The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-23
PILOT & TRANSCRIPT.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER %.
From the Cleveland Herald.
THE THOUSAND ISLANDS.
RIVER ST. LAWRENCE, NOVEMBER, 49,

L j
unriValled in Americ for quiet beauty and pic
turesque effect Although itpartakes not OF the
sublimity and grandeur of Niagara and the
Sault de StMarie; yet there is a charm and ro-
nance about it, which steals over the senses,
and fills the soul with delight: and that n an
who can resist its silent but powerful influence,
must be more than stole.
M The river along here varies from TO miles
in width, and is filed with innumerable small
rocky islsts, generally covered with cedar and
hemlock close to the waters edge: yet there
are exceptions, as some of them are 9 or 10
miles long, covered with good timber, and some
what fertile
Many ofthe islands are so close together
that the branches are often interlocked, and
there is scarcely room for a small canoe to go
between them; aad in passing, the eye often
catches glimpses of long vistas, fringed with
little green islets and terminating I'M broad
expanse ofwater, that looks like a tiny lake,
which in moment as his boat passes on is lost
to his view, or changed to some new scene more
exquisite and lovely.
The numerous eapes and promontories, the
countless bays and inlets, and the occasional
wide sheets Of water lend charm to tbs whole,
that would require the pen Of fancy, dipped in
dew drop, to describe.
To appreciate fully the exceeding loneliness
OF ,hese Emerald Isles" you should visit them
in the dreamy stiffness Of an Indian summer day,
just when the frosts have changed the deep green
OF summer to the sober livery of autumn, and
the leaves of the forest begin to fall into the
stream, like the moments OF time as they drop
into the fathomless ocean Of an unknown future.
'Tis then with the services Of two Canadian
boatmen and good Indian canoe, you can en-
Joy to the full extent the understandable beauties
to be found only among these watery gems: as
you sweep past their rocky margins, displacing
with the momentary ripple from your canoe the
graceful evergreens that hang theii pedant
branches in the crystal waters, and not sound
breaks the solemn stiffness, save the lazy DIP Of
your boatman's oar; the enlivening notes of the
forest sengster; or the occasional plunge of
deer as he changes his abode from one island to
smother; 'tis then the heavenly influences of the
hour and place irresistably seize upon you, and
you join your notes of Joy and gladness wlth the
hymn of nature that rises all around.
Days and weeks have spent in this way in
years long past, when life to me was but one
bright summer day, and ere the glad and Joyous
feelings of youth were blighted by contact with
the cold and beggarly elements that compose
le grand monde of every day life. We mix
with the world, and alas we become like it,
cold, vainglorious and selfish, daily striving to
quench every feeling of sympathy with our fell
lows. At bhe same tune, we will go into the
streets and into the synagogues, and talk long
and loudly, of our obligations and our duties to
mankind, and urge with all the ardor of WILL
BERFoRcE and the philanthropy of HOWARD
some great scheme of public charity; or discuss
with energy and ferver plan for the universal
conversion OF the world and the general intro
ductlon OF the Graham system, to enable the
heather to subsist on saw dust bread, and bass
wood potatoes, and in a few moments after drive
from our doors the poor and houseless widow
or orphan, denying even a crust to stop the
snawing OF hunger, or cast off garment to
cSver and protect them from the rude wintry
wind, telling them to go, and work for living
as others do.
But, than Heaven, the kindlier feelings of our
nature are not wholly obliterated even if they
have become much defaced and worn away; for
when man visits such spots as are to be found
among the Thousand Islands," and SEES the
majesty of nature undisturbed by mans con-
tending passions, his better feelings gain the
mastery, and he is once more man looking at
the world and worldly things as did the wise man
of old and exclaims with him, ''vanlty,yea all
is vanity
These Islands have been theatre of many
bloody and stirring events during the old French
and Indian war, and would leisure permit, |
would relate some that were the delight OF my
boyish days. Here the "handsome Mr.. Efing-
ham, has laid some ofthe finest scenes In ms
Path Finder-and here too the notorious Bill
johnson took posses, ion of an Island and plum
dered alike friend and foe Irecolect meeting
his daughter at French Creek in 1887, but |
must confess, bachelor asII am, that she appear
ed to me, any thing but queen; but, as may
be prejudiced, will not attempt description
of her.
Among these Islands was the last favorite
resort of the Canadian voyageur, race now
nearly extinct in Upper Canada, but whose
memory will long hover around the spots where
they used to resort.
Many and many time have stolen to the
rocky banks of the st. Lawrence, and as the
shadows of evening began to close around,
seated myself upon projecting rock, and dip
ping my feet into the pearly flood, for hours
listened to the dist"nt song of the happy Cana
dian as he pulled Ia. OAR and as the mellow
sounds came sweeping DER the waters, they
fell upon my ears like the rich melody OF The
flute, and long after the line of Batteaux had
swept past, and were lost in the gathering
gloom of evening, | could hear the measured
Stroke of their oars, and the shout OF the steers
man as he shifted his paddle from one side of
his boat to the other.
GEORGIA SILK-The Macon Telegraph
states that at late term of the inferior Court of