A Tour through North America by Patrick Shirreff

_Journey from Springfield to St Louis-Jacksonville-Emigrant from Edinburgh-Beds-Face of the Country-Alton-Mississippi-Luxuriant vegetation-Bottoms-Mamelle Prairie-Mr Flint-St Charles-River Missouri-Notices of Nature-Indian Antiquities-St Louis._

During my excursion from Chicago, I was fortunate in weather, which was dry and moderately warm. The temperature increased on the day of my arrival at Springfield, and became so hot on the following day, that I resolved to wait for a mail stage to convey me to the Mississippi; I accordingly left Springfield, about nine o'clock in the morning, in a small stage, which reached Jacksonville about sunset. A very heavy shower of rain fell soon after setting out, and covered the roads four or five inches deep with water, the level surface and want of ditches preventing its escape. The passengers dined by the way, and chiefly consisted of clerical students, on their way to Jacksonville college. From their conversation with each other, I learned they had lately been engaged in teaching in different parts of the country, and felt much anxiety about speeches they were soon to make, and which were already written, and had been revised by friends. They were plain in dress and in manner, bordering on what is called homespun in Britain; and they sung most beautifully while in the coach.