The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1841-06-25

level of the prairie, the following pheno-
neon may be stated:
Occasionally little after sunrise, an
inhabitant of the elevated prairie, on step
ping to his door fc:sts his eyes with a
beautiful prospect of things usually out of
sight. lie secs on every hand distant
ranges of timber, dwellings or villages,
delightfully."- thrown into view, which usu-
ally are entirely hid by intervening lands
of greater elevation. He wonders, and
admircs while he dwcls on the transient
view. But on stepping to his door hall
an hour later, his wonder rises to aston
ishmcnt; for, behold those groves and
those villages have fallen out of sight, and
his eye glancing over the highest prairie
in that direction, stretches off into the
ETHEREAL cxpanse beyond, as the eye OF
the mariner beyond the conyexity of the
ocean. This TO the philosopher is easy
of solution. The abundance of vapor
hanging about those woodlands, and vii
lagos on lower grounds, constitutes a
more dcns medium, than the atmosphere
of the higher prairie; and by the rcirac-
ton of the rays coming from those OBJ
Iccts, first in rising, and then in a more
horizontal direction, they reach the eye,
though higher lands intervene, and at
other time prevent vision, when the rays
pass in direct line SO now also, when
the sun has acted half an hour longer
upon the vapor lying over these lower
lands, the rays pass in direct line from
the objects and striking an elevated range,
leave even the topmost branches of the
trees out of sight, although but Just before
they could be seen even to the ground
on which they stand. This aqueous en-
vclOpc about the timber and lowlands
daily leaves its nightly depositc of pois-
onous eilluvia, generating disease among
its occupants. But the occupant of the
higher prairie, to whose eye were brought
up those distant objects, breathes purer
air, and eats of his abundance in the en-
joyment of perfect health.
Most unfortunately, as before said,
nineteen twentieths of the population of
northern Illinois are located on those
lower lands, and unhealthy positions,
which ough, never to have had single
occupant; and the report goes out of the
exceeding unhcalthincss of the country.
1t is true report; but one entirely diff
icrcn, would have been given, had the
rich, beautiful, and extensive ranges of
greater elevation been selected, which
yet remain unoccupicd. Some who have
resided for years by the timber and have
uniformly been sickly, convinced of the
correctness of the positions here taken,
have come out on the elevated prairie,
and are repaid by the enjoyment of unin-
terrupted health.
That twentieth part of the inhabitants
who are removed from the evil causes
before named, SO uninterruptedly enjoy
the sweets of health as to furnish full
confirmation of the arguments here pres
cnted.
Having been personally acquainted
with the early settlement of the most
healthy parts of New York, and knowing
the history of the diseases which attended
the early settlers, am not able to call to
mind any evidences of better health among
those pioneers of the forest, than has been
enjoyed by those inhabitants OF northern
Illinois who have taken locations dictated
by sound philosophy. If nothing will
satisfy the cmigrant but to settle on
streams and borders of the timber, no GER
tilicate of health can be furnished in his
behalf, in any season prevailing drought.
Yet if he form the purpose to locate kim
self judicously upon the prarcs, as tens
of thousands might do, he has prospect
of health, that may settle the question of
emigration, if, in view of other circumstan-
ces, he desire to become tenant of this
western soil. In making choice of the
location here, it is of the first Importance
to be well appraised of the fact, that the
principles laid down in the above state
ments, have an effect i'll regard to this
country, not at all likely to result from
them in regions Astounding in condcnslng
causes. The same amount OF stagnant
water, or decayng vegetable matter,
which here will not assuredly generate
disease at bad locations might lie in the
vicinity of dwellings in country Of hills,
dales and woodlands, and prove harmless
Not because of difference in the warmth
of the two climates, but because of the
more frequent occurrence of condcnsinl
causes in the one case than in the other
The amount of miasma which here, a
cxceptionablo locations, gathers, over ih'
surface of fifty acres, would probably b'
divided over surface of many hundreds
of acres, in country Astounding wit
wood covered hills. 70 spread this be
fore the reader, | may relate that the re
sdcnce of my family at the cast, was o
A. - l,,Jo., 80 , ~, Il, nnI ,yh;,h ,luri N