Rocky Mountains. 17 



toward that imaginary region of happiness and contentment, 

 which like the " town of the brave and generous spirits," 

 the expected heaven of the aboriginal American, lies always 

 " beyond the place where the sun goes down." 



This method of transportation, though sometimes speedy 

 and convenient, is attended with uncertainty and danger. A 

 moderate wind blowing up the river, produces such swells 

 in some parts of the Ohio, as to endanger the safety of the 

 ark j and these heavy unmanageable vessels are with difficul- 

 ty so guided in their descent, as to avoid the planters, sun- 

 ken logs, and other concealed obstructions to the navigation 

 of the Ohio. We have known many instances of boats of 

 this kind so suddenly sunk, as only to afford time for the 

 escape of the persons on board. 



On the 6th we arrived at Wheeling, a small town of Virgi- 

 nia, situate on a narrow margin along the bank of the Ohio, at 

 the base of a high cliff of sandstone. Here the great national 

 road from Cumberland, comes in conjunction with that of 

 Zanesville, Columbus, and Cincinnati, i'he town of Cumber- 

 land, from which this great national work has received the ap- 

 pellation of the Cumberland road, lies on the north side of the 

 Potomac, one hundred and forty miles E. by S. from Wheel- 

 ing. The road between these two points, was constructed by 

 the government of the United States, at a cost of one million 

 eight hundred thousand dollars. The bridges and other 

 works of masonry, on the western portion of this road, are 

 built of a compact argillaceous sandstone, of a light gray or 

 vellowish white colour, less durable than the stone used" in 

 the middle and eastern sections, which is the blu*; metallifer- 

 ous limestone, one of the most beautiful and imperishable 

 among the materials for building which our country affords. 

 A few miles from Wheeling, a small but beautiful bridge, 

 forming a part of this road, is ornamented with a statue of 

 that distinguished statesman Mr. Clay — erected, as we were 

 informed, by a gentleman, who resides in that neighbourhood, 



vol. 1. 3 



