The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-17
THE REALITIES OF THE HUDSON.

In natural scenery partaking alike of the
wild and sublime, the Hudson river stands
unrivalled. The tall, beautiful palisades,
rising gracefully along the shores, one above
the other. and extending distance ut TWEEN
! ty miles, are the first Il person sailing up It's
broad, ripping stream, views. They are ex-
ceedingy picturesque, and call forth many
an exclamation of delight and wonder from
admiring eyes, The great moss covered
rocks, gray with age, piling up one above
another, seem monuments OF Natures great
ness. Their highest estimation is from four
to five hundred feet. Countless numbers OF
trees, mostly fir or cedar, hardy and defiant.
obtain foot-holds on the granite rocks, and
breast the storms that betimes sweep re-
morselessly over them. In many places the
trees and shrubs hide the huge old rocks
from view.
"a loft the fir and warrior oak
Cast anchor in the riited rock;
And higher yet the pine tree flung
His shattered trunk, and frequent lung
Where seemed the cliffs TO meet on high,
His boughs athwart the narrow sky.
Passing Fort Lee, memorable in the cam
paion of 1776.-and where the palisades are
DISPLAYED in all their wild beauty and
granCness, we arrive at Tarrytown. Here,
in 1880, occurred one of the most interesting
incidents of the whole war. l refer to the
execution of the brave, unfortunate Andre
IL martyr to the basest, blackheartcd treach-
cry that was ever Matched from evil brains.
Next comes the Tappan Fee. Cor sea- an ex-
pansion of the river; here Hudson, more
than two hundred years ago, Imagined his
voyage must end. A fierce tornado was
raging at the time, and the waves on the
sea, dashed into foam, was breaking violent
w against the sides of his vessel-the Half
Moon He had actually turned the PROV
of the ship southwark, when the storm ceas.
ed almost as suddenly as it had arisen, and
he was again enabled to pursue his dis
coveries.
Passing West and Stony Points-the lat
ter the scene of Mad Anthony" Wayne's
brilliant and daring exploit, and rounding a
curve in the river, The Highlands burst upon
our view stupendous in magnitude, and
hanging over our heads like vast scntinels.
Huge, scraggy rocks stand forth in bold re-
lief against the northern sky, overlooking
the Hudson Grand old rocks! Often the
care-worn step of the great Washington,
weary at heart, but never despairing, paced
up and down thy sides. His noble heart
cning clouds of despair. and shone bright
and brilliantly through the uncertain future.
Many brave patriot, faint and weary, laid
his head against thy moss covered side, and
by thee slept the sleep that knows no waking,
the sleep of death. Could We but speak,
what q tale We could unfold! what tragic
scenes We have witnessed during the days of
the struggle for American liberty Here
..'Mongst dizzy towering cliffs
Their tips surrounded in mist,-here
'Mongst evergrcens and shrubs
Growing on juttnG lodges of cleft rocks,
Here i'll the solitude of he mountain
Fastness, revclling in its Wild thrilling beauty,
Nature delights TO hold her court
Eagles and other birds have their homes
far mp the heights, and occasionally they
may be seen, looking mere specks in the blue
eXpansc of the heavens. Beautiful, flour
shng villas line the shore on either side. and
fields, rich in soil and culture, and clad in
the bright garments of spring livery, stretch
IS far the eye can reach, and further
Now and then some princely mansion, the
property, perhaps, of Il retired merchant
prince, peeping through tall, spreading elms
and poplars, greets the beholders's eye. Far
up to its source in rhe Adirondacks, and
nearly at the base of Mount Marcy, the high
.st in the Empire State the scenery is be-
Titchingly beautiful, and wild and startling
IN its nature. A traveller has not seen
America in all her natural beauty until he
las seen the peerless Hudson. 1t is unsur-
passed in this respect. Bards have sung for
sges of its beauty, and bartls will continue
% sing its praise for all time.