ports, that the length of canal necessary to cross this portage is seven thousand seven hundred and thirty-nine feet; and that the fall from the Wisconsin to the Neenah, in October, 1839, was one foot and fifty-five hundredths. This difference constantly varies, according to the stage of the water in the two streams, but it is believed that it seldom exceeds three feet.

DEKORRA is a village laid out in 1836, by some gentleman from Kentucky, and called "Kentucky City," on the Wisconsin river, at the first convenient place below the portage. There is a store, a flouring-mill, and several houses here; and the principal business done is the lumber trade, this being the point at which lumber from the Upper Wisconsin is landed to supply the surrounding country for many miles in extent. The position of the town is high, commanding, and healthy. The rock about here is sandstone, which has imparted a sandy quality to the soil. The timber is scattered, and consists chiefly of small oaks.

Two other towns have been laid out by different persons in this county, which have not yet risen to much importance. They are Pauquette, twelve miles south of Fort Winnebago; and Ida, or Wisconsinopolis, on the north side of Swan Lake. Near this place is "Stone Quarry Hill," from which an excellent building material is obtained, and affording a commanding view of the surrounding country.

Besides the Wisconsin and Neenah rivers, the Barraboo enters this county nearly opposite Dekorra; and Duck creek, Taynah, and Ockee, are three small tributaries of the Wisconsin from the east.

There are five small lakes in Columbia county, of which the principal are:

SWAN LAKE, an expansion of the Neenah, above the portage, three and a half miles long, and half a mile wide. The water is pure, of great depth, and abounds in fish.

MUD LAKE is also an expansion of the same river, five miles below the portage, about one mile in length.

LAKE SARAH forms the source of the Neenah, about eight miles west of Fox Lake.

Post-offices are established at Fort Winnebago and at Columbus, a small village recently commenced, in the southeast part of the county.

PORTAGE COUNTY

Is bounded on the north by the State of Michigan; on the east by Brown; on the south by Marquette, Columbia, and Sauk; and on the west by Crawford and St. Croix counties. It embraces all the country between ranges two and nine inclusive, east of the meridian, and extending from the north boundaries of Marquette, Columbia, and Sauk counties north to the territorial line-being twenty-four miles wide and about eighty miles long. The area is about two thousand square miles. Portage county was set off from Brown in 1836, but not fully organized until 1844. It is now reduced in size by separating the county of Columbia. Its population is probably about one thousand.

The UPPER WISCONSIN lies principally in this county, with its numerous rapids and portages, affording water power of great extent, which is used at many places to manufacture pine lumber. Large quantities of lumber are annually sent down this river, and the Mississippi, as far as St. Louis. The "pineries" commence about eighty miles above Fort Winnebago; and here a railroad has been constructed (the first in Wisconsin) of two miles in length, to convey logs from the forest to the mills. At the "Dells," the river runs for eight miles between perpendicular cliffs of rock about three hundred feet high, and only forty across.

The scenery here is grand and picturesque, resembling the gorge below the Falls of Niagara, and probably produced by the same cause. A small steamboat passed through the Dells, in 1945, being the first attempt to navigate the Upper Wisconsin. Near the Dells is the place where Black Hawk and the Prophet were taken (after their defeat at the battle of the Bad Axe) by Dekorra and

Chaetar, two Winnebago Indians, who had been employed for that purpose by the Indian agent at Prairie du Chien. Post-offices have been established at Grand Rapids and at Plover portage, in this county.

The northern part of Portage county contains a great number of small lakes, interspersed with those of larger size; but as no surveys, and but few explorations of any kind have been made, but little is known respecting them. "It may be said," reports Captain Cram, "that there is no direction that can be followed from an assumed point, as a centre, which will not lead into a series of small lakes in this part of the country. These lakes, so beautifully diversified in size, shape, and scenery, are but the limpid springs which form the summit-reservoirs that nature seems to have furnished, with admirable foresight, for a never-failing supply to the Chippewa, the Wisconsin, the Menomonee, the Ontonagon; and several smaller streams, such as the Montreal, the Casp, the Iron, &c. The valleys and ravines, through which the little streams from these lakes meander, are rich, and often present bottoms of considerable width, bearing a luxuriant growth of native grass. The highlands are dry and not very much broken, and are generally covered with pine-white and yellow, and oak occasionally." The elevation of this region above Lake Michigan is about nine hundred and fifty feet.

