FROM CARLISLE TO THE OHIO 225 



Laurel-hill, one of the most considerable ranges of 

 these mountains. We had been given a fearful de- 

 scription of it, and therefore probably found it the 

 more endurable. The road up and down is somewhat 

 steep and stony, but along the ridge there are many 

 wide, level, sandy stretches. The range is in fact two 

 ranges, (running parallel and joined by hills between), 

 of which that to the east is called Sideling and that 

 to the west Rayshill. Both show quartz-grained rock, 

 coarse and again clear, and scaly sand-stones. The 

 range is in height by no means above the limits of 

 vegetation, but like all these mountains is covered with 

 forest and bush in which, along our road, we found 

 nothing especially remarkable. The same trees pre- 

 vail as in the lower country. On the sandy flats of the 

 ridge there grew many twi-bladed firs, or ; Jersey 

 pines.' 



It is seven miles from the woful tavern on the one 

 side to the first house on the other. Half way over the 

 mountain we came upon one of the encamping-grounds 

 very many of which are seen along lonesome mountain 

 roads and in other sparsely settled regions. These are 

 grazing spots and little places cleared of wood, near a 

 good spring or a clear-flowing stream, some of them 

 having been selected by the Indians. The farmers, 

 teamsters, and pack-horse men in America do not 

 commonly lodge or feed at the rare and necessitous 

 taverns ; they take with them provisions for themselves 

 and their horses, make fires, go to bed in the forest 

 and turn their horses out to graze and these some- 

 times wander off or are set upon by wolves and eaten. 



The western slope of the mountain is very much 

 the steeper. In a house standing at its foot a poor 

 15 



