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INTRODUCTION.
The Scenery of Georgia is not less beautiful and attractive than that of other sections
of the Union; nor, indeed, are there wanting natural objects, which may well vie in
interest, with any that our vast country presents to the eye of the tourist. There may
be, it is true, but one Niagara upon the Western Continent, or even in the world; but
there are other cataracts, which approach that in general effect, and which, in particular
features, very far surpass it. There are such in Georgia. The upper part of the State
abounds with romantic and picturesque views. Mountains and valjies, glens and water¬
falls, caverns and cliffs, with pastoral landscapes, are met with through all that region.
Nor is it alone in the upper part of the State, that Nature has lavished her beauties.
There are scenes of loveliness peculiar to the 4 sunny South,' among the green savannas
and dense forests of the ' low country.'
The great thoroughfares of travel through the State, traverse for the most part, com¬
paratively dull and uninteresting portions of country, and hence the impressions which
the mere passenger receives, are unfavorable. It may be remarked, moreover, that the
careless habits of our agriculturists diminish, rather than enhance the beauty of the
densely populated regions. In order, therefore, to form a correct idea of the resources
of Georgia, in the beauties of nature, the observer must turn aside from the public haunts,
and explore less frequented vicinities.
As the richest gems of earth are concealed beneath her surface, and escape the notice
of the superficial observer, so, often, are the most exquisite beauties of Nature, hidden in
the deep recesses of the forest, or amid the solitude of mountain-wilds, where they are
revealed only to the eye of those who seek them.
The pencil of the artist, and the pen of the topographer, will find ample and fitting
themes for their choicest delineations in Georgia. Inferior to few of her sister States, in
extent of territory, and second to none in the productiveness of her soil, the chivalry of
her sons, and the beauty of her daughters ; she may also claim equality with any of them,
in the profuse display of natural beauties. Where, in all our country, it may well be
asked, is there a more remarkable and interesting scene than the Rock Mountain?
Where is there a cataract of more exquisite beauty, blended with fearful sublimity, than
that of Tallulah? Where is there a lovelier valley than the sweet vale of Nacoochee?
2
INTRODUCTION.
These are a few of her beautiful scenes, which, if but little known abroad, are not the less
deserving of admiration ; and indeed, need only to be known, to be universally admired.
What has been sung of the South, may with peculiar propriety, be applied to our own
delightful portion of it:
Her hills enrobed in fadeless green,
In grandeur greet the skies ;
Her vallies bathed in Beauty's sheen,
Are fraught with rich supplies ;
Her streams in placid beauty sleep,
Or gently lave the shore,
Or in impetuous torrents sweep
Their rocky barriers o'er:
Through all the land—from mountain source,
Her streams unnumbered come ;
And urge, with various speed, their course,
To their broad ocean-home.
The plan of illustrating the scenery of countries, by pictorial and topographical
sketches, is so popular, that it would be superfluous to commend it to favor, in the present
instance. It may, however, be worthy of remark, that of the numerous popular works
of this character, which have appeared, but very few have been originated and executed in
this country. With rare exceptions, they have issued from the English Press, and are
the productions of English artists. The best collection of American scenery now extant,
was published in London. It is, therefore, no small cause of gratification to the Editor
of this work, that it is thoroughly and exclusively American, in its design and execution.
He congratulates himself, moreover, that, in its mechanical department, it will reflect
credit, not only upon the able artists employed, but upon our common country.
His grateful acknowledgments are due to his brother, Mr. T. Addison Richards, for
his zealous cooperation in the prosecution of the plan from its conception, for the care
and ability with which he has executed the drawings for the work, and for various
memoranda he has kindly furnished for the literary department. He would also take this
opportunity of expressing his sincere obligations to those gentlemen, whose valuable as¬
sistance he has secured, in the topographical department of the work.
In conclusion, the Editor assures himself that his efforts* humble as they are, to ad¬
vance the literary interests of Georgia, to promote a taste for the fine arts among her
people, and to illustrate, in a style of unrivalled excellence, the beautiful works of Nature
and Art, which are found within her borders, will be fully and generously appreciated.
The enterprize is one of great magnitude and interest, and it is now confidently presented
for the approbation and support of the public, and especially of all who bear the name
of Georgians.
Penfield, Nov. 1840.
3
THE ROCK MOUNTAIN.
BY THE EDITOR.
The parting rays of the sun lingered among the tops of some lofty trees,
bathing their dark drapery in a mellow radiance, as we emerged from a
deep forest shade, in full view of the place of our destination—the Rock
Mountain Hotel. This establishment is situated at the western base of the
Rock Mountain, and commands the view presented in the engraving. We
were too much fatigued with a long day's travel, to fully appreciate its
beauty, and the better to fit ourselves for a complete survey on the morrow,
we partook of a substantial supper, and shortly afterward retired to rest.
We gave a servant orders to waken us before the dawn, that we might
ascend the Mountain, and from its summit, behold the rising of the sun.
Accordingly, at his summons, we arose refreshed, and having made a hasty
toilet, set forth on our matin expedition. The day had not yet dawned.
The fair moon shone brightly, her waning orb sinking gently in the west.
The stars looked from their burning thrones in silent beauty. There was
no sound of earth, or air, to break the deep stillness which prevailed.
We commenced the ascent, with light and rapid steps, over the solid
pathway. Our spirits were exhilarated with the soft influences of the scene,
and the hour. Before we were conscious of it, we had accomplished half
the distance to the summit, and entered a narrow wood, which flourishes
upon a considerable plain of soil. Beyond this, the ascent grows more toil¬
some, and we were glad to proceed at a slower pace. We lingered awhile
at the ruins of a hut, above which, the road is, for a considerable distance,
artificial, constructed of rails and saplings, after the most approved corduroy
plan. Passing through another cluster of trees, we toiled up a long and cir¬
cuitous path, over a vast body of solid rock, which constitutes the crown
of the Mountain, where stands a lofty tower, of which we shall speak again.
As we gained the summit, the first faint gleam of morning trembled upon
the verge of the horizon. Then a line of light appeared, which grew longer
and broader, spreading rapidly toward the zenith. The stars,
" those lamps of quenchless light,
That sparkle on the brow of night,"
grew dim, and one by one, faded from the scene. The moon, at the approach
of him, from whom she borrows all her beauty, veiled her face in successive
4
THE ROCK MOUNTAIN.
and deepening shadows. The grey hue of the overarching sky gradually
brightened into azure, and forms but half revealed before, fell with increasing
distinctness upon the vision.
From that proud eminence, in the sweet twilight of the morning, breathing
the pure ether, and fanned by the mountain-zephyrs, we gazed upon the
extensive and beautiful prospect around us. On the north-east, pursuing its
winding course through dense woods, flows the beautiful Chatahoochee,
revealed to us, only by the white mist which reposed upon its bosom. The
distant mountains of the Blue Ridge, with various isolated peaks lifted their
giant forms in blue, but shadowy outline against the sky.
The immediate approach of the sun was heralded by a brighter glow in the
East, and his reflected rays upon the tall tower behind us. As we watched,
our communings were with the Poet:
" But yonder comes the powerful King of Day,
Rejoicing in the East. The lessening clouds,
The kindling azure, and the mountain's brow
Illumed with fluid gold, his near approach
Betoken glad. Lo ! now, apparent all,
Aslant the dew-bright earth, and colored air,
He looks in boundless majesty abroad."
