"The Reid, Christian 1846-1920 creator Sheppard, William Ludwell 1833-1912 text utu 2025 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "The Land of the Sky; or, Adventures in Mountain By-Ways" by Christian Reid is a travel narrative written in the late 19th century. It follows a lively party—an observant female narrator, her spirited sister Sylvia, their formidable Aunt Markham, and companions Eric, Charley, and Rupert—on a summer ramble across the Blue Ridge into Western North Carolina. Expect exuberant nature writing, local color, and light romantic and social comedy woven through stagecoach jolts, mountain climbs, and spa-town encounters in and around Asheville. At the start of the narrative, the family debates how to reach the mountains, finally sending their carriage and horses one way while they take the railroad to Old Fort and a stage over Swannanoa Gap with famed driver John Pence. After a brace breaks and a tunnel-side pause, they ascend through streams, laurel, and precipices to a glorious summit view, then descend by moonlight along the Swannanoa to arrive in Asheville. The next day brings bright surveys of the hilltop town, a chance meeting with the charming Creole siblings Adèle and Victor Dupont, a detour to the French Broad and Deaver’s Springs for sulphur water, and a sunset-and-moonrise rapture atop Beaucatcher, followed by Victor’s music at the hotel. At dawn Sylvia and Victor ride back to Beaucatcher to witness a sea of mist at sunrise, then explore the Swannanoa valley; later, fording the river on an afternoon ride, they encounter Ralph Lanier—an ardent acquaintance—hinting that romantic entanglements will accompany the scenic touring. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_of_the_Sky Release date is 2025-08-17 Elizabeth Steere (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.) Originally published: New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1875 North Carolina -- Fiction Great Smoky Mountains (N.C. and Tenn.) -- Fiction PS New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1875 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008405169 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76690 https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008405169 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76690 UtSlPG 260607 20260610134756.0 76690