Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-10-13
ROUGHING IT.
A Trip to Thunder-Head--- --MemEhians
and Others on a Grand Hunt.
Correspondence of the Ledger.l

rom Knoxville. 1t can be reached |
With great difficulty with horses, but
lever by vehicle. There is not an
occupied house in many miles of the
,lace. Only hunters, herdsmen or
curious and venturesome tourists
lave ever reached the place. A party
If Memphians and others recently
rom there had some experiences in
,eresting at least to themselves.
PLANS AND ORGANIZATION.
The party was organized to kill any
thing from bear to ground squirrel,
TO kill time, create appetites and graf
lfy them, to bring out muscle and
Drawn, see the country and teach the
natives how to hunt. There were five
or six commanding officers to the ex-
pedition and two or three priyates.
One of the privates had two dogs
warranted to scent deer track week
old. This was afterward fully dem
onstrated. Every arrangement was
made and a day set for the rendezvous
at this place, which is the terminus of
a railroad and sixteen miles south
west of Knoxville. r. G. Williamson,
who commanded the right wing, and
Mr., Quigley, of Memphis, who held
the center in charge, came over one
afternoon from Knoxville. Williamson
had Spot McCluDgs four hundred dol
lar shotgun-a handsome piece to look
at, but too nice for common use or to
lend. Quigley had fine gun imported
from st. Louis specially for the occa.
sion. Captain Kirk, one legged ex.
Union soldier Of this place, who direct
ed movements generally; Captain L.
B. Searle, proprietor of Cloudland
Hotel on Roam mountain, N. c., anC
Captain 10 Greer, of Maryville, anC
others, were all we'll provided witt
firearms of different patterns. Thos,
who could not crowd into a sprin,
wagon rode horseback. 1t was cour
week, the town was full Of people, ant
the event of the day, to us at least
was the departure of this formidable
looking party. That night we stoppe,
with "Stutt" (Josias) Gamble, sub
stantial citizen of the county, wher,
we Jared well. He lives at romantic
place on Little river, ten miles iron
Maryville.
THE SECOND DAY.
We were up and off early, accompa
MED by Mr.. Gamble, who owns stoc
and land out in the mountain.
Just above his house, where the rive
emerges from the mountains we passe
through a noted gap in the Chilhowe
range.
This is the bold range of mountain
seen from the railroad at points nea
Knoxville, Montyale Springs is stu
ated at their base, southwest of tn
gap. A few miles further on we en-
tered Tuckaleechee cove, a good sec
tion of country completely engirte
with mountains.
Four of us, bent more on climbin
mountains than waylaying the innC
cent bear aud dear, took horses an
left the wagon and its occupants o
their way toward Equineetlee Gal
Dividing rations and goods we separa
ted, to meet the next day.
HIGHER UP,
in the cove at Dunn's place, we fe
and lunched in the barn yard. A
almost perpendicular-loo noun
tain was in front Of us, and the mai
backbone Of the Smoky mountains o
the other side, still higher but not
sight. We were told that it was min
miles to Spence's cabin, and only on
or two human habitations on the wa,
The road ahead of US was projecte
and opened some fifty or sixty yeal
ago by Rev. DR., Isaac Anderson, four
der Of the Maryville Theological Sen
mary AT one time wagons light
loaded passed over it, but now it
barely passable on horseback. We ha
to carry not only our guns, but ratiot
for ourselves and horses. Slut carrie
his faithful
OLD BETSY,
a rifle nearly seven feet long; the re-
Of us had shotguns. Each horse
mule was well packed At 2 o'cloC
we moved out in single file. DR.
Searle rode a high-toned black hors
never before taken up the mountain
The saddle was a narrow concern mac
for a boy, and the stirrups were t
short; the girth also was rather loos
as the horse had fashion Of swellir
himself and reaching back to bi
somebody every time Searle brace
himself to tighten the girth. Scar
weighs nearly 200 pounds, and cou
barely balance himself and hold t.
gother his numerous equipments. L
held the reins of
THE BLIND BRIDLE
and the name in one hand M