The Ottawa free trader., 1883-11-03

of the Great Omnipotent! On all sides tn,
y rocks rise dark aud solid with nothing o
the fantastic about them. Their sides
from base 10 summit. are decorated with
creepers, moss, vines and foliage, and faI
above upon its brow, old pines, oaks and
naples spread their leafy arms and partl y
hide from view the vauled dome beyond
Many visitors will pronounce this the
handsomest of the entire series, and al.
though not so large as any of the other
canyons it is quite as attractive, and when
there Is sufficlency Of water in the ravine
above, the picture here must be charming.
We named this THE Haunt of the
Fairies," and of it Wheeler took several
very fine views, some with realistic effect,
Doctor and Randlett playing the fairies y.
A dandy" fairy the Doc looked up, among
the rocks and ledges, but Wheeler was un.
able to get in but Il portion of Charley S
feet "In the sweet hy-and by" people III
looking at the picture will remark how
handsome the fairies were IN our day, but
what awfully big feet some of them had O..
Beyond the "Haunt," Il few rods to the
west, is another gorge or canyon, but small
compared with the others, and therefore
will receive from visitors but little a,ten-
tion 1t Is oval IN shape, has u profusIon
of vines and foliage cllnglng to its rocky
sides, which rise to the height of eighty or
ninety feet, terminating at the extreme
point with the same pecullaritles Of all
the other glens and canyons
On the way to the new canyon, or "Ihe
Haunt of The FAIRIES" from Starved Rock,
a plateau Of ground is reached, which, to
all appearances, has no claim ON the at
tention OF visitors. It's greatest height is
at the east end, from which it gently slopes
toward the west. Trees of ancient growth
ana many Of modern period dot It's surface.
Here stood the camp OF one OF the lndian
chiefs OF the Pottowatomies. Mr.. Rande,t
informed US that he had picked up as
many Us bushel of heads, bits of
pottery anu other Indian truck, here All
you had to do he SAID, was to dig a little
below the surface and you will fiji d them,
and Sultlng the action to the word he res.
urreCted an arrow head or two.
AS we Emerged from the canyon the
Doctor discovered something, or thought
he did! For some time he was engaged
In turning up legs, bones, and things,
until by the appearance one would sup
pose that he had struck gravey yard
What Is it, Doc?" asked Wheeler. "A
mastodon, sure as fate said Doc; and
with that Wheeler opened his budget and
made ready for plcture But on closer
examination Doc. though, it might he the
remains of buffalo bull! At all events
it was something ancient, and he was Just
planning now 10 get 1t to his office, when
Charley, who up to this time had been sit
ting astrlde OF a log watching them, re-
marked that 1T must be some five years
since that ere steer dled What" says
Doc. "Ah!" SAID Wheeler, and without
any more bone business they moved on
There is no spot in our lovely valley so
grand or so striking as
THE MAIDEN's LEAP"
In some particulars 1t surpaeses Starved |
Rock IN boldness and grandeur, yet how
few of the thousands that annually visit |
Starved Rock ever think of crossing the
ravine and climbing the hill and venturing
out upon the pllared ROCKS and jutting |
PEAKS that front the river. 1t towers 17O
feet above the waters edge, aud rises seven.
teen feet higher than Starved Rock. From
It's summit the grandest view ofthe valley is |
had. In front it overhangs the water that
washes base, where, far below, you can
see many species of the finny tribe gliding
over the wrinkled sand of the clear shallow
curreLt ITS western brow looks down ON
the tops OF forest trees below" where
mingle the oak, the elm and the maple
and beyond to the left the rocky profile OF
THE DEVILS NOSE
is seen, and near 1t, in huge and mighty
grandeur, Starved Rock rises, ledge on
ledge" monument of the past, the won
der ofthe present and will be the admiration
of generations yet unborn! Tread lightly
here, o tourist, when upon this sacred
pile, for The very soil beneath your feet is
rich with the dust of the lllini, and
Heaven hath angels watching round
This massive rocky Indian m0und
And they have made it holy ground"
But in previous letter pictured the
outlines OF the story Of Starved Rock, and
Wheeler has outdone himself in picture
of it, a copy of which every household IN
the county should possess.
As viewed from
"HAY STACK ROCK"
"a towering rocky pile to the east. the
"Maiden's Leap" resembles huge water
pitcher, In fact 1t is almost a perfect for
nation. Just above the water line, a
round, rocky, rim,lke projection, as in an
ordinary water pitcher, appears, and grad.
ually expanding up towards the center,
where 1t reaches its greatest width, then
narrows toward the top, until apparently II
another projecting ledge forms the mouth,
and then we see before US one huge pitcher.
like formation rising from the water ,
\ few pines and Cedsrs ornament the sides, I
but not large enough to detract from the
formation any Of It's characteristics.
We had just left the "Malden's Leap" ',
and were making tracks for wild Cat
Falls" when all at once most uuearthly
sound rang out upon the waters aud
sounded as though 1t came from the very
depths Of the earth. Randlett stood para
lized, Wheeler laid on the ground lla,
heels up, and your humble servant took ref
uge behind fallen tree. For moment
we were terror stricken We imagined
the dead had returned to liie or that the
spirit of the Tilted maiden had come for