ve
been gotten up under the influence and patronage of the Baptist
denomination. A female seminary of a high order, under the name of the
"_Alton Female Institute_," has been chartered, and a building is about
to be erected for the purpose. The Baptists, Methodists and
Presbyterians have congregations here, and two houses of worship are to
be built the present year.

_Chicago_ is the largest commercial town in Illinois. It is situated at
the junction of North and South branches, and along the main Chicago,
near its entrance into lake Michigan, on a level prairie, but elevated
above the highest floods. A recent communication from a respectable
mercantile house, gives the following statistics: "Fifty-one stores, 30
groceries, 10 taverns, 12 physicians, 21 attorneys, and 4,000
inhabitants. We have four churches, and two more building, one bank, a
Marine and Fire Insurance company about to go into operation, and a
brick hotel, containing 90 apartments.

There were 9 arrivals and departures of steamboats in 1835, and 267 of
brigs and schooners, containing 5,015 tons of merchandise and 9,400
barrels of salt, besides lumber, provisions, &c.

The harbor now constructing by the U. S. government, will be so far
completed in 1836, as to admit vessels and steamboats navigating the
lakes. A few miles back of Chicago are extensive tracts of wet prairie.

_Galena_ is the seat of justice for Jo Daviess county, situated on Fever
river, in the midst of the mining district. It has about 20 stores, a
dozen groceries, and about 1,000 inhabitants.

_Springfield_ is near the geographical centre of the State, and in the
midst of a most fertile region of country. It is a flourishing inland
town, and contains about 2,000 inhabitants. _Jacksonville_, the county
seat of Morgan county, has about the same population, and is equally
delightful and flourishing.

One mile west, on a most beautiful eminence, stands "_Illinois
College_," founded under the auspices of the Presbyterian denomination,
and bids fair to become a flourishing seat of learning.

I have not room to name, much less describe, the many growing towns and
villages in this State, that excite and deserve the attention of
emigrants. On the Illinois river are Ottawa, and several eligible sites
in its vicinity, where towns have commenced; Beardstown, a short
distance below the mouth of Sangamon river, Peoria, at the foot of
Peoria lake, (a most beautiful site, and containing 1,000 i