246 Geology of North Carolina. 



perpendicular ; but convenient cavities and projections are found, 

 by which the feet and hands may be made sure. The course 

 winds along, westwardly, on the side of the cliff, and at length 

 passing abruptly over its brow, we find ourselves on the level, 

 or rather convex, summit. 



We were two much engrossed by the scenes that expanded 

 around us, to proceed with our professional tasks, but seated our- 

 selves on the northwestern brow of the pinnacle to enjoy the 

 sublimity of the prospect. The air was still, but a hollow roar 

 ascended from the plain — the voice of the forest — and not less 

 sublime than the roar of the ocean, which it seemed to emulate. 

 More than three fourths of the horizon were distinctly in view. 

 On the south and southwest spreads an interminable plain meet- 

 ing the sky, with a few exceptions, like the ocean itself. On 

 the west and north the Blue Ridge presents an outline of unri- 

 valled grandeur ; and the Sawratown mountains relieve the eye 

 in the most agreeable manner, as it wanders over the undefined 

 limits of the eastern horizon. On the southwest at distant in- 

 tervals, are caught a few bright glimps.es of the river Yadkin. 

 But after a general survey of the landscape, we gladly turned 

 our admiring gaze to the lofty mountains of the west, some of 

 which displayed their dark summits above the white insulated 

 clouds, that were rolling around them. As the day advanced, 

 these clouds began to multiply on the sides of the Blue Ridge, 

 covering its acclivities with chequered fields of sun and shade. 

 A few of them occasionally wandered towards us over the clear 

 blue sky, projecting their dark shadows on the earth, which 

 coursed each other majestically over the sunny tops of the hills 

 and forests. At length, here and there a cloud rose above the 

 Blue Ridge, and distilled a copious shower of rain, as it moved 

 along the mountain from west to east, the exact limits of which 

 we could easily define, the sun still shining on all the regions 

 around. Each successive cloud diverged farther and father to 

 the east, until a shower, accompanied by lightning and thunder, 

 was approaching the Pilot, and forced us to descend from the 

 pinnacle and take shelter under one of its shelving rocks. Here 

 we had leisure to exchange our expressions of delight and ad- 

 miration ; and some of the party who had viewed scenery in 

 populous and cultivated regions that was more beautiful, still ac- 

 knowledged, that they had never witnessed any that contained 

 more of the elements of the true sublime. Serenity was short- 

 ly restored to the sky, and we proceeded with our respective 

 tasks. The following are some of the results ascertained by 

 President Caldwell and Professor Andrews. 



1. Height of the Pilot Mountain from a base line 

 near Grassy creek to the top of the trees, - 1551 feet. 



