The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-08

The following extract from the flcl-
uresque History CT North Carolina" by
Joseph Seawell Jones, is reprinted at
this time by request of the State Literary
and Historical Association:
l have never wandered over the ISL
and of Roanoke without feeling of
melancholy, as intense as that of Byron
whilst contemplating the fallen great
ness of Greece. The days of her glory
are over, and gone with those beyond the
flood; but still she is to me an island
of the heart for her shores are the
graves of the warlike and the wise. The
native Indian built his Machicomack on
her hills; and there, too, stood the City
of Raleigh the birthplace of the Anglo
American: and thus was Roanoke known
long before the beach of jamestown was
settled or the rock of Plymouth conse-
Grated. She is the classic land of all
English America, and will live in the
future story of our Republic as the
mother-earth of American liberty. The,
illustrious names of Raleigh. of Caven-
dish, of Granville and of Drake-the he
roes of the reign of Elizabeth-are a part
and portion of her history. Hariot, the
mathematician and philosopher of the
died it's natural resources and Indian
history; and nearly two hundred and
fifty years since gave to the world a
book unequaled for the accuracy and the
interest of it's details 1t would seem.
indeed, as if the chivalry and learning
of that age had contributed this splen-
did representation, to give a dazzling
brilliancy to the early history of that
State on whose shores the flag of Eng
land was first unfurled, and in whose
valleys, and over whose hills, the noun
tain goddess Liberty first shouted the
cry of American independence. Bear
witness, Mecklenburg, on the Goth of
May, 1875.
But it is not historic association alone
which makes sacred the shores and the
vine clad forests of Roanoke. Nature
seems to have exerted herself to adorn
it as the Eden of the New World. The
richest garniture of flowers, the sweet
est minstrelsy of birds, are there. In
traversing the Northern section of the
island in the spring time of the year.
flowers and sweet-scented herbs, in the
widest luxuriance, are strewn along
your winding way, welcoming you with
their fragrance to their cherished isle.
The wild rose bush, which at times
springs up into nurseries of one hun
dred yards in extent, blooms blushing'
to the song of the thousand birds that
are baSling in her bowers. The mock
ing-bird too, whatever ornithologists
may say of its chimney habits, makes
this his favorite haunt and | myself
have seen him pillowed on the highest
cluster of roses, and swinging with his
weight the slender tree, as he warbled
out his most exquisite song. 1t may be,
however, that Roanoke is the very spot
where, in imitation of the Eastern queen
Of song, the hooking bird fell in love
with the rose.
There are stately pine forests extend
ing along the centre of the island; but
the most beautiful of its tres are what
are commonly called dogwood, the laurel,
and a delicate species of the white oak.
/ have sceen a forest composed of these
trees, the branches and limbs of which
are literally intertwisted and knitted to-
gether by the embraces of the Roanoke
vine, which here, in it's native garden,
grows with extraordinary exuberance
Within the deep shades of these re-
clining vintages. the spirit of solitude
y.
At midday, when the heat of the sum
mer's sun is too glowing for exertion
there is not the chirp of a bird to break
the solemnity of the spot. The long
and slender vine snake, which at other
hours is seen industriously threading his
way through the mazes of the vintage.
has now suspended himself on a twig,
and hangs as idle and as still as a black
silk cord. If you hear the tread of foot
steps it is not of man, hut the stealthy
retreat of an unsuspecting fawn, which
hath slept too long, and which now, like
woodland nymph, HES away on the APP
proach of man. But in the morning and
IN the evening this scene of quiet and
of repose is all changed. 1t is then the
sranary of the island, and the birds have
all assembled and are warbling in bac-
chanal confusion their morning or even
ng hymn The scenery of Roanoke i
neither grand nor sublime. There are no
Alpine SUBMITS to mingle with clouds
but a series of gentle undulation, and
few abrupt hills, in the valleys of which
the richly dressed scenery I have de-
be the lot of the reader to stroll under
impervious to the rays of the sun by the
rich foliage and clustering cranes above
him--he will not venture to discredit
the highly wrought sketches of Hariot
nor mock the humber enthusiasm OF the
volume now before him. / remember onca
TO have stood upon the Hottest eminence
of the island, and to have watched the
progress of a sunset 1t was on a sum-
mer's eve which had been made pecu-
liarly clear by a violent thunder squal
the preceding night, and not a film of
a cloud or a vapor was. to be seen about
the horizon or in the blue vault of heav-
u. There was not q breath of air to s, ir
the slender leaf of the few lofty pines
that struggled around me, and even the
hooking bird seemed to have hushed his
capricious song, to enjoy the intense
feeling of the moment. To the westward
of the island, the waters of the Abe
marie crcpt sluggishly along and in the
winding current of the Swash several
vessels stood, with outspread but mo-
tionless wings. Away down to the south,
the Pamlico spread itself out. like an
ocean of molten gold, cleaning along
the banks Of the Chikamacomico and
Hatteras; and, contrasted with this,