350 



Description of a JYatural I'unnel. 



tunnel, a crystallized deposit is lodged, which you no doubt re- 

 collect, that seemed to my taste to be a mixture of salt-petre and 

 alum. No attempt has been made to analyze it. The earth found 

 near the upper (N.) extremity of the tunnel some years ago, (the 

 first time I visited it,) afforded salt-petre. The crystallized de- 

 posit seems to be made from a stratum apparently not more than 

 six inches thick, which is so high that it cannot be reached for 

 examination. The growth of timber is such as is common in the 

 neighbouring country, white, red, Spanish, black-oaks ; hickory, 

 white-walnut, dogwood, poplar, chesnut, birch, ironwood; some 

 hemlock and papaw (asimina triloba) on the banks of the creek, 

 and the edges of the cliffs fringed with cedar. On the creek, be- 

 low the tunnel for two miles, is found that variety of ash called 

 the fringe tree, (chionanthus virginica,) the long white fringe- 

 like blossoms of which are so delightfully fragrant."* 



The following passages are from my own private journal. 



*• Saturday, Aug. 13, 1831. Having ascended Cove ridge, we 

 turned aside from our route to visit the natural bridge, or tunnel, 

 situated on Buck-eye, or Stock creek, about a mile below the 

 Sycamore camp,-|- and about one and a half miles from a place 

 called Rye cove, which occupies a spacious recess between two 

 prominent spurs of Powell's mountain, the site of the natural tun- 

 nel being included within a spur of Cove ridge, which is one of 

 the mountain spurs just alluded to. Here is presented one of the 

 most remarkable and attractive curiosities of its kind to be wit- 

 nessed in this or any other country. The creek, which is about 

 seven yards wide, and has a general course about S. 15 W. here 

 passes through a hill elevated from two to three hundred feet 

 above the surface of the stream, winding its way through a huge 

 subterraneous cavern, or grotto, whose roof is vaulted in a peculiar 

 manner, and rises from thirty to seventy or eighty feet above its 

 floor. The sides of this gigantic cavern rise perpendicularly in 

 some places to the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and in others, 

 are formed by the springing of its vaulted roof immediately from 



* This plant, in the natural system, belongs to the oleacex, or olive tribe. The 

 flowers of the olea fragrans are used for flavouring tea in China. We offer this 

 hint to our readers who have access to the chionanthus. Ed. 



•j- This designation has been given to a spot in the valley of the creek, where 

 formerly stood a hollow sycamore (platanus occidentalis) tree of an enormous size, 

 the remains of which are still to be seen, and in the cavity of which, whilst it 

 stood, fifteen persons are said to have encamped at the same time together. 



