Its tremendous volume had never so impressed me as in that moment of silent observation, nor had I ever realized before its sublime desolation.

Along that entire surface but three objects met my gaze--a small island, green with trees, seemingly anchored just beyond the mouth of the Illinois; a lumbering barge almost opposite me, clearly outlined against the distant shore, and barely moving with the current; and far away below a thin smudge of smoke, arising from behind a headland, as though curling upward from the stack of some steamer.

I watched this closely, until convinced the craft was bound down stream and moving swiftly.

The smudge became a mere whisp and finally vanished entirely.

I waited some time for the vessel to appear at the lower end of the bend, but it was then only a speck, scarcely distinguishable.