A wondrous sight that greets our eye
Beyond mortal mind's conception,
Immensities 'neath turquoise sky
With e'er endless great attraction,
Produced by nature's architect
With wondrous skilful grand effect. Its record ever has defied
And baffled all inquiring mind,
To solve this mysterious grand divide,
The widest, deepest of its kind--
Perchance for eons in creation
In all its various relation. On terraces and ramparts high,
In caves 'mong crags the lion and bear
The hunter's step and gun defy;
All rest serenely in their lairs,
Or cunningly search night and day
For harmless creatures as their prey. High over all the towering spires
The eagle soars with outspread wings
And piercing eyes with keen desire
An easy prey with talon clings,
And carry to his hungry brood
That greets with shrieks the luscious food. The winding trail o'er rocks and rills
Leads to the turbulent rushing stream,
Whose cataracts the cliffs oft trill.
The shadows oft like phantoms seem
That o'er eddies glim'ring ripples,
Oft move about like sailing shiplets. Flow on, thou river as of old--
Down to the mystic ocean deep,
And like ourselves do thy life mould
Until with us in peaceful sleep
Thou goest to an unknown land,
Yet ever in a supreme hand.