Tom Moses’ Trips – West Virginia, 1885
“Another long tramp into the wilderness brought us to the head of the north branch of the Potomac, a spring as little known as the source of the River Nile. We tramped through jungles. Forded streams and climbed precipices until I gave out and had to rest and take the good-natured jibes of [Henry C.]Tryon and [John H.] Young.
After a good rest, in which my tramping friends participated, we pushed onto the Potomac. It is a narrow powerful stream; a number of cataracts, in a series of eleven bold leaps, are a shining flood down the mountain side; gloomy chasms open from either side, dense, dark laurel thickets choke every approach, but through all the vigorous, bright stream leaps and shouts with a mad joy as it forces, its way on to the ocean. In the early spring this stream must be very powerful as is indicates by the amount of good-sized logs and debris of all kinds piled up on the banks, at present out of reach of the water which, at this season of year, is clear and cold.
The trout are never molested unless there is a big dinner in sight. Had we had the time we could have made some very good sketches, but in place of sitting down for that we wearily traced our steps. The sun had set and the air was cooling rapidly.
What a surprise awaited us at the hotel! The trout had been molested and a big dish of them was ready for us, with side dishes of venison. It would not be to my credit to tell how many we three ate. The following day we rested and late in the afternoon, we had the engineer take us back to Schell. We received a hearty welcome from all, even from Murphy, and were told the latest news. A firm of Tanners were going to a mill at Davis to cut, grind and pack hemlock bark to be used in tanning leather and to cut trees into lumber. All this would put a lot of sawdust in the river, kill the fish and ruin virgin forests. It will also bring a number of men in to the wilderness – the type that will make “Moonshine Stilling” more profitable. A summer hotel is also contemplated for Davis and the West Maryland Road (called “The Senatorial Railroad”) will be put through to Elkins. The next time we go to Davis and the wilderness we will have to wear a coat to dinner and tip the waiter.
Several more sketches were added to our collections. While I was making one I was compelled to set my easel in the water, my stool was partly in the water, but my feet were dry. I was along, half dreaming, viewing the big subject before me when I was suddenly aroused by a girl’s loud laughter. I could not make out from whence it came as I had not discovered any worn path or trail with the exception of a large log which lay across the brook. This was hewn flat on the top, but it did not seem to lead to any path. I soon saw two young girl’s coming through the jungle and heading for the hewn log which was large enough for a horse to cross. The undiscovered path from the far end of the log must have led to some settlement back in the wilderness. As soon as the girls discovered me laughter ceased. One was a typical mountaineer while the other was from some city or small town. The mountain girl had neither shoes nor stockings and no head covering; a simple calico dress was her make-up. The city girl was nicely dressed – shoes, stockings and hat. They were rather shy but I spoke pleasantly to them and they ventured near enough to see what I was doing.
As they wanted to cross the Blackwater I walked down to the boat and rowed them across, then went back to my painting. In the solitude of the woods I dislike very much being disturbed as, in this case, I seem to lose the feeling with which I was inspired at the beginning of the sketch, to the extent that I do not get the same result that I do when I hear no human voice, nothing but the many noises of the woods.”
