90 



Topography of the Kenawha Valley 



still more striking. The twenty second of April at the foot of the 

 falls, the Fringe tree^ or Chionanthus, had not only expanded, but 

 had commenced shedding its numerous delicate, bell shaped flow- 

 ers-' This tasteful and rare shrub, or rather small tree, is found 

 only in the vicinity of ^Uhe falls" and near the mouth of Gauly riv- 

 er, for the distance of six or eight miles. This wild and romantic 

 spot, environed by hills of seven or eight hundred feet in height; 

 warmed by the radiated heat of the surrounding rocks protected by 

 them from the cold air and wintry v^inds ; and kept humid by the 

 rising spray of the falls and rapids that fill this portion of the river, 

 affords a shelter and a soil, congenial not only to the Fringe tree, 

 but to many other rare and beautiful plants. The holly, is scatter- 

 ed over all the adjacent hills, from Charleston to the mouth of 

 Gauly ; at which spot, I noticed a Holly tree of nearly forty feet 

 in height, with a trunk eighteen Inches in diameter; an evergreen 

 woodbine, and a new species of climbing fumitory, with bell shaped 

 blossoms, are found in this favored spot ; on the Gauly, six miles 

 from its mouth, the magnolia tripetala was ready to expand its 

 flowers. The acuminata and mychrophylla are also found, within 

 a fcAV rods of each other. Rhodendron maximum and KaJmia 

 latifolia cover the tops of the cliffs and rocky hill sides. The dark 

 hemlock is seen along the borders of the water courses, while the 

 cone shaped cedar, and lively green yellow pine, are hanging care- 

 lessly amongst the towering rocks that threaten ruin to the valley 

 beneath* In the narrow ravines at the foot of the cliffs on "New 

 river," ten miles above the falls, the vegetation is still more rare and 

 curious. This spot, Inaccessible to the haunts of domestic animals, 

 and almost so to the foot of the deer. Flora seems to have chosen 

 as one of her favorite retreats. It abounds in flowers and shrubs 

 found in no other place In this region ; among numerous other rare 

 plants, are seen the cane and gama grass. The warmth of this nar- 

 row ravine, seated at the base of cliffs, several hundred feet In height, 

 and kept humid by the spray of the flowing water, has given a rich- 

 ness and vividness to the deep green of the foliage, not seen at any 

 other spot. 



The botanist could not ask a more productive field from which to 

 fill his herbarium with rare and precious specimens. The place it- 

 self is one of intense interest. The mountains here are at least 

 twelve hundred feet high, and the naked perpendicular cliffs of sand- 

 stone rock that confine tllP riror tn It^ nnrrmx- Qnrl r-r^rAr^T ViC^f\ flrP 



