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66 Juvenile Letters.

"From the mouth of the Miffifippi to its 
"junction with the Ohio, one continued pic-
"ture covers its furface. On the weftern 
"fhore, favannas open to view as far as the
"fight extends. Their wavering verdure, as
"the profpect fretches, feems to reach the
"azure vault of heaven, where it wholly dif-
"appears. In thefe boundlefs meadows are
"feen ftraying droves of three or four thouf-
"and wild buffaloes Sometimes a bifon, 
"borne down with years, cuts through the
"waves, and lands upon fome ifland in the Mif-
"fifippi, to fleep quietly among the high grafs.
"By his forehead, ornamented with two cref-
"cents, and his giftly 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
"fo abundantly yield.

"Sometimes this river raifes its mighty
"voice in paffing between the mountains; ex-
"panding its waters; overflowing the loftieft
"trees, thofe colonnades 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 inflands as large as fome of the fmaller ftates. Lake Michigan, lake Huron, lake Erie, and lake Ontario, are all ranked among fthose 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 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