While here, in the valley of conflict I stay, Home, sweet home, &c. What'er thou deniest, O give me thy grace! I long, dearest Lord, in thy beauties to shine, CHANGES. its birth; The world hath many changes-the fair and verdant earth And some to dark oblivion have sunk by slow decay, Their very luxury hath worn their strength and power away.- Is it but in the works of man the power of change is shown? None are so sad and strange as those which in ourselves are seen; And feel more bitterly the change that oft in them is found. And with the phantom of those friends that are no longer ours. The heart of man, which stiil too much to earthly objects clings? Where lurks no dark deceit, and where no change can ever come MR. SCHOOLCRAFT, in his travels in the central portions of the Mississippi Valley, gives us the following interesting account of his visit to Mount Joliet, in the state of Illinois. We now took up our journey across the plains. The day had become sultry, and we suffered much from the combined effects of heat and thirst. We had on no part of the route, found the proportion of forest so limited. Fields of prairie frequently spread before the eye, like the boundless expanse of the ocean, and the vision is as soon limited. The eye passes over this unvaried surface, often "glancing from earth to heaven," without finding any prominent object to fix upon. Its apparent boundary is the horizon. This monotony of prospect would soon become tiresome, were it not occasionally relieved by small streams of clear water, by limited forests of timber, and by gentle elevations in the surface, which serve to stimulate attention. The slightest changes in the features of the country, or in the complexion of the soil, under such circumstances, become interesting;-and the transitions from arenaceous to loamy-from dry to humid soil, and from black carbonaceous mould to loose pebble-stones, as they appear in the deep-cut horse path, are sources of gratification, in a country whose prominent asperities are all deeply buried beneath alluvial plains. The sudden starting of a prairie-hen, or "whirring pheasant” from the heath, or the bounding of a deer on the distant plain, are circumstances which the memory seizes upon, in the common dearth of local interest. So vigorous a growth of grasses and flowering plants, covers these plains, that in several places we found them to overtop our shoulders, sitting on horseback; a proof, if any proof were wanting, of the strength and richness of the soil. It has been observed, that the first effects of the plenitude of inhabitants is the destruction of wood; but the culture and creation of forests will here demand the earliest attention. It appears very evident, that these grassy plains were formerly covered with forests of timber. There is no country in the world better adapted to their growth. Whether these ancient forests were burned down by fire, as some have supposed, or destroyed by water, as others maintain, may be an interesting topic of discussion to the geologist:-But the farmer and planter are chiefly concerned in the restoration of the stock and the promotion of its growth. We entered the strip of woods which forms a margin to the Au Saubles, one of the tributary streams of the Illinois, during the most intense heat of the day, and enjoyed its refreshing shade for a few moments. miles beyond this pellucid little river, we halted, and dismounted in the plains, and made a short excursion on foot to Mount Joliet.* Ten Any prominent swell in the surface of the soil would appear interesting and remarkable in so flat a country, but this would be considered a very striking object of curiosity, in a region of inequalities. It is, strictly. speaking, neither a mountain nor a hill, but rather a mound, and the first impression made by its regular and well-preserved outlines, is that of a work of art. This alluvial structure is seated on the plains, about six hundred yards west of the present channel of the river Des *This monumental elevation takes its name from Sieur Joliet, who was sent by M. Talon, the Intendant of New France, to accompany Father Marquette, in his search of the Mississippi, A. D. 1673. They entered this stream through the Wisconsan, and then followed its current. It is not certain how far they descended, but it is exident they passed the junction of the Missouri, and some assert that they went to the mouth of the Arkansas. On their return to Canada, they followed up the Illinois, and have left us the first notice of this mound, which they ascended. (Vide Charlevoix's Hist, of New France.) |