ILLINOIS CLIMATE. 419 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Illinois Climate Face of the country Prairies Soil Salt 

 Lead Iron Coal Water Communication History Towns 

 Government Education Kentucky Population J\few Eng- 

 landers Pioneers Manners and Customs. 



SOME of the western United States, forming part of the 

 extensive and fertile valley of the Mississippi, are so different 

 in character from the Eastern States and the Canadas for a^ri- 



O 



cultural emigration, as to merit particular consideration. The 

 region alluded to lies north of latitude 38 , and from 7 of west 

 longitude from Washington to the rocky mountains. Much 

 of this tract is imperfectly known, having never perhaps been 

 trod by civilized man, and embraces the states of Indiana, Illi 

 nois, Missouri, and the Michigan, North-west, and Missouri 

 territories. My personal observation extended to a portion of 

 four of the mentioned divisions, which enabled me to form an 

 opinion of their characteristics, which are said to be pretty uni 

 form ; and for the sake of precision Illinois shall be noticed. 



The State of Illinois extends from north latitude 37 to 

 421, and from west longitude 10 35 to 14 25 . It is 

 bounded on the south by the river Ohio, on the west by the 

 Mississippi, on the north by the north-west territory, and on 

 the east by lake Michigan and Indiana. The length is 382 

 miles, the area 57,900 square miles, or 37,056,000 acres, 

 which is nearly the size of England and Wales. 



The climate of Illinois partakes of the general character of 

 North America, but from the absence of hills, and small eleva 

 tion above the level of the sea, this region is milder than any 

 other of the same latitude, The winter in the southern parts 

 seldom exceeds six weeks. At Shawneetown, which is in the 

 southern part of the State, the average temperature of July, in 

 1819, was 87, of December 43, and the mean annual tern- 



