The Race of Vagabonds--"Yankee Enterprise"--The Virginia Emigrant--The Western Creeks and Bridges--An Adventure in Botany--Unnatural Rebellion--Christian Retaliation--Vandalia-- "First Impressions"--The Patriotic Bacchanal--The High-priest-- A Distinction Unmerited--The Cause--Vandalia--Situation-- Public Edifices--Square--Church--Bank--Land-office--"Illinois Magazine"--Tardy Growth--Removal of Government--Adventures of the First Legislators--The Northern Frontier--Magic of Sixteen Years--Route to Carlisle--A Buck and Doe--An old Hunter-- "Hurricane Bottom"--Night on the Prairies--The Emigrant's Bivouac--The Prairie-grass--Carlisle--Site--Advantages-- Growth--"Mound Farm" 238 XXI The Love of Nature--Its Delights--The Wanderer's Reflections-- The Magic Hour--A Sunset on the Prairies--"The Sunny Italy"-- The Prairie Sunset--Route to Lebanon--Silver Creek--Origin of Name--The "Looking-glass Prairie"--The Methodist Village-- Farms--Country Seats--Maize-fields--Herds--M'Kendreean College-- "The Seminary!"--Route to Belleville--The Force of Circumstance-- A Contrast--Public {xvi} Buildings--A lingering Look--Route to St. Louis--The French Village--The Coal Bluffs--Discovery of Coal--St. Clair County--Home of Clouds--Realm of Thunder--San Louis 248 XXII Single Blessedness--Text and Comment--_En Route_--North St. Louis--A Delightful Drive--A Delightful Farm-cottage--The Catholic University--A Stately Villa--Belle Fontaine--A Town plat--A View of the Confluence--The _Human Tooth_--The Hamlet of Florissant--Former Name--Site--Buildings--Church--Seminary-- _Tonish_--_Owen's Station_--Scenery upon the Route-- _La Charbonnière_--The Missouri Bottom--The Forest-Colonnade-- The Missouri--Its Sublimity--Indian Names--Its Turbid Character--Cause--An Inexplicable Phenomenon--Theories-- Navigation Dangerous--Floods of the Missouri--Alluvions-- Sources of the Missouri and Columbia--Their Destinies--Human Life--The Ocean of Eternity--Gates of the Rocky Mountains-- Sublimity--A Cataract--The Main Stream--Claims stated 257 {iii} XXIII View of St. Charles and the Missouri--The Bluffs--"A stern round Tower"--Its Origin--The Windmill--A sunset Stroll--Rural Sights and Sounds--The River and Forest--The Duellist's Grave--The Hour and Scene--_Requiescat_--Reflections--Duelling--A sad Event-- Young B----.--His Request--His Monument--"Blood Island"--Its Scenes and Annals--A visit to "_Les Mamelles_"--The Forest-path-- Its Obscurity--Outlines of the Bluffs--Derivation of Name-- Position--Resemblance--The Missouri Bluffs--View from The Mamelle--The Missouri Bottom--The Mamelle Prairie--The distant Cliffs and Confluences--Extent of Plain--Alluvial Origin-- Lakes--Bed of the Rivers--An ancient Deposite 268 XXIV