LETTER IX.

ST. LOUIS, July 12.

_My dear E._--The days we have spent here, we have been very busy,

except Sunday, in examining every thing in and about this place. It is a

very nice city, and one of much importance, has increased much lately,

and will continue to increase. Its population is twenty-four thousand

five hundred and fifty-five. In 1825 it was only six thousand. There are

several good churches here, some of which, we attended to-day, it being

Sunday. There is a pretty episcopal of the Gothic form, a baptist

church, of brick, having a neat white porch in front--an unitarian, of

plaster--a methodist, and a large cathedral belonging to the catholics.

This is an odd picturesque building, and is one hundred and thirty-six

feet by eighty-four broad, built of grey stone. You enter by a porch

supported by four Doric columns. The body of the church is divided by

columns, lighted by elegant chandaliers; the sacristy and altar are very

handsome; the windows of painted glass; and there is in the church a

fine painting of St. Louis, presented by Louis XVIII. The bells are

from Normandy. We had penetrated two thousand miles in the wilderness of

the west, and were glad to find we had not yet ‘travelled beyond the

Sabbath.’

What nice resting spells these Sabbaths are! When whirled upon the

stream of life, our attention occupied in avoiding the snags and sawyers

and cross currents in our channel, how refreshing, how necessary is it

for us to anchor for a little while, and look about, and consider our

future course. The Sabbath is a precious anchor to the soul, giving it

time to meditate upon its future career, and consult those charts which

a kind heaven has sent to direct its route. The Sabbath is necessary to

man, and was given in mercy. Physicians tell us rest is required for the

machinery of man; that the brain and nerves, while forever upon the

stretch will decay much sooner than if sometimes relaxed. It was the

opinion of the great Wilberforce, that the suicide of Lord Londonderry

and that of Sir Samuel Romilly was owing to their neglect of this day of

rest. Speaking of the death of the former he says, ‘he was certainly

deranged--the effect probably of continued wear and tear of the mind.

But the strong impression of my mind is, that it is the effect of the

_non-observance of the Sabbath_, both as abstracting from politics, from

the continual recurrence of the same reflections, and as correcting the

false views of worldly things, and bringing them down to their own

indistinctness. He really was the last man in the world who appeared

likely to be carried away into the commission of such an act, so cool,

so self possessed! It is very curious to hear the newspapers speaking

of incessant application to business, forgetting that by a weekly

admission of a day of rest, which our Maker has graciously enjoined, our

faculties would be preserved from the effects of this constant strain. I

am strongly impressed with the recollection of your endeavors to prevail

upon the lawyers to give up Sunday consultations in which poor Romilly

would not concur. If he had suffered his mind to enjoy such occasional

relaxations it is highly probable the strings would never have snapped,

as they did, from over extension.’

* * * * *

_July 13th._--This morning we took a coach and drove about to every

thing worth seeing in the city. In the French part of the town, the

streets are narrow and present quite a foreign and antique appearance.

Here are several neat, white-washed steep roofed dwellings surrounded by

piazzas, and occupied by the French part of the community. Main street,

which corresponds with our Pearl street, runs parallel with the river,

about a mile. It appears a very busy street and here one may obtain

goods from all quarters of the world brought up from New Orleans,--and

domestic wares from the country around. As you ascend from the river the

streets are wider and better built, and the upper end of the city is

laid out in wide streets fast filling up with handsome buildings, public

and private, some of these last, surrounded by courts and adorned by

trees. Here many eastern people dwell. A gentleman of the place, told us

there had been nine hundred houses put up in the city this year, and

from appearances I should think this a true estimate. There is a medical

college in progress, and a large hotel nearly finished, which is said

to be the largest hotel in the States. It is of red brick ornamented

with white marble, and is altogether a handsome building. It is to be

called the ‘St. Louis House.’ Several institutions are conducted by

catholics, as the Convent of the Sacred Heart, and the University of St.

Louis. In the library of the latter are nearly seven thousand volumes.

The court house is of brick, with a circular portico supported by white

columns. It stands in a large court in the centre of the city surrounded

by an iron railing. We entered the hall, and ascending to the cupola,

beheld a very delightful scene. The city is laid out as in a map below

us--behind stretch the verdant prairies, in front the swift rolling

Mississippi, and beyond it, the rich fields of the American bottoms in

Illinois, and the white buildings of Illinois town opposite. While

leaving the court house we were attracted by some advertisements upon

the door, for the sale of slaves. We noticed one for the sale of

‘Theresa, a likely negro girl about twelve years of age.’ This was our

first intimation we were in a land of slavery. You must not expect a

dissertation upon slavery, for whatever my opinions are I shall keep

them to myself, as I cannot mend or alter the state of things by my

advise, nor is it a woman’s province to meddle in such high matters of

State. However I might think, I certainly shall never speak in public

upon the subject, as I have a good old friend, called St. Paul, and he

in one of his letters says ‘It is a shame for a woman to speak in

public,’ and ‘women should be keepers at home.’ It is true I am not a

keeper at home just now, but I am travelling for health, and not to

enlighten the people with my wisdom. The number of slaves in Missouri

is forty eight thousand nine hundred and forty-one--its entire

population is five hundred thousand. We visited a museum here,

celebrated for its collection of organic remains, and we were surprised

at the number and good preservation of these ‘medals of creation.’ The

owner and keeper of this museum is Mr. Koch, a man of great enthusiasm

upon the subject of paleantology. He had just returned from an

expedition to the interior of Missouri from whence he had procured

ninety weight of bones. Seeing our interest in these things he admitted

us into an interior room which had the appearance of a charnel house,

filled with bones and skeletons, which his servant was covering with

preparation to preserve them from the effects of the air. Among them

were gigantic remains of the mastodon and other huge animals, with teeth

in excellent preservation. This museum contained many well preserved

specimens, the most important of all was a huge animal with tusks, which

he called missourium. He found also a head of an unknown animal which is

certainly the largest quadruped whose remains have been discovered,

having two horns each ten feet long, extending out horizontally on each

side, making with the head, a length of twenty-five feet from the tip of

one tusk to that of the other. The missourium, so called from the State

in which it was found, was an animal much larger than the elephant,

having tusks measuring four and a half feet in length, and one and a

half in circumference near the head. These animals, with the

antediluvial rein-deer, and horse of a large size, and myriads of broken

bones, were found by Mr. Koch last May, near the sulphur springs, at

Little Rock creek, twenty-two miles south of St. Louis. They were in a

valley surrounded by high cliffs; this great deposit of bones forming an

‘osseous brescia, such as is found upon the east coast of the

Mediterranean sea.’ ‘The lower strata upon whose surface these bones

were deposited,’ says Mr. Koch in his written description which he gave

us, ‘consists of a bluish sand resembling that which is often found upon

the bottom of the Mississippi.’ These bones were cemented in a layer of

gravel one and a half feet in thickness. The cement is calcareous, of a

yellow grey color, containing saltpeter. It combines the bones and

gravel together, so that it is with the greatest difficulty they can be

separated; this layer is covered with a crust of chrystalization. The

next strata is composed of small pieces of rock, and bones, broken, and

in some instances ground to powder; these rocks are limestone, some of

them weighing several tons. The next strata is blue clay from two to

four feet in thickness, containing few bones; this clay is covered with

broken rocks again, above which is the soil covered with trees. The

whole mass makes a hill, sloping down from the rocky bluff, of thirty or

forty feet, to the creek. Mr. Koch is of opinion these animals herded

together, and sought shelter under these cliffs during some great

convulsion of nature, and here met their death by being crushed by

crumbling rocks, and covered with debris. Here we saw also the remains

of that animal which I mentioned in one of my former letters as having

been killed by human hands. Beneath it had been built a fire of wood,

and around it were Indian axes, and large pieces of stone which had been

thrown at it as if for the purpose of killing it. The animal had

evidently been mired and killed by the inhabitants. This is a discovery

of great importance, proving the mastodon, according to Indian

tradition, had lived since the deluge. He showed us the elephant fish,

or spoonbill, taken from a lake in Illinois, which was saturated with

oil, although it had been cleaned and dried several years; also some

live specimens of prairie animals--the wolverine, the prairie wolf, and

the marmot or prairie dog, a small grey animal, famous for dwelling in

the same nest with the prairie owl. You have heard of this prairie dog,

whose villages extend over many acres in the prairies; they burrow under

the ground, having, over the entrance to their hole, a small mound about

two feet high and eighteen inches wide. Charles Lucien Bonaparte says of

them, ‘It is a very odd circumstance that this owl and dog should share

the same habitation, but so it is; and they present an example of unity

which is quite pleasing.’ Another striking feature in the case of these

animals is, they make the same cry, _cheh_, _cheh_, pronounced several

times in rapid succession.

In the afternoon we strolled out to the suburbs of the town to see the

Indian mounds, several of which are grouped together near the river

bank, in the environs of the city. One of them is enclosed within the

grounds of General Ashley, an ornament as rare as it is beautiful. Upon

another is built the city waterworks. Upon one, about twenty feet high,

a truncated cone, covered with soft grass, we seated ourselves, enjoying

the silence, and watching the Mississippi’s flood rolling below us,

while we mused upon the fate and fortunes of these ancient ‘mound

builders.’ The thermometer had stood at ninety-six all day, and we were

glad to escape the heat and dust of the city. The sun had disappeared,

but had left a soft amber radiance upon shore and river, and a purple

haze upon the tops of the distant bluffs of Illinois. While gazing upon

these monuments, and looking at the relics of a lost race which they

contain, we try in vain to pierce the mists of time and answer the ‘who

were they?’ which we ask ourselves. The vast valley between the

Alleghany mountains, and the Rocky or Chippewayan chain, is studded with

these antique mounds, from three feet to two hundred feet in height.

