Part 5
"The west side of the mountain, for about a quarter of a mile, is covered with a mass of loose stone, of light colour, which reaches down to the bank of the river. By removing the loose stone, pure crystal ice can always be found in the warmest days of summer. It has been discovered even as late as the 15th of September; but never in October, although it may exist through the entire year, and be found, if the rocks were excavated to a sufficient depth. The body of rocks where ice is found is subject to the full rays of the sun from nine o'clock in the morning until sunset. The sun does not have the effect of melting the ice as much as continual rains. At the base of the mountain is a spring of water, colder by many degrees than spring water generally is." There are several other natural curiosities in this county.
"CAUDY'S CASTLE, the fragment of a mountain in the shape of a half cone, with a very narrow base, which rises from the banks of the Capon to the height of about 500 feet, presents a sublime and majestic appearance. The 'TEA TABLE' is about 10 miles below Caudy's Castle, in a deep ragged glen, 3 or 4 miles east of the Capon. This table is a solid rock, and presents the form of a man's hat standing on its crown. It is about 4 feet in height and the same in diameter. From the top issues a clear stream of water, which flows over the brim on all sides, and forms a fountain of exquisite beauty. The HANGING ROCKS are about 4 miles north of Romney. There the Wappatomka River has cut its way through a mountain of about 500 feet in height. The boldness of the rocks, and the wildness of the scene, excite awe in the beholder."
THE NATURAL TUNNEL.
This great curiosity is in Scott County, about 12 miles west of Estillville, the county seat. The following description of it is from the "American Journal of Geology."
"To form an adequate idea of this remarkable and truly sublime object, we have only to imagine the creek, to which it gives a passage, meandering through a deep narrow valley, here and there bounded on both sides by walls or revêtements, rising to the height of two or three hundred feet above the stream; and that a portion of one of these chasms, instead of presenting an open thorough cut from the summit to the base of the high grounds, is intercepted by a continuous, unbroken ridge, more than three hundred feet high, extending entirely across the valley, and perforated transversely at its base, after the manner of an artificial tunnel, and thus affording a spacious subterranean channel for the passage of the stream.
"The entrance to the Natural Tunnel, on the upper side of the ridge, is imposing and picturesque, in a high degree; but on the lower side, the grandeur of the scene is greatly heightened by the superior magnitude of the cliffs, which exceed in loftiness, and which rise perpendicularly--and in some instances in an impending manner--more than three hundred feet; and by which the entrance on this side is almost environed, as it were, by an amphitheatre of rude and frightful precipices.
"The observer, standing on the brink of the stream, at the distance of about one hundred yards below the debouchure of the Natural Tunnel, has, in front, a view of its arched entrance, rising seventy or eighty feet above the water, and surmounted by horizontal stratifications of yellowish, white, and gray rocks, in depth nearly twice the height of the arch. On his left, a view of the same mural precipice, deflected from the springing of the arch in a manner to pass in a continuous curve quite to his rear, and towering in a very impressive manner above his head. On his right, a sapling growth of buckeye, poplar, lindens, &c., skirting the margin of the creek, and extending obliquely to the right, and upwards through a narrow, abrupt ravine, to the summit of the ridge, which is here, and elsewhere, crowned with a timber-growth of pines, cedar, oaks, and shrubbery of various kinds. On his extreme right is a gigantic cliff, lifting itself up perpendicularly from the water's edge, to the height of about three hundred feet, and accompanied by an insulated cliff, called The Chimney, of about the same altitude, rising in the form of a turret, at least sixty feet above its basement, which is a portion of the imposing cliff just before mentioned."
THE BUFFALO KNOB.
"This is a very lofty eminence, in Floyd County, from the top of which the view is sublime. On the north, east, and west, the beholder is amazed at the boundless succession of mountains rising beyond mountains--while far away to the south, the plain seems to stretch to an interminable length. On the east, The Knob is accessible on horseback, being two miles in height from the beginning of the ascent to the highest point; on the west it breaks off precipitately, and presents the shape of the animal whose name it bears. This mountain is seen sixty or eighty miles, towering above all others. On the highest point is a space of about thirty acres, which is so elevated that not any trees grow there; and in the warmest days of summer, the visitor requires thick clothing to protect him from the cold. The spot is covered with fine grass, strawberry-vines, and gooseberry and currant-bushes. The fruit upon them is of superior flavour, but it does not ripen until two or three months later than upon the low-lands."
THE MAMMOTH MOUND.
