--- title: The Mississippi. — Legends of the Northwest · full text with trees description: The Mississippi., «Legends of the Northwest» by Hanford Lennox Gordon: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Onward rolls the Royal River, proudly sweeping to the sea, Dark and deep and grand, forever wrapt in myth and mystery. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/4/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Legends of the Northwest](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/) / The Mississippi. # The Mississippi. The Mississippi. of «Legends of the Northwest» by Hanford Lennox Gordon: the whole text, 25 sentences and 796 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. Onward rolls the Royal River, proudly sweeping to the sea, Dark and deep and grand, forever wrapt in myth and mystery.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") Lo he laughs along the highlands, leaping o'er the granite walls: Lo he sleeps among the islands, where the loon her lover calls.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Still like some huge monster winding downward through the prairie plains, Seeking rest but never finding, till the tropic gulf he gains.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") In his mighty arms he claspeth now an empire broad and grand; In his left hand lo he graspeth leagues of fen and forest land; In his right the mighty mountains, hoary with eternal snow.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Where a thousand foaming fountains singing seek the plains below.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Fields of corn and feet of cities lo the mighty river laves, Where the Saxon sings his ditties o'er the swarthy warriors' graves.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Aye, before the birth, of Moses--ere the Pyramids were piled-- All his banks were red with roses from the sea to nor'lands wild, And from forest, fen and meadows, in the deserts of the north, Elk and bison stalked like shadows, and the tawny tribes came forth; Deeds of death and deeds of daring on his leafy banks were done-- Women loved and men went warring--ere the siege of Troy begun.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Where his wayward waters thundered, roaring o'er the rocky walls, Dusky hunters sat and wondered, listening to the spirits' calls. "[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Ha-ha!"[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") \[76\] cried the warrior greeting from afar the cataract's roar; "Ha-ha!" rolled the answer, beating down the rock-ribbed leagues of shore.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, alas, the bow and quiver and the dusky braves have fled, And the sullen, shackled river drives the droning mills instead.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Where the war whoop rose, and, after, women wailed their warriors slain, List the Saxon's silvery laughter, and his humming hives of gain.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Swiftly sped the tawny runner o'er the pathless prairies then, Now the iron-reindeer sooner carries weal or woe to men.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") On thy bosom, Royal River, silent sped the birch canoe, Bearing brave with bow and quiver, on his way to war or woo; Now with flaunting flags and streamers--mighty monsters of the deep-- Lo the puffing, panting steamers, through thy foaming waters sweep; And behold the grain-fields golden, where the bison grazed of eld; See the fanes of forests olden by the ruthless Saxon felled,-- Pluméd pines that spread their shadows ere Columbus spread his sails.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Firs that fringed the mossy meadows ere the Mayflower braved the gales, Iron oaks that nourished bruin while the Vikings roamed the main, Crashing fall in broken ruin for the greedy marts of gain.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Still forever and forever rolls the restless river on, Slumbering oft but ceasing never, while the circling centuries run.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") In his palm the lakelet lingers, in his hair the brooklets hide, Grasped within his thousand fingers lies a continent fair and wide,-- Yea, a mighty empire swarming with its millions like the bees, Delving, drudging, striving, storming, all their lives, for golden ease.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Still, methinks, the dusky shadows of the days that are no more Stalk around the lakes and meadows, haunting oft the wonted shore,-- Hunters from the land of spirits seek the bison and the deer, Where the Saxon now inherits golden field and silver mere; And beside the mound where burried lies the dark-eyed maid he loves, Some tall warrior, wan and wearied, in the misty moonlight moves.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") See--he stands erect and lingers--stoic still, but loth to go-- Clutching in his tawny fingers feathered shaft and polished bow.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Never wail or moan he utters and no tear is on his face, But a warrior's curse he mutters on the crafty Saxon race.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") O thou dark, mysterious River, speak and tell thy tales to me; Seal not up thy lips forever--veiled in mist and mystery.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") I will sit and lowly listen at the phantom-haunted falls, Where thy waters foam and glisten o'er the rugged, rocky walls.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Till some spirit of the olden, mystic, weird, romantic days Shall emerge and pour her golden tales and legends through my lays.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Then again the elk and bison on thy grassy banks shall feed, And along the low horizon shall the pluméd hunter speed; Then again on lake and river shall the silent birch canoe Bear the brave with bow and quiver on his way to war or woo: Then the beaver on the meadow shall rebuild his broken wall, And the wolf shall chase his shadow and his mate the panther call.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") From the prairies and the regions where the pine-plumed forest grows Shall arise the tawny legions with their lances and their bows; And again the shouts of battle shall resound along the plain, Bows shall twang and quivers rattle, women wail their warriors slain.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [H. L. Gordon.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/3/) - next →: [A Legend of the Dakotas.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/5/) - ↑ back to [Legends of the Northwest](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg8122/)