The New York herald., 1878-03-03


again that day did the aayonture,s obtain glimpse
of it but far brighter and engaging vison was
reserved Tor future time - ,-p
KgFrGE PROM THE RAIN 's
Gradually the clouds lowered and portcndsd rain.
As the norsemcn ente red iDteivoniug valley The
rees became thick and thicker until the i'ght VI day
Was almost excluded The path was narrow, sponay,
rugged with bowders and nuch obstrncted ny ialieh
timber once they emerged into an sold nelu"-one
and afierwari struck the Laurel Fork crystal
stream nlcd ith splendid flowing over bot
tom oi cieanest gravel and moss-covered powders.
Hitherto no living being had been seen; the sight
OF sawmiii winch unexpectedly hove IN view was
therefore the more inspiring ana grateful The mill,
however, was abandoned ana rapidly lapsing 10 de-
cay. II was u mill where logs had been sawed but
from which no lumber hud ever been carried. Aasi
Tor want oil human foresight LIS builder nsd mado
tho fatal mistake OF a general tails his
retreat After the iumuer had been made he dis
covered that he could not get it out BY the stream OF
maui IL over the 1nountaln. How lie got tho ma-
chinery In Is perhaps open question. Tue houss OF
The improvident null ow ner Was opportupey not two
the time lhs wayIarers reached the shelter IL became
q deluge and The Lsuro u roaring torrent
More than ono distinguished tourist has lodged at
the hospiabie log house OF Z. Bird Dinkin, at the
bare OF White Top. HIS latch string always oat Tor
tourists and spor'smen. Little did no sthat
ono nj least OF The beatcd and stormbesieu guests
on tQis OCCASION was no '.angeL Angels he may
have previously entertained unawares but. not thls
lime 'Old dSeAbird, " US no ~ commonly called, does
not himself engage Illicit distiiag, but probably
there are lew oi his kin distant nsgbDors
who do not, aud the name Captain Reed onino ous
sud feared among thcn All that nj CHI sod the loi.
lowing Day II Famed and then cleared OIL with cold
northwest gle. Ia The morning ice was found IN tho
buckets hait-nch thick. This was Tue 9Th ot Octo
Der. Tne morning sun rose resplendent and a scene
oi surprising glory was revealed to view. The
CLOUDS winch had swept across the top OF the
mountain The night before eongealed iu the frost
OF the higher atmosphere aud covered the
summit VIII us crystai accommodations, anu now Ia
the stiffness oil the crisp October air every twig and
spray was elistening with radiance that could only
be rivailed by celestial glory. Beiow The mountain
was bcdeckcd with tho variogated hues OF autumn
leaves, but above the silver line vi frost dis
nctiy drawp AS the horizon that divides tue sky and
oceaI. The pain upward into THIS enchanted realm
started the back door Of Dinkns log cabin Just
the souls Hight TO heaven often wings from the
humbest tenement Of clay. The delighted voyagers
were not slow TO follow II, Tor they knew tho VISION
could not last
ASCENT OF WHITE TOP.
PIunging into the warm cover 0t the forest they
soon began to prespre with tho exercise. II
tour mile Journey to the summit each stage OF which
was indicated by line OF vegetation as distinct us tho
zonos that divide the globe ln tho valley grew the
tall Lemlock VI immense dlamoter. Just about Din.
kin's house tho poplar. sugar maple aud oak grew
in successive bolts; next was belt Of chestnut,
then belt OF finest ash; next a splendid growth of
beech; uiterward Wild cherry abundance which in
turn was followed py beech again OF more stunted
growth This gradually disappearing toward tho top
tall Norway pines oil most beautiful aud symmetrical
form succecded.. These became smaller US The sum-
nit gained and sent their branches out horizon
tally instead OF upward until at the very apex tney
stunted that they appeared to have been fiat
tened out by weights and SO gnarled aud intorwoven
that person could walk OH their TOPS A halt mile
above Dinkns grazing farm passed, we'll stocked
with sbeep which found rich grass on The mountain
pastures AT noon the upper edge Of the timber line
hundreds oi acres with sheep hereon decking tbs lux
urant grass BY time the unclouded hui nearly
dissolved the beautiful frost work OF the sparkling
morning; but, standing In the open, and looking
of into the blue armament, into which the travellers
seemed TO have been lifted, they could see the snow
crested domes and highcr peaks OF the numerous
mountain ranges, cleaning aiar of and ncar ike
umethysts and diamonds o inestimable vatue. thsir
bnliiancy seeming TO pale the sun. whose light they
reflected. On tQrCe-QuartCr8 oil the circumference
the stunted verdurc clothed tho summit but on the
southwest side the open continued, aud 80, all the
difficulties OF the ascent surmounIcd, 1t was easy
ambo over the grecnsward and moss to the browning
point-6, 500 feet above the level Just hero
cool iimpd spring gushed out, and with gentle lisp
and murnur started of on It's eventual journey 10
join the waters OF the Tennessee. II very quot
Up ero IN snrs e uom s scn Of II. ~ ars 20
perceived, but presently the Captains QUICK eye de-
tected meadow lark. What was tho little bird doing
there, 80 high above his native 1eldsy
A sPLKNDID PR0sPEcr.
