The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-01-22
STARVED ROCK.
lFor the Free Trader. |

1913 two bark canoes were seen slowly ascend
ing the Illinois river, whose placid waters I'll
then had never reflected the face OF white man
On the sail of the foremost canoe was painted :
coat of arms, a pipe, and cross-embematic o
power, friendship and Christianity. The occu
pants of the two canoes were Jacques Marquette
a Jesuit priest, Larris Joliet, a government
officer, five oarsmen and two Indian interpret
ers. They we're the first explorers of the Father
of Waters" and were on their way to Canada tt
report their success, when singular incident
caused the discovery OF the mouth OF the lllinoi'
river, and they OF once resolved to penetrate tt
It's source Day after day they followed III
course, charmed as they went with its placid
waters, its shady groves and its rich prairies
the latter grazed upon by the bison and deer
But when they entered that section now known
as La Sale county they were more than delight
ed, and as their canoes stirred the tranquil cur
rent and their eyes Toasted on the sublimty and
grandeur Of the scenery along the shore, they
would occasionally cause the wild woods to re
sound with songs Of joyous praise.
Onward they moved in dreamy contemplation,
the beautiful Illinois sparkling in the sunlight
the wooded slopes, the grassy heights and
craggy peaks stretching away amid its graceful
wndings while high above the picturesque
bluffs they beheld, towering in majestic grand
eur like some grim sentinel on the walls of time,
the limber.crowned summit OF what is now called
Starved Rock.
lofty outlines. wandering if some giant castle OF
feudal times had been transported to the shores
of the beautiful Illinois. and that now, resplen-
dent in the glorious rays OF a setting sun, its
massive form and brawny walls, in all its prs-
tine glory, stood frowning down upon them
Slowly they piled the paddles, their canoes Gid
ing in the shade Of craggy walls, festooned with
blossomng foliage, the trees matted with en-
tangling vines, and all the graceful scenery of
prodigal nature seemed to hail their approach,
and just as "Old Sol" was giving his good light
kiss to the topmost branches of the more lofty
trees that crown the summit Of that wondrous
pile the canoes Of the travellers reached its base.
Nothing in their travels had they seen like it,
and well may we surmise their establishment
as they sat in their canoes scanning its outlines
and wondering what CONFUSION Of nature could
have caused so wonderful formation. But
there it stood, its grey sandstone lodges and
castle form towering one hundred and fifty feet
above their heads, while from out the crevces
like some old time battlement or crumbling
church wall, fine trees hanging vines and other
foliage grew in thick profusion.
Starved Rock is circular in form, and from
every standpoint it has II bold and majestic APP
peazance, but that which is particularly noticca.
bic about il is the varying thickness of layers Of
rock of which it is composed, all Of which look
more Ike the work OF art than of nature. For
the most part those layers are smooth, but many
Of them are rough, with overhanging crags,
under which are great dark, dismal looking cav.
erns, which tradition says "were once the abode
Of wild beasts, but where the foot of man never
trod nor the eye Of a human being never pene.
trated." Like a castle wall" says Parkman,
the cliff rises steep on three sides" In front ii
overhangs the water that washes its base; its
western brow looks down on the tops Of the for.
est trees below, and on the east lies q wide
gorge or ravine, choked with minglng foliage
OF oaks, wolnuis and elms; while from its rocky
depths little brook creeps down to mingle
with the river. From the rugged trunks Of the
stunted cedars that lean forward from the brink
you may drop pummct into the river below,
where the catfish and turtles may be plainly
seen gliding over the wrinkled sands Of the clear
aud shallow current.
That Starved Rock is one OF the most remarka.
BILE OF rock formations there is no doubt, being
entirely peculiar to itself in form and greatness
and that together with the varied historical in.
cidents connected with 1t, NAV assign to II the
most wonderful "half acre" on the American
continent, If not in the world. Other sections
Of our country may boast of historical land.
Observation-Disclosures of her Bunker Hill and
Plymouth Rock, Florida OF her ST. Augustine
and old Fort Marion, Texas Of her Saa Antonio
aud old Alamo rs well as others that | might
mention, but Starved Rock has n grandcr and
more thrilling history than any or all. and ii
stands to-day the same as it stood centuries ago,
when Marquette, Joliet, La Sale and other early
travellers saw it-oyerhanging the broad and
valley Of the Illinois, and the many
wood clad islands which divide the gently flow.
ing current Of that placid river and there 1t will
stand a monument Of the past and the admira.
ton OF ages yet unborn; while Its bold, towering
walls, its high, majestic summit, and its isolated
position will ever stand as the most picturesque
and historic object Of our lovely valley
Could we but call upon the mighty dead and
learn from them the true story OF Starved Rock
what thrilling tale might then be written!
But better not, for perhaps the picture might lie
too horrible for hungry eyes to look upon, so we
will only look back TO the days when, ne trad'.
ton tells us, STARVED Rock was the scene Of
strife, carnage and desolation, stained with hui
man blood and covered with bodies of the dead"
"lIere chief met chief In dubious strife,
And neither yielded but with life;
Dark, sulen, stern, no cry was heard
That spake Of life-to death preferred"
And later on we learn Of 1t being 'the abode
Of gay and festive Freuchmeu, where balls, par.
lies and wine suppers were the order OF the day !;
and where too were heard, morning and evening.
songs OF praise from the lips of devout Jesuits. ;"