The Traveller's Whereabout--The Prairie in a Mist--Sense of Loneliness--The Backwoods Farmhouse--Structure--Outline-- Western Roads--A New-England Emigrant--The "Barrens"--Origin of Name--Soil--The "Sink-holes"--The Springs--Similar in Missouri and Florida--"Fount of Rejuvenescence"--Ponce de Leon--"Sappho's Fount"--The Prairies--First View--The Grass-- Flowers--Island-groves--A Contrast--Prairie-farms--A Buck and Doe--A Kentucky Pioneer--Events of Fifty Years--The "Order Tramontane"--Expedition of Gov. Spotswood--The Change-- A Thunderstorm on the Prairies--"A Sharer in the Tempest"-- Discretionary Valour 207 XVIII Morning after the Storm--The Landscape--The sprinkled Groves-- Nature in unison with the Heart--The Impress of Design-- Contemplation of grand Objects elevates--Nature and the Savage-- Nature and Nature's God--Earth praises God--Indifference and Ingratitude of Man--"All is very Good"--Influence of Scenery upon Character--The Swiss Mountaineer--Bold Scenery most Impressive--Freedom among the Alps--Caucasus--Himmalaya-- _Something_ to Love--Carlinville--"Grand Menagerie"--A Scene-- The Soil--The Inn--Macoupin Creek--Origin of Name--A Vegetable-- An Indian Luxury--Carlinville--Its Advantages and Prospects--A "Fourth-of-July" Oration--The thronging Multitudes--The huge Cart--A Thunder-storm--A Log-cabin--Women and Children--Outlines of the Cabin--The Roof and Floor--The Furniture and Dinner-pot-- A Choice of Evils--The _Pathless_ Prairie 219 {xv} XIX Ponce de Leon--The Fount of Youth--The "Land of Flowers"-- Ferdinand de Soto--"_El Padre de los Aguas_"--The Canadian Voyageurs--"_La Belle Rivière_"--Sieur La Salle--"A Terrestrial Paradise"--Daniel Boone--"Old Kentucke"--"The Pilgrim from the North"--Sabbath Morning--The Landscape--The Grass and Prairie-flower--Nature at Rest--Sabbath on the Prairie--Alluvial Aspect of the Prairies--The Soil--Lakes--Fish--The Annual Fires--Origin--A Mode of Hunting--Captain Smith--Mungo Park-- Hillsborough--Major-domo of the Hostelrie--His Garb and Proportions--The Presbyterian Church--_Picturesqueness_--The "_Luteran_ Church"--Practical Utility--The Dark Minister-- A Mistake--The Patriotic Dutchman--A Veritable Publican-- Prospects of Hillsborough--A Theological Seminary--Route to Vandalia--The Political Sabbath 230 XX