414 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



ian, who was longing to return to his "own native land" 

 — and here, after our rambling ride, my dear readers, 

 we will rest until the morrow when you shall again "go 

 ahead" with your old friend, 



Solon Robinson. 



Notes of Travel in the West — No. II. 



[Albany Cultivator, n. s. 2:124-26; Apr., 1845] 



[Covering January 12-23, 1845] 



My Dear Readers — The violent snow storm that drove 

 us into quarters last night, like violence of all kinds, soon 

 spent itself, and having given place to a clear cold day, 

 seat yourselves by my side, and we will roll away to 

 the south, and notwithstanding that the wind is "dead 

 ahead," and blowing a fine fresh breeze, we shall beat up 

 against it with ease, though not with so much comfort as 

 you might desire. The first dozen miles, you may ob- 

 serve, after leaving the grove of fine timber on our right, 

 is too level and "wettish" to be desirable. But here we 

 come to the beautiful village of Tremont, (the county 

 seat of Tazewell,) with its handsome courthouse and 

 church; but what interests us more, is to see that the 

 sons of New-England, who settled and still flourish here, 

 so far departed from the fashion of this country, that 

 they have given wide streets and large building lots, 

 many of the occupants of which have still farther de- 

 parted from fashion, as we can plainly see by the multi- 

 tude of shade and fruit trees that surround and beautify 

 their dwellings. We will not call, though tempting signs 

 hang out, for we are told that notwithstanding the beauty 

 of the place, old King Alcohol, here holds undisputed 

 sway. If this, "an o'er true tale" should be, I hope the 

 Tremontonians will rouse themselves to break the ty- 

 rant's rule. 



In the valley of a stream called Mackinaw, that winds 

 through broken sandy hills of stunted timber growth, we 

 witness the first marks of that great flood that desolated 



