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.

And now, from this spot, I may be allowed to take a hasty, retrospective glance at the great WESTERN COUNTRY. It stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the northern limits of the...

The river Mississippi, which imparts a name and character to the great valley of the West, deserves something more than a mere passing notice.--When the fertility and extent of...

The rivers are navigable to some extent, whether great or small. The following are the names of the principal, to wit:--Sabine, Ayish Bayou, Atoyac, Angelina, Neches, Trinity, S...

Illinois is three hundred and fifty miles in length; one hundred and eighty in breadth; and lies between thirty-seven and a half, and forty-two and a half degrees north latitude...

In September, 1834, I left Exeter, New-Hampshire, for the purpose of visiting the Western States and Texas. Although public attention had been for some time directed thither, by...

When we were ready to start, not finding a steamboat bound to New-Orleans, which would go under a day or two, we took passage, as far as the mouth of the Ohio, in one bound to P...

I had read and heard so many fine descriptions of Texas--its pleasant streams, beautiful prairies, mild climate, and extensive herds of buffalo, wild horses and cattle, that it...

After remaining in the city four days, I procured a passage on board a brig bound to Boston, and sailed down the river. In about two miles, we passed the nunnery--a pleasant loo...

The city of Buffalo is beautifully situated on lake Erie, near its outlet; and possesses the advantages of a lake and canal navigation. It is built chiefly of brick, containing...

From whatever point you approach Texas, its aspect is unfavorable. If it be by sea, you are met by a low, sandy beach and a marshy, flat country, as far as the eye can reach. If...

About a mile above this place, we left Red River, and travelled the road on the bank of Bayou Rapide for twenty-five miles, to the mansion house of a Mr. Henderson, where we sta...

The northern part of Illinois is beautifully diversified with groves of timber and rolling prairies. The timber consists of the various kinds of oak, rock and white maple, beach...

I found some of the emigrants disappointed, discontented and unhappy; and I met one man on his return to the land from whence he came. He was from Tennessee, had moved into Texa...

The next day, we passed three houses, a number of prairies and post-oak openings; but found no more pine woods. Immediately on this side of the Trinity, we passed over a low, we...

I concluded to return to the north by water. I procured a conveyance from the interior to St. Felipe on horseback; and here I learnt that there was a schooner sixty miles down t...

At Natchez, I left the boat, and stopped a day or two, to make the necessary preparations to go over land on horseback to Texas. There is a steamboat that plies regularly betwee...

Missouri contains sixty thousand square miles, being two hundred and seventy miles in length and two hundred and twenty in breadth. It lies on the west side of the Mississippi r...

After spending two days at Detroit, I took the stage for the mouth of St. Joseph river, on lake Michigan--fare $9,50. The old road leads down the river, five or six miles, and t...

But I have dwelt long enough on the upper country. I took the stage and travelled twenty-five miles over an open prairie, passing only one house, and arrived at night at Holderm...

Chicago makes a fine appearance when viewed from the water. It has a light house, fort and barracks in which a garrison is kept, and many elegant buildings. It is regularly laid...

There are no large towns in Texas. Bexar, or as it is commonly called, St. Antonio, is the capital, and contains about thirty-five hundred inhabitants--the other villages are sm...

The prairies in the western country are all burnt over once a year, either in spring or fall, but generally in the fall; and the fire is, undoubtedly, the true cause of the cont...

One morning, near the last of December, the captain announced a fair wind. He weighed anchor, hoisted sail, and with a stiff breeze pushed out to sea. The vessel only drew five...

On the eastern bank of the Mississippi, stands the city of New-Orleans. It is regularly laid out, chiefly built of brick, has many fine blocks of buildings, large houses and han...

There is an independent frankness in these western people that I admire. It is a kind of individuality of character--every one appears to act out himself, without reference to o...

At Chicago I found three young men from New-England, who were travelling to see the western country. We hired two horses and a wagon, at seventy-five cents a day, and started to...

