Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-09-26

in sheltered nook at the east end oe the
lake, with a railroad extending dom ia.o
the interior of "York State" somewhere;
aud = chiefly remarkable for its unused
barra-;s, and 4 navy yard, With Its solitary
ship-hcrse, containing the hull Of sloop
Of war, commenced fcrty years ago, and
lying idle on the stoc,: ever since.
Absorbing most Of the passengers ard
freight Of train Just arrived, our piio:
wheeled around to N. n. ". and made Cor
the main channel Of the St. Lawrence,
some tweUty miles distant, above Kingston,
W. c. Passing bewildering number Of
Islands and openings, the desired entrance
was at last reached, and the prov turned
eastward, down the current of this great
river; remarkable for the unvarying purity
of its waters, its terrific rapids, multitud.
Of islands, and the numerous lakes into
which it expands, from time to time, as it
rolls along.
Touched at Kingston for few moments
"A city of 10000 inhabitants, that rises
from the waters edge up over the high
sloping bank, at the confluence of some
nameless river with the st. Lawrence
The houses are mostly built Of stone, and
some Of the public buildings are Of quite
imposing dimensions. The number of
propellers and sail vessels in the harbor
and at the wharyes indicate considerable
trade from this point. To the east, on the
opposite side of the dividing stream, the
high ground is crowned with granite for
tifications of formidable stIength, said to be
second only to those at Quebec.
In passing out, at the head Of the island
just below the fort, We saw the charred
and blackened hull of the propeller "Tinto"
destroyed by FIRE two days since, with the
loss Of several lives; melancholy me-
mento of the risk and recklessness of steam
navigation.
Passed, also, in the course of the after.
noon, number of the immense RATS, some
of them several acres in extent, for which
the river is famous. The logs are not
damaged by auger holes; but stout sap.
liEgs are laid across the logs in parallel
lines about three feet apart, and the logs
securely fas.sasd by heavy hickory ui,hss,
passed around each leg and saplipg, and
twisted into untieable knots These extra
precautions are indispensable, to withstand
the shock Of the rapids. Some of the RATS
had sails hoisted to speed them on their
way.
From the Ontario to this place, and
many miles below, the river is called
''The Lake of the Thousand Isles" and
the scenery is of the most charming de-
scription. The river is from one to FIVE
miles wide the banks not very high, with
cultivated farms most of the way, and low
pineclad hills occasionally seen in the back
ground most of the islands are wooded,
but majority Of the island clearings, as
well as many on the main land, are rocky
and sterile Even the best of the farm
houses and barns are small, and, with the
general aspect Of Vegetation, indicate
severe northern latitude The islands
are seemingly countless, and of all sizes
from tufted rocks three feet long to three
miles and more in extent, and of ali inter-
mediate dimensions. Their sides are per-
pendicular rock, rising above the surface
from ten inches to ten and twenty feet
every where clear and free from sand or
mud. caught glimpse of one island,
a mile or more to the left, Of an oval shape,
like the half of an egg cut in two length
wise, whose green pastures and waving
harvest fields, with its fringe of bushe, and
elm trees made it perfect gem of elysian
beauty. Here aad there light houses were
stationed to guido the midnigh: mariner
On his intricate yoyage some built above
farm house on shore; others OIL half
acre islands, mile from any neighbor,
where the keeper and his family could
have their solitude to themselves and
others again, dirinutive Affair.", perehed
in mid-channel, OF little point Of rock
scarce large enough to stand on, or shelter
the kcepe. as be .ows out to it every eve
ming, and back again next morning.
Occasional hamlets and large villages
were passed and cncc or twice we stopped
to "wood up" at new landings. The tor
rid rays were tempered by the delicious
coo,uess Of the balmy air it was refresh
ing even to look at the pellucid clearness
of the crystal waters and as We glided
swiftly Gu hour after hour, now in narrow
channels, anon in lake-like expanse, the
wilderness Of islands and openings momen-
tcrily pre,enting ever changing, ever-new
yistas and combinations Of picturesque
beauty, as enchanting and endless as the
shifting scenes Of q kaleidoscops-the in-
valid pulse beat stronger and steadier, and
it seemed as if we had suddenly been trans.
ferred to Arcsdian realms where fairies