The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1908-07-31
NEWS FROM r. I. D. no. 5. DURHAM.
An Interesting Description Of Trip
Across Mountains Other News

Smokey mountains and as the
scenery was sogrand and sublime
| will attempt to describe it to
the readers of the Recorder. To
describe it in its entirety however
is beyond the power of the pen
and my ability of description.
The first part of my trip after
crossing COUGHS mountain,
which is at the foothills of this
range, led up serpentine path
through a dense forest of pines
and cedar. After crossing a deep
ravine and starting on the ascent
again | emergered into a forest
of oak, popular, hickory and
other original growth, which
after continuing further toward
the summit changed again to
an old field growth, showing
that in the past the land had
been extensively cultivated. On
reaching the summit rode into
a settlement with fruit trees of
almost every description heavily
laden with fruit. Continuing !
soon came to the big or rather
county road and turning down
this / arrived at the Mt. Sinai
church, which ! suppose you
would say was situated at the
top of Mt. Sinai, since for this
region anyway it has the
appearance of a mountain. The
Mt. Sinai church is for the color
ed people of this section. | am
bound to say that I have never
seen a prettier and better location
for a country church.
Leaving the church and going
just a little farther to the east
10! a most beautiful vision burst
upon my gaze, far to the south
east embracing seventy-five de-
grees of the circumference the
the mountains rise seemingly up
to the skies, and green until they
look blue in the distance with
the morning sun just kissing the
tops of houses here and there
bringing them into view, while
an immense valley is spread be-
fore you which seems almost
without end and the sparkling
water makes a vision never to be
forgotten. But on turning to.
ward the west and going along
ridge road which is very nearly
level We soon passed the place al
which we first struck this road
and as we look either way to the
north or south we see mountains
looming up, which although they
are grand beyond description
they are pervaded with a solemni-
ty that we can not evade. We
must say this is the work of God
and it is marvellous and when we
are all alone with Gods creation
we are nearer God than at any
other time. Because God is in
all nature so far as the .phenom-
email creation of the world is con.
cerned. After viewing these
scenes just described we passed
on to another of Gods creation,
mankind. although vastly de.
Perforated up to the present and
desiring to learn the way to a
certain place we turned aside to
a settlement to get instructions.
When | came in close view OF
the house | saw an old woman
wearing glasses and having a
to broom in her hand running
around saying pshaw, pshaw, the
chickens, an dinquiring of her the
direction to the place | wished to
find she said that she didn't
know anything about 1t. At
about this time a winsome noun
tain lass came up and she knew
the way to the place, and doffing
my hat and thanking her | asked
her to tell me the way, where
npon she said Go back to the
cross roads and take one of them.
Pa went there last Sunday and
that Is the way" / went to the
cross roads and found six roads
centering there and of course