They are generally in the form of a parallelogram except in the

north-west where they take the shape of a cone, and by a late discovery,

in Wisconsin, they are seen taking the figure of men and animals. There

is a human effigy which is one hundred and twenty-five feet long; the

others are rude resemblances to the buffalo, birds, alligator, etc.;

these are all lying down upon the surface of the earth. Our Indian

tribes each take the name of an animal, as fox, beaver, buffalo, etc.,

which custom might have also prevailed with the effigy builders. There

are several grouped together here, around the one upon which we are

sitting, and several upon the Illinois shore opposite. These last

consist of small ones surrounding a larger one, which has a

circumference of six hundred yards at the base, and is ninety feet in

height; half way down the side is a step, or platform, cut into the hill

about fifteen feet wide. It is called Monk’s hill, from the circumstance

of its having been the residence of some monks of La Trappe, who, during

the troubles of the revolution, fled to this country and built a house

upon this mound. Here they kept a garden and supported themselves

selling its produce at St. Louis, and by repairing clocks and watches.

Their penances were very severe. What an illustration of Shakspeare,

‘patience on a monument,’ were these old men while meditating upon a

tumulus in a howling wilderness. In vain we puzzle our brain as to the

cause of these structures, and ask are they erected for mausoleums,

watch towers, or temples? Those which have been opened contain human

remains, ancient pottery, instruments of war, and are evidently places

of sepulchre. Some of them contain rude earthen vases which had been

filled with food for the use of the deceased. In vases discovered in an

Indian sepulchre, near Steubenville, upon the Mingo Bottom, were bones

of turkies, oppossums, &c., which had been placed there, that their

friends might not want food upon their journey to the land of spirits.

Stone pipes are also found, cut out of their sacred red clay of St.

Peters, or steatite greenstone and limestone, some bearing resemblances

to eagle’s or other bird’s heads. Arrow heads of flint or quartz, are

also found with the former article, with idols, silver and copper rings,

and rosaries. You have heard, I suppose, of the circle of mounds around

which is built the town of Circleville, upon the Scioto river, of Ohio.

Here was an ancient city, enclosed by a double wall of earth, with a

ditch between the walls. The walls and ditch occupy nearly seventy feet,

which gives thirty feet as the base of each wall, and ten for the width

of the ditch. This circular town, or it may be fortification, was three

hundred and fifty yards across. A square fort is near this, the walls of

which were twenty feet wide, without any ditch. The fort is three

hundred yards across, and is an exact square. The present town is laid

out on these ancient and venerable works; the court house, built in the

form of an octagon, stands in the centre of the circular fort, and

occupies the spot once covered by a large and beautiful mound, but which

was levelled to make room for the building. This forms the nucleus,

around which runs a _circular street_, with a spacious common between

the court house and street; on this street the principal taverns and

stores are erected, and most of the business done. Four other streets

run out of the circle, like radii from a centre. On the south side of

this circle stands a conical hill, crowned with an artificial mound; a

street has lately been opened across the mound, and in removing the

earth, many skeletons were found in good preservation. A cranium of one

of them was in my possession, and is a noble specimen of the race which

once occupied these ancient walls. It has a high forehead, large and

bold features, with all the phrenological marks of daring and bravery.

Poor fellow, he died overwhelmed by numbers, as the fracture of the

right parietal bone by a battle-axe, and five large stone arrows

sticking in and about his bones still bear testimony.[22]

We must regret the destruction of these mounds, but in consideration of

those which are allowed to remain undisturbed, and of the taste and

fancy displayed by the citizens of Circleville, in laying out their town

among them, we may forgive them. There is an ancient fortification near

the junction of the river Wisconsin with the Mississippi, in the angles

of which mounds are erected. Upon the plantation of Walter Irvin, Esq.,

about ten miles from Natchez, and seven from the Mississippi, is another

very singular group of fortifications and tumuli. If you desire my

opinion, I should decidedly say they were erected over the slain in

battle. Sometimes they contain but one body, perhaps of some great

chieftain, whom the enemy’s archers have stricken; others are erected

over several bodies, laid in layers, who, as fast as they have fallen,

have been laid upon the mound, the earth placed over them, to receive

another layer, until the tumulus is finished. Where they are grouped

together, and where fortifications remain, the spot may have been the

field of some great battle, whose slaughtered ranks required many mounds

to cover them. We know it was the custom of eastern nations to erect

mounds over the dead. The army of Alexander erected over the body of

Demeratus a monument of earth eight cubits high and of vast

circumference. Semiramis raised a mound to the memory of Ninus. We read

of their erection by the Babylonians in their trenches, during sieges.

Who were the people that erected these tumuli is wrapped in mystery

which I shall not endeavor to penetrate, but refer you to Delafield’s

Antiquities of America, who seems to have discovered much in the Mexican

records, which throws light upon the subject. It is his opinion they

were Sycthians who crossed to this country over Behring’s Straits, and

these people were once the builders of the tower of Babel, and dwelt

upon the plains of Shinar. When dispersed by the confusion of tongues, a

portion of them wandered through Tartary to the ocean, and there

crossed, and gradually passed down the North American continent, to

Mexico and Peru. He deduces his evidence from, 1st. Philology--as

three-fifths of the American dialects resemble the language of northern

Asia, two-fifths the Coptics, and others the Sycthian; which last he

traces in the tribes of South American, and the others to the North

American savages: 2nd, Anatomy, which proves ‘there is much resemblance

between the cranium of the race of the mounds and ancient Peru, with

those of the modern Hindoos;’ mythology and hieroglyphics, architecture,

manners and customs. The pyramids of Mexico, Peru, our country and the

Sycthian nations, are the same, with little variation; some of earth,

and others of stone. Mr. Delafield gives a plan of a building used as a

receptacle of the remains of the princess Tzapotee in Mexico, which much

resembles some of the ruins in Ohio. This is called Mignitlan, the place

of desolation. In the article upon manners and customs, he relates the

discovery of some shells of the pyrula perversa in a tumulus, which are

used in Asia at religious ceremonies, and only found upon the coasts of

Ilindostan. He traces these nations from the plains of Shinar to

Tartary, where are numerous mounds, some in groups as they are found

here, all containing bodies, with idols and implements of war,

provisions, &c. In his interesting book, he exhibits the celebrated

Aztec map, upon which by hieroglyphical figures their course is traced

from Behring’s Straits to Mexico and Peru. Among other figures we see

there a boat, rowed by a man, meaning crossing the water; a large tree,

indicating their arrival from the icy regions to a fertile land; a

rushing river, telling of the Mississippi; and lastly, a Mexican plant,

denotes their arrival in that land. Surrounding, and between these

figures, are hieroglyphics signifying battles, towns built, sacrifices,

councils, feasts, &c., and the number of years that the tribe remained

in one place. He has sustained his hypothesis very ably, and yet we may

say, with Schoolcraft, this is a race ‘whose origin, whose history and

whose annihilation live only in conjecture.’ It is to be hoped the

citizens of St. Louis are aware of the treasures enclosed within the

city and will take measures for their preservation--the place would be

capable of much ornament as a public garden. As our country becomes

settled these interesting reliques will be destroyed if care be not

taken to prevent it. Their number may give us an idea of the myriads who

once roved over these plains, and we may say, while passing through the

regions of the west, we are travelling over a ‘buried world.’ Beside

these races, the Spanish, French, English, and Americans have lived and

died here.

The city of St. Louis which is now so filled with Americans that it is

rapidly assuming an American appearance, was once inhabited by French

alone. The founder M. Auguste Choteau was alive when La Fayette visited

here, but very aged. When young, enterprising, and ardent, he led the

expedition which in seventeen hundred and sixty four ascended the river

to found a city. He selected the site and with his own axe struck down

the first tree; houses soon arose, and the limestone rocks around, as if

by magic, were transformed into ware houses. As the French influence in

the country was lost, the town stood still until the American emigrants

flowed in, and since then it has rapidly arisen to its present

flourishing state, doing a business of six millions of dollars annually.

St Louis is the capitol of the far west, and must continue to increase.

It is the central point of the great valley of the Mississippi which

extends two thousand five hundred miles in width from the Alleghany or

Apalachian mountains to the Chipewayan; and three thousand miles in

length. It is seated upon a noble river, by which it is only three days

voyage to the Mexican gulf,--only eighteen miles from the mouth of the

grand Missouri, thirty six from the great artery of Illinois and two

hundred from the Ohio, through whose waters it has access to every

portion of the States. Behind it is a noble region of land watered by

magnificent rivers, abounding in metals, coal and stone quarries,

covered by a rich soil, and blessed with a mild climate.

