The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-07-03

fame, cannot compare with these noun
tains in scenes of sublime beauty and aw-
full grandeur. Here all of the vast scene
is before you, the pure air bringing the
distant mountains within your vision, as
though anxious that the whole grand
beauty of the scene should be visible at
one and the same time. The mind
drinks in the inspiration of the glorious
vision at one draught, and filled with
awe, wonder and admiration, the bound
ing heart almost stands still, while the
eager eyes gaze on the grandest panorama
in nature.
From the top of this Indian Ladder
and several other of the higher points of
this ridge, a morning scene of glorious
beauty is unfolded such as one rarely sees
in any cline, for nature in her widest
moods has never excelled her handiwork
here, panoramic view of which now lies
before me. European travellers tell me
that nowhere within the range of Euro
pean travel can such scenes be found
scenes so full of beauty, sublimity and
inspiration. Here the eye fails to reach
the extent of even one portion of the
country and the far distant horizon closes
in the scene by dropping an airy curtain
whose fieecy fringes rest on mountain
peaks in far distant portions of adjoining
states. The lower mountain sides have
now put on their loveliest spring robes,
and the far-away fields are clothed in
the choicest verdure. The mountain
sides are covered in wilderness of flow
ers; the ivy with the most delicate of disc
shaped flowers, white within with spots
of red and purple edges, are the loveliest
of all flowers; honeysuckles of every
shade from deep red, orange color, to the
most delicate yellows and purple of every
hue, with the laurel just now coming into
bloom. Scores of other kinds l cannot
name, and the old Blue Ridge smiles ma
jestically while the silvery Dan reflects
this fairyland back to its maker, truly
makes a scene worthy of looking upon.
While descending and peering into that
deep and shadowy gorge, hundreds of
feet below, one must have nerve and res
olution to undergo the trip up or down.
Therei no turn back when one gets well
on the way up or down. By going
many miles around this canyon one can
get to the top of this knob very easily.
AT the base of this cliff the Dan River
pours down the abyss a sheet of crystal
water over succession Of falls, upon
whose up-leaping spray the MONDAY sun
paints a prismatic arc, with iridescent
colors dazzling to the eye. The pima
Giles are in this canyon, and are opposite
this point They raise their heads 1865
feet above the river and are in the center
of an immense amphilheater with verti.
cal rocks on the north side many hun
dred feet high. The river cuts its way
through here with a maddening rush
the mountain rains raising it thirty feet
above its usual level Then it carries
away everything movable in its path, pol
ishing the sides and bottom as if done
by human hands. Near here is fall Of
60 feet in the river and cascades of several
hundred yards in extent which pour {
rapid torrent over jagged rocks forming
a picturesque scene. Cedars and pines
brood over this gorge, overspreading its
gulf with an evergreen canopy.
Nearly half way up this mountain side
is cave or large fissure, whose entrance
is carpeted with unnumbered ferns with
their delicate fronds and completing THU
bower of greenery. If the fairies haunt
this dell this nook must be their presence
chamber. The main chamber is glitter
ing gray with gems of crystal quartz
whose radiance Eliminates the cave will
their dazzling brilliancy through the
, opening. Sweet flowers Of many kind
5 spring from the messy carpet, which
: breathe their redolence upon their air il
5 the faintest zephyrs of their sweetness
The whole mountain sides where Their,
: is soil is covered with many kinds of tin,
3 delicate plants, especially in the canyon
} SIDE They always seem to be mor
l beautiful in the most inaccessible places
/. Now far up the mountain side on som,
: shelving rock can see beautiful purpl,
| flowers nodding their heads in the breeze
3 with each oscillation peeping over from
l their lofty abode as if bidding me GLOW
5 dv."
$ Now as night approaches with its SABLE
pail we are irresistibly urged to enjoy it
s temporary pleasure, and up here at nigh
D Unpleasant weather sleep is very refresh
3 ing. Darkness and the silence of natur
court repose, just as the light of the new
=, born day invites us to activity and labor
: There exists strange sympathy between
: the periods of day and night. Anywa,
a at the close of day the songs of the bird
: one after another become hushed till q
s length all is silence and nature is left Il
D sleep amid the falling dews; and sleel
g with her leaden scepter holds her domin