The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1850-01-09
l. WoosFIELD OHIO WEDNESDAY JANUARY o 1850


and removed entirely the basis which sup
ported the sklfully constructed fabric of
dissent. By the tortuous course of the
Jordon, the distance between the seas was
found to be at least 200 miles; and in its
course there are many rapids, some pre-
senting distractions to navigation that
might well shake the purpose of the boldest
adventurer. OF this latter twenty seven
were encountered, and those of minor i'm
portance were very numerous. One of
the most formidable of these obstacles,
and the method Of overcoming it, are
graphically described in the following ex-
tract from the commanders narrative:
cat 1918, a. m. cast off and shot down
the first rapid, and stopped to examine
more closely desperate looking cascade
of eleven feet. In the middle of the chan
mel was shute at an angle of about 60
degrees, with bold, bluff, threatening
rock at its foot, exactly in the passage. 1t
would therefore be necessary to turn al
most in sharp angle in descending, to
avoid being dashed to pieces. This rock
was on the outer edge of the whirlpool,
which caldron of foam swept around in
circling eddies. Yet below were two fierce
rapids, each about one hundred and fifty
yards in length, with the points Of black
rocks peering above the white and agitated
surface. Below them, again, within
mile, were two other rapids-longer, but
more shelving and less difficult.
fortunately large bush was grow
| ing upon the left bank, about five feet up,
where the rush ofthe water from above had
formed kind of promontory. By SWIM
ing across some distance above the stream,
one of the men had carried over the end
of rope, and made it fast around the end
of the bush. The great doubt was wheth-
the hold of the roots would be sufficient to
withstand the strain, but there was no al
tentative. In order not to risk the men,
employed some of the most vigorous Arabs
in the camp to swim by the side of the
boat, and guide them, if possible, clear Of
danger. Sending the men, therefore, and
tacking the Fanny Mason up stream, we
shot her across, and gathering up the
slack of the rope, let her drop to the brink
Of the cascade, where she fairly trembled
and bent in the fierce strength of the
sweeping current. 1t was moment OF
intense anxiety. The sailors had now
clambered along the bank and stood at
intervals below, ready to assist us if
thrown from the boat and swept towards
them. One man with me in the boat
stood by the line; number of Arabs were
upon the rocks and in the foaming water,
gesticulating wildly, their shouts minging
with the roaring Of the boisterous rapids.
and their dusky forms contrasting strange
ly with the eferescing flood, and five on
each side in the water were clinging to
guide her clear of the threatening rock if
possible.
"The Fanny Mason in the meanwhile
swayed from side to side of the mad tor
rent like a frightened bird, straining the
line which held her. Watching the mo-
ment her bows were in the right direction,
| gave the signal to let go the rope
There was rush--a plunge-an upward
leap. and the rock was cleared-the pool
passed! and halffull of water. with breath
less velocity, we are swept safely down the
rapids Such screaming and shouting!
The Arabs seemed to exult even more than
ourselves. 1t was in seeming only =
They were glad-we were grateful. Two
of the Arabs lost their hold, and were
carried far below us. but were rescued
with slight injury to one of them."
The scenery along the river is so varia-
Bile as scarce to admit of general de-
.scription, and we have no space to ex-
tract those passages which are requisite to
satisfactory illustration of it. Except
when disputed by rapids, the waters ofthe
Jordon are clear and transparent. At
points its banks are closed with vegetation
with here and there patches of cultivation.
Sometimes they present plains Of dreary
waste broken into ridges resembling waves,
the mountsins of calcareous limestone ris-
ing up in the distance like islands from
the sea. Occasionally thicket of lofty
cane, and tangled masses of shrubs and
creeping plants, gave the appearance OF
Jungle" Once they saw the track Of
leopard, who had quenched his thirst in
the stream. Once they startled wild
boar from his lair. The thickets were vo-
cal with the songs of birds. The COM
mander dwells on the beauties Of "the
sacred riyerl' ''Its banks fringed with
perpetual verdure; winding in a thousand
graceful mazes; the pathway cheeredwith
songs of birds, and its own clear voice of
gushing minstrelsy; its course bright line
| in the cheerless waste" And again:
"For hours in their swift descent the
boats Aoated down in silence-the silence
of the wilderness. Here and there were
spots of solemn beauty. The numerous
birds sang with music strange and man
lifold; the willow branches were spread up
on the stream like tresses, and creeping
MOSES and clambering weeds with a null
titude ofwhite and silvery flowers looking
out from among them; and the cliff swal-
| low wheeled over the falls, or went at his