"Villikins, vile vollocking (walking) her transportation, and finally extemporized

A SUMMER IN THE WILDERNESS.*

* A Summer in the Wilderness; embracing a Canoe Voyage up the Mississippi, and around Lake Superior. By CHARLES LANMAN. New York: Appleton & Co.

into the ears of the men of the Old World for ages, never whisper into ours, or if they do, are not heeded. And our love of country, too, is nurtured and beautified by the thought that our land, in its physical features, is newer, and fresher, and more beautiful, than the Old World-that there are features in our scenery which owe nothing of their glory or their interest to man's hand-and that we have it always in our power to leap into the vast freedom of a life in the wilderness.

In all this we are original, and our country and our character is our own. In all this too lies the way for excellence in literature and art. With our quick growing minds, and scantier education in books, we shall scarcely equal the students of the Old World in the themes they have been busy about so long. And we may not be able to produce works of art which shall reproduce the old past with such excellence as the artists of the countries whose story is but a continuation of that old past. But in our own history brief, eventful and vigorous as it is-in our own physical land, so strong and fair, may literature find occasion for new excellence. Here may poetry flourish, and plume and adorn itself with beauties endless and as yet unused. Here may painting achieve those triumphs which alone shall indicate the originality of our artists. We would not wish, indeed, that the time should come when the old past and the old country shall be regarded by us with an unmoved and incurious eye for History is eloquent, and Antiquity is immortal; and Art and Literary Creation have need of all that is gone, beautiful and great enough for its memory to remain. But we may hope that our love and enthusiasm will never fail to awaken at the story of our own bright youth, and the pictures of our own beauty. We are among those who always love to read our own authors, and who find a charm in any truly American book.

Far away in the grand old wilderness yet lie the Upper Mississippi and Lake Superior; and here is a young author of no little enthusiasm who has ransacked their beauties, and comes to seek a response in the hearts of others to the delight with which they have filled his own. He tells us his story somewhat heedlessly. The youth and careless enthusiasm of the author is every where peeping forth, usually to our greater enjoyment, though that may subject him to greater severity at the hands of criticism.

We have no desire to criticise the SPIRIT of this book. An ardent and everpresent love of Nature-a minute attention to her changes and imagery-a memory which is constantly storing up little pictures, yet seems capable of holding greater ones-which gathers and delights in interesting relics and traditions; all this is so much positive merit, for which the author deserves praise. His material is interesting, his mind active, and his heart in the subject. We believe that the book is capable of interesting one in all that it treats of. There are too many inelegancies of style and language, and some other faults which we lack space and time to point out. We especially object, among minor things, to the continual use of the word "perfect," tacked as an appellative to all kinds of substantives. It is, so used, a mere vulgarism, and, with similar things, is altogether too frequent in our writings. But Mr. Lanman is a young and promising writer, and may easily remedy these, and the graver faults of his style.

The author journeys up the Mississippi from St. Louis to its very sources, noticing all the remarkable points of scenery in the way, and all the memorable parts of the history which is attached to the country through which he passes; preserving, too, every Indian tradition which comes to his knowledge, and everything remarkable in the condition and habits of these (to us Americans) most interesting people. Then he visits all the beautiful lakes which lie in that region; then crosses over to Lake Superior, of which he makes the entire circuit, in his bark canoe, still having the same object in view.

Much of the journey is performed in a canoe, with Indians, when frequently he is the only white man, and the sole patrician of the party. He makes some geographical discoveries, too, of waterfalls, &c., hitherto unspoken of. And even the utilitarian may find some little information, if Mr. Lanman writes carefully and accurately, as he ought to do, of the fertility or sterility of the country, or gives a true picture of the copper region; for all this is no theme of romancing.

We have hunting and fishing stories, too, in great number, which, if accurate, will be of great interest to sportsmen. Not that we have any reason to suppose that they are not perfectly truthful; but judging from our own experience, the charm of a hunting or fish

ing story is greatly enhanced by our having a perfect faith in it; whereas any suspicion of its falsity or exaggeration will cause us to lose all interest in the story, and often to distrust and dislike the narration. Men do not love to be humbugged in this, and writers of all marvellous adventures, whatever, would consult their own interest by checking any disposition to romance, when telling what pretends to be a true story. All this in a parenthesis, for we are not in the least inclined not to give full confi

dence to Mr. Lanman's narrations.

