238 PEORIA PEKIN STOREKEEPER. 



had called at this lady s house for the purpose of enquiring 

 the way, which was pointed out by the coloured man, who 

 was then in good health. 



When about to partake of breakfast, I was joined by a 

 traveller in a light car, who passed me on the previous even 

 ing, and he expressed surprise to find me before him, having 

 gone a mile off the direct road to escape passing the night in 

 the house in which I lodged. He resided at Pekin, and 

 had come direct from Chicago, which he left about six hours 

 after me, and had travelled at what he considered a good 

 pace. He asked me to take a seat in his car, and we travelled 

 together twelve or fourteen miles on the wooded banks of the 

 Illinois till opposite Peoria, when we crossed the river in a 

 ferry-boat, leaving the horse attached to a tree. 



Peoria takes its name perhaps from the tribe of Indians 

 called Peorias, and which is now almost extinct. It is situ 

 ated on a lake, or an expansion of the river, two miles wide, 

 and four or five in length, at some elevation above the water, 

 and commanding a view of the lake and fine wooded banks on 

 the opposite side. 



The village exhibits marks of considerable age, but none of 

 prosperity. I found the dinner hour past, and fared indif 

 ferently. There being nothing to attract attention at Peoria, 

 I recrossed the ferry, where the horse was still standing, and 

 bent my way to Pekin, which I reached a little before sun 

 set. 



Pekin, sometimes called Pekin-on-the-hill, is situated on 

 the Illinois, and is progressing rapidly. The hotel was filled 

 with permanent boarders, who seemed to be engaged in the 

 different mechanical arts. The landlord was crawling about 

 the house in a debilitated state, and evidently a fever patient. 

 The people assembled at table addressed me by the name 

 of stranger, and showed considerable attention ; a female, as 

 usual, filling out tea. 



For three days past I had been without shoe-ties, both 

 having broken after leaving Chicago, the bark of trees having 

 since then been substituted. I made application for a supply 

 at different stores in Pekin, without success. In one instance I 

 found the storekeeper stretched at full length, with his back 



