Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-05-02
A Fairy Tale.

In one of those far archIpelagoes
which the FIRE. men na igated, but v hicb
the lapse Of time has taken from our
knowledge; in that mysterious ocean
world afar, into which adventurous La
Per0uses and Frankiins sail from us and
are lost; there lay in carly time, spa
cious and peculiar island. In natural
scenery the ISLAND was richly endowed.
Green uplands swelled in gentle undpa-
.ions from The sea coast, and there swept
across The bosom of The land range Of
we'll wooded hills and deiiles. There
was no lack of inland lakes, and lair
bays. aud broad and productive rivers,
and the general aspect Of the land was
as the fertile champaign counties of our
own dear island. But i, had singulari-.
Ties neither 10 be met with in cur own
cline, nor in any other country now
known 10 US. Il was only an island by.
assumption. What lay al the western
si.le'of the country no man knew. Ter,
,ain only twas ttia, there the land stretch,
ed out into a narrow neck, which termi
mated in a rocky, pass, beyond WHICH
none had eter, penetrated and returned.
And, wha, wus more peculiar, no one.
was ever born, save at The eastern ex-
sre,ni,y Of the country. Every child had
ito bir,h.in fair village which lay on the
maree of the ocean al the lar.hest east
ern point; aud by some miraculous pro-
cess they. were all drawn, some slowly
and some swiftly athwart the land, until
,hey entered the jaws Of the western aass.
NoLe could tell how this was. Many
had striyen to remain in the village of
lheir birth, but all in vain. An unseen,
unknown, but fel, power, forced them
on their westward pilgrimage. When
they reached the las, pass, many flung
themselves upon the earth, and clung to
the tree roots, and shrieked and cried
that they might moi be drawn in, bu. the
remorseless Force sucked them in and
they never returned to tell the story, oil
their adventures. Report, however, had
been carried into the central regions, that
when the pilgrims had disappeared down
the pass, sound as of the falling o. a
weight into water was distinctly heard;
and those who adven,urously had climbed
the neighboring precipices asserted tha,
the eye looked down. an impenetrable
darkness, though the ear could certainly
sstch the noise Of waves breaking and
surging against wall Of rock. Hence
the Inhabitants used to cali It the Dark
River; and 10 speak mournfully Of their
journey thi.her; and they grew sad as
they prared the West. TOTO le fsils
But even a more wonderful pecu'iari-
" Of this island was mystic territory
that lay TO the south, somewhat out of
the common track to the dark river. 1t
consisted or a large circle Of plains,
groves, rocks, and mighty mountains, SO
piled together as to appear to distant
gazef one huge eminence. Aud on a
nearer approach delicate tissue floated
over all, SO ,ha. nothing could be seen
distinctly; but only confused glimpses
now and then could be obtained of palms
and laurels, and hilI peaks and domes
and giitiering minarets. The whole re.
pion was begirtwi,h o natural rampant
of lofty rocks. The only entrance into
il was through cayerns, which here and
there appeared in the natural bas,ions of
the circling cliffs. The inhabitants OF
the plain knew even less of this place
than of the Dark river, and they detested
i.eyen more. They said that music, as
from the ,hroats of a myriad of nigh.in-
gales, Aoaied at morn and at eveniide
from this mystic spot SO captivating, SO
enhancing, that he, who heard j was
compelled to enter in at the caverned en-
frances. whereffom, if he returned at
all, ii was in sal. and distressed plight.
In fact, the Inhabitants were good, easy,
lis,less people. whose highest aim was
10 keep themselves well fed, and to