From up thorc, looking down low ard tho west upon
the Tennessee Valley. one could 500 oil tho towns,
vsages and farms nestled it, ana detect the white
vapor OF the railway locomotive thirty miles off, ~ II
crept along It's tosome way; aud beyond this neker
taiua Even Cumberland Gap, fully hundred miles
distant could be plainly discerned. On tho south,
%ouns Mehsl M and Mount Black once ~hi. ub
sorbed In contemplation. nlmy wtsp VI vapor crept
up the moun.aS side, and catching "a WIN nm o. air
below, trailing their shadows softly over hills
aud valleys. The principal mountain ranges In the
distance stretched OF for scoros OF miles In positive
attitudes but those In the foreground seemed fattcnsd
aud depressed almost TO y level Rtvers were indi-
,oSer Dfown which covered Inc whois landscape ,ndi
Gated ravlnes and chusmS Otherwise evet tythtng
seemed blended and intangible. The Captain sacri-
legiously remarked that the landscape IL lay
spread out below. looked ike Loaf OF Boston brown
bread
nrst drank copiousiy OF tho crystal spring on the
mountain Top, and then vuulting into their saddles
took right angles to that followed In the
ascent and after many escapes from oreaknsck tum-
bles reached the base Of the mountain. There tney
struck The Hctou, tributary OF Now River, stream
which abounds IN speckiod trout What an anglers
paradise is all this regionl nsd with virgin irous
brooks seldom visited aboundug In constantly shut.
ing landscapes Of mountains and romantic rvers over
forests priinevaI, ana all Shss coogsnisi scenery
which seems inseparable from tho natural
OF aud artists love TO psintl Among tho
many streams that lie at tho base OF this
mountain nro Laurel Fork, White Top Fork, Horse
Greek, Fox Creek aud Heilon Greek, the nrst smpty
ing into tributary waters OF the Tennessee, and the
last named passing Into New River and thence into
the Ohio. Gamo also ubundauI here--deer. turkeys,
ruled grouse and squirrels. There could be better
country for still hunting, the writer thought and 50
It proved after little
SUCCESSFUL RAID.
Following the Helton through It's natural valley
they reached tho little hamlet ono evening where
them to camp where tney were surprised 10 hnd
their own ommisssry wagon una tho Major Mo-
mentous cveGts had occurred since tho wagon drove
into the mountains from Ihs bvousc on stanley .
Greek, near Marion. Large accessions haa como TO
the Maj0r's iorce. United States deputy marshas
ticre. Several scouts nad como in aud made
their reports. One Ind been DONG duty q
strollng photographer, penetrating TO most secluded
domciies anu taking many pictures; Others. had
played The role vi railroad surveyors. seectipg q
to some copper mines; others were prospectOrs
Of mineral and timber lands; another personated a
PACK pedler Each had done his part vol, and the
writer throughout all his pleasant vacation rsmble
had beer Sill huuting too Each house that he and
The Captain had called at Tor water TO drink or direc
tions tho routes or lodgings or luncheon had
been scrutinized by his lynx-eyed conrade. From
every place some Information mad been ELECTED. Tue
blacksmith, whore the horses were shod, let fall q
hint. The chance traveller by The way in-
cI0ontally revealed clew. Tue tavernkoeper
the cross roads was beguilod into discos-
ing where he bought his brandy. Ia short, u
great extent Of country had been examined by tho
scouts IN brief space OF time BY smali detective
force. and now Tho moment had arrived ior u strike
Tue nrst objective point was lust hand, not quar-
ter OF milo Distant, on u little branch that emptied
inlo the HolsOn. In the silent midnight available
iorce WAS musserca and armed, leaving two deter
mined persons TO guard the camp against any chance
surprise. Great military cloaKs concealed The car