is now seen. This Indian was afterwards killed, near the Four lakes, in a skirmish with General Dodge's volunteers, and a gold watch belonging to Lieutenant Force was taken from the pouch of the Indian, and restored to his family.

The following is a geological section, extending from the summit of the eastern mound to the Wisconsin river, at Helena, as reported by Dr. Locke:

1. Cornitiferous rock, or beds of chert, forming the peak of the

Mound,

2. Geodiferous lime rock, or lead bearing rock,

3. Blue limestone (of Dr. Locke), very thin, or wanting,

Feet.

410

169

00

40 188

3

190

1000

Lead mines have been opened on the southern slope of the principal mound, which afford, in addition to the usual kind of ore, another called "white mineral" by the miners -probably the carbonate of lead. Its external characters are so much unlike the common ore, that its real nature would not be suspected until a more careful examination was made. It is not very abundant, and is seldom worked as an ore, on this account. The smelters give only half as

much for this as for the common ore.

Dane County has now adopted the township system of government, and is divided into towns as follows:

ALBION-townships five and six, in range twelve.

DUNKIRK-township five, in range eleven.

ROME-townships five and six in range nine, and township six in

range ten.

RUTLAND township five in range ten.

SUN PRAIRIE-townships eight and nine, in ranges eleven and twelve.

MADISON-embraces all the country not included in the towns above named.

GREEN COUNTY

Is bounded on the north by Dane, and on the east by Rock counties; on the south by the State of Illinois; and on the west by Iowa county-embracing townships one, two, three and four, in ranges six, seven, eight and nine, east. It is about twenty-four and a half miles long, from north to south, and twenty-four miles wide, with an area of five hundred and eighty-eight square miles. Green county was established from the east part of Iowa, in 1836, and organized as a separate county in 1838. The population was then four hundred and ninety-four; in 1840 it was nine hundred and thirty-three; and in 1842 it had increased to one thousand five hundred and ninety-four. It is now estimated at five thousand.

The surface of the country is much broken by hills of moderate elevation, and gentle slopes, susceptible of cultivation to their summits. The timber usually consists of scattered trees, and the southern portion is mostly prairie.

The "mineral country" extends nearly to the eastern part of this county, where the lead bearing rock crops out, and is succeeded, as we pass eastward, by the underlying sandstone, similar to that found along the Wisconsin. There are already several very valuable "discoveries” of lead in the county, and many flattering "prospects" of more. These mines are nearer Lake Michigan than any other in the mining country, and when the lead trade is diverted in that direction, as much as it must be at some future time, these mines will have the advantage of being nearest to market; and as most of the soil is well adapted for agricultural purposes, this country may be regarded as destined to become one of the most important of the interior counties.

In 1840, there were in Green county 274 horses, 1,459 neat cattle, 608 sheep, 3,605 swine, 2 stores, 1 grist-mill and 3 saw-mills; and the produce of the preceding year was 11,953 bushels of wheat, 85 of barley, 20,245 of oats,

788 of buckwheat, 25,610 of Indian corn, 15,603 of potatoes, and 1,045 pounds of wool.

Post-offices have been established at Exeter, Monroe, and Decatur.

The county seat is at MONROE, formerly called New Mexico, near the southeast corner of township two, in range seven. It is represented as a very prettily situated and thriving village, and surrounded with a good farming country. Exeter is the name of the place usually known as the "Sugar River Diggings" (township four, in range eight). A considerable quantity of lead is smelted at this place. Centreville, Lexington and Livingston, are towns only in name.

SUGAR RIVER is the principal stream in this country. Rising in Dane, and running through the eastern part of Green, it crosses a corner of Rock county, and passes into Illinois, where it unites with the Pekatonica. It has several branches, of which the one called the Little Sugar river, entering from the west, in township three, is the most considerable. No lead mines have been found east of Sugar river. The Pekatonica crosses the southwest corner township of Green county, and there receives a small tributary, called Skinner's creek

There are no lakes in Green county.

