Burke's weekly for boys and girls. (Macon, Ga.) 1867-1870, September 10, 1870, Image 1

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Entered according to Act of Congress, in June,lß7o, by J. W. Burke & Cos., in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the So. District of Georgia Vol. IV—-No. n. TALLULAH PALLS. HE Falls of Tallulah are twelve uj? ret- m^es fr° m Clarkesville, by a A * road of very varied beauty. From Toccoa to Tallulah the cut across is five or six miles only. There is an hotel near the edge of the gorges tra versed by this wild mountain stream, and hard by its army of waterfalls. The Tallulah, or Terrora as the In dians more appositely called it, is a small stream, which rushes through an awful chasm in the Blue Ridge, rending it for several miles. The ravine is 1,000 feet in depth, and of a similar width. Its walls are gigantic cliffs of dark granite. The heavy masses piled upon each other in the wildest confusion, sometimes shoot out, overhanging the yawning gulf, and threatening to break from their seemingly frail tenure, and hurl themselves headlong into its dark depths. Along the rocky and uneven bed of this deep abyss, the infuriated Ter rora frets and foams with ever-varying course. Now, it flows in sullen ma jesty, through a deep and romantic glen, embowered in the foliage of the trees, which here and there spring from the rocky ledges of the chasm walls. Anon, it rushes with accelerated mo tion, breaking fretfully over protruding rocks, and uttering harsh murmurs, as it verges a precipice. “ Where, collected all. In one impetuous torrent, down the steep It thundering shoots, and shakes the country round. At first, an azure sheet, it rushes broad; Then whitening by degrees as prone it falls, And from the loud-resounding rocks below Dashed in a cloud of foam, it sends aloft A hoary mist, and forms a ceaseless shower.” The most familiar point of observation is the Pulpit —an immense cliff which projects far into the chasm. From this position, the extent and depth of the fearful ravine, and three of the most romantic of the numerous cataracts are observed. At various other localities fine glimpses down into the deep gorge are afforded, and numerous other paths lead to the bottom of the chasm. At MACON, GEORGIA, SEPTEMBER 10,-1870. TALLULAH FALLS. the several cataracts —the Lodore, the Tempesta, the Oceana, the Serpentine , , and others —the picture is ever anew and striking one; which the most striking and beautiful, it would be very difficult to determine. The natural re cess called the Trysting Rock, once the sequestered meeting place of Indian lovers, is now a halting-spot for merry groups as they descend the chasm, just below the Lodore cascade. From this point, Lodore is upon the left up the stream; a huge perpendicular wall of parti-colored rock towers up in front and below; to the right are seen the foaming waters of the Oceana cascade, and the dark glen into which they are surging their maddened way. Tem pesta, the Serpentine, and other falls, lie yet below. The wild grandeur of this mountain gorge, and the variety, number, and magnificence of its cataracts, give it rank with the most imposing waterfall scenery in the Union. He that revenges knows no rest; The meek possess a peaceful breast. Whole No. 167. The Bell-Bird. £.f|||-ANDERING in a tropic fqjr- am ldst the gorgeous growths and wild garlands 01 climbing vine and brilliant blossoms in the early morning, one’s ears are lit erally pained with the mingled din that comes from everywhere ; above, below, behind, before, right and left; curious cries, jubilant songs, angry discussions, growls, snarls, croaks, and hisses, from bird, beast, insectand reptile, make the jungle a very Babel of unintelligible sounds. Then as the scorching sun rays pierce the clustering tangle of vegetable life, one by one the sounds die away, they close their petals, the leaves drop lan guidly from every branch and spray; not a breath of air stirs even the delicate tree ferns; the stillness is that of death, as if the world of things had ceased to be. As you crouch under the wide leaves of the plantain, seeking shelter from the burning heat, suddenly a loud sound is heard, like a deep, full-toned bell. A short time elapses, and again it sounds, and so on at intervals of three or four minutes. Often other singers join the peal, and then the “forest chimes” toll their mournful music from far and near. You cautiously creep out, and peer cu riously in the direction of the noise, to discover what living creature could pro duceasound so exactly like abell. At last you spy him out, and catch him in the very act, seated on the top of a dead palm— his belfry. By travellers, he is aptly named the bell bird. On the top of the head there is something like the horn of a fabled unicorn. This tube of flesh is hollow, and communicates with the palate. When the “bell bird” is silent, this strange spire-like affair hangs down over the beak, just as the red, fleshy wattle dangles on the front of a turkey cock’s head ; but when sounding his bell-like voice, it is filled tightly with air, and stands erect and stiff as a horn. A late traveler says : “At a distance of three miles you may hear this snow white bird tolling every four or five min utes like a distant convent bell.”