This curiosity is in Marshall County, about a quarter of a mile from the Ohio; it is 69 feet high, and 900 feet in circumference at the base, and has a flat top about 50 feet in diameter.
"A few years since a white oak, of about 70 feet in height, stood on the summit of the mound, which appeared to die of age. On carefully cutting the trunk transversely, the number of concentric circles showed that it was about 500 years old."
CAVES.
Besides Weyer's, there are other caves in the State, which are great curiosities, two of which are said to be nearly equal to Weyer's. One of them is in Page County, about a mile west of Luray, and the other in Warren County, about three miles south of Front Royal.
POWELL'S FORT VALLEY.
This curiosity is in Page County; and Kercheval gives the following account of it:
"The grandeur and sublimity of this extraordinary work of nature, consists in its tremendous height and singular formation. On entering the mouth of the fort, we are struck with the awful height of the mountains on each side, probably not less than a thousand feet. Through a very narrow passage, a bold and beautiful stream of water rushes, called Passage Creek, which a short distance below works several fine merchant mills. After travelling two or three miles, the valley gradually widens, and for upwards of twenty miles furnishes arable land, and affords settlement for eighty or ninety families, several of whom own very valuable farms. The two mountains run parallel 24 or 25 miles, and are called East and West Fort Mountains, and then are merged into one, anciently Mesinetto, now Masinutton Mountain. The Masinutton Mountain continues its course about 35 or 36 miles southerly, and abruptly terminates opposite Keisletown, in the County of Rockingham. This range of mountains divides the two branches of the Shenandoah River, called the South and North Forks. This mountain, upon the whole, presents to the eye something of the shape of the letter Y, or perhaps more the shape of the hounds and tongue of a wagon.
"A few miles above Luray, on the west side of the river, there are three large INDIAN GRAVES, ranged nearly side by side, 30 or 40 feet in length, 12 or 14 feet wide, and 5 or 6 feet high. Around them, in a circular form, are a number of single graves. The whole covers an area of little less than a quarter of an acre. They present to the eye a very ancient appearance, and are covered over with pine and other forest growth. The excavation of the ground around them is plainly to be seen. The three first-mentioned graves are in oblong form; probably contain many hundreds of human bodies, and were doubtless the work of ages.
PEAK KNOB, AND THE GLASS WINDOWS.
These two curiosities, in Pulaski County, are thus described by Howe:
"Peak Knob, 4 miles south of Newbern, is a prominent projection in Draper's Mountain, rising about 1,000 feet, and presenting from its summit a delightful and extensive landscape. Iron ore exists in abundance in this mountain, and also coal of a good quality. In its vicinity are mineral springs, supposed to possess valuable medicinal qualities.
"On the north bank of New River, near Newbern, there is a bluff called THE GLASS WINDOWS, consisting of vertical rocks nearly 500 feet high, and forming the immediate bank of the stream for a distance of four miles. They are considered a great curiosity. The face of these rocks is perforated by a vast number of cavities, which no doubt lead to caves or cells within the mountain. Some of the cells have been explored, and found to contain saltpetre, stalactites, and other concretions."
Howe tells us, that in Washington County, "westerly from Abingdon, between Three Springs and the North Fork of Holston, on Abram's Creek, in a narrow, gloomy ravine, bounded by a high perpendicular ledge, is a large waterfall, which in one single leap descends perpendicularly 60 feet, and then falls about 40 feet more ere it reaches the bottom. The stream is about 20 feet wide."
DISTANCES.
FROM WASHINGTON CITY TO THE VIRGINIA SPRINGS.
ROUTE NO. 1.
Miles from Miles. Washington.
From Washington to Acquia Creek Landing, 45 To Fredericksburg, 14 59 " Junction, 37 96 " Louisa, C. H., 37 133 " Gordonsville, 13 146 " Charlottesville, 21 167 " M'Ghee's, 7-1/2 174-1/2 " Cox's, 7 181-1/2 " Brooksville, 4-1/2 186 " Mountain Top, 4 190 " Waynesboro, 4 194 " Staunton, 11 205 " Buffalo Gap, 10 215 " Oakland House, 10 225 " Deerfield, 2 227 " Lange's, 2 229 " Cloverdale Hotel, 6 235 " Bath Alum Springs, 15 250 " Warm Springs, 5 255 " Hot Springs, 5 260 " Callahan's, 20 280 " White Sulphur Springs, 15 295 " Lewisburg, 9 304 " Blue Sulphur Springs, 13 317
ROUTE NO. 2.
Miles from Miles. Washington.