The pen cannot adequately describe the beauty and majesty of the scene. We
lingered, till the shadow of the tower had greatly diminished in length, and
then descended to the hotel with sharpened appetites for our morning meal.
The western view of the Mountain, though perhaps, the most beautiful, is
not calculated to give the beholder a just conception of the magnitude and
grandeur of this remarkable object. To obtain this, he must visit the north
and south sides, both at the base and at the summit. After we had breakfasted
Ave commenced our survey. Pursuing, for half a mile, a road which winds in
an easterly direction along the base of the Mountain, we arrived directly oppo¬
site its northern front. There the view is exceedingly grand and imposing.
This side of the Mountain presents an almost uninterrupted surface of rock,
rising about 900 feet at its greatest elevation. It extends nearly a mile and a
half, gradually declining toward the west, while the eastern termination is
abrupt and precipitous. The side is not perpendicular, but exhibits rather a
convex face, deeply marked with furrows. During a shower of rain, a thousand
waterfalls pour down these channels, and if, as sometimes happens, the sun
breaks forth in his splendor, the mimic torrents flash and sparkle in his beams,
like the coruscations of countless diamonds.
Near the road is a spring, which from the beauty of its location, and the
THE ROCK MOUNTAIN.
5
delightful coolness of its water, is an agreeable place of resort. It is in a
shady dell, and its water gushes up from a deep bed of white and sparkling
sand. A more exquisite beverage, a pure taste could not desire.
In the after noon, we reascended the Mountain, accompanied by the owner
of the tower. This singular edifice, somewhat resembling a light-house, is an
octagonal pyramid, built entirely of wood. Its base including abutments 30
feet in length, is 100 feet square. Its height is 165 feet. It stands upon the
rock, with no fastening, but its own gravity. It was erected nearly three years
ago at a cost of five thousand dollars.
The erection of a lofty tower, upon the summit of a high mountain, is cer¬
tainly a unique and curious exploit. The projector and proprietor is Mr.
Aaron Cloud of McDonough, and his work is commonly called Cloud's Tower.
It is truly a cloudy affair. We ascended to its summit by nearly 300 steps.
The prospect we obtained, is wide and beautiful, having the single fault of
monotony. The eye rests upon a vast continuity of forest, of one prevailing
hue, relieved only by the ever varying shadows cast by the summer clouds.
The plantations and settlements appear small amid the sea of foliage. By the
aid of good telescopes in the 1 observatory,' we distinguished five county-towns,
three of them at a distance of thirty miles.
The lower part of the tower is fitted up as a hall, for the accommodation of
parties. It is 100 feet in length. In addition to other furniture, it has an
excellent piano forte. Refreshments are provided for those who desire them.
Here the young and gay, not unfrequently tread the mazes of the merry dance.
Among the curiosities of the Mountain, which our guide pointed out to us,
there are two which are deserving of notice. One is the "Cross Roads."—
These are two crevices or fissures in the rock, which cross each other, nearly
at right angles. They commence as mere cracks, increasing to the width and
depth of five feet, at their intersection. They are of different lengths, the
longest extending probably 400 feet. These curious passages are covered at
their junction, by a flat rock, about 20 feet in diameter.
Another is the ruins of a fortification, which once surrounded the crown
of the Mountain. It is said to have stood entire in 1788. When, or by whom,
it was erected, is unknown. The Indians say, that it was there before the
time of their fathers.
We descended on the south side of the Mountain. It is very irregular, now
gently declivitous, and again broken into cliffs and precipices. Proceeding
with caution, and sometimes with great difficulty, we arrived at the hotel at
sunset, much wearied, yet abundantly compensated, by our excursion.
l*
6
oglethorpe university.
The Mountain embraces about a thousand acres of surface. Its circumfe¬
rence is six miles, and its summit 2,230 feet above the level of the sea. Many
parts of it abound in botanical productions. Various kinds of berries grow in
the richest profusion. With the variety and beauty of its flowers, every lover
of those 'vegetable gems,' the 'delights of the earth,' cannot but be charmed.
There truly, has
" Nature scattered free and wild,
Each plant and flower, the Mountain's child."
This remarkable scene is in the County of Dekalb, and is much visited
during the pleasant months. It is to be regretted, however, that where Nature
has done so much to render the spot attractive, her efforts are not seconded
by Art. Enterprise and taste, in the establishment and management of a hotel,
would be liberally rewarded. Visitors would spend days instead of hours, if
they could enjoy the luxuries of a good table, and the numerous gratifications
of a well-kept house, not now to be met with. The enterprising owner of the
tower, would do well to add to the attractions of his fabric, by providing choicer
viands for the palate, and also, for the intellectual taste, a well selected library.
Improvement is the order of the day, and it is needed at the Rock Mountain.
OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY.
BY REV. PROFESSOR TALMAGE.
This Institution had its origin in a division of the interests of the Edu¬
cation Society of Georgia, at its dissolution, between the two manual labor
schools, the Midway Seminary and the Gwinnet Institute. The Trustees
of the Midway Seminary, in the Spring of 1835, tendered it to the Hope¬
well Presbytery; believing that ecclesiastical supervision would give weight
and permanency to the object, and secure that moral and religious influence
over it, which, with a strict and reasonable discipline, would render it
more worthy of support and confidence. The Presbytery accepted the offer,
and appointed a committee to report on the expediency of elevating it to
the rank of a College. That committee reported at the fall meeting of
Presbytery in 1835, through their chairman, the Hon. E. A. Nisbet, the
following resolution, which was adopted:—"Resolved, That it is expedient
that Hopewell Presbytery undertake to endow, organize, and maintain, a
OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY.
7
College, to be under the exclusive government and control of the Presby¬
terian Church." It was farther 11 Resolved unanimously, That this Institution
shall be located at Midway, Baldwin County."
An ample charter was obtained from, the Legislature, providing among
other things, that "It shall not be lawful for any person to establish, keep,
or maintain any store, or shop of any description, for vending any species
of merchandize, groceries or confectioneries," within a mile and a half of
the University, under the penalty of a sum not less than $500. The form
of deeds granted in the sale of University lots, requires the forfeiture of the
lot to the University, when the above restrictions are violated. This pro¬
vision, which has since been incorporated in other charters, will, it is believed,
greatly diminish the means of dissipation and extravagance, which are found
to retard the prosperity of many literary institutions.
In the fall of 1839, the Presbytery, at the request of the Board of Trustees,
offered the Institution to the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia; when
it was unanimously accepted by them, and is now under their care.
The location at Midway was selected with a reference to its healthfulness,
and its centrality and accessibleness from all parts of the State, and of the
Southern States in general. It is near the great thoroughfare from New
Orleans to the North, and within a few miles of the line of the Central
Rail Road, from Savannah to the West, thus bringing the sea-board and
the mountains to its doors.
