeed It bocamo an object 10 raisc
corn and grain. Quantities which had hitherto rottcd
on tho ground could now be made to yiod handsome
income. The value OF two horse wagon load OF raw
material could now be taken out market IN a
ccntrated form on tho back OF q single horse mule
The advantage Of ninety cents per gallon he amount
Of the tax) on article which sold at from 81 SO
TO 81 per gallon was too great to 10 lost,
aud tho temptation was accepted. Thus
II came TO pass that the littio "busy beef
learned TO improve 'each shining hour,r and
" he docs not "gatncr honey" day by day he
collects the sweet juices Of the peach and apple and
manufactures most industrfously all tho wtpter
through.
Some people living In the remote wilderness did
know ior q while that there was any tax whiskey
or any penalty Tor Illicit dstilling but all know IL
pretty thoroughly by this time, and many are the
bTuuceb cmplOyeu 10 Couceui its n"nuactuEe iTon
bhe eflcers OF the revenue who constantly the
mountains.
UNCLE SANS VANISHING REVENUE.
From every hidden ravine where nows rivuct,
scattered all through the mountain district-ayc,
even from their SUBMITS down TO tidewaterthe thin
smoke OF the dstsries may bo seen curling upward,
the emblem OF profit to the operator and sign that
70 much OF tho government revenue has vanished
into air Though most OF them are small In capacity
the number OF these disticrss Is almost In
credible, and the persistency and conssaucy
with which they operated make the
aggregate production very large. In many sections
using up the grain crop entirely that the females
Of households complain Of their inability to get bread
Ior their families. Tho number 10 operation In
Virginia, wss. virginia, Ken.ucky, Tennessee. North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama