Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-02-01
A WONDERFUL RIVER.

"A VOAND VII
With his fingers locked tightly in his
crisp, curly hair, Jackman Rolf-Jack,
for short-sat resting his elbow on the
table, which supported Il cenvas-covered
copy of Horsebefg's Sailing Directions,
on one of the open pages Of which his
eyes were steadfastly fixed.
Opposite him, in a similar attitude,
was his brother. Sylvester, now in his
fourteenth year, was two years younger
than Jack. Before Sylvester lay a we'll
worn Physical Geography, open at the
map of South America. He was sup
posed to be studying his days lesson.
In reality his mind was "far, far at
sea-" For Jack Rolf, who, as every
one declared, was ga born sailor" had
Just returned from his first voyage with
his father, Captain Merrill Rolf. He
was full of enthusiasm for his new life,
and could talk of little else but the sea
and everything connected with it, to all
of which Sylvester listened eagerly,
particularly as Jack, being a keen OBJ
server, and possessing a good memory,
was a most delightful taiSer.
81 say, jack
No answer. In fancy Jack was again
clinging to the Paul Revere's weather
mizzen-rigging, as she scudded at light
ming speed before u terrible cyclone
? which they had encountered on the re-
turn passage. And Jack. aided by the
map before him, was mentally compar.
ing the route ove which they had sailed,
to escape running into the dreaded
.. -. Al, .z.A. Ill.,. L.:
down
"Jack!!" this time rather louder.
CAV, ay. sir!.' was the dreamy an
swer. And then, with a sudden start,
Jack came back to his home surround.
ings-to the old-fashioned furniture,
and his dead mothers picture over the
mantel, and Sylvester opposite hin
yawning over his lesson.
''Well, what is it, Sillybub?" Jack
asked. goo%d-naturcdly.
II should like to sail up the Amazon.
the biggest river in the world" replied
Syl. glancing at the map. He didn'l
really care in the least about the ANA.
Zon, but he wanted to make Jack talk.
''Three weeks ago l crossed a bigge,
and wider ri,cr than the Amazon evel
pretended to be-" said Jack, briskly,
as. shutting the cover of his book witt
a bang, he leaned back in his chair ant
softly whistled an old sca-song.
"Why, Jack Rolf!' exclaimed Syl
vester. ''Three weeks ago you were al
sea-"
Yes" replied Jack, calmly, as he
fixed his gaze on the tly-studded cell
ing, land it is altogether different from
any river that l ever saw or heard Of
"How9' questioned Sylvester, curl
jus to get at Jacks meaning.
"Oh, every way" was the somewhat
indefinite answer. In the first place.
Jack continued, slowly, sit flows in /:
sort Of immense circle"
"a river flowing in q c~ircle!!" scorn.
fully interrupted Sylvester.
"-And there is one part of it," pur
sued his brother, ''that for quite u Ions
distance some hundreds OF miles, ]
think flows uphill"
"Oh. no doubt" was the i%ronical re,
spouse. "Anything. else:" Sylvester
had managed by Il great effort to gull
down-if | may SO express 1.-THE cir.
cular flow OF this wonderful river, bu,
the uphill movement was rather toe
much of u strain.
"Anything else?" repeated Jack
sob yes. lots. No matter how cold il
s." he went on, gravcly, ''this river
speak Of lever freezes, for two reasons
II is, that the water is almost warn,
and the other, because it won't stor
running long enough for Jack Frost te
get h S grip on it, for there is always /:
three Or four knot current or tidc.n
II don't see how it can run when it's
all tied" interrupted Sylvester, will
inward delight at being able to remem.
Der and bring into active service an ole
newspaper joke.
ia k cast a plying glance at hi:
brother, but made no reply to such al
ill-timed attempt at wit.
"Ihe r.ver of which l speak has n,
one definite source or outlet, though i
branches out in two or three directions
Another curious fact is, that while il.
surface is exactly level with the top O.
its oanks. it has never been known T.,
over ow them during the heaviest rain
tails, or to lower the |. action of an incl
during the driest seasons.n
Are its banks mud, or gravel. O.
rock, or WHAT" inquired Sylvester, VIII,
was thoroughly mystitied.
Neither his brother replied, grave
~. Banks and bottom alike are O
rold salt water"
aulf Stream" exclaimed Sylvester