14 



precise objects we had in view, the most appropriate an- 

 swer to the question which commences this chapter seemed 

 to be to " go West." So I made a journey into that new 

 and prosperous region to look us out a home. And new, 

 indeed, did I find it, new in appearance, as also new in 

 the ways, and notions, and practices of then people. 



In my search for a place, I first visited such of my ac- 

 quaintances as had already moved to the western country. 

 This took me into several of the most prosperous States, 

 and afforded me views of widely diversified scenery. The 

 prairie regions were less attractive than I had anticipated. 

 Although teeming with inexhaustible agricultural wealth, 

 there was a monotony in the appearance of the prairies 

 not attractive to one life-long accustomed to rocks and 

 hills. The consideration of a healthful locality was a prom- 

 inent one in my investigations. But it was a curious 

 fact, that I could find no place which the people considered 

 as particularly unhealthy, although neighboring localities 

 were quite objectionable as regarded their sanitary condi- 

 tion. In Pekin they had the ague and fevers but seldom, 

 but over in Sebastopol they had it almost contiaually. 

 Arriving in Sebastopol, the people thought their region 

 quite healthful — that they hardly ever had any ague ; but 

 over ki Pekin they had it about all the while. I also ob- 

 served that nearly every one was ready to sell out, not to 

 return East again by any means, but to " go West." 

 This readiness to move did not arise from any dislike to 



