Year: 1871

| tains we ascended the eastern side OF
the Cumberland range. About one
| hundred feet above Coal creek we


entered the pit-each one Of us bore q
lamp; the miner who led, q York
shiremsn, wearing q light attached to
his cap. We occupied two cars,


drawn by a cOmpsctly built short


legged mule. The mule, 1 was told,
could see as well in the mine as in the
| glaring burning sunlight.


There is a gradual ascent from the


mouth of the coal pit to the western
end of its remOtest gallery. 1t is
thus invaluable, not only because OF
the excellence Of its product and the


thickness of the vein, spreading over


an area of twenty or thirty square
miles, but because the water within


discharges itself. Our mule bore us
along over q narrow gauge railway


about half "a mile. The two ladies
grew cold when your correspondent


and the State geOlogist divested


themselves OF their broad clothes


in the midst Of impenetrsble
gloom, and the ladies were


made comfortable. We drank chally-


beate water from a spring in which
| the stars were never reflected, and


whose Wavelets were never kissed by
| the sunbeams. Its current seemed to
dance with delight when q fiambeau


was refiected.in its bosom, and the rip.
pliug little stream made q delicious
Wierdlike melody to which we listen
ed In silence. It was a strange min
strelsy, and the brightest vision one
could encounter when entOmbed be-
meath a massive mountain that rose
two thousand feet above our heads.


OUR MULE.


We saw men digging coal who were
blacker, If possible, than the coal itself,
and their hideOusness grew grim and
terrible by the dim lamplights that


iared and fiickered in their skull
caps. Few of US deemed 1t q healthful
place. A Welsh boy with dim light
casting uncertain shadows over his
blackened face, leaped from an invisi-
BILE cavity into the path before us.
Our mule was startled and we thought
it the devil himself. The incident in
tensified the coldness of the damp at
mOsphere, and it was agreed that we
would not prosecute our journey
through the winding galleries Of the
coal pit. We moved along rapidly
enough over the roadway to the open
air. As we approached the mouth of
the cavern, we were forced to "put
down the brakes" One of these gave
way, and the dumping car occupied
byyOur correspondent and three other
gentlemen ran afOul of the mules legs.
The legs Of the animal began to fly
vrTTNh M q Fll
rspidity. The cars stood still, and
we're speedily vacated. They ran I'M
der the mules legs when these were
lifted at an angle Of forty.tive degrees.
When they came down, the mule
found himself bodily in the dumping
car. The brakes were all loose, and
away went the mule, taking his first
ride. We saw his head and ears bob
bing up and down as he and his train
passed out at the mouth of the pit.
And on and on they went at frightful
speed, with velocity constantly ac.
CELEBRATED. ran with all my might
to the mouth of the pit and saw the
dumping cars strike the heavy tim
bers away down the mountain side.
The mule went out like cannon shot.
He cleared the railroad track, and was
buried on the further side, ia a great
heap OF ashes and sand, where coke
had been burned. Before we could
descend to the spot the luckless mule
blinded and bruised, covered with
ashes and looking very like q living
stream Of lava on legs, crawled out.
He was sWfully scared and absolutely
with terror. / don't think
he will ever kick again or willingly
ride in dumping car.


DWELLERs IN MOUNTAIN CAVES.


The kindest, most hOspitable
people have encountered are these |
dWellers in this secluded valley. Their |
toll is well rewarded. An average
miner makes from g. to 81 90 per
diem digging coal at four cents per
bushel. Our ladies were welcomed
by Mrs. Wiley, who has spent her life
Ia the midst Of this wild region. She
had read many books and entertained
US with all the tact and graceful ease
of the practiCed woman of the world.
Her two sons are worthy of her, and
while advising wanderers from Mem
phis to visit the coal fields of East
Tennessee, l would have them all pay
their respects to Mrs. Wiley.