WHITE PIGEON PRAIRIE. 219 



White Pigeon prairie is an interesting spot to those who 

 have long looked on the interminable forests and small clear 

 ances of Canada, being a level surface of many miles extent, 

 thickly interspersed with good farm-houses and barns. To 

 me the change was truly gratifying, and gave rise to a thou 

 sand associations connected with other parts of the world. An 

 old farmer from New England, on his way to join a son in Il 

 linois, could not contain himself, and exclaimed, &quot; Surely 

 this must have been the place where Adam and Eve resided.&quot; 



On examining the soil of White Pigeon prairie, I found it 

 composed of black gritty sand, thickly interspersed with glit 

 tering particles of spar. The inclosures were large, and with 

 out ridges. The crops had been gathered, with the exception 

 of Indian corn, which seemed good. The weeds growing on 

 the surface were of no great strength, amongst which were 

 two kinds of grass. I did not observe sown grasses or clovers, 

 and the latter does not grow naturally. It is said many Eng 

 lish farmers are settled on White Pigeon prairie, who have good 

 thrashing-machines. There is a small prairie to the east of 

 White Pigeon, and a large one to the west, through both of 

 which we passed. These prairies do not seem fully occupied, 

 and the land is said to sell at from $3 to 86 per acre, govern 

 ment price being SlJ. 



The ruffed grouse, or prairie-hen, abounds on White Pigeon 

 and the adjoining prairies, to which some gentlemen resort 

 for the purpose of shooting. This bird resembles in colour the 

 female pheasant of Britain, and the black-cock in size and 

 shape. 



While walking in the garden of the hotel at W r hite Pigeon, 

 the experiment I wished my friend to try in the Huron tract 

 at Goderich, was made on myself. A wasp stung me on the 

 eyelid, and did not cause much pain, but I cannot draw any 

 inference from this regarding the properties of the American 

 wasp, as a sting from such insects in Britain did not create 

 inflammation at any period of my life. 



At Niles we changed our stage-coach for an open waggon 

 drawn by four horses, which was the first time a regular stage 

 had passed from Niles to Chicago, the mail having hitherto 



