Townsend's Diary January-May, 1865. 109
prietor, had our provisions cooked, and our clothing washed. The only objections we had to the place, was in regard to the sulphur water, which was the principal element which it afforded. It was not very disagreeable to the taste, but was exceedingly repulsive to the organs of smelling. It brought very forcibly to one's remem- brance some of the scenes of his "wild oats" days, when rotten eggs were distributed very loosely, and with little regard to the place where they fell. This water was very distasteful to us, and we managed after some time to get some from another spring which was more palatable.
i3th. Left Buffalo Springs this morning about 9 o'clock, and shortly after came to a Dr. Smith's, about two miles distant. Here the roads forked, one going to Rope Ferry across the James river, and the other leading over the Blue Ridge Mountains Robinson Gap. This caused quite a division of sentiment in oar party, one side being in favor of taking the Rope Ferry road, and the other inclin- ing to the Gap road. At one time permanent division of the party was threatened, neither side being willing to give up their opinions or their conflicting wishes. It was at length decided, however, by a vote of the party to go Robinson's Gap; we then proceeded on our journey, stopping for a resting spell near what was called "Pine Mountain Church," in the vicinity of which we obtained from a Mr. Jeffries a shoulder of bacon. Passing beyond this place about a half mile we crossed "Peddlar Creek," a very good sized stream which brought before us visions of mountain trout and pickerel. Several of the party threw in their lines and attempted to draw from this aquatic treasury the supplies necessary for our dinner. But on account of the rapid flow of this little stream and our lack of the "tight line sinkers" for such waters, this attempt to kidnap some of the finny tribe met with no success. Passing from this place we shortly after arrived, at Mr. Samuel Richardson's, whose wife treated us very kindly, offering to provide dinner for the party, and when we declined putting her to that trouble, furnished us with about thirty pounds of flour, some sorghum and bacon. Passing on we commenced the ascent of a very steep and rugged road which led over some very high hills which prefaced the way to Robin- son's Gap; when within a mile of the Gap we obtained some meal from a lady. At length we entered the Gap, and of all the rocky roads that it was ever my fortune to travel this surpassed the com- bination of them; huge boulders would be found now and then