Baltimore to Harper's Ferry, 82 Washington to Harper's Ferry, 104 To Charlestown, 10 114 " Winchester, 22 136 " Newtown, 8 144 " Strasburg, 10 154 " Woodstock, 11-1/2 165-1/2 " Mt. Jackson, 13 178-1/2 " New Market, 7 185-1/2 " Spartapolis, 6-1/2 192 " Harrisonburg, 11 203 " Mt. Crawford, 8 211 " Mt. Sidney, 7 218 " Staunton, 10 228 Thence as in No. 1, to the White Sulphur, &c. Or from Harrisonburg, via Augusta Springs, to the Warm Springs, 60
ROUTE NO. 3.
RICHMOND VIA CENTRAL RAILROAD.
Miles from Miles. Richmond.
To Atley's, 9 " Peak's, 6 15 " Hanover Court-House, 3 18 " Wickham's, 2 20 " Junction, 7 27 " Noel's, 5 32 " Hewlett's, 4 36 " Beaver-dam, 4 40 " Bumpass's, 6 46 " Frederick Hall, 5 51 " Tolersville, 6 57 " Louisa Court-House, 6 63 " Trevilian's, 5 68 " Gordonsville, 9 77 " Lindsay's, 5 82 " Cobham, 2 84 " Campbell's, 3 87 " Keswick, 4 91 " Shadwell, 3 94 " Charlottesville, 4 98 Thence as in No. 1 by stage to White Sulphur.
ROUTE NO. 4.
FROM RICHMOND, VIA JAMES RIVER CANAL, TO LYNCHBURG, THENCE BY STAGE VIA THE NATURAL BRIDGE, DIBBREL'S SPRINGS, AND COVINGTON, TO THE WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS.
Miles from Miles. Richmond.
To Manakintown, 17 " Jude's Ferry, 5 22 " Michaux's, 9 31 " Cedar Point, 2 33 " Jefferson, 6 39 " Cartersville, 8 47 " Columbia, 10 57 " New Canton, 9 66 " Scottsville, 13 79 " Rockfish, 12 91 " Warminster, 8 99 " Hardwicksville, 4 103 " Tye River, 5 108 " Bent Creek, 9 117 " Staple's Mills, 12 129 " Lynchburg, 17 146 " Natural Bridge, 38 184 " Dibbrel's Springs, 18 202 " Clifton Forge, 10 212 " Covington, 13 225 " Callahan's, 5 230 " White Sulphur, 15 245
ROUTE NO. 5.
LYNCHBURG TO WHITE SULPHUR.
Miles from Miles. Lynchburg.
To New London, 10 " Liberty, 15 25 " Buford's, 14 39 " Fincastle, 14 53 " Scott's, 18 71 " Mountain House, 7 78 " Sweet Springs, 9 87 " Red Sweet, 1 88 " White Sulphur, 16 104
ROUTE NO. 6.
FROM STAUNTON TO ROCKBRIDGE ALUM SPRINGS, VIA LEXINGTON.
Miles from Miles. Staunton.
There are two routes, one of which is to Greenville, 12 To Fairfield, 11 " Lexington, 12 35 The other is to Middlebrook, 11 To Brownsburg, 12 " Lexington, 12 35 " Rockbridge Alum, 17 52 From Rockbridge Alum to Bath Alum Springs, 17
ROUTE NO. 7.
FROM GUYANDOTTE TO WHITE SULPHUR.
Miles from Miles. Guyandotte.
To Charleston, 48 " Salines, 5 53 " Falls of Kanawha, 30 83 " Gauley Bridge, 5 88 " Hawk's Nest, 8 96 " Locust Lane, 2 98 " Blue Sulphur, 40 138 " Lewisburg, 13 151 " White Sulphur, 9 160 From White Sulphur to Salt Sulphur, 26 From White Sulphur to Red Sulphur, 43 From Red Sulphur to Blue Sulphur, 33 From Scottsville to Brooksville, 25 To Staunton, 19 44 From Waynesboro to Greenville, 17 From Winchester to Jordan's White Sulphur Springs, 6 From Winchester to Capon Springs, 22 From Lexington to Covington, 41 From Winchester to Romney, 43 To Clarksburg, 111 154 " Parkersburg, 83 237 From Fredericksburg to Richmond, 62 From Richmond to Petersburg 22 From Staunton to Parkersburg, 234
CENSUS OF VIRGINIA FOR 1850.
TRANS-ALLEGHANY DISTRICT.
