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Introduction |
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hardwood trees, the largest, I believe, in the world. It was still at that time the property of the Morton Butler Lumber Company, for the Park Commission had not yet been able to effect a purchase. (Other lumber companies still operating in the Great Smokies at that time were the Kitchen Lumber Company, Little River Lumber Company, Montvale Lumber Company, and the Champion Fibre Company). Here are tulip trees (yellow poplar) eight to nine feet in diameter and seventy-five feet to the first limb. I saw a wild cherry tree that I believe to be about one hundred feet tall and three feet in diameter. The "Marion Poplar" is said to be the next largest tulip tree in the Smoky Mountains. It is about nine feet in diameter and takes its name, if I recall correctly, from Marion Creek which flows into Ekanetelee Creek at this point.
Ekanetelee Gap has not only the attraction of these huge monuments of the mountain; its floor is soft with pine needles and moss, while the cascades play along the creek. Many fine box-elders (calico) and cucumber (mountain magnolia) trees give a deep shade. One of the wonders of this place of wonders has almost been destroyed recently by that blind ignorance that sometimes accompanies any general order. Men were sent into the gap to clear the path. Now, by the side of the trail lies one of those moss-covered giants of the forest, a tulip tree. From this great fallen monarch had grown several birch trees and some hemlock, not to mention rhododendron bushes. The birch trees had reached perhaps the height of twenty-five feet. Many times had photographs been taken of this interesting sight. Now, I believe, at least one of these birch trees, a hemlock and some rhododendrons, all with their roots in this great fallen log, have been chopped down. It is hard to see the reason for this. The log lay well to the side of the trail. Surely the trees growing upon it would not interfere with the path. At least the trimming off of a few limbs, it seems, would have been sufficient.
As we neared Gregory Bald, the ascent of which I made two summers ago, 1 thought of the many stories told of "Uncle" Cheoah Gregory, the grandson of Russell Gregory, who gave his name to Gregory Bald, and the uncle of John Oliver. Though honest and upright, he was rough and sometimes vulgar in his language, but genial and loved his moonshine. Once many years ago in crossing a particularly rough ridge on the North Carolina side of the Smokies that gave him much difficulty and an irritating injury, he gave it a name which it bears to this day and can be found on the maps.
At another time "Uncle" Cheoah had imbibed considerable moonshine. |
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