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ystem abruptly breaks down into the vast southern plain； where the observer； standing on the edge of the precipice； has behind him and before him the greatest contrast that nature can offer。 He must also take the rail to Waynesville； and visit the much…frequented White Sulphur Springs； among the Balsam Mountains； and penetrate the Great Smoky range by way of Quallatown； and make the acquaintance of the remnant of Cherokee Indians living on the north slope of Cheoah Mountain。 The Professor could have made it a matter of personal merit that he escaped all these encounters with wild and picturesque nature； if his horse had not been too disabled for such long jaunts。 It is only necessary； however； to explain to the public that the travelers are not gormandizers of scenery； and were willing to leave some portions of the State to the curiosity of future excursionists。
But so much was said about Hickory Nut Gap that a visit to it could not be evaded。 The Gap is about twenty…four miles southeast of Asheville。 In the opinion of a well…informed colonel； who urged us to make the trip； it is the finest piece of scenery it this region。 We were brought up on the precept 〃get the best；〃 and it was with high anticipations that we set out about eleven o'clock one warm； foggy morning。 We followed a very good road through a broken； pleasant country； gradually growing wilder and less cultivated。 There was heavy rain most of the day on the hills； and occasionally a shower swept across our path。 The conspicuous object toward which we traveled all the morning was a shapely conical hill at the beginning of the Gap。
At three o'clock we stopped at the Widow Sherrill's for dinner。 Her house； only about a mile from the summit； is most picturesquely situated on a rough slope； giving a wide valley and mountain view。 The house is old rambling； many…roomed； with wide galleries on two sides。 If one wanted a retired retreat for a few days； with good air and fair entertainment； this could be commended。 It is an excellent fruit region； apples especially are sound and of good flavor。 That may be said of all this part of the State。 The climate is adapted to apples； as the hilly part of New England is。 I fancy the fruit ripens slowly； as it does in New England； and is not subject to quick decay like much of that grown in the West。 But the grape also can be grown in all this mountain region。 Nothing but lack of enterprise prevents any farmer from enjoying abundance of fruit。 The industry carried on at the moment at the Widow Sherrill's was the artificial drying of apples for the market。 The apples are pared； cored； and sliced in spirals； by machinery； and dried on tin sheets in a patented machine。 The industry appears to be a profitable one hereabouts； and is about the only one that calls in the aid of invention。
While our dinner was preparing； we studied the well…known pictures of 〃Jane〃 and 〃Eliza；〃 the photographs of Confederate boys； who had never returned from the war； and the relations； whom the traveling photographers always like to pillory in melancholy couples； and some stray volumes of the Sunday…school Union。 Madame Sherrill； who carries on the farm since the death of her husband； is a woman of strong and liberal mind； who informed us that she got small comfort in the churches in the neighborhood； and gave us； in fact； a discouraging account of the unvital piety of the region。
The descent from the summit of the Gap to Judge Logan's； nine miles； is rapid； and the road is wild and occasionally picturesque； following the Broad River； a small stream when we first overtook it； but roaring； rocky； and muddy； owing to frequent rains； and now and then tumbling down in rapids。 The noisy stream made the ride animated； and an occasional cabin； a poor farmhouse； a mill； a schoolhouse； a store with an assemblage of lean horses tied to the hitching rails； gave the Professor opportunity for remarks upon the value of life under such circumstances。
