New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-27
NoRTHCAROLINA HIGHLANDS
NOTES OF AN AUTUMN TRIP:

s, trcea which wrnkled the caIths rnd into Appaia
cban ridges more energetic hereauou' 'ian o's
,vbere or whether the elements whch nave Deen 'V ~
aurlnc subsequent ages planning down 'hose 'u',Il
-. te,r original altitude OF three miles OF )" nave p
a.. industrious than at other points alohs 'n0 o
go ORR questions for the expert geOl0SlsL lIls
sn,urh for the ayman 10 know that the AegnaneS 0Io
ar, at their lottest, and that these mountain MASSES "
.randor than in any other portion OF inc range oi
Iudson's Bay TO Alabama ,, ,u,
standing ON the summit of the Roam ana on inc eouu"y
~. 80, Tennessee aud North Carolina we are IN the
,,ance Of dozen mountains that were old before tno
ms were born. and not one OF them mas rival III o
Lot.en the Great Continental Divide and the Atlantic
bon To the northeast Grandfather the IolesV
81 IN the whole line of the Blue Ridge, While GIeeuy
t,oste and dmly outlined against the sky is Clihs-
mans Don e. the euninatiOn OF the Big ShoAos anu
second I'm altitude recent Inc OF Levels proves y"
7iitchells Peak alone. To the south anu heai0l ~
clooms the Black Mountain called from tho soaOio
1rs which sweep In unbrOken forest over us crest anu
bevopd II are the others this giant cluster
among Them the SUI RENE point, more thaH INV 49,
high Of the Appalachian system; whlie OF Pc"Ao ~,
feet high or more o round hundred are III sIsH'' ny
Roam Itself which commands this view oi 4Oo " 10
miles In every direction. is 200 feet higher Ina" W.
Washington It does not eliminate however, as docs inc
New Hampshire mountain, In a mass OF hahcu ei'i.'
with scanty vegetation in the cinks OF cruo4ou io0N
M its base It's summit expands Ito rolling maui"
richly green with pasture grasses. The summer nights
daring visitor on Mt WashiL gOn under the pfOecon oi
winter wraps. Between the coolest midnight anu '-o
waruest midday OF all the summer months the Vrlds'on
OF temperature. reports OF the SIsn"l O"'O'
testify rarely exceeds twenty four degrees 10 col-
plete the contrast the hotel here Is not ow' hea'!
bnldne that crouches under the Ice of Gill; strapped
down and riveted fast by bands OF steel TO hold IL IN
place against the winds. Light wooden structures Oh
yIosed points have stood for years on hoan' anu e''
one of them would have been scattered all over the STATE
.rln nf "a Nj a
caster.
For years this summit has been haunted by wandering
botansts who came study its singulary rch norand
by transient tourists who paused here for day 10 drink
delight Of its spacious prospects But since great hoel
has developed naturally out of the favorable conditions
for such an enterprise, many persons WIN nay
,nalaia aud other fashionable diseases Which piJ"l
for victims on lower levels, and many more
attracted by tue bamy air and the Wild beauty
Of the scenery, select IL every year Ior sum
NOR home l was compelled evening 70 oYerhear
conversation between two ladies who met as STRANGERS
and who were naturally entertaining each other and ea-
tablIshing a sympathetic acquaintance 10y exchanging
inventories their cherished diseases AT last ono VI
thcm VINO TO tell the truth appeared wholesome anu
haupv although each OF her vital organs according
10 her report OF them the last stages OF deSehe
ton said with some pride ana in the language or the
land: And chilled last summer for siN weeks 'uNI''
IL was comforting learn that this experience hAa oo'N
ouloycd among the ague levels Of the coast II msIia
iphabts Roam or the other highlands neIeaDou' lhe
natives have not learned the name Of it.