* * * * *

_July 14th._--The morning being fine we were advised to take some of the

fashionable drives, and accordingly sat out for the Prairie House. The

citizens could not choose a pleasanter place to enjoy fresh air and

verdure. As we left the city, we passed several handsome country seats,

and then found ourselves in the prairie, which is of the species of land

called ‘barren,’ covered with dwarf oak, crab apple, hazel bushes and

prairie plums. The road wound through copses, and tufts of shrubbery for

three miles when we arrived at the Prairie House, which is a pretty

building, surrounded by shade trees and gardens. After cooling ourselves

with ice creams, we re-entered the carriage and drove three miles

further to the Sulpher Springs. Leaving the coach at the door of a

large house, we descended a deep dell, shaded by weeping elms, immense

oaks, and beeches, among which ran a brook ‘that to the sleepy woods all

night singeth a quiet tune.’ The water was bright and sparkling, but

very nauseous, and tasted to my companion like the Harrowgate waters.

The walks around this stream are very pleasant, and must be quite

refreshing to the tired and heated citizen. There is much company here

during the summer. We took another road home, and passed through a fine

prairie the commencement of the celebrated Florisante prairie which

stretches from St Louis to the Missouri. Although trees were grouped

upon the plains, we passed several spots,

“All paved with daisies and delicate bells,

As fair as the fabulous Asphodels.”

In returning we passed a load of fine looking coal, which, we were told,

came from Manchester, a small town a few miles distant.

At two o’clock we went on board the steamboat Monsoon, in which we were

to go to Cincinnati. Every minute we expected to go, but hour after hour

passed away and still we did not move. To our questions the captain gave

several reasons for the delay which seemed very vexatious to him. We

endured the day, as hot as it was, by amusing ourselves with reading,

writing, looking at the opposite shores, which we should have visited by

means of the steam ferry boats which were crossing continually to

Illinois town, had we not imagined we were soon to depart--and in

watching the busy crowds upon the wharf, among whom was an old negro

before an auction store attracting customers by ringing a bell instead

of using a red flag as with us--but when night came, and we were obliged

to pass it in our hot narrow berths, among mosquetoes which no net would

keep off--listening to the noise and profane converse of the crew of the

boats around, and imbibing the perfume of a dock, we became very much

vexed and very impatient to be on our way.

* * * * *

_July 15th._ It was ten o’clock this morning before we started, and then

discovered it was the arrival of a large party of St Louis fashionables

which had kept us stationary, and who, instead of coming as expected,

chose to remain to attend a party that night.

We, who had been used to the punctuality of our eastern cities, where

the captain stands, watch in hand, to give the signal for moving at the

appointed moment, were extremely annoyed at such proceedings; but before

we grumble too much it may be as well to look upon the other side of the

question. The steamers upon these rivers make long voyages, and require

much freight, and passengers, to pay their expenses.

From St. Louis to Cincinnati is eight-hundred miles, for which we were

to pay twelve dollars each, and finding only a few passengers engaged,

the captain waited for this party, hoping in the meanwhile, some of the

upper steam-boats would arrive, and bring him some more freight, or

passengers. The only thing we could reasonably complain of was his bad

faith, if he had openly told us, the state of the case, we should have

quietly remained in our hotel, awaiting his summons; instead of placing

the delay to the broken machinery, some hands missing, provisions not

arrived, &c., off at last amids the shouted adieu from the motley crew

of Negro, French, Spaniard, and Yankee, which lined the guards of the

long range of steam-boats, lying along the front of the city. There are

one hundred and sixty steam-boats plying between this city and other

ports. The city and its spires now fades away; and we station ourselves,

in a favorable position for beholding this famous country. The Illinois

shore is low, covered with forest, and is the rich part of the State,

which was called by the Spaniards, American bottom, bottom land being

the alluvion which is found upon the river shores between the water and

the bluffs, and which is usually overflowed at high water. A feature

peculiar to the county is, the land nearest the river is highest owing

to the constant deposit, and when the water retires lakes are left along

the low land, which gradually dry away. This bottom extends from the

Kaskaskiah river to the mouth of the Missouri, two miles from Alton,

eighty miles--and from one half to two miles in length to the bluffs

which bound it, containing two hundred and eighty-eight thousand square

acres. The soil is of inexhaustible fertility, averaging from twenty to

twenty-five feet. Coal is abundant in this alluvion, and in the bluffs.

This is carried to St. Louis in great quantities, over the railroad, to

Illinois town. The Missouri side rises into high limestone bluffs, upon

which is built near the city, Jefferson barracks, a fine quadrangular

building, containing fifteen hundred United States troops, and a few

miles farther Herculaneum, having at the edge of the cliff a high shot

tower. Near this tower is a bowlder of vermiculae limestone fifty feet

by three hundred. Through a cleft in the rocks comes rushing down the

clear bright Maramec. It takes rise among hills covered with pine trees,

so valuable in this region. Its banks are rich with lead, iron and salt,

and has formerly been a favorite haunt of the Indian tribes from the

quantity of pottery, bones, and arrow heads found there. Behind these

cliffs commences the celebrated lead region, where such quantities are

exported. The mineral region of Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin, are

stated by Dr. Owen, the State geologists, to be capable of producing

more of this article than the whole of Europe. Missouri sends some to

China, and has exported this year, to that country, five hundred pigs of

lead, to be used for lining tea chests. The rocks appear broken up in

odd fantastic shapes, taking the name of devil’s tea table, backbone

oven, grand tower, etc. This last in a tall solitary rock, about one

hundred feet high, covered by a tuft of cedars, its stratification as

distinct as if it was a stone tower. The cornice rocks are a ledge which

runs along the top of the bluffs for nearly ten miles. These rocks are

said by geologists, to have been once the barrier of a large lake or

inland sea, over them poured another niagara, which, wearing through

them, caused their jagged appearance. When it burst through, it carried

with it and deposited that enormous mass of alluvion which extends an

hundred miles into the gulf of Mexico. The rock along this shore is

mostly a blue compact limestone, thought by Schoolcraft to be the muscle

kalck of the Germans; sometimes it occurs fœtid. Near the city of St.

Louis, in this limestone, were found the impressions of two human feet,

as if the person had stood upon it while soft. The impressions were

perfect, and were not sculptured in the rock. This slab was cut out and

taken to New Harmony, upon the Wabash.

The scenery I am attempting to describe is very beautiful and varied.

The broad river, about a mile wide carries us rapidly along from

promontory to point, crowned by a village, ever showing us new beauties.

The high wall at our right hand is not a mere line of rocks, but

supports the land which commences from their summits, as if the river

once flowing at that height had gradually worn its way down. This,

however is not the case, the deep bed having been scooped out by

diluvial torrents. An amateur of geology at Alton, has another theory,

and attributes the location and course of their rivers to fissures in

the coal measures. One side of the fractured strata is raised and the

other depressed, so that perpendicular rocks do not appear upon both

sides of the rivers. Whether this be the cause of their direction I know

not; but that the cliffs occur upon but one side of the stream, I

observed upon the Illinois and Mississippi. St. Genevieve, which we

passed this afternoon, is one of those old French towns, which were

built during the sway of France over these fertile regions. We stopped

at the landing where are a few houses, while the village is a short

distance up the Gabouri creek, upon which it is built. We could see the

steep slate roofed French houses, neatly white-washed; the court house

and catholic church, whose cross glittered in the afternoon sun. Beside

the river is a fertile portion of land which was allowed to the town by

the Spaniards as _common land_ upon which was raised the produce for

town consumption. The town once stood here beside the Mississippi, but

as the bank began to crumble away they removed farther inland. About

thirty miles in the interior are the celebrated iron mountains, formed

of micaceous iron ore. The pilot knob is three hundred and one feet

high, with a base of a mile in circumference. The iron occurs here in

masses of several tons weight. The other hill is three hundred and fifty

feet high, both ores yielding eighty per cent. Near the town is a quarry

of fine white marble, and a deposit of dazzling white sand which is sent

to Pittsburgh and sold to the glass factories. This is one of the ports

from which the iron and lead is shipped.

Kaskaskia is another French town nearly opposite this place, but being

built four miles up the Kaskaskia river, we could only see its landing.

It was settled by La Salle in 1683, and was supported by the Indian fur

trade, and afterwards by flour, exporting in 1746, eight hundred weight

to New Orleans. There is here a catholic nunnery. The Kaskaskia river is

a fine stream which runs into the Mississippi, a short distance above

St. Genevieve upon the Illinois shore. It is four hundred miles long,

but navigable not quite a hundred, owing to obstructions which could,

with small expense, be cleared away. Some of the best land in the State

is upon its banks.

Chester is a small town a few miles beyond it, seated at the foot of a

high range of cliffs. Although small in appearance it carries on a brisk

trade, its exports by steamboat being, in 1836, one hundred and fifty

thousand dollars. Among other manufactories is one for making castor

oil. Near this is fort Chartres, built by the French in 1720, to defend

themselves against the Spaniards. It was a fine specimen of the style

of Vaubon, and built in the most solid manner, but now lies in ruins,

having large trees growing upon its prostrate walls.

At the mouth of Big Muddy river, forty miles below Kaskaskia, we stopped

to take in wood, and we went on shore to take an evening stroll. The

French named this stream _riviere au vase_, from a vase of earthen ware

discovered upon its banks. There is much good coal upon its shores. We

wandered through the ‘the forest’s leafy labyrinth,’ wondering at the

great size, and luxuriant foliage of the trees. The locust here grows to

the height of eighty or ninety feet; the beeches, oaks, and sycamores,

are enormous. The parsimon grows larger here than with us. We also

observed the Chickasaw plum, the pawpaw, and cotton tree. We seated

ourselves upon the bank of the river, and looked upon it with wonder as

it came rushing wildly past, much like a stream which has just plunged

over some high ledge of rocks. Upon its bosom it bears a forest of

trees, some old and water-worn, shorn of their honors, and some torn

away in all the glory and beauty of their youth. The water comes with

such velocity that it tears away the earth from one side of the river

carrying it to the other, thus constantly changing the shape of the

shores, and varies its channel so that the navigator is often puzzled to

find his course.

