Illinois is three hundred and fifty miles in length; one hundred and
eighty in breadth; and lies between thirty-seven and a half, and
forty-two and a half degrees north latitude. It contains fifty thousand
square miles--equal to forty millions of acres. It is divided into
fifty-five counties, and, probably, now contains more than two hundred
thousand inhabitants. All the streams, lakes and marshes are lined
with a fine growth of timber, sometimes a mile or two in width, and
sometimes merely a narrow strip. And as the southern part of the State
contains the most low, wet land, it has also the most timber. The
high land is generally prairie; but there are some exceptions to this.
I found quite a number of beautiful groves of timber on high land;
sometimes there were only scattering trees, called oak openings.
It is probably as level as any State in the Union. At the northwest
of Shawneetown, there is a range of hills; and high bluffs are seen
along the banks of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. In the mineral
regions at the northwest corner of the State, there are high hills, and
the land is somewhat broken; but the largest portion of the State is
composed of gently rolling prairies. These prairies are some of them
level and wet, but generally, they are high, dry and gently undulating.
They all have an exceedingly fertile soil, and are covered with tall
coarse grass and a great variety of beautiful flowers. The soil is a
rich, black loam, entirely inexhaustible, and produces abundant crops
without the aid of manure. In some of the old settled towns at the
lower part of the State, the same spot of ground has been cultivated
with Indian corn for a hundred years, and it now produces equally as
well as it did at first. In the time of strawberries, thousands of
acres are reddened with this delicious fruit. But this country, which
so delightfully strikes the eye, and has millions of acres that invite
the plough, wants timber for fuel, building and fences. It wants good
water in many places, and in too many instances, the inhabitants want
health. These evils will probably all be remedied by the expedients of
cultivation. Bricks will be used for building; coal and peat will be
used for fuel; hedges and ditches will be made for fences; forests will
be made to grow on the prairies; and deep wells will be sunk for pure
water.
There is a fine tract of rich level land extending along the eastern
shore of the Mississippi about eighty miles in length, and from three
to six miles in width. It commences near New-Alton, and terminates
a little below Kaskaskia. About half of its width bordering on the
river, is covered with a heavy growth of timber; the remainder is a
level prairie; and in the rear it is bordered by a stately bluff of
limestone. It is undoubtedly the richest land in the world. Settlements
have been made upon it to some extent, but it is not very healthy. It
is called the American Bottom. A bottom very similar to this, either on
one side or the other, marks the whole course of the Illinois river.
More than five millions of acres have been surveyed, between the
Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and assigned by Congress for military
bounty lands. These lands embrace all the varieties of soil found in
the State--rich bottoms, swamps, prairies, timbered lands, high bluffs
and barrens. The northeast part of it is deemed the most pleasant and
healthy.
On Rock river, the Kaskaskia, Wabash, Fox, Du Page, Macoupin and
Sangamon are large tracts of first rate land. And very similar to
this, are Grand prairie, Mound prairie, the Marine Settlement prairie,
and the one occupied by the New-England Christians.
In the region of Sangamon river, nature has delighted to bring together
her happiest combinations of landscape; being beautifully variegated
with woodland and lawn, like sunshine and shade. It is generally
a level country; the prairies are not too extensive, and timber
abounds in sufficient quantity to support a dense population. In this
beautiful section of the new world, more than two hundred families,
from New-England, New-York and North Carolina, fixed their habitations
before it was surveyed. The land is exceedingly rich and easily
cultivated. It now constitutes a number of counties and is probably as
thickly settled as any part of the State. The Sangamon itself is a fine
boatable river, and has throughout its whole course, pure, transparent
water and a sandy bottom. It enters the Illinois river on the easterly
side, about one hundred and forty miles above its mouth.
The Kaskaskia river has a long course in the central part of the State,
and the lands upon its borders are happily diversified with hill, vale,
prairie and forest. On its banks are Kaskaskia, the former seat of
government, and Vandalia, the present metropolis.
The region of Rock and Fox rivers is a beautiful and healthy portion
of the State. The land is rich; the prairies are high, dry and gently
undulating and surrounded by excellent timber. The only faults are,
the prairies are too large for the quantity of timber, and there are
not a sufficient number of springs and small streams of water. But it
is a very pleasant and desirable portion of the country, and I believe
more emigrants are now directing their course thither, than to any
other portion of the State. It has one advantage over all the western
section of country, it is more healthy. I believe it is as healthy as
any portion of the United States.
Although there are some bodies of sterile and broken land in the
State, yet as a whole, it contains a greater proportion of first
rate land than any other State in the Union; and probably as great
according to its extent as any country on the face of the globe. One
of the inconveniences attending this extensive rich country, is too
great a proportion of prairies. They cover more than half of the whole
State.--But the prevalence of coal and peat, and the ease with which
forest trees may be raised, will render even these extensive prairies
habitable.
