Morning journal and courier., 1882-11-29
Footprints in the Rocks.

An Interesting Story from Tennessee--a
Mother and Her Two Little Children
Leave Their Tracks at the Edge OF IA
Precipice.
Correspondence of the Nashville tTenn) American
About 20 miles west of Nashville there is a
place called the 'Narrows of Harpeth," one
of the most picturesque landscapes to be
found in Tennessee At this point Harpeth
river forms O horseshoe bend, making n
circuit of six miles, and doubling back on
itself to within 80 or 90 yards. In the heel
of the shoe rises ridge, forming almost a
perpendicular bluff on both sides, extending
about half mile south in the direction of
the toe of the shoe. 1t rises to the height
of about 400 feet, and at the highest point
is not more than eight feet wide on the top,
with perpendicular face on the east side for
100 feet or more-that is, plumb line sus-
pended from the edge of the precipice at the
top would hang clear for 100 feet or more
before it would encounter any obstruction.
The ridge at the bed of the river is some 80
yards wide, but the slope which brings it to
| that width at the bottom is mostly on the
western side.
At the highest point of the crest of this
ridge is a flat surface rock, and on that rock
are imprinted six and half tracks of human
| feet. These tracks are indented into the
| rock as much as a quarter of an inch, or in
some places more. The tracks are of bare
feet, the toes all pointing in the same direc
tion-toward the east. Most of the tracks
are as perfect as if they had been imprinted
on moist sand or earth. They are in three
pairs. The first or largest pair is furthest
north They are less than the average size
mans foot, and larger than the average size
woman's foot, one little in advance of the
other. The next pair is on the other side
| but near to the first. In size and appearance
they represent the tracks of a child 10 Or Is
months old. The track of the right foot Of
this pair is turned in little at the toes, anG
| the toes of that foot are turned down, W.T.
| often see children, when first learning to walk
seem to endeavor to clutch the floor with
| their toes RS if to avoid falling slipping
The Typographical relation of these tracks tt
the large ones indicate that the child NIGH
have been holding to the finger or hand of thu
larger person.
South of these little tracks, but near t,
them, is the third pair, indicating chilt
some to years old. These last were mad
by beautiful pair of feet, and are as prett.
tracks as child even made in the dust O.
soft earth. All of these tracks are within
three or four feet of the edge of the preci
pice on the eastern side, as already describ
ed. But have said there was a half track
which is the most interesting feature on tn
table. This half is printed ON the yer.
edge of the precipice, and represents tn
heel and hinder half of the foot from tn
middle of the 1nstep back, and would indicat
that the toes and front part of the foot pro
jected over the precipice or that the rock hat
broken off at that point. This half track i
of the large size foot, or foot of the adul
person, and is Immediately in front of tn
large pair of tracks already mentioned.
just here some interesting questions arise
Who made those tracks !? How were the
made and when were they made L was borl
within half mile of the spot, and lived Their
until 1 was 20 years old. In my youth
often stood upon the rock to enjoy the wild
romantic and picturesque scenery surround
} ing, and at one time and another have spen
many hours of my boyhood upon it, but ney
er saw the tracks nor even heard
being there. Some sevas
L was in the Y