The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-22
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA,
/ NORTHERN 1EAY'S EXPLORA-
TTONS.
orr From the Boaten Track of Tourist
Travel.

Western North Carolina is very
\ distinct portion of the state, not only II
\ its geography, but in the character Of
Ats inhabitants. North Carolina has
Y three natural land divisions; first the
Al coast region, three hundred miles IN eX-
tent and extending inland for one nun
bred miles; next comes the so-called
Piedmont region, which is an elevated
plateau extending westward to the foot-
4 hills of the mountains where 1T ends
n abruptly, and then lofty peaks of sky
\ land" began to loom up like wall
against the rest of the state. For two
hundred miles from northeast to south
west there are nothing but mountains
mountain valleys and swift rivers. l
cannot say any single mountain is re-
Invariably impressive, although it
boasts one with the highest summit
\ this side Of the Rocky mountains,
Va Mitchers peak, 6,698 feet. But seen to-
Y gether from Some high point they are
" Impressive. One reason Of this Is that
" you are. as soon as you are fairly In
\ western North Carolina, already at
A such am elevation that you are dlsap-
Y pointed at their height; another reason
Is the regularity of outline in all the
H 6ummits. When I had my first good
\ view of them, which was from Battery
V Park Asheville, seemed to be looking
down upon vast field Of giant hay
\ stacks, all rounded raked down and
fhucked in to shed the rain. There was,
as far as I could see, no characteristic
N Feature or difference in any seen height.
Io 80 IT, 411,1 Of Of
SaSHhe peaks, and wondered among those
4 rugged and irregular features which
4 distinguish most of the White noun
Mains. Yet they have a certain beauty
4 and sublimity of their own--a softened,
S'composed beauty, and a grandeur
(which does not astonish and terrify
4 like the Alps and Andes. In short, they
ARE more friendly and comfortable to
# live amongst than most mountains of
this or the eastern continent. The air
Da6 softer and the climate n1ilder than
ANY part of Italy except in the vicinity
SDf Naples. Here grows the famous
Il bright tobacco, small leaved, fine in tex
Sture and retaining when cured the same
EHbright color as when growing. In
western Carolina is said to be the orig
#Ecuppernong grape. Nineteen out of
twenty kinds Of oak grow there; all the
Eight kinds of pine; all the five naples;
most of the hickoriee: three out Of five
gbirches. There are one hundred and
Twelve kinds of trees in that region
and the largest chestnut and poplars,
called by natives linn. It has the most
Extensive fora in the country, and sew
8eral flowers and shrubs found nowhere
else. One can hardly speak of its min
2erals without exclamation points. I
will only name some of them, but must
admit in doing SO that they must at
Eresent be considered as specimens
rather than mines-or indications of I'M
.6eVe2oned resources. When I remarked
one day to companion that nearly ev-
sery one seemed to have specimens of
minerals in his vest pocket, he re-
whole of the mine. There is a great de-
sire to sell land by the farmers, not for
what can be seen on the surface, but
the supposed wealth beneath, and there
us hardly an acre that has not a hole in
ut, made by the owner or some prospec-
Nor But will name the minerals and
gems which I either heard of or saw
specimens: Nickel, chrome iron, chal-
Eedony, tale, kaolin, mica, corundum,
marbles, diamonds, rubies sapphire,
emerald, beryl, amethyst and hiddenite,
Vi new gem, not yet found anywhere
else.
Now, having said something Of what |
Us upon and under the surface of this
part Of the state, it Is time to speak of |
the inhabitants. found them during |
u winters sojourn-not in Asheville nor |
any other place of popular resort, but |
in the very heart of the mountains, |
very peculiar people. In the race for |
prosperity and Improvement they have |
been left behind, as their mountains |
forbid railroads, and consequently |
manufactures, mining and numbering |
can be carried on but at great disad- |
antage. 1t is one hundred years ago |
with the population. In consequence
one finds many old-fashioned virtues as
well as customs. I have never met
people more supplemented,
natural and hospitable. There are few
and almost no inns. In travel
ing, therefore, you are obliged to stop
for your meals or nights lodging |
wherever hunger or rest require 1t.
And this is expected by the inhabitants
along the mountain roads You are
welcomed cordially; the best they have
IL set before you and you will sleep in
the best bed. TO offer to pay for your
accommodation would be considered an
Rffront All their warmth and their
means of cooking, and often of lighting,
lis by the open fire. One or two iron
vessels and a coffee pot comprise their
cooking utensils. Trout and bacon
sweet potatoes and pone are the solid
articles of their diet; but wild small
fruits are abundant, as are apples,
wanting flavor, grapes and peaches. If
you happen to stay at village hotel,
as I did, for several weeks at time,
you would probably lose your appetite
In six weeks I had to give up eating.
There was the same bill Of fare for
dinner and supper The
rooster that awoke you in the morning
was served for your dinner. and 1t was
perfectly plain he had no breakfast nor
any other recent meal. The animal
most in evidence is Mr.. Pig. He has
the freedom of the country and ayails
himself of it, Fences are no obstacle
10 MIN, ne Climbs them like d goat il