I am glad I have looked upon the Mississippi. To read of it and to see

it are two different things. All these wondrous works of the Creator

give us clearer ideas of his power and his goodness. It is indeed an

extraordinary sight--a river over three thousand miles long, and from a

mile to one and a half miles wide, traversing eighteen degrees of

latitude through various climates, from the arctic to the equator, over

‘more degrees of latitude than any other river in the world.’ Some

writers call this river the Miss Sipi, ‘father of waters,’ while others

tell us its name is Namæsi Sipu, Tish river. It flows from Itasca lake,

a transparent cool reservoir of water, fifteen hundred feet above the

gulf of Mexico, a clear beautiful stream; plunges over the falls of St.

Anthony, and then, a broad river one mile and a half wide, it sweeps in

long regular bends through a wide valley adorned with varied scenery,

until it enters the gulf of Mexico. Sometimes it is lined with bluffs

from one hundred to four hundred feet high, or a soft green prairie,

sloping banks, impenetrable marshes, large cities, and pretty villages.

The clay which the Missouri brings with it is heaped upon the shores, or

in a pile at the bottom of the river, upon which a snag, a long trunk of

a tree is flung, which, standing upright, pierces the bottoms of

vessels; or as a sawyer, rises and falls, to strike the unfortunate bark

which happens to pass over it. The danger from these is, however, much

diminished by the ingenuity of Captain Henry M. Shreve, who has

contrived a machine worked by steam, by means of which, when the water

is low, he raises the snags and sawyers from the river. We were told he

this year extracted fifteen hundred, besides tearing away from the banks

many thousands which were ‘topling to a fall.’ It seems a hopeless task

to pull away the hanging trees from the wooded shores of a river three

thousand one hundred and sixty miles long, whose banks are constantly

undermined by the waters; besides the Ohio which runs twelve hundred

miles; and when these are cleared the mad Missouri coming down over

three thousand miles through a forest clad country, continually sends

down fresh victims which it has wrenched from their homes, to consign in

all the ‘pride of life’ to destruction. As if not content with the

mischief, the Mississippi sometimes takes a fancy to make a _cut off_;

instead of following the curve or bend which it has made into the

country for perhaps twenty miles, it dashes with fury against the earth

in front until it cuts its way through and reaches its former channel,

tearing away with it houses, lands, and whatever had stood in its path.

This malicious conduct the Indians impute to its enmity to the white

man, and fills up its channel, plants snags and sawyers to vex and to

wreck him. The earthquake in the year 1811, the year in which Fulton

launched the first boat upon the western waters, they say was caused by

their Manitou, to frighten the white man away from his country. The

earthquake was felt in many places slightly, but at New Madrid, upon the

Mississippi, it was very severe. Houses and chimneys were thrown down;

land raised for some distance down the river, and in many places it

cracked apart vomiting up fire and red hot sand. Lakes were formed of

miles in length which still remain. The introduction of steam is fast

conquering all obstacles. Before its introduction three or four months

were employed in voyages where now it is done in so many weeks. The

flat-boat floated upon the tide, or pushed along with poles; and when a

point was to be cleared the crew landed, and fastening ropes to the

trees drew their bark along; this process was called _cordelling_.

There are now upon these waters four hundred and thirty-seven

steamboats, from thirty to seven hundred and eighty-five tons, besides

flat and keel boats, but no sloops or sail boats, except an occasional

sail put up by the keel boats. These boats are very different from those

used upon our eastern waters. Our cabins and saloon you know are upon

the same deck with the machinery, and dining rooms below, while above is

a fine long promenade deck. When you enter one of these boats you step

upon the lowest deck, having the machinery in the centre, while the ends

are covered with freight, or deck passengers who cannot pay the cabin

fare. Ascending a stair-way you find yourself upon the guards, a walk

extending all around the boat like a narrow piazza, from which several

doors open into the rooms. The whole deck here is thrown into three

apartments; the ladies cabin at the stern having state-rooms around it,

opening upon the deck or into the cabin; from this folding doors lead

into the dining-room surrounded with gentlemen’s berths; beyond is the

bar-room, from which you pass into an open space where, around two smoke

pipes, the male passengers assemble to smoke and chat. The ladies cabin

is handsomely furnished with every convenience, and in some instances

with a piano. Above this is yet another deck called the hurricane deck.

This is the best situation for viewing the scenery, were it not for the

steam-pipe which, as these are high pressure boats, sends out the steam

with a loud burst, like a person short of breath.

* * * * *

_July 16th._--I arose with the dawn, to obtain a peep at the junction

of the Ohio with the Mississippi. We turned from the wide Mississippi

and its turbid waters, into the glassy Ohio, around a point of land upon

which is built the town of Cairo. The land is low here, and subject to

inundations, but it is expected the art of man will overcome this, and

Cairo, at the junction of these two great rivers, will become a large

city. The central railroad is to commence here, which will cross

Illinois to Galena, from thence to the Mississippi river, a distance of

four hundred and fifty-seven and a half miles. There are several other

towns upon, and near this point, as America, Unity, Trinity, and Fulton,

where a statue to the great steamboat projector will be erected. A

little farther on is another village, called Caledonia.

Our passengers consist of a party of fashionables, on a jaunt of

pleasure to the Sulphur Springs, of Virginia; some travelling merchants,

and several persons visiting the towns upon the river. A state room was

observed to be constantly closed, and a young man about twenty, who

occasionally came from it, squeezed himself in, as if afraid his

companion would be seen from without. The curiosity of the young ladies

was soon excited, and by means of the chambermaid they ascertained it

was the young man’s wife, a young girl, apparently about fourteen, who

was thus carefully secluded. A run-away match was immediately whispered

about; the young people became quite in a fever to obtain a glimpse of

the fair heroine. It was a long time ere their wish was gratified, as

she never left her room, taking even her meals there. Our mornings on

board are generally very social, the ladies sitting with the gentlemen

of their party upon the guards, or gathering in groups with their work,

while the male passengers are smoking, talking politics, or gambling.

The negro banjo, and merry laugh, or joke, of some son of Erin, echoes

up from the lower deck; but in the afternoon the siesta is the fashion,

and every one turns in his berth to take a nap. I did not follow this

custom, as I was unwilling to lose any of the scenery, so that I usually

stole out of my state room, like a mouse from its hole, and after a long

look up and down the river, stole in again, the heat being too great to

allow of a long stay. Yesterday afternoon, oppressed with thirst and

with heat, for the thermometer on board stood at ninety-six, I went into

the ladies’ cabin in search of water, a jar of which filled with lumps

of ice, was placed upon a marble table in one corner of the cabin. The

ladies were all in their berths except two, who were using every ‘means

and appliance,’ to keep themselves cool. They were each in a rocking

chair kept in motion, their feet upon an ottoman, made a table for their

books, while a large feather fan in one hand, and a lump of ice in

another, were tolerable arms against the fire king. Miss Martineau

expatiates upon the indifference of our females to the scenery of

nature, and I dare say, she would place these two upon her list of nil

admirari ladies, but travellers are very apt to look upon the surface of

things; these ladies, and indeed almost all we meet in steamboats, have

been so often over the scene, that they know it by heart, and need not

brave heat and storms to see it, as a stranger would. Our people are a

restless body, and men, women and children are always upon the move. As

thirsty as I was, I hesitated to drink the thick muddy water, for while

standing in our tumblers, a sediment is precipitated of half an inch. Oh

how I longed for a draught of cool spring water, or a lump of Rockland

lake ice! While drinking, one of the ladies advanced for the same

purpose. ‘Dear me! what insipid water!’ she said, ‘it has been standing

too long. I like it right thick.’ I looked at her in surprise. ‘Do you

prefer it muddy, to clear?’ I asked. ‘Certainly I do,’ she replied, ‘I

like the sweet clayey taste, and when it settles it is insipid. Here

Juno!’ calling to the black chambermaid who was busy ironing, ‘get me

some water fresh out of the river, with the true Mississippi relish.’

Every one’s back is indeed fitted to his burden. This person had lived

upon the banks of the Mississippi, had drank its waters all her days,

and now it required to be muddy ere it was palateable. The chambermaid

descended to the lower deck, where a gallant black beau drew a bucket

from the river, and after satisfying the lady, she resumed her ironing.

