The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-08-08

sary to sleep under two heavy comforts
every night while there, Notwithstanding
I occupied close room. made cal
culation as to the average temperature OF
the heat for twenty-one days, from the
4th TO the 25th of July inclusive, from a
record kept BY one of the inmates of the
house. The hours when the tempera-
ture was recorded were Z a. m, 2 p. M,
and 8 p. M, and showed the following av-
erage for the time designated above, viz:
at 7--GSl, at 2-S4!, at 9-73. This is
hardly fair test of the temperature oS
the weather; however, as the thermome-
ter hangs on piazza, and is consequent
ly affected to considerable extent by
the reflection from the yard in front OF
the house. The temperature of the wa
ter, freestone, is SO degrees--seven de-
grees colder than Keys spring. MIR,
Thompson's residence is situated at the
foot Of small mountain, and directly in
front of a very tall one, BLEAK Rock"
by name, about mile distant. The
low lands lying between these mountains
is what is called the "Cove," cove being
a term used by the mountaineers to eX-
press small valley. The Cove is about
5000 feet above the level Of the sea.
Among the distinguished visitors to
this resort this season, are Judge Beck
lev. Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court of Georgia, and Rev. Hugh Miller
Thompson, DID,, rector of Trinity church
in New Orleans. The first named gen.
tleman is brother of Mr.. S. Bleckley,
of Anderson, and is very sociable,
pleasant aud agreeable gentleman. Judge
BlecHley spent only two nights and day
at this place, and then went on to CASH
ier's Valley, accompanied by our towns
man, Capt. j. J. Fretwell. DR.. Thomp-
son is likewise q very pleasant gentle
man, and is here for the purpose Of i'm.
proving his failing health. DIR. T. also
owns an extensive tract of land in this
immediate vicinity, which he proposes to
utilize In the course of d few years.
Adjoining the place of Mr.. J. r.
Thompson three raw Englishmen have
bought and settled, and are engaged in
farming, or at least making an attempt
in that direction. They propose enga-
ging in sheep husbandry, however, as
the principal means of making a fortune,
and have already began to buy up a
stock, some of which are improved breeds.
While conversing with a gentleman who
has always lived in the mountains, and
who has engaged in farming, mining,
distilling and sheep raising, he said to
me: "fhere is nothing that We can do
up here that pays half so we'll as sheep
husbandry. All man nee6s is small
patch of land on which to pen his stock
at night and house in which to live.
He need not buy pasture lands, for all
these mountains around here are free TO
to any mans stock that choose to range
on them. A man with capital can easily
make hundred per cent. on his invest
ment." From the character of the
range l saw on the road and on the
mountains over which l tramped in this
neighborhood, see no cause for doubt
ing the correctness of his remark. Sheep
will prosper where everything else in the
animal Kingdom would perish. More
over, the lands in this portion or the
mountains are not we'll suited for farm
ing. They are either very poor, or have
been greatly abused. ! did not see what
might be termed good crop of corn be-
tween Walhalla and the Highlands,
place of which 1 will speak presently,
and yet corn is the principal crop grown.
The soil in the bottom lands has very
rich, dark color, and apparently very fer
tile, but the growing crops afford sufii-
cient evidence TO the contrary. This
NAV be the fault of the farmers, but |
am not inclined to that opinion since
their millet, herds grass and other hay
crops give unmistakable evidence Of
progress in the science of farming. I
was gratifed to see these favorable signs,
and think that in this respect at least the
farmers lower down in the State might
follow their example. The farmers here
have another advantage over those in
the cotton belt. They live as we'll (some
of them better,) and work only about
five or six months in the year. Proba-
bly the secret of this can be found in the
remark made to your correspondent by a
mountaineer, that they "let cotton and
politics alone, and are happy" Nut
every mountaineer you meet who is q
fool or an ignoramus, and he who goes
to the mountains with such ideas will
have them materially modified before he
is there very long. There is one other
advantage this section has above the
other portions of the South, or at least
I considered it an advantage. There are
no freedmen here. / kindly offered to
> ship them few, but they were as kindly
declined.
n SETTLEMENT OF YANKEES.
Four miles west of Horse Cove is a
small settlement of Yankees. The place
) is known as Highlands, and up to the
, present time about ten or a dozen fami-
| lies have settled there, and / was told
that there were about as many more who
had bought lands preparatory to moving
there this fall and winter. paid the
place visit, and was pleased with its
appearance. The first settlers came here
I about two years ago, and the place has
been gradually improving and filling up
l ever since. l felt more like was in
D Yankeedom than North Carolina while
4 conversing with these people. They are
+ all young men with families, and are
doubtless in earnest about developing
this portion Of the South. Highlands
e is situated Immediately on the summit
y of the Blue Ridge mountains, and is
. about $500 feet above the level Of the
y sea. The lands in this immediate Sec
ton seem to be considerably better than
}. in the Cove, while the waller is equally
t as good, and the temperature of the air
n is somewhat cooler. The place has a
postofice aud two stores, but is not in
corporated.
. STOOLY MOUNTAIN
s l cannot close this article without
: making mention of this mountain, which
r. lies about mile and half south OF
, Highlands, and probably the most acces.
sible of all the prominent points from
: which good views can be obtained. A
e gentleman who is thoroughly acquainted
q with all the high points of the Blue
Ridge range says that there are none
. which command better view than
n Stooly. The country for a distance o
| l,,,l.oJ :