The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-09-05
A Richmond Man Oh His Travels,
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispaich'J
MOUNTAIN LAKE, GILES COUNTY. VA,
Snnfnmhpr q 1880.

MOUNTAIN LAKE, GILES COUNTY, VA,
September 3, 1880.
MessrS. Editors, You know this place as
Salt Pond. Ii is not pond, and the wafer
is not salt, and the present name Is plea
santer and more appropriate; yet 1t Is
pily that it is not still known as plain Salt
Pond.
The name OF a thing is sometimes a key
to its history. The old man OF the noun
tain, leaning on his staff, tells the inquisi-
tive visitor that his the old MANS father
sailed cattle on the sides OF the pond when
il did not cover more than an acre or two,
and that his (the old MANS grandfather
sailed them in the bottom when lie could
lean over the stream that flowed from little
spring. He also says that the old folks used
TO call the place Salt Lick, and that when
the water rose and covered everything the
people called it Salt Pond. This is the
tradition, aud it will be held as the truth and
the name OF salt Pond would assist 10 pre-
serve the traditioD-nOt to say the histoly.
But some folks will ask hard questions.
Thus the inquisitive visitor: why should
50 common q thing as salt-llck determine
the name of such vast sheet OF water sud-
denly or gradually rising on the top OF
mountain ? How is 1t that no records ap-
near OF an event within eighty or one hum
bred years, more remarkable than any other
that has occurred in the physical history OF
the State in the last century? What is the
meaning OF those huge rocks at the end OF
the lake piled up in such fantastic shapes,
and with strata dipping in every direction,
as II hurled up by some tremendous erup-
five force, =. and which serve as pail
sades, sucn as nature lifts up in
other places TO hem in mighty waters
But the old man OF the mountain, leaning
on his staff, tired OF such foolish questions,
puts a stop TO them by the conclusive argu-
ment. "Why did the old folks call it salt
pond il il wasn't salt-llck ~ The lnquisi-
| tive visitor is sienced, and is glad to have
the weird spot still invested with mystery
which il unravelIed would rob 1t OF hall us
| poetry. Let sceptici>m be gone, ana 'e'
| everybody believe what Is confidently De-
lieved by the old man OF the mountain, lean
| ING on his staff-tbat this marvellous eX'
panse OF water has grown up on TINS noun
tain in the memory OF the fathers OF the
men who now sail enchanted over lis Vas'
deptbs and amid its ineiIabe beauties.
| Last winter an Angora Goat Company
was chartered by our Legislature, and IL
was expected that these mountains wouid
| be covered with these precious animals
whose fleece is worth its weight in gold, anC
a pair of which on dit costs $500 between
their owners stall In Asia Minor and The
purchasers pen on Long Island, n.
WHY the company did not go into opera
ton is a long story; but the mountains are
still here, and the culture Of Angora goats
on them would be grand industry for Giles
and for Virginia.
| The people OF Eastern Virginia loot
somewhat askance ut the back-w0Ods
regions OF the state. But four successive
summers in "these parts" have Impressed
me thus:
[, That these mountains and valleys arr
As good for man and beast as any mountain
and valleys to be found in the State.
.. That the people that are found IN these
high regions are as goodly set as tn
average OF humanity found in the lowe
regions.
3. That for grandeur OF scenery no count.
in the State can hold a candle TO Giles anI
that a county which boasts territory three
and bali feet nearer TO Heaven than an.
other county Is surely elevated enough
though | know nothing Of the politics
| Giles-to 90 for paying the State debt' AM
for General Hancock being President o
the United States.
4. That one dose Of Mountain Lake l
worth all the medical faculties OF Eufop
and America, with the whole matters
medicd thrown in, for victim Oh Una
rye-idlosyncracy yulgarly known as nay
fever. n Low-IooNiAiAAN'