Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-09-04
CAMPING ON POOR MOUNTAIN.
A Pleasant Party from Westminster
Enjoy an Outing There.

upon the invitation of T. N. Hall and
family, left Westminster for q ten
days camp on Poor Mountain, where
Mr.. Hall had recently fitted up two
room cottage for the accommodation
OF the crowd.
After several threatened disasters
the summit was at last reached in
safety. We did not camp directly on
top, but went down the mountain
about one-half mile to beautiful val
ley, which made an ideal place to
camp, with q fine mountain spring
right at our door. Dinner was the
first thing on the program, and a
hungrier crowd l never sew-ate at
one meal what We thought would do
for three. Our household goods were
soon unpacked and placed in order,
and the improvised outdoor kitchen
suggested "befo' de war" cooking,
with It's pots, oven. skillet, spider and
trivet. ~ $3.50 .." ....
A fine Jersey COW, staked near by,
meant more good things---in fact, it
seemed that our kind host had left
nothing undcne that would add to
the pleasure Of the crowd. He in
formed us we were free to do and say
just what we pleased, Just so we kept
in the pasture. After learning that
the pasture included twenty-three
hundred acres we felt very much at
liberty and proceeded to take his ad-
vice.
In short walk from our camp we
found some beautiful water falls.
High upon the mountain side Come
ross creek leaped from It's rocky era
die and plunged down tn mountain
side in miniature cascades for nearly
hundred feet. finally dashing over
rocky ledge thirty-five feet, churn-
ing the water into foam as it falls.
When standing at the head of the
falls we were 400 feet above Wal
halla! What a revelation to know
that this beautiful scenery was so
near home and most of us had never
seen 1T before.
Part of one day was spent on Pine
Knob mountain, the highest peak of
Poor mountain, and 33 1-3 feet high
, er than any other point In Oconee
acounty. There, standing on top of
this mountain, we were 700 feet
above Walhalla, and eight or nine
hundred feet above Westminster.
This will give you some idea of the
glorious view. The crowd exhausted
all the superlativ.s at their command
when this beautiful, panorama burst
upon their view. What an inspira-
ton to higher and nobler living to be
In such close touch with God and Ma
ture.
One evening was spent at the mar
bic quarry, where we saw some fine
specimens of the crude marble which
had been blasted from the mountain
side. from there we went to "De-
wills Den," which seems to be a bot
tomless :-ole in the mountain. One
man told us he had gone down about
twenty feet and dropped stones and
had never heard one hit the bottom.
A light, when lowered a certain dis
tance, Is extinguished.
After four days tramping over
Poor Mountain we were anxious to
spend day on Rich Mountain. Bright
and early Wednesday morning we
were vending our way towards the
top in our covered wagon, drawn by
four large oxen. 1t was a novel ex-
perience with most of us. One of the
ladies asked the driver where his
lines were, but with his long whip
we soon saw he was the master of
the situation. Just before reaching
the top We passed a peach orchard
loaded with fruit. My! what a sight
to hungry mountain crowd-but
we did not have permission to eat all
we wanted. We found Rich Noun
tain just the opposite to It's neighbor,
as the name would suggest. The soil
was black and rich, the weeds tall
and rank, with all the vegetation and
foliage a dark and rich green. The
trees are immense and grow very tall.
On top of the mountain was growing
some Of the finest corn | ever saw.
Late in the evening We returned to
camp, all voting 1t one of the most
pleasant days we had spent.
Much to the regret Of all the party,
our allotted time was up, and home
we must go. That night 1t seemed
that our camp fire had never burned
brighter or been more thoroughly en-