The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-09-09
[ Vol. 25

all the shore of the main land was battle mented and
spired with hesc unoblainablc jewels ofuaturc aud
rs we brought field of view To include the utmost
RIM oi The Illuminated boundary OF the planet w..
could sal see them blazing III crowded battalios a.,
II were, through region of hundreds of miles. !p
ipct we could not conjecture where lI,s gorgeous
land of cnchaument terminated for as the rotary
motion of the planet bore these mountain submits
from our view, we became further remote from their
western boundary.
We were admonshed by this to lose no time
IN seeking the next proposed object of our search,
The i.angrrnns No. 81 which is almost within
the verge OF the libra,on in longitude and of which,
for this reason, Dr. lcrschcl entertained some sim
gular expectations.
After short delay in advancing The ohsers,infy
upon the levers, and in regulating the lens We found
our object and surveyed it. 1t was dark marrow
lake seventy miles long, bounded on the east. norm.
aud west, by red mountains of ,he same character
rs those surrounding the valley ofihe Unicorn from
which is distant to tie south west about 100 miles
This lake, like that valley, opens To the south upon
plain not more than ten miles wide, which is here
cnclrclcd 10y truly magnificent umphithcare of the
oitiost of lunar hills For semi-circle of six miles
these hills rivcn, from their brow to their vase
pcrpcndiculnrIy as the outer walls of the Coos-
cum nj Rome but here exhibiting the sublime al
ttude of at least two thousand feet, in one smooth
uHIIrokcn surface. How nature disposed Of the
u
know not but certain it is that there are no frag
mcnts of it left upon the plain, which +let7ity
without single prominence except biIlowy tract
oi woodland that runs IN many wild vagary o..
breadth and course To the margin of the lake. Tso
tremendous height an.l expansion of this pcrpct-
dcular mountain, with its bright crimson front, con-
trastcd with the fringe of forest its brow and Se
vcrdurc of The open plain beneath, filled our canvass
with landscape unsurpassed in unique grandeur by
any we had behcld. Our twenty five miles ;jers-
pcctiyc included this remarkable mountain the plain.
part of the lake and The last graduated submits
or the range of hills, by which the latter is nearly
surrounded We ardcntly wished that all the world
could view scene strangely grand, and our pulse
beat high with the hope of one day exhibiting ii to
our countrymcn IN some part of our native land
But we were at length compelled to destroy our pic
turc as whole, for the purpose of magnlyng its
parts for scicntiiick inspection. Our plane was of
course Immediately covered with the ruby front of
this mighty ampIthcarc, its tall figures, Icaping
cascades, and rugged cavcrns. As its almost inter-
mlnabc sweep was measured off upon tho cdnrnss,
we frequently long lines of some yellow metal,
hanging from the crcvccs the horizontal strata in
wild net work, straight pendant branches. We
of course concluded that this was virgin goid, and
) we had no assaymas,cr to prove the contrary. Or
searching the plain, over which we had observed tho
woods rowing in all the shapes of clouds in the SKY,
we were again delighted with The discovery of ami
, mails. The first observed was quadruped with nm
9 amazingly long neck, head like II sheep, bearing
two long spiral horns, white polished ivory, an!
standing in perpendicular parallel to each OTHER.
Its body ike that Of the deer, but its fore cr.
were most dsproporionalIy long and lis tail wIcl,
was very bushy and Of snowy whiicncss, curlc,I
high over its rump, aud hung two or three icet hr Ms
side. Its colors were bright bay aud white in brn-
died patches clearly defined, but of not regular form.
II was found only in pairs, III spaces bctween the
woods and VIC had no opportunity Of witnessing lis
speed or habits. But few minuics ONLY ,lansc,I
before three specimens of another animal nppragess
well known 10 us all that fairly laughed at the
recognition of familiar an acquaintance In so
distant land They were neither more nor les s
than three good large sheep, which would not I.ny.
disgraccd the farms of ieccs!crsrc or the sham
blcs Of Icadcnhall market. With the utmost ssr,;.<
tiny, We could find no mark of distinction betwerm
these and those of our native soil they had not
even the appendngc over the eyes, which | have,
described rs commn to lamar quudrupcds. prescn !
tly thay appeared in great numbers, and rednoii q
the lcn59S, found thcm IN ilocks over q gread
part Of the valley Imeed shy how desiro,is wsI
were of finding shepherds TO these Aocks aud cven|
a man with blue apron and rolled up sleeves, WON'T 1
have been n welcome sight to us, If fnot 10 the sheen
bui they fed in peace lords of their own pastures
without either protector or destroyer in human
shape.
- we ht Icllglh hppfoacNcu tile !crcl 0pcnlD.s ID
the lake, where the valley narrows to 4, mile ia
width, and displays scenery, ON both sides pict,,r
es1ue aud romantic beyond the powers of "a pres
description. Imagination, borne on the wings %
poetry, could alone gather SMILES to portray IN
wild suhlimity of this landscape, were dark beiic
moth crags stood over the brows of lofty precipiccs
rs if franpari in the sky AMI forests seemed sus
pended in mid alr.--On the eastern side there wa
one soaring crag, crested willrtrccs, Which hun
eyer I'm a curve Ike flrce-furIs of oo;i,i,. nrrI
and being Of a rich crimson color, its effect VII
most strange upon minds unaccustoned to the ns
sociation of such grandeur with such beauty. I'D
whilst gazing upon them in perspective of abo,
half Il mlle we were thrilled with asionishnirn,
perceive four successive flocas ofIarge winged ere,