Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled During Her Visit Among the "Pennsylvania Germans"Thomas, Edith May Bertels
General
Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled During Her Visit Among the "Pennsylvania Germans"
Thomas, Edith May Bertels
Cookbooks; Cooking -- Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania -- Social life and customs; Pennsylvania Dutch
"The name Narrows is derived from the fact that at this place the
Delaware River has forced itself through the rocky barrier," continued
the Professor, "hedged in on one side by cliffs of perpendicular rock,
three hundred feet high, extending some distance along the river,
leaving scarcely room at some places for the river and the canal. Some
quite rare plants grow here, said to be found in few other localities
in the United States. You see the highest flat rock along the Narrows?
It is called 'Top Rock' and rises to a height of more than three
hundred feet. We shall drive around within a short distance of it;
then, after passing a small house, we are obliged to walk across a
field of ploughed ground; follow the well-beaten path between trees
and undergrowth, and 'Top Rock' is before us. Stepping upon the high
ledge of rock projecting out over the road beneath, we discover it may
also be reached by following a precipitous path and clinging to bushes
and trees, but none of the party venture. Recently the body of a man
who had been searching for rare birds' eggs on the side of this
self-same rock was found dead on the path below the rocks. What caused
his fall is not known. No wonder Aunt Sarah says it makes her dizzy
when you boys skip stones across the river while standing on the
rock."
The beautiful view of the Delaware River and the scenery on the
opposite side was something long to be remembered. While the party
were going into raptures over the beautiful sight, Professor Schmidt
turned to Mary and remarked: "In those rocks which rise in
perpendicular bluffs, several hundred feet above the level of the
river, are evidence that prehistoric man may have inhabited the caves
in these same walls of rock along the Delaware. From implements and
weapons found, it does not require any great effort of imagination to
believe the 'Cave Man' dwelt here many centuries ago."
Fritz Schmidt was much interested in his father's conversation, and
from that time on called Ralph Jackson Mary's "Cave Man."
Leaving Top Rock, the party wended their way back to the waiting
carriages in the road, and drove to the "Ringing or Musical Rocks."
They had been informed that their nearest approach to the rocks was to
drive into the woods to reach them. Passing a small shanty at the
roadside, where a sign informed the passerby that soft drinks were to
be obtained, the party dismounted and found, to their surprise, a
small pavilion had been erected with bench, table and numerous seats
composed of boards laid across logs, where camp meetings had formerly
been held. As the large trees furnished shade, and a spring of fresh
water was near by, they decided to "strike" camp and have lunch before
going farther into the woods.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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