December, 1880.
THE WEST SHORE.
323
in silver waves, and a shimmering path
of gold shines sun-ward. Now the
low flats on the left are clothed in
amber, and the jugged wall upon the
right is bathed in mellow radiance.
All this is but a presage of that to
come; for seel The sun bursts forth
in all his splendorl His rays fall upon
the hill, and a thousand rich varied
hues spring into existence.
The "whole landscape is uglow and
drifting across a great mountain lake.
There is a sandy promontory with
points of gray rock ; the while sand
drifted into long wavy ridges. Upon
one side we see high bleak bluffs, then
a stony wall holding with irregular
chain, the surging waters. Now be.
hind us the river appears; but how
I narrow it seems I As it winds away
I through the silvery sands it looks but
' the outlet of our lake.
tain, hill, bluflf, and rocky battlement,
each yielding its own peculiar charm
to the landscape ; all glowing in tba
rich autumnal light. Upon one sldo
a wall of basaltic rock, hundreds of feet
high, stretches its gloomy seamed and
riven length. From the other recedes
an undulating line of fair hills. Their
solt velvety ridges abounding in rare
lights and shadows; such as artist's
pencil must ever fail to catch, and
writer's pen to portray.
) :
" f r: : v f -
9
THE MIDDLE IU.OCK IIOUSE-Coi.iimhia Rivm.
aquiver in the new-born sunlight and
the traveller gazes with silent emotion
upon the glorified scene.
On I on ! the remorseless steamer
bears us, the scenes upon either side
continually shifting. The lover of
Nature has not time to catch half the
beauty of any view before be is borne
on past it to new delights and fresh dis
appointments. A sudden curve seems to leave us
Craggy cliflTs, pointed at their tops
like impaling swords rise menacingly
against the sky. I lcre and there in the
face of all this sternness laughs a clump
of bright foliage borne upon a rocky
ledge or held fast in sonic dark cavern.
The walls, of rock, arc seamed and
rent as by sonic mighty throe of
Nature.
Si ill on we glide from scene to scene
of Columbia's mighty panorama. Moun-
Now from the water's edge rise tall
clifls like mermaids, clad in damp cling
ing garments of pule sea green.
We are passing a low stone rimmed
island, with dull grass high grown, and
a cluster of trees, whoso scarlet lumps
are striving to light the surrounding
gloom. There are rocky islets on cither
side. The blue wuters curl mournfully
about the desolate shores. This is
uMimaloofrc the home of the dead.