Cooper's Novels The pilot Author:James Fenimore Cooper Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: aware of its numerous faults, some of which he has endeavored to repair in this edition; but as he has —in intention, at least—done his full share in amusing the... more » world, he trusts to its good nature for overlooking this attempt to please himself. chapter{Section 4THE PIONEERS, OB THE SOURCES OF THE SUSQUEHANNA. CHAPTER I. Bee, Winter comes, to rule the varied year, Sullen and sad, with all bis rising train; Vaiwrs, and clouds, and storms.— Thomson. Near the centre of the State of New York lies an extensive district of country, whose surface is a succession of hills and dales, or, to speak with greater deference to geographical definitions, of mountains and valleys. It is among these hills that the Delaware takes its rise ; and flowing from the limpid lakes and thousand springs of this region, the numerous sources of the Susquehatma meander through the valleys, until, uniting their streams, they form one of the proudest rivers of the United States. The mountains are generally arable to the tops, although instances are not wanting where the sides are jutted with rocks, that aid greatly in giving to the country. that romantic and picturesque character which it so eminently possesses. The vales are narrow, rich, and cultivated; with a stream uniformly winding through each. Beautiful and thriving villages are found interspersed along the margins of the small lakes, or situated at those points of the streams which are favorable to manufacturing; and neat and comfortable farms, with every indication of wealth about them, are scattered profusely through the vales, and even to the mountain tops. Roads diverge in every direction, from the even and gracefulbottoms of the valleys, to the most rugged and intricate passes of the hills. Academies, and minor edifices of learn...« less