The Midway Hill is an elevated region, traversing from "West to East,
abounding in botanical and mineral productions; two and a half miles south
of Milledgeville, and terminating in a bold bluff on the Oconee River; at
a point where are the picturesque ruins of Old Fort Wilkinson, one mile
and a half from the University. The hill affords an abundant supply of
pure, cold water. The foundation of the College is on a level with the
summit of the cupola on the State House. The view from the cupola of the
College is highly imposing, commanding a prospect for twenty miles around,
in a beautifully undulating country, of the most varied and romantic kind,
abounding in hill, valley and forest, with the city of Milledgeville in full view.
The main College edifice was commenced in August, 1836, and completed
in July, 1840. It is a brick structure, painted white, two stories high, beside
a basement. It is constructed after the Grecian-Doric order, without and
within. The central part contains the finest College chapel in the United
States; its whole dimensions are 52 feet front by 89 feet deep, including a
colonnade 14 feet deep, supported by four massive pillars, and the vestibule
8 OGLETHORPE UNIVERSITY.
to the chapel 11 feet deep. The dimensions of the chapel are 48 feet by
60 in the main story, and 48 by 71 in the gallery, the latter extending over
the vestibule. The ceiling of the chapel is in the form of an elliptical arch,
resting on a rich cornice, and containing a chaste and ornamental centre
piece. Attached to the building are two wings, 30 feet front by 34 deep,
and three stories high; making the entire front of the edifice 112 feet in
length. Each story in the wings is divided into a professor's office in front,
and a recitation or lecture room in the rear. There are in the basement
story and the wings, sixteen rooms affording ample accommodations for library,
museum, apparatus, and all other conveniences for College purposes. On
each side of the College Campus, which is a gradually inclining plain,
in front of the College, there is a row of dormitories of one story. The
dimensions of each are 36 feet in front by 18 in depth. They are placed
12 feet apart; each one is divided into two rooms 18 feet square. The other
public buildings are the President's house, on the south side of the Campus,
below the dormitories. Opposite to it, on the north side, there is a large
two story edifice, used as an Academy, and the old chapel, a building now
converted into recitation rooms.
The College year is divided into two sessions. The winter session, which
begins the Collegiate year, opens on the first Monday in January, and closes
on the second Wednesday in May. The summer session begins four weeks
after the latter date, and closes on Commencement Day, the Wednesday after
the second Monday in November.
The College was organized and commenced operations with a Faculty of
six members, in January, 1838. From that time the number of students
has gradually increased, until it now amounts to 125, of whom there are 50
in the Collegiate, and 75 in the Preparatory Department. The first class was
graduated in the Fall of 1839.
Although the supervision of this Institution is placed in the hands of a reli¬
gious denomination—a denomination that has not been backward in sustaining
the cause of education,—in order that the cultivation of the heart, may proceed
with that of the intellect, still its doors are open, and its advantages and privi¬
leges equally free to all.
It is the design of its founders to make it equal to the best Institutions in the
land, in its course of study, and in its facilities for extensive and solid mental
improvement. With a reasonable amount of patronage from the friends of
education, Oglethorpe University, will become an ornament to Georgia, and
a rich blessing to the southern country.
(9)
THE FALLS OF TALLULAH.
BY THE EDITOR.
There is no section of Georgia where Nature has scattered her beauties
with greater profuseness, than in the north-eastern corner of the State, and
particularly in the county of Habersham. That region is a rich treasure-
house of scenes, which exhibit every conceivable form of loveliness and
sublimity, entrancing the gaze of the astonished beholder, and overwhelming
him with their beauty and magnificence. Now, he stands upon the cloud-
capped summit of the majestic Yonah, and a vision of indescribable grandeur
fills his eye. Around the base of the mountain lies in quiet Tepose, the valley
of Nacoochee,—more beautiful than { Tempe's classic vale,'—beyond which
spreads a vast and boundless amphitheatre of hills, their wood-crowned sum¬
mits towering one above the other like steps to Heaven, until the loftiest
hides its dusky head amid the snowy clouds. Again, he wanders beside a
mountain stream, which perchance, he found while yet a tiny rill. He
beholds it deepen and widen, as other rills blend their currents with its own.
He admires the verdure of its banks, and drinks in with delight the melody
of its flow, until his further progress is arrested by a fearful precipice, over
which the laughing rivulet, pausing but an instant on its brink, as if to gather
courage for the leap, springs with impetuous haste, foams through the air,
aid girding itself with a bow of beauty, falls into a rocky basin, hundreds of
feet beneath.
" On scenes like these the eye delights to dwell;
Here loud cascades, and there the silent dell:
Mountains of towering height, fantastic shape,
At whose broad base, terrific chasms gape:
Hills, clothed in gayest verdure, smile serene,
Whilst rude and barren roclcs contrast the scene.
Varied by light and shades' perpetual change,
The enraptured Artist finds an endless range."
2
10
THE FALLS OF TALLULAH.
Among all the scenes which delight the eye in Habersham, the Falls of the
Tallulah are the most magnificent. The tourist in that fairy region, will make
Clarkesville the centre of his excursions. This is the county-town, and a
prettier village the upper part of Georgia cannot boast. From its exceedingly
romantic location, the salubrity of its atmosphere, and the additional charm
of courteous hospitality in its inhabitants, it is a favorite place of resort during
the summer months, for the denizens of the more southern and less healthful
portions of our State.
From Clarkesville the Falls are twelve miles distant. The road, like the
most of mountain highways, is rough, and constantly threatens the overthrow
of your vehicle; but the thousand beauties of the scenery effectually dispel
all sense of danger, and the ride is truly charming. Two miles from the
Falls, there is a cottage, the nearest habitation to the Tallulah in that vicinity.
It is used as a place of refreshment and sojourn. It is a romantic log-cabin,
containing three windowless apartments of Queen Mab dimensions, ventilated
on all sides and from above, by numberless large crevices between the logs.
Imagine, gentle reader, a few appurtenances of house-keeping in this unique
edifice, and you have a picture of the "Talluah Falls Hotel!" Our party
were here welcomed with unaffected good nature by Mr. B , {mine host'
of the establishment—and his lady, a blooming bride, who had just parted
with "her maiden gladness, for a name, and for a ring."
The path from the 'Hotel' traverses a dense woodland, over a soil car¬
peted with verdure, and studded with the 'gems of the earth,' radiant with
summer beauty. It commands, through a narrow vista opening on the right,
a view of a fairy landscape, stretching away to an almost limitless distance.
The Terrora* is a small stream, which rushes through an awful chasm in
the Blue Ridge, rending it for several miles. The ravine is a thousand feet
in depth, and of a similar width. Its walls are gigantic cliffs of dark granite.
The heavy masses piled upon each other in the wildest confusion, sometimes
shoot out, overhanging the yawning gulf, and threatening to break from
their seemingly frail tenure, and hurl themselves headlong into its dark depths.
Along the rocky and uneven bed of this deep abyss, the infuriated Terrora,
or in the beautiful and expressive language of the Indians—the Terrible—
frets and foams with ever varying course. Now, it flows in sullen majesty,
through a deep and romantic glen, embowered in the foliage of the trees.
* Terrora is the Indian name of the stream—and signifies, terrible. Tallulah is applied to the cataracts, and
conveys a better idea of the sound of the name as pronounced by the Indians.
