The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-14
CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Va,

November IL, 1851. y
Editors Dispatch: With the "natural
cur1osiiies" Of Virginia recent writer
classes what he calls
IN The Glass Windows, in Pulaski.
i2l The Peak Knob, in same county.
(3) The Towers, in Augusta.
al The Tunnel, in Scott.
Will you be kind enough to give me de-
tailed description OF thosey
In the terrible battle that ended on the
Cd OF November you bore gallant and dis
tjngusbed part, and won place 10 The al
fectjous of the good from which nothing
can dislodge YOU. Traveller, go visit Pc.
tersburg and see "the desolator desolate.'
OH who would soar that solar height
10 set In such slare9s II ghlF
mon the north bank OF New river near
-Newbern there is a bluf called the CLASS
Windows, consisting OF vertical rocks near
I, 500 feet high, and forming the immediate
bauk Of The stream for distance OF FOUR
a,iles. They are considered great curioSi-
ty. The face Of these rocks IS perforated
Nv vast number OF cavities, which, no
doubt. lead 10 caves OF cells within the
fnounlaID. Some Of these cells have been
explored, and found TO contain saltpetre,
stalactites. and other cOncretions.
(2l Peak Knob, four miles south OF New
bern, Is a prominent projection 10 Drapers
Mountain, rising about 1000 feet, and pre-
septtnp from its summit delightful and
* ,nsive landscape.
(3l The Cyclopean Towers, which are near
the Augusta Springs, arc among t0e great
est curiosilies OF nature 10 the Union. Yet
for many years they were known only lii
the Vicinity, and bore the rude appellation
OF "Tbe Chimneys." They are about sixty
or seventy feet in height. We annex the
following from published description by a
gentleman who visited the Towers III 1884
and gave them their present name. II COM
neDces with description OF the country
as he approached towards them:
"After passing over hllly and pic
furesoue country the road opened upon a fer
tile valley, which, though in places narrow,
was OF considerable length, and when seen
from an elevated position appeared like The
bed Of IN ancient lake, or, as 1t really Is, The
atiuyial border OF flowing stream. The
strata OF limestone hills followed their usual
order OF parallel lines TO the great noun
tains OF our continent, as though strong
current had once swept through this mag
nificent valley, forming in its course Islands
aud promon,ories, which are now discover
able in numerous short bills and rocky
bluffs that are either naked and barren or
covered with growth Of stately trees. 1t
sgas at such a projection that we first de-
serted the gray SUBMITS OF what seemed a
ruipous castle, resembling those which were
Iaised in feudaI times to guard tue passes oil
the Rhine, or like such as are still seen IN
moulderipg majesty on many an Alpine
rock. These SUBMITS or towers, OF which
there were seven, lifted their heads above
the lofty elms like so many antique CHM
news in the midst Of q grove; but on APP
proachiHg them nearer our pleasure was
greatly increased TO find them rise almost
,nerpendiculsrIy from the bed OF stream,
which, winding around their base, serves
M natural moat to building not made
with mortal hands.
"Tbese rocks in their formation resem-
Bile the palisades on the Hudson river, but
are more regular in their strata, which ap.
pears 10 have been arranged in huge masses
OF perfect workmanship, with projections
like cornices OF Gothic architecture in a
state OF dilapidation. Those who are ac-
quainted with the structure OF the Cyclic
pean walls OF the ancients would be struck
with the resemblance"
(4) The Natural Tunnel Is situated upon
Stock creek about twelve miles westerly
from Estlllyille. The folio wing is extracted
from the communications OF Lieutenant
Colonel Long, OF the United States army,
published in the Monthly American Jour
nal of Geology for February, 1882:
stTo form 40 adequate idea OF this re-
DarkabIe and truly sublime object we have
only to imagine the creek 10 which 1t gives
passage meanderipg through a deep mar
row valley, here and there bounded on
b 9TH sides by walls or TeuttementS, rising
O the height OF two or three hundred feet
above the stream; and that POI ton OF one
OF these chasms, Instead OF presenting al
open thorough cut from the summit to the
base Of the high grounds, Is intercepted 6y
a continuous unbroken ridge more than
three hundred feet high, extending entirely
across the valley, and perforated trans
rersely at its base, after the manDer OF an
artificial tunnel, and thus aifordng spa
cious subterfanean channel for the passage
OF the stream.
"The entrance to the natural tunnel, on
The upper side OF the ridge, Is imposing and
picturesque, In a high degree; but on the
lower side, the grandeur Of the scene is
greatly heightened by the superior magni-
tude Of the cliffs, which exceed In lofliness,
aud which rise perpendculary--and in
some Instances In an impending maDDer-
more than three hundred feet; and by
which the entrance on this side is almost
enyiroped, as II were, by an amphtbeotre
Of rude and frightful prccipices.
The observer, standing on the brink OF
The stream. at the distance OF about one
ah.rdred Yards below the cebouchurc OF
the natural tunnel, has, Ia front, view OF
Is arched entrance, rising seventy or
eighty feet above the water, and sur
siounted BY horizontal qualifications OF
sehowish, white, and cray rocks, Ia depth
nesriy twice The height OF the arch. On
aus lett, view Of The same mural precipicc.