He knew that they were a kind of furrow found on every part of the disc which was not
mountainous; that these furrows, generally isolated, measured from 400 to 500 leagues in length; that their breadth varied from 1,000 to 1,500 yards, and that their borders were strictly parallel; but he knew nothing more either of their formation or their nature.
They first caught crabs and quohogs in the sand; grown bolder, they waded out with nets for mackerel; more experienced, they pushed off in boats and captured cod; and at last, launching a navy of great ships on the sea, explored this watery world; put an incessant belt of circumnavigations round it; peeped in at Behring's Straits; and in all seasons and all oceans declared everlasting war with the mightiest animated mass that has survived the flood; most monstrous and most
mountainous! That Himmalehan, salt-sea Mastodon, clothed with such portentousness of unconscious power, that his very panics are more to be dreaded than his most fearless and malicious assaults!
We ran along afterwards by the side of the island, but were entertained with no other prospect than of a
mountainous country, and of rocks that jutted out over the sea, and seemed ready to fall into it.
The general face of the country, whether
mountainous or level, most fit for the operations of infantry or cavalry, is almost the only consideration of this nature that can occur.
The
mountainous and craggy islets intercepted the beauties of this noble island from the view of the travellers.
Occasionally the monotony of this vast wilderness is interrupted by
mountainous belts of sand and limestone, broken into confused masses; with precipitous cliffs and yawning ravines, looking like the ruins of a world; or is traversed by lofty and barren ridges of rock, almost impassable, like those denominated the Black Hills.
But in the other two destructions, by deluge and earthquake, it is further to be noted, that the remnant of people which hap to be reserved, are commonly ignorant and
mountainous people, that can give no account of the time past; so that the oblivion is all one, as if none had been left.
Sometimes, in the glens, we came upon luxuriant orchards of figs, apricots, pomegranates, and such things, but oftener the scenery was rugged,
mountainous, verdureless and forbidding.
Besides grief for her master, there was another source for that briny stream which so plentifully rose above the two
mountainous cheek-bones of the housekeeper.
(more than 29 stone), but in a
mountainous country 100 pounds less; yet with what delicate slim limbs, without any proportional bulk of muscle, these animals support so great a burden!
I thought that a
mountainous region was succeeding the long plains; and accordingly, after a few evolutions of the Nautilus, I saw the southerly horizon blocked by a high wall which seemed to close all exit.
We had come since sunrise from Bartlett, passing up through the valley of the Saco, which extends between
mountainous walls, sometimes with a steep ascent, but often as level as a church aisleú All that day and two preceding ones we had been loitering towards the heart of the White Mountains -- those old crystal hills, whose mysterious brilliancy had gleamed upon our distant wanderings before we thought of visiting them.