132 NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST. 



Knoxville, Monmouth, Macomb, and other villages, are upon 

 this tract. 



Illinois presents in general an agreeable and beautiful suc- 

 cession of grove and prairie, similar to the country w^est of 

 the Missisippi, varying slightly in two particulars, rather to 

 the disadvantage of the former ; — the proportion of timber is 

 rather scanty in Illinois, and of consequence the prairies 

 more extensive ; — and the soil is not of so great depth as on 

 the west side of the river. The prairie on both sides, how- 

 ever, is extremely fertile, and very agreeable to the sight. 



This region, or any portions of it, must be seen to be 

 appreciated. Much better is a man's own eye to convey a 

 faithful description to him, than the tongue of another. The 

 quiet beauty of the prairies, the graceful outline of their sur- 

 face, or the rich, mellow, genial, quality of their soil, is not 

 understood without inspection ; nor does the mind of one 

 only accustomed to the recesses of forest or mountain 

 scenery, or to the still narrow^er barricades of vision formed 

 by the high and compact lines of masonry in a city, take in 

 the idea of a broad expanse of plain, stretching to the hori- 

 zon on every side, without tree or shrub ; unfenced ; and 

 still, after miles of travel, presenting a similar scene, limited 

 only by a similar horizon ; adorned only with a variegated 

 carpet of luxuriant flowers ; relieved only by the graceful 

 undulations of its surface. 



The country about Yellow Creek, a small tributary of 

 Pectanon, presents a very beautiful specimen of prairie 

 scenery. As you approach it from Galena, it rather sud- 

 denly appears to view in coming over a ridge, and the eye 

 is astonished with the unexpected and agreeable presentation. 

 Near the head of Little Rock River is another beautiful but 

 different view. Yellow Creek is in the state of nature. 

 Little Rock River is a handsome prairie covered with a 



