and good-sized
fields of Indian corn were growing; and wherever there was a railway
station, a town, or even a "city" with one or two churches, and an
hotel, besides grocery stores and wooden buildings of various kinds,
were in progress in this immense wilderness.

The rain poured down incessantly, giving the country a melancholy and
forlorn appearance. Towards the latter part of our journey, we descended
into and traversed the great valley of the Mississippi. We passed
several coal-mines, and here, where the vein of coal is eight feet
thick, the land, including the coal, may be bought for one pound an
acre. The country soon assumed the appearance of a great swamp, and is
most unhealthy, being full of fever and ague.

At length our train stopped, and we were ushered into omnibuses of
enormous length, drawn by four horses, and two of these caterpillar-like
looking vehicles were driven on to the steam-ferry, and in this
unromantic way we steamed across the great Father of Waters, and a most
unpoetic and unromantic river it appeared to be. There is nothing in
its width here to strike the eye or the imagination, though its depth is
very great, and it has risen ten feet within the last week. But it
appeared to us ugly and inconsiderable after the wide, rapid, clear, and
magnificent St. Lawrence. We were driven through a sea of mud and mire
to this large and comfortable hotel, and were shortly afterwards seated
at table with the rest of our party.

I forgot to mention that, at Vincennes, seven sportsmen had been out all
day, before we arrived, to procure game for us, and were much
disappointed at not being able to get us any prairie hens, which are a
humble imitation of grouse, though Americans are pleased to consider
them better than that best of birds; but "comparisons are odious," and
the prairie-hens are very praiseworthy and good in their way. We had,
however, abundance of venison and quails, and the same fare met us here,
with large libations of champagne. The owner of our hotel at Cincinnati
travelled with us, and looked as much like a gentleman as the rest of
the party; and we have been joined here in our private drawing-room by
the landlord and landlady of this hotel. Not knowing at first who they
were, papa turned round to the former, and asked him if he knew St.
Louis, and had been long here, to which our friend replied, "Yes, sir;
I have lived here eighteen years, and am the master of this hotel."
Yesterday ou