THE FALLS OF TALLULAH.
11
which here and there spring from the rocky ledges of the chasm walls. Anon,
it rushes with accelerated motion, breaking fretfully over protruding rocks,
and uttering harsh murmurs, as it verges a precipice,
" Where, collected all,
In one impetuous torrent, down the steep
It thundering shoots, and shakes the country round.
At first, an azure sheet, it rushes broad;
Then whitening by degrees as prone it falls,
And from the loud-resounding rocks below
Dash'd in a cloud of foam, it sends aloft
A hoary mist, and forms a ceaseless shower."
The most familiar point of observation is the Pulpit,* an immense cliff
which projects far into the chasm, commanding the view presented in the
engraving. From this position, the extent and depth of the fearful ravine,
and three of the most romantic of the numerous cataracts, are observed.
Deep and unutterable are the emotions which master the spirit of the be¬
holder, when he first gazes on the scene we are attempting to portray. He
is filled with admiration amounting to awe, as he ventures, clinging to some
object for support, to approach the edge of a projecting crag, to fathom,
with his half averted eye, the depths of that terrific chasm. That scene
would bow the heart of the strongest man with terror, and inspire him with
sensations, kindred to those of 1 Shakespeare's man on Dover Cliffs.'
An anecdote is related of the late distinguished Judge C— , which
illustrates the effect of this scene upon the beholder. Visiting the Falls
with some friends, he approached the edge of the Pulpit, to gaze into the
chasm, and was so overpowered by the view, that he turned hastily away,
and clasping his arms closely around a tree which grew near by, exclaimed
with almost exhausted voice,—"Now I'm safe!"
A point some distance up the stream commands another familiar view,
and thence a somewhat dangerous path leads to the bottom of the chasm.
Many visiters, and among them ladies, are induced by curiosity, and a love
of novelty, to make the descent. The position gained is at the foot of the
lowest of the falls seen in the engraving. It affords the grandest conception
of the extent and depth of the tremendous gulf. The trees, which seen from
above, appear like small shrubs, there assume their true gigantic dimensions,
and those on the shores above, dwindle in turn to an insignificant stature.
* This point is commonly known as the Devil's Pulpit. Good sense, and taste demand the disuse of the first
part of the name. His Satanic Majesty, if he preach at all, would not choose such a place, for his ministrations.
There is too visibly the presence of the power of the Almighty.
12
THE FALLS OF TALLULAH.
The only possible mode of arriving at the base of the second fall in the
scene, is by a passage exceedingly hazardous. The visiter, who can sum¬
mon sufficient temerity, creeps with his hands and feet, along a perpendicular
wall of rock, immediately over the foaming and plunging torrent. The feat
has been performed, but it is fraught with peril, and should never be at¬
tempted. A gentleman once made the attempt, and becoming terrified,
lost his hold upon the crevices of the rock and fell into the raging current.
He was immediately borne by the waters over the precipice sixty feet high,
and wonderful as it may appear, was actually taken from the basin below
alive, and not seriously injured.
An agreeable pastime often enjoyed by visiters at the Falls, is the exciting
deer-hunt. The leader of these sports is a veteran of the name of Weaver,
who boasts that he has slain upwards of 500 good bucks. He is sometimes
familiarly called "Old Grindstone," a soubriquet given to him, on account
of a story which he tells to visiters. He affirms that he one day, discovered
at the base of the Falls, a lump of gold, as large as a grindstone, which,
while he went for assistance to convey it home, mysteriously disappeared,
and has not since been seen. This and many wild legends, which the old
man relates, he firmly believes.
The varied beauties of the Falls of Tallulah are not seen in a hasty glance,
or a brief visit. There the poet might find themes for song, and the artist
for the pencil, until they should both grow weary of their unending succession.
To the dwellers in our cities, who tire of their eternal walls of brick, and
their ceaseless clamor of business,—who long for the pure air of the hills,
and the sweet sounds of the woods and waterfalls,—to the fair maiden who
would gather the bloom of health and beauty upon her cheek, and in short,
to all who have an eye to see, an ear to hear, and a heart to feel and ap¬
preciate the beautiful and sublime in Nature,—we say, visit Tallulah, a
spot 'ever charming, ever new,' as redolent of balmy odors, and as full
fraught with health and pleasure as the clime " of Araby, of Araby the
blest!''
A mountain torrent, I have seen—
When skies were bright, and woods were green—
A mountain river—rushing on,
Betwixt eternal walls of stone,
Down in a deep and dark abyss—
Bedded with rock and precipice,—
Now, flowing with a sullen course,
And uttering murmurs loud and hoarse;
GEORGIA FEMALE COLLEGE.
13
Now, plunging with resistless tide,
Adown a precipice's side;
Enwrapped in snowy foam and spray,
It thunders on its headlong way,
' Till mingled with the flood below,
It there resumes its wonted flow.
Again, and yet again it leaps,
From base to base—down rocky steeps;
Rending the air with ceaseless roar,
Swelled by loud echoes from each shore.
Beauty and grandeur there combine,
And o'er the varied landscape shine:
There are a thousand charms displayed,
Of rock and stream and hill and glade.
Tallulah claims the poets' lay,
This humble tribute song I pay!
GEORGIA FEMALE COLLEGE.
by rev. george f. fierce
Education, in the most extensive scope of the term, in its diversified
bearings, mental, physical, and moral—has been for several years past, the
theme of public discussion and of private thought in the State of Georgia.
The wise, the good, the experienced have essayed to correct*existing evils, and
to project plans for the diffusion of knowledge more thorough, practical and
safe, than any hitherto established. By the voluntary contributions of their
numbers and adherents, the several religious denominations have erected and
organized Schools, Colleges and Universities. Within the State, and chiefly
14
georgia female college.
by the churches, the princely sum of six hundred thousand dollars or more ,
has been accumulated for educational purposes.
The Institution named at the head of this article, had its origin among a few
zealous and enterprising friends of female literature. When the conception of
the project was matured into something like a plan, a public meeting was called
in the city of Macon, and the citizens were addressed upon the subject. A. pro¬
position was submitted and adopted, to raise within the corporation, the sum of
$20,000, as an earnest of their zeal, and as a stimulant to the liberality of oth¬
ers. At a subsequent meeting, it was resolved to surrender the whole scheme
to the control and guardianship of the Georgia Annual Conference of the Min¬
isters of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Conference accepted the offer,
assumed the responsibility of carrying out the enterprise, appointed Trustees in
accordance with the plan presented, and sent out an agent under its authority,
to travel throughout the State, explain the project, and solicit subscriptions.
During the session of the Legislature of 1836, the charter of the Institution
was granted, and on the passage of the charter of the Ocmulgee Bank, in com¬
pliance with a proposition of the petitioners, a bonus of $25,000 was secured
to the College.
The College building is located on a commanding eminence, midway be¬
tween the business portion of the city of Macon, and the village of Vineville.
