. AN ENGLISH SPORTSMAN ON THE PRAIRIES. 299 



The enthusiastic lecturer, followed by a train of disciples, 

 carried about with him, whether in bar, bed-room, or 

 reading-room, a couple of thick skulls besides his own ; 

 and had each been furnished with a tongue, a more un- 

 ceasing gabble of "organs," "developments," "propen- 

 sities," could not have been sustained. If we entered his 

 presence, a dead silence ensued a score of eyes perused 

 our craniums and I verily believe, the singularly ample 

 brow of one of our party would hardly have escaped for- 

 cible, manipulation, had we not ordered our wagon, and 

 changed the scene and subject for a most refreshing 

 drive. 



Most beautiful was the course we took down the river, 

 and through the small village of Geneva, nowise like 

 its ancient namesake, unless in its republicanism ! Hav- 

 ing feasted our eyes upon all the scenic perfections pos- 

 sessed by a slow silver stream, gliding between high and 

 woody banks, ruddy with Autumn's tints, and dotted 

 with lovely' islands, we again returned to Charleston, 

 having during our drive marked our shooting-ground for 

 the morrow. 



The following day, keeping to the woods, we had some 

 tolerable sport, quail-shooting not heightened by a tho 

 rough wetting, bagging about seventy head of game, 

 chiefly those birds ; but finding, on -inquiry, that there 

 was no farmer on the neighboring prairie whose dwelling 1 

 could accommodate three strangers, and further, the 

 weather changing for the worse, and thereby warning us 

 to change our front to the eastward, we resolved to re- 

 turn with our friend Barns to Elk Grove, and thus secure 

 a mode of retreat to Chicago at a moment's notice. On 