Against this practice of ironing in the ladies cabin I must uplift my

voice. I suffered from this annoyance upon the Illinois, Mississippi and

Ohio. Constantly there was a woman washing upon the lower deck, where

the water thrown from the wheel, falls upon the deck in a pretty

cascade, and another is ironing above. All the ironing of the boat, and

crew, and often of the passengers, is done in the ladies small sitting

room, the steam and perfume of the wet clothes, charcoal furnace and of

the ironer is extremely disagreeable. In one instance I knew this to be

the case all night, the girls taking it by turns; and I never travelled

one day without this addition to the heat and other discomforts of a

steamboat. In such long voyages it may be necessary to wash for the

captain and crew, but surely bed and table linen enough might be

provided to reach Cincinnati, where they stop long enough to have them

washed. If not, why may there not be a room in some other part of the

deck. The captain in some instances reaps the profits, as the

chambermaids are his by hire or purchase, and if they charge all as they

did us, one dollar and fifty cents a dozen, the profit must be

considerable. It is sometimes, as in our case, a great convenience to

travellers, but another place should be provided. But to go on with my

afternoon adventures. I left the cabin and walked out upon the shady

side of the guards. All was still except the booming steampipe; every

one was asleep or reading. I leaned over the railing and found the banjo

player and his audience all in slumbering attitudes, or swinging in

their hammocks, and every thing denoted silence and repose. Suddenly a

terrific and astounding bang, clang and clatter, as if the boat had been

cracked to atoms, the wheel house was broken in pieces, the boards flew

over me, and a torrent of water flowing from it nearly washed me from

the deck. In a moment every one tumbled out and rushed upon the deck

exclaiming, ‘what’s the matter?’ ‘are we snagged’--‘has the boiler

burst’--‘is it a sawyer.’ The old Kentucky lady who had stepped out

first, took her pipe from her mouth and said quietly, ‘It’s only a log;’

‘Oh, only a log;’ ‘nothing but a log,’ echoed from every mouth, and

returning to their cabins they all stepped into their berths again. I

looked around me in amazement. ‘Only a log!’ said I to myself and what

is a log. The steamboat is broken and stops, all is confusion and crash,

and I am told it is nothing but a log. ‘Madam,’ said I, turning to the

Kentucky woman, ‘will you have the goodness to tell me what a log is.’

‘There they are,’ she said, pointing with her pipe to the river.

Floating along like so many alligators, were long branchless trunks,

which had been wafted along thousands of miles from the Rocky Mountains

perhaps. ‘But, pardon me madam, how are these logs able to create such a

disturbance?’ ‘You seem a _stranger_ child,’ she replied; ‘as these are

floating along, and we are riding among them, what more natural than

that they should get in the water wheel, break it, and stop the boat.

But see, the carpenters are already at work, and I dare say they will

have it repaired in the course of two or three hours.’ So saying she

knocked the ashes out of her pipe, took off her cap, and passed into her

state room, to sleep away the hours we were doomed to pass under a July

southern sun inactive. The most remarkable event connected with this

accident, was the discovery of the fair unknown of the closed

state-room. When the noise was first heard, the young man rushed out,

bearing a plump rosy young girl in his arms who, as soon as he put her

down, began to tell the beads of a long rosary which hung from her neck.

One glance sufficed to tell him the nature of the accident, and he left

her to walk towards the wheel house just as the Kentucky lady

disappeared. Seeing the poor thing’s agitation, I turned towards her and

endeavored to sooth her. ‘I thank the Virgin Mary it is no worse,’ she

said kissing her cross, ‘but something dreadful will come to punish my

wickedness. Oh how could I leave my dear mother Abbess and the sisters!’

Stopping suddenly she gazed around her in affright, for she had

unconsciously said more than she intended. ‘Oh dear, what am I saying!’

she exclaimed ‘where is Edward, why did he leave me!’ I soon succeeded

in soothing her, and when I related my conversation with the old woman,

she laughed merrily at my ignorance. Her young husband returned, and was

so delighted to see her cheerful, that he immediately drew chairs, we

all sat down and were soon as social as old friends. I was much amused

with the surprise of my companion who had come in search of me, when he

saw me upon such familiar terms with this mysterious couple. The little

creature seemed delighted to escape from her confined quarters, and

relished a little chat so much that she this morning came to my room,

and sat some time with me. We passed this morning several islands, one

of them containing ten thousand acres, which, with the rocky shores of

Illinois, make the scenery very pleasing. Paducah, upon the Kentucky

side at the mouth of the Tennessee, is a small town seemingly solidly

built of brick, but chiefly interesting from the romantic story attached

to it. It takes its name from an Indian heroine, who was here sacrificed

in revenge by a party of Pawnees. Fort Massac is a few miles below it

which was taken from the French by an Indian stratagem. The Indians

dressed in bear skins, made their appearance in the vicinity of the

fort, which enticed the Frenchmen out for a chase, when another band

rushed into the fort and took it. All were massacred. From thence to the

mouth of the Cumberland river the shores seem uncultivated, as the

settlements are back from the river, but we were compensated by a

glorious show of trees, vines and foliage of every hue. The sycamore

here grows to enormous height, sixty or seventy feet, full of branches;

these great branches stretch up eighty feet higher and spread out all

around it. The white of its trunk and limbs has a very pretty effect

among the green forests. The white maple is also a beautiful ornament to

the groves, its leaves being a bright green, but every breeze stirring

among them displays the brilliant white lining. Its trunk is silvery

hue.

Upon the Kentucky side of the river we have the pretty yellow locust,

the hackberry with its dark foliage, the mulberry, juneberry, with its

red fruit, and leaves lined with silvery down, and above all the tall

and graceful cotton wood tree, popular angulati, whose bright green

foliage is very beautiful in contrast. The groves of this tree are very

ornamental to a landscape. Among these trees upon both shores, we

observed the brilliant bignonia radicans or Virginia creeper, which

mounted to the tops of the highest trees, and swinging down, arranged

itself in graceful festoons, adorned with its pretty scarlet, trumpet

shaped flowers. The river is more placid than our last, but is not yet

free from the defilement of the Mississippi, and takes a yellowish

tinge. Golconda we passed about twelve o’clock, upon the Illinois side,

a small town, remarkable for nothing but its fiery red brick court

house, with a cupola. There is a small settlement at the mouth of the

Cumberland river, before which was a row of steamboats, which were in

waiting for the rise of the river, to ascend to Nashville, in Kentucky,

which lies upon this river. Illinois, as if wishing to leave a good

impression upon us at parting, rises in masses of limestone, presenting

every variety of scene, overhanging cliffs, promontory, walls, and

castellated appearances, being the foundation of the State, for at the

summit the ground continues in a plain to the lakes. Sometimes our

course lay so near these rocks, that we could distinguish the flowers

spring from the crevices, and the chrystal rills which jumped from rock

to rock. This destroyed the illusion of towers and turrets, but we were

compensated by being able to examine the limestone which presented

various shades from the yellow clay marl to the compact and blue

limestone and light solite. A large cave runs under these rocks, the

mouth of which is surrounded by a grove of graceful cypresses, which

tree we have observed occasionally upon the shore, before and after

this. The mouth of the cave is an arch about thirty feet high. This cave

has in the time of the flat boats been a sort of tavern, where the crew

and passengers have waited sometimes for days, in a storm. It was once

also a robbers’ haunt. Many persons, anxious to descend to posterity,

have cut their names upon the rock, and taken from the wildness and

seclusion of the scene by large black letters, but I shall not minister

to their ambition by writing their names. Shawnee town, is a place of

considerable importance in the southern part of Illinois. It stands upon

a plain, elevated from the river, with a back ground of bluffs, and

seems a considerable place. The situation is most beautiful, and it

makes a pretty picture from the river. A band of Indians of the Shawnee

tribe once lived upon this spot, but at the approach of the white men

retired to the western plains beyond the Mississippi. At Shawnee town,

commences the great saliferous formation which extends through the

valley of the Ohio, to its head waters, and spreads away upon each side

through Ohio and Kentucky, and along the Alleghany mountains. The strata

of this formation consists of sandstone, limestone, coal, argillaceous

rocks, and slate stones, but the peculiar rock from which the salt water

is drawn, is a white calcareous sand rock full of cells and vacant

places, once containing salt. There is also an upper layer of white sand

rock, from which a small quantity is produced.[23] To procure this, the

boring is sometimes carried very deep, several hundred feet, as the

strata generally lie below tide water, in this valley, and some wells

are sunk three hundred feet below the present surface of the ocean.

Where they strike the flint rock strata it is very tedious, the workmen

not being able to bore more than two or three inches in twenty-four

hours. Carburetted Hydrogen gas rises in almost every place where the

salt is found, and wells are often sunk from this evidence alone.

Sometimes the gas comes up with such violence as to drive out the boring

machine, or flows with the water, and again, rushes up in sudden

explosions, at intervals of hours or days, springing up in the air to a

height of a hundred feet. This gas easily takes fire. Petroleom, is also

found accompanying the salt, and is used by the inhabitants for bruises,

or to oil machinery. Filtered through charcoal, it is burned in lamps.

In the country upon the Muskingum river are several deposites of salt

rock, or Muriatiferous rock. In Hockhocking valley, salt is reached by

boring to the depth of five hundred and fifty feet, and at another

place eight hundred feet. Here the water is very pure and strong,

averaging fifteen per cent of muriate of soda, and runs in a constant

stream of twelve thousand gallons in twenty-four hours. Salt is also

found in the Monongahela valley. Upon the Kiskiminitas river, five

hundred thousand bushels are exported annually; it is found upon the

Guyandot, and in the northeastern parts of Kentucky, but the most

extensive salines are upon the Kenawa river where the strata occupy an

extent of twelve or fourteen miles upon the river. Fifty gallons of

water, yield fifty pounds of salt of fine quality. In some places coarse

salt, and in others fine table salt is made. This necessary article was

first discovered by the animals who seem to be very fond of it. The

mastodon, elk, buffalo, and other animals were in the habit of resorting

for it to certain places which retain the name of Lick, as Buffalo Lick,

Big Bone Lick, etc. At the lick upon the Kenawha, the paths worn by

these animals are still visible. For many years salt was brought to the

western valley with great labor over the Alleghany mountains, upon the

backs of horses, and sold for two or three dollars a pound. Now it can

be procured at the salines for half a cent. Around the salines are

fragments of broken pottery and other Indian articles, showing the

aborigines were in the habit of digging for it. Upon Salt creek, near

Shawneetown, is a very ancient salt work, which was once resorted to by

the Indians. Vessels of earthen-ware bearing the impression of a basket

are found there, and one which was evidently used for evaporation is

large enough to contain sixteen gallons. This great deposite of salt

seems to be inexhaustible; for twenty-four years it has been

manufactured at Kenawha, and in these last years one million of bushels

a year, and the supply has not diminished. Two hundred bushels are made

a day. The process used is to convert the water by heat to brine, and

afterwards evaporized.