The surrounding view is one of the most picturesque to be obtained from any
public building in the State. The city is spread out upon the plain below; the
surrounding hills are crowned with private mansions of the most tasteful archi¬
tecture. On the western side is Vineville with its quiet dwellings, and the ma¬
jestic pine forest near by, relieved of its monotony, by the more retired resi¬
dences, that look out from occasional openings in snowy whiteness. On the
north are the ruins of old Fort Hawkins. Blockhouses and the relics of an¬
cient fortifications are remaining, to connect its present peaceful habitations
with the stir and clangor of martial troops and deadly strife. On the east, be*
yond the city and river, the forest rises from the vale in gradual ascent to the
far distant elevation, that dimly seen, seems to touch the over-arching heavens.
The whole prospect is variegated with tints of almost every hue, as the light
or shade predominates, endowing the wide panorama of busy city, venerable
ruins, green woods, fertile vales, bold and barren hills—with power to hold the
fancy of the rapt beholder in lingering delight, as by a spell.
The college edifice is an imposing structure, one hundred and sixty feet long
and sixty wide, rising four stories high in the centre, and crowned with a cu-
GEORGIA FEMALE COLLEGE. 15
pola. It has wings three stories high, surmounted with a parapet. The front
vieAv is relieved from the monotony of a plain surface of brick, by a recess of
twelve feet, extending the whole length of the central building. Over it the
roof projects, supported by four massive pillars. There are fifty-six rooms in
the building. A portion of the basement is occupied by the Steward's family,
and by some other officers of the Institution; the remainder is appropriated as
recitation rooms. The chapel is on the second floor. It is forty feet wide, ex¬
tending in length across the whole breadth of the building. In this story are
the Library and Music Room, and the residence of the President's family.
The third and fourth stories are divided into dormitories.—These are spacious
rooms, generally eighteen feet square, with large windows and high ceilings;
they are in all respects adapted for health and comfort. The plan is to put four
young ladies in a room, the furniture to be provided by the occupants.
The yard immediately around the College, has been graded to a level, ex¬
tending over half a lot of four acres; the remaining section is covered with a
fine growth of oaks of various kinds, which have been reserved as ornaments.
The whole enclosure is well adapted for tasteful adornment, and affords the
young ladies ample space for exercise and recreation. Fronting the college,
and divided from it by a street, are six acres of land, enclosed and in process
of preparation as a botanical garden. The ground was given by the city coun¬
cil at Macon, and it is designed to make it not only a valuable appendage to
the Institution, but an ornament to the city.
The Institution was opened on the 7th of January, 1839. The Faculty con¬
sists of a President, three Professors, and the Principal of the Primary Depart¬
ment. There is also, a Professor of Music, with a suitable number of Assist¬
ants, a Teacher of Drawing and Painting, a Matron, and a Superintendent of
the department of domestic economy.
The course of study is collegiate, and the mode of teaching, practical and
thorough. The French Language constitutes a part of the regular college
course of study. The Latin, Greek, Italian and Spanish are taught in extra
classes. The number of pupils has varied, in the two departments,—the Col¬
lege proper and the Primary School—from 100 to 180. Thejjp is but one term,
beginning on the first Monday in October, and continuing for ten successive
months, thus allowing two months vacation. No pupil is received into the
College under 12 years of age.
The Institution is denominational, inasmuch as it is under the control of the
16
GEORGIA FEMALE COLLEGE.
Georgia Annual Conference. Its doors however, are open to all without re¬
striction.
A college for females is a novelty, but that the plan is feasible, experiment
has demonstrated. An Institution, raised by subscription, and having no legis¬
lative aid, is liable to embarrassment and even to final failure, however pros¬
perous its outset. A thousand unforeseen contingencies arise to impede its pro¬
gress, and sometimes to menace its very existence. Whether the Georgia Fe¬
male College will live and prosper, is an issue dependent upon the liberality of
the citizens of the State, their confidence in its management, and the extent of
their patronage. If it is allowed to fail, it will be a blot upon the Church to
which it belongs, a disgrace to the State, and a misfortune to generations to
come.
( 17)
THE FALL OF TOCCOA.
BY HON. R . M. CHARLTON.
Several years have passed away since I last stood at the beautiful Fall of
the Toccoa. It was one of the delightful summer days peculiar to the climate
of Habersham county. The air had all the elasticity of the high region that
surrounded us, and the scenery was of a character to elevate our spirits, and
enliven our fancy.
A narrow passage led us from the road-side to the foot of the Fall. Before
us appeared the perpendicular face of the rock, resembling a rugged stone wall,
and over it
" The brook came babbling down the mountain's side."
The stream had lost much of its fulness from the recent dry weather, and as it
became lashed into fury, by its sudden fall, it resembled a silver ribbon, hung
gracefully over the face of the rock, and waving to and fro with the breath of
the wind. It reminded me more forcibly than any other scene I had ever be¬
held, of the poetic descriptions of fairy-land. It is just such a place—as has
been often remarked by others,—where we might expect the fays and elves to
assemble of a moonlight night, to hold their festival on the green bank, whilst
the spray, clothed with all the varied colors of the rainbow, formed a halo of
glory around their heads. It is indeed beautiful, surpassingly beautiful: the
tall trees reaching but half way up the mountain height, the silver cascade
foaming o'er the brow of the hill, the troubled waves of the mimic sea beneath,
the lulling sound of the falling water, and the call of the mountain birds around
you, each and all come with a soothing power upon the heart, which makes it
anxious to linger through the long hours of the summer day.
Tearing ourselves away from the enchantment that held us below, we toiled
our way up to the top of the Fall, using a path that wound around the moun¬
tain. When we reached the summit, we trusted ourselves to such support, as
a small tree, which overhangs the precipice, could give us, and looked over
into the basin beneath. Then, growing bolder as our spirits rose with the ex-
5
18
THE FALL 0 F* TOCCOA,
citement of the scene, we divested ourselves of our boots and stockings, and
waded into the stream, until we approached within a few feet of the cascade.
This can be done with but little danger, as the brook keeps on the even and
unruffled tenor of its way, until just as it takes its lofty plunge, into the abyss
below.
The height of the Fall is now 186 feet: formerly it was some feet higher,
but a portion of the rock was detached some years ago, by the attrition of the
water, and its fall has detracted from the perpendicular descent of the stream.
I must close my meagre description of the graceful scenery of Toccoa, with
the excuse that many years, both of joy and sorrow, have aided in effacing from
my mind, the minor beauties that surround it. Indeed, it belongs to that kind
of view that must be left to the painter to delineate, and which cannot be pre¬
sented to the mind's eye by any description of the pen. It can be seen and
appreciated at a glance, but Memory must desert her throne, or Reason yield
her empire, ere its beauties can cease to be admired.
I might amuse the reader with traditions that are extant, concerning Toccoa,
such as the destruction of an Indian Chief and his followers, who, bent upon
the extermination of the whites, and trusting to the guidance of a woman,—
4'Alas! for him that trusts the faithless fair,"—were led by her over the preci¬
pice, and of course, perished in their fall. But I suspect that I should be
amusing his imagination, at the expense of truth, and I must leave the fancy
sketching to the skill of the artist.
Toccoa forms but one of the beautiful links in the chain of mountain scenery,
in the north-western part of Georgia. There may be beheld the grandeur of
the lofty Youah, the magnificence and terrific splendor of Tallulah, the quiet
and romantic vale of Nacooche, and the thousand brilliant landscapes that
adorn and beautify the face of Nature. All these attractions will, doubtless,
before another score of years has passed away, make Habersham county, and
its environs, the summer retreat of Georgians from the low country, and help
to unite in closer bands, the dweller on the sea-shore, and the inhabitant of
the mountain.
