The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-11-20

dr"i feet in Que solid, vast uuOrghCn rock, seem
ingly as smooth and graceful rs tHOu%h touched
by some master hand. While The "ppusi'c side In
composed Of lodges IN various siGcs and shapes,
and from b.se to summit is studded with great
OAK trees, deep foliage and ycrdutc, the hhund-
aucc OF which adds n Identifying charm to the
scene Beyond at the extreme end great ledge
Of rock pgoirudes, over which lunbes II lovely
watcrrall--ihc eareStapproAch 10 "NinnehnLa,'
so celebrated 10y Longfcilow'- llpiS ..la. Those
who have seen the original viii rcadl. recognize
The similarity in thia-the Ouly difference being
In size. Here it Is uIucn smaller, and the amount
Of water tumblug over the falls considerably less:
but the scene Remains the same and is one OF the
few Of It's kind on the American continent.
lon much OF the beauty Of this scene is to
he taken advantage Of is, hy cinbiug 10 the sec.
ond ledge OF rocks and folowin- the path aloug
the wall, which leads behud the falls. The
water descends in myriads OF tiny threads 4.
Behind which in exstasy you stand
Aud catch glimpse OF Iaity Land.
rs il we're lLohiuL through 4 misty veil Of sowe
thirty feet In height. Emerging from this damp
retreat and standing on the lodges above, other
features Of the canyon present themselves -
Great aIcoves appear on one side, large enough,
it would seem, to contain small army; and fur.
Their up the lodges become mOic prominent
while the entire region beyond would indicate
that seri,, Of beautiful cascades may be traced
to the furheimost end OF the creek, or TIL it
loses itself far away on tho prairie.
"THE FRENCH CANYON"
or STARVED Rock canyon" and no QUO knows
how many other names 1t has, Is located
within few hundI, d rods south of Starved Rock
from the river. This is rarely il ever visited, al
though very easy Of access. But somehow PEG
pile visiting the rock never think of this or the
other canyons near by. Taking bee line south
from the rock, passing on through an open piece
OF land. you come to the remains Of the oldest
house in La Sale county, or perhaps in the state,
not excepting Chicago. 1t ia an old log cabin,
built by the French during the early days OF
exploration. Nothing rcmalno Of this old relic
except few old logs and the basement, cellar or
floor, showing the peculiar idea Of the French for
house. building during those early days. In the
near future this will be curiosity worth looking
Vt, and one that Col. Hit and his man at the
Rock should in some way preserve, (as u sugges.
tionD by building fence or some other pro,ec.
ton around it.
Beyond the old French cabin We enter rift in
the rocks and soon find ourselves traversing
narrow gorge. On each side the rocks rise to
the height OF seventy i've feet and so unlike any
Of the other glcns in ruggcdncss or form, except
here and there rocky ledge protrudes, and the
entire walls from base to summit arc studded
with mosses, ferns, flowers and foliage.
The width of tins oil Ia nat IN .ycoad
feet, 1t is perhap, three hundred feet long and hns
a rock bed quite level and devoid of all that rub,
Dish, dirt aud distractions so common to tn 9th.
ere, which we presume is owing to the narrow
ness OF the glen and the terrific rush OF water
through IT. during rain storms, sweeping, as it
would seem, everything before it,
At the extreme end there is what has the
appearance of q beautiful cascade when sufficient
water is in the creek but 1t was our bad luck to
see it when scarcely drop tumbled over the
prccipice. The fall seems TO be about forty feet
md the lodges Of rock just the shape to lend the
scene a charm Of sublime beauty. TO say the
least, the entire glen is one OF the haudsomest OF
The series.
"TuRKEY.FooT CANYON"
about eighty rods west of the "Hcrsc Shoe" says |
Mr.. Armstrong, rs small canyon near its out |
let and following it up about thirty rocs it in.
rreascs in size and depth, on account of the sur.
lace of the land raising as you go south. At this
point it divides into two separate branches, hav- |
ing a sharp angle OF old st. Peters sandstone, |
standing nearly one hundred feet high The
olage here resembles that OF the other glens,
and the trees in manY respects are more grand
IA ,yl,l
he same as Alum Glen. About eighty rods be. |
FOND this point and not far from the river anoth-
,r charming glen, called
ivy FALLS GLEN"
8 10 be seen. The walls rise in solid mass 30
,bout one hundred and twenty-five feot-tho
highest Of any of the entire series, and from the
many lodges and summit wild ivy in festooncd |
orm hangs in confusion, while the usual variP-
les OF ferns, MOSES and other foliage ia here.
here and everywhere to be seen; but the most
attractive feature of the glen is the charming
waterfall, and from which this glen derives Its
,ame-the small stream at the further end leap
ny over hedge OF rocks some forty feet in height
This is truly beautiful and should be seen ny ev.
ry visitor to the glcns.
There are stll others, some Of which are more
hsrming and beautiful in many respects than
my OF the ones mentioned, but lack that grand
eur and massiveness SO characteristic Of the frat
hree canyons. For any one to attempt 10 take
hem 10" in day or two is the height Of mad,
less. With Starved Rock, Deer Park, Bailcy's
FALLS Clark's Falls, and various Others which are
qualy as grand, would require % week at least,
md even an entire month may be consumed in
doing them" !. d. II. !
81 Numbers OF Scribner's for 81.
The richly illustrated November number ot
,cyibpy's Nopthly, the Decennial Issue, appears