Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 11).djvu/116

reap the benefits of emigration thither, but fathers and mothers, although they cannot starve, must sacrifice themselves. Two long years must pass before any thing can be made from the land, which must be cleared at a cost of 22 dollars, or 4l. 19s. an acre. It is therefore better to give 9l. for cleared land, or uncleared, with house and good farm buildings on it, than 2l. an acre in Illinois, where there is no market, no house, no convenience, yet land capable of raising {97} provisions sufficient for Great Britain's great and many wants. New Orleans is their only market for produce, which, being perishable, must be sold, even for freight down the river, which it is sometimes insufficient to pay. There are several fine states nearer to that general market than Illinois and Birkbeck's settlement; of which I have (says Mr. Wardour) reported unfavourably, and thereby offended Mr. Birkbeck, who, by the bye, has much misrepresented and spoken unjustly of the eastern states, and that without ever having seen them. In these only, however, can an English farmer flourish; for here, indeed, when you buy, you get either the land or the building on it for nothing. In order to do business well, a man must privately look about him; he must have his eyes in his head, and see who must sell; thus making a difference in the cost of 50l. to nearly 100l. per cent. This and next year offer fine chances for buying, so great and pressing is the want of money. There are many of your countrymen who think of coming, and do come, quite unfit for this country, bringing with them little variety of knowledge in different kinds of labour, but all their old prejudices, the worst ware they can bring; while the native American knows every thing, and hates or fears nothing. The Englishman thinks nothing good or right but what is English, both in theory and practice.