JOURNEY FROM SFRINGFIELD TO ST LOUIS. 251 



CHAPTER XXV. 



Journey from Springfield to St Louis Jacksonville Emigrant 

 from Edinburgh Beds Face of the Country Alton Missis 

 sippi Luxuriant vegetation Bottoms Mamellc Prairie Mr 

 Flint St Charles River Missouri Notices of Nature Indian 

 Antiquities St Louis. 



DURING my excursion from Chicago, I was fortunate in 

 weather, which was dry and moderately warm. The temper 

 ature increased on the day of my arrival at Springfield, and 

 became so hot on the following day, that I resolved to wait for 

 a mail stage to convey me to the Mississippi ; I accordingly left 

 Springfield, about nine o clock in the morning, in a small stage, 

 which reached Jacksonville about sunset. A very heavy shower 

 of rain fell soon after setting out, and covered the roads four 

 or five inches deep with water, the level surface and want of 

 ditches preventing its escape. The passengers dined by the 

 way, and chiefly consisted of clerical students, on their way to 

 Jacksonville college. From their conversation with each other, 

 I learned they had lately been engaged in teaching in differ 

 ent parts of the country, and felt much anxiety about speeches 

 they were soon to make, and which were already written, and 

 had been revised by friends. They were plain in dress and in 

 manner, bordering on what is called homespun in Britain ; and 

 they sung most beautifully while in the coach. 



Jacksonville contains about the same number of souls as 

 Springfield, but is superior in buildings, arrangement, and 

 situation. Many of the houses consist of brick, and the hotels 

 are large and commodious. The country in the neighbourhood 

 is considered populous in this part of the world, and has been 

 settled for a considerable length of time. I was anxious to see 

 the farm of some Englishmen, whose skill I had heard extolled, 

 but want of time and light denied me this gratification. 



