Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-07-09
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meridian. and not speck of cloud
or anything to obstruct the sight.
The author was so struck with the
grandeur ami majesty Of the scene,
ms TO become for several minutes,
terrified and nailed to the spot, and
incapable to move forward. After
recovering in some degree from
this, may truly say, agOnizing
mental state of excitement, the
author approached the arch with
trembling and trepidatiOn.
After some moments, he became
more composed, and wrote the fol-
lowing lines:
o. thou eternal architect Divine,
All beautiful thy works do shine,
Permit me thus TO sing:
Who can this towering arch explore,
Aud not thy sovereign power adore.
Eternal Kingi
Awed atfrst sight, my blood was child,
My trembling limbs and nerves all
thrilPd
Beneath this splendid pile.
Ny mind, howe'er, was soon on dame
To adore the great builders name
Viewing the heavenly smile. (a)
Did'st thou, o God this arch uprear,
70 make Us trembling mortals stare,
And humbly own thy name
Or did'st thou build 1t for thy pleasure,
To prove thy power without measure,
And spread eternal fame
Whate'er the motive or the plan,
Ii far exceeds the art Of man;
The grandeur Of the scheme,
Shows that the builder lives on high,
Beyond that blue, ethereal sky,
And wields hand supreme.
At the authors second visit to
this place, he discovered on view.
ing the arch attentively, the image
of a very large eagle, as if it was
in full fight, with the image of
lion in chase of it. This sight 10
near the eastern edge of the arch.
The author, however, had heard Of
those images before he saw them.
There is a story told in the neigh
borhood. in connection with this
most wonderful work OF nature, OF
a very extraordinary performance
of one of the young students OF
Lexington college. Some years
ago, several OF the students rode
out to view the bridge. One OF
them seeing the name Of Wash
ingtOn inscribed in the face of the
rock, observed to his companions
that he would place his name above
Washington's. lie ascended the
rock, and effected his object when,
looking at the yawning gulf be-
meath, he was afraid to attempt the
descent, and requested his friends
not to speak to him; then COM
menced climbing up the WALL
Some of the young men ran round
on the bridge, and placed them
selves in a posture to assist him, II
he should get within their reach
The Young man actually succeeded
in getting so near them, that they
seized him and drew him up (b)
bat the moment he was on the
bridge, from the great bodily eXer-
ton, and extreme mental excite.
ment, he tainted, and lay some
moments before he recovered.
This individual, in the year 1896,
was residing in the village at
Tythe court house. The author
intended to visit him and converse
with him on the subject, but was
told by a friend that he conyersed
on the subject with great reluct-
ance. OF course, the author de.
clined his intended visit.
SALT POND, IN GILES COUNTY.
This is a most beautiful work Of
nature. There are three noun
tains(c) of considerable magnitude,
which meet at this place-the
several mountains at their termina'
tions forming a considerable chasn;
this affords a receptacle for the
water. 1t presents to the beholder
the appearance of miniature lake
of pure transparent water, and is
about one mile in length, and
generally from one quarter to half
a mile i'm width. From its head to
ITS termination, it lies nearly a
northeast course. II is obstructed
at its termination with vast piles
of huge rock, over which it is dis
charged. When this place was
FIRST known, the water found pass.
age through the assures OF the
rock. In the year 1904, the re-
markable wet spring and summer,
which is doubtless recollected by
every elderly person, it is supposed
the vast quantity of leaves and
other rubbish that washed into 1t,
closed up the assures in the rocks;
Immediately after which 1t COM
menced rising. An elderly gentle
man residing,in 1926, on New river,
a few miles from it, Col. Snydow,)
informed the author that it had
risen fully twenty-five feet since
the year 1904. 1t is said to pro-
duce but few fish, there having
been a few fine trout caught in it;
but vast numbers of the water
lizard exists in it. Col. Snydow
informed the writer that when this
place was first known to the white
people, vast numbers of buffsloes,
elks and deers resorted to 1t, and
drank freely of its waters; from