Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-08-12
Excure1On Eastward.
Sr. LAWRENCE HAIL.

One might travel . hundred thousand |
miles st home and abroad, and select the
best Khines. Mississippis. Hudsons-
other grand river scenery, yet not having
made the passage from Kingston to Mont.
real via the St. Lawrence, no has missed The
grandest and the most exciting trip Of oil.
II is grand sight TO view from steamers
deck the delightfully."- bold and ever varying
scenery Of the Upper Mississippi; while
looking upon the towering sleeps Of Mag
ara, one 10 often overcome with unspeakable
awe; but what are all these when compared
with the thrilling sensations that invest
every sense and nerve, as. when standing
upon . steamers deck he dashcs .: fears
ful rate hsadlong down through the Long
Sault or the La Chine of the St. Lawrence.
Many time had We heard Of this exciting
and dangerous trip, but always supposed
that the enthusiastic and glowing terms in
which it was described vas more the result
Of an over-tempered imagination than Of
any actual reality, but now that our eyes
have beheld the wonders We are free to con~
fess that language is incapable Of exp:ess>
ing the hslf Of the wildness and magnifi-
cence Of that four days journey.
We stepped on board the steamer Pass
port, with four dollar (spscie) ticket, yes
,srday morning at half past five o'clock. A
| fine shower had both cleansed and temper
ed down the atmosphere to delightful
temperature the lake VAS but slightly
\ Al n Sk,
harbor past the Martello Towers and the
frowning battlemsnts Of Fort Henry, We oil
felt that there was day Of real pleasure in
store for Us. The passenger list Of tho
main cabin numbered about two bundled
men, women aud children, all on pleasure
intent, and full of highest expectation. or
our party, but one had ever made this trip
before, and that SO long ago he was in COM
dition to keenly enjoy il again. About
mile out, We encountered that magnificent
array of scenery known % the "Thousand
Islands" There are not only thousand
Of these but nearly two thousand, varying
in sizes from the green tufted islet no big
ger than . Hamburg cheese to miles in ex.
tent. All of them ere garnished with thick
foliage or with inossy turf-some are we'll
up out Of the water, showing banks Of solid
rock, others have improved farms, with
neat cottages peepng out through the fringe
Of deep foliage, while others still show ro>
mantle little artificial bowers and bordered
walks, with numerous noeks aud trysting
places-aud oil together combine to form a
most indescribably enchanting scene. At
times 1t is a famous place for sporting, ~
myrads Of wild fowls Of every description
may there be found, and from the abund-
ance Of fish that sport among these isles,
it is said that angling is more labor than
a pastime. Breakfast was the order Of the
hour as We entered these magnificent ems
erald gems, but despite Of our well known
fondness for besfsteak and coffee, We
preferred to remain on deck, glass in
hand to drink in the magnifcence of the
scene, the like of which Nature forgot to du-
plicsts. These islands are full OF romance
Years ago during the Canadian insur.ec>
ton, their great number and .he labyrinth
like ck annels among them, afforded an ad =
mirable retreat .or those who had cause 10
keep shady. Among these vas one man,
who. for his daring and abi ity, became an
object Of anxious pursuit to the Canadian
authorities; and he founl safe asylum in
these watery intrica les through the cour>
| axe ouu uSvVScuuSHO Va uho uSuSuSts WoOSC
inimitable management Of her canoe wss
such that through hosts Of pursuers she
bsflled their efforts to capture, while she
supplied him with provisions in these sol>
tary retreats, rowing him from one place oi
concealment to another under the shadow
Of night. Indeed there is no lack Of Po>
nance and poetry among the Islands that
stud the entire chain Of magnificent lakes
The steamboat channel is marked by small
light>houses, for it is useless to attempt to
steer by compass here.
The first landing OF importance after pass
ing the Thousand Islands is Rockville so
named in honor Of Gen. Brock, who fell y,
Queenstown Heights in the war of 1872
} Ii is handsome place with some magnifi
cent suburban residences and romantic
surroundings, 1t was laid out over sixty
years ago and though Of no great import,
ance in the commercial world has many
pleasant and attractive features, and many
happy homes among its 5000 population.
A branch Of the Grand Trunk Railway runs
directly under the city-its tunnel entrance
fronting the river with a massive ston,
archway.
Next comes Prescott, and Ogdensb burg
came next, about which much Of interest
might be said, but we pass on mi or SO
to Windmill Point-whereon are the ruins
of the old stone windmill in which q bod =
of Canadian rebels in 1887, under Won
Schulz, . Polish exile, established Them
selves, but from which they were routed
with severe loss.
Some Eve miles farther on stand the
stricken remains Of an old French fortfca>
ton, and at this point commence the rapids
after which there is succession of them
rather interesting - yet only . lit>
tie more powerful than those of the
Upper Mississippi a. they pass the Rock
Island bridge. These We watched intently
in connection With the numerous islands
and the quaint old villages and homesteads
on either sho.e-any one Of which seemed
to contain sufficient matter 70, lengthy
romance, but after all our anticipatons in
the rapids line were not being realized
We spoke to our friends about it. and
Rem. thought the programme must have
been greatly changed since lie bad passed
that way. Jerry and Jacob looked dubious.
end wondered if after oil the excellent meals
served up in the passport cabin was not
: the most interesting portion Of the DAYS
"trip. Fiom our morning experience We ali
| W. " y "CsO oAs sa8ES va SuC cCUIc VI vtCSS
uals. 90 We all lighted fresh cigars and
mixed in for chat wi b the ladies'. Why
nots While thus innecsntly amusing or.
selves, companion Remington, Who kept
one eys ahead, jumped up and exclaimed
by jinge, there's the Long Sault |" (pro>
ncuncsd Sso,)-and up we started 70 see
the river for miles ahead Of ~ rapidly fall,
ing, and its waters lashed into angry waves
that were wildly pitched by the ragged
boulders beneath. "Ting>a>ling>!ing" goes
the engineers bell, and for . moment steam
is shut of long enough to let the monster
underneath u take in long breath Of his
bot vapor, to make ready for the exciting
plunge to be made just ahead. Then thrce
more strong men approach the pilot wheel
making four in al, whose strong nerves
are required to steer the stauncsl
craft through the seething flood
"Ting-a ling>ling," goes another signsl and
down amid the white caps we plunge
down, down, and with increasing speed, the
angry surge bespattering the decks, and
drsnching the unsuspecting passengers
down, down, headloug-darting between IN,