On Horseback

In Short

This travel narrative chronicles a horseback expedition taken by two literate companions—the Professor and his friend—through the rugged terrain of southwest Virginia, western North Carolina, and East Tennessee. As they traverse roaring rivers, high mountain peaks, and isolated settlements, they encounter striking natural beauty alongside severe frontier hardships, including barren farmsteads, indifferent regional cuisine, and primitive infrastructure. Balancing sharp social observation with humorous philosophical reflections, the book endures as a vivid, unvarnished portrait of post-war Appalachian life, capturing a vanishing landscape defined by resilient mountain people and untouched wilderness.

The Story

The journey opens in the ancient Virginia town of Abingdon, where the Professor displays his equestrian mastery before the travelers set out southward into the rugged frontier. Crossing the swift currents of the Holston River, they plunge into a region lacking bridges and dependable infrastructure. Their romantic notions of plantation hospitality are quickly tested at Ramsey's, where they find a humble log house and a weary community. Moving deeper into the mountains, they endure punishing roads, chronic food shortages where hens take vacations and corn crops fail, and meals of greasy pork, slack-baked biscuits, and heavy pie.

As they traverse Johnson County, Tennessee, they encounter political apathy among local drovers, before climbing through Three Top Creek to the disappointing outpost of Elk Cross Roads. Pressing onward to Banner's Elk and Cranberry Forge, the travelers discover that the region's natural beauty must compensate for its meager hospitality. The Professor, who maintains a strict philosophical principle against climbing mountains, is forced to surrender when they confront the massive ridge of Roan. Ascending its balsam-crowned summit, they experience the unique thin air and melancholy grandeur of high altitudes before descending into Bakersville, the bustling center of mica mining.

In Bakersville, a momentary crisis occurs when the Friend loses his crocodile-skin purse. A public drama unfolds in the town square, where local resident David Thomas clears up the mystery, revealing a profound sense of community honor that contrasts sharply with northern urban detachment. The travelers then push on to Burnsville, where they meet the legendary Big Tom Wilson. This spare, blue-eyed hunter embodies the frontier spirit, entertaining them with endless bear stories and recounting the tragic history of Professor Mitchell, who perished on the nearby peak that now bears his name.

Continuing their descent, they stay at Widow Patten's before arriving in the lively town of Asheville, where they observe evening street life, bridal couples, and charitable lawn parties. Seeking technical marvels, they travel by rail to view the breathtaking engineering of the Swannanoa Gap descent to Round Nob, where a colossal fountain pierces the ravine. Skirting Bald Mountain—famous for its local tremors and literary connections—they push northward past Paint Rock, crossing the boundary back into Tennessee. After negotiating more unaccommodating lodging and rustic characters, the journey concludes in the dual-state town of Bristol. Here, surrounded by decaying mills and old railway advertisements, the travelers bring their long equestrian adventure to a close, having mapped both a physical landscape and a vanishing way of life.

How It Unfolds

The departure from Abingdon: The journey starts in the historic Virginia town of Abingdon, where the learned Professor displays his equestrian skills amid leisurely street observers. The pair sets out southward toward the bridgeless valleys of the upper Tennessee river system with high expectations of rustic charm.

Frontier trials and meager fare: Navigating swift river currents and barren farmsteads, the travelers quickly discover that rural hospitality offers more natural beauty than edible comfort. Remote homesteads provide a steady diet of greasy pork, slack-baked biscuits, and heavy dough pies that severely test their patience.

The surrender at Roan Mountain: Despite the Professor’s steadfast philosophical principle against ascending mountains, the towering heights of Roan force him into an inevitable capitulation. They brave the steep, stony trails to experience the bleak grandeur of the balsam-crowned summit and its thin mountain air.

The lost purse in Bakersville: Arriving at the mica-mining hub of Bakersville, the travelers experience a test of local ethics when a leather purse mysteriously vanishes. A public gathering in the town square and a calm interrogation by David Thomas reveal a deep-seated regional integrity that surprises the visitors.

The encounter with Big Tom Wilson: At Burnsville, the travelers meet Big Tom, a legendary local hunter whose quiet dignity and endless bear-hunting tales evoke Cooper’s Leather-Stocking. He shares stories of mountain wilderness and recounts the tragic fate of Professor Mitchell, who perished on the nearby peak.

