Trip to the West and Texas: comprising a journey of eight thousand miles, through New-York, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana and Texas, in the autumn and winter of 1834-5.Parker, A. A. (Amos Andrew)
History
Trip to the West and Texas: comprising a journey of eight thousand miles, through New-York, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Louisiana and Texas, in the autumn and winter of 1834-5.
Parker, A. A. (Amos Andrew)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Mississippi River Valley; Frontier and pioneer life -- Texas; Mississippi River Valley -- Description and travel; Texas -- Description and travel; Texas -- History -- Revolution, 1835-1836
An instance, in some respects similar to this, occurred some years ago,
in an emigrant from the western part of the State of New-Hampshire.--He
sold his farm, and started for Ohio. His wife and children, and a
portion of his furniture, he put into a large wagon, drawn by three or
four yoke of oxen; and three cows of a peculiar breed, he also took
with him. They proceeded on about five hundred miles, probably as far
as Buffalo, when they all became weary, and so excessively fatigued
with their journey, that they lost all relish for the western country,
and wished themselves back again. At this time, they held a council,
and agreed, without a dissenting voice, to return to New-Hampshire.
They accordingly wheeled about, cows and all, and trudged back to the
town they had left; having performed a journey of a thousand miles with
an ox-team, at great expense, and apparently to no beneficial purpose
whatever. He did not, however, like the Vermonter, again return.
But the result of the trip was not so disastrous as had been
anticipated. At the very time of their return, a much better farm than
the one he had left was offered for sale for ready money. He bought
it at a reduced price, and immediately settled upon it. He then made
a calculation upon his present and former condition; and after taking
into consideration the expenses of his journey, the sale of one farm
and purchase of another, he found himself worth at least a thousand
dollars more than he was previous to the transaction!
And here, I would give a caution to the emigrant who intends to
settle in the western country, not to place implicit confidence in
what the inhabitants of one section may say of other portions of it.
If they mean to be honest in giving an opinion, self-interest as in
other places, strangely warps their judgment. Land holders and actual
settlers are anxious to build up their own village and neighborhood;
and therefore, they praise their own section and decry the others. At
Detroit, we are told that Monroe is a very sickly place; at Monroe,
Detroit is unhealthy; and both will concur that Chicago is too
unhealthy for an emigrant to think of enjoying life in it. In Michigan,
that is the most healthy, pleasant and best portion of the West; in
Illinois, that becomes the promised land. Indeed, so contradictory
are their statements, that little reliance ought to be placed upon
them; and the better way for the emigrant is, if he cannot obtain the
necessary information from disinterested travellers, to go and examine
for himself. Eastern people, who travel no farther than Michigan,
generally form an unfavorable opinion of Chicago and Illinois; but were
they to travel over that State, they would soon change their opinion.
CHAPTER VII.
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