The Western Echo

The Western Echo - A Description of the Western State and Territories of the United States. As Gathered in a Tour by Wagon

Ever since there was an East there was a West, and from the fact that the great race of humanity had its birth upon the highlands of Asia, the latter has always been a land of discovery, into which the boldest of an overpopulated country must make the first strides, contend with the greatest dangers and exposures, and break the first soil. The great pair of Eden have wonderfully multiplied; and their posterity, like a mighty wave, is fast flowing toward the western horizon. This great emigration has been a continuous seige of adventure; and many a worthy life has been lost while opening the road that must soon bear the broad marks of civilization. Many volumes contain the records of humanity; and the most interesting and touching part of mans career is the frontier life, which has been a continuous battle in the wilderness ever since the first back{14} was turned against the eastern sky. What a glorious thing it has ever been that for every difficulty there has been a surmounter, and for every wave a rider! What a treasure to the world was he who first plowed the foaming Atlantic and moored his bark upon the shores of the great America! The event has proved one of necessity for the support of the growing millions, and is a lesson that for every creature there is a home. The mighty rivers that flowed so long in vain through the East of this golden land now bear upon their bosoms mighty ships, laded with the produce of the soil. The little streams that rippled so long unheard upon their pebble beds, have all kissed the ruby lips of civilization; and the splendid soil that yielded so long to the savage tread, has at last found a husbandman, and fields of golden grain wave proudly where the roots of the mighty forests have long since decayed. But, like every other country, the first part found has been the first overdone. One half of the world knows not how the other half lives; and, likewise, thousands who live in the civilized and improved East are perfectly ignorant of the great country ly{15}ing west of them. True, the land has been crossed and the history written; but the accounts have been so varied that many who have a desire to find new homes and breathe purer air, feel quite a delicacy in putting everything they have to so uncertain an adventure. Many examples of families seeking their fortunes in a land of which they have not even the most limited knowledge,or into which they have been betrayed by the misrepresentations of those who value money in their own pocket higher than comfort in the poor mans family,and returning in perfectly destitute circumstances, have proved this fear to be well founded. Nearly all the histories that have been written of the land now in view were got up by land-sharks, or by persons who took a single tour through the country, often on the train, and not seeing one eighth of the country of which they write, nor stopping long enough in a place to learn the ways and customs of the inhabitants, nor testing the soil, climate, and general prospects of the country upon which the emigrant must rely. Far from this method has been the means of this authors information, which he wishes{16} to place before the people in the present volume. With a deep conviction of common duty, every line is marked; and the many facts gathered by so much peril and exposure will certainly be a valuable fountain to all those to whom this work is dedicated. G. W. R. {17} A back turned upon the State of Ohio is a back turned against the Eden of the Union! And to a person whose lot it has been to be born in this beautiful land, and whose borders he has never crossed, to think of quitting a civilized and happy home to wander in the land where the savage screams and the growl of the wild beast may be heard is certainly somewhat embarrassing. Nevertheless, being more than ordinarily interested in the narratives of the frontier, the author, with two comrades, John Routsong and Johnny Lair,being stout, robust young men{18} of the vicinity of Dayton,resolved to test the truth of what we had heard and read by seeing for ourselves, even if it had to be done at the price of a hair or two. Accordingly, a topped spring-wagon and a good team were procured, and lightly we tripped along, eager to prove ourselves Davids, and anxious to wrap ourselves in the robes of the wild buffaloes of the prairie, the giants of our own slaying. The first part of our journey, from its novelty, was the merriest; and sweeter dreams than we dreamed while lying upon the hard ground, with nothing but a tent to shelter us from the dews of heaven, were never dreamed by a king in his palace. Wishing to fully experience the effect of camp-life, we did our own cooking from the start; and never having graduated in the pastry art, we were obliged to forsake knickknacks. And how natural it was that we grew more and more hardy from our new diet, which we eat in the pure, open air. Being in the month of June, the weather was warm and the roads were delightful, and we merrily passed along until we found ourselves treading Hoosier soil. As we wended our way toward the interior of the state, equestrianism became quite common; and in some of the{19} back parts of the country we were amused at seeing the people finding their way to church in two-horse farm-wagons. Many other little novelties and changes attracted our attention; and we musingly passed along until we stood upon the bank of the Wabash River, where stands the pleasant little village of Montezuma. The stream is about two hundred yards wide; and being very deep, we found it necessary to take the ferry. This was something new to us; and as we floated across the stream we imagined ourselves in the Mayflower, plowing the foamy Atlantic, and carrying with us the seeds of life and death. The former we calculated for all who wished us no harm; but the latter we fully meant to spring up in the path of the wild buffalo and the bear. Our imaginary ocean, however, was soon crossed; and having been told by the ferryman that there was a coal-mine up the river a-piece, we determined to visit what we had never before had the opportunity of seeing. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 57594
Author: Romspert, George W.
Release Date: Jul 28, 2018
Format: eBook
Language: English