270 Journal. [Part III. 



one in this state of society. A thief very rarely escapes 

 here ; not nearly so often as in more populous districts. 

 The fact was, in this case, however, we discovered 

 afterwards, that the horses had strayed away, and had 

 returned home hy this time. But, if they had been 

 stolen, the stealers would not have escaped. When the 

 loser is tired, another Mill take up the pursuit, and the 

 whole coimtry is up in arms till he is found. 



505. June 27<A.— Still af Princeton. At last we 

 get suited with horses. Mine costs me only 1 35 dol- 

 lars with the bridle and saddle, and that I am told is. 

 18 dollars too much. 



506. June 28fA. — Left Princeton, and set out to see 

 Mr. Birkbeck's settlement, in Illinois, about 35 miles 

 from Princeton. Before we got to the Wabash we 

 had to cross a swamp of half a mile Avide ; we were 

 obliged to lead our horses, and walk up to the knees 

 in mud and water. Before we got half across we be- 

 gan to thhik of going back ; but, there is a sound 

 bottom under it all, and we waded through it as well as 

 •we could. It is, in fact, nothing but a bed of very 

 soft and rich land, and only wants draining to be made 

 productive. We soon after came to the banks of the 

 great Wabash, which is here about half a mile broad, 

 and as the ferry-boat was crossing over Avith us I amused 

 myself by washing my dirty boots. Before we mounted 

 again we happened to meet Avith a neighbour of 

 Mr. Birkbeck's, Avho was returning home ; Ave accom- 

 panied him, and soon entered into the prairie lands, up 

 to our horses' bellies in fine grass. These prairies, A'/hich 

 are surrounded Avith lofty woods, put me in mind of 

 immense noblemen's parks in England. Some of those 

 we passed over are called icet prairies, but, they are 

 dry at this time of the year ; and, as they are none of 

 them flat, they need but very simple draining to 

 carry off the water all the year round. Our horses 

 were very much tormented Avith flies, .some as large as 

 the English horse-fly and some as large as the Avasp ; 

 these flies infest the prairies that are unimproved about 

 three months in the year, but go away altogether as 

 soon as cultivation begins. 



507. Mr. Birkbeck's settlement is situated between 



