Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-22


From the September Atlantic
From Wilson's to the peak OF Miecoel II Is
seven and . halt miles; Ne made IL In uVe AND
= half hours Birdie path wes cut years ago
but It has been entirely nsSiec nd 1rea, oaaly
have fallen across IL, which wholly block the
way for horses. At these places long detours
guIies. over treacherous sink-holes in the rocks
through quaygy places, heaps OF brush and rot.
ten logs. Those who have ever attempted 70
The slow progress we made. Before we were
half way up the ascent we realised the folly OF
sttsmPtng It on hor;eoacf put t Psa w 70 go on
roots, and logs, and slippery rocks and stones,
what magnificent foresti Oaks, chestnuts,
poplars, hemlocks, the cucumber e species OF
magnolia, with pinkish, cucum6erlike conel
meeting here In splendid array: And this
gigantic forest with little diminution in size of
trees, continued two-thirds Of the way up; We
marked, as we went on, the maple, the black
walnut, the buckeye, the hickory, the locust,
and the guide pointed out in one section the
trunks c each worth large sum II it could do be-
got to market. After the great trees were left
behind, we entered q garden Of white birches,
berry bushes, and finally tie ridges. densely
crowded with the funereal black balsam.
Hallway up, Big Tom showed us his tayorite,
tree, rising high into the air, with scarcely q
perceptible taper, perhaps sixty, more likely o
hundred, feet before 1t puts out q limb. Its
girth six feet from the ground is thirty-two feet!
I think 1t might be called Big Tom. 1t stood
here, Of course, giant, when Columbus sailed
traveller will attach the name Of Columbus to it.
In the woods there was not much sign Of ami
NAL life, scarcely the note Of q bird, but we
noticed as we rode along In the otherwise
prtmeval silence a loud and continuous hum
ming overhead, almost like the sound of the
wind in pine tops. 1t was the humming of
these Industrious toilers and Big Tom was
always on the alert to discover and mark q bee
gum, which he could visit afterwards. Honey
spruce gum is another and he was continually
hacking OF, with his Ratchet, knobs Of the
translucent secretion. How rich and fragrant
are these forests! The rhodOdendron vas still
In occasional bloom, and flowers Of brilliant
hue cleaned here and there.
The struggle was more severe as we neared
horses. Occasionally it was safest to dismount
and lead them up slippery ascents; but this was
also dangerous, for 1t was difficult to keep them
rom treading on our heels, in their frantic
grown path. At one uncommonly pokerish
place. where the wet rock sloped into bog, the
but nssi bsgs prudent ssr TO
It" all right, only give him his head. The
rider gave him his head. and the next
ana he LACKS do four heels were IN the air.
rider fortunately extricated his leg without
losing 1t, Jack scrambled out with a broken
shoe sa and the two limped along. 1t was q Won
DER that the horses legs were not broken q
dozen times.
AS we approached the top, Big Tom pointed
out the direction. q half mile away, of q small
pond, little mountain tarn, overlooked by q
ledge Of rock, where Prot Mitchell lost his lite.
Big Tom was the guide who found his body.
Inat day as we sat on the summit he gave In
great detail the story, the general outline Of
which Is well known.