87 



to point, until it reached the extreme height where Dr. M. 

 was buried, and the marked corner tree which Mr. Wilson 

 had shewn me, standing within a few feet of the grave. — 

 The following entries, copied from the plat, require no ex- 

 planation, for those familiar with such muniments of title. 

 "Mitchell's highest point, Balsam, E. Y. B., J. P. H."— 

 Here Mr. Blackstock remarked that at the time he cut his 

 initials upon that Balsam, he climbed either that tree, or 

 one standing near it, in order to obtain a more command- 

 ing view of the mountain scenery, and that when near the 

 top, he was surprised to find that limbs had been trimmed 

 away, and called out to his companions below : — "some one 

 has been here before us." Mr. B. was not on the moun- 

 tain, when the funeral ceremonies took place, and had, at 

 the time his statement was made, no knowledge of what 

 had occurred between Mr. Wilson and myself. 



Mr. William D. Cooke's map of the State was published 

 in 1847. It is, in most respects, greatly superior to any 

 previous attempt at a correct topographical representation 

 of INTorth Carolina. He had access to such surveys of roads 

 and rivers, as had been made with a view to the internal im- 

 provement of the State, and preserved in the public offices. 

 No suiweys were made at the public expense to facilitate 

 his labours, and he received no assistance from the public 

 treasury. The enterprise was arduous, expensive and haz- 

 ardous ; and, under the circumstances, accomplished in a 

 manner highly creditable to his industry, liberality and 

 skill. There was no public survey to guide him in his at- 

 tempt to delineate this mountain range ; but there is no 

 evidence of any effort having been made to avail himself of 

 the best private materials, which might have rewarded 

 proper research. 



To attempt "to remove an ancient landmark," is both a 

 private and a public wrong. To transfer the name of the 

 discoverer of the interesting geographical fact, that the 