And As for scenery one woId need travel far to ina
a snot where the views every hand we're as i'm
pressive. Nature has few grauder sieca.eS 20 oAeI
than the prospect from sone mountain top WAeI t"e
clouds are rolling back, disclosing they retreat range
leyond range and peak after peak as successive horizons
hurst into view and preparations for such effects nave
lere been made the br0adCst scale Tie Roam 'o"ea
midway between tie outer ridges Of the AleTAth!--'
vlle above and below spurs AM cross ranges ana
,,rs apparently Isolated from system, 90 thar "a
every direction al the land beloved with mountains
ike tossing sea- 1t conveys inadequate idea Of the
spscousnes and grandeur OF these prospects 10 say that
tie Mountains Of Virginia form the sky line IN one uIcc-
f1a and The OF Georgia IN another OF tAat
kings Mountain range IN South Carolina can re seen
over tie crest Of the Blue Ridge on tie one hand ana TIC
mountains beyond 1.-The Cumberland plateau IN Tennessee
on the other The eye ranges over parts OF seven states
AMI in all Thousands Of luare miles in sight nothing
tame or commonplace snal-featJrcd appears On
the slopes and the valleys nearer by tho frequent
ccaruys how rapidly the land is being suodned TO
scrcuurl use; but directly beneath the brow OF Roam
Bluff the dense forest stands un0rokcn Not tree Is
lc.s than hundred feet tall, but their even growth
eyeas and repeats every inhalation OF the surface rom
which they spring and who looks down upon tier
tons thousand feet below where they up to tho
a, Of the cliff their compact foliage suggests cOsely
matted and richly colored carpet Of moss over |!'h
water would Close at hand and on either side are
shining masses rhodOdendrOn hanked by dark tasas
the Dedutliul ADOS IIdSeIl lOuui OI1 oh liO 44-H
mountains this reGiOn,wbe every detail OF the fore
ground to the miniature forest Of leiophyum under foot
Is q study and delight.
II was late in the season. the kndng scarlet In the
sorrel and black prove but very early in the
morning when we emerged from the worst hotel in
Tennessee to take train for the station nearest to
Roam Mountain summit. This hotel was in Johnson
City a village when has never yet been worried INTO
any exertion by the spirit OF order or cleanliness At
this point the narrow gauge road known locally as the
Cranberry stem-winder," and which our journey
Law divorces from the East Tennessee Railroad. For
the first few miles the natives who dropped in and
the way stations interesting studies than the
ranorama drifting by the car Windows. One group
consisted of q sturdy middle-aged man with his vie,
who knocked the ashes from her pipe as she entered and
robust clear peXOned daughter in early woman
hood who of the underied appearance which
It is said prevalent diet Of corn bread and bacon eDgcn
doris This radiant presence llumined the coach but
few miles when the three stepping down and out walked
straight and matter Of to high rail fence
which the healthy young lady sealed In neat and OK
Ierenced manner without allowing her skirt, to I'M edo
the graceful freedom Of her movements Her parents
promptly followed side by eide never breaking step
The left OF each swung over the top rail 70 ether.
little investigation showed that tne rail fence was the
boundary between the yard IN front 81 their cottage and
highway. and IL seems to have occurred 10
had little space however, to reflect upon Tie probable
enterprise OF a village whose inhabitants hahltuaIY
Doe River Canon, through which the stem windel
end tnmIles through a gorge 800 deep its steep
sides with and under shrubs wherever
lna roothod, and garanded with ynes-all in variety
ana luxunancc unknown 10 moro Northern ATTITUDES.
Ths observed the strong lights and
deep shadows OF early morning from platform
Il went leaping the stream and back again and
doubling hundred leafy prOmOntories, something
10 DO remembered long
Next SUMNER General Wilder, owns the bald spot
several hundred I'm eXtcnU the wn Of Roam
with many square mile Of adjacent timber, lift his
guests into tho clouds by steam. We a season too
carly for the engine aud cable and fortnight late
for saddle horses which usually be found
mountain station aud a covered wagon made ready
for tho ascent matter OF twelve miles 10 the summit