THE MISSISSIPPI. 



" I have been 

 Where the wild will of Mississippi's tide 

 Has dashed me on the sawyer." — Beaikebd. 



The North American continent — in its impenetrable 

 forests — its fertile prairies — its magnificent lakes — its 

 variety of rivers witli their falls — is the richest portion 

 of our globe. Many of these wonderful exhibitions of 

 nature are already shrines, where pilgrims from every 

 land assemble to admire and marvel at the surpassing 

 wonders of a new world. So numerous indeed are the 

 objects presented, so novel and striking is their charac- 

 ter, that the judgment is confused in endeavoring to de- 

 cide which single one is worthy of the greatest admira- 

 tion ; and the forests — the prairies — the lakes — the 

 rivers — and falls — eaeli in turn dispute the supremacy. 

 But to us, the Mississippi ranks first in importance; 

 and thus we think must it strike all, when they consider 

 the luxurious fertility of the valley through which it 



