The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-23
rHE TIMES: RICHMOND vA.sUNDAY. OCTOBER 231s9s.

in the dim distance we could see 'haf-
lottesville some twenty or twenty-five
miles distant. while a few mics away
we could distinctly sec winaihs Mh'.o
line. which we were told was bio""
Gap road made famous as the closS,nH
place Of General Jacksons armies III ms
InarvelIously rapid maneuvercs In THIS
section. AS we started down the eastern
slope Of the first mountain. We tounu
the descent much more gradual than the
western side. so much so. that there was
considerable land under cultivation
WONDERFUL MOSQUITOES.
But nll this time we had seen no game,
save one poor, lonely, little partridge
and lost him. as II was out Of season
and we had no cartridges IN our guns
neither OF W fired but when we reached
the valley. we tied our horses ana our
guide posted us at different points,
where ne said ~ we kept quiet we would
soon see squirrels. But. alas' Tor the
hopes Of mani we found nothing save
MOSQUITOES. and 10 be strictly accurate,
we did not have 10 hunt them, they
found us There were no mosquitoes at
the hotel. but they were most abundant
here and Of p new species. They We're
Of the indestructible kind. One would
Hight on the back Of your head and Won
would slap down on him with the other
hand with a force Of about FIVE hun
dred pounds to the square inch. You
would lift your hand with the expecta-
ton OF finding what the Irishman called
a dead corpse" and the mosquito would
glance I'D with a half-startled, what
dat drop" kind Of expression las the
darkey said when the brick dropped On
his head and then he would sail or
singing 'T'Il meet you by moonlight to-
night" or some other mosquito fLelody.
catch one between your thumb and fore
finger and rub him around until you telt
sure You must have reduced him 10 n
mass. and upon opening your fingers II
was marvellous 70 see, how. as though
made OF India-rubber. wings ana legs
would unfold to their natural position
and away he would go. I noticed one
Of these creatures crawl down my gun
barrel I suppose he thought II might
be the crater OF an extinct volcano
worthy OF exploration. just then I had
the good luck 10 see a squirrel and fred
at him. AS that mosquito sailed squir-
rel-ward. I imagine he thought the vol
cano had resumed business with mar
vellous suddenness. ] think It likely this
one nosquito was killed but II so. n
was the only one. and such IS my regard
for veraoity, that / wouldn't like 70 swear
even 10 that one.
But things were too slow for us here
and we soon remounted our horses and
climbed the next mountain. On the sum-
NIT Of this one, I was quite surprised 20
find quite an extensive tabie-land en-
bracing a number Of acres. once under
cultivation. gentleman Of the name Of
Maupin. I was told, raised n large family
at this place. but now they are all scat
tered far and wide. and nothing remains
MO La
save an old chimney. standing ell "soli-
tary and alone" amidst n pile Of grass
covered debris. whilst the land is given
over to the pasturage OF cattle. which
are driven here in large numbers In the
spring. and allowed 10 run wild Until
the autumn frosts kill the foliage and
deprive them Of their forage, when they
are herded up and driven down. some 20
market. others to be wmtered on the
valley farms.
ABUNDANCE OF WATER.
One thing that surprised me very much
was the abundance Of water near the
tops Of the mountains. I had not sup
posed such would be the case. but Just
before reaching the summit OF our hrst
mountain. we crossed a bold sparkling
stream, which went leaping and plung-
ing along TO the valley below Ike some
immature
we found a spring of beautiful water,
cold as ice and clear as crystal. Whence
comes this abundant, never failing sup
ply? Doubtless II is rain water. fltcring
through the earth being purified ond
charged with the mineral matters which
gives IT its various medicinal qualities.
until 1t finally accumulates I'm some la
tural rock bound subterraneons reservoir
from which II is discharged through a
comparatively small outlet.
Another thing which struck me in this
section was the considerable lumber or
extremely old people. AT almost every
house we passed there would be one or
more persons eighty years old ana up
wards In fact. l was almost tempted
to conclude that these people never die
1T least. not like other folk, anyway.
What's 10 kill them? The bacteria. mi
crobes. etc. which the doctors tell ms so
much about. grow exhausted before
reaching such heights. or else find earlier
prey, so the air is pure. No typhoid
germs can linger In these swift running
streams and their only variation from
absolute purity Is in their medicinal pro-
perties absorbed from the various min
erals with which they come in contact,
so that the people live on and on until
they Just dry up and wither away until
there is hardly enough Of them LETT 10
live.
Well. over Hill and vale, we continued
our ride, until having made an extensive
circle. we found ourselves again at our
hotel. Our ride. though. interesting, had
been rough and tiresome and as we had
found no game. there were no further
attractions for MS. so the next morning,
we ordered our team and bade farewell
TO Black Rock. G. l. STEEL"