414 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [May, 



ing the party " toted " themselves and their luggage to the summit. 

 Bluff mountain derives its name from the long, narrow plateau 

 nearly three-quarters of a mile in length which forms its top, the 

 highest point of which is about 4,700 feet above the sea. The 

 State line between Tennessee and North Carolina crosses its western 

 extremity. The forest here is entirely of hard wood, and the 

 greater part of the plateau is covered by high trees. IMost of the 

 underbrush has been cleared off from the summit, which is fre- 

 quently used for camp meetings and other public gatherings. Most 

 of the collecting here was done along the sides of the cove on the 

 Tennessee side, where \yolf creek heads. The southern exposures, 

 as usual, were too dry for satisfactory work. 



Three days were sufRcieut to satisfy the party that the faima was 

 substantially that of the cove region, and that the mountain was 

 too low for the development of any special fauna, such as had been 

 found on the higher summits both to the north and the south. 

 And, as the mountains immediately north of the river offered no 

 better prospect, it was decided to return to Paint Rock and proceed 

 directly to INIt. Mitchell. 



From Black Mountain station on the Southern Railroad, the 

 journey was made by wagon to Tyson's, an ancient inn at the foot 

 of the Black ^Mountain range. Here the baggage was loaded on 

 horses for the teu-mile climb to the summit of Mt. Mitchell. The 

 road followed up the course of one of the branches of the North 

 Foi-k cf the Swannanoa river to its headwaters, from which a 

 sharp ascent leads to the top of the ridge at Patton's Knob, at an 

 elevation of 6,000 feet. From there the trail leads nearly due 

 north around Potato Top, directly over Clingman's Peak (Mt. 

 Gibbs on the map of the Topographical Survey), which is only a 

 few feet lower than Mitchell, and where Ferriss " drew the first 

 blood" by finding the long-sought Vitrea clingmani under a log 

 beside the trail, and then winding around the Hallbach, and across 

 Wilson's Gap on up to Mitchell. Here the summit is a small 

 " bald," in the centre of which is the grave and monument of 

 Prof. Elisha Mitchell, who lost his life while exploring this moun- 

 tain in 1857. Camp was pitched just beyond the summit, at the 

 liead of a grassy slope and near a fine spring of the purest water. 

 The forest extends clear to the lop of INIitchell, and in some places 

 the tops of trees have been cut off to allow a view from the 



