na, as a desirable State for
the attention of the emigrant to the West, has been too much overlooked.
Though not possessing quite equal advantages with Illinois, especially
in the quality and amount of prairie soil, it is far superior to Ohio,
and fully equal,--nay, in our estimation, rather superior to Michigan.
Almost every part is easy of access, and in a very few years the liberal
system of internal improvements, adopted and in progress, will make
almost every county accessible to public conveyances, and furnish
abundant facilities to market.

Along the wide, alluvion bottoms of the streams, and amidst a rank
growth of vegetation, there is usually more or less autumnal fever,
yet, in general, there is very little difference in any of the Western
States as to prospects of health.

Mechanics, school teachers, and laborers of every description, are much
wanted in this State, as they are in all the States further west; and
all may provide abundantly and easily, all the necessaries of living for
a family, if they will use industry, economy and sobriety.

FOOTNOTES:

[10] See a valuable statistical article, by B. Drake, Esq., in the
Western Monthly Magazine, for January, 1836, entitled, "_Cincinnati, at
the close of 1835_."

CHAPTER XI.

ILLINOIS.

Situation, Boundaries, and Extent.

The State of Illinois is situated between 37 deg. and 42 deg., 30' N.
latitude; and between 10 deg. 25', and 14 deg.30' W. longitude from
Washington city. It is bounded on the north by Wisconsin Territory,
north-east by lake Michigan, east by Indiana, south-east and south by
Kentucky, and west by the State and Territory of Missouri. Its extreme
length is 380 miles; and its extreme width, 220 miles; its average width,
150 miles. The area of the whole State, including a small portion of lake
Michigan within its boundaries, is 59,300 square miles.

The water area of the State is about 3,750 square miles. With this,
deduct 5,550 square miles for irreclaimable wastes, and there remains
50,000 square miles, or 32 millions of acres of arable land in
Illinois,--a much greater quantity than is found in any other State. In
this estimate, inundated lands, submerged by high waters, but which may
be reclaimed at a moderate expense, is included.

_Face of the Country, and qualities of Soil._--The general surface is
level, or moderately undulating; the northern and southern portions are
broken, and somewhat hilly, but no portion of the