The Arkansas advocate., 1835-03-06

general appearance of prosperity through out the whole State--with the neatness ot its farms, the intelligence and hospitality ol its inhabitants. Proud of their descent from the sons of sOld Virginia and Ken lucky or themselves natives of one or the other Of these States, most Of them have much oi the chvalrous, open and hospilable nature which belongs generally to the sons of the Old Dominion and Old Kentuck l love western man. There Is so much open, brief, oh-hand kindness-so much genuine honesty, excellence of heart, and steadiness of purpose in them, that they al- ways claim from him who knows them well, the utmost affection and respect. You, who have never Jeff the shores of the Allan tic, cannot appreciate, you know nothing about their character. Perhaps, reader, before we part, may attempt to make you acquainted with some of them.
 Ii was in Missouri that first saw prai- Tie of any extent. There is no sight on which the broad sun looks, that Is more beautiful and more magnificent. You emerge from deep, heavy body of timber, of that solid, massy, continuous greenness, that we never see ln the east, and you gaze upon q broad, undulating plan, covered with grass mingled with h8wers ot the most gaudy -coloars-extending away--away-- north, south, and west--wsth here and there a long line of timber on the edge of some water course, or q seitary grove standing like a lone castle iii the garden-llke green ness around 1t. Let not the reader ina- gme. however, that there Is Ill these praries any of that illInitabie extent of Vision winch he has upon the ocean. By no means. The horizon is rather limited, because the prairie is generally succession of long, undulating, swelling ridges-and in travel ling over them you are like one riding over the long, heavy swells of the sea at one momen; you see only to the summit of the next ridge, aud at the next you have broad sea of thousand colours before you.
 Ii was in these prairies that We saw in its utmost perfection the mirage, which after ward, when was hungefing and thirsting, deceived me often with the empty promise Of water. In the prairies in Missouri you may see 1t every day when the sun shines, and most beautiful II Is. You will see, far ahead, upon long ridge, running flame, and smoke, as though the grass on the ridge were burning. It will curl, and wave. aud float tip spirally and quiver, till the de ception Is perfect-and then Ii will vanish and down below in the hollow you may per ceive broad, ripping lake of water, or on the ridge thick. green grove of trees promising shelter and fire for the night. The illusion is perfect so perfect that would have wagered any sum that the first of these unreal phantom groves which saw was real, good, bo4la fde bunch oi trees.
 I missed in these prairies the brilliant sunrise and the gorgeous twilight of New England. In the prairie there is little of the splendor which you see in both, in that lanc of the brave and free. On the tall noun tains of the Del No.te have often watched bthe sun 20 down, and the thick clouds that enyeloped him rise in thin feeces up into the dark blue heaven, and assume all the colors which in New England float out oI the heart of the dying sun-but in the pral- rie there IS little of this. The sun rises with little brilliance, and he sinks into his temporary grave with small portion oi that varied glory with which the country o my birth accompanies his set. Still sum- rise is a stirring and beautiful sight even III the prairie. You lie down, with d broad bed of grass and flowers beneath you, and the pure dew bathing your forehead during the night. Day light spreads over the heaven, and you awake-you dash youi l hands in the grass, and with the dew you wash yourself--you are on your horse and then up comes the sun-broad, bright, and like sphere of white fire unaceom- panied with the gorgeous heralding of the coloured clouds. He sets i'll his own sim pie and stern majesty--the king otheaven No pompous heraldry announces his death 10 the eartts below-but he sinks to- hls grave like u warrior, silently and m auie canness. You see no flushing of the sky 1 mo piling together of the red clouds-ilnc vet there is something Indescribably grano in a sunset on the praifies of Missouri. Il has always seemed to me like the bural o a conqueror--in his naked, simple glory undirged ungloried-burled with hls oWI grandeur, and 1t alone, about hlm-ano then if from some simple cottage--hali nc in the green prairie, you hear the tones of lonely flute ringing over the Plalf which IS almost desert, the charm IS com plete.
 The whole of our company did not trave together from St. Louis to Independence 1 There were something like fifteen oi us to
 gether for the first two thirds of the way men from every corner of the nation' alie some from other and more distant coun
 tries. For example, there were three of Us Yankees from Massachusetts s-there were