PROCEEDINGS OP THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 507 



of the door--the highest one having an altitude of about four thousand feet 

 above the sea level. The mountains range along the north, the west, and 

 the south of tire cove. Cheoah river runs on the farther side of the west 

 mountain, and Stecoah creek on the farther side of the south mountain. To 

 the eastward runs the Little Tennessee river, and in this direction there is 

 a wide opening in which hills of moderate ehivatiou only are interposed. 

 On the south, a gap in the mountain atlurds an outlet to the horseman, and 

 on the west a deep notch serves a like purpose. This notch is intermediate 

 between the two peaks, and is not more than one-third their height. 



Suddenly a few misty flakes of fog came moving slowly through the 

 notch, from the Cheoah Valley on the west. Presently larger masses fol- 

 lowed, and these, again, were succeeded by still more extensive volumes, 

 Breakfirst over, we resumed our seats, Mr. Delozier warning me not to set 

 out upon m^'' journey. The fog was now rolling through the notch tumul- 

 tuousl}^ and filing off gracefully to the right and left, like soldiers passing 

 a defile, and preparing to attack an eneni}' by extending their wings. 



The rising sun was shining brightly. The foliage of the forest trees had 

 all the maturity and richness of verdure which the earlier springs of that 

 latitude afford. Among the flowering bushes, beneath tlie lofty trees, were 

 the azalias, decked in their blossoms of white, yellow, orange, and crimson; 

 and the rhodendrons and kalmia, in their white and pink. The lilies and 

 the lady-slippers, with a hundred other plants, in full bloom, lent their 

 gaudy flowers to complete a landBcape of surpassing beaut3^ 



From our position, the fog wore the appearance of gigantic fleeces of the 

 whitest wool. Onward, and still onward; its masses rolled along, the fore- 

 most seeming to be impelled forward, not by the winds, for it was calm, 

 but by the fog in the rear; or rather, perhaps, by the attraction of the 

 mountains, or the force of an upper current in the atmosphere, or the 

 changing condition of the air, from the warming influence of the sun's rays, 

 now shining fully into Stecoah Valley, over the eastern hilltops. 



It was a beautiful scene, to witness these bearers of fertilizing showers, 

 as tiiey gathered along the flanks of the mountains, leaving the summits uu- 

 dimmcd in the sunbeams, while they gave a refreshing coolness to the cres- 

 cent-like area whicii they overshadowed. The sun was yet low in the east, 

 so that, though his empire was thus rapidly invaded, he could still shoot 

 his beams far up the slope, beneath the fog, which had now advanced its 

 front, so as to appear, from our stand-point, one broad mass of darkening 

 clouds. The morning dews had not yet been dissipated, and the sun's rays, 

 illuminating the vast amphitheatre not shaded by the clouds, caused every 

 dew drop on leaf and flower to glitter like diamonds. The circles of light 

 and shade, standing in strong contrast before us, with their beautiful floral 

 ornaments, produced a scene that was gorgeous in the extreme. 



But the clouds accumulating faster and faster, soon covered not onl}^ the 

 mounthiu sides, but overspread the whole area of the Cove; and advancing 

 eastward, covered the face of the sun as with a curtain, shutting (jut his 

 rays from the landscape around. We were now startled by a sudden flush 

 of lightning, succeeded instantly by the roll of thunder, which reverbera- 

 ting among the mountains, prolonged its tones to a duration unknown to 

 the dwellers among the low lands. The raiu which for a few minutes had 



