Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-09-09

able brought up the rear. Once in the mar
row path which lead circui,onsly down the
deep descent there was no turning back and
our maddcned animals finally reached the
bottom in safety. Several large stones were
loosened from their fastenings by our men
during the frigh,ful descent. They would
leap, dash and thunder down the PERCEPTIONS
sides and strike against the bottom far be-
low us with terrific crash.
We found n running stream at the bot.
tom, and on the opposite side romantic
dell covered with short grass and few scat
tcring cotton woods. A large body of In
dams had cncamped on this very spot but a
few days previous, the willed limbs of the
trees and other "signs" showing that they
had made it IA resting place. We, too, halt
ed couple of hours, TO give our horses an
opportunity TO Craze and rest themselves.-
The trail which led upon the opposite side
was discovered short distance above US, to
the south, winding up the steep and ragged
sides of the precipice.
As we journcyed along this dell all we're
struck with admiration at the strange and
ianciiul figures made by the washing OF the
waters during the rainy season. In some
places perfect walls, formed of reddish
clay, were seen standing, and were they any
where else it would be impossible to believe
that other than the hand of man had formed
them. The vein Of which these walls were
composed was of even thickness, very hard,
and run perpendicular, and when the
softer sand which had surrounded them was
w",fed away, the veins still remained stand
ing upright, IN some places one hundred feet
high and three or four hundred feet in
length.
Columns, too, were there, and such was
their architectural order, and so much of
chastc grandeur was there about them, that
VIC were lost in wonder and admiration. In
other places the breast-works of forts woulJ
be plainly visible, then again the frowinp
turrets OF some castle of the olden time
Cnmbrous pillars OF some mighty pile rails.
ed TO religion or royalty were scattered about.
regularity was strangely mixed up with ruin
and disorder, and Nature had done it ALL
Niagara has been considered one of her Wild
est freaks but Niagara sinks into insipni6-
canoe when compared with the wild gran
dcur OF this awful chasm. Imagination car
RED us back TO Thebes, to PALMYRA, and TO
ancient Athens. and we could not help think
lng we were now among their ruins.
Our passage of this place was effected with
the greatest difficulty. We were Obliged TO
carry our rifles, holsters and saddle bags in
our hand, and, in Laundering un a steep, one
OF the horses, striking his shoulder against
projected rock, was precipla,ed some if
teen or twenty feet directly upon his back.
All thought he must be killed by the fall.
but, singular enough, he rose Immediately
shook himself, and a second effort in climb
ing proved more succesSiul-thc animal had
not received the slightest injury.
Bv the middle of the afternoon we were
all safely across. after spending five or six
hours completely shut out from the world
Again we found ourselves upon the level
prairie. and on looking back, after proceed
ING some hundred yards, not SIGN Of the
immense cliasm was visible. The waste
We were then upon was at least two hum
dfed and fifty miles in width, and the two
chaSmS have mentioned were the rcscr-
vois, and at the same time the conductors Of
the heavy quantity Of rain which falls uoon
IT during the wet season 10 the running
streams. 1he prairie is undoubtedly the
largest in the world, and the chasms are in
peaecl keeping with the size of the prajrie.