Ten miles below Shawneetown we pass the mouth of the Wabash, the

boundary line between Illinois and Indiana, a beautiful stream running

six hundred miles through Indiana. Upon the shores of the Ohio near it

are groves of the Pecaun tree, _carya olivæfornis_. It is a beautiful

straight tree, bearing a very pleasant nut. Pecaun, according to

Schoolcraft, is the Chippeway word for nut. At sun down we stopped to

take in wood and to procure milk. As it was rather damp I did not land,

but was much amused with the antics of men and boys, who delighted to

have space, frolicked and jumped about the woods. The southerners in

their thin pink and purple or blue striped coats, added to the gaiety of

the scene. Our steward with his tin kettle entered a small cottage, or

rather log cabin, near, and procured a supply of fresh milk, which we

saw a young country lass draw from their cow she had just driven home.

While our husbands strolled together, my little catholic confided to me

her history, after the fashion of travelling heroines you know. She was

the daughter of a wealthy planter in Kentucky, who, although of the

presbyterian faith, had sent his child to a catholic nunnery to be

educated. She had, as is very common in such cases, become a convert to

the catholic faith, and when her parents came to carry her home,

declared it her intention to take the veil and never leave her convent.

Her parents intreaties and despair were of no use; stay she would, and

did. A convent, however, was not to be her destiny, for she fell in love

with a young gentleman, brother of a friend of her’s at the same

convent, who often came there to see his sister. The attachment being

mutual, they had, with the assistance of the sister, contrived to elope.

They were now on their way to New York, and she was so fearful of being

recognized and brought back, that she would not at first leave her

state-room. ‘Were you not sorry to leave your mother?’ I asked her. ‘Oh

dear yes, she and the sisters were always so kind to me.’ ‘I mean your

mother and your father, not the mother abbess.’ ‘Alas! my parents are

such sad heretics that I ought not to love them. I shall never see them

in the next world, and it is better to be separated here.’ I was shocked

at her answer, but thought the parents were well punished for the

culpable step they had taken in placing their child where she was likely

to embrace a religion different from their own. I wish to say nothing

against the catholic religion, but if parents are unwilling their

children should imbibe its tenets, they certainly do wrong to place them

where they are taught. It is a custom too common in the west and south,

and this is not the first instance I have known of division between

parents and children in consequence.

* * * * *

_July 17th._--We are now sailing along the coast of Indiana, having bid

adieu to the beautiful State of Illinois, after having travelled through

it and along its coast over eight hundred miles. This State seems to be

endowed by nature with every requisite for the comfort or enjoyment of

life. It is three hundred and eighty miles long and two hundred and

twenty broad. Upon three sides it is bounded by the Mississippi, Ohio,

and Wabash, and upon the fourth by the great lakes; it is crossed by

streams, canals, and roads, and thus is enabled to send its produce in

any direction. The soil which covers it is of inexhaustible fertility,

capable of producing the richest fruits, grains, and vegetables, covered

with woodland and prairie, and abounding with coal, metals, and

quarries. It presents a level plain, inclining gently to the

Mississippi, consisting of thirty-seven million nine hundred and

fifty-two thousand acres.[24] The prairie land occupies two thirds of

the State; the rest is wooded or bottom land. These prairies were once

covered with herds of buffalo, wolves, and panthers; all now, except a

few wolves, are far away over the Mississippi. These grassy pastures are

valuable for cattle, and the soil is easily tilled, and produces trees

where the fire is kept off. All sorts of grain, neat cattle, swine,

horses, tobacco, cotton, and sugar, are raised with ease. The amount of

the productions of this State, according to the tabular statement drawn

up by the United States Marshall, H. Wilton, Esq., is fifty-one million

four hundred and eleven thousand six hundred and six dollars. Take this

account, and the number of its population, four hundred and twenty-three

thousand nine hundred and thirty-four, and then turn to the state of the

country only twenty years since, when it was the home of Indian tribes,

with a few white men scattered over it, and you will obtain some idea of

the sudden increase of the west.

The want of timber and water, as pine is scarce in Illinois, and upon

the prairie there is but little of any kind, has prevented the

settlement of the prairies. It is the opinion of all whom I heard speak

upon the subject, they were the most eligible places of settlement, as

water can be procured at the depth of fifteen or twenty feet, and timber

easily brought over the smooth plains in wagons, while cutting down

forests to clear the land is toilsome, and expensive. The centre of the

prairies is always higher than the skirts, which if it renders them dry,

makes them more healthy places of residence than the dank, humid ground

of a forest. The tobacco, beef, and wheat of Illinois are superior to

that of the neighboring States, and finds a ready sale in the market;

the latter weighing sixty-eight pounds to a bushel.[25] Very good wine

is made there from the sweet grapes which abound in every part of the

State. Coal is found in abundance every where, and will be constantly

discovered; iron and copper occur in some places, while the lead mines

of this State, Wisconsin and Missouri, yield more than the whole of

Europe including England. It is generally a foliated glittering

sulphuret found in cubical crystals, yielding fifty per cent. in log

furnaces, and sixteen more after further process. The masses occur in

clay and veins in the rocks. This rich mineral was so near the surface

that the Indians frequently dug it up, and men in want of money were in

the habit of procuring it, sure of a ready sale at St. Louis. The people

of Illinois obtained their nickname of suckers from the practice of

going up the Mississippi when the spring opened for lead, which was the

period of the annual voyage up the river of the Succar fish.

Thirty-three million lbs., was produced in all the lead region last

year. The scenery of the mineral region is very beautiful and is watered

by the Mississippi, Wisconsin, and other rivers. The interests of

religion and education are not neglected; the State has laid aside in

lands and money, three millions for the latter object. Colleges are

being erected, churches are building, and every thing for the comfort

and refinement of life is here in progress. So if you have a mind to

emigrate come to Illinois. We have to-day passed several villages upon

each side of the river, possessing little of interest to write you,

except Hoarsville upon the Kentucky shore, where we stopped a little

while. There is a coal mine in its vicinity. The Indiana shore presents

an elevated bank upon which we continually saw farms and cottages, but

the opposite shore is low and subject to inundation, which gives it a

lonely appearance. Both sides however are adorned with beautiful trees.

Here beside giant beech, walnut and various oaks, were the pretty red

bud, cercis canadensis, the Ulmus Americana, red maple, sassafras,

cornus florida; upon the Kentucky bank, besides extensive groves of

cotton wood, were the basswood, or American lime with its yellow

tassels, the gum, American nettle with its red berries, June berry and

an endless variety of others, beautiful and rare. Fairy isles are

occasionally passed, covered with pretty shrubs and flowers and fringed

with the soft bushy willow called here _tow_. Indiana shows many pretty

villages, embowered among her trees, or scattered along her sloping

banks, and we have to-day passed Troy, Evansville, Rockport, Rome,

Fredonia, Manchport, while the other side, Westport is quite a

conspicuous and pleasing town, situated upon a high bluff, its houses

perched like eagles nests, upon the high points of the cliff, while the

brick court-house stands upon the bank beneath. The river upon both

sides had for many miles back, presented a succession of these bluffs,

wild and rugged, but after leaving Rockport, the rocks become more like

regular hills, rising gradually to a high summit, cone shaped, covered

with lofty trees and a carpet of verdure. We here saw that singular

feature of Ohio shore scenery, the hills upon one shore faced with a

level plain upon the opposite shore. Each shore presents a succession of

hill and valley, the hills on one side being opposed to the valley of

the other. As if, while the river ran from east to west, the strata

crossed it N. E. and S. W., a rupture in these would leave room for the

river. This agrees with the theory of our Alton friend, that the

location and course of this river was caused by a rupture in the coal

measures. The boys upon the Ohio have imitated the Illinois ducks in

their pastime, of which I wrote you; when our boat has passed, they push

off the shore into the agitated water of our wake, and seem to take much

pleasure in bobbing up and down. We sailed under cliffs this afternoon

of rough, rugged, jagged limestone, with precipices and romantic dells,

quite sufficient to satisfy a whole boarding school of romantic misses.

The setting sun cast his shadows far over the river, leaving us in

shade, while far above the trees which fringed the cliffs were painted

with gold. A ray piercing through a vista in the rocks, fell upon the

windows of the pretty town of Evansville, tipping its spires with

burnished gold, lighting up the windows, as if each house kept high

festival. Tint after tint of all this glory has faded, and see, the

river is white with mist now rising high above the trees. After the

intense heat of the day this strikes you with a chill, and they who know

its fatal effects hasten within--reluctantly I follow them and bid you

good night.

