f a bed of rocks, and runs
a distance of some two hundred miles to the Mississippi. Here once
roamed the deer and came the wild cattle in herds. Here rose great
cliffs, like ruins of castles, which were then, as now, cities of the
swallows. Eagles built their nests upon them, and wheeled from over the
flowers of the prairies. The banks in summer were lined with wild
strawberries and wild sunflowers. Here and there were natural mounds and
park-like woods, and oaks whose arms were tangled with grapevines.

Into this country ran Black Hawk's trail, and not far from this trail
was Prairie Island, with its happy settlers and new school. The German
school-master might well love the place. Margaret Fuller (Countess
Ossoli) came to the region in 1843, and caught its atmosphere and
breathed it forth in her Summer in the Lakes. Here, in this territory of
the Red Man's Paradise, "to me enchanting beyond any I have ever seen,"
where "you have only to turn up the sod to find arrow-heads," she
visited the bluff of the Eagles' Nest on the morning of the Fourth of
July, and there wrote "Ganymede to his Eagle," one of her grandest
poems.

"How happy," says this gifted soul, "the Indians must have been here! I
do believe Rome and Florence are suburbs compared to this capital of
Nature's art."

Black Hawk's trail ran from this region of perfect beauty to the
Mississippi; and long after the Sacs and Foxes were compelled to live
beyond the Mississippi, the remnants of the tribes loved to return and
visit the scenes of the land of their fathers.

The Indians who had plotted the firing of the prairies made two stealthy
journeys along the Rock River and over the old trail under the August
moon. In one of these they rode round Prairie Island, and encamped one
night upon the bluff of the Eagles' Nest, under the moon and stars.
Waubeno went with them, and gazed with sad eyes upon the scenes that had
passed forever from the control of his people.

He saw the new cabins and corn-fields, the prairie wagons and the
emigrants. One evening he passed Prairie Island, and saw the lights
glimmering among the trees, and heard the singing of a hymn in the
school-house, where the people had met to worship. He wished that his
own people might be taught these better ways of living. He reined up his
pony and listened to the singing. He wished that he might join the
little company, though he did not know that Jasper was there.

He rode away amid the stacks