The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-02-12
CAUGHT on THE FLY;
GIimpses FROM Car Window.
Madss0a.-Hs LakeS.--i HooaIgM .Sccae-
Dcctrs LIKE, aud otter P'aces IF Note
tie "Badgsr .Stdtc."

al
Madison, the capital Of the badger State, n
Wisconsin is sometimes called, Is one OF The
most delightfully."- located cities on the American
continent If not in the world. Situated in the
, midst Of u charming region and surrounded b,
: four placid lakes, whose waters seem to be OF
a translucent clcarness, and whose lay seems 70
form almost u perfect cross. The city stands
, upon an eminencc which overlooks the lakes
and affords most charming view OF their banks
and wooded environs. The streets, "ltke those o!
Rome, all lead to the capital" whose grounds
occupy several acres in the very heart oil the
: city, and which are not only beautiful but IN
season, vcrging on the romantic, But lack the
r magic art to depict in fitting colOrs the beauty
aud location Of this lovely city. no words oil mine
can convey an adequate idea of what is. Any
point of observation creates shifting panorama.
From any considerable elevation circuit OF
nearly thirty miles In every direction Is visible.
q The four lakes lie embosomed ike gems, shin
ing in the midst OF groves OF forest trees, while
the gentle swclls Of the praires, dotted over by
fields and FARMS lend . charm to the view which
words cannot depict. From the dome OF the
capitol the bearing and aspect Of the surround
;lings seem more o. TIE ideal than can be well
conceived. On the west the lofty peak OF Blue
Mound, 25 miles away, towers up against the
sky, like a grim sentinel, guarding the way
4 towards the setting sun, while the intermediate
setting is hlled in with swelling hills majestic
slopes, levels, and valleys of raynes and river
j lets. Madison Is the center Of 4 circle, whose
natural beauties comprise all that is charming 10
the eye, grateful to the senses, pleasing TO tie
| ri, L N
perfection, never grow tiresOme 70 the speca-
tor. We have spent many day amid its Eiori-
Gus environs, at all times so attractive bat
never did it appear so bcautifn! or charming to
US az on the occasion Of our last visit in October,
when the autumn tints dccAed its shady groves.
| The midnight hour had come and gone. and
the waning moon had risen and was pceplng
down upon the sleeping city as we boarded the
| train that was to bear us on TO the great North
west The state House CLEANED through the
! green foliage Ia serene beauty; i's fair, white
| dome, with its many paucs, rises far above it's
less aspiring ncighbors and peers, white and
solemn, out of its fair, green settings. Far away
The blue waters roll their echoing sounds-forI
now we are running between two OF the lakes
and the shore grows more dim and distant
Adicu, yc lovely lakes aud Madison, fare vel
WELL sitling like 4 queen on your piclurcsqel
hills In the moonlight; long may you be blessed,
with that sweet tranquility that now cnshrOudo
you and with this Geek the comfDrLngl
sweetness of q Pullman bed, and, as Byron says,
"Again In tina, accustomed couch 20 creep,
Where Joy subsidies, aud sorrow signs to sleep. VI
Ouly to awaken at the first sweet dawn Of day
and nnd that our train wae jus! entering the
"Wilds of the Wiscon" and meandcring round
the hills Of its most desolatc and rocky rcgio
"DeuirS Lake," yelled the porter, with voice
that made Us shake from head to foot, for We at
once concluded that We had mistaken our train
and were on the wrong road, and that that warm
aud more dreadful place might be but station
or two beyond
But here in the midst OF rocky stratum of
deep assures or gorgcs. depressed over four
hundred feet from the surface, hcmmcd in by II
IN ghty precipicc, which constitutes the basin OF
a body Of water about mile and half long by |
half mile wide, and known by the unpoetic
name of Devils Lake" 1t rcposes like dew
drop in its mighty casKet and from its profound
depths reflects the dark shadows of the Dutting
crags that environ IL.
The level of the water Is about two hundred
feet above the Wisconsin river and it Is supposed
that the bottom reaches far below that, and to
all appearance Mas neither outlet nor inlet. The
lake is one of wonder and romance, aud few
places surpass It's bold, rugged and striking
scenery. The ruDposition Is, that ages and ages
ago some terrible internal CONFUSION rent the
earth's surface and piled various strata Of rock,
Of immense size, from 800 to GOO feet high, ana
disposed Of it in every conceivable fantastic
form. Within the basin thus mude lies nestled
this beautiful, placid lake OF clear, pure water,
which reflects on its nrror-like surface thcl
rugged and awc-insplring objects along its
shores. This beautiful body Of water is surround
ed with prcripltous mountains on every SIDE OK
ccpt two points, one where the railroad enters
aud the other where ii find, exit. On every side
Of the lake you see rock piled on rock in every
conceivable form, and in immense columns pill |
Lara, piles and masses Of great magnitude and
height.
Leaving DEVILS Lake Just as Old Sol raised his
head above the eastern hills, our train bounds
on through much Wilderness and once in while
n Enthusiastically formed rock or charming bits Of
scenery; while the new towns and smiling vii.
lagos are passed in quick succession.
Bdra6oo, with its 5000 souls, hus settled down
to quiet winter life, and
| IIono,roc ia rejoicing that the summer hunter
has fed from her village, hills aud mountains
and in his stead the woodman's axe rings
through It's forests.
Elroy situated amid chain Of high rounded
hills and hazy wrapped knobs Of rock, mountains
crowned with pines and other timber.
| Camp Douglas, with Its old Indian legends,
deep, dark and damnable; and near by,
| Black Rock Fails, with its gems OF sunny land
scapc, beautiful hills and valleys, all OF which
We fly by in quick succession; while We areI
charmed with the golden tInts of autumn that
ornament the wooded hills, adding u beauty