
          I will say a few words about my journey. I left N.Y. in
 haste all the business of the last two hours was necessarily
 abandoned. The three most regretted were the purchase of boots
 & umbrella & a call at 30 McDougal. I left [Troy?] Friday night
 & stopped for Sabbath at Lockport [9?] days after. I visited a
 mission station under the care of a former pupil of mine
 at Niagra Falls. left Buffalo Wednesday arr. Detroit at 25 Nov.
 I spent nearly the whole winter in Michigan. Spent a Sabbath
 at Ann Arbor inquired in vain for Prof. Gray. I preached most
 of that time to destitute & back slidden Churches - with "great
 acceptance & profit" - to my self. From Mich. I walked to Ottowa
 head of Ill. Riv. The latter port part of my walk was a continued
 series of adventure. [crossed out: Brid] Streams without bridges even on
 the longest roads, ravines without number & prairie mud almost
 without  bottom or shore.  One day I walked on the ice the next
 I pulled off my boots & waded the Du Page - navigable for
 canoes. In doing so I discovered large blood blisters on my feet.
 I walked but 26 miles that day &  26 the next, & then took the Steam Boat
 at the head of navigation. They landed me 40 miles from home. After
 getting a few rods from the boat I had about 3/4 of a mile to wade
 water from 18 to 30 inches deep. Soon after I got home  (ie. a few weeks)
 I rode into Bear [?] & saved my life by swimming out & saved my
 things by swimming in again - rode & walked 16 miles that afternoon
 before 1/2 past [9?] & then dried me - This was in march. This summer I plowed out etc.
 about 15 acres of corn. It yielded about 200 bushels. This fall I have been
 helping my brother build a house. I cut the first tree & worked at it till
 he moved in. I have now gone over my life for the year past. I might 
 perhaps been much more particular but it would weary rather
 than interest. I have seen people who would surprise you in many
 respects but you must see them to understand them The inhabitants 
 of Illinois are divided into two great classes Suckers & Yankees. In general
 you can tell one from the other by looking at them or at
 most by hearing them speak. The former are from the slave states
 They have vices of their own but not greater or more numerous
 perhaps than the Yankees. One trait is a great undervaluing of education.
 One third perhaps cannot read. A great portion of them
 are professors of religion most of them in this region are

        