The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-07-17

IN roiieu us majestic waters, now
sleeping as placidly in the misty
sunlight, as if they had never tn,n-
bled and rushed in angry foods, ter
riiying the hearts of heholders,
Away in the distance, where they
shonc and flashed like molten silver.
clusters Of green islands SAT non
their bosom, the further one sI.
as if chiscled in emerald. tie nearer
ones alive with their tossing foliage.
This river Lad been to our chillisa
minds m almost febled creation. A
far away land had given us birth; a
far away cline had lighted our ear
~ years. We had read of the great
rivers, and almost suspended our
breath in wonder at their magnitude:
but never dreamed that our eyes
would be favored to look upon them.
And now one was sweeping its 81
lent way two hundred feet below us.
and the other rolling its turbid wa
tiers onward through the dense for
est, only mile from the opposite
shore! 1t seemed the realization of
an impressive dream! To the left,
on the Illinois side, bold rocky bluffs
overhung the waters in which they
had been mirrored for ccnturics.-
To the right, the horizon stretched
away IN the faint sunlight, until the
eye was panied with the endeavor
to define il, and the Mississippi might
be seen at intervals like silver
thread, sl,imming through the great
extent. A light haze rested Oh the
distant bills, mellowing and soften
ing the landscape with that peculiar
tinting which only the hand of ma
turc can impart. Nothing could be
imagined more magnificent than the
entire view, willie in our immediate
vicinity the bluffs were alternately
piled into high conical hills and hol-
loved into deep ravines, laden with
vegetation, which tossed by the
winds, lcrt a peculiar grace and
CHI nSeinlness to the landscape. Be
meath US a prccipice, two hundred
feet in height, overhung the water
its face followed in 50 deeply, that
it was OILY by somewhat danger
Gus experiment that one of the gen
tlemen, laying himself fiat upon its
summit and looking over, could see
lis entire depth! On its very brow
decp-worn, narrow track told O
the wanderings of the Indian, Man,
a lisht-hearted troop had filed along
that dizzy height, conscious Of per.
feet security, while our tanner blood
curdlcd in our veins if one of us ap-
preached its brink
As we sat and gazcd from these
heights, my thoughts reverted to the
ear Y time, when the liz It canoe
skinned tAose majestic VOTERS
when, from the surrounding heights,
the council fires Of n mystery loyin-
and slnguinary race flashed against
the evening sky, and 1.-THE end dus-
Ky forms trod with free step tie un-
soi.e1 turf Nor all that Lad mad,
the life Of these scenes had depaii
.'- ba'' t.....
- .,aat
:. ..e Year,
...e - ro in
..... ne5. .... ualaa 70. aa the
..ms .. na liIs ON one of
..rs..a saiifnr, wild rosebud had
oo,o.d.i las Johna,e petals, h5t
igHt ad 1.iru ,p,l it, as ON tnc
mysterious race whose existence il
Swallowed forth! The bright anc
glowing green had faded, while il
was yet spring, into the sicl,ly vel
low.-Thc spirit of the departed hat
breathcd over it in sadness: no kind
hand was near TO cherish il, or re-.
owe the cnnkrring rust; and tie
ri. raS wis olrraly numbered ~.
nlpa jnc il.en.
5a.u'itu. tale, told .a.t blight.
,' .u., Of q race ta, had p sst,
a"Ay-oI a people free rs the wa
tiers beneath, and swift as the wind.
playing around, who had troddcn the
very spot where we were seated
who had ga2cd upon the varying
landscape, the bright river, and the
far bills, with feelings we could new
cr know-who had scaled the beet.
ing cliff, and mockcd the eagle il
/ his flight; whose war~shout rano
through the wild wood, and over the
water; and whose songs, once hear,
there, were now forever flushed!
With emotions chastcncd and ele.
waited by the scene upon which W,
had looked, and the lecolle elton,
with which it was fraught, We reas
sembled after our devious ramblngs
Conversation, music, and anecdote
succeeded, till the shadows began
to lengthcn on the hill side. Just a.
the second lunch was spread, til,
white signal Of a steamer, far dowr
the river, became visible, curling
and fading on the sunny breeze
Mere speck as she appeared at first