The original cause of these extensive prairies in all the western and
southern country is altogether a matter of conjecture. There is no
natural impediment in the soil to the growth of forest trees over the
whole extent of the country. It is certain that the fire is the cause
of continuing them in existence; for where the fire is kept out, trees
spring up in them, in a few years, and their growth is vigorous and
rapid.
There are many reasons for the belief, that this western country was
once inhabited by a more civilized race of beings, than the present
hordes of wild Indians. Specimens of fine pottery and implements
of husbandry have been found in various parts of the country; and
brick foundations of a large city have lately been discovered in the
territory of Arkansas. These, together with the stately mounds and
remains of extensive fortifications, indicate that the country was once
inhabited by a race of men, who cultivated the soil for a subsistence,
and were well acquainted with the mechanic arts. From whence this race
of beings came, or whither they went, is alike unknown to us. Since
they left, the fire has made the cleared land much more extensive.
The fire, in very dry weather, and accompanied by a high wind, after
scouring over the prairies, takes to the woodland and destroys the
timber. Last fall, I saw hundreds of acres of woodland, so severely
burnt over, that I had no doubt the trees were generally killed. But in
some places, the forest gradually gains upon the prairie; and could the
fire be kept within proper bounds, the western country would soon have
an abundant supply of timber. But this cannot well be done. The Indian
sets the prairie afire, for the conveniency of hunting--the emigrant
sets it afire, so that the fresh grass may spring up for his cattle;
and so between them both, they all get burnt over. And when once
kindled, the fire goes where the wind happens to drive.
This State has great advantages for inland navigation by means of its
rivers. On the east, it is washed by the Michigan lake and Wabash
river; on the south, by the Ohio, and on the west, by the Mississippi.
The most important river within the State is the Illinois. It rises
near the south end of lake Michigan, runs in a southerly direction
about three hundred miles, and falls into the Mississippi, thirty
miles above St. Louis. Its two chief head branches are the Kankakee
and Oplane; this latter river runs within twelve miles of the lake,
and the space between is a low, wet prairie, so that it might easily
be connected with its waters. From the north, comes in the Du Page,
a larger stream than the Oplane. At Ottawa, eighty miles south of
Chicago, comes in Fox river. This is by far the largest tributary of
the Illinois, and at their junction is nearly equal to it in size. In
all descriptions of the State, mention is hardly made of Fox river;
but it is the next in size to the Illinois and Rock rivers, and is
one of the most beautiful streams in the whole State. It rises in the
territory west of lake Michigan, runs with a lively current, in a very
straight channel, from its source to its mouth. It heads in a lake,
and this accounts for the fact, that it is not, like other streams,
subject to freshets. It is generally fordable--the water is not more
than about three feet deep, and the bottom is sand and pebbles. It is
a clear stream, abounding in fish, and withal, passes through the most
healthy part of the State.
On the west side, nearly opposite Hennipen, comes in the Bureau river.
This is a good mill stream, and is composed of two branches, the one
called Great and the other Little Bureau; and these branches join
about five miles west of the Illinois. These branches, on the maps,
bear the names of Robertson's and James' river, but for what reason I
know not. On this river is a large settlement of northern people, and
many families from the State of New-Hampshire. Below this, the most
material tributaries are the Vermillion and Sangamon from the east, and
Spoon river from the west. Whatever others may say, I cannot call the
Illinois a pleasant stream. It has a marsh on one side or the other
from its mouth to its source, and is full of shoals and sand bars. I
passed down the river in a boat that drew less than two feet water, but
it often run aground. The worst bar is just below Beardstown. We had to
lighten the boat of its freight, water in the boiler, and passengers,
before we could pass this bar; and then, the hands had to jump into
the water and push the boat over. For about two hundred miles from
its mouth, it has many long and narrow lakes, of about the width of
the river itself; and probably they were formerly its channel. These
lakes generally have an outlet into the river, and these so much
resemble it, that a person not well acquainted with the stream, would
be puzzled to know what channel to take. The river occupies too much
ground for its quantity of water, and for about half of the year, it is
a difficult stream to navigate.
Rock river rises beyond the northern limits of the State in the high
lands which separate the waters of the Mississippi from those of lake
Michigan. It is a large, beautiful stream, has a lively current, and
enters the Mississippi fifty miles below Galena. In the Mississippi
near its mouth, is a beautiful island, on which is situated fort
Armstrong.
The other principal streams which enter the Mississippi are Fever
river, Parasaw, Kaskaskia, and Cahokia. No large streams enter the Ohio
or the Wabash, from this State; but some of them are navigable by keel
boats.
In the region of Galena are the richest lead mines in the world. Copper
ore has also been discovered. The State abounds in mineral coal, which
is excellent for the grate. It burns freer than the Pennsylvania coal,
and emits much more light. Salt is made in large quantities at the salt
works, near Shawneetown.