Beautiful brook! when the moonlight's gleam,
Glistens upon thy falling stream,
And the varied tints of thy rainbow, vie
With the brightest hues of the evening sky—
The woodland elf and the merry fay,
Chant on thy banks their roundelay;
And with fairy sword, and tiny spear,
Fight o'er their bloodless battles here:
>QJQjf©Q£D i^W^-ftOIERt« EPDS(D®[PA[L ©MQJKCMo
SAl/ANA H .
■
PULASKI MONUMENT, &C.
19
The drowsy bird from its leafy nook—
Peers on the whole with an anxious look;
And the cricket uplifteth its cheerful voice,
And the bats at the merry sound rejoice,
And the fairy troop on their sylvan green,
Frolic and dance in the moonlight's sheen.
Who would not leave Ambition's dream,
To linger here by thy crystal stream?
Or turn him from Fame's trumpet call—
To the softer sound of thy waterfall,
And free from the toils and pangs of strife—
Pass the glad hours of his peaceful life ?
Nature no fairer heights doth rear,
Than those which gladden the vision here j
And never yet did sunlight shine,
On sweeter vale and plain than thine.
Beautiful streamlet! onward glide,
In thy destined course to the ocean's tide!
So youth impetuous, longs to be—
Tossed on the waves of manhood's sea;
But weary soon of cloud and blast,
Sighs for the haven its bark hath past:
And though thou rushest now with glee,
By hill and plain to seek the sea—
No lovelier spot again thoul't find,
Than that thou leavest here behind;
Where hill and rock " rebound the call"
Of clear Toccoa's water-fall!
PULASKI MONUMENT—CHRIST CHURCH—SAVANNAH.
The City of Savannah is built on a sandy plain, about seventeen miles from
the ocean, by the course of the River. It is laid off in a regular manner, the
streets intersecting each other at right angles. In each "Ward of the City a
vacant space is left, the houses being built around in such a manner as to form
a square. This space is enclosed with a circular railing, and in the enclosure
a number of trees are planted, which in the spring and summer seasons, present
a beautiful appearance, forming a shady bower, under which the children may
be seen sporting upon the green grass. Amongst the most beautiful of these
squares is that known as "Johnson's," and more recently "Monument Square,"
20
the falls of the towaliga.
which is situated a few yards from Bay street and the Exchange. In the cen¬
tre of this square stands a Doric Obelisk, erected by the citizens of Savannah
to the memories of Greene and Pulaski, the corner stone of which was laid by
General Lafayette, during his visit in 1825. It is a marble monument,
fifty-three feet in height. The base of the pedestal is ten feet four inches, by
six feet eight inches, and its height about twelve feet. The needle which sur¬
mounts the pedestal is thirty-seven feet in height. The monument is built upon
a platform of granite, three feet above the ground, and the whole is enclosed
by a cast-iron railing.
To the east of the monument may be seen " Christ Church," a newly erect¬
ed edifice. The order of architecture adopted in this building, is the Grecian
Ionic, of the age of Pericles. Throughout the exterior, the example followed
is, so far as the material used would permit, that of the double temple of Minerva
Polias and Erectheus, in the Acropolis of Athens. In the interior, the propor¬
tions of the temple of the Ilissus have been adopted. The first temple stands
unrivalled for the lightness and grace of its columns, and the delicate elegance
of its ornaments, and the latter is much celebrated for its chaste simplicity.
The three are confessedly among the most beautiful Ionic specimens that have
come down to us of the exquisitely refined taste of the Athenians.
On the same side of the square is the "Bank of the State of Georgia," a
building which both externally and internally, adds to the beauty and comfort
of the City and its inhabitants.
The plan of the city of Savannah has been greatly admired by the many
strangers who have visited it, and there is no doubt, that the "Squares" are
productive of health, and contribute greatly to the appearance of the City.
THE FALLS OF THE TOWALIGA.
BY THE EDITOR.
The middle part of the State of Georgia is not remarkable for the beauty of
its scenery, though there are not unfrequently natural objects, which will de¬
serve the delineation of the artist, and which may be considered, in the strict
sense of the term, beautiful.
The Rivers which intersect the State, and the thousand smaller streams which
THE FALLS OF THE TOWALIGA. 21
pay them tribute, exhibit throughout their various courses many attractive scenes.
Awhile they glide with calm, untroubled motion, through the thickly wooded
swamps, while the shadows from the majestic water-oaks, and other forest trees,
fall darkly upon their mirror-like surface, and far beneath it, become bright
and beautiful images of their prototypes.
Soon they emerge from the forest depths, and flow on between banks crown¬
ed with a luxuriant growth of flowering shrubs and vines, of which the Yellow
Jessamine, the sweet messenger of Spring, and the superb Magnolia, of a sum¬
mer bloom, are the most beautiful.
Anon their gentle flow is arrested by some obstruction, and their clear wa¬
ters are dashed into foam, or driven into numerous swift eddies by uplifted
rocks, while their murmuring voices are swelled to an angry roar, as they
urge on with accelerated speed, down a declivitous channel, until at length,
overleaping- some precipice, and their fury spent, they murmur themselves
again into tranquillity.
The Towaliga* is a small River rising in Henry county, and flowing south-
eastwardly into the Ocmulgee, seventy miles from its source. Its scenery is not
much varied, except at the Falls, which indeed, constitutes its only object of
particular attraction.
It was in the summer of 1840, that our party in their pursuit of the beauties
of Nature, directed their course to these Falls. We did not approach them
with very high anticipations, for we had hitherto, scarcely heard of their exist¬
ence. We reached the River about noon, and from an eminence, commanded
a fine view of the 'rapids' above the Falls. The ruins of a lofty bridge—but
recently fallen—added interest to the scene. As we reached the bank of the
stream, at the rocky ford—then the only means of transition—the clouds which
had through the morning concentrated themselves, and palled the sky with
darkness, now suddenly assumed a blacker hue, and threatened us with a del¬
uge of rain.. There was no house near the River, and the only convenient
shelter was a dilapidated mill, to which we hastened. Assisted by the black
knight of the meal-bag, we transferred our traveling paraphernalia to the inte¬
rior of his domain, and tying our horses under the broad shelter of a noble oak,
awaited impatiently the coming and passing of the storm.
The thunders now uttered their deep voices. The lightnings rent the cloud-
curtains of the sky, and darted earthward their empurpled fires, each flash
* Pronounced Tow-a-lee-eh. The meaning of this Indian name is not certainly known. We were informed by
our host in the vicinity, that it signifies, " sitting down in the Sumac !» He said he learned it from his father,
and he from the Indians themselves. We cannot perceive any appropriateness in this meaning, although it may
be correct.