* * * * *

_July 18th._--We are now approaching the falls of the Ohio, which are

rapids caused by a ledge of blue limestone rocks, which here cross the

river, and impede the navigation except in very high water. To avoid

this, a canal is cut across the bend of the river, two and a half miles

in length to Louisville. This canal is excavated out of the compact

limestone, and the cut is in some places ten feet deep. There are four

locks. The amount of tolls received here from eighteen hundred and

thirty-one to eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, was, according to Judge

Hall, four hundred and seventy-five thousand twenty-five dollars and

fourteen cents, and he gives a list of four hundred and seventeen

steamboats which passed through the canal during the year eighteen

hundred and thirty seven.

There is a small place called Shipping Port, at the mouth of the canal,

where we observed several handsome carriages in waiting, for those who

thus preferred it, to the slower operation of ascending twenty-two feet

of lockage. Here were several steamboats moored. As we entered the

second lock, the North Star, a fine boat, of one hundred and forty-eight

tons came dashing into the lock we had left, and when we had both

ascended, the Maine, which we had passed upon the river yesterday,

entered the first lock, so that we had the novel spectacle of three

large steamboats, filled with merchandize and passengers, all at one

time rising and falling in several locks. The locks are large enough for

first class boats, and the whole of the canal is finished in the most

solid and beautiful manner. It is fifty feet wide at surface. No horses

are used, we passed through by steam. The strata cut through at the

canal presented, 1st. friable slate three inches; five feet of fetid

limestone, containing petrifactions, water lime, blue limestone, compact

grey limestone, with nodules of quartz and limestone. The water lime was

used by the workmen. Cedar trees were dug up, human bones and _fire

places_. When we had left the canal, we beheld before us the sloping

bank, covered with houses, manufactories, churches, &c. This was

Louisville, the capital of Kentucky, seated upon a gradually rising

bank, commanding a fine view of the river and the Indiana shore

opposite. We landed, and as we had but two hours to remain here, we

immediately entered a coach, and directed the man to drive us through

all the streets, past every remarkable building, and in fact show us all

the lions. My head was out the window a dozen times, calling ‘Driver

what building is that?’ The streets are wide and straight, containing

many handsome buildings. Main street is the principal business street,

and is lined with rows of shops upon each side, for, it seemed to me a

mile, and in the suburbs, iron and cotton factories, steam mills, &c.

The private houses are handsome, and some of the new ones, built of the

native limestone, threaten to rival any in the State. The hotels seemed

calculated to accommodate a large number of travellers. The court house

which is now building, is very large, and when finished will be quite an

ornament to the city. It is an oolite limestone found in Indiana. We

passed a high school, seminary, twelve churches, a theatre, three

markets, and a large building with wings, having a portico in front,

supported with marble columns, which is, we were told, the Marine

Hospital. This city carries on a brisk trade. There are twenty-five

steamboats, over a hundred tons burthen, which ply between this port and

Cincinnati, and New Orleans. Louisville is five hundred and thirty-four

miles from St. Louis, and we have one hundred and thirty-two more to go

to Cincinnati. If we are to believe one of their papers, the cause of

education flourishes, as there has been published, this year, by one

firm, one hundred and thirteen thousand volumes of school books, they

having in these and other works expended sixteen thousand dollars worth

of paper. Our driver stopped at the gate of a public garden, which he

said was a fashionable resort. We peeped in, but were more anxious to

behold works of art than nature, and soon re-entered the carriage, and

finding our time expired, returned to the vessel. Here we were obliged

to wait some time, and in the meanwhile amused ourselves, in examining

the shore. Corn Island, with the rapids glittering in the morning sun,

was upon one side, and upon the other, the town of Jeffersonville, is

situated upon an elevated bank, on the Indiana shore. The buildings are

very showy, being of red brick, and some of them pretty. Steam ferry

boats are constantly passing between this place and Louisville. Corn

Island, is said by the Indians to have been the last stand of the last

of the mound builders, who, they say, were driven away from the country

by their ancestors. I forgot to mention New Albany, which we passed a

few miles beyond Louisville. It is a considerable place, doing much

business, and having several churches, lyceum, schools, and other public

institutions. The heat drove me into the ladies’ cabin, which being

empty, I sat down to put down a few notes. I had scarcely seated myself,

when the young catholic runaway, I mentioned before, rushed in, and

throwing herself beside me, hid her head in my lap exclaiming, ‘Oh, they

are here, my mother, my father! they will separate me from Edward

forever!’ I looked towards the door with much anxiety, for I had heard

the southern planters were a gouging, raw head and bloody bones sort of

people, who whipped a slave to death once a week, and I feared for the

fate of the poor young wife. My information however, had been taken from

foreign tourists, and I found this idea like many others I had imbibed

from them, was far from truth. Imagine my surprise, when a pleasant,

good humored looking man entered the room, and seating himself in a

chair, gave way to a hearty fit of laughter. His wife, a tall, slender,

lady-like looking personage, walked directly up to her daughter, and

folded her in her arms, while gentle tears flowed over her cheeks. I

looked at the father in perplexity, wondering at his extraordinary

merriment, and at Edward who stood beside him, having, I thought, a most

unbecoming smirk upon his countenance. The lady looked up to her husband

reproachfully, but said nothing. ‘My dear madam,’ he said at last to me,

‘I understand you have taken a kind interest in my little girl’s

concerns, and I owe it to you to explain the circumstances of the case.

Anxious to give my daughter the best of education, I sent her to a

convent not far from my estate, where there were some very accomplished

ladies from Europe, who could teach her all I wished her to know. But

when I went to take her home, my lady fancied herself a catholic, and

renounced her home and friends forever. I returned home in despair, and

while revolving my future proceedings in this disagreeable affair,

Edward, the son of a dear friend, who several years since had removed to

New York came to make us a visit. In telling him my difficulties, I

added how glad I should have been, had this not occurred, to give her

and my plantation to him. ‘I will scale the convent and carry her off,’

he said, in a jest. The idea struck me as a good one, I pressed it upon

him, and you see here they are, and have my hearty blessing.’ The bride,

as her father spoke, had gradually dried her tears, and raised her head

a little. When she began to understand the denouement, she first blushed

deeply with mortification, then pouted, and at last burst suddenly into

a merry laugh, and ran like a fawn into her father’s outspread arms,

exclaiming, ‘Oh, you naughty papa! you good for nothing papa!’ The party

soon after departed, and I received kind expressions and adieus from

all, and a few tears from the bride. All pressed us to visit them, and

the father said if we would only come to Big Bloody Bone Buffalo Lick,

he would show us the finest blue grass fields, best corn and tobacco,

and heartiest negroes in all old Kentuck. And if I wanted a nice young

girl to wait upon me, I should have the pick of all his slaves. I was

quite delighted to meet with such a romantic adventure, for I had been

looking out for something, as you must be very tired of hearing about

nothing but trees, and rivers, and towns. Pray do not think I made this

out of my fertile brain, I assure you it is true.

After leaving Louisville the shores become more cultivated upon each

side than they have been. Extensive cornfields, in Indiana, show they

are as great ‘corn-crackers’ as their neighbors. The houses are better

built, and always of brick or limestone, as pine is scarce upon the

Ohio. The Kentucky river empties into the Ohio, about sixty miles above

Louisville; it is a beautiful stream coming down from the Cumberland

mountain, running through high limestone cliffs, and a rich country,

containing salt, coal, and iron, in abundance. It is three hundred and

twenty-five miles long, and upon it stands Frankfort. At its mouth is a

town called Port William, a small place. Kentucky shore, now becomes

more cultivated and its blue grass fields nod in concert to the maize of

the opposite side. Nothing could be prettier than the Ohio as we sailed

along its ‘amber tide’ this day. The yellow marl, which occurs so

frequently along its banks gives it a yellowish tinge. The river looked

as if it had been arranged by the hand of a landscape gardener, so

prettily combined was the grand and beautiful. The trees are so many of

them cultivated with us in our ornamented grounds, that it takes from

the wildness of the scene. Here we saw the locust, the horse-chestnut,

the willow, tulip and column like cotton tree. Among these the Virginia

creeper, grape, and other vines are clustering and swinging in the

summer breeze. Springing from spray to spray was the mocking bird, blue

bird, and brilliant green and red paroquet flashing in the mid-day sun.

Among these are pretty towns, farms, and cottages--the whole having a

back ground of jagged precipice, or smooth swelling hills. Madison, upon

the Indiana shore, is the place where we were to strike the Ohio, if we

had journeyed through Indiana as we proposed at first. A railroad leads

from this town to Indianapolis, ninety-five miles, and is completed to

Vernon, twenty-five miles. From Indianapolis to La Fayette is a

McAdamized road, and another rail-road will soon be completed from the

latter place to lake Michigan. That would have been our route, and we

should have seen some of the best towns in Indiana. Madison is a very

pretty town, and larger than any we had passed. It is built principally

of brick, and we counted six churches and a court house, besides banks,

founderies, factories, mills and boat yards. The streets are wide and

McAdamized. It is situated upon a sloping bank of the river, while

behind it, the hills which rose up to nearly three hundred feet, were

covered with farms, dotted with sheep and cottages. Some handsome

mansions were erected among the hills in conspicuous situations and must

have commanded a fine view of the town beneath, and the river winding

away through bluffs and forests in front of them. The population is

about two thousand. Madison is fifty-three miles from Louisville, and

twenty miles farther is Vevay, settled by a party of emigrants from

Switzerland. The river here stretches away to the north, leaving a point

which is the county of Switzerland, bathed upon two sides by the Ohio,

and containing very fertile soil. Here the transplanted Swiss have made

a new home, and it is a very beautiful one, occupying themselves in

raising grapes. Their vineyards are very flourishing and they make much

good wine. They cultivate the blue grape, Madiera grape, and the native

county grape, which makes good wine. The hills here, no doubt, often

resound with the songs of their father land from which they are so many

miles distant. As we approach the State of Ohio we feel as if we were

returning to a cultivated country, for farms and dwellings, of superior

style, denoting wealth and prosperity, occur frequently upon the shores.

