TKOTT1KG ON THE CHICAGO EIVEE. 287 



the extremities warm ; and of course, the frozen air has to 

 be breathed by the bipid, in, perhaps, as rapid draughts 

 as the young trotter would require. I shall await your 

 further experiments with some anxiety, as it would be a 

 great gaining of time, if we could make the winter months 

 available for continuing our lessons. 



PUPIL, The Chicago River, in the winter months, is fre- 

 quently a very animated scene. It runs nearly through 

 the centre of the city, its two branches uniting some three- 

 quarters of a mile above its confluence with the lake, di- 

 viding the town into three compartments, known as the 

 south, west, and north sides. It is one of the main causes 

 of Chicago's greatness, making not only one of the finest 

 harbors in the world, but giving facilities for the handling 

 of grain, lumber, and merchandise, that are unequaled in 

 any place that I know of. There are upwards of twelve 

 miles of docks, with numerous large elevators, whence the 

 grain is taken from the cars, and vessels loaded so rapidly, 

 that millions of bushels are transferred, without causing 

 any more bustle than is apparent every day. Those en- 

 gaged in the business are the only ones cognizant of any 

 greater degree of activity than usually characterizes the 

 place, although shipping corn and wheat enough in one 

 day to equal the whole amount grown in some of the New 

 England States. Five drawbridges span its turbid wave in 

 the distance of a mile ; and when the ice is good, and the 

 scores of fast horses are dashing rapidly below them,throngs 

 of people are congregated to watch the exciting spectacle. 



Here is a pair with grand and lofty action, keeping step 

 with the regularity of trained soldiers : the merry bells 

 jingling in cadence to the measured footfalls. The wolf 

 robes are comfortably tucked around the fotm of one of 

 the fairest daughters of the garden city, and the furred 

 and gauntleted driver seems to be at a loss which to be 

 most proud of, the costly turn-out, or the beautiful lady at 



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