Our proud volcanoes, belching forth their flames, With smoke and lava, overwhelm the plains; Their lightnings play--their awful thunders roar, Convulse the earth and sea from shore to shore. Among them Cotopaxi's awful voice Would silence Etna,--drown Vesuvius' noise; While Europe wondering listens to admire The power superior of Columbia's fires. Our lakes, like inland seas expanding wide, Have not a parallel on earth beside. Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, And vast Superior form the mighty plan, Their waves like oceans wash the verdant shore, In western wilds too boundless to explore. Can Europe, Africa, or Asia boast A lake compared with these in all their coasts? Our rivers too, pursue their lengthened way, From far off mountains to the distant sea, Through fertile vales,--the flowery meads along, And chiming still their gently murmuring song; Receiving grateful tribute as they run. From thousand streams all mingling into one. Lo! wild Missouri's waters have their source In unknown regions to the west and north, From limpid lakes or from the mountain snows, From thousand springing streams its current flows; Mid vast prairies, winds its lengthened way, Two thousand miles where savage hunters stray, Then quits its wildly wanderings to receive The busy hum of commerce on its wave. Two thousand more its rapid current flows, Receiving still large rivers as it goes, Young Empires flourish all along its tide, And joyous cities rise on every side. What is the boasted Nile compared with this? Its magnitude is lost in nothingness, Asia and Europe's longest, proudest streams 'Longside Missouri's tide how short they seem! Our cataracts too, in grandeur far outvie, The noblest waterfalls beyond the sea. See grand Niagara's stream majestic glide, The venturous steamer floating on its tide: Its limpid waters draining half a world, Into the yawning gulf are headlong hurled, And for a moment lose the light of day,-- Dash on the rocks--then rise in misty spray. The playful sunbeams trembling kiss its tears, And from this loved embrace the bow appears; Commingling colors of the liveliest hue From purple red, to yellow, pink, and blue. These mingling join the sportive, airy dance, Their beauty half concealed from vulgar glance; Now veil'd in clouds--now bursting to the view In blushing modesty, the dance renew; While music rolls in awful, solemn sound, Heard in the distance, many leagues around.