Part 15 (2/2)

where we happened to be standing: we shall soon see how accurate his account turned out to be

It was a beautiful day in the latter part of September, that we started on this expedition inthe way We drove along a good turf road across the fine plain of Vincennes, fully expecting to get on as s party on a Sunday excursion along what are called the ”green lanes,” around our ownanticipations however, for our guide suddenly turned into the wood and the wheels came buetting on slowly upon it, I will just give a slight description how such tracts are foruiding the a piece of bark fro,” as a direction to those who folloith tools to cut down the trees between those blazed, which they do at about a foot to a foot and a half fro In a short ti while; and between these, horse between, or bu upon them, which is at times unavoidable, and week after week I have driven tothese stu at most not ht I, to try their skill on these roads, round

But to return to our adventure; for our coe forward the horses; advice needless to give, for alas! we could not adopt it The suide appeared to be confused; and not a little to ood as Vincennes town-street, ere at length entangled in woodland; brushi+ng through breaking boughs, going in and out through bogs, and lifting the wheels over dead fallen trees as we could In this situation, as difficult to retreat as advance, I knew not what to do and began to suspect so the respectable character our co both myself and servant ar in a pereht, for I fancied he seemed to be uneasy at his situation, and he at times {101} disappeared, I asked him, not if this was his excellent road--I was too vexed for that, but how much farther such difficulties would be found: he answered not far; that ere near the river, and that ould cross it at a nearer ferry than he had at first intended; adding, he would ride on and get the boat ready, he vanished, after pointing the ere to follow

I now thought he was gone, and had left us in the lurch; however we got on by degrees, and at length had the pleasure to see the river side, and our friend waiting for us with the crazy ferry boat, into which with soe Our difficulties were now to cease he said, and a good road the rest of the as to reward our exertions; for better assurance of these good tidings I endeavoured to obtain some information from the boatmen as we crossed the Wabash; but they proved to be Canadian French, and we did not sufficiently understand their ”_patois_” to gain any satisfactory account fro the river bank, actually did find a tolerable good woodland road for some miles, until it approached without nified with the name of Palmyra; a place which to all appearance need not hope for the prosperity so {102} much as ittavern, however, and we halted to consider what to do; for the day was closing and I reain suffered uided by our co inn we should not find any accommodations, either for ourselves or horses beyond shelter, that his house was now but three short ood road; and that he had provided every thing for our co to these pressing argurined at my hesitation, I once more trotted on, which the horses could well do, for about half a mile beyond the settleuide turned again into the wood calling out that it was his _private road_: and private indeed we found it, for we soon lost all track and light together

There was now no retreating, so sued e at the constant risk of our necks, through brushwood, over fallen trees, down and up precipitous banks and deep gullies, which I could scarcely discern, and which if I could have seen should not have atteed at the iven the least provocation I believe I should have shot hi a little in advance, andere very near; and indeed, long after day had departed, we halted at a gate Here he advised us to get out and walk, as the way, up to the house for wheels was circuitous; out therefore we got, when I perceived approaching, carrying a light, a huure in form, dress, and manner as wild and complete a ruffian as ever Shakspeare pourtrayed

