The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-12

much corn was raised to the acre, it
was answered, "From ten to fifteen
barrels" The views were constantly
changing. AS the sun gilded the
SUBMITS of the mountains, one and
two thousand feet high, and dropped
shadows into the valleys, one having
eyes to see, could but admire and
marvel at such display of colors and
shades.
An hour and half's riding landed
us at the Natural Bridge station.
Now it was gliding up and among
lofty hills and mountains. The sur
prise was that it were possible to have
so many towering heights in so small
an area. The cedars, oaks and ashes
were plentiful. The turns in the high
way were frequent. Picturesqueness
was displayed on every hand. Three
miles from the railroad brought US to
quite little settlement, ensconced
high among the mountains, where the
air is pure and all nature conspires
to give the best of health to visitors
and dwellers. Just now the sunlight
was painting the numerous mountains
to the east with reddish glow never
surpassed by the tints spread over
Alpine heights at the sunset hour.
Soon we were settled for the night in
an inviting hotel where everything is
in keeping with the surrounding
scenery.
MORNING VIEW.
Early the sun crowned the noun
tain tops with his diadems and gently
threw day into the glens, making all
nature to smile with gladness. AS
cending hill of lookout, splen did
prospect was spread before and
around us. / was reminded of views
among the Alps and the Armenian
mountains. Within short distance
rose far above us the mountains LIE
banon. Mars Hill, Mount Jefferson,
Lincoln Heights, and Gave Noun
tain. Their tops are apparently
rounded and smoothed, with heavily
wooded sides. A few miles to the
east the Blue Ridge range lowered
to its greatest altitude, more than
1000 feet above the sea, running far
off to the north and the south. At
the north, House Mountain, and to
the south, Purgatory Height, stood
out in bold relief. Far away to the
west rested the Indians Endless
Mountain high up in the sky. We
were 800 feet above the meadows
along the banks of the James River,
three miles distant and 1900 feet
above the Atlantic. I had scarcely
imagined that the mountains in this
region were so numerous and 81
lofty.
THE BRIDGE.
From the hotel we followed musi-
cal brooklet through an open pas
ture till we came to a growth of
cedar; some of them are immense,
said to be the largest of the kind in
the world. Now it was descending
steps, and ziz-zaging by the winding
stream. The valley grows deeper
and quite sunless. The brooklet
soon emptied itself into small river
Here we turned to the west, and 10,
right before and far above us was the
grandest natural bridge in the world.
At once l was impressed with the
feeling of immensity. A robin flying
close under the arch looked like
bee. Up to the center of the arch
it is 205 feet at the base, in width it
is forty-five feet, and at the top,
ninety feet; the depth of the stone
above the span is forty feet and its
breadth sixty feet. Though it was
morning, yet here it appeared like
twilight. In form the arch is semi-ell-
iptical, perfectly proportioned as to
height of pier, spring of arch and
drop of keystone; buttresses look as
though they were made to endure,
the walls are seamless and the arch
is stained with blush green shade.
1t is completely finished bridge.
We can but wonder and ask, How
was it formedi Who was its builders
1t would not seem to be the result of
volcanic action, for the layers of the
lime rock of which it is composed lie
horizontally. 1t looks more reason
able to suppose that it was tunneled
by the action of water. 1t was evi.
IDENTIFY made by builder greater
than man. Like the Falls of Niagara
or the Yosemite Valley, it is tre-
work of its kind. While
it, l felt like keeping perfect
silence and acknowledging in the
depths of the soul, 1t is thy work o
Godl
A highway runs over it. One feels