Year: 1879

vIRGINIAs WONDER.


A Visit tn the Great Cave of western
virgiuis-Nearly Six Hours Ride
Over the Bdassanuaten M0untains
The seenery Along tho Same.
staff Correspond ence OF the Republican.


LuRAY, VA, June 7, 10.


After leaving Winchester on the sixth
our party reached Mount Jackson, the
nearest accessible point to Lurey cave,
about ten o'clock in the evening. Here
We spent the night. 1t is small place
of about three hundred Inhabitants
During the war its houses were occu-
pied by the Confederate army as a gen
eral hospital; and we had the pleasure
of sleeping under the roof Of the hotel
whose stables and other outhouses were
seized upon and converted into quarters
for the wounded. The Confe1erates
were soon driven from this point by the
Nationalists, and Mount jackson for q
time was used as their headquarters.


Six O'Clock this morning We were
called and after hasty breakfast,
served in true Western Virginia sim
plicity, we in company with MIR. B. r.
Stebbins, one Of the proprietors Of the
Great Luray Caverps started, en- route
for the town of Luray, the county seat
of Page county. The distance was q
miles, the road leading over the Mas
sanutten mountains up to the base Of
the Blue Ridge range. The morning
was cool and delightful. After cross
ing the north branch of the Shenandoah
river we proceeded down the valley ia
a south westerly direction to New Mar
ket. All along the route were pointed
out spots that were the scenes Of some
historic event during the war. The
valley at this point is peculiarly fer
tile.


The grain is nearly ripened for har-
vest, cherries are red upon their stems
and the fragrance of the wild grape fills
the air with delicious odor. Above
Mount Jackson a goodly portion Of the
valley is owned by General Nemm a
confederate officer. 1t is model farm
and is in the most perfect state of cult
yation. During the war the buildings
fences and everything of value were de-
stroyed. After the war the General
borrowed large sum of money from ar
English friend and rebuilt them, and
the farm is in as fine condition as il
was when its produce was seized upon
aud utilized by the National Army.


At New Market the road suddenly
diverges toward the east, and the car
riage went numbering off in the direc
tion of large gap that opened in tht
centre of the mountains. New Market
town small in its proportions, was thu
scene of considerable skirmishing dur
ing the rebellion and it lies nine miles
from Mount Jackson. After ride o
three miles we were at the base of III,
towering mountains, and at the en-
trance OF the Gap. In order to make j
easier upon the horses the party go
out and on foot wended their way to
wards the tallest point between tn
two mountains. Upon reaching thi
point the scene that was opened to ou
view was one Of grandeur. '
A more favorable spot for observation
could not we'll have been found. Di
rectly in front of US the valley spreac
out in its pastoral beauty as no othe1
valley in the country could have done
1t is twenty miles in width and thu
whole distance is opened before yol
like large panorama. Four distinc
ridges of the Alleghanies rise in the dis
tance through a gap in one of which
the Northern branch of the Shenandoah
issues forth clear and bright in thu
mornings sunrise. On either side o
US the Massanutten runs in an almos
perpendicular line above us, and in thu
distance the Blue Ridge with sides an
summit dressed in verdue so systemat
ically grown that the range appeared
as though it was carpetted with sof
and luxurious tapestry, comes to ou
vision.


TO get in this position and gaze along
the extent of the valley, it becomes a
once evident to you why the scene o
operation during the late war gravita
ted towards this centre. The forage
must have been the best that coult
have been obtained upon any of the
fields of the South. 10 the right o.
us was seen large mountain whicl
was pointed out to its ore. Although
much prospecting had been done NJ
efforts that have been made have a
yet been successful in bringing it to thu
surface; although it is said that there
are parties living in the vicinity who
have pieces of the ore in their posses,
sion. In fact it is said and passes for
current coin in local gossip, that
that man named Powell while wan
dering in the lonely forests that cove
its summit, accidentally came across thu
silver and at once began the coinage
of money.


This was carried on for a considerable
length of time when he was "shadow-
ed" by the Government and learning
that he was about to be arrested, flee
the country, leaving the secret of hi
treasure deep mystery.


Upon leaving the high point We a
once took seas in the carriage and be
gan our descent on the opposite sid'
Of the mountain. The road for a noun
tain path was unusually good and ex
tended itself in multiplicity of wind
ngs until it reached the mountains
base, whore we started on our path owe
Page Valley in the direction Of Cav
Hill where the famous cayerns are sit
uated. Before reaching this, however
We were compelled to cross the north
ern fork of the Shenandoah. This wa
effected by means OF small ferry boat 0
a mud-scow, as it would be more fitting
ly described in Wilmington, which was
worked across by means ofa pulley
running along a wire cable.