One of them was quite elegant, built of brick, faced with marble, and

adorned with a portico in front, of the same material. Our setting sun

is obscured by dark frowning clouds, which threaten us with a storm. It

comes in whirling spray and wind which makes our stout bark rock under

us, and the terrific thunder out-roars our groaning steam-pipe. In the

course of half an hour it was over, but hundreds of lofty trees had been

swept from the banks and now were floating past us in all their leafy

honors. A sudden stop in our boat’s speed sent us all out to ascertain

the cause. I asked if it were another log, but found the engine had met

with some breakage, which would detain us a little while. The steamboat

was laid by the shore, and took this opportunity to get a supply of

wood. As the evening was mild we left the boat for a stroll, and to say

we had been in Indiana. With some little effort we climbed the cliffs,

and when there, found ourselves in front of a neat farm house surrounded

by barns and orchards. The passengers spread themselves about in every

direction, and we were very much provoked to see some of them wantonly

pulling off the young green apples and throwing them to the hogs for

amusement. I do not know what kind of consciences these people had--I

would as soon have stolen the farmer’s pigs as his apples; but I know

men and boys are always rather lax in their morality towards apple

orchards. Prompted by a Yankee curiosity to see the inside of an Indiana

cottage, I opened the gate, and after passing through a small court-yard

adorned with flowers, we entered the open door and found ourselves in a

neat apartment with comfortable carpets, chairs, etc. This room opened

again upon a long piazza at the side of the house, ornamented with a row

of clean bright churns and milk pans. The farmer and his wife now

entered followed by a troop of children bearing pails loaded with

foaming rich milk. They were surprised to find strangers in their house

and quite a crowd in front of it. Soon understanding the case, they

kindly invited us to be seated and offered us a choice of new milk or

hard cider. They had emigrated here from New York State soon after their

marriage, and having hewed themselves a home in the forest, had

gradually, by industry and perseverance, brought every thing around them

to its present flourishing condition. They seemed happy and healthy.

From their door there was a lovely view of the winding river, and the

plains of Kentucky opposite. When we had descended to the shore we

amused ourselves gathering specimens of the rocks. They were a hard dark

brown limestone, and appeared a mass of organic remains, containing

encrini, terabratula, and orthoceratites. We searched the pebbles along

the shore in hopes of finding some of the pretty silecious specimens

which I had found upon the Illinois, but succeeded, however, in picking

up only some small pieces of jasper and a few petrified shells. At a

little distance a flat boat was drawn up to the shore and fastened to a

tree; one of those long odd looking species of water craft which once

was the only kind seen upon these rivers. A man came from it, and as he

reached us, bade us politely good evening, and asked what we were

searching for. Some persons would have found his conduct very improper,

and his question impertinent, but I never mistake the frank, kind,

independent manner of my countrymen for impertinence. We returned his

salute and informed him of the object of our search. ‘You’ll find

nothing here so pretty as is on the Mississippi and lake Superior. I’ve

been pretty much over them regions and found some rale beauties--they

are called cornelions, and red a’most as them what’s used as watch

seals. I found some geodes, I think they call ’em, also.’ I said I had

heard of those and hoped some might have been washed down upon these

shores. ‘My wife’s got some in the boat which she’ll show you ma’am if

you walk there.’ I looked up at the boat from whose windows several

female heads were taking observations, and concluded to go there. We

followed our new acquaintance into his ark, which I found was his house

and shop, he being a floating pedlar, and had anchored, or rather tied

his ark to the rocks here to avoid the storm. His boat was not the

common flat boat, but was of the species called keel boats, and

occasionally carried a sail. In addition to his sail he used oars and

poles to propel it with. It was a rudely built affair, just high enough

within for a man to stand, but every thing was comfortably arranged. His

wife and his other woman were setting the supper table. At his request

she readily displayed her stores, and would have pressed them upon me if

I would have taken them. After we had returned to our boat we looked

towards the shore and beheld the crew assembled for a jumping match.

They were a motly assemblage of fire-men, covered with soot, pilots,

stewards, etc. They formed a line--one of them placing himself in the

centre, holding a stone in each hand, swayed himself backward and

forward, and then sprang, some jumping eighteen, twenty and twenty-two

feet, with the greatest ease. While crew and passengers were thus

amusing themselves, we were aroused by the cry of ‘The Ione is coming!

away boys, away!’ and bounding over the shore they were soon in the

boat. We understood the meaning of this sudden cry, and were much amused

with the amazement and terror depicted in the countenances of those who

did not. ‘What is coming?’ they cried. ‘Bears, wolves, sawyers, what!’

It was soon all explained; the Ione was in view, which we had left

behind us, and it was feared it would arrive at Cincinnati before us.

The hands were working with all their might; the breakage was finished;

the paddle threw up a whirl of foam; steam whizzed; pipes snorted;

engineer’s bell tingled, and away we went, hurry skurry, after our

rivals who had passed us with a triumphant cheer. Straining every rope

and piece of machinery we soon shot ahead of the presumptuous Ione,

ringing our bell and shouting in our turn. She was determined not to be

out done, and a regular race came on. We ladies all determined we would

not go to bed, but would remain up, alarmed and uncomfortable; one went

so far as to threaten to faint if the captain did not slacken his

speed, but we were laughed at by the gentlemen who enjoyed the sport.

Hour after hour of the night passed away while we rushed swiftly through

the waters, with our foe just in our rear. ‘Hurra! fling on more wood!’

was the cry from below. High blazed the furious fire, illuminating the

water around; the steam increased--the engine worked madly--the boat

strained and groaned at every stroke, and seemed actually to spring out

of the water. Behind us came our rival puffing, panting, snorting,

throwing out volumes of flame and sparks like some fiery dragon of old,

and as she came near, we could see into her lower deck, where around the

fierce fire, shadowy forms were rushing, bounding, carrying wood,

heaping it on, shouting and cursing. One strain too much--one upright

snag in our path, and we should all be strewed, some hundred souls, upon

the water, writhing, agonizing, dying--and all for what? that we might

arrive one hour the sooner in the night, at Cincinnati, where we should

be obliged to lie still till morning; or perhaps it was the _honor_ of

beating another boat,--honor here setting the steam in motion as well as

the sword. Our rival, unable to compete with us, abandoned the race, and

was soon left behind; our people satisfied with this wonderful triumph

relaxed in their speed; the ladies recovered from their fears, and one

by one crept into their berths. We had here no such heroine as she who

is going the rounds in the newspapers, who in the excitement of the

race, finding the wood failing, directed her smoked hams to be thrown on

the fire.

Sixteen miles below Cincinnati is the residence of Gen. Harrison, the

candidate for the Presidency. It is said he lived in a log cabin, but it

was a neat country dwelling, which, however, I dimly saw by moonlight.

To judge from what we have seen upon the road, Gen. H. will carry all

the votes of the west, for every one seemed enthusiastic in his favor.

Log cabins were erected in every town, and a small one of wickerwork

stood upon nearly all the steamboats. At the woodyards along the rivers,

it was very common to see a sign bearing the words, ‘Harrison wood’;

‘whig wood,’ or ‘Tippicanoe wood,’ he having gained a battle at a place

of that name. The western States indeed, owe him a debt of gratitude,

for he may be said to be the cause, under Providence, of their

flourishing condition. He subdued the Indians, laid the land out in

sections, thus opening a door for settlers, and in fact, deserves the

name given him of ‘Father of the west.’

We have now passed another State, Indiana, along whose borders by the

winding of the river, we have come three hundred and fifty miles from

the Wabash river. It is a fertile State, like its surrounding sister

States, having but little hilly ground, most of it being undulating

prairie. It is crossed by several fine rivers; has the Ohio for its

southern, and lake Michigan for its northern border. It is two hundred

and seventy-five miles long and one hundred and forty-five broad,

containing thirty-eight thousand square miles. Except the sand hills of

lake Michigan, and swamps of the Kankakee, its soil is of inexhaustible

fertility. Canals to the aggregate length of two hundred and thirty

miles have been completed, or are in a state of forwardness, and

ninety-five of railroads. Indianapolis is the capitol, situated in

Marion county, upon the White river, and in the centre of the State.

This county is a very fertile one, having raised the last year,

according to the marshal’s report, nine hundred thousand bushels of

corn; sixty-seven thousand bushels of oats; thirty thousand bushels of

wheat, and twenty thousand head of hogs. Indianapolis is only twenty

years old, having been, upon its site, a dense forest in 1820; now it

has several public buildings, churches, schools, court-house, etc., and

two thousand inhabitants. The amount of tolls taken upon the canals and

railroads of Indiana amount to twenty-eight thousand five hundred

dollars. Salt of a very fine kind is made in Fountain county. Its

population is six hundred and eighty-three thousand three hundred and

fourteen. At two o’clock at night we arrived at Cincinnati, and took up

our position at the end of a long line of steamers, where we tried to

sleep until morning.