To this being, whose appearance, and the friendly shake of the hand given him by my conductor, did not tend to relieve ive up my horses; he returned a surly answer in French to Mrwho had said so the reins froe and drove away; but not alone, for I directed o with him; a service he probably did not ht necessary I now explored ht, and soon ca built in good style: here too I had the satisfaction to {104} e, which I had no sooner come up to, than a voice which seemed of stentorian power hailed st which what struck ain!” My host who had approached to press me to enter his house, seemed to put this off with a s determined to see the this intention the ill oain thundered, ”Oh, there is no place for your horses but this,--they will be safe enough,--they cannot _get out_”--”But they are war pull ever since noon without bait, and will catch cold out of a stable” ”Can't help it” was the answer; but just after he added, ”to be sure there is a log place, but it has no roof!” My host now again returned to invite me in; and under his assurance that the horses should have every care taken of the that ave up the point; ht of steps, crossed the Piazza, and entered a room not calculated to make amazement cease It was spacious, lofty, well-proportioned, and finished in every part in the very best style of workood wood fire {105} blazed upon a beautiful polished grate, the appertenances to which were equally handsome; a marble chihts supported in handsoood houses, was here, surrounded by primaeval wilderness; an accomplishment so wonderful that it seemed not to be within any power short of those of necrolanced back upon the e had been led, I ht fairly suspect the person who had done it to have sohts however ell dispelled by a neat supper, served in awith the appearance of the place; and by the aid of soan to flow as the impressions of the day's adventures were, for a while, lost in social converse Our host I found to be athat which he knew, to be agreeable; full of anecdote, which he gave well; and after keeping it up to a late hour we retired to rest in a handso with the early sun, refreshed fro day, I walked out anxious to explore the lodgings ofto find that ”every {106} care” had been taken of theth discovered the place of their confinehtest roof; of course they looked piteously, for the nights had becoht by some readers that too much has been said of the dumb servants; but let those who think so either take a journey, during which their lives shall constantly depend upon the steadiness of their horses or at least let these objectors reflect, that during such daily acquaintance a sort oftakes place between the driver and his cattle;--they will then no longer wonder at his anxiety for their welfare And here let us bring this strange adventure to a close; we passed two days very pleasantly, during which weto search for other ht principally be to induce e in aid of a scheme to build mills upon a favourable situation on the Wabash river: this I rants against engaging in the scheenerally delusive, of the old settler or the American However plausible they may appear, let him be the more cautious; it may happen that {107} they answer--some do so; but nine individuals in ten of those who are drawn in are ruined notwithstanding; for they get wheedled out of their property by trick and chicanery, which the American laws too much favour

Let those therefore who co capital with a view to settle, take good care not to be in the least haste to lay it out: let them keep their money in their pockets and view a speculation on all sides; nay, turn it inside out before they venture a dollar in it: and above all, let the ement, and ever keep in mind that the American upon his own soil is in business and speculation an overmatch for Europeans One material reason for which is, that he is not at all nice or scrupulous about the means, so he attains his end; which is money,--money,--for ever, rant to embark in business by himself than to trust his property in partnershi+p; in the first case, heon; in the last, it is probable he never will until too late

An instance of the result of delusive expectations,time past with my present host, and froht of our arrival

He was {108} born in a ht up a builder and cabinet-maker: discontented, as truly too many have had reason to be, with the remunerations of his business he embarked, with his wife and a decent capital in money, for Auine expectations realized; therefore wandered into the western country, working at little gain for one person and another, until his capital was considerably lessened: when at length he ed him to build the house in which we have been so well entertained;--with him, he has placed the remainder of his e bill due for his exertions shall be settled:--Perhaps his troubles and disappointments in this life may be over before this happens, for a rapid decline is carrying him off, and ill hope that then heaven will send a protector to theand the fatherless

{109} A VISIT TO THE ENGLISH SETTLEMENT IN THE ILLINOIS

On the thirdwe ladly the offer of the builder for a guide, we took leave of _Marvel Hall_ and, not without considerable apprehensions of difficulties to colish settle to expectation the as not free froully, and stump; but with the aid of day these obstacles were overco traversed several rass and brushwood, and having lost our way once or twice, we at length crossed a narrow forest track, and rising an eminence entered upon the so-much talked-of BOULTON HOUSE Prairie; just as the sun in full front of us was setting olden rays what appeared to be a widely extended and beautiful park, belted in the distance oodland over which the eye ranged afar The ground was finely _undulated_, and here and there ornamented with interspersed {110} clumps of the White Oak and other tihest repute ht fairly own the, and we halted to enjoy it until the last rays of the beautiful lu on to the settle by the way sanguine hopes of an English supper and colish settleth of waytavern; before the door and dispersed, stood several groups of people, who seemed so earnest in discourse that they scarcely heeded us; others, many of ere noisy from the effects of a visit to the whiskey store, crowded round to look at us; and ae in (having first obtained a bed-roo so the horses off led them into a straw-yard full of others, for there was no stable room to be had; and orse no _water_, not sufficient even to sprinkle over soot for them The landlord did all that lay in his power, but our own fare proved little better than that of our horses, which spoke volumes {111} on the state of the settlement; some very rancid butter, a little sour bread, and some slices of lean fried beef, which it was vain to expect the teeth could penetrate, washed down by bad coffee sweetened ild honey, forar,--salt; the answer to all was ”We have none” The cows had strayed away for some days in search of water, of which the people could not obtain sufficient for their own ordinary drink; there being none for cattle, or to wash the such aspread our own sheets I laid down _ars on, and a long rough flannel dressing gown, and thus defended slept pretty well

