THE RIVER. 
195 
turbid, and never positively muddy. It lias no great depth, ex- 
cept in spots ; there are some deep places, however, well known 
to the boys of the village for feats of diving performed there, certain 
lads priding themselves upon walking across the bed of the river 
through these deep spots, while others still more daring are said 
to have actually played a game of " lap-stone," sitting in what 
they call the " Deep Hole." In general, the bottom is stony or 
muddy, but there are reaches of sand also. The growth of aqua- 
tic plants is thick in many places, and near the bridge there is 
a fine patch of water-grasses, which have a beautiful effect seen 
from above, their long tufts floating gracefully in the sIoav cur- 
rent of the stream, like the locks of a troop of Mermaids. One 
of these plants, by-the-by, bears the name of the " Canadian 
Water-Nymph ;" but it is one of the homeliest of its tribe ; there 
are others much more graceful to which the name would be bet- 
ter adapted. It will be remembered that in the northern part of 
the State there is quite a large stream called Grass River, from 
the great quantity of these grassy plants growing in its waters. 
The older trees on the bank have long since been cut away ; 
but many young elms, maples, ashes, amelanchiers, &c., stand 
with their roots washed by the water, while grape-vines and 
Virginia creepers are climbing over them. Wild cherries and 
plums also line the course of our little river. Sallows and alders 
fonn close thickets lower than the forest trees. All our native 
willows on this continent are small ; the largest is the black wil- 
low, with a dark bark, about five-and-twenty feet high. It grows 
some miles farther down the stream. Our alders also are mere 
bushes, while the European alder is a full-sized tree, tall as their 
elms or beeches. 
