The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-09-09

TO the annular mountain have just described, w0s
suppose, the dark appearance of the Valley which
II cncoses, and which, to a more distant view Than
we obtained certainly exhibits the general aspect of
the waters upon tins planet. The surrounding
country Is fertile 10 excess between this circle and
No. , (Endymon) which we proposed first 10 cX
anime, counted not less than twelve luxuranl TO-
rests, divided by open plains, which waved IN an
ocean of verdure; and were probably praircs like
those of North America. In three of these we dis
covered numerous herds of qundrupeds similar to
our friends the hlsons IN the Valley of the Unicorn,
but of much larger size and scarcely n piece of
woodland occurred in our panorama which did not
dazzlcsour vision with tocks of white or red birds
upon the wing.
AT length we carefully explored The Endymion,
We found each of the three ovals volcanrck and
sterile within; but, without most rich, throughout
the level regions around them, in eyerySmngmable
production of n bountcous soil DR. licrsohel has
classified not less Than thirty eight species of forest
trees, and nearly twice their number ofplans, found
in this tract alone, which are widely different 20
those found in moro equatorial latitudos. OF AMI
mails, he classified nine species of mammala, and
five of ovpara. Among the former is n small kind
of reindeer, the elk, the moose, the horned bear
and the bpcd beaver The last resembles the bca-
yer of the earth III every other respect than IN ITS
destltution of n TAIL aud its nvarlabc habit of walk
ing only upon two feet Ii carries It's young III It's
arms like IL human being and moves with an easy
gliding motion. It's huls are constructed better and
higher than those of many iibes of human savagcs,
md from the appearance of smoke in nearly all oi
them, there is no doubt of its being acquainted with
the of fire! Still its head aud body differ only
in the points stated from that of the beaver aud it
was never seen except on the borders of lakes and
rivers in which it has been observed to immcrso for
period of several seconds
" Thirty degrees further south, in No. IL or
CleomcdCs, an immense annular mountain, contnIn-
ing three distinct cratcrs which have been so long
cxlinguished that the whole valley around them,
which is eleven miles in extent, is dcnscy crowded
with woods nearly to tire SUBMITS of the hills. Not
Il rod Of vacant land except the tops of these cri-
crs, could be described and no living creature cy-
ccpt n large white bird resembling the stork. At
the southern extremity of this valley is IA natural
archway or caycra, 300 feet high and 100 wide,
through which n river that discharges ltsell
over prccpcc of grey rock 50 feet in depth, and
then forms IA branching stream through beautiful
campaign district for many miles. Within twenty
miles of this cntaract is the largest lake rather
inland sea- that has been found throughout the sew
en- and a half millions of square miles which tins
Illuminated side OF the moon contains. Its width
from east to west, is l9S miles and from north tc
soath 266 miles. Its shape, to the northward, i
not unlike that Of the bay of Bengal, aud II is stud
dcd with small Islands, most of which are volcanic
Two ofthesc, on the eastern side, arc now Violent
cruptivc but our lowest magniying power to-
great to examine them conveniently, on account q
the cloud of smoke and ashes which becouded on
field of view seen by Lieut.. DrumInond, through
our rcllccog telescope of 2DOD times, they exhibit
cd great brllancy. In bay, on tho western side
of this sea, in an island jj miles long, Of crescent
for n, crowded through IFS entire sweep with tho
most superb aud wonderful natural beauties, both
Of We cgetation aud geology Its hills are plnnacIcd
with tall quartz crystas, of so rich yellow and
orange hue that we at first supposed them TO be
pointed flames of fire aud they sprung up thus
from smooth round brows of hills which are covered
rs with velvet mantle. Even III the enchanting
little valleys Of this winding island coull often
see these splendid natural spires, mounting in the
midst Of deep green woods, like church secples III
the Wales of Wesmorand. We here first noticed
the lunar balm tree, which differs from that OF oui
tropical Iaiudcs only in the peculiarly of very large
cri.Hson flowers instead ofthc spadx protrudcd from
the common caly We, however, perceived 40
fruit on any specimens we saw circumstances
which we attempted to account for from the great
(thcOrctica) extremes in the lunar climate. On a
curious kind of trcc-mcon VIC nevertheless saw fruit
in great abundance, and in every stage OF inception
and maturity The general color of these woods
was dark green, though not without occasional
admxturcs Of every tint of forest seasons.1 nc
hectic flush Of autumn was often seen kIndlcd upon
the check of earliest spring and the gay drapery
Of SUMNER in some places surrounded trees lealess
as the victims Of winter II seemed if all the sea-
sons here united hands in u circle Of perpetual har-
mony. OF animals we saw only an elegant striped
quldrupcd about three feet high, like miniature
Zebra; which was always in small herds on the
grecnsward Of the hills and two or three kinds oil
long tailed birds which we Judged to be golden and
blue pheasanis. On the shores, how@cr, we saw
countless mutudcs Of unvaIye shell fish, among
them some large fiat ones which Nil three Of my as
socates declared 10 be cOrnu anmonr, and con-
fcss was here compelled 70 abandon my sceptcal
substitution of pebbles. The cliffs all along these
shores were deeply undermined by tides; they were
very caycrnous aud yellow crystal stalaciltes larger
than a mans thigh were shooting forth on all sides.
Indeed every rood of this island appeared TO be