Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-07-27
WaGkinS'S Glen.

Correspondence Of the Alexandris Gazette. !
WATKINss GLEN. N y, July 25.-"AM
aboard !" shouted the Conductor, and merry
party Of ycuug men sprang hastily upon the
platform, while the traio sped away at terrific
rate towards Watkins.
| Wa kins's Glen is situated 10 the b. au irul
little village Of that name, snd is crowed duEiog
the summer months by pleasure-soekers, tour.
iits, etc. Tee Glen is one of the mes singular
works Of nature, and is at the head of Scnac,
lake. between two immense elevations, which
must have been severed during the primeys
period. The Glen, properly speaking, consists
OF numerous Sc c:ions rising towards tho heav-
ers 70 dl5tal c, OF 500 feet from the base. NJ
pon :uld fully describe the beauty, grand aur,
or suohml'y OF the various arcades, grottoes,
Tails, ETC., sod the plc,urcsqueness of the re-
| insrEso'o cascades aud rapids can only b. re-
tlIz, by the eyo 10 m .king the ascent the
hrst o! ct to attract attention is 40 immense
eutraLcs amphitheatre, the rocky sides of
which rise 10 griustoue atelintsi. We pass
90 thr ugh narrow portal, ascend staircase,
and We are ushured into Glen Alpha, the i'm.
por!snt features of which are the en!rauoe Cas-
osde, small stream falling SKY feet balow,
aud little bridge, called the Sentry bridge,
! from where one OF the graudest of views 10 be
obtained. A cool, refreshing air steals over Us
and the slngularity of our position becomes ap-
parent. lu E Anclug dowo We see, hundreds Ct
feet below, the rough edges Of rock and the
fall OF water. We look upward-the cliffs Of
black, Jagged racks rise towering above, and a
lts!e ps c of buc sky forms pretty c)yer.
l IN hn oun6o Dfp
! muring rllls making music 10 their downward
| how."
Passing rapidly on through SrilIaater Gorge,
we catch sight ut beau iful cascade, brJ ken 10
several places In l's tall, aud the water is dashed
| 10 silver sprays WI the SURROUNDINGS Now
| Dhglns steep ascent ou 40 almost perpendicu.
lar starc SO, through a magnificent labyrioth,
| and We reLch the cavern cascade, single stream
raping about forty five feet. The sound Of tho
falling water is echoed aod re echoed through
the groto until We ere forced to clasp our ears
with boIh hands and rush savageIy on to Glen
| Obscura, the rame derived from its impasssble
features, Throughout this glen there is 40
abundance OF vegetation, among which flourish
plau,s INDIGENOUS to both the polar and tropical
regions. Pursulng secluded path, the Glen
| Mountain House appears 10 sight, aud we are
slVeu fifteen minutes for refreshments, aod then
4
| prosch the Mystic Gorge, where, 10 huge rocks,
Csu be fouGd natural basins high and dry"
the formation OF which are quite the topic Of
| conversation, AID msuy theories are IN exist
eUc.. attempted to suggest that these curl
| Gus holuwS We're woro 81 by [, cumsoh 10 mix
log bis tribes Christmas eggnog, and also from
| the vulgar tabit OF m king daily mint jic D
| tor himself. tTltd 10 substantate my theory
by The large quantity Of mint groaiog in every
direction, Gut L man interrupted me with the
threat that it | tried to circulate such report.
he would knCck me down with boulder, apd
related to ne how the last man who ysntured
to create the like impression was thrown down
through grotto, distance of 200 feet, aud
was compelled to walk to his home, five miles
away. A moDument has been erected to bis
| menor;.
This was the first time vas ever interrupted,
and came near feeling hurt sbou, it.
Containing our Journey, the Sylvan RAPIDS
attract our attention, which are succession of
beautiful litte rapids leapiug sportively into
the gieo below. Crossing little rustic bridge,
We ebter Glen Cathedral, This is, Indeed, q
naserpitc. of the Creator. Here our feelings OF
admin alton all are changed to reveren. awe, aud
Re csn scarcely refrain from uocovering our
heads, as II ablut to enter some gorgeous
christian temple. The cathedral is amphithea
tre ln furm, and nearly gu rter oil mile 10
length, The rocky, Tcss covered walls reach au
elevation o. 500 feet and ore covered at the ton
with tall pine trees, looking like 30 mauy Gpht
uiog reds. lu the distaot end is the choir.
formed by what is termed the central cascade.
snd the merry ripping waters chant psalms Of
praise to cur Heavenly Father. 10 their fall Of
SKY or seventy feet. Sou.h of the cath.dr
is what is called the Pool of the Nymphs, aud
is na.utal basin Is feet deep, perfectly trans
parent, aad ss the sun sheds its rays, it sparkes
10 brl'Iiancy, making the tcuodiog sttrac
tlons reslize their inferioiity. Leaving this
cnchsn'ed spot, We ASCEND the grand staircase,
seventy feet high, and fad ourselves 10 the Glen
Of the Pools, SO named from the great numb
! ofrockoasius The 'matchless sc,ue" DOW bursts
upou our gSze. IL is perfect Kaleidoscope
of nature, The ROCKS are broken and apguIsr
| 10 formation, aud rustiog water, seelhiog c.s.
cades, troth'ng rapids, wide channels, greco
foliage, and the clear tlue sky serve to make
up plcuTe OF an ude5cribabIe nature. And
the absebce OF the busy hum Of iosect life, that
renders other sceoes 50 aonoYlng, is particularly
nonosd. PursuIDg our Way we obtained
sple6did view OF the Triple Cascade and Rain.
bow Falls Both are ''maguliosn.y lovely"
as young lady remarked at my elbow. The
Cascade N :kt S three Consecutive lears and forms
a pretty comoi1atioo. A small stream desceuds
from reighborioe shelf in tipy, sparkling
threads, looking like gosssner cire!ins the
crescent form ct 10 czy p7oi cure. This
remafksbIe how OF Ha.et ls termed Rainbow
Fails. "a falr afternoons TWO beautiful coored
ralnbo8s can De seen By locking from behind
the oasosde. aud this Singular neculisrity often
produces great Ell CT on the eDrsped stranger.
Passing on, We view 10 their reeu ar order. The
following pa'ursl Eyaiuma, which would be-
impossible to iastly dssoribe Glen Difficulty,
Shadow Gorge. Narrow Pass, Glen Arcadia,
Glee Facility, Glen HORIZON. and Glen Onegs.
The descent is acc lmpsbed comparatively