They scarce yon greenwood arch had passed by, Uncouth, that higher rose than art e’er made-- The vestibule of Nature’s masonry; No chisell’d gateway showed so fair array’d, That skill of man was cast in humble shade; When on their straining sight in grandeur reared A mountain-chain, with snow-white wreaths o’erlaid; Fair scen’ry, Alpine, op’ning wide appeared, O’er which “Mont Blanc” arose as they their pathway steered. LXI. An unknown wildness ’gan to creep o’er all Who gazed on that cold landscape, still as death, Where the hoar mountain’s peak, sublimely tall, Looked darkly frowning on the vale beneath; Dizzy ’bove clouds that stole away the breath Of those who did essay to climb so high, Save he, the chamois hunter, seen by stealth To dare the slipp’ry verge ’twixt earth and sky, While flew the cormorant disturbed loud screaming by. LXII. Before them stretched immense the Arctic sea, That in review did glide by poet’s art, Whose waving wand produced the mystery, To fix the eye, and bid the gazer start, And through the senses deftly reach the heart; His business now stern nature’s workings shown, As seen in polar regions, to impart Marvels wrought out ’mong fields of ice made known, Huge floating heard to meet and crash with horrid groan. LXIII. Pile upon pile of thick-ribbed ice upreared, Icebergs, here found in many a floating heap, Rudely magnificent in form appeared, Drifting in sparry columns huge and steep, Like moving mountains of the slumb’rous deep; Or semblance shaped to temple, tower, or fane, By hardy Briton on the horizon’s sweep, Seen stately sailing like St. Paul’s full plain; So named by seamen bold, who did first sight obtain. LXIV. Precipitous the mighty torrent rushed-- The object changed by magic of the bard,-- Through rugged cavern’s mouth, loud foaming gushed O’er shelving bank, that nothing could retard, Or stay the progress of its leap onward, To rocky bed engulfed with deaf’ning roar, That scarce the sea-mew’s screaming note was heard, With darting wing o’ersplashed th’ abyss to soar,-- Such scene tumultuous found by dark Missouri’s shore. LXV. In wonder fixed each mute beholder stood, Awe-struck at sight of water’s ’whelming flow, Till waked from gaze abstract of yonder flood, Was heard the voice of their good guide below, Who, unobserved, had glided on to show What object else was worthy their regard; The secret works of Nature taught to know, For they are infinite;--his high reward To lead to one Supreme; so thought the tuneful bard. LXVI.