Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 8).djvu/323

 to the future development of mind, to the high destinies of virtue, and to the nameless peace of heaven. When on this hill it was evening; and the moon, mild in majesty, moved in an unclouded course. She seemed to say, in the language of Young, "How great,—if good, is man!" Under such circumstances the human mind sensibly feels, that every thing, by the sacred and benevolent constitution of nature, belongs to the virtuous man. He here dwells upon St. Paul's declaration, "All is yours!" and fears not "life, or death, or principalities, or powers." The good man has, indeed, every thing to excite his hopes; and if his mind is enlightened by science, and polished by taste, he has every thing to excite his admiration.—Is he acquainted with architecture?—"The heavens declare the glory of the Creator, and the firmament showeth his handy work." Is he fond of music?—let him listen to that of the spheres. Does eloquence charm him?—he hears the voice of God in his own heart, persuading him to be good.

The River Arkansas enters the Mississippi from the west, about one hundred miles below the St. Francis. This river is certainly navigable about five hundred miles, and is, probably, from fifteen hundred to two thousand miles in length. The country on this river will hereafter be known for its productions and trade.[156]

A little below this river is the Cypress Bend. Here grow considerable forests of this interesting {211} tree. They are here covered with moss, and suggest the ideas of old age and death. The growth of the moss, however, is not confined to this species of tree; and it probably is created by some peculiar quality in the atmosphere of the river. This moss sometimes grows to the length of fifteen