the lands of private individuals.  Labor is very high everywhere in the West, whether done by men, women, or children;—­ even the boys, not fourteen years old, who clean the knives and forks on the steamboats, get $20 a month and are found.  But the best of it all is, that when a man earns a few dollars he can easily invest it in a piece of land, and double his money in three months, perhaps in one month.  One of the merchant princes of Boston, the late Col.  T. H. Perkins, published a notice in a Boston paper in 1789, he being then 25, that he would soon embark on board the ship Astrea for Canton, and that if any one desired to commit an “adventure” to him, they might be assured of his exertions for their interests.  The practice of sending " adventures” “beyond the seas” is not so common as it was once; and instead thereof men invest their funds in western prizes.  But let me remark in regard to the fact I relate, that it shows the true pioneer spirit.  Col.  Perkins was a pioneer.  His energy led him beyond his counting-room, and he reaped the reward of his exertions in a great fortune.

I have now a young man in my mind who came to a town ten miles this side of St. Paul, six months ago, with $500.  He commenced trading, and has already, by good investments and the profits of his business, doubled his money.  Everything that one can eat or wear brings a high price, or as high as it does in any part of the West.  The number of visitors and emigrants is so large that the productions of the territory are utterly inadequate to supply the market.  Therefore large quantities of provisions have to be brought up the river from the lower towns.  At Swan River, 100 miles this side of St. Paul, pork is worth $85.  Knowing that pork constitutes a great part of the “victuals” up this way, though far from being partial to the article, I tried it when I dined at Swan River to see if it was good, and found it to be very excellent.  Board for laboring men must be about four dollars a week.  For transient guests at Crow Wing it is one dollar a day.

I have heard it said that money is scarce.  It is possible.  It certainly commands a high premium; but the reason is that there are such splendid opportunities to make fortunes by building and buying and selling city lots.  A man intends that the rent of a house or store shall pay for its construction in three years.  The profits of adventure justify a man in paying high interest.  If a man has money enough to buy a pair of horses and a wagon, he can defy the world.  These are illustrations to show why one is induced to pay interest.  I do not think, however, money is “tight.”  I never saw people so free with their money, or appear to have it in so great abundance.