18 



mission and eager to assist in the work of humanity. Anon they would 

 come to a place at which it was impossible for the bearers to proceed, and 

 then they would form a line by taking each others hands the uppermost 

 man grasping a tree and with shouts of encouragement heave up by main 

 strength. In this way, after indescribably toiling for some hours they 

 reached the spot. Here was afforded another instance of the great affec- 

 tion and regard in which the deceased was held by all. These bold and 

 hardy men desired to have the body buried there and contended for it long 

 and earnestly. They said that he had first made known the superior 

 height of their glorious mountain and noised their fame almost through- 

 out the Union, that he had died whilst contending for his right to that 

 loftiest of all the Atlantic mountains, on which we then stood, and they 

 desired to place his remains right there, add at no other spot. It would 

 indeed have been an appropriate resting place for him, and greatly was it 

 wished for by the whole country, before its being told them that his fami- 

 ly wanted his remains brought down. They reluctantly yielded, and the 

 Buncombe men proceeded to bring the body slowly down the valley of the 

 Swannanoa. Before leaving the top, the writer took down the names of 

 all present, and will ask you to publish them to the world, as men who 

 have done honor to our common humanity by their generous and disinter- 

 ested conduct on this melancholy occasion. I am no flatterer, Messrs. 

 Editors, but I must confess that the labor which these mountain men ex- 

 pended and the sacrifice they so willingly and cheerfully made, is worthy 

 of all praise and admiration. May God reward their kindness ; I feel sure, 

 the numerous friends and pupils of the dear deceased would rather read 

 the list of these men's names than the "ayes and naes" of any Con- 

 gressional vote that has been recorded in many a day. 



FROM YANCEY. 



Nathaniel B. Ray, I. M. Broyles, Joseph Shephard, Washington Broy- 

 les, Henry Wheeler, Thomas Wilson, Jas. M. Ray, D. W. Burleson, G. B. 

 Silvers, J. 0. Griffith, E. Williams, A. D. Allen, A. L. Ray, Thomas D. 

 Wilson, E. A. Pyatt, D. W. Howard, W. M. Astin, James H. Riddle, Dr. 

 W. Crumley, G. D. Ray, Burton Austin, James Allen, Henry Ray, T. L. 

 Randolph, John McPeters, W. B. Creasman, S. J. Nanney, Samuel Ray, 

 E. W. Boren, Rev. W. C. Bowman, J. W. Bailey, Thomas Silvers, Jr., 

 Thomas Calloway, Henry Allen, J. L. Gibbs, Jesse Ray, James Hensley, 

 Robert Riddle, W. D. Williams, J. D. Young, William Rolen, G. W. Wil- 

 son, John Rogers, James Allen, Jr. J. W. Ayres, J. F. Presnell, R. A. 

 Rumple, W. J. Hensley, D. H. Silvers, R. Don Wilson, Jas. Calloway. 



