262 NOTICES OF NATURE. 



over two miles of bottom resembling that of the Mississippi 

 opposite to Alton, but not quite equalling- it in vegetable lux 

 uriance. The surface was wet from the rain that had fallen, 

 and the only inhabitant seen was so feeble and emaciated, that 

 his life was likely to be of short duration. On passing the 

 bottom, we had about twelve miles of highly-undulating sur 

 face, consisting of red-coloured clay, of fertile quality, thinly 

 wooded, and partially settled. For nearly six miles, before 

 reaching St Louis, the road passes through a prairie country of 

 undulating red clay, and apparently speedily getting into forest. 

 The landlord told me he had visited this district many years 

 before, which was then without a tree. There is a race-course 

 within three miles of St Louis, which appears well frequented. 



I had hitherto observed the vine growing chiefly by the 

 sides of lakes and rivers, but here it was growing on the 

 highest and most elevated situations, loaded with fruit. The 

 prevailing tree on the partially wooded part of the road was 

 oak. I first observed the catalpa-tree in the streets of St 

 Charles, and the persimon, in travelling to St Louis. This 

 fruit was disagreeable to my palate, and did not improve on a 

 second trial some days afterwards. 



Throughout my tour in the States of New England and 

 Upper Canada, I had found the soil of all districts where the 

 surface was considerably undulating, uniformly of inferior 

 quality. Michigan presented the same appearance, and on a 

 few of the prairies I fancied I could trace the same feature. I 

 had considered the subject on different occasions, and began to 

 draw a general conclusion, which this day s experience com 

 pletely upset. Here the surface was one of the most undula 

 ting I had travelled over, and uniformly of fertile clay. I 

 afterwards found some of the swelling grounds of Ohio of this 

 character. 



We met and conversed with the members of several families 

 moving into Missouri, with the view of settling in the remote 

 parts of the state ; and I met one before crossing the Missis 

 sippi, on his return from it, in consequence, he said, of its 

 unhealthiness. Local attachments seem to be the sheet- 

 anchor of man, and when they are once broken, or exist 

 weakly, he becomes restless, and unhesitatingly follows any 