IOWA COUNTY,

One of the largest and most important of the counties in the mineral district, is bounded on the north by the Wisconsin river, which separates it from Richland and Sauk; on the east by Dane and Green counties; on the south by Illinois; and on the west by Grant county. It may be described as embracing all of ranges one, two, three, four and five, east of the fourth principal meridian, lying between the State of Illinois and the Wisconsin river. Iowa county was established by the Legislature of Michigan, to include all that part of Crawford county lying south of the Wiscon

sin river, and was reduced to its present dimensions in 1836. It is thirty miles wide from east to west, and has an average length of forty-six and a half miles, and an area of thirteen hundred and ninety-five square miles.

Iowa county is soon to be divided by a line running east and west through the middle of township four, should the people decide by a vote, to be taken on the question, in favor of such division. The northern division is to be called Montgomery, and the southern La Fayette, thus dropping entirely the original name of the county.

In 1830, Iowa county had a population of one thousand five hundred and eighty-nine; and in 1836, of five thousand four hundred and thirty-four. In 1838, excluding Grant county, &c., the population was three thousand two hundred and eighteen; in 1840, it had increased to three thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight; and in 1842, to five thousand and twenty-nine. It is now estimated at almost ten thousand.

The general surface is much broken by valleys, with intermediate ridges, the whole having a slight inclination in a north and south direction from the great ridge, running east and west a few miles south of the Wisconsin. This broken character is owing to the loose, soft, easily decomposed limestone, which is readily carried away by the disintegrating agents. North of the main ridge the limestone is succeeded by the underlying sandstone, forming cliffs of a wild and picturesque appearance. This dividing ridge is a very prominent and important feature in the topography of the western counties. Unlike most of the dividing ridges, it is very high, commanding a fine view of the valleys descending from it. The main road passes along the summit of the ridge, and it is supposed that, should a railroad ever be constructed to unite this country with Lake Michigan, it will be along this ridge.

In 1840, the United States census shows that there were in this county 30 smelting furnaces, producing eight mil

lions nine hundred and nine thousand pounds of lead within the preceding year, giving employment to one hundred and twenty-eight men, and requiring an invested capital of one hundred and six thousand five hundred dollars. There were then in Iowa county 1,132 horses and mules, 4,567 neat cattle, 583 sheep, 7,618 swine, 21 stores and groceries, 1 distillery, 2 breweries, 1 printing office, 4 grist-mills and 7 saw-mills. The products of 1839 were as follows: 12,945 bushels of wheat, 2,424 of barley, 147,782 of oats, 145 of buckwheat, 76,885 of Indian corn, and 49,383 of potatoes, 4,152 tons of hay, 398 pounds of wool, and 35 of wax. These statistics show the truth of the remark made on a preceding page, that the mining country is also a good farming country; for it will be seen that while Iowa county produces the greatest amount of lead and copper, she at the same time produces the greatest quantity of oats; and the other agricultural products do not indicate a barren and unproductive soil. But the disposition of those who reside here to dig for wealth under the soil, rather than on its surface, is so strong, that the capabilities of the soil are probably not yet fairly tested.

There are fifteen post-offices established in this county, viz: at Belmont, Diamond Grove, Dodgeville, Elk Grove Gratiot's Grove, Helena, Mineral Point, Porter's Grove, (or Ridgeway), White Oak Springs, Willow Springs, Wala, Collonwood Hill, New Diggings, Pedlar's Creek, and Savannah. This list will show also the principal villages and settlements in the county.

BELMONT is situated between the two Platte Mounds near the north line of township three, in range one east, and is noted as being the place selected, in 1836, by Governor Dodge, for holding the first session of the Legislative Assembly. It has not improved very rapidly since that period. The Platte Mounds are two conical elevations, about two hundred feet high, twelve miles southwest of Mineral Point. They are three miles apart, and there is a small