Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1838-08-25

THE EprToR AHRoAD.-Nearly mile above
Watersi ille Isl place, known by the old French
settlers by the name of "Roche-debout," or
ssstanding rock" name probably suggested
by small rocky islet in the river, or by the
hi gh rock bluff that forms, for some distance,
the bank Of the stream. At this place the
Maumee expands to nearly double its regular
width, and embraces most beautiful island of
more than mi le in length, part of which is
clothed with the heavy forest, while the remain
der is improved into rich and luxuriant farm,
waving with corn-felds or yellow with gol-
den harvest. Standing on the rocky promonto-
~ formed by sudden turn of the river, with
the whole prospect in front-the wide and gilt
tering river with its lofty banks laid out IN
fine farms, or clothed with the still untouched
growth ofuntold centuries, with the island in
all the varied richness of vegetable production,
eloping down to the river and dipping the long
arms of towering sycamores in the current,
the smoke of the dwellings hidden in the
woods, rising in the distance and the little
Village of Milton upon the opposite bank, a
short distance below, with its neatly painted
houses and shops, and view is presented TO
the eye, such as can be found in few places in
this or any other country. Roch-debout is a
place of some notoriety In the frontier wars
of the country, being the point at which the
army under General Wayne rested for several
days, pending the negotiations which preceded
the celebrated battle at Presque Isle. A few
mounds, the only remains of small fortiica-
ton then called " Fort Recovery" are yet to
be seen. The Wabash and Erie canal, at this
place is cut down into the rock for several
feet, and large ramparts of rock are thrown up
on each side Of the excavation, seeming in
volume sufficient to fill two or three such
canals.
Passing up the river, the canal, for some dis
tance is built upon the very edge of its bank
and the earth from the excavation is thrown
over and falls into the river, forming precipi-
tous bank between the two channels. Little
villages Of shantees, filled with laborers and
their families nestle in the edge Of the woods,
while scores of half naked, tow headed urch-
ins play all sorts of antics by the ay-side.
Tpe everlasting G grocery" forms a conspiou-
ous object in these villages, and bands Of squal-
lid blear-eyed Irish rowdies, with here and
there solitary Indian luxuriating in all the
grandeur and pomposity of Indian drunkenness
cluster around the doors. II is said by some,
that whiskey cannot be dispensed with by the
employers of Irish, and that, Sin families
where there is no milk. it is an indispensable
article. One thing is certain, there is always
plenty of the mountain dew" used among
them, and as for cleanliness the answer of the
Dutchman who when ienquired of as to his age
replied pees dirtyand mine vrow pc dirty t,oo,
would with few exceptions apply to the whole
sett.
The things Of this world, how they " push
along and keep moving" The march--the
race-the flight is onward, and lightning is the
model of speed. A railroad car descending a
mountain by an inclined plane, when "al
clear" IL the word, and the breaks are taken
from the wheels, 10 our emblem. Let hei
slls.e and yet all goes easy, though swift and
safe, though at a crack-neck pace. Nobody's
hoad swims, at least, since specializing times
are over, and all are delighted with the speed
Of the race. Twenty years ago, solitary
steamboat threw its pale light upon the wave.
Of Lake Erie, as nightly it pursued Its lonely
course over that waste of waters. The Indiar
started from his slumbers when the roaring o
the steam met his ears, as she swung arount
q her anchorage, for harbor there was none
nor resting place from the tempest. Yet wha
a progeny has that single vessel left. Fifty al
the third generation, and the duplication is in
progression geometrical. Then Cinton's big
ditch was scoffed at, now ten millions of dol.
lafs are appropriated to render it sufficiently
capacious to meet the enlarged wants of the
community. Then, Ohio was just dug up, af.
ter 2 slespof centuries, and new race, more
industrious than those whose remains are oil
every bill andenc;rcle every valley, walked ii
and took possession. A canal, second only t.
that great work Of Clinton, was begun and fin
iahed, and now the great masterpiece of inter
ual communication is in progress. The Wa
bash and Erie canal, the grand trunk Of a thou
sand miles of tributary artificial canal, AM
opening together the two grandest systems o
nstnral intercolnmunication in the world is ii
progress.
Miltonville is upon the south side ofthe Mau
slaee, abont midway between Wateryile un'
Roehe-debout. II was commenced two o
three years agc, and now offers very fair dis