The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-04-01

/ talns rises the branches of the ouqhiuneny
river. Tie surrounding country is fsrijl,
and woody, and presents strong atiracliaq.
| Tor the sportsman, as does also tie river.
which ab0uads III fish These we're the
principal considerations which induced me
n the autumn Of the year 1879, tn ramllc
| forth with my dog and gun amid nninhabi-
! ted solltades almost unknown 10 Human
loo'strfs, and where nothing is heard hut
The rush of wind aud roar of waters. On
The second day after my departure from
homo, pursuing my amusement on The
hanks ofthe rlNef, Glanced IL hehod n
small boat, fastened by a rope of twisted
grass In the bank of the stream. exam
lncd il, aud finding it in good condi-
dillon, detcrmined In embrace The
opportunity thu presented ltsrf of extend
ing my sport, and my fishing tackle was
put IN requstion | entered the dimnu-
tive vessel Notwithstanding the rcmonstran-
ccs Of my four footed companion, who. by
his barking, whinin aud DELAY in coming
on board, seemed 10 entertain manifold
objections TO the conS vance by watrr-a
circumstance which somewhat surprised
me. Al last, however, his sernples being
overcome, he entered INTO the boat and we
rowed oil.
My success fully equalled my expecta-
tons, and evening overlook me before
thought of desistng from my employment
But there We're attractions 10 a lover of
nature which forbade my leaving the cle-
ment ON which was gliding along
have mentioned that it was autumn Inn
meGse masses of trees, whose fded leaves
have hung trembling from the branches,
ready IL be borne away by the next gust,
spread their dark brown boundary ON eve
ry SIDE. Tome this time of the year is
indescrlbably beautiful. love to dwell
upon those sad aud melancholy associa-
lions That suggest themselves To the mind,
when nature IN her garb of decay presents
hersclto the eye; il reminds us, that hu.
man pride and human happiness, like the
pefishin9 things around us, are Fastening
rapidly on 10 their decline that spring of
life flies that summer Of manhood pass
eth away, and that the autumn of om rXis
tcnce fingers bat a moment Tor the winter
of death which shall clc.e it forever. The
light winds that blew over the waters curl
ed It's surface in waves that, breaking as
they fell, dashed their sparkling foam a
round. The sun was sinking behind the
mountnins in the vest and shone from a
midst the surrounding clouds. Ills last
ray giittered on thu waters, aud tingcd
with a mellow sombre uslre the numbered
foliage of the trees. The whole scene
speLr of peace aud tranquildty aud |
envy not the bosom Of that man who could
gaze upon il with one mholy thought, or
let one c,iI feeling intrude upon his mcdi-
tations. As proceeded, the beauty of the
surrounding objects increased. Immense
oaks twisted about their gigantic branches
covered with moss ; lofty eytrgterns cX-
banded Their dark aud gloomy tops, aud
smaller treess, and thick shrubs, filed up
the spaces between the larger trunks, 50 as
TO form an almost impervious mass of
wood and foliage. As the evening advanced,
imag nation took aNider range and added
To the natural embellishments. The OBJ
scure outline of the surrounding forests
assumed grotrsqac forms, and fancy WAS
busy in invcn,ing improbabilllrs, and clo-
thing each il-delined object in her own
fairy guiscs. The blasted and lealess
trunk of a lightning sralhed pine would as
sumo the form of some hundred headed
giant about To hurl destruction on the
weaker fashionings of nature. As the mo-
ton of the boat varied, the point of the OBJ
Iects would change their figure, which a.
gain, from the same cause, would give way
to another, in all the endless variety OF
lights and distances. Distant castles, chi
Nallic knights, captive damscis and attCn-
dants, dWarfs and squlres, with their CON
contant monsters, grllins, dragons, aud
all the creations of lomancc, were c0nlured
up by the fairy wand of Phantasy. On Il
sudden the moon burst forth in all her sill
very lustrr, and the sight Of the reality eff
fectuaily hanishad all less substantial vi
sion5. Thin transparent clouds, 50 hghf
and fragile that thry seemed scarce to af-
ford a resting place for the moon beams
that tremblcd onihcm, glidcd along the sky,
the dcnser masses that skirted the horizon
We're fringed with the radiance while ri
sing above them, the evening star twinklrd
with its solitary rays. | could not be said
To feel pleasure it was rapture that throb-
bed in my heart at thcylew my cares, my
plans, my very existence, We're forgotten
in the food of intense emotions that over
whelmed me- al thus bchOldlng IN their
pride of loyei,ness the works of the crea-
ting spirit
In the mean fine the boat sailed rapidly
UPWARDS, with u velocity so much incrras-
ed that it awakened my attention. This,
however, | attributed To rather strong
breeze that had sprung up. My dog, who
had since his entrance into the boat lain