The modern geographical readers, Book 5

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Page 189 - The attraction of the prairie consists in its extent, its carpet of verdure and flowers, its undulating surface, its groves, and the fringe of timber by which it is surrounded. Of all these, the latter is the most expressive feature — it is that which gives character to the landscape, which imparts the shape, and marks the boundary of the plain. If the prairie be small, its greatest beauty consists in the vicinity of the surrounding margin of woodland, which resembles the shore of a lake...
Page 191 - ... emerges into another prairie. Where the plain is large, the forest outline is seen in the far perspective, like the dim shore when beheld at a distance from the ocean. The eye sometimes roams over the green meadow, without discovering a tree, a shrub, or any object in the immense expanse, but the wilderness of grass and flowers; while at another time, the prospect is enlivened by the groves, which are seen interspersed like islands, or the solitary tree, which stands alone in the blooming desert.
Page 114 - We got up, half dead with exhaustion, and unmuffled our faces. My comrades appeared more like corpses than living men, and so, I suppose, did I. However, I could not forbear, in spite of warnings, to step out and look at the camels ; they were still lying flat as though they had been shot. The air was yet darkish, but before long it brightened up to its usual dazzling clearness. During the whole time that the simoom lasted, the atmosphere was entirely free from sand or dust, so that I hardly know...
Page 113 - ... more. Meanwhile the gusts grew hotter and more violent, and it was only by repeated efforts that we could urge our beasts forward. The horizon rapidly darkened to a deep violet hue, and seemed to draw in like a curtain on every side, while at the same time a stifling blast, as though from some enormous oven opening right on our path, blew steadily under the gloom ; our camels too, began, in spite of all we could do, to turn round and round and bend their knees, preparing to lie down. The simoom...
Page 187 - SHOULD you ask me, whence these stories! Whence these legends and traditions, With the odors of the forest, With the dew and damp of meadows, With the curling smoke of wigwams, With the rushing of great rivers, With their frequent repetitions, And their wild reverberations, As of thunder in the mountains...
Page 191 - That gracefully •waving outline which was so attractive to the eye when clad in green, is now disrobed of all its ornaments ; its fragrance, its notes of joy, and the graces of its landscape have all vanished, and the bosom of the cold earth, scorched and discolored, is alone visible. The wind sighs mournfully over the black plain ; but there is no object to be moved by its...
Page 16 - These tendencies are combined together, and cause the trade-winds to blow from the NorthEast in the northern hemisphere, and from the South-East in the southern hemisphere. The...
Page 73 - Hundreds of devotees came thither every month to die — for it was believed that a peculiarly happy fate awaited the man who should pass from the sacred city into the sacred river.
Page 113 - Salim, instead of replying directly to our questioning, pointed to a small black tent, providentially at no great distance in front, and said, " try to reach that, if we can get there we are saved.
Page 193 - ... a remarkable degree, and which, moreover, is exceedingly interesting on account of its scenery, its geography, its mineralogy, and its sport. Although the altitudes are not so high as in other parts of the continent, it may be truthfully called the summit or apex of North America. Thence the waters flow in all directions — north, south, east, and west. There it is that great rivers rise, running through every clime, from perpetual snow to tropical heat. On the one side glance the currents destined...

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