Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-01-06
VOLUME X.--NO. 3S.
Whole NUMBER, 506.

w oSA yV0 1901 VI hC1f VI . VC401Ls yO0
think Of vast level plain, covered with
sand, and without trees, or grass, or any
kind of vegetation You think, also, of
this sand being blown about in thick clouds
and no water to be seen in any direction.
This is your i.lea of desert, is it not p
Well, it is not altogether the correct one.
1t is true that in almost every desert there
are these sandy plains, yet there are other
parts Of far different character, equally
deserving the name Of desert Although
the interior Of the great Sahara has mot
yet been fully explored. enough is known
Of it to prove that it contains lalge tracts
Of mountains and billy country, with rocks
and valleys, lakes, rivers and springs.
There are also fertile spots, at wide dis
tanees from each other, covered with trees,
and shrubs and beautiful vegetation Some
of these spots are small, while others arc
of large extent, and inhabited by indepen.
dent tribes, and even whole kingdoms of
people. A fertile tract Of this kinds is
called an oosis
Of similar character is the Great
American Desert; but its surface is still
more varied with what may be termed
geographical features.'' There are plains
some IF tdem mcrc than hundred miles
wide-where YOU can see nothing but white
sand, often drifting about on the wind, and
here and there thrown into long ridges
such as those made by : snow storm There
are other plaios, equally large, where no
sand appears, but brown barren earth,
utterly destitute Of vegetation. There arc
others again, on which grows . stunted
shrub, with leaves Of pale, silvery color.
In some places it grows so thickly, inter.
locking its twisted and knotted branches.
that horse-man can hardly ride through
them. This shrub is the artemiisia-a
species Of wild sage or wormHood-a and the
plains upon which j; grows are called by
the hunters who cross them, the sage
Prairies. Other plains are met with tha.
present black aspec. to the traveller.
These are covered with lava, that q. some
distsnt period Of time has been vomited
forth from volcanic mountains, and now
lies frozen up, and broken into small frag.
men:s like the stones upon q new made
road Still other plains present themselves
in the American Desert Some are white.
as if snow had fallen freshly upon them,
ard yet it is not snow but salt Yes; pure
white salt-covering the ground SIX inches
deep, AID for Gfty miles, in every direction.
Others, again, have similar appearance;
but insteal Of salt you find the substance
which covers them to be soda.
There are mountains, too-ip9eei ope
hals of the desert is very mountaipous-
and the great chain of the Rocky Mountains
Of which you have no doubt liea-d-runs
sheer through it from north to south. But
there are other mountains besides these;
mountains of every height, and sometimes
in their shape and color presenting very
striking and singular appearances. Some
Of them run for miles in horizontal ridges
ike the roofs Of hocses, and seemingly so
iarrcw at their toIs that one might sit
stride Of them. Others, again, of a conf.
al form stand out in the plain apart from
he rest.
There are mountains where 20 trees ere
een,nor any signs Of vegetation along their
Ides Huge naked rocks of granite appear
lied upon each other. There arc peaks
erfectly white, because they are alwsys
'vercd with a thick mantle Of snow.
here are other peaks almost as white, and
ct it is not with snow. These are mouu.
'ins OF pure limestone, or the white quarts
'ck. There are mountains again upon
hich neither tree nor leaf is to be seen.
nd there are still other mountains in the
reat Amsrican Desert, to siartle the tav.
Ter with their strange appearance They
e those that glitter With the mica and
lenite. These, when seen from distance
'shing under the sun, look as though they
ere mountains of silver and gold
The rivers, too ; strange rivers are they.
'me run ove- broad shallow beds Of bright
nd. Large rivers-hunireis Of yards 10
dth, with sparkling waters. Follow them
'wn their course. What do you find!
stead of growing larger, ike tine rivers
your own land, they become less aud
IS, until at length their waters sink into
e sand, and You see no hing lu. the dry
annel for miles npon mics. Go still
rther, and again the water appears, and
ward increases in volume, until, thou-
uds OF miles from the sea, large ships can
at upon their bosom. Such are tho
kansas and the Platte.
There are other rivers that run between
eak, rocky banks-banks thousand feet
yh, whose bald, naked bluffs frown 1t
ch other across the deep caasm, in shs
:tcm Of hich roars the troubled water.
ten these iaak, exscnd for hundreds %
les, so steep-at all points tha. one can
. 90 yjos-n TO the bed of their stream;
d often the traveller has perished with
rs, Will, tue roar of their W.ier WA