80 



logical excursion and accompanied us. In the course of 

 familiar conversation, I referred to the conjecture of Mr. 

 Oalhoun, in relation to the height of our "Western Moun- 

 tains. He intimated then, or at a subsequent interview, 

 his concurrence in opinion with Mr. Calhoun, and men- 

 tioned that the distinguished naturalists, the elder and 

 younger Michaux, had arrived at the same conclusion about 

 the beginning of the century, from very different data. — 

 They had found in the Black Mountain, trees and other 

 specimens of Alpine growth, that they had observed no 

 where else South of Canada. 



In the summer of 1835, Dr. Mitchell made his first at- 

 tempt to verify by barometrical measurement, the accura- 

 cy of the opinions expressed by these gentlemen. His ex- 

 ploration was laborious, careful and patient. A subse- 

 quent explorer remarks '^ that at the time Dr. Mitchell be- 

 gan his observations, with regard to the height of the Black 

 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 unforseen obstacles, in his efforts to reach particular 

 l^arts of the chain, and when he did attain some jDoint at 

 the top of the ridge, nature was too much exhausted to al- 

 low more than one observation, as to the immediate locali- 

 ty. " The accuracy of this statement will be most clearly 

 perceived and readily admitted, by those most familiar 

 ■with the character of this mountainous region, then and 

 now. It is impossible for a stranger to form a clear con- 

 conception of the obstacles that were encountered and the 

 difficulties overcome. 



Dr. Mitchell's account of this exploration was published 

 in due time, and attracted very general attention at home 

 and abroad. There are few, even of the most obscure vil- 

 lage newspapers of that day, in which notices of it may not 

 be found. It was the first authoritative annunciation, that 



