The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-05
The Natural bridge.


ledge Won see way mp thcre-that bird
just few past it-and caught the rope
as 1t swung toward NM
We looked up. stretching our heads
back until our necks ached'
rs tnat story really true
"Tne old settlers around here say so.
The boy was "a student from Washing
ton-and-Lee which is not very Tar from
here or course, the account OF the Feat,
usually found In NTH readers Is sooa
deal exacccrated. There was 10 crowd
watching while De climbed as the story
saws. only a few OF his friends were with
him. Dut il Is true that boy really did
climb nearly 10 the top OF the bridge. you
see that ledge up there almost under the
arch2 When he reached that place he
could climb no further on account OF the
archIng over the bridge. lhen thoy say
he looked back 90 see how 10 CLIMB down
again. You know it's "a fact that YOU
can climb up much easier than down.
There may lie "a deeper significance TO
those words. thought. when you look
downward everything appears TO ne
smoother So there the boy huns nearly
200 feet from the ground. unable 10 move
one way or The other
We looked again mp 10 that tiny pro-
lection: not much bigger than the bowl
Of a spoon, 81 seemed. from that great
distance. il WAS NV His i+NN'if Mii'At
we went 10 the top OF me bridge We
looked down. IL was frightiul
We were standing under the shadow or
that fearful monument OF the Builder
who knows no limits. the bridge whose
walls are mountains. and whose hid-
tresses are peaks. The ravine s. 30 deep
the sun shines in only about noon. And
all this maCnihccnce Of architecture
royalty thrown away on mere wading
stream, Its fish no bigger than min
nows. But the Builders quarry, likewise,
knows no limits.
The approach 10 the bridge Is by a
narrow. tortuous. rapidly descending
path. 4 small stream tumhles down the
mountain beside us all the way. The
deep foliage Of the trees keeps us hidden
from a view Of the bridge. until p sharp
turn 10 the right suddenly brings as up
almost under It.
But the first sight. perhaps is q little
disappointing The mind has 10 take time
10 adjust itself 10 these enormous dimcn-
| sions. As we approach b., at length stand
| just under the bridge itself. and look
upward. perhaps even then We are still
| little disappointed. until suddenly we
are startled by a faint-Cryng flock Of
swallows flying under the bridge. then We
| begin to comprehend ITS dizzy altitude.
The approach Is not so Impressive as
| the opposite view on account Of the dip
| ping of the arch on that side. To walk
| 100 feet further on. passing under the
| bridge, and then look back 10 II, one
| catches the curves Of IT'S enormous con-
| Vexity and the lift Of its span. on this
| side also the two mountains that but
/ tross the bridge rapidly rise for some
| distance further ON: consequently the
ravine walls arc much higher. All these
! things combine 10 make the latter view
! Of the bridge very impro sivo.
/ Cathedral Wall. nearly 200 feet high.
/ straight as the side of "a house. buttrc. sed
| and turretod towers up ON one side.
/ Across the ravine from 49, ovorhaueiug
abyss below. is "a little ledge Of rock not
/ ten feet square. Pulpit Rock Here one
/ one may stand and look helOw-if ne cam,
and try 20 realize the horror OF that
/ boy when ne Caught the faint echoes
/ OF the people beneath him shouting to lim
/ 10 Jump for the rope I'm am old Nir-
! ginia history there is n statement that
| when The hov was drawn mp his hair bad
/ turned white.
Nothing grows down the sides of this
/ ravine. IT Is am rock solid and ehostIy.
| n one were TO slip Doe would strike against
| nothing on his way until Doc struck the
| ground. There is scarcely place for n
! bird 10 alipht. How did the boy climb
/ it2 Tho story goes that he had knife
and cut f0otholcs between the rock rims.
And IL ls narrow. that little silver rum
/ ming raVinc. just room enough for ns
brook and "a f0otpath beside n. To is MARI
| row and cold under the shadow of thes"
/ eternal ramparts. Whom birds fy down
/ into il they merely drop, there IS not
room 10 use their wings. They spread
| tbom ont 10 break the FAM and drop
down Ike leaves. II Niagara were
smiling over one OF ITS sides Its leap
| would strike against the opposite wall
| Above nature has so c0ylr sofiencd the
| edge OF the hideous preciplce. SO hidden
| n with hlossoming trees and messy turf
| that a dreamer walking there some Day
! would unexpectedly feel % sharp slp oi
| his feet. would catch ont m tree. % Die
| Of praes-the sudden fashlieht of yawn-
ING abvse-deathi one comes shouting
and laughing down tho steps toward Pull
| nit Rock-suddeniy stops himself aeh1a T.
| ouivcrine on the very edge OF the fright
| ful drop.
I'm ~ n great mass Of rock was split
! ofe from the arch hv the freezing OF the
, water I'm its crevicos. and was hurled bee
low. crashing into million fragment s..
! The ground is Uttered over with bits oi
rool, with here and there n boulder half
embedded en- the SOIL There hangs ON
the lcft Of The arch as one approaches
another mass just ready 20 fail. "a wide
crack extends from the ton of the hil
almost down % tho ground. Half hill
vawns' A column of earth and frghtfu
rocks half as big as freight cars stand
mp there in the air. held back hv a
fcw clods slender stone. root or two
When Il falls ono power exists that may
clear II awav-thc river.
"G W" There fl is. his own auto
rra ply Washington .s. To is ono Of tho
great prize boxes Of the bridge II ).
cilt doop into the rock about 800 feet above
the ground Several other names arc cui
above this but they worc not put there
hv climbers. some engineers placed lad
dors against tho rock and thus reached
the point. The "G. w" is said TO POD
really genuine The old settler v0uche.
for this fact also. Tho Wv" IS quit.
plain. but the &c" IS somewhat unccr
tain.
other points ~ interest GRO Lost River
an underground stream whose running
| can bee heard fv stopping down clos. o.,
% hole I'm the side az The mountain. Salt
peter Cave. a new crovice under q large
ledge Of rock which furnished Nitro q.
the soldiers Of 1872. tho Keeper Of IN,
Bridge. perfect profile ~ very oil
man near the arch ~ the bridge a
clinnse Of the rushing waters Of Lost
| River can be seen through tho hole en- thf
hill II Is perfectly clear and cold. and
MS pure ms n it had been filtered. Oyci
the hole. cut into the stone by whom
no one Knows Is the legend Gle wh,
drinks here shall return Our party
felt douhlv sure OF returning. for We
drank OF the water unwttingly. and saw
the words only aftorward
What caused the BRIDGE We cannot
foil 20 ask 70 as W. gaze MP M tho tre
wcndOus mass. n o. unreasonable n