We will

mosphere of true imagination.
endeavor to present a few extracts, of no
greater merit perhaps than the rest, but
which may induce our readers to read
the book itself. Here is a sketch of bor-
der life:

"Major Campton is the name of a noted character, who once resided at Galena. He is a powerfully built man, who has spent his whole life among the wildest of mortals; and whose various occupations have caused him to be well known from the banks of the Ohio to the shores of Lake Superior, where he is now figuring in the copper line, having made and lost a fortune at Galena. A natural consequence of his peculiar experience is, that he perfectly understands the art of fighting; though he is so much of a gentleman, that he could not be called a bully.

man.

"It so happened that, while travelling in his own conveyance, and accompanied by his wife, during a pleasant day last summer he came to a halt on the margin of a certain river, and shouted for the ferryIn due time the indispensable gentleman was ready, and while inquiring the by a new thought, and dropping the paintnews of the day, he was suddenly smitten er of the old scow, looked inquiringly into the major's face, when the following dialogue ensued :—

There are, as we said, many very interesting Indian traditions and legends, and very graphic descriptions of what must be surpassingly beautiful scenery. Frequently, however, Mr. Lanman stops the current of his narration, or description, to paint us a picture, in words, of the scene before him, at some point of time when the unusual interest which he feels is not the result of any superior beauty of what is before him, but is simply to be found in his own mind, unnecessarily excited. We think Mr. Lanman has erred in introducing these things too frequently. Those who would not read his book indulgently, might be apt to smile and be displeased at the continual obtrusion of his own feelings and emotions, especially as they are often such as very few could sympathize with or understand. This iteration is sometimes unpleasant even to those who well comprehend and have felt every emotion which he describes; and one feels somewhat cloyed when we find the author so often overpowered by what is before him, and so very sensitive to physical grandeur and beauty, as once, in so "blissful" a " phrensy," or " bewilderment," to self.' stagger to the ground

66

and become" insensible."

But this is the fault of all young poets and writers of rhapsodical prose; a fault which experience generally corrects, and teaches them that the highest excellence is to keep themselves out of view as much as possible. The world never will sympathize with these idiosyncracies of the few. For an author so to paint a scene, as to arouse, in a measure, the same emotion which he felt himself, without refining upon, or even speaking of, his own feeelings at the time, is a true triumph of art.

And such pictures in this book are often well painted; and we have often a charming landscape in words; and sometimes one around which is found the at

"Stranger, isn't your name Major Campton ?

Yes, sir, it is. What business have you to transact with me?

"You are the very man I have been wanting to see; for you must know that I am the Bully of the North.'

"Indeed! What do I care for that ? "I've hearn tell that you are a famous fighter, and I should like to have you give me a thrashing, if you can.'

666

'Why, man, I have nothing against you, and do not want to make a fool of my

"But you shall, though, my honey; cided who is cock of the walk.' and you don't cross this ferry until it is de

"Remonstrance on the part of the major was all in vain, the ferryman was determined to fight. The major held a short consultation with his lady, who was, of course, in great trouble; but taking off his coat, and unbuttoning his straps, he stept out upon a grassy spot, and waited for the ferryman's attack. To shorten a long story, the fight was a tedious one, and ended in the total defeat of the challenger; who presented in himself, after the struggle, an admirable picture of a misspent life. He ferry the champion over the river; and had strength enough left, however, to when the major offered to pay the accustomed fare, the latter held not out his hand, but making a rude bow,

1847.]

A Summer in the Wilderness.

he exclaimed ;- Not a dime, sir: good trouble is that it is subject to severe storms, afternoon."

There are many amusing sketches in the book-pleasant passages of hunting and fishing, and a number of Indian legends, but too long for quotation.