Railroad marvels at Round Nob: The expedition reaches a mechanical climax as the travelers witness the dizzying loops of the railway descending Swannanoa Gap. They marvel at a towering mountain fountain and a picturesque hotel nestled at the bottom of the ravine.

The final crossing to Bristol: Skirting the shaking tremors of Bald Mountain and passing the crumbling cliffs of Paint Rock, the travelers cross back into Tennessee. The journey terminates in the dual-state town of Bristol, where decaying industrial relics and old railway bills mark the end of their trail.

The People

The central figures of the journey are driven by distinct personal motives, facing hurdles that test their endurance and character. The Professor desires intellectual enrichment and political reform, but his rigid aversion to physical exertion and mountain climbing stands firmly in his way. Thwarted by towering peaks and wretched roads, he ultimately compromises his consistency and self-respect by surrendering to the climb up Roan Mountain. The Friend, acting as the narrator, seeks an authentic exploration of the frontier, though he is constantly harassed by terrible food, exhaustion, and the sudden loss of his crocodile-skin purse. He emerges from these trials with a deepened appreciation for the rugged landscape and its inhabitants. David Thomas wants to preserve the moral reputation of Mitchell County when the Friend’s purse goes missing; standing before a curious crowd, he successfully navigates the public inquiry, proving local integrity and vindicating his community's honor. Big Tom Wilson seeks only to live his simple, independent life amid the wilderness, waging a lifelong, unvindictive war against bears. Facing the harsh hazards of the high country with unmatched physical endurance, Big Tom remains entirely unchanged by the visitors—a living embodiment of Cooper’s Leather-Stocking who views the changing world with serene detachment.

In Its Own Voice

Before setting off on their arduous expedition, the Professor offers a practical demonstration of equestrian technique.

“The way to mount a horse is to grasp the mane with the left hand holding the bridle-rein, put your left foot in the stirrup, with the right hand on the back of the saddle, and---”

Weary from navigating rocky creek beds on an empty stomach, the Professor laments the lack of substantial sustenance amidst the scenery.

“How lovely this would be,” exclaimed the Professor, if it had a background of beefsteak and coffee!

Plunged into profound melancholy after violating his principle against mountain climbing, the Professor recites verse to mourn his lost consistency.

“Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day, And make me travel forth without my cloak, To let base clouds o'ertake me in my way, Hiding thy bravery in their rotten smoke?”

What It's Really About

Beneath its facade of travelogue humor, the book examines the uneasy collision between modern industrial civilization and a remote, isolated American frontier. It questions whether natural grandeur can truly sustain the human spirit when basic infrastructure, sanitation, and nutrition are entirely absent. The narrative contrasts the progressive ideals of Northern reformers with the political apathy and traditional rhythms of mountain life, where federal politics feel utterly distant and neighborhood honor matters above all. Furthermore, it explores how post-war Southern culture preserves its leisurely habits and historical memory amidst widespread economic stagnation, questioning the true cost of regional isolation and the durability of human character when tested by daily physical hardship.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers who appreciate witty travel writing, historical exploration, and sharp social observation will find much to admire in this charming expedition across the post-war South. Reading it feels like joining an intelligent, wry companion on a grueling saddle ride, balancing moments of poetic landscape appreciation with dry, humorous complaints about terrible beds, indifferent lodging, and greasy pork. However, contemporary audiences must approach the work with honesty regarding its period difficulties, including occasional archaic dialect spellings, casual nineteenth-century racial attitudes toward local African Americans, and the slow, meandering pace inherent to horse-drawn travel through isolated terrain. What stays with you long after closing the book is not merely the breathtaking vistas of rhododendron-choked creeks and high balsam mountain peaks, but the unforgettable human vignettes—from the pragmatic mountain drovers and weary homesteaders to the legendary, Leather-Stocking-esque figure of Big Tom Wilson. It remains a deeply rewarding excursion for any reader willing to endure bad biscuits and primitive roads for the sake of authentic historical atmosphere, regional texture, and timeless literary wit.