"Behold us mounted once again,"--and immediately after leaving this gentleman's plantation, we again passed into a dense forest and found a muddy path. In about six miles we fou...

After spending a few days viewing the country in this vicinity, I again crossed the river at Hennipen, and passed on to the stage road. The next day, I took the stage, and went...

We were three days sailing down the river. Just at night the pilot came aboard, took us over the bar at the southwest pass, and we put out to sea, with a strong fair wind from t...

MICHIGAN, 285--population, 285--face of the country, 286--Wayne county, 292--Monroe county, 294--Washtenaw county, 295--Macomb county, 297--Oakland county, 299--St. Clair county...

As we approached the Mississippi, we saw a good many stately bluffs on the right hand bank, composed of limestone, and rising almost perpendicular, from two to three hundred fee...

General description of the state of Illinois--streams skirted with timber--more than half prairie--a level State--generally rich soil--American bottom--military bounty lands--be...

Voyage down the Mississippi in a steamboat--high bluffs--screw auger grist mills--shot towers--curiosities--dangers of the Mississippi navigation--narrow escape--run aground on...

General description of the north part of Illinois--various kinds of trees--prairies--excellent coal--government grant of land--unsurveyed land settled upon--pre-emption right--n...

GENERAL DESCRIPTION of the MISSISSIPPI RIVER--its source--its tributaries--Wisconsin and Illinois--Missouri, its source and tributaries--gates of the Rocky mountains--Ohio river...

Leave the pine woods--wet prairie--Trinity river--planter's house--death of an emigrant's wife--perplexities of emigration--an emigrant lost his money--breach of trust in a hire...

Arrival at Natchez--description of the city--starts for Texas with another traveller--cotton plantations--description of the cotton plant--passage through the great Mississippi...

Arrival in Texas--oak openings and prairies--plantations of corn and cotton--St. Augustine--arrival at Nacogdoches--its grotesque appearance--Indian trade in deer pelts--Galvest...

Burning of the prairies--backwoodsmen--society--meeting-houses and school-houses--what kind of goods an emigrant ought to take with him--cheapness of provisions--manner of comme...

General description of the state of Missouri--south part generally barren, or wet and unhealthy--soil not muddy--prairie on the Mississippi--banks of the Missouri--large prairie...

Objects of the Trip--Albany, situation and appearance--Erie canal basin--western travellers--rail road--canal boats, packets, line boats and scows--accommodations--number of boa...

Travelling by stage to the mouth of St. Joseph river--miry roads--Ann Arbor--Upsilanti--oak openings--prairies and woodland--Michigan, level, clear water, but not pure---Jackson...

GENERAL VIEW OF TEXAS--herds of buffalo and wild horses--mustangs, manner of catching--seacoast flat--Galveston bay and Texas land company--burning of the prairies--fine grazing...

Arrival at San Felipe--billiard room--gambler shot--bloody affray about a lady--ten men to one woman in the country--arrival at Columbia and Bell's landing--started down river i...

Independent frankness of the western people--eastern people--towns on the river--great earthquake at New Madrid--bluffs on the river--woodcutters--serpentine course of the Missi...

Bayou Rapide--fine cotton plantations--stream running in opposite directions--accompanied by another traveller--pine woods--planter's house--price of meals, &c.--Spanish moss--b...

Chicago, a general description thereof--Pottawattomie tribe of Indians, their appearance and actions--the land back of Chicago--the lakes and their original outlet through the I...

The city of Buffalo--steamboat on the Niagara river--Fort Erie--Black Rock--visit to Niagara falls--Canada shore--Manchester--State of New-York--emigration--return to Buffalo--d...

Trip to Fox river--fellow travellers--river Oplane--Du Page river and Naper's settlement--big and little woods--pleasant settlement of emigrants--Fox river--upper house--lost in...

Outlet of the lake--Washita river--Harrisonburg--pine woods--description of a planter--Red River rightly named--changes at its mouth--arrival at Alexandria and description of th...