In the southern part of the State, cotton will grow in a favorable
year, and it is cultivated to some extent for family use. This
conclusively shows a milder climate than in New-England. In the
northern section, in the region of the vast prairies and lakes, the
wind sometimes blows strong and keen in the winter. It is not subject
to the strong chilly easterly winds so severely felt along the Atlantic
coast. During the year, the climate is undoubtedly more mild than that
of New-England. Apple, pear and peach trees grow vigorously and produce
abundantly. In the spring of the year the air becomes fragrant with the
blossoms of fruit trees and wild flowers.
The soil and the climate are well suited to the production of wheat,
Indian corn, potatoes, and all garden vegetables. The crops are
abundant and of an excellent quality. The prairies every where abound
in wild grass, and afford an inexhaustible range for cattle, horses and
sheep. The grass is very nutricious, and it may with truth be said,
there is not a finer grazing country in the world.
The most prevalent diseases are bilious fevers and the fever and ague.
These are caused by stagnant water and swamps. Removed from these,
good health is generally enjoyed. The consumption, the scourge of
New-England, is never known in all the western country. In some parts
of the lower section of the State, the inhabitants have been afflicted
with a disease called _milk sickness_. It, in the first place, affects
the cattle, and never occurs until the frosts of autumn. These frosts
kill the grass on the high prairies, and induce the cattle to go into
the low bottoms and woods, where vegetation remains green. It has
been discovered that the disease is caused by the cattle's eating a
poisonous vine which grows luxuriantly in these bottoms. After eating
this vine, the animal appears weary and faint, travels with difficulty,
droops, and at length dies. If men or animals partake of the milk of
the cows, when they are thus disordered, they are affected in the same
manner. Men, however, sometimes recover. This disease is not confined
to Illinois. Near the rich bottom lands in Indiana and Missouri,
animals and men have been affected with it. In the northern half of the
State, I was informed, that not an instance of milk sickness had ever
been known.
There are no _large_ towns in Illinois, but quite a number of
flourishing villages. Danville, near the eastern line of the State, is
quite a flourishing town; and here the land office for the northern
section is kept. It is one hundred and thirty miles south of Chicago,
and it is supposed, that the office will shortly be removed to that
place. Springfield, situated on a branch of the Sangamon river, is
near the centre of the State, and is a large, flourishing village.
It is sixty miles south of Peoria, about thirty east of the Illinois
river; and it is highly probable that it will become, shortly, the seat
of the State government. The most important towns on the Mississippi
river, are Galena, Quincy, Alton, Edwardsville, and Kaskaskia; on the
Ohio river, are Trinity, America and Shawneetown; on the Wabash, are
Palmyra, Lawrenceville, Palestine, Sterling, &c. and in the interior,
besides those we have before mentioned, are Vandalia, the present seat
of the State government, Jacksonville, Maysville, Hillsborough, Salem,
and many other small villages; besides quite a number of _paper towns_,
that may in time have a "local habitation," in addition to their high
sounding names.
Chicago is now the largest town in the State; and as it is favorably
situated for trade, it will probably continue to take the lead in time
to come.--Vandalia, the present seat of government, is pleasantly
situated on a high bank of the Kaskaskia river. Respectable buildings
for the accommodation of the government and the courts have been
erected. The village contains about a hundred houses; some of them,
built of brick and elegant.
Kaskaskia is the oldest town in the State. It is pleasantly situated
on an extensive plain upon the bank of the river of the same name, and
eleven miles from its mouth. It was settled as early as Philadelphia,
by the French, and once contained seven thousand inhabitants; but now
it numbers not more than one thousand. This was formerly the seat
of government; it was removed to Edwardsville, then to Vandalia;
but it will probably be destined to take one more remove, either to
Springfield or Peoria.
Galena, on the Mississippi, near the northwest corner of the State,
began to be settled in 1826. It is three hundred and fifty miles north
of St. Louis, and about one hundred and fifty west of Chicago. It now
contains between one and two thousand inhabitants, forty-two stores and
warehouses, and two hundred houses. It is the seat of justice for the
county, and has ten thousand inhabitants in its vicinity.
The same provisions here for schools have been made as in the other
western States. In addition to one thirty-sixth part of all the
public lands, three per cent. on all the sales is added to the school
fund. It is in contemplation to establish an university. For this
purpose a sixth part of the school fund and two entire townships
have been appropriated. Rock Spring theological school, under the
superintendence of the Baptists, is a respectable academy in the Turkey
Hills' Settlement, seventeen miles east of St. Louis. It has fifty
students.[1] Primary schools are found in the villages and populous
neighborhoods; but in many places there is much need of them.
The representatives and senators are chosen once in two years; the
governor and lieutenant governor in four years. The judiciary consists
of a supreme court and other county courts. All free white male
citizens, who have resided in the State six months, are entitled to the
right of suffrage; and they vote at elections _viva voce_.
[Footnote 1: This school has recently been removed to Alton.]