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
There is a fine tract of rich level land extending along the eastern
shore of the Mississippi about eighty miles in length, and from three
to six miles in width. It commences near New-Alton, and terminates
a little below Kaskaskia. About half of its width bordering on the
river, is covered with a heavy growth of timber; the remainder is a
level prairie; and in the rear it is bordered by a stately bluff of
limestone. It is undoubtedly the richest land in the world. Settlements
have been made upon it to some extent, but it is not very healthy. It
is called the American Bottom. A bottom very similar to this, either on
one side or the other, marks the whole course of the Illinois river.
More than five millions of acres have been surveyed, between the
Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and assigned by Congress for military
bounty lands. These lands embrace all the varieties of soil found in
the State--rich bottoms, swamps, prairies, timbered lands, high bluffs
and barrens. The northeast part of it is deemed the most pleasant and
healthy.
On Rock river, the Kaskaskia, Wabash, Fox, Du Page, Macoupin and
Sangamon are large tracts of first rate land. And very similar to
this, are Grand prairie, Mound prairie, the Marine Settlement prairie,
and the one occupied by the New-England Christians.
In the region of Sangamon river, nature has delighted to bring together
her happiest combinations of landscape; being beautifully variegated
with woodland and lawn, like sunshine and shade. It is generally
a level country; the prairies are not too extensive, and timber
abounds in sufficient quantity to support a dense population. In this
beautiful section of the new world, more than two hundred families,
from New-England, New-York and North Carolina, fixed their habitations
before it was surveyed. The land is exceedingly rich and easily
cultivated. It now constitutes a number of counties and is probably as
thickly settled as any part of the State. The Sangamon itself is a fine
boatable river, and has throughout its whole course, pure, transparent
water and a sandy bottom. It enters the Illinois river on the easterly
side, about one hundred and forty miles above its mouth.
The Kaskaskia river has a long course in the central part of the State,
and the lands upon its borders are happily diversified with hill, vale,
prairie and forest. On its banks are Kaskaskia, the former seat of
government, and Vandalia, the present metropolis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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