America, picturesque and descriptive . into Chesapeake Bayat Hampton Koads. Its sources arc in a region notedfor mineral springs, and the union of Jackson andCowpasture Rivers makes the James, which flows tothe base of the Blue Ilidge, and there receives asmaller tributary, not inappropriately named theCalfpasture River. The James breaks through theBlue Ridge by a magnificent gorge at Balcony miles away, spanning the little stream knownas Cedar Brook, is the famous Natural Bridge, thewonderful arch of blue limestone two hundred andfifteen feet high, ninety feet wide, and having a s
America, picturesque and descriptive . into Chesapeake Bayat Hampton Koads. Its sources arc in a region notedfor mineral springs, and the union of Jackson andCowpasture Rivers makes the James, which flows tothe base of the Blue Ilidge, and there receives asmaller tributary, not inappropriately named theCalfpasture River. The James breaks through theBlue Ridge by a magnificent gorge at Balcony miles away, spanning the little stream knownas Cedar Brook, is the famous Natural Bridge, thewonderful arch of blue limestone two hundred andfifteen feet high, ninety feet wide, and having a spanof a hundred feet thrown across the chasm, whichhas given to the county the name of the river and the bridge and all thecountry roundabout are the two noble Peaks of Otter,rising about four thousand feet, the highest moun-tains in that part of the Alleghenies. This wonder-ful bridge is situated at the extremity of a deepchasm, through which the brook flows, across the top JLbc IRatural JBri&ae, iDirQinta. THE NATURAL BKIDGE. 65 of which extends tlie rocky stratum in the form of agraceful arch. It looks as if the limestone rock hadoriginally covered the entire stream bed, which thenflowed through a subterranean tunnel, the rest of thelimestone roof having fallen in and been graduallywashed away. The bridge is finely situated in agrand amphitheatre surrounded by mountains. Thecrown of the arch is forty feet thick, the rocky wallsare perpendicular, and over the top passes a publicroad, which, being on the same level as the imme-diately adjacent country, one may cross it in a coachwithout noticing the bridged chasm beneath. Vari-ous large forest trees grow beneath and under thearch, but are not tall enough to reach it. On therocky abutments of the bridge are carved the namesof many persons who had climbed as high as theydared on the steep face of the precipice. Highestof all, for about seventy years, was the name ofWashington, Avho, in his youth, ascended
Size: 1314px × 1901px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectuniteds, bookyear1900
