The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-29


one. A solitary otter was startled from
his mid day nap at turn IN the road and was
promptly shot by my companion before ne
could reach his watery retreat. over the
whole days drive had broOded a sense of soil
tude. not unaccompanied by that feeling OF
relief when ones heart. mind and body have
been suddenly freed from the oppression Oh
some terrible incubus. Tho war was over;
and although It's direful shadow. was sun
upon us. yet the pain OF suspense hau Ge"ou'
aud this trip through the country. thiS ~
portunitv of holding communion WIN l nVnIIo'
nature. was 10 us more than ordinary conSo'"-
ton. But 10 the point
DISAPPOINTED WITH THE TRosAcHs.
| Six weeks after the date OF the incident Just
! described was in q foreign iand: stage
/ coach had Just borne me over inc brlg-o-
1 Turk and / was In the deep lrosachs Wild
/ est nook" Never man experienced disap-
| Monument as great and as unexpected as came
/ over mo AT that moment. ! could scarcely
/ realize the fact that | was actually passing
! through the far-famed gateway TO the Scotch
/ Highlands. % whose glories and beauties /
! had read and heard so much. The song Of
| the poet the story of the Lady Of the Lake,
/ with all lts romantic incidents and VIVID ar
ray Of stirring events, came to my rescue IN
vain. few days afterwards. in writing to
the friend who had been my com
panion IN the trip along Rockfsh river.
! was constrained 10 admit that in all respects
those OF the region through which had Just
passed. OF course / need not remind your
readers here that the genius of Walter Scott
has done all or nearly all, for Scotland. Ma
ture, however. has not been altogether idle,
having as il were, herself made adequate
preparation for many Of the matchless
pictures created by the imagination Of her un-
ryaled. artist. In referring 20 the above In
cident ] merely wish TO illustrate the truth
that IT Is not always necessary TO go from
home in search of novelties whether Of the
natural world. or even Of the realm aesthetic.
soNfE ATTRACTIONS.
Lest your readers should not entirely agree
10 this announcement. / must conduct them
once more 90 the scenes referred TO at the
beginning of this letter that they may the
better appreciate some Of the attractions Of
their own country. One enthusiastic tourist
who had made quite journey to see the falls
SO often referred TO- having stayed long
enough 10 enjoy the beauties OF the neigh
bornood. thus expresses himself. lie was
now several miles away from the Crabtree
Falls and near the summit of another noun
tain tie says:
On arriving at this point we were taken to
the western side and took our position on
Black Rock where for the first time since
entering these mountains we could lift
our heads above the stately oaks. pines
and chestnuts that flourish upon the
mountain tops and bid defiance even
10 the woodlands axe. This rock appro-
priately named from the black lichens
with which II IS heavily coated. stands seventy
feet IN perpendicular height and rs you sud
denly emerge from the dark forest and step
forth upon the lofty crest you lnvoluntarily
shrink from the scene. Immediately IN front
and far below YOU gaze upon dark. impene-
trable gorges whose fathomlees depths strike
terror 10 the bewildered eye. Far away to the
left we recognize the familiar outlines of tho
House mountain, followed 10y the North
mountain. the Shenandoah, Cheat. Ellotts'
Knob and other ranges extending northward
aud losing themselves IN blue ethereal space
We reluctantly withdraw from tins scene 10
look upon one surprising all others. We
now take our place on the eastern side on
pinnacle Of Spy Rock. Here We
look down thousands OF feet upon world OF
cultivated fields unfolding valleys. meAnder-
ing rivers. cities. villages and distant noun
ta.ns Far in the distance 10 the night and
south tie shining spots and spires indicate
where lies the city of Lynchburg while still
further Oft the Peaks Ot Otter assert their
claims to supremacy over other aspiring pm
nscles. Before us lie spread out the counties
Of Campbell AppomattOx, buckingham, Am
hetst Albemarle and Nelson. over whom at
TINS time Nature had spread ber azure meDtle
ss Il 10 screen in some degree from man
deYOurug gaze panorama only 70 be beheld
by the gods themselves Sc.
INCIDENT AND NOVELTY.
But enough Of scenery The tourist IS ever
on tho lookout for incident and novelty. lie
il always glad e. know that such q country as
have mere described has not been altogether
bereft OF It's wild animals As he SCANS with
searching gaze the deep unfrequented gorges.
or climbs IN Imagination 10 rocky Businesses,
which perhaps have never felt the foot or
man. he delights 10 fancy them still the
haunts Of the deer, the wildcat and the bear.
in the pres ent instance this is literally true.
In the language of another, the magnificent
virgin forests still abound in bear. deer and
wild cats and far better game" turkeys.
pheasants. squirrels hares and cartridges II
after tedious day during his journey ho sud
denly comes upon cabin and the humble
occupant mid away IN the wilderness near
some mountain torrent, the solitude OF
the way seems rather 10 be increased
thereby. He begins 10 moraltZe upon
the differences IN the conditions Of
mankind and his mind. relieved from the con
temptation of weghtier matters wonders
how these poor people live. what they do Ill
the winter and how II IS that they can con
sent TO spend their llyess III such place. In
the region of which | now write there are
many such. and the traveller will be surprised
10 near that although he may have come
many miles 20 view the falls Of the C-abtree,
and great mountains. mot tenth OF the
present population had ever had the curloS
ity 70 climb the pinnacle from when they
flowed. This Is not an uncommon thing
3
ago myself went on three days horse
back ride 10 view what was then called the
Salt Pond on the Bald Knob in Giles county.
AZ shat time a. bride path. scarce half way
nh the mountain WAS the only approach 10
the top. My companion and myself lodged
one night not fur from the base OK the noun
tain with man over eighty years OF age
whose family had settled IN that country
when tho ShawAnese Indians made occasional
forays over the borders and yet no assured
us that not one of them had ever.been to the
spot we had come SO Ear 10 visit.
THE wILDs on NELSON
So much for the wilds of Nelson. her unique
and wonderful falls, her magnificent noun
tains and scenery. For ages they have been
p~nt up. confined in solitary grandeur con-
tent to fulfil the secret purposes OF that
nature. who at last now consents. for her own
and mans account. t. set loose forever their
excess Of glory Obscured L.
o --
A man who has prscticed medicine for
forty years ought to know salt from sugar;
road what IA SAYS