Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-09-28

ACuCC, VIII lOL ldlt St1OFL OF . lnllIlONS.
If either New York, Baltimore, OF
Philadelphia, were able to supply all
the foreign goods the wants of the west
would require, the whole ofthcm would
be unable furnish aaif-tettHiCaf means OF
transportation for the surplus products.
All the lines of communication now in
contemplation, if completed, would be
insufficient to do it at the present time.
But each of these cities may secure to
themselves sufficient share Of our vast
trade, to realize their fondest hopes.
| ATTACHMENT OF A SWALLOW
The cliff swallow is not, we believe, a
regular sojourner in these parts. His
visits are believed to be only occasion
al-few and far between. At any rate,
we are informed that he has no regular
haunts. The farm, that he gladdens
this year, may not be again cheered by
his presence for many coming seasons.
We have, an excellent anecdote to tell
of pair of these interesting birds. 1t
was related to us, ifnot by an eye wit
ness, by one who received it from an
Iundoubted source. These birds, as do
nearly all the birds of this latitude, take
their departure hence for warmer skies.
Several years since, a large number of
them had their nests built upon barn
in the south part Of Decrield. At the
usual period, their northern dwellings
were abandoned, and the tribe took it's
flight for the tropics.
After time, solitary individual
was observed lingering among the for
saken inhabitants. Various conjectures
were started to account for his larry
ing. Itmightbe, that he had not strength
enough for so distant an expedition, or
he might have been accidentally left
behind in the general emigration, and
feared to encounter the perils of the
Journey alone. The autumn passed "a
way, and still that solitary stranger re-
iin1ained. Drawing the frosts and the pei
ting of the storms of winter. Spring
came, and yet he was there. An oc
currence so singular and contrary to
the habits Of the emigrating tribes, caus-
ed his motionsto be watched with more
attention. At length, another head was
observed pro.ruded from one of the
nests, which seemed to be the particu
lar abode of the bird which had been
marked with so much interest. On ex-
aminng the nest, the mystery was beau
ltifully solved.
Another swallow was found there a
prisoner. One Of his legs had become
entangled by thread or horse hair,
which had been used in the lining Of
the nest, and held it there captive.
Yet it was not deserted by its faithful
mate. Through all the long and drea-
ry winter, his patient, self-devoting
love, supplied her wants. He saw,
without regret, but for his hapless con-
sort, the deepening gloom of the fading
year; he felt, without feeling, but for
/ her, the advancing rigor of winter, and
| if he, at times, remembered the sunny
skies Of the south, and the pleasures his
tribe were then enjoying, it was only
to sigh that she couIdnotpartake them.
BY night and by day, in sunshine and
in cloud, in the calm and the tempest,
he was with her, ministering to her
wants, and cheering the hours of her
hopeless captivity by his caresses, and
untiring devotion. Now do you sup
pose that the vulturs is capable Of such
heroic constancy and generous self-sa-
crifce. Or did you ever hear any thing
like this unauthenticated of the feather
less vulture, the "0ninsaI bibes I'M
plvme?" Instinct Is wonderful thing,
and perhaps the noblest characteristics
of humanity are nothing more than in
stincts. But what is instinct? is an in
quiry, not to be pursued at the tail Of
story about swallows.
Greenfield advertiser.