Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-07-15

travelled over this continent thousands
of miles, north, east, south and west,
and have eeen regions that differ in
climate and soil, in fora and fauna,
and in the edifices which men have
erected for their habitation, who
have, nevertheless, not seen as many
wonders as If they should travel two
or even one mile in different direc-
ton. Let them take the Car of the
skies, and go upward in the air for
mile or more, or taking the car let
them visit some ofthe high mountains
within easy reach of our mountain
CITY. and they will enter 8 new world.
They will find different climate, a
different kind Of atmosphere, different
scenery, and region where,
| Mature wantoned as in her prime,
And played at will her virgin fancies."
1t is known to all our citizens that
there is, within an easy journey,
mountain called the Roam mountain,
and that on its top we'll called ''the
cioudland." there is a hOtel, where
travellers may be accommodated at q
reasonable cost. But to know this is
to know no more of the place than
the English Navy knew of heaven
when he asked "if 1t was as pleasant a
place as the tavern, with jug OF ale
at your side, and the fiddle agoingn
Cloudand is the greatest point for
mountain scenery In the U nited States
| east OF the Mississippi river.
| AS much as Niagara surpasses ell
other waterfalls in size, and grandeur,
80 does the Roam mountain snrpass all
| other mountains for the magnifcence
| of it's scenery. There are but two 9TH
er points this side of the Mississippi.
which are higher, Mt. Mitchell and
the Black Dome; and they are only a
little higher, but they do not possess
many features which belong to the
Roam, and which give 1t interest.
| They are more inaccessible; ths view
Is Interrupted by trees and rocks; and
they have not the grand plateau. ''na-
lures platform" which Is one Of the
glories of the Roam.
| Imagine a mountain constructed eEs
pressly for the curious traveller; con-
structed so that be shall have the best
views in the distance, and the best
view near at hand; so that he shall
have platform which shall put him
to startle and stun him; constructed so
that he shall be sheltered from thu
winds while he shall behold them
striking the mountains with their
fists, and tearing up trees by the roots;
90 that he may see the clouds playing
as thunderbOlts, wrestling in the val
lies, and hurrying with their precious
gifts to the distant plains. Imagine
such q mountain and you have 1t In
the Roam. a
Il is several hundred feet higher
than a mile, so that the barometer is
not so high as in the valley below, by
several inches, and water boils at
many degrees lower temperature than
in the valley, while the temperature
at night is between 40 and so, and in
the day rarely higher than IS degrees.
It's summit is a plateau about q
miles long, and more than half mile
broad. The two ends of the plateau
are the highest points. The middle is
depressed, and protected by trees
which afford shelter for the hotel
while delightful springs pour forth al
abundant supply Of the purest, coolest
water. The highest point Of the
plateau is shaped like great dome
and is capped with rocks which afford
good seats for the traveller. ~
From this point the scenery is grand
beyond description. Range on range
of mountains roll out before the eve, es
far as it can reach, aud present new
features and new beauties In each di
rection. The clouds floating by, now
touching, now enveloping them, now
rising and casting shadows upon them
give new appearances every moment
ard afford variety such as nature
alone is capable of, and mocks the
painter who would give q mountain
view.
AT times the clouds take entire pos
session of the field of view and hide
The mountains from sight. But they
bring scenes and beauties of another
kind. The ocean now seems to heave
and roll at your feet, and now you see
an emerald isle emerging from the
deep, and now another, and car
scarcely realizs that they are mou o tain
peaks. At sunrise the mountain i,
often enveloped in clouds. But some.
times they Gift up their gates" anC
the glorious king of day comes
ia" You see him now
guiding and painting and
identifying them; hanging them al
strings of pearls around the mountain
ueckS, ana plactng them as cOrOnet
on mountain brOw-now he throwi
them as prize over some chasm, anC
now reara castle on the hills, and af
ter giving to these tairy nothings' f,
local habitation and name, he melt
i them or drives them away.
i The other point of the plateau end
t in huge rocks aud a precipice. TIL
! edge is the highest part, so that tn
5 explorer can look safely over, see dow,
i thousands of feet into the valley, an,
T enjoy pheasant dizziness If he g
9 desire. From this point he has th
IS finest view of Mt. Mitchell, the Blacl
p Dome, and other peaks of the Blacl
mountains. They seem to be liftin
their heads to kiss the clouds, an
then to turn them into wells to hid
sg their black and frowning brows.
IS But enough of this attempt to de
lg scribe the indescribable. He who viz
81 It's the place will certainly say, as til
to queen OF Sheba said to Solomon of hi
ig wisdom and glory: 1.-THE half OF it We
not told me-" =
We come down now to the nor
se commonplace. The plateau ia covere
i with a beautiful grass, peculiar to Il
is self which affords a Garnet softe
n to the feet than the finest Rrussel
ie It has also forest growth peculis
ID to the mountain, called the s.balsan,
Id tree. Like the air of the mountai
ton. II ia lighter than that in the va