oeholds at once a verdant and sleeping ocean of
grass, vast rivers rolling their mighty masses of
waters through the dark forests, romantic hills
stretching away in the distance, and here and there
a cabin or a house throwing up its column of
smoke, and the cattle, horses and sheep sleeping
about it. A grander spectacle is exhibited when
in the autumn the Indians set fire to the dry grass.
The flames leap forward with astonishing rapidity
and spread in all directions. The hunter or the
traveller is unable to escape by their utmost speed
and the wild horses, deer and buffaloes are often
overtaken and burni to death.

The lead mines of this state are highly produc-
tive. They are connected with that great min-
eral tract which extends from the N. W. part of
Illinois into the adjacent territories, and which
the reader will find described under the head of
Lend Mines. The richest mines in this state are
in the neighbourhood of Potoi, upon Big river, a
small stream flowing into the Maramec. The ore
is found not in veins, but in defached masses from
2 to 20 feet below the surface. About 3,000,000
pounds are annually smelted. Coal is found in
abundance along the Missouri, and iron in every
part of the state. Manganese, zinc, antimony,
and cobalt accompany the lead ore ; salt, nitre,
soapstone, plumbago, barytes, pumice stone, gyp-
sum, flint and marlrle are also produced here.

The climate is generally salubrious, and the
air uncommonly dry ; but the weather is subject-
ed to greater extremes of cold and heat than in the
other western states. Wheat and maize are the
staple articles of cultivation; flax, hemp and
cotton are also raised.

Missouri is divided into 33 counties. The pop-
ulation is 140,074, of whom 24,990 are slaves.
The capital is Jefferson, the largest town is St.
Louis. The legislature is called the General As-
sembly, and consists of a Stnate and House of
Representatives. The senators are chosen for 4
years and the representatives for 2. The Gov-
ernor is chosen for 4 years and is ineligible for
the next term. Elections are popular and suf-
frage is universal. The Baptists have 67 minis-
ters in this state ; the Methodists 23; the Presby-
terians 10; the Episcopalians 3, and there are
some Catholics. There is a college at St. Louis
and a few seminaries of learning exist in other
parts.

This state was originally a part of the Territory of
Louisiana. It was admitted into the Union in 1821.

Missouri Territory, the name given to that vast
extent of wild country belonging to the United
States which lies west of all the settled districts
and east of the Rocky Mountains. It is bounded
N. by the British possessions, E. by Michigan,
Illinois, and the state of Missouri, S. and S. W. by
Mexico and W. by the Rocky Mountains. It ex-
tends from 36. 30. to 49. N. lat. and from 90. to 112.
W. long, and is estimated to contain 800,000 sq.
miles. A great part of this immense territory is
intersected by the river Missouri and its numerous
branches. The north-western part is traversed by
a mountain ridge which branches from the great
Rocky Mountain chain, about the 42d degree of
latitude, and extends north-westerly towards Lake
Winnipeg. The eastern part is a level country.
From 200 to 400 miles west of the Mississippi, the
land is partly covered with forests. Beyond this
limit commences a vast ocean of prairies, and the
country is mostly a plain in some parts fertile and
covered with grass, and in others a barren desert
of sand

The surface and soil of this vast extent ol coun
try is different from any other of the same dimen-
sions on the globe. The lower courses of all the
rivers, that enter the Mississippi from this region,
are wooded. In proportion, as we ascend towards
the mountains, the wood becomes more scarce,
and the upper tributaries of these⁷ streams run
through open prairies. There is, also, a fertile
belt along the banks of all these streams; but in
proportion as we diverge from them, the land
becomes more sterile and parched.* We some-
times may travel whole days, without seeing
water. Great portions of this country may be al-
most likened to the Sahara of the African deserts.
There is, however, in the most sterile parts a thin
sward of grass and herbage. Countless droves of
buffaloes, elk and deer, range upon these vast
prairies. These will probably, in some future
period of our national existence be replaced by
herds of domestic cattle, and flocks of sheep, fol-
lowed by moving bands of shepherds. Almost
the whole course of the Missouri, Platte and
Yellow Stone are through a rich soil. The same
may be affirmed of Red river. The upper courses
of the Arkansas are through the most sterile re-
gion of this ocean of prairies.

In a country of such immense extent, generally
level, naked and open, the climate must of course
in a great measure correspond to the latitude. The
first climate, beyond the state of Missouri, and
the territory .of Arkansas, is mild and temperate.
The belt beyond has nearly the climate of New
England. Still further towards the mountains, it
is Canadian. Pike and other travellers speak of
encountering storms of sleet and hail in the sum-
mer, near the sources of the Arkansas. When
the winds blow from the west over the summits
of these mountains, the cold they occasion is'
extreme.

Wild horses are abundant in various parts of
this country. Lewis and Clarke in their expedi-
tion saw many of them on the plains of the Mis-
souri, and Major Long observed whole troops up.
on the prairies still farther south. The Indians
are abundantly supplied with them, many of

which are very fleet, and capable of great endu
ranee. A savage warrior mounted on one of
these with his long spear, makes a very formida-
ble appearance.

The Indians take no pains to hreed horses,
but supply themselves by catching and taming as
many as they want. A method sometimes adopt-
ed by hunters for taking the wild horse, is to shoot
the animal through the neck, using the requisite
care not to injure the spine. A horse may re-
ceive a rifle ball through a particular part of the
neck, without sustaining any permanent injury,
the blow, is however, sufficient to occasion a tera-