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66 Juvenile Letters.

"From the mouth of the Miffifippi to its "junction with the Ohio, one continued picture covers its furface. On the weftern "fhore, favannas open to view as far as the "fight extends. Their waving verdure, as "the profpect ftretches, feems to reach the "azure vault of heaven, where it wholly difappears. In thefe boundlefs meadows are "feen ftraying droves of three or four thoufand and wild buffaloes. Sometimes a bifon, "borne down with years, cuts through the "waves, and lands upon fome ifland in the Miffifippi, to fleep quietly among the high grafs. "By his forehead, ornamented with two crefcents, and his griftly beard, you would take "him for the bellowing river god; who cafts "a look over the waters, and feems fatisfied "with the wild productions which its fhores "so abundantly yield. 

"Sometimes this river raifes its mighty "voice in paffing between the mountains; expanding its waters; overflowing the loftieft "trees, thofe colonades of the foreft; and "deluging


Juvenile Letters. 67

"deluging the pyramids of the Indian tombs. 
"This is the Nile of the Defert."

The Ohio is a majeftic river, and runs many hundred miles through thofe vaft forefts, which in time will be filled with inhabitants. The Potowmac, the Delaware, the Hudfon, &c. are important rivers. 

Many of our Lakes are no lefs than inland feas. Lake Superior is fixteen hundred miles in circumference; containing iflands as large as fome of the fmaller ftates. Lake Michigan, lake Huron, lake Erie, and lake Ontario, are all ranked among thofe of the firft magnitude. And here we approach the moft ftupendous of nature's works! You will readily conjecture, that I allude to the falls of Niagara. Thefe you will find handfomely defcribed by the author above quoted. 

But the fubject is too copious for me to handle. I therefore quit it: and fubfcribe

Your friend and humble fervant,
JOHN JOURNALIST.
Mafter Richard Rambler.

LETTER

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