Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-08-28
VOLUME 12.---NUMBER l6.

died in the EXTREMIST agony, giving no signs of
fear To gladden. his tomentors. The scalp was
torn from the head of wife, mother and daughter.
and hung, bleeding trophies in the Indian village
Many a brave hunter went forth in the morning
and came back no more; nor was he ever heard
of again. But still the work progressed; little
meeting houses sprung up here and there in the
wilderness. The pioneer would worship God,
though he was compelled to guard his family to
the church with his trusty rifle. Did he vet
dream of that which folowedl
He dreamed of it. IL he did not his less in
telligent enemy foresaw the change that was soon
TO come over the hunting grounds and the graves
of his fathers, if his brethren did not by one bold
and bloody massacre sweep away every white
man whose foot had recklessy trod the graves of
their venerated Sachems. The plan was form
ed; runners were despatched to every tribe; all
the wild eloquence of the Indian orator preached
death to the whites, and glory to the young brave
whose tomahawk should be bloodiest in the strife.
The storm burst at length, and long and bloody
was the struggle. The rifle in the hands of the
sklliul and brave woodsman was no plaything; its
messenger never sped on an empty commission.
1t were long to tell of the heroic deeds on both
sides. The strength of the Indians, their num-
bers, their desperation, all were unavaing; bro
| ken, dispirited, and conquered, they abandoned
their hunting grounds and their honored graves
to the invader, who, guided with his left hand the
plow, and with his right, grasped the deadly rifle.
| The wars over, the adventurers gazed around;
many had fallen in the battle field, but strange
there should be so many left. Towns and cities
had sprung up along many hundreds of miles;
there began to be communications among the set
tiers; they learned each others wants, they pro-
vlded for each others safety, and sought together
the unbounded wealth and resources of the coun-
try. The solitudes had budded and were about
to bloom.
There are yet TO be found among the living
some venerable and aged people, who participated
in the strifes of the "dark and bloody ground"
and other battle fields; whose bodies bear the
marks of honorable wounds, and whose tales of
startling and thrilling interest, draw the admirng
young around the great easy chair of the venera-
BILE grandfather" in the long quiet evenings
Hour after hour, will the old veteran recount the
bold anddarng deeds of those who have long ago
preceded him to the grave; the night attacks of
the savages; the burning of the log cabins; the
bloody skirmishes, and how he got his glorious
wounds. Is it wonderful that every noise is
hushed in the breathless and awe-struck attention
of the children! As the narrator grows tired,
and his eye-lids become heavy, he draws long
sigh with "Ah me! how the times have changed
since | was boy"
And have the times not changed since he was
boy? Then the light canoe shot out from the
cover of the bushes and trees which overhung
the banks of the mighty rivers, which course the
Great Valley scarcely disturbing the current with
its ripple; its timid guide casting suspicious CLAN
ces around lest he should be set upon by a con-
cealed foe.
Now, the levathan steamers, an innumerable
fleet, have spread themselves from the sources
to the mouths of hundred streams, which irr-
gate the worlds garden spot. These perform in
from three to five days, the distance which it took
months of the most fatiguing labor to accomplish,
twenty-fveyears ago. Withinflty years, sparse
and distant settlements have grown up into twelve
magnificent States, free, Independent and sove-
reign; giving protection and encouragement to a
hardy, energetic and happy constituency, not now
counted by hundreds, but millions. Hamlets
have sprung into great cities the seats of wealth,
industry, learning andthea arts. Their long streets
are thronged with intelligent and active citizens,
seeking wealth in a thousand channels. The
long lines of their extended wharves are crowd
ed with bales of merchandise, vast piles of box
es, the rich produce of a thousand fields; steam
boats are loading and unloading rich cargoes,
comprising the variety of a worlds products
There can be seen no more animated spectacle,
than is daily presented by the wharves of the
magnificent cities, which sit like enhroned queens
upon the great rivers of the mighty west, and the
great lakes. The walls of these cities are but
just beginning to be built; trade has just commen-
ced; the farmer is beginning to learn the value of
his acres the boatman has yet to contend with
sand-bars and distractions; he is even impatient
of the slowness of his vessel, (Which divides the
water at rate of from ten TO twenty miles per
hour only,) the model of whose keel has under
gone change every year, and yet she is not per-
feet; perhaps next year will produce grander
result than any that has yet occurred; he does
not know; he is about applying a new principle to
the steam engine; it will gain him mile in the
hour. GiUe her a lick ahead!-he shouts TO the
begrimmed engineer. EUREKA howsteadily the
graceful vessel obeys the helm as the newly ap-
piled power drives her sharp bows against the
current! The mile is added to her speed; her
gratfed captain is in ecstacies; he invites all
hands to treat. He has the best boat, the neat
est engine, the most spacious cabin, the deepest
hold, the longest deck, the lightest draught. A
delighted passenger pledges the health and sue
cess of the bold captain. There is a confusion
on deck-all hands run to see what is the matter.
The captain turns pale; the passengers no longer
drink the toast; melo boat Is passing them; she
is THE PARAGON. "Beaten!" sighs the overtaken
captain, 81 must build a new boat"
Such is the scene that is almost daily present
ed on the mighty rivers of the west. But the
thousand ''hoating palaces" which bear to the
Crescent city the hundred millions of the net pro-
ducts of the Great Valley, will be doubled before
the Declaration of Independence is one hundred
years old. Who can estimate the extent of the
great trade which the citizens of that vast region
will carry on with the world, when all unnecessa-
ry restrictions shall be removed from commerce!