through the town.  It had broad streets, lovely squares, substantial and attractive buildings and residences.  And there was Lake Erie, blue and fresh, rippling under the brilliant May sun.  I had never seen anything remotely approximating Lake Erie....  “How large is it?” I inquired of a passerby.  I was told that it was 60 miles wide and 250 miles long.  Could it be true?  Was there anything in all of Europe to equal it?  I could not for the moment remember the extent of the Caspian Sea.  And I stood in wonder and delight.

As I left the dock for my walk I had observed the name Illinois on a boat that had all the appearances of being brand new.  I walked leisurely toward the dock so as to avoid the touters as much as possible while I was overlooking the boat.  I liked it, but would it take me to Chicago?  The gangplank was lying on the dock and near it stood what seemed to me to be the captain and the pilot, around them touters and others.  I edged around to the captain and asked him if the Illinois would take me to Chicago.  “In about an hour,” he said with a laugh.  Immediately I was besieged by the runners to help me on, to get my baggage, to serve me in all possible ways.  I couldn’t hire all of them.  I chose one, who got my valise for me, and I went aboard.

It was a new boat, and this was its maiden trip.  All the stewards, negroes, waiters were brisk and obliging, and bent on making the trip an event.  The captain gave parties.  He was a bluff, kindly man, who mingled much with favorite passengers.  Wine flowed freely.  The food was abundant and delicious.  We had dances by moonlight on the deck.  A band played at dinner and at night.  The boat was distinguished for many quaint and interesting characters.  I enjoyed it all, but made no friends.  I did not understand this free and easy manner of life.  The captain noted me, and asked if I was well placed and comfortable.  Various people opened conversations with me.  But I was shy, and I was English.  I could not unbend.  I did not desire to do so.

We docked at Erie and at Cleveland, both small places.  We came to Detroit, the capital of Michigan.  On the way some one pointed out the scene of Perry’s victory over the hated British.  We passed into Lake Huron.

Then later I was privileged to see Mackinac, an Indian trading post.  I viewed the smoking wigwams from the deck of the Illinois.  Here were the savages buying powder, blankets, and whisky.  The squaws were selling beaded shoes.  The shore was wooded and high....  I looked below into the crystalline depths of the water.  I could see great fish swimming in the transparent calms, which mirrored the clouds, the forests, and the boats and canoes of the Indians....  We ran down to Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Here too there were Indian traders....  We went on to Milwaukee.  As there was no harbor here a small steamer came out to take us off.  I went ashore with some others.  A creek flowed from the land to the lake.  But the town was nothing.  Only a storehouse and a few wooden buildings.  Soon we proceeded to Chicago.  I was told that the northern boundary of Illinois had been pushed north, in order to give the state the southern shores of the great lake, with the idea of capturing a part of the emigration and trade of the East.  This fact eventually influenced my life, and the history of the nation, as will be seen.