Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-20


opening. The appearance was that of a
tremendous dynamite explosion A small
stream wound In and out among the
masses of rock. ~.
Upon first entering this amphitheatre,
we were fully satisfied that the dam mote
the spelling) theory was perfectly plausi-
BILE. We thought that this great land
slide might have formed a dam, that the
dam had caused sufficient force of water
to collect to supply the force of the flood
upon the break of the dam. But, the
more we saw of the place and the more
we investigated, the less inclined we Eere
to put faith in this theory. The foliage
along the sides of the mountain, we de-
cided. could not have been under water
any length of time, especially as much
time as would have required for this
small stream to have accumulated so
much force. Besides, the position OF
much of the rock and many trunks OF
trees seemed to plainly contradict such an
explanation. Then, we could no believe
that the landslide had, or could have,
scattered itself so wide and to such great
distances as we found the broken rocks.
None Of us claimed to be eminent metn
of science, but after a careful study of
the situation we each came to the decision
that there must have been some subter-
ranean action. of some kind. though just
what, we did not know. We believed that
this action must have been accompanied
by a Tremendous amount Of water Our
belief was strengthened when, after
luncheon, we climbed to the top of the
ridge projecting into the opening and on
top of it-several hundred feet high
found all the limbs of the trees broken
off, great dents made in the trunks, and
mud on these trunks extending thirty feet
up. On beyond this bridge, on the sides
of the mountain we could see other trees
whose limbs had been stripped of, and
great rocks scattered nearby. These rocks
and this mud, we decided, could not pos
sibly have come from the landslide. Be
sides. granting that II could have. there
was still the force behind the flood to
account for. Had we not already seen
what had taken place below the gorge,
and known the great extent of space COW
cred, we could not have believed II from
examining this place.
The absence of lava and Of much burned
rock prevented our belief in pure vol
canic action, which otherwise might have
accounted for what we saw, with the
possible exception of the volumes Of
water.
1t was while budding together on a
sharp ledge at the top OF this ride, look
ing far down the gorge as 1t wound in
and out in the heart of the mountain,
listening to the rocks falling where the
landslide had been, and trying to mag
inc what all had happened at this very
spot not long before, that we got some
of the most realistic sensations of the
trip.
Probably the most dangerous part of the
entire trip was the descent of this ridge.
The sides were very steep and we had
to go quite slowly to keep from fall
ing, and yet we wanted to hurry as
fast as possible, for we did not know
what minute some of the big rocks right
above us would take a notion to fall
We were afraid to hold to any of these
rocks, and yet IL we did not we would
fall, so there we were. Had any Of them
started there would have been no get
ting out Of the way. However, we made
It to the bottom in safety.
SURVEY OF AMPHITHEATRE
After another survey of the amphi-
theatree, we left 1t and pushed on farther
up the gorge, intending, II possible, to
go on across the mountain and down
on the the side near Lucban. AS we pro-
ceeded, the ascent grew more and more
steep. After about two and half hours
we came to what seemed the limit Of
our Journey This was a waterfall about
thirty feet high. However, we found
place around to one side that by pulling
rope we could go on. This we did, but
had proceeded only about one hundred
yards until we reached the real limit.
Here the waterfall was fifty feet high,
and the mountain on both sides almost
vertical.
Great was our disappointment at hav-
ing to turn back, but there was no other
recourse, so we retraced our steps piece
before finding a place wide enough to
spread our blankets on. We finally found
one that we thought we could make do.
We removed as many of the sharp stones
as possible, cut quantities of cogon grass
and made ourselves quite comfortable
beds q All around US were old landslides,
and straight above were boulders which
lookedZ. ready to tumble at a moments
notice, so that had we been disposed to
worry, we might have spent a miserable
night but after cold plunge, big
supper, cigars, and some stories. we roll
ed up in our blankets and slept as peace
fully as on downy beds of ease and