Traveller.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 444, 20 October 1904, Page 7

Traveller.

LOOKOUT JfIOUNTAIN. ■V OOKOUT Mountain stands in the Xmn midst of one of the most historic spots in the United States,'and is itself historic. It was our good'fortune to visit it a few Weeks ago, and it is how our pleasure to write of it. We cannot do the famous old landmark justice, hut we can introduce it to many who may never have heard of its existence. Travellers cress oceans, dare extreme perils, undergo discomforts in far lands to catch a glimpse of beauty in a sunrise or a sunset, a cataract or a lake, in snowcapped mountains or in a glacier, and yet leave as much, or more, beauty at home. How applicable this sentiment is to the thousands of Americans who travel away from home in every part of the globe none knows better than the writer. There is no country on earth so rich iu natural beauty as the United States; and let the eager eye of the child of Uncle Sam rest on beauty of whatever sort it may, yet no human eye will ever compass as much beauty of earth and sky as that to be found in and around old Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Our starting-point was Cincinnati.. All along our route south the scenery was quite remarkable. Innumerable lakelets smiled, grave mountains frowned, and bonny rivers laughed, while high bridges awed, and dark tunnels thundered at us, just as it were to _ make monotony impossible and our enjoyment supreme. After leaving Ohio a run of twelve hours' found us at our destination—Chattanooga. The celebrated mountain lies north-west of the picturesque old city.

Early on the morning after our arrival we bestirred ourselves to get the first , view, of Lookout Mountain. How admiringly did we linger and try to realise his splendid proportions; and how eager we were to scale his almost perpendicular sides! This feat we literally accomplished later in the day. Taking a street car in Chattanooga, a very brief ride brought us to the base of the mountain and to the station of the newest route to the summit. Prom the foot to the crest by this incline is about one mile. The journey up and down is one oi great interest, especially if' the traveller be careful to look up. But should he chance to turn his eyes down or across or anywhere but up, he will experience a feeling quite akin to terror, and obtain a view that will certainly impress him. Sheer precipitousness and: perpendicularity could go no further. Enough to turn the head of the most tried and thrill the heart of the stoutest and bravest., No admirer, however, of the grand old hill ought to neglect this incline, a wonderful triumph, surely, of human skill. The trip up and down only costs thirty cents; and heroism could not be purchased more cheaply. '.\-

The view to [he had from the point of arrival at the top of the incline where stands Lookout Inn (a very fin 9 hotel, by the way)-is superb. .At the time of cur visit a quite perceptible haze dimmed the atmosphere ; but in spite of this ' The' Preacher,' a young negro guide, pointed' but to us no less than seven states, as follows : Tennessee, in which we stood ; to the left, Kentucky and Virginia; before us, the Carolinas; to the right, Georgia; and behind, Alabama. In the nearer distance we were able to discern many points of deep historic interest; the battle-ground of Wauhatcbee, where a terrific battle was fought between the Union and Confederate troops on October 24, 1863; Orchard Knob, the scene of the second day's battle of Chattanooga, and the headquarters for a time of Generals Grant and Thomas-; the whole sweep of Missionary Ridge, where thousands fell; Rossville Gap, through which the Union forces retired to Chattanooga on the evening of the 21st October, after heavy fighting; and the National Cemetery, where lie thirteen thousand heroes, the headstones of five thousand of whom are marked ' Unknown.' Before us lay the still more famous battlefield of Ohickamanga, where hi a conflict of not quite two days sixty thousand fell. We must also make mention of the tine view we enjoyed of the most famous part of the noble Tennessee River known as Moccasin Bend, where configuration answers extactly to the name it bears. Away to the left of us, after changing our position to Sunset .Rock, waves of earth stood stilhas if in mute amazement at the supreme beauty of which they were, unconsciously, a part, crowned with a luxuriant growth of trees whose changing tints contributed generously to the rare loveliness of, that which we beheld. ' Surely,' we mused, ' there is not upon this earth aught grander than this.' Indeed, in. the-judg-ment of one of the most travelled of our party, there'is hot,, The mountains of Europe have a charm that is all their own ;' but.he conveyed no disparagement of them when declaring that the view from Lookout Mountain exceeded' anything of a similar nature he had seen in Europe. The-same has been said of the mountain by all other travellers who have stood on its summit.

Lookout; -Mountain is seventy-five miles long, terminating abruptly at Chattanooga on the north, and Attalla (Alabama) on the south, crossing the. north-west corner of Georgia. Jts summit is a tableland, rather narrow for twenty-five miles at the north, and widening out; to nine miles where it crosses the Georgia and Alabama line. The' crest of the tableland is bounded by precipices for almost its .whole length.. As we, stood : gazing upon the craggy face of the mountain we wondered at the bravery and stout-heartedness of those who, upon its slopes, could and did carry on a brilliant fight for home and country and freedom. The advance of an array up its western slope, as one has well said, is a neverending source.of wonder. That a line of battle could have been maintained seems incredible.. In his report of the Battle of Lookout Mountain, General Hpoker says: ' Viewed from whatever point, Lookout Mountain, with its high palisaded crest, and its steep, rugged, rocky, and deeplyfurrowed slopes, presented an imposing barrier to our advance ; and when to-these natural obstacles were added almost insurmountable, well-plannad and 'well-con-structed defences, held by Americans' the assault became an enterprise worthy of the ambition and renown of "the troops to whom it was entrusted.