San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-11-29
HAYS COUNTY SCENERY.

| hAIO OUONli OSbNb"As
TRIP TO THE PERDINALEs-DEAl
MANS HoLE-JAcoB's WELL, ETC
| From the KItra FREr PwSs
Hays county can boast Of some OF tn
grandest and most romantic natural
scenery to be found in Texas. We cop
the following interesting passages frou
well written account Of an excursion
which appeared in the Lookhart Ech
of July24, 1874 ED. FREE PRESS.
"Ho! for the mountains" was tn
gathering cry ola merry party OF excur
sionist that lett our town on tho 9th O
July for the hill country Of the Pcrdi
males. Forty In all, their buggies
hacks and baggage wagons, loaded will
eata bles and wearables, made display
and their merry calls and shouts u gay
confusion that brought the country
people to their doors en- nlasse as they
passed. Dinner was spread at Pecar
Springs, ten miles on the way, and in the
afternoon we passed on through Noun
tain City. enjoying for miles the beauti
full panorama of luxuriant fields, COZ
homes, verdant prairies and shady
groves that stretch in graceful undula'
tons far away to the east and south,
while through the timber frequeny
glimpses of mountain tops kept our i'm
aginations fixed on the point OF desti'
nation.
Towards noon next day we came out
on the terraced hills and ridges that
form such remarkable feature OF the
landscape in that section. Not having
geological turn OF mind. | will not at
tempt to account for this peculiar forma-
ton, but to unaccustomed eyes it tOrms
picturesque scene, 1t offers long, level
stretches OF the smoothest road that was
ever seen in q mountainous country.
Occasionally we would leave o steep
rocky ascent or descent from ono terrace
to another, and then the hard, smooth,
white road would follow the same level
for long distance. At the Cold Springs
on Jackson's Greek we found most
agreeable situation, there being an arbor,
q barbecue pit and other conveniences
that had been used for the accommoda-
ton of camp meeting, which closed
only few days before we arrived,
W ords would fail to express our enjoy
ment of the water, which was clear,
sweet and pure, and only few degrees
above the freezing point. Game seem.
ed abundant, and we contentedly settled
ourselves to remain over Sunday.
In the afternoon most OF the party
walked half mile to picturesque gorge
in the hills festooned with ferns, shaded
by overhanging trees and watered by
tiny, trickling spring. Monday morn
ing we were early on the way, aiming to
reach the Perdnales river by noon, and
visit a pool called the Dead Mans
Hole" en- route. Few of the party had
aver visited this spot, and there was
1othing in the approaches to excite I'M
usual interest. Our surprise and delight
we're therefore all the greater when it
BURST upon the view. Situated in the
'ocky channel of Falls Creek, a stream
lot much larger than our Lockhart
spring branch, it is a deep, blue. dan
,erous looking pool of water. 1t is cir
,ular in form, about seventy five yards
n diameter, and is said to be bottom
ess with overlapping cliffs of rock
ixty or seventy feet high, and at the
lpex of the horse shoe curve the cliffs
make the stream leap over the rocks,
making beautiful fall eight or ten feet
u width. All around the edges of the
lifts the water trickles out. watering a
uxuriant growth of ferns, that form
aud graceful contrast to the
ray of the limestone, and falling on the
urface of the pool like a continuous
hover of rain. The surface under the
lifts is crusted with stalactites in great
-ariety. and of oil sizes, shapes and
,olors, some a pure white crystalized
ormation, Others gray, some tipped
With moss over which the carbonate of
inc is incrusted. and others OF the most
lelicate filagree work. On the north
astern side a large portion of the cliff
las at some time given way and fallen
nto the water, the upper surface OF
which is several feet above the water,
md atfC rds an opportunity for examin.
ng the lace OF the cliff. Going several
hundred yards behind the pool
he party found point at which
hey could descend into the gorge, and
~ clam oering over immense cypress
ogs aud roots and crossing the little |
tream several times, we made our way
o the lower edge of the pool and climb.
d upon the rocks The view from this
Joint surpassed that from the top OF the
lifts, and the overbanging rocks cast a
hadow far out into the water. From
me level of the pool the channel
'uns on down between the high cliffs,
lnd the water winds its way among the
'Ocks, with a merry ripple, a. il it felt
happy in running from pool with
such a CHASTITY title. One of our party
into the water on dilspitated
taft, aud being very warm from exercise
look the cramp in his arms and had
difficulty in getting out.
He succeeded in getting near enough 10
he bank to reach pole, and was drawn
,ut. There being no shade for a camp,
We reluctantly left this beautiful place
md went on TO the river, the ultimate
lin of our excursion. During the night
he fishermen we're quite successful. OBJ
aiming about one hundred pounds. aud
or a while We iessied on fish Tues
lay morning one Of the hunters came IN
With fine turkey aud another reported
hat be had wounded a Mexican lion.
Deer were very scarce, however. and the
hunters were anxious % ret back 10 the |
ieer reKion. snd - none Of us were
7ery much N love With the place. there
Fere feE regrets when ne turned our
aces homeEari. still I Eculd say %
.very one who simires bold. Wild scene
y and j fond q fsh. % 20 by wsy q
Dead Msu's Hole @ the Psrdinalss. /
We visited ihsHole srsin 90 our return. I