The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-08
Up WAHYAH BALD.
An Outing Among the
Carolina Mountains.
Realistic Description of Trip That
Makes One Feel in His Every -
Bone the Urgent "CaII of
the Wild"
BY T.. l.. TOWNSEND.

This is the most delightful season
of the year for an outing in the noun
tains. Just now We are turning into
the autumn days, and are free from
| the oppressive heat of summer.
About this time, also, it is usual to
have a protracted season of fair
weather, which, if we strike, secures
1 us against the dashing summer
showers that so frequently and unex-
lpectedly spoil the tourists plans.
| Still again, just now, the forests
are beginning to dorne their autumn
al robes of crimson and gold which
give nature such a wealth of beauty
as it enjoys at no other season.
| Is it any wonder, then that Il
tired body, weary and worn from the
ever, recurring round of duties, on
being invited by select party, should
join their number and go away to
the mountains seeking rest and
needed recuperation
Our party consists of two hacks.
| two buggies. sixteen persons. The
persons were two lawyers, one min
lister, one farmer. five ladies. two
| lads, two laSsieS, two children, two
drivers, one dog, and one Sambo; all
white excepting Sambo.
Twenty miles from Franklin, N.
| -,
Bald, the point of destination. But
pause to remark. the trip is not as
easily made as it is written. The
elevation at Franklin is about 1000
| feet above sea level. That at the
| top of the Bald is about 5000. So
there is an elevation of something
like 5000 to be overcome. Still,
comparatively little of that is done
during the first half of the trip.
Cold Springs, some Il miles from
town. Let us stop here and feed
| our stock and take an hours noon
ing. 1t will better prepare both
man and beast for the rest of the
journey. Here in the midst of an
almost interminable forest of oak,
chestnut hickory and poplar, a gush-
ing flow of cold, cold water bursts
out of the ground from a ledge of
broken stones. and waiting not, hur-
rieS on to join the Wahyah Creek.
Having refreshed ourselves by both
eating and drinking we begin the
climb Our road reminds one of the
track of a serpent across dusty high
way. There are Tins and outs"
"outs'' and 'ins." There are VS. and
VS.. winds and curves. ever ascend
ing until we reach the Nantahali Gap.
from which point we look over and
get view of the other side. Hav-
ing made about two-tbirds of the
ascent, we find it a good plan to stop
and rest and renew our strength for
the balance of the journey. Again
we address ourselves to our route
with many a turn and many a twist.
At last. all the resistance has been
overc2me, and we find ourselves at
Bald. Let me describe. The forests
have been dense with trees, oak. hick-
DRY chestnut. etc, from the foot of
the mountain upward until the top is
approached. Here the trees are low
and rough and shaggy, and appear
as if stunted in their growth On
the top of the trees begins to appear
no trees at ALL Acres and acres are
covered with low bushes. huckelber-
ries and the like, about knee high
and waist high Just little below
the top of the trees begins to ppear
land amongst these trees are found
sparkling springs and running
branches. Near one of the springs,
stands the afore- mentioned cabins.
While near the top we viewed a
glorious sunset. The sun, like an
immense ball of FURNISHED gold, slow
ly sank behind the long line of seal
loped blue that made the line of the
western horizon. Eastward we look
and shortly after the full moon. like
an immense ball of polished silver,
rises from behind a similar border
casting his rays of light across noun
tain and valley, field and forest, cove
and GLEN.
But the night wind whistles around
the cabins, and both women and chill
dren SILVER with the cold. Soon a
fire is kindled, the house is swept,
the beds are made, the supper set.
How appetizing the aroma from that
pot Of boiling ocffee, the smell of that
broiIipg bacon!
All hands forget all aches and
pains and chronic indigestion, and cat
and drink like rail splitters
The supper removed, a short SER
vice of prayerful devotion to the God
who dwells on the mountain top as
well as upon the plain, i'll the forest
as well as in the city; then all hands
repair to their beds for the night
Bow soundly we sleep! No, not all.
There is one who pays the penalty
for transgression in the matter of
coffee drinking. He lies on a sleep
less bed and his head rests upon
dreamless pillow and here are some
of his meditationS:
what fools we mortals are?
What labor We perform and
Call it rest and. recreation!
What hardShipS and self-denials
We meet and call experience happi-
ness
Below this mountain arc homes
with curtained windows and carpeted
floors. Here the windows are glass
iss and curtainless. The floors are
bare and uneven.
At home there arc bureaus and
bedsteads and chairs of the most
beautiful design. with padded cush-
ions, and gentIest springs and softest
pillows. Here the bedsteads are of
undressed, leather stained boards,
the beds of doubly threshed straw
and richly peopled with 1eas who
travel in unnumbered battalionS
making frequent excursions from
Armpit tn Ankle. making night hid
eous to the man who thinks himself
happy.
Added to all this imagine three or
four unscrunulous lads at the dead
hour of midnight. with tin buckets
filed with rocks. shaking them round
md round with hiieous rattle as
they unceremonously serenade the
cabins to the inter disgust of those
who fam would sleep.
And after all this you rise the