Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-10-23

Scenes on the R~iyer---Ihe Slatce,
Etc.
MEssRs. EDlToRs: AS a quiet,
pleasant resort for summer boarders,
people who wish 70 get away from
the noisy hustle and din of town Of
city life, a more favorable location
III South Carolina can not be found
than that the Long Greek country
affords. The healthy climate, the
pure water, the charming scenery.
the cheap board, the abundance and
variety of fruits. should all conspire
to make it the Chautaqua of South
Carolina.
Adjoining the farm of Mr.. Jonas
Phillips, on land&now owned by Mrs
Holmes, is the place whore Governor
Brown, of Georgia. was born and
spent his boyhood days. Some an.
oient apple trees yet stand to mark
the historic spot. ,r
Near here, too, is a beautiful
mountain called the Round Mountain,
From whatever position the noun
tain is viewed it presents the appear
ance of, a massive comfortable.
Walhalla, a distance of nearly twenty
miles, may be distinctly seer from
its top without the aid of q glass.
One of the greatest drawbacks to
that portion of country is the lack
of mail facilities, there being only
two mails a week, on Tuesdays and
Saturdays. This Inconvenience, how
ever, is but temporary, as a railroad
is now being surveyed through that
section and the time, perhaps, is not
far distant when its people will be
able to compete in this respect with
any others in the State.
What is a matter of surprise to a
stranger stopping in that country, is
the number of families of the same
name. There are in tho neighbor-
hood twelve families of the name of
Phillips and eight of the name OF
Lee. The families of Phillips are
all somewhat connected, but the
most of the Lees are distinct fami-
lies, no relationship existing between
them. ,
Besides corn, wheat, oats and rye,
many of the people raise a great
abundance of cabbage, beans, Irish
and sweet potatoes, &c, They also
plant largely in cane and make a
great deal of syrup. Messrs. j. b
and Jonas Phillips often make be-
tween 800 and 1000 gallons. This
year they will probably make 1900
gallons. Their apple orchard cannot
perhaps be equaled in the State
The apples ripen from June unit,
October. They have between 25C
and 800 trees, which will this year
average from 8 to 10 bushels pei
tree. Mr.. Jonas Phillips, ST., has
also a fin9s orchard containing a grea!
variety Of apples, but he deVotes
much of his time to raising grain and
stock. His farm is II very large and
valuable one, containing not only
tho finest cove lands, but the richest
creek bottoms.
a little over two miles from here
is Lees Ferry, or the Rogue's Ford
What a beautiful river the Chattoo-
ga is. How clear, how sparkling the
water! Everywhere along it's banks
dense shrubbery, mxuriant grass, OF
gray boulders greet the eyes, while
draping vines are reflected in beau,
tiful spiral wreaths in the silvery.
crystalline water. Just across The
river DARK pine woods cover the
mountains and heecy clouds seem
lowering about their SUBMITS. r
Not far from here, mp the river, is
the slnicc. There is something ex'
ceedingly interesting in viewing this
scene. Solitude surrounds it. Nc
human football is heard and no sigr
of life is seen, but it seems the home
of the rattlesnake and ono almost
imagines he sees the %crouching bca,
crawling through the rocky cliffs
On every side we arc surrounded
with rocks, huge rocks projecting
overhead, which seem each moment
to threaten us with destruction. The
river becomes a narrow chasm
Dark rock walls rise prccipitously or
either side and confine the rushing
foaming rivor as it madly plunges
through. The space between The
walls seems so near that one almost
imagines he could Jump across it
but wo =! be to him who should dare
attempt it. The thunder of the
roaring river is heard from the mar
row pass as it rushes through for life
and freedom. But now it seems al
if the massive rocks below AGAR
would stay its flow; yet on it rushe'
with such tremendous, such irresisti
bic force, that the white foam is sem
up a distance of many feet and or,
it reaches it's rocky bed, it seems dis
solved into silvery drops of spray
Onward it flows, getting wider ant
wider, until soon tho majestic rive
is itself again.
Beautiful river! how gently O it seem,
Thro ugh woods and folds, in shade an,
Snn,nftntno cSutff ppt,,nAs,&a o .1nx., #..H..