22
the falls of the towaliga.
easting a sickly glare over the gloomy landscape. A motley company of
whites and blacks from the wreck of the bridge, which was undergoing repairs,
fled to the mill, as the rain fell in torrents from the impending clouds. One of
the company, an elderly man, we found to be the proprietor of the mill, and
also of a domicil about a mile distant, to which at his kind invitation, after the
storm had abated, we accompanied him for refreshment. Returning in the af¬
ternoon, we crossed the stream upon a rude bridge of plank, thrown from rock
to rock by some servants of our host under our direction. A few moments'
walk through woodland, and thick undergrowth, brought us in view of the
Falls, where we beheld a scene at once picturesque and charming.
The pleasing impressions first received, were continually enhanced by suc¬
cessive and varied views, which may be obtained at will. Indeed, so fine is the
view afforded from many different points, that it is difficult to decide which is
the most attractive, and passing from rock to rock, the beholder is ever delight¬
ed with new features. This variety is the greatest charm of the scene.
The River above the Falls, is about three hundred feet in width, flowing
swiftly over a rocky shoal. At its first descent, it is divided by a ledge of rock,
and forms two precipitous falls for a distance of fifty feet. The falls are much
broken by the uneven surface over which the water flows, and on reaching their
rocky basin, are shivered into foam and spray.
From the foot of this Fall, the stream foams rapidly down its declivitous
channel, for two hundred feet, and again bounds over a minor precipice in sev¬
eral distinct cascades, which commingle their waters at its base in a cloud of
foam. The whole descent of the river in the space embraced in the engraving,
is nearly one hundred feet. The artist took his view from the north side,
which, however, is less accessible than the south side of the stream. Both
shores are thickly wooded with a stately growth of trees, the deep foliage of
which forms an admirable relief to the foam-whitened torrent.
The view of the upper fall from the rocks, which left their gigantic forms
close upon the foaming cataract, partakes of the sublime. Thence, in the
beautiful language of Nature's own poet, the revered Wordsworth:
" From the fierce aspect of the River, throwing
His giant body over the steep rock's brink,
Back in astonishment and fear we shrink,
But gradually a calmer look bestowing,
Flowers we 'spy, beside the torrent growing,
Flowers that peep from many a cleft and chink;
And from the whirlwind of his anger, drink
Hues ever fresh—in rocky fortress blowing!"
THE FALLS OF THE TOWALIGA. 23
We gathered garlands of these children of the clefts, and rejoiced to think that
the bountiful Creator had given flowers to the earth for a glory, and for a delight
to ourselves; and that they are found alike beneath the humble hedgerow, and
in the crevices of the rocky cliff.
While we lingered at the Falls, for the artist to complete his sketch, the sun,
which had since the shower, concealed himself behind vapory clouds, suddenly
burst forth in all his strength, and irradiated the scene with almost unearthly
glory. The green foliage of the embowering trees, the dark rocks, and the
foam-wreathed waterfalls, were all bathed in its sheen, and a new spell of love¬
liness and grandeur took possession of our minds. Then the description of the
poet came forcibly to our memory:
" The sun breaks forth; from off the scene
Its floating veil of mist is flung;
And all the wilderness of green,
With beaming drops of light is hung!"
It was an hour for enjoyment, and if ever the soul is imbued with the spirit of
poetry, it will certainly drink the inspiration beneath the influences of a scene,
like that on which we gazed.
The stream below the Falls is divided by a small island into two swift, but
narrow channels—the shores lined with broken rocks, and fringed with shrub¬
bery.
There is a remarkable variety of moss, found among the rocks in the Towal-
iga, and particularly at the Falls. It grows to the length of two feet in the
sleuces of the stream, where the current flows with great velocity. Its stem is
jointed, of a vivid green color, and exceedingly tender and brittle. Formerly
deer would resort thither in great numbers, to feed upon this delicious herbage,
but the rifle of civilization has thinned their herds, and rendered the few which
remain, too timid to venture, except under the cover of the night.
The Falls are about eight miles from the Indian Springs, a fashionable wa¬
tering place—the resort of crowds during the hot months—and we cannot con¬
ceive how the health or pleasure seeker who visits the Springs, can secure a
day of enjoyment at a less cost of time and trouble, than by an excursion to
the Falls of the Towaliga.
(24)
THE ROCK MOUNTAIN.
BY T. ADDISON RICHARDS,
"How beautiful is night!" said Leila Delamore, as leaning on the arm of
her youthful companion, she strolled through the quiet streets of Decatur.
"Truly 'there's beauty all around our path:' look Harry! how sweetly the
silvery rays of night's fair queen play amidst this luxuriant canopy of foliage.
Was ever village so thickly studded with pretty trees! I have pictured in my
mind many an ideal villa, embosomed in a shady grove, but never before saw
a populous village thus favored. You promised me much, Harry, when we
left our home amid the savannas of the low country, for this highland ramble,
and your promises have been doubly realized. I little thought Georgia could
exhibit so profuse a display of nature's beauties, as those which have greeted
my vision, and indeed engraven their image on my heart, during the few past
weeks. Surely, you have forgotten the nursery lesson of your "sugar-candy
age," and have failed to keep the best until last. Impossible, that you have
aught to show me, that can eclipse the gentle beauty of Toccoa, Amicalolah's
fair cascade, or Tallulah's solemn grandeur."
"You speak enthusiastically, Leila," replied her friend, "but that does not
surprise me. How can scenes, redolent of poetry as those which have recently
crossed our path in such rapid succession, fail to awaken in a temperament,
ardent and delicately sensitive as your own, a sympathetic chord ? Why even
in my heart, such sensations are not strangers, and although familiar, still are
new. I, a stoic who have
" The heavens and earth of every country seen,"
gazed on the wonders of the old world and the new, drank in the beauties of
Europe's magic scenes, incrusted with their garb of classic richness,—who have
wandered
" Where'er the old inspiring genii dwelt—"
still deeply feel, and can proudly contrast, the attractions of my own land, and
particularly of my native State, with the beauties of foreign climes. But Leila,
the rock mountain. 25
eulo0ium for your ear is useless. AVit.h you nature is her own panegyrist.
But in reply to your query : Our party have determined to select, as the scene
of to-morrow s rambles, one of the most charming and curious of nature's
wonders the renowned Rock Mountain! Often have you heard our friends
and myself speak of this singular place; a pleasant ride of but eight miles after
breakfast to-morrow, will place us at its base. What say you to the arrange¬
ment ?"
"What say I," responded Leila, "my hqarty, unconditional consent, to be
sure! But did you not tell me that this county, of which Decatur is the capi-.
tol, and this singular mountain, an attractive feature, was named in honor of.
one of our revolutionary heroes?"
" True, in memory of the gallant Baron De Kalb, and, Leila, what think you
of the Rock Mountain, towering to the majestic height of one thousand feet, as
his monument ? 'Tis one, than which e'en your own wild fancy can picture no¬
thing more sublime. Remarkable as the mountain is for beauty and grandeur, it
is still more so for its singular character and location. Conceive a mass of solid
granite, covering a surface of one thousand acres, with a circumference of six
miles, and an elevation of two thousand two hundred and thirty feet above the
level of the sea, rising, an isolated peak in the midst of an extended plain, or.
but slightly undulated tract, with no appearance of rocky strata in the vicinity;
the whole mass embedded only to a certain depth in the soil, where all traces
of a similar formation cease. The mountain is certainly a phenomenon, and.
among the many curious theories suggested by the ingenious, relative to its
origin, is the thought that at a period, too long past to be definitely ascertained,
it came, a visitant from some other member of the starry host—a meteoric frac¬
tion of a world dismembered—and alighting upon its present locality, the
warmth of its salutation to old mother Earth, naturally sunk it to its present
depth, beneath her surface. This idea, however, is readily refuted—if no other
objection proposed itself—by the different natures of this mountain-granite, and
the meteoric-stone. But, Leila, I fear that this night air and the fever of ex¬
citement you are in, will affect your health, for you know your constitution par¬
takes very little of the robust, and demands every possible care; besides < early
to bed, and early rise,' if you would join our matin excursion on the morrow."
