n and frowning face. With this ledge
of rocks terminate the Cumberland mountains, which cross the State of
Tennessee to the margin of the river. The stream here flows nearly west,
through a beautiful valley of alluvial land, formed by the Cumberland
mountains and a continuation of the Blue Ridge of Virginia. Immediately
opposite the termination of the Cumberland mountains commences a broken
and rocky surface, which extends along the shore of the river for many
miles, presenting the most varied and novel scenery in nature; while the
other shore is level, fertile, and mostly in a high state of cultivation,
abounding in verdant fields of meadow, corn and tobacco.

The middle portion of the ledge _proper_, which I have described, rises
nearly or quite three hundred feet above the level of the river; a vast
wall of solid lime-stone, echoing with never-ceasing moans the gurgling
current of the river, which at this place is deep and very rapid; and has
worn a series of caves and hollows in the base of the rock, which
contribute greatly to this 'language of the waters.'

The summit or peak of this ledge in the centre is called '_The Painted
Rock_.' It is so called from the fact of there being, about sixty feet
below the highest peak, letters and characters painted in different
colors, and evidently drawn by a tutored hand. What is most remarkable,
these paintings are upon the perpendicular face of the rock, probably two
hundred feet above the river, and in a place where there is no apparent
possibility for mortal man to arrive. They are composed of the initials of
two persons, together with characters and drawings, some of which are
illegible from the river. The first consists of the letters 'J. W. H.,'
quite well done in dark blue or green paint. The next is 'A. L. S.,' done
in red, and also a trefoil leaf of clover in green, beside several rude
characters and drawings in blue and red. The traveller passing this
interesting spot gazes with wonder and astonishment, but is referred to
tradition for a history of the circumstances which led to the name of
Painted Rock; for the paintings were drawn and the name given, long before
the country was permanently settled by the whites. The story handed down
is this:

The original possessors of the soil in this part of the country were the
tribes of Cherokee and Chicasaw Indians. The country was explored as early
as 1745, by a company who had grants of land from the government, and
sett