Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-06-04
HISTORY OF THE VALLEY
APPENDIX II.
CONTINUED.
TROUT POND.

IoblueuCe vi Jdinto OtcAiOV'i A'Io
deceased, and a little east of Thorn
bottom, is situated most beautiful
miniature lake, called the Trout
pond. A large spring rises near
the summit of the Great North
mountain, descending on the west
side into a deep gleen, between the
mountain and a very high ridge i'm
medlately east of ThOrnbottom, in
which glen nature has formed re-
ceptacle of unknown depth for this
stream of water. This stream forms
an area of about one and a half
acres, nearly an Oblong square,
Nature never presented to the eye
more perfectly beautiful sheet of
water. 1t is as transparent as crys
tai, and abounds with fine trout
fish.
The late Col. Taverner Beale, up
wards of forty years ago, described
this place to the author, and stated
that he could safely affirm that he
believed he had seen ten thousand
trout at a single view in this pond.
Col. Beale also informed the author
that himself and a friend of his once
made raft, and tloated to the CEN
tire of the pond, where they let
down a plumb and line, (the author
does not now recollect the length
of the line, though, it was certainly
not less than forty feet,) but did
not succeed in reaching the bottom.
A Mr.. GochenOur, who resides near
this place, Informed the author that
ne had heard it was fathOmed many
years ago, and was found to be
sixty feet deep, but did not know
the certainty or truth of this report.
The water is discharged at the
northeast corner of the pond, and
after descending about two miles,
works saw mill, and thirty or
forty yards from the mill falls into
sink and entirely disappears
This sink is in the edge Of Thorn
bottom, a pretty narrow strip of
limestone land, which affords be-
tween the mountains a residence
for four or five families, each of
whom has a fine spring of water,
all of which, after running a short
distance, also disappears. The
stream of water from the pond,
doubtless considerably increased
by the waters of Thornbottom,
again appears at the northern ter
mination of a very high ridge called
'the Devils garden" 1t bursts
out in one of the finest and largest
springs the author has ever seen.-
1t is said that this subterrauean
passage of the water is fully eight
miles in length. This spring is
within about one quarter Of a mile
from Mr.. Sterrett's dwelling house,
and forms a beautiful stream of
water called Trout run, which is q
valuable tributary of the Capon
river.
"The Devils garden is truly 4
wonderful work OF nature. Be
tween two lofty ridges of the Sandy
ridge and North mountain a strip
of ground, about mile in width,
commences rising gently from the
head of Trout run, and pursues its
regular ascent for three miles, when
it abruptly term mates, at its south.
ern extremity, in a vast pile Of
granite rocks, having perpendicu-
lar height of some four or five
hundred feet. This immense pile
is entirely separated from and i'll
dependent of its neighborlng noun
tains, having vast chasm on its
two sides and southern termination.
At its south end it is covered with
nearly level rocks, forming a floor
of about an acre. This floor is Gu
riously marked with assures on the
surface Of various distances apart.
On the eastern side stands statue,
or perhaps it may more appropri-
ately be called a bust, about seven
feet high; the head, neck and
shoulders bear strong resemblance
to those of a man, and from the
breast dOwnwards it gradually en-.
larges in size from two and a half
to three feet in diameter. 1t is
without arms. It stands on a level
table of rock, is of a dark color,
and presents to the eye frowning,
terrific appearance. When this
singular curiosity was first discov-
cred, some superstitious people con-
cluded it was the image of the Dew
il and hence the name OF "lhe
DEVILS garden" Near his satanic
majesty anciently stood a four.
square stone pillar, of about two
and a half ieet in diameter, and ten
or twelve feet high. This pillar is
broken off at its base, crosses a
chasm, and reclines, something in
the form OF an arch, against the Op-
| pOsite rock.
About one hundred feet below
the stand of the statue, door let's
into nu nerous caverns in the rock,
the first of which forms a handsome
room of moderate size, the floors
above and below being tolerably
smooth and level. From this room
there is a handsome flight of stone
steps ascending into room of
larger size, until twelve different
apartments are passed through, and
then reaches the top of the rocks
The late Mr.. Sterrptf. in riding with