The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-01-31

ness, should now have Dettef luck, ana nav
ing expiated my fault, be at length allowed
to find my way. With this hope mounted
my mustang, and resumed my ride.
Ipassed several beautiful islands of pecan,
plum, aud peach trees 1t is n peculiarly
worthy OF remark that these islands are near
~ always ofone sort of tree. 1t is very rnre
To meet with one of more than one Sort
Like the beasts of the forest, that herd to-
gether according to their kind, so does this
wild vegetation preserve itself distinct IN lis
different species One island will be entire
ly composed of live oaks, another Of plum.
and third Of pecan trees; the vine is only
common TO them all, aud embraces them all
alike with its slender yet tenacious branches.
ITode through several of these islands. They
were perfectly clear from bushes and brush
wood and carpeted with the most beautiful
verdure it is possible to behold. | gaZed at
them i'll astonishment II seemed incredible
that nature, abandoned 10 herself should pre-
serve herselfso beautifully clean and pure,
and inyolunturily looked around me for
some trace of the hand of man. Bit none
were there. l saw nothing bu; herds of deer
that gazed wonderiugly atme with theirlGrgc
cleGr eyes, md when / approached TOO neir,
| galloped of III alarm. What would rot have
! given for an niince oflead, Il charge of pow
der, ard Kentucky rife ? Nevertheless,tho
mere sight of the beasts gladdened ne, ard
raised my spirits. They were a sort oisoci-
| ETY.. Something ofthe same feeling seemed
10 be impaired 10 my Horse, who boundedun-
der me, and neighed merrily, us lac canterCd
along in the fresh spring morning.
! | WIS now sicrting the sitiH of an islnrd Of
trees nf greater extent than most of these
had hitherto seen. On reaching the end ot
it, suddenly came in sight ofan object pre-
scnting 80 extraordinary an appearance as far
TO srrpass any oftllc natural wonders lad
as yet hched, either il Texas or tie United
STATES.
| Atthc distance OF al out two miles rose a
colossal mass, in shape somewhat like mon
uncnnl mound 81 tCmuIus, AID apparently
ofthe brightest silver. As cane in view OF
! it, tie sun was just covered ly q passing
rloud,trom tie lower edge OF il Tie hlightrays
shot down obliOuely uTon this extraordinary
lphcuomCncn, lighting ii up in TIE most bril-
liant manner. At one moment il looked like
Il huge silver Co,V: then tcCk the nEEeaIGl &C
Ofan Illuminated castle with pinnaclCs AID
Towers or the dome ofsOme great cathedraE
then ola gigantic elephant covered with trap
pings hut always Of solid silver,and irdescrih-
ably magnificent. Had all the treasures Of
the earth been offered me to say what it was,
| should have been unable 10 answer. Be
wldered by my intcrminablc wanterrcS in
1.-The prairie, and weakened 10y fatigue and
hunger, II supersttious feeling COR a moment
came over me, and halfIekcd myself whcth
Ftt had not reached come enCliaStcd region,
into which the evil spirit of the prairie was
turing me to destruction 10y appearances OF
supernatural stangeucsS al d beauty.
Raniehirg these wild nagiuirgsl rode on
in the direction Of this strange object; but il
was Only when ctme within VelV Sion
distance that was able TO distinguish it, IA
turc. II was live oak of NEST stupendCTs
Dimensions, the very patriarch Of the prairie.
grown grey in the lapse of ages. Its lower
! limbs he'd shot out in II horizontal, or rather
a MISUNDERSTANDING direction; and reaching
nearly to the ground, formed vast dome sew
eral hundred fee; in diameter, and full huu-
bred and thirty feet high. 1t had no appear
Uncc of II tree, for neither trunk LOr hrlcl-
cs were visible II seemed a mountain II
whitsh- green scales, trinecd with long silver
V mess, that hung like inmmerrble boards
from every boueh and twig. Nothing could
better convey TIE idea OF immense and meal
cUlablc age than the hoary beard and yeuera-
! bic appearance of this monarch OF the woods.
| Spanish moss of n silvery gray covered tho
whole mass OF wood aud foliage, from tho
topInost bonrh down to the very ground;
short near the top the tree, bur gradually
increasing in length us it descended, until it
hung like deep fringe from the lower bran
ches. separated the vegetable curtain with
my hands and entered this august temnlo
with feelings ofmyouutaly awe. The Charge
from the bright sunlight to the comparative
darkness beneath the ieaiy vault,wae 30 great
that | nj first could scarcely distinguish any
thing. When my eyes set accustomed 10 tie
gloom, however nothing could he more hCau,
tiul than the effect ofthe SUMS rnyF, which
| in forcing tie: way through the silvored
leaves and mOsscs, took as many varieties of
color. rs it'thcy had passed through wind
ow of painted glass, and gave the rich, sub,
dued, and solemn light of some old cathedral,
The trunk vi the tree rose clear from all
branches full forty feet from tie ground,
rough and knotted, and OF such enormous
size, that it might have been taken for a nlusa
Ofrock, covered with moss and lichens,wbila
many Gifts houGhs were nearly as thick as
the trunk of'any tree had ever previously
seen.
/ was so absorbed in the contemplation of
the vegetable giant, that for a short time nj,
most forgot my troubles; but as rode pYay
from the tree they returned to me in full torca
and my reflections were certainly of 10 very
cheering or cnrsolatory nature. | rode on,
however, most perseveringiy. The morning
slipped away; It was noon, the sun stood hipl,
in the cloudess heavens. My hunger had
now increased to an indispensable degree,8nd
| felt as ifsomething We're gnawing Within
me, something like a crab Juggling ard irving
at my stomach with his sharp claws, This
feeling left me after time, and was replaced
by a sort fsqueamshness a faint sicky sen,
sation. But if hunger was bad, thirst was
worse. For some hours | suffered martyr,
dom. At length like the hunger, it died a.
way, and was succeeded by feeling Of sick
ness. The thirty hours fatigue and testing
had endured were beginning to tell upon ny,
ytnt ly fron felt