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the violent effects of the waters of the Mississippi upon those who are
not used to them. The suburbs of the town are very pretty; and a few
miles behind it you are again in a charming prairie country, full of
game, large and small. Large and small are only so by comparison. An
American was asked what game they had in his district? and his reply
was, "Why, we've plenty of _baar_ (bear) and deer, but no _large_ game
to count on."

There is one great luxury in America, which is the quantity of clear
pure ice which is to be obtained wherever you are, even in the hottest
seasons, and ice-creams are universal and very cheap. I went into an
establishment where they vended this and other articles of refreshment,
when about a dozen black swarthy fellows, employed at the iron-foundry
close at hand, with their dirty shirt-sleeves tucked up, and without
their coats and waistcoats, came in, and sitting down, called for
ice-creams. Miss Martineau says in her work, "Happy is the country
where factory-girls can carry parasols, and pig-drivers wear
spectacles." She might have added, and the sons of Vulcan eat
ice-creams. I thought at the time what the ladies, who stop in their
carriages at Gunter's, would have said, had they behold these Cyclops
with their bare sinewy arms, blackened with heat and smoke, refreshing
themselves with such luxuries; but it must be remembered that _porter_
is much the dearer article. Still the working classes all over America
can command not only all necessary comforts, but many luxuries; for
labour is dear and they are very well paid. The Americans will point
this out and say, behold the effects of our institutions; and they fully
believe that such is the case. Government has, however, nothing to do
with it; it is the result of circumstances. When two years' exertion
will procure a clever mechanic an independence, the effects will be the
same, whether they labour under a democratic or a monarchical form of
government.

Bear cubs (I mean the black bear) are caught and brought down to the
cities on this side of the river, to be fattened for the table. I saw
one at Alton about a year old, which the owner told me was to be killed
the next day, having been bespoken for the feast of the 4th of July. I
have eaten old bear, which I dislike; but they say that the cub is very
good. I also saw here a very fine specimen of the grizzly bear (Ursus
Horridus of Linnaeus). It was about two years old, an