In thea request was sent to Mr Birkbeck for so that he had a plentifully supplied well;--the answer sent back was, that he eneral rule to refuse every one: a similar application to Mr Flower however met with a different fate, and the horses were not only well supplied, but a pitcher of good water was sent for our breakfast If the first was not punished for his general refusal the latter was rewarded for his grant by finding on his grounds and not far fro of clear {112} water, which i re; the discovery of it appeared ht

We now sallied out to take a view of the settlement, which is marked out not on prairie, but on woodland, only just partially cleared here and there where a house is built; so that there is yet but little appearance of a town A very neat roofed-in building for a market first attracts the eye; at one end, parted off with boards, and under the same roof is a very decent place of worshi+p; which is at present of a size sufficient for the place

While ere viewing this edifice a young Englishman introduced himself with a welco them; he was, I found, the medical man of the place, and in himself certainly formed one inducement to stay, for he seemed to be a very pleasant communicative e and seeuine in his hopes of the success of the settleht next; one of the rate soon after he hiland:--The man's story is shortly this: he and his brother sailed {113} for America; and were induced by Mr B's ”Notes” to leave the Eastern parts where good employment was offered to the, he found none of the cottages ready for the reception of e_ had led him to expect, nor any co hut erected; but for six months the food left for his subsistence was only some _reasty_ bacon and Indian corn, ater a considerable part of the time completely muddy; while Mr B, hiht have done, send him any relief On account of these hardshi+ps the man left him, set up for himself, and now has, he told me, plenty of work, but he seemed doubtful of the pay

These are the facts as related to me by others, and corroborated by thecircumstances, I leave Mr

B to settle with his conscience the bringing people out thus far, by his misrepresentations, to hopeless banishlad so to do

Our tavern-keeper, as a very respectable faruided by Mr Birkbeck's book, to find health, wealth, and freedom at Boulton-house {114} Prairie: of the two first both hi rid, while they were absolutely working each day like horses without one coood a farland?” His ansas, ”Mr Birkbeck's book”--”You would be glad now to return?”

added I ”Sir,” said he, ”we etting here, and must here re theories on the other side; and another may be here added,--perhaps a salutary caution to Mr B if this should be the first intis of the poor people who had been entrapped by the deceptious colouring of his writings, flashed out in true English threats of tossing him in a blanket! I abstain fro to state facts I forbear too froood natural abilities; uine te others: I will be silent too upon the subject of private differences, conceiving that public acts alone are those in which the public are interested, and ought to be inquisitive

Mr Flower followed up his seasonable supply of water, with a call and invitation to his house, {115} which was gladly accepted; being usted at the deplorable state of ill health, anxious looks, despair and discontent, depicted in so many faces around,--to relieve or even alleviate which we possessed no means

The contrast to this at Mr Flower's was violent and pleasing; there, weour stay, and frorieved to depart In the ant repast and social converse were again, as if by reeable dissipation of mind the purposes of the journey were perhaps too lected which are now causes of regret We did not fail however to explore the retreat of Mr Morris Birkbeck,--a pleasant drive across the Prairie brought us to the Flat, at one extremity of which Mr B has established hi of his house; the site of which is within twenty yards of his erection of logs, a square building divided into two rooms, as I heard, for we did not see the interior of this _sanctum sanctoru cottages, with adjoining piggeries, cow-steads, gardens, and orchards; where the lirant were to find repose and his {116}roo two years ago;[39] all--all have vanished ”into thin air,” except the hu beforeto the cobbler's song,

”For parlour, for kitchen and hall;”

and furnishes a proof, though perhaps not sufficient for every one, (the world is so incredulous,) of Mr Birkbeck's humility, for he certainly does not at present enjoy the _otiunitate_ whatever hewith so a little man, who by description received, appeared to be Major dolish traveller had called and begged to see his improve towards and pointing to his primitive hut, observed that it was still his residence, to which so attached had he becoret He then drewaccording to a prohters; and he invited us to inspect it Alighting therefore, he led the way {117} over a sufficiently co, no part of which was yet finished but the library, placed at the gable end on the first floor and the approach to it up a high flight of stairs on the outside of the house: here we found the Misses B; they were engaged in soreeable girls

Upon the table lay a flute, an instru ell arrayed to give effect, as well as the sterling, good, and for a private library large assortment of books A fine healthy boy, his son, carapes he had just gathered, the only refresh in vain endeavoured to gain information as to his corn-crops, the success of clover, and other seeds