86 



mountains, entitle his statements in relation to it to more 



implicit confidence. 



He referred repeatedly to young Mr. Allen, for confirm- 

 atory statements, in relation to the line and manner of as- 

 cent, which he had heard from his father, the late Adoni- 

 ram Allen, and was corroborated by him throughout. 



Mr. Thomas Wilson and Mr. Allen united with the old 

 gentleman in the statement that this was the only peak, 

 known during many years to the citizens of Yancey, as 

 Mount Mitchell ; and that until recently they had never 

 heard the name applied to any other pinacle. 



Mr. William Wilson mentioned in the course of his re- 

 marks, that during the time they were on the mountain, 

 Dr. Mitchell climbed the highest Balsam he could find, cut 

 away the limbs near the top of the tree, and after repeated 

 observations with the instrument he carried with him for 

 the purpose, said that the peak on which they were, was 

 the highest of the range. I examined the ttee to which 

 Mr. Wilson pointed as the one, or near the one, which Dr. 

 Mitchell climbed, and found the initials R. V. B., J. P. H., 

 plainly carved in the bark. It stands within a few feet of 

 the newly-made grave of Dr. Mitchell. 



On my return to Asheville, two days after parting with 

 Mr. Wilson, I met very unexpectedly with Mr. Robert V. 

 Blackstock, whom I did not recollect to have seen before, 

 but who, I am glad to hear, is worthy of his lineage. With 

 his father, i^ehemiah Blackstock, Esq., well known as an 

 accurate surveyor, a skillful woodman, and a man of intel- 

 ligence and integrity, my acquaintance began in my early 

 boyhood. The young man, on an intimation of my desire 

 to see his father, and examine the plat made for me in 

 1845, informed me that it was in Asheville, and that he 

 could probably supply the information I desired in relation 

 to it. He obtained it immediately. Directing my atten- 

 tion to the beginning corner, he traced the line from point 



