Peoria--beauty of the surrounding country--fever and ague--scholars studying aloud in school--stages from Peoria--anecdote of a tavern keeper--Illinois river--passage down it in a steamboat--narrow lakes--high bluffs--Pekin--Beardstown--Naples--arrival at upper Alton. 74 CHAPTER IX. General description of the state of Illinois--streams skirted with timber--more than half prairie--a level State--generally rich soil--American bottom--military bounty lands--beautiful region of Sangamon river--the best tracts of land in the State--more good land than any other State--cause of the existence of prairies--country once inhabited by a civilized race anterior to the Indians--its rivers, Kankakee, Oplane, Du Page, Fox, Illinois, Rock, Spoon, Kaskaskia, Wabash, &c.--lead mines--productions--milk-sickness--chief towns--schools, &c. 79 CHAPTER X. Burning of the prairies--backwoodsmen--society--meeting-houses and school-houses--what kind of goods an emigrant ought to take with him--cheapness of provisions--manner of commencing a settlement--ploughing the prairies--guarding the improvements against the prairie fires--junction of the Missouri with the Mississippi--arrival at St. Louis--a description of the town--steam ferry boat. 92 CHAPTER XI. General description of the state of Missouri--south part generally barren, or wet and unhealthy--soil not muddy--prairie on the Mississippi--banks of the Missouri--large prairies destitute of wood and water--productions--prairie blossoms--wild animals, snakes, &c.--dryness and purity of the atmosphere--diseases--mildness of the winter--lead mines and minerals--chief towns. 99 CHAPTER XII. Voyage down the Mississippi in a steamboat--high bluffs--screw auger grist mills--shot towers--curiosities--dangers of the Mississippi navigation--narrow escape--run aground on a sand bar--mouth of the Ohio--cargo of the boat--amusements on board--history of one of the ladies--"Queen of the Nile"--description of the steamboat--price of passage--wooding the boat--ludicrous fracas on board--noise of the boats, &c.--peculiarities of expression of the western people--names of money. 107 CHAPTER XIII. Independent frankness of the western people--eastern people--towns on the river--great earthquake at New Madrid--bluffs on the river--woodcutters--serpentine course of the Mississippi--negro slaves on board--one died of the cholera--benefit of steamboat navigation--flat boats still in use. 119 CHAPTER XIV.