DANE COUNTY

Is bounded on the north by Sauk and Portage counties; on the east by Dodge and Jefferson; on the south by Rock and Green; and on the west by Iowa: or on the north by the north line of township nine; east by the east line of range twelve; south by the south line of township five; and west by the west line of range six. It is forty-two miles long, from east to west, and thirty miles wide from north to south, with an area of twelve hundred and thirty-five square miles, or sections, thirty-five of which are covered

by the water of the lakes. This county was set off from the west part of Milwaukee, and east part of Iowa counties, in 1836, but was not organized as a separate county until 1839. Its population, in 1838, was one hundred and seventy-two; in 1840, it was three hundred and fourteen; and at the last enumeration, in 1842, its population was seven hundred and seventy-six. It may now be estimated at about four thousand five hundred. The county seat is at MADISON, the capital of the Territory.

The face of the country, in this large and important central county, is much diversified by hills and valleys; the hills, however, are always of moderate elevation, and have gentle slopes to their summits. The valley occupied by the Four Lakes, and their outlet, is the principal one, and occupies the central portions of the county. There are no considerable portions that can be called timber land, it being almost entirely oak openings or prairie. Some of the eastern portions of the county are occupied by dry ridges, separated by wet meadows, and afford but little inducement for present settlement. The west line of the county passes between the two Blue Mounds, the largest, or principal one, falling within the county of Dane. About three townships, occupying the southwest corner of the county, are within the county known as the "Mineral region," and lead mines have long been worked at the Blue Mound. It touches upon Lake Koshkonong, an expansion of Rock river on the southeast, and upon the Wisconsin river at the northwest, embracing the ground upon which the "battle of the Wisconsin" was fought, between the volunteers under General Henry Dodge, and the Indians under Black Hawk, July 21, 1832. There are three newspapers published in this county, at Madison: and six post-offices have been established-at Madison, Moundville, Cottage Grove, Fitchburg, Dane, and Sun Prairie.

MADISON* is beautifully situated, between the Third and * Now (1846) an incorporated town.

Fourth of the Four Lakes, near the centre of a broad valley, surrounded by high lands from which the village may be seen at a great distance, presenting one of the most picturesque views in this part of Wisconsin. It was laid out in 1836, and in December of the same year, it was by law made the permanent seat of Government for the Territory, when the whole town consisted of but one "log cabin.” As soon as it was known that the capital of the Territory was established on the point or neck of land between the Third and Fourth Lake, a rush was made to the Land Office at Milwaukee, and all the lands subject to entry in the vicinity, and for many miles around these lakes, were immediately entered, mostly by those who do not intend to occupy them for actual settlement and improvement. Hence the improvement of this county has not been as rapid as some others, where the "speculators" have no opportunity or inducement to monopolize all the most valuable lands. The advantage of having the seat of government, however, has in some degree, made up for this misfortune, and it is probable that Dane county will keep pace with her sister counties, especially as it is probable that the principal public improvements, by canals, railroads, &c., will, as is usual, be made to centre at, or pass through the capital of the Territory. Public buildings have been erected at Madison, for which an appropriation of forty thousand dollars was made by Congress.

In 1840, agreeably to the census of the United States, there were in Dane county, 101 horses, 510 neat cattle, 5 sheep, 628 swine, 3 stores and groceries, 1 saw-mill, 2 cabinet makers, and two lead smelting furnaces. The products of 1839, were 290 bushels of wheat, 10,250 bushels of oats, 12 bushels of buckwheat, 3,080 bushels of Indian corn, 8,480 bushels of potatoes, 10 pounds of wool, 468 tons of hay, 200,000 pounds of lead, and twenty thousand dollars worth of lumber.

The region of the Four Lakes is very favorably known