The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-10-13

ROBUST form OF Mount Uohanceg The
fortress, when the evening drum beat
Tor rest, was safe, but as the early
sun kindled the hilltop with golden
hues, he revealed an unwonted col Of
to the evening sentinel, for the in
domitable redcoats, with an unlock
edfor daring, had sealed with his
artillery seven hundred feet of rueged
mountains, and from this height
looked down conqcerors. In the wal
of 1872, British army Of 10000
men, together with q fleet Of vessels
undertook to carry tho American
works at Plattsburg, located at the
foot Of the Lake, but then occurred
one Of those early naval fights which
gave ;mperishable lustre to our sea,
men, and added the name of Nc
Donough, with that of Perry, to the
famous roll Of honor, then just begun
but which has steadily enlarged to
these later days of Farragut and
Porter.
i The natural beauty of tho lake wal
very much heightened on the day Of
our passage by frequent gusts o.
wind and rain. Sun and cloud alter
mated 90 frequently that the most
charming contrasts Of light and
shade were pictured on the distant
hills, and upon the water. For an
hour, perhaps, the sun would shine
warm and bright, and then would be
quiet everywhere, and the deep blue
hills on either hand, stood out with
sharply defined outlines. Then upon
the summit Of tho neighboring
Adirondacks we could see the gather
ing blackness, and the rapid marshal
ing of forces, and then before we
expected, tho storm. would sweep
down from it's heights, securing over
the water like fury, only to dash
itself against the opposite hills and
disappear forever.
The lumber trade along the lake is
large. At Burlington It is shipped
BY rail TO eastern cities; from White
hall it is foated through the canal to
the great markets on the Hudson.
We remained at Burlington hardly
long enough to form much idea Of
the place. The portion through which
we travelled was as rough and steep
- the worst Of western river towns,
but the town is said to be quite ct.
tractive. We reached St. Adams,
ono of the finest towns in Vermont,
just a. night set in, having enjoy ed, 4
during our short ride by rail, one Of
those sunset scenes so common in
these parts. Looking from the car
window, on the left, we had first q
wide valley, with it's well-tilled farms
and cosy houses; beyond, the broad
expanse Of lake, and in the distant
background, the long undulating Ad.
irondack range, behind which the
sun had already set, but had left be-
hind his trailing garments, Gas one
may be excused for saying,) msgnifi-
cent in coloring, and peculiar to the
skies Of northern countries.
You remember st. Adams probab- !
y, from the notoriety given it by the
raid made by two-score renegade |
rebels, during the last year Of the
war. The people were surprised and
completely paralyzed for q few hours,
during which the bank, stores and
stables were pillaged, and money and
horses were run across the line. All men
found on the streets wore marched to the /
public square, and kept quiet by . half
dozen armed fellows. The market people
rom the country were quietly stopped,
and to their CONSERVATION, left without
horses, and without explanation, either.
The whole thing was neatly done by the
raiders, but the conduct Of the townspeo-
pie seems not oyer-valiant. A place so
'xposed khould have been prepared for
Iome such foray. can't help contracting
With this, the activity Of our Iowa people
n 81, when euerillas werestalkfng about,
md yet it is possible Ottumwa might have
ut no better figure. ifhandled in the same
way.
want to tell you about the mineral
prings at this place, ten milea from st.
Adams, but am forced TO wait TIL another
lay, WAPELLO.