The valley which we followed down probably owes its celebrity to the uncommon phenomena of occasional naked rocks and precipices。 The inclosing mountains are from 3000 to 4000 feet high； and generally wooded。 I do not think that the ravine would be famous in a country where exposed ledges and buttressing walls of rock are common。 It is only by comparison with the local scenery that this is remarkable。 About a mile above judge Logan's we caught sight； through the trees； of the famous waterfall。 From the top of the high ridge on the right； a nearly perpendicular cascade pours over the ledge of rocks and is lost in the forest。 We could see nearly the whole of it； at a great height above us； on the opposite side of the river； and it would require an hour's stiff climb to reach its foot。 From where we viewed it； it seemed a slender and not very important； but certainly a very beautiful cascade； a band of silver in the mass of green foliage。 The fall is said to be 1400 feet。 Our colonel insists that it is a thousand。 It may be； but the valley where we stood is at least at an elevation of 1300 feet； we could not believe that the ridge over which the water pours is much higher than 3000 feet； and the length of the fall certainly did not appear to be a quarter of the height of the mountain from our point of observation。 But we had no desire to belittle this pretty cascade； especially when we found that Judge Logan would regard a foot abated from the 1400 as a personal grievance。 Mr。 Logan once performed the functions of local judge； a Republican appointment； and he sits around the premises now in the enjoyment of that past dignity and of the fact that his wife is postmistress。 His house of entertainment is at the bottom of the valley； a place shut in； warm； damp； and not inviting to a long stay； although the region boasts a good many natural curiosities。
It was here that we encountered again the political current； out of which we had been for a month。 The Judge himself was reticent； as became a public man； but he had conspicuously posted up a monster prospectus； sent out from Augusta； of a campaign life of Blaine and Logan； in which the Professor read； with shaking knees； this sentence： 〃Sure to be the greatest and hottest ＇campaign and civil battle＇ ever known in this world。 The thunder of the supreme struggle and its reverberations will shake the continents for months； and will be felt from Pole to Pole。〃
For this and other reasons this seemed a risky place to be in。 There was something sinister about the murky atmosphere； and a suspicion of mosquitoes besides。 Had there not been other travelers staying here； we should have felt still more uneasy。 The house faced Bald Mountain； 4000 feet high； a hill that had a very bad reputation some years ago； and was visited by newspaper reporters。 This is； in fact； the famous Shaking Mountain。 For a long time it had a habit of trembling； as if in an earthquake spasm； but with a shivering motion very different from that produced by an earthquake。 The only good that came of it was that it frightened all the 〃moonshiners；〃 and caused them to join the church。 It is not reported what became of the church afterwards。 It is believed now that the trembling was caused by the cracking of a great ledge on the mountain； which slowly parted asunder。 Bald Mountain is the scene of Mrs。 Burnett's delightful story of 〃Louisiana；〃 and of the play of 〃Esmeralda。〃 A rock is pointed out toward the summit； which the beholder is asked to see resembles a hut； and which is called 〃Esmeralda's Cottage。〃 But this attractive maiden has departed； and we did not discover any woman in the region who remotely answers to her description。
In the morning we rode a mile and a half through the woods and followed up a small stream to see the celebrated pools； one of which the Judge said was two hundred feet deep； and another bottomless。 These pools； not round； but on one side circular excavations； some twenty feet across； worn in the rock by pebbles； are very good specimens； and perhaps remarkable specimens； of 〃pot…holes。〃 They are； however； regarded here as one of the wonders of the world。 On the way to them we saw beautiful wild trumpet…creepers in blossom； festooning the trees。
The stream that originates in Hickory Nut Gap is the westernmost branch of several forks of the Broad； which unite to the southeast in Rutherford County； flow to Columbia； and reach the Atlantic through the channel of the Santee。 It is not to be confounded with the French Broad； which originates among the hills of Transylvania； runs northward past Asheville； and finds its way to the Tennessee through the Warm Springs Gap in the Bald Mountains。 As the French claimed ownership of all the affluents of the Mississippi； this latter was called the French Broad。
It was a great relief the next morning； on our return； to rise out of the lifeless atmosphere of the Gap into the invigorating air at the Widow Sherrill's； whose country…seat is three hundred feet higher than Asheville。 It was a day of heavy showers； and apparently of leisure to the scattered population； at every store and mill was a congregation of loafers； who had hitched their scrawny horses and mules to the fences； and had the professio