Daily Republican., 1880-08-11
FROM THE SUNNY SOUTH.
A Republican Correspondent and
His Good Time In the CaF0linas-
A Mountain Trip.

His Good Time In tho CsFolinas-
A Mountain Trip.
Special Correspondence oftbe Republican.
LYNN, Polk Co., N. G. Aug. 6.-Trav-
cling through the mountains Of North
Carolina Is very different from that TO
which the readers Of the REPUBLICAN,
are accustomed. There is Railroad to
Ashville, through Swawanoa Gap from
Saulisbury, which gives the tourist
some idea Of the great charm Of the
Southern mountain scenery over that
in the north, and there is similar
stretch Of road through PAGES Gap just
in sight of the house where your Cor
respondent has his temporary home.
A gentleman who was here day or
two ago pronounces the scenery from
Tyron station to Saluda, q distance Of
about nine miles, the finest that he has
ever beheld from Railroad train. But
as have said Railroads do not reach
every point in the mountains, not
even the most beautiful. Nor can
you find Stage routes to such points, and
the only way therefore left for you is
to tramp 1t, or to take the farm wagons,
which at this season can be obtained
very easily, ss the farmers are abso-
lutely idle for couple OF months in
Summer. To travel with ladies this Is
the only way.
Hickory Nut Gap was our destination.
Everyone said "you must 60 to Hickory
Nut Gap" and we went. Abe, colored
WAGNER, was engaged to transport the
tents and baggage. Mr.. Hip, as he al.
ways explains to those making inquiry
for his name, the joint above the knee,
with q covered wagon and q light
spring wagon belonging to our host, fur
nished transportation facilities, nomi-
nally, our own feet transported US ac-
tually for at least one half Of the way,
for the mules in some places could
hardly take the empty wagons up the
steep grades. But with all these iDcon.
veniences the trip Of fifty miles well
repaid us for the fatigue Of such q
journey. The Arst days ride Of twenty
miles brought us at sun down to an old
school house, where we made our camp
using the house for the ladies to sleep
in, making their beds Of hay on the
floor and cooking on the hearth Of the
great chimney.
A school house here is q very different
structure from one of even the rudest
of the Northern temples Of learning.
Here We had merely log hat with
door but no windows, and yet every
log so separated from the one above
and below as to furnish abundance Of
light, (snd air also, with an open floor
made Of hewn boards. We had no
trouble about moving desks for there
was not even teachers desk and the
seats we're mere logs on the sides Of the
room. But circumstances have little to
do with human happiness, and SO in
this rude place we passed a very en-
joyable evening. About nine O'Clock
we saw torch light procession Ono
one in this country among the natives
stirs out Of their houses at night With
out a pine torch.) An old grizzley
man fully eighty years Of age with his
children and grand children following
we're coming from their home mile
distant to call upon us.
We were on his property, and he was
thus hospitabls enough to make us
welcome. Before they left we had our
evening worship, and soon the camp
was asleep as much as some of the gem
tlemen could be, with the mules all
night trying to eat their pillows Of fod-
der. They had the comfort ofknowing
that they were safer with tho mules
sars that near TO their heads than II 1t
had been their heels.
The next morning bright and early
Iound us on the road again and within
! few minutes we were in sight of the
,reat Chimney Rocks on one side and
Bald Mountains ON the other. This is
called Hickory nut Gap,
though it really is Chimney Rocks Gap.
Hickory nut Gap is eight mile further
With no very special features. but
L Is we'll worth a journey from the
North to pass through this wonderful
Jap, the rocks rising precipitously for
.hree Thousand feet on either side with
,ne Of the most charming little streams,
he Broad river splashing and dashing
,yer Its rocky bed, sometimes 30 noisy
hat conversation is difficult beside 1t,
.hus for fully five miles you ride
through this charming valley. Chimney
Rock itself is vast boulder, six or
light hundred feet high that stands
mt separate from the mountain, and
ret only few feet from 1t, very much
y the chimney Of all the houses
n the South are built. On this
ide of the valley are the falls nine hun
lred feet high which look as you pass
.lsng the road Ikea thread OF silver
uspended from the summit, although
Iuite shes. of water, in fact. The
Iampness on the recks gives them the
appearance OF frescoes and you might
veil imagine yourself here in some
nammoth amphitheatre. On the same
lu0 Vi VIC N0itCV NV s~o
,ools," objects Of interest though
ound in many other places. There are
we of these pools worn into the solid
ock below falls Of about ten feet
n the little stream. No doubt the
arge gravel wnirling for ages In q cir
le has worn out these basins In the
box, enc Of which is thirty-three feet
esp the other is so much deeper that
, this time they have been unable to
neasure 1t. IL
As We threw ourselves down tn rest
non the broad smooth rocks with the
title stream dsshing by and the great
verhanging cliffs above covered with
8 GIANT forests, the emotions were in
escribable. Here was beauty, grand Q
ar and wonder combined; beauty !
nough to engage the pencil Of the ar. y
st for years in the graceful curves OF t
le streamlet, the play Of the lights
nd shadows, the wierd features Of the u
,cks, the graceful arches OF the Q
,ugbs. the sheen OF the waters, grand. II