+---------+----------+---------+-------- | | | | COUNTIES. | Whites. | Free | Slaves. | Total. | | Negroes. | | -------------------+---------+----------+---------+-------- | | | | Barbour, | 8671 | 221 | 113 | 9005 Braxton, | 4123 | | 89 | 4212 Boone, | 3054 | | 183 | 3237 Brooke, | 4923 | 100 | 31 | 5054 Cabell, | 5904 | 6 | 389 | 6299 Carroll, | 5726 | 29 | 154 | 5909 Doddridge, | 2639 | 80 | 31 | 2750 Fayette, | 3782 | 17 | 156 | 3955 Floyd, | 6000 | 15 | 443 | 6458 Grayson, | 6142 | 36 | 499 | 6677 Greenbrier, | 8549 | 156 | 1317 | 10022 Giles, | 5859 | 54 | 657 | 6570 Gilmer, | 3403 | | 72 | 3475 Hancock, | 4040 | 7 | 3 | 4050 Harrison, | 11214 | 26 | 488 | 11728 Jackson, | 6480 | 11 | 53 | 6544 Kanawha, | 12002 | 211 | 3140 | 15353 Lee, | 9440 | 40 | 787 | 10267 Lewis, | 9621 | 42 | 368 | 10031 Logan, | 3533 | | 87 | 3620 Marion, | 10438 | 20 | 94 | 10552 Marshall, | 10050 | 39 | 49 | 10138 Mason, | 6843 | 49 | 647 | 7539 Mercer, | 4018 | 27 | 177 | 4222 Monongalia, | 12092 | 119 | 176 | 12387 Monroe, | 9062 | 81 | 1061 | 10204 Montgomery, | 6822 | 66 | 1471 | 8359 Nicholas, | 3889 | 1 | 73 | 3963 Ohio, | 17609 | 235 | 164 | 18008 Preston, | 11574 | 47 | 87 | 11708 Pocahontas, | 3308 | 23 | 267 | 3598 Pulaski, | 3613 | 34 | 1471 | 5118 Putnam, | 4693 | 10 | 632 | 5335 Raleigh, | 1735 | 7 | 23 | 1765 Randolph, | 5003 | 39 | 201 | 5243 Ritchie, | 3886 | | 16 | 3902 Russell, | 10867 | 70 | 982 | 11919 Scott, | 9325 | 31 | 473 | 9829 Smyth, | 6901 | 197 | 1064 | 8162 Taylor, | 5130 | 69 | 168 | 5367 Tazewell, | 8807 | 75 | 1060 | 9942 Tyler, | 5456 | 4 | 38 | 5498 Washington, | 12372 | 109 | 2131 | 14612 Wayne, | 4564 | 7 | 189 | 4760 Wetzel, | 4261 | 6 | 17 | 4284 Wirt, | 3319 | 2 | 32 | 3353 Wood, | 9008 | 69 | 373 | 9450 Wyoming, | 1583 | 1 | 61 | 1645 Wythe, | 9618 | 221 | 2185 | 12024 +---------+----------+---------+-------- | 330,951 | 2,709 | 24,442 | 358,102 +---------+----------+---------+--------
VALLEY DISTRICT.
+---------+----------+---------+-------- | | | | COUNTIES. | Whites. | Free | Slaves. | Total. | | Negroes. | | -------------------+---------+----------+---------+-------- | | | | Alleghany, | 2763 | 58 | 694 | 3515 Augusta, | 19024 | 533 | 5053 | 24610 Bath, | 2436 | 43 | 947 | 3426 Berkeley, | 9566 | 249 | 1956 | 11771 Botetourt, | 10749 | 423 | 3736 | 14908 Clarke, | 3615 | 123 | 3614 | 7352 Frederick, | 12769 | 912 | 2294 | 15975 Hampshire, | 12389 | 214 | 1433 | 14036 Hardy, | 7930 | 353 | 1260 | 9543 Highland, | 2853 | 10 | 364 | 3227 Jefferson, | 10476 | 540 | 4341 | 15357 Morgan, | 3431 | 3 | 123 | 3557 Page, | 6332 | 311 | 957 | 7600 Pendleton, | 5443 | 30 | 322 | 5795 Roanoke, | 5813 | 154 | 2510 | 8477 Rockbridge, | 11484 | 364 | 4197 | 16045 Rockingham, | 17498 | 465 | 2331 | 20294 Shenandoah, | 12595 | 262 | 911 | 13768 Warren, | 4492 | 367 | 1748 | 6607 +---------+----------+---------+-------- | 161,658 | 5414 | 38,791 | 205,863 +---------+----------+---------+--------
PIEDMONT DISTRICT.