Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-14
THE WEEKLY STAR

posing in the ofing, seemed rarely rufled even
by breeze, but appeared as glossy as a noun.
tain lake, while along the beach the everla-t-
ing breakers rolled in with deafening roar
During the progress Of our travel, L was fire.
quently struck with the contrast between these
wild regions and the -opulated districts along
the coast, the transition from one 20 the other
often being so sudden and so remarkable.
The following extract from my journal.
winch Is the summing up Of some observation
on thls subject 1.-THE text Of the following lines
(January 18TH, lS55.-" There is a striking,
yet pleasing, contrast between the solitude
OF the mountain Businesses when a deep and
awful silence reigns supreme, aud the ocean
SIDE with the loud laundering Of its restless
waters They were penned during a shcrt
respite in camp under the very shadows Of the
snow-covered peak Of the Sierra Nevads, near
the CajOu Pass, to while away the tedioEsness
Of delay, and without the slightest idea Of
their ever being again referred to. have
lften seen indifferent poetry in print, and Tor
this effort the writer claims no partiOuls-
poetic merit, but indulges the hope that, as
faithful delineation of these characteristics oil
California scenery, il may not be without il
terest to those Of your readers who have no
iced these beauties, or to those who are de-
sIrous Of knowing what heaven hath done
for this delicious land"
~ ere's q striking, yet pleasing contrast,
Between the stiffness OF the mountain side
And the sand and rock bound ocean shore.
With the loud thHnd' ring Of It's restless tide.
The morn is fair; the sun shines bright on high !,
Spring time has not vet come; the birds are still,
Th' meandering brook, with pebbly bed :, Is dry,
And drought hath e'en dried up the tinv rilI.
The sturdy oak, the shrub no blossoms I'LL
No gentle zephyrs waft DER hill and dale;
No varied howers their perfumed scent. distil,
Nor bend their faces to the morning gale
deep, an awful solemn silence doth prevail.
On high the mountain rears its snowy head;
Down deep the darksome canon yawns beneath
The swathy bird Of prey his fight hath sped
The wolf lies browsing In the gloomy heath.
No living thing doth startle with breath
The slumb'ring echoes from the cTagg-walled
All nature seems to sleep the sleep Of death,
And silencs-vast, >profound-without CLEAN
or life thro'out the mountain fastness, regns su-
preme.
The morn is fair; the sunbeams stTew the earth,
Gladd ming ocean, fields, and every living thing
Awakening the long slept buds 10 birth,
Their fragrance on the morning air 10 hing
Blsckbird and lark in gushing accents sing
The groves are vocal with melodious song;
Ten thousand kline 90 forth TO greet fair Spring,
And TO green hills or grassy vallies thrcng,
And cooling breezes waft a per.umed breath
along.
Far out upon the calm and deep blue sea
The snowy piniOnet bark doth swiftly glide;
The whale and dolphin sport in wantOn glee
And sea-gulls on the heaving bosom ride
The distant islands stretching far and wide
Like huge leviathans, repose serene;
And golden clouds along the blue vault stride
The forms reflected back with silver sheen.
And smile, earth, air, and ocean with a halcyon
mien.
But far along the rugged, wave-worn side
The pillows lift their whiten'd crests and roar
Breaking, foaming, with reSistless tide,
And yield with murm'r ring to the stubborn shore
Waves on waves come thund ring, topping O'e-,
Ope wide their jaws-detached rocks devouT
Upon the strand their seething waters pour,
And moan low wailing sounds from hour to hour;
Behold the slumbering giants latent power