CORRESPONDENCE. 



TOPOaRAPHY OF BLACK MOUNTAIN, 



Bt Hon. THOMAS L. CLIN OMAN, op N. C. 



The following communication contains information relative to the 

 to-pograpliy of a portion of our country but little known. The highest 

 point of the Black Mountain, now called Clingman's Peak, is tlie most 

 elevated spot on our continent, east of the Rocky Mountains. This fact 

 has been fully established, since the date of Mr. Clingman's letter, by 

 a series of measurements, conducted with every precaution to insure 

 accuracy, by Professor Guyot. He found the altitude of Mount Mitchell 

 to be 6,585 feet, and that of Clingman's Peak to be 6,710 feet. 



J. H.J Secretary S. I, 



AsHEViLLE, N. C, October 20, 1855. 



My Dear Sir : The interest you manifested, a year or two since, 

 with reference to one of the mountains in our region, induces me to 

 address this letter to you. From time to time there have been dis- 

 cussions as to where the highest point of land is to be found east ef 

 the Mississippi river. You doubtless recollect a controversy as to tho 

 relative height of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and iha 

 Black Mountains of North Carolina. Professor Mitchell succeeded, I 

 tliink, in making it appear that that portion of the Black Mountain 

 since called Mitchell's Peak, or Mount Mitchell, was higher than Mount 

 Washington, the elevated point of the White Mountain range. 



But even at the time of his measurement I was of the opinion that 

 he had not succeeded in getting upon the highest point of the Black 

 Mountain. In our frequent conversations, both before and since that 

 time, he did not appear to feel at all confident on the subject. It is 

 with reference to the fact that another peak of the mountain is higher 

 than any ascended, or measured by him, tliat I purpose now to speak. 

 It may appear strange to some persons, at a distance, that at this 

 time there should be any doubt as to the fact, capable seemingly of 

 so easy demonstration. Those who have been on the mountain, and 

 who therefore know the difiiculty, heretofore, of getting to the top, 

 do not share in this feeling. When_, some twenty years ago. Dr. 

 Mitchell began his observations with reference to the height of the 

 mountain, it was much more inaccessible than it has since become, by 

 reason of the progress of the settlements around its base ; so that he 

 was liable to be misled, and thwarted by unforeseen obstacles in his 

 efforts to reach particular points of the chain ; and when lie did attain 

 some part of the top of the ridge, nature was too much exhausted to 



