St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-08-19
Van BibbPr'S Leap.

Van Bibber'S Leap.
Just below the Falls of the Kama
wha. in West Virginia, there is lofty
and OVer-hanging rock of immense
size, which to this day goes by the
name of Van Bibber's Rock, and the
one of the most exciting to he found in
the records of backwoods adventure.
The rock juts out about Il hundred
feet over the seething, dangerous whirl-
pool ut the foot of the falls. and near
ly hundred and fifty above the sur
face of the water.
The surroundings in the immediate
neighborhood of the rock are wild and
picturesque in the extreme but the
opposite shore is comparatively level
and smiling, with charming inter
spersiOn of pastures, meadows and
timber, "A gently shelving beach of
sand sloping gradually ont into the
boiling waters, which continue their
disturbed and riotous character for
many rods below.
Hiram Van Bibber, an enterprising
backwoodsman from the eastern part
of Virginia, was the first to build Il
cabin upon this inviting bank of the
Kanawha, in the latter part of the
last century.
Having had much experience and be-
ing bold and Independent character
he lost no time i'll bringing his young
wife and two children to the new home
that he had provided for them.
Notwithstanding that the region
round about swarmed with hostile 0i
semi-hOstile Indians, he was unmO-
Tested for year or more, and the land
was so fertile that it was not long he
fore he had il number of neighbors
almost as hardy, adventurous and
hard working as himself.
Indeed. regular little settlement
sprang up, which, with Van Bibber al
its head, presented quite villagelik,
appearance, at the end of the secOnC
year, the settlers building their cabins
pretty close together as IL mutual pro
lection against the savages.
Then, about this time, Il small gov
ernment supply station was establish
ed, II few miles further down the stream
which added greatly to the genera
sense of security and reposc.
But this state of affairs existed al
most exclusively upon the fertile, %
low lying side of the river, while tn,
wild and rocky region, including the
opposite bank, continued to he occu
pied by rowing bands of red hunters
who, if not actually hostile, often cas-
regards of sullen discomfort and ieal
ousy upon that fairer portion of thei
ancient heritage, which the industry
and enterprise of the palefaced in
truders were swiftly causing to blossom
like the rose.
1t was as though Civilization an,
Savagery directly confronted each 9th
er, with the boiling river lis the onl,
dcbatablc ground between, and tn,
great frowning, overhanging rock look
ing far away, as black, standin!
menace on the part of the rude tribes
whose wigwams and hunting lodge
still cling with the tenacity of despair
amid the glcns and thickets therea
bouts.
Capt. Van Bibber was the soul an,
heart of the little settlement. His re
nown as Il hunter and Indian fighte
was only equaled by his reputation fo
fair dealing and worldly prudence
ana from int HIst ne WIS loohtu upo
by his neighbOrs as their natural lead
er. No axe more rapidly thinned tn
forest ranks than his no rifle was SUI
er; no canoe more dauntlessly breaste
the perilous waters of the mountain
cradled, gorge-nmsed, cataract-frct
ted stream.
Another child was born to him in til
bosom of the wilderness. His wife Wa
happy and contented, and his cabiI
was the abode of frugal thrift an
hard earned repose. The only 9th,
r member of his household, besides h
: wife and three children, was Il gre;
pet bear, called Brownie, which he ha
. captured when Il cub, and tanned wit
t such wisdom and thOroughness, that
: was accustomed to follow him, III
I muzzled, among the cabins like a do
and apparently with no inclination
Z reioin its kind among the neighborir
= hills.
Z Indeed, the brute displayed an e,
a ceptiOnal affection for him and his fan
lily. The officers and soldiers of Il
o little fort often came to witness i
. tricks and pranks and "Van Bibb