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ress on the mind that it does elsewhere。 On our return down the river we passed La Crosse； at which we had embarked； and went down as far as Dubuque in Iowa。 On our way down we came to grief and broke one of our paddle…wheels to pieces。 We had no special accident。 We struck against nothing above or below water。 But the wheel went to pieces； and we laid to on the river side for the greater part of a day while the necessary repairs were being made。 Delay in traveling is usually an annoyance； because it causes the unsettlement of a settled purpose。 But the loss of the day did us no harm； and our accident had happened at a very pretty spot。 I climbed up to the top of the nearest bluff； and walked back till I came to the open country； and also went up and down the river banks； visiting the cabins of two settlers who live there by supplying wood to the river steamers。 One of these was close to the spot at which we were lying； and yet though most of our passengers came on shore； I was the only one who spoke to the inmates of the cabin。 These people must live there almost in desolation from one year's end to another。 Once in a fortnight or so they go up to a market town in their small boats； but beyond that they can have little intercourse with their fellow…creatures。 Nevertheless none of these dwellers by the river side came out to speak to the men and women who were lounging about from eleven in the morning till four in the afternoon； nor did one of the passengers； except myself； knock at the door or enter the cabin； or exchange a word with those who lived there。 I spoke to the master of the house； whom I met outside； and he at once asked me to come in and sit down。 I found his father there and his mother； his wife； his brother； and two young children。 The wife； who was cooking； was a very pretty； pale young woman； who； however； could have circulated round her stove more conveniently had her crinoline been of less dimensions。 She bade me welcome very prettily； and went on with her cooking； talking the while； as though she were in the habit of entertaining guests in that way daily。 The old woman sat in a corner knittingas old women always do。 The old man lounged with a grandchild on his knee； and the master of the house threw himself on the floor while the other child crawled over him。 There was no stiffness or uneasiness in their manners； nor was there anything approaching to that republican roughness which so often operates upon a poor； well… intending Englishman like a slap on the cheek。 I sat there for about an hour； and when I had discussed with them English politics and the bearing of English politics upon the American war； they told me of their own affairs。 Food was very plenty； but life was very hard。 Take the year through； each man could not earn above half a dollar a day by cutting wood。 This； however； they owned； did not take up all their time。 Working on favorable wood on favorable days they could each earn two dollars a day； but these favorable circumstances did not come together very often。 They did not deal with the boats themselves； and the profits were eaten up by the middleman。 He； the middleman； had a good thing of it； because he could cheat the captains of the boats in the measurement of the wood。 The chopper was obliged to supply a genuine cord of logstrue measure。 But the man who took it off in the barge to the steamer could so pack it that fifteen true cords would make twenty…two false cords。 〃It cuts up into a fine trade； you see； sir；〃 said the young man； as he stroked back the little girl's hair from her forehead。 〃But the captains of course must find it out；〃 said I。 This he acknowledged； but argued that the captains on this account insisted on buying the wood so much cheaper； and that the loss all came upon the chopper。 I tried to teach him that the remedy lay in his own hands； and the three men listened to me quite patiently while I explained to them how they should carry on their own trade。 But the young father had the last word。 〃I guess we don't get above the fifty cents a day any way。〃 He knew at least where the shoe pinched him。 He was a handsome； manly； noble… looking fellow； tall and thin； with black hair and bright eyes。 But he had the hollow look about his jaws； and so had his wife； and so had his brother。 They all owned to fever and ague。 They had a touch of it most years； and sometimes pretty sharply。 〃It was a coarse place to live in；〃 the old woman said； 〃but there was no one to meddle with them； and she guessed that it suited。〃 They had books and newspapers； tidy delf； and clean glass upon their shelves； and undoubtedly provisions in plenty。 Whether fever and ague yearly； and cords of wood stretched from fifteen to twenty…two are more than a set…off for these good things； I will leave every one to decide according to his own taste。 In another cabin I found women and children only； and one of the children was in the last stage of illness。 But nevertheless the woman of the house seemed glad to see me； and talked cheerfully as long as I would remain。 She inquired what had happened to the vessel； but it had never occurred to her to go out and see。 Her cabin was neat and well furnished； and there also I saw newspapers and Harper's everlasting magazine。 She said it was a coarse； desolate place for living； but that she could raise almost anything in her garden。 I could not then understand； nor can I now understand； why none of the numerous passengers out of the boat should have entered those cabins except myself； and why the inmates of the cabins should not have come out to speak to any one。 Had they been surly； morose people； made silent by the specialties of their life； it would have been explicable； but they were delighted to talk and to listen。 The fact； I take it； is that the people are all harsh to each other。 They do not care to go out of their way to speak to any one unless something is to be gained。 They say that two Englishmen meeting in the desert would not speak unless they were introduced。 The farther I travel the less true do I find this of Englishmen； and the more true of other people。
CHAPTER XI。 CERES AMERICANA。
We stopped at the Julien House； Dubuque。 Dubuque is a city in Iowa； on the western shore of the Mississippi； and as the names both of the town and of the hotel sounded French in my ears； I asked for an explanation。 I was then told that Julien Dubuque； a Canadian Frenchman； had been buried on one of the bluffs of the river within the precincts of the present town； that he had been the first white settler in Iowa； and had been the only man who had ever prevailed upon the Indians to work。 Among them he had become a great 〃Medicine；〃 and seems for awhile to have had absolute power over them。 He died； I think； in 1800； and was buried on one of the hills over the river。 〃He was a bold； bad man；〃 my informant told me； 〃and committed every sin under heaven。 But he made the Indians work。〃 Lead mines are the glory of Dubuque； and very large sums of money have been made from them。 I was taken out to see one of them； and to go down it； but we found； not altogether to my sorrow； that the works had been stopped on account of the water