The following extracts give an idea of the Great Lake of the North-the most splendid body of fresh water in the world:

"Lake Superior, known to be the largest body of fresh water on the globe, is not far from four hundred miles long from east to west, and one hundred and thirty wide. It is the grand reservoir whence proceed the waters of Michigan, Huron, and Erie; it gives birth to Niagara, the wonder of the world; fills the basin of Ontario, and rolls a mighty flood down the valley of the It lies in St. Lawrence to the Atlantic. the bosom of a mountainous land, where the red man yet reigns in his native freedom. Excepting an occasional picketed fort or trading-house, it is yet a perfect wilderness. The entire country is rocky, and covered with a stunted growth of vege tation, where the silver fir, the pine, hemlock, the cedar and the birch are abundant. The soil is principally composed of a reddish clay, which becomes almost as hard as brick on being exposed to the action of the air and sun. In some of the valleys, however, the soil is rich, and suitable for purposes of agriculture.

most

"The waters of this magnificent lake are marvellously clear, and even at midsumIn passing mer are exceedingly cold. along its rocky shores in my frail canoe, I have often been alarmed at the sight of a sunken boulder, which I fancied must be near the top, and on further investigation have found myself to be upwards of twenty feet from the danger of a concussion; and I have frequently lowered a white rag to the depth of one hundred feet, and been able to discern its every fold or stain. The color of the water near the shore is a deep green, but off soundings it has all the The dark blue appearance of the ocean. sandy shores are more abrupt than those of any body of water I have ever seen; and within a few feet of many of its innumerable bluffs, it would be impossible for a ship to anchor. It is a singular fact that the waters of this lake are much heavier than those of Huron, which are also heavier than those of Erie and Michigan. I am informed on the best authority that a loaded canoe will draw at least two inches more water in Huron than in Superior.

"The natural harbors of this lake are not numerous, but on account of its extent and depth it affords an abundance of searoom, and is consequently one of the safest of the great lakes to navigate. The only

which arise very suddenly. Often have I floated on its sleeping bosom in my canoe at noonday, and watched the butterfly sporting in the sunbeams; and at the sunset hour of the same day, have stood in perfect terror upon the rocky shore gazing upon the mighty billows careering onward as if mad with a wild delight, while a wailing song, mingled with the trampling surf,' would ascend to the gloomy sky. The shipping of the lake, at the present time, is composed of one steamboat, one propeller, and several small schooners, which are chiefly supported by the fur and copper business.

The winters are very long, averaging about seven months, while spring. summer and autumn are compelled to fulfill their duties in the remaining five. During the former season the snow frequently covers the whole country to the depth of three, But the clifour, and five feet, but the cold is regular, and consequently healthful. mate of Lake Superior at midsummer is delightful beyond compare; the air is soft, and bracing at the same time. The common diseases of mankind are here comparatively unknown; and I have never seen an individual whose breast did not swell with a new emotion of delight as he inhaled the air of this northern wilderness.

"The Canadian shore of this lake abounds in rocky islands, but of all those which I visited there is only one deserving of a particular notice. It lies in the northeastern part of the lake, and is unquestionably the greatest natural curiosity in this wilderness,-not even excepting the Chippeway Falls, the St. Louis River, or the Pictured Cliffs on the southern shore of Superior. I visited it with a party of Indians and miners, and the former informed us, that we were the first white men who had ever ventured to explore its interior. It is found about twenty miles from the main coast, and is supposed to be about a dozen miles in circumference. The shores are of sandstone, and for the most part rise abBut the wonder is, ruptly from the water to the height of four or five hundred feet. that in the centre of this island lies embo. somed one of the most beautiful lakes imaIt is about a mile long, and the ginable. perpendicular cliffs which look down upon it, are not far from seven hundred feet in height. It has an outlet, which is impassable for a canoe, on account of the rocks and trees that have blocked up the narrow chasm; and at the opening of this outlet stands a column of solid rock, which we estimated to be eight hundred feet high. The base is probably one hundred feet in diameter, and it gradually tapers off to about twenty feet in thickness, while the summit of this singular needle is surmounted by one solitary pine tree. The waters

HEADLEY'S WASHINGTON AND HIS GENERALS, VOLUME II.