After an early dejeuner the day following the foregoing conversation, a
"merrie companie" as ever wandered in search of the picturesque, bade adieu
to the good people of Decatur, and started on the proposed excursion. With
good roads, easy carriages, and superb steeds, " all went merry as a marriage-
bell," and so quickly did
26
THE ROCK MOUNTAIN*
(l The heart's light laugh pursue the circling jest,
While all was sunshine in each happy breast,"
that an expression of surprise from more causes than one, escaped each lip,
when the noble mountain rose suddenly in view. Some miles, however, yet
intervened the party and their place of destination, but the view from this
point possessed peculiar beauty, which vanished on a nearer approach ; the
surrounding atmosphere mantling the scene in the azure robe of poetic distance,
and charitably hiding or excusing the thousand little common places that are
ever attendant upon too near an approach in the natural, or too complete pos¬
session, in the moral world.
As the distance lessened, again and again, did the opening vista disclose the
mountain's proud brow, its cone tapped with a towering shaft—the handiwork
of ambitious art—which as if desirous of rivalling nature's magnificence, as the
needle surmounts the pedestal, in bold confidence, crowned its rocky height.
Gradually did heaven's blue drapery expand its folds, and steal away, until
a sudden curve in the road, revealed the mountain in bold outline clothed in its
varying rocky hues, and the bright green of summer foliage. At the hotel, at
the western base of the mountain, our party paused only long enough to alight
and give directions to their host for the disposition of carriages, baggage, etc.,
themselves, with an impatience in unison with their elasticity of heart and step,
proceeding on their adventure.
The general exclamations of delight decreased in number and earnestness,
only as the fatigue of the ascent provided other and less pleasing employment
for their lungs.
A walk of a mile and a half up the west side of the mountain, brought them
to its summit, and the accommodations of the ' Tower,' in contrast with a hot
sun and wearied limbs, were too inviting to be resisted. At the moment of
their entrance into the spacious hall, another group were regaling themselves at
the extreme end, and while one fair creature drew gay sounds from the piano.-
forte, Terpsichore's votaries offered oblations to their goddess in the mazes of
the joyous dance. They ascended to the 'observatory' at the summit of the
tower, and amused themselves with the prospect afforded, and with the aid of
telescopes, time sped rapidly and pleasingly.
The party having previously arranged a ' pic nic' in the vicinity of the north
facade of the mountain, as the amusement of the afternoon, granted themselves
but a cursory glance, at several interesting localities, among them the " cross¬
roads," and some slight remains of an aboriginal fortress—a feature of consid¬
erable interest to the antiquary.
THE ROCK MOUNTAIN, 27
At as early an hour as possible, the group were observed at the table d'hote,
shedding such a singular and magical change over the aspect of affairs, that a
spectator might very rationally have supposed, that their walk had not been
without its effects.
The repast finished, with unabated vivacity they sought the trysting spot, on
the north side of the mountain, pausing but a few moments to partake of the
crystal water of a most romantic spring, hard by their path. A bold rock, ap¬
parently designed by nature for the purpose, had been selected for a table, and
enshrouded in snowy damask, upon which a variety of choice viands had been
tastefully disposed. Though these minor features have first occupied our page,
and in due time absorbed the attention of the company—the mountain in its
solemn majesty was the one object that filled every eye. The scene before
them was one of extreme grandeur, exciting the utmost interest. Standing on
a rocky terrace of considerable extent, the view was suddenly arrested by an
immense wall of solid rock, rising to an elevation of nine hundred feet, varying
from the perpendicular by a slight convexity of surface. This side of the
mountain is entirely destitute of herbage, and presents a smooth dark front,
excepting where it is worn smooth by the descent of the mountain rills, which
after a shower are so numerous, as to resemble an army of miniature cascades.
This side extends nearly half a mile, terminating abruptly on the east, but
of very gradual descent in the converse direction. Long does the beholder
gaze with delight on the imposing scene. So attractive did our travelers find
it, united with the society of kindred spirits, the charm of the ' pic-nic,' and
the steps of the merry dance, that old Sol had well nigh drawn the curtains of
night around his couch, ere they began to retrace their steps to the hotel.
As the summer was declining, the ensuing morning was to witness the fare¬
well of the party, each to seek their respective homes, and it was determined
that the night should pass cheerily.
The candle burned brightly, and many a happy laugh greeted the ear, as they
recounted the exploits of their tour. The record books and albums of the ho¬
tel afforded abundant source of mirth, not from the merits of their contents, for
proverbial as such volumes are for nonsense, never were met pages more
redundant in senseless trash than those. Merry as seemed the group, there
were two, whose spirits beat not in unison with the scene !
The moon shone brightly, lending to trees and rocks transcendent beauty, as
Leila, and her companion, now alone, stole forth to pay their final visit to the
monarch of rocks! Much sweet communion passed between them, during
their solitary ascent. As they again stood in the shadow of the tower, Leila
28
the rock mountain.
poured forth the feelings of her young heart so earnestly, and betrayed a soul
so full of gratitude to the all-wise Creator, for the beauties around her, that
Harry gazed on her eloquent face, with looks expressive of the deepest admi¬
ration and love. As she uttered her unfeigned regrets at the near approach of
the morrow, when they must return homeward, so completely did he seem to
forget that others than themselves existed, that we would not have answered
for his reply, had not their attention, at that moment, been arrested by the
sound of voices, evidently at no great distance. Both listened, and the words
of the following song, in a familiar air, rendered doubly sweet by the place and
the hour, were distinctly audible.
Farewell proud mountain-rock; we've read
This truth upon thy brow,
Thy wondrous Architect is God—
His monument art thou !
None but Omnipotence could rear
A fabric vast as thine :
And we confess His hand with praise.
And own his power divine !
Beauty and grandeur hold the sway
When sun-light gilds the scene;
Nor less we feel their influence now,
When bathed in moonlight's sheen:
Softly the mild beams play around
On rock, and tower and tree.
While the dim landscape far below
Is robed in mystery.
Farewell! and yet we would not break
The spell which holds us here ;
For earth hath few such wondrous scenes,
Our hearts and eyes to cheer:
But duty bids our lingering feet—
Their homeward path pursue ;
And wishing thee all due renown—
Almighty Rock—adieu !
As the notes died away, and both awaited the denouement, several of the party,
who had left the hotel to enjoy the coolness of the mountain's brow, appeared
from the opposite side of the tower, where they had sung their impromptu ser¬
enade to the Rock Mountain !