The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-10

CtIICc VI lllc WINS OI tIIIcI S4dC VI
the finished route. But beyond
llcnry's, a small station at the foot
of the Gap, the scenery surpasses
description.
For the accommodation OF our
party the "Swannanoa,' Il power
ful engine, was attached to a COM
Portable coach and placed at our
disposal. We had no schedules to
follow, and there was no danger of
a collision on the winding Road
that climbed the mountain Iii front
of Us. On the porch of Il mountain
inn, guiltless of whItewash II paint
it was the largest and best build
ing at Henrys-we were welcomed
by Il gentlcmanly host, whose APP
pearance and bearing were utterly
at variance with his rough sur
roundings. y delicious breakfast
Of tender, brollcd chicken, buck
wheat cakes, fresh butter, an album
dance Of cream, and numerous
other good .things,owhich the sur
rounding country produces in pro
fusion, was served ut once.
After breakfast the Swannanoa's
fires were kindled, and the coach,
partly filled with eager spectators,
began to move up the sides of the
mountain toward the mouth of the
tunnel. 1t is our miles from
IIenry's to this point, and u
course was through gorges cut out
of solid rock, w trestles-
feet high, or around the mountain,
which lowered to the clouds, with
its wealth of wild growth on one
side, or yawned with perpendicular
preclplccs as dark and seemingly as
bottomless as Ayernus-on the
other side. Standing on the plat
form of the coach, as the engine
was backed up the mountain, three
or four OF the party had ample OPP
pOrtunity to enjoy, to the fullest
extent, the indescribable panorama
spread out above, beneath and
around us. As the Road curves
just beyond Henry's, three enor-
nous mountains suddenly appear.
They suggest almighty triumvirate,
as they rise high above the arc Of
countless hills that stand around
them. The central peak of this
trio is known Us 'Graybeard,' 50
called because Of the masses of
clouds that rest forever on his
crest. The Pinnacle" the high
est mountain of the range, is on
Greybeard's right. The magnifi-
cent mountain on his left is-name-
less. | felt a twinge of mortifica-
ton when | heard hat this lofty
Monarch of Hills had received no
name. His very presence induces
a feeling of awe, and there are GER
tainly nouns enough IN the flowing
Indian tongues, or III our WI
Anglo-Saxon language, for him to
have been honored with a name.
May some one, before the dews,
SHOWS and rains OF another year
have fallen, like Il holy chrism,
upon his towering head, have given
HIM Il name worthy of his magniti-
cent proportions | trust, however,
that whoever anne this nameless
knight of the hills will have some
idea of euphony and the ''eternal
fitness of things" for just as we
turned from the Triumvirate,
SPOT Hollow" Il strikingly beautl-
full, round mountain. was pointed
out to me. | objected to the name,
and proposed tn change it ut once,
when | was warned that Il work of
reform in that respect would ne
cessitate weeks of work. "Devil's
Frying Pan was quoted as another
specimen of the titles with which
the mountaineers have dubbed the
hills of the Blue Ridge, and | con-
Guided to make no more suggcs-
tions.
About a mile and a half, or per-
haps two miles from Henry's, we
found ourselves on the, longest
trestle on the Road. Far below us
was the steel track over which we
had passed a few minutes before,
and farther still was a wide glen of
marvellous beauty, known as Mill
Creek Valley. 1t was shut in by a
circle of peaks. \ stream of water,
on which stood a picturesque mill,
dashed, with many Il tiny cataract
and wreath of foam. along its
rocky channel. A flock of sheep
grazed on a luxuriant meadow. \
stockade for the convicts who are
digging the tunnel, was visible IN
the distance. AS the engine
steamed beyond the limits of this
glen, the mists of the morning