Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-09-05
Correspondence Of The Beaconl
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

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few lines ID reference 70 ! locality OF
North Coroiina bat seldom brought 10
The notice Of few If any, Of our citizens
Of old st. Wsry's.
AzbeviIIe, North Carolina. has been
termed the Mecca Of The North Caroli-
ma mountaineer. In the Valley. where
il lies, The French Broad River receives
into its noble channel The beautiful
Swannanoa. the pearl OF The North Car
DINA rivers. Arosnd this growing town
ofeverthree thousand people are grouped
many noticeable hills. Out oil the VAL
ley Of Hommony Greek sombre Mount
Pisgah rises ike frcwning giant. and
from the town the distant SUBMITS Of
the BaIsam Rsnge may be family dis
eefned. From Beaucatcher's Knob. the
site Of Confederate fort, overhanging
AsheviIle, the locker toward the South
west will see half q hundred peaks
shooting skywsEd. The town stands
nearly twenty-five hundred feet above
sea level, ana the climate miIa and dry
and full Of salvation for eonsumptives.
A few miles distant are excellent white
sulphur springs. from which variety
Of exquisite views are to be had; and
nine miles North are the "million
springs" beautifully situated in cave
between two ranges Of mountains, where
sulphur and chalybeate waters may be
had IN greatest abundance.
The Indians named the French Broad
fhe "Racing River" and as it hurls its
waveIets around the corner Of some is
let OF promontory one sees how faith
fully the name describes the stream.
Each separate drop Of water seems to
be racing with the other. One can hear
the voice of The river always crying
among the cliffs, and moaning and sigh
ing as il laps the low banks in the mar
row gorge. Rivers and waterfalls and
picturesque scenery abound in this land
amid the clouds.
Bald Mountain has caused its surface
inhabitants to scamper towards its base
frequently of late, but the mOuntaineers
are now understand somewhat indif-
ferent TO its repeated rumblings, and
the manufacture of the crooked" from
the hundreds of secluded hooks Of the
mountains side goes on as usual.
Very little excitement is manifested
by the people who live alongside and
below the mountain, but some three
years ago the surrounding lands could
have been bought for % cts. per acre:
now they hold TO the old estimate of
valuation. Ii is said the mountain was
terribly convulsed at The conclusion Of
a minister's prayer not long ago. that
''the mountain should shake until eve
ry sinner in the county repented," but
upon its fulfIlment be led his congre-
CATION by long odds to the foot and be-
yond-has forsaken his old residence
for one mile or more away, out Of res
pect for "old Badly" and proposes to
lead his field Aeavenward by other than
volcanic means.
This mountain has many caverns,
some exhibiting perpendicular space
Of not less than 800 feet, with almost
solid granite walls, only occasional seams
Of quartz and mica. No streams of wa
ter fow in these caves, only moisture
oozing from ats walls and falling con-
-stantly in drops that giisten like my
riads of diamonds, importing falry-like
aspect. The larger portion ofthe rocks
indicate late commissions. Some three
weeks ago ominOus rumblings were
heard and the displacement of these
rocks occurred no doubt then. The
origin OF these caves is evidently vol
canic, and the people of the neighbor-
hood believe firmly that there is FIRE
away down i'm the heart OF this noun
tain.
After leaving the cave, we examined
assure higher up. II extends along
the mountain almost at the top for three
or four hundred feet, ending abruptly
at huge rock. The surface-opening is
from 8 to feet wide, varying in depth
from 90 to 100 feet. New cracks are
being discovered every few days run
ming through solid granite, and in course
Of time Old Badly, in terrible convul-
sions, viii proclaim divorce.
A stream Of water near the top Of this
mountain and of volume and power
enough for milling rushes madly over
its precipitous side. making clear leap
of $50 feet, nvaling in beauties the
famed bridal veil of the Yosemite and
Niagara.
In The road at the foot of the noun
tam we were confronted by large rat
tlesnake, and while gracefully rearing
his head, gave Us the note of warning
from his other extremity. II was a
clear case of fight or leave the road, and
| was about TO uecamp and leave him