New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-04

About forty miles from Chicago we came ueon
the Fox River, low stream flowing through a
pretty valley on the left, in which herds Of cattle
were grazing. This river follows US to Egis and
beyond, disappearing after many picturesque wiud.
ings. Then comes the TIeohwaukee and other
smaller streams, and after passing village or two.
the train stops at Cherry Valley. Stage. coaches
and private vehicles were theirs in readiness to con-
vey travellers TO their destination those bound TO
GaIens were consigned to the former, and were
soon joting verroads, respecting which they we're
assured every few miles that they were just
passing over the worst"
Rockford, seven miles from Cherry Valley is
beautifully situated on Rock River, noble stream
which flows through the most picturesque part OF
Illinois. Here stOppage was made OF an hour
for dinner, fifty minutes of which were consumed
in the preparation of the meal leaving the passrn>
gers ten in which to eat it and secure their places
in crowded stages-for crowded the " were, as the
number OF passengers being fewer than usual, only
four were in use that day. Ii would be hardl'
possible to imagine any thing more uncomfortable
than these the roads aud weather being taken
into consideration the heat was rendered more
opprt ssiye by slight dampness in the air, and the
road exhibited the phenomena OF dangerous mud
holes combined with sitting atmosphere OF dust.
into these plunged ever and anon the cumbrous,
Stacking vehicle, and came out with a violent
ERIK. TO the utter discomfort OF the tumbling a1d
gIumblng passengers, above whose mdt6-rrd
pla nts rose shrl trio from "a small family OF
three" and the excavations of Il tail, strnppIt
woman in white sun bonnet, who had undertake.
o regulate the movements and sessions of the
whole coach-full and treated our mother tongue
with mech more cruelty than the inequalities of
he road trested her. Il an omen of elirf,
at least from the overpowenng heat when the
driver was seen to alight and encase himself IN al
India. rubber overcOat and in about an hour the
long desired shower came upon us. We hin
groaned at the dust but alas found the ram harder
TO endure for it stayed with Us, and without cool
ing the air added both to the discomtorts and dan
gers of the way. At Freeport miserable supper
va, offered, with the ike delay in preparing and
hurry in despatching; and then nights travel
was commenced, the like of which one might hspe
never to encounter again. The rain, which was
still falling soft and warm, had reduced the prairie
roads to their worst summer condition, and long
line of black mud, checkered by holes at one side
or another, and now and then tunble-down
bridge, could be seen by the light OF the
lamps. After our coach had plunged aud slipped
along an hour or two lurchng first on one side,
then on another. the voice of the driver calling
for a light-tor he "could not see an inch, AM
never drove over this road before"-did not tend
70 niv,L e
The pockets of cigar.smOkers were searched for
matches, but vain was the attempt to light the
lamp. till the last match had been used. Present.
~ the driver in front rOared out to " take care %
the bridge" which his wheels had just demolished
a caution withheld till ours were in the act o
going over it, bringing the stage down with a sYlns
from which it seemed impossible to recover
it. Next our driver called in great alarm for
help: one Of his horses had slipped, AM la
spraying in the mud. A succession Of such
agreeable Incidents during the whole night, KEEP
before our minds the probability of having limbs
bIoken, or of spending the rest of the hours ri
darkness on the lone, waste prairie, miles fro any
human hsbitation, with the wet grass for a cou n.
These not-yery -exhIlorating circumstances were
rendered intolerabe by the most shocking pro-
family on the part of the drivers. Ours kept up
soliloquv of oatbs, and when accident or
stoppage brought him into the fel owship of bis
companions the concert of blasphemies vas abso-
utey terrify ing. Such conduct should not be
permitted by the directors of the road if SUIT
E.red to pass without censure, the blame falls upon
them.
The night wore through without any serious ac
cident, and having accomplished twenty-eighr
miles, we arrived at the customary breakfast
house. None of the passengers, however,
seemed tempted to stop; and as there were
no signs Of preparation, none Of the in
mates being up, the driver consented to
90 on fourteen miles to the next halting place
The prairies passed over at this stage were the
finest and widest we had yet seen boundless in
extent save by the beading horizon, and rolling
in majestic fluctuations. Not a tree or shrub
could be seen for miles. Within fourteen miles
Of Galena that aspect Of the country began to
change instead Of sweeping prarles a ridge 81
elevated land presented ITSELF the summit OF which
commanded an extensive view OF beautiful ans
varied landscape, patches OF woods, slopIng fields,
meadows, orchards, ETC., oil giving evidence OF
rich soil and high cultivation. The broken coun-
try became bolder, and abrupt conical hills began
TO rise in 'front.' to be scaled by stony and irregn
lar roads matched nowhere except within seven
miles Of the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.
More elevated ranges appeared in tine distance.
Here and there we came upon mineral openings
through which descent is made by windiass t.
the lead mines for which this region has long been
so famous. The wOrkmen were busjly OccupIe
around the Openings and wagons loaded with IN"
lead were continually passing. Another mi
scaled. and we suddenly entered Gdlena, rough
looking place, "jomWed ia " between rocky hib-
on ". hich Il large portion of the town IL built Tne
ranges houses rising one above another, as buiit
on terraces, stand at irregular intervals, 80 thar
but small part OF the town can be seen at oae