mound lying between them. They are composed of siliceous limestone, like the other mounds in this region, and are visible, when the air is clear, about thirty miles. The Indian name is Eu-ne-she-te-no-the "two mountains."

The view from the top of these mounds is very interesting, and is graphically described by Gen. Wm. R. Smith as follows: "An ocean of prairie surrounds the gazer, whose vision is not limited to less than thirty or forty miles. This great sea of verdure is interspersed with delightfully varying undulations, like the vast waves of the ocean, and every here and there sinking into the hollows, or cresting the swells, appear spots of wood, large groves, extensive ranges of timber, small groups of trees, as if planted by the hand of art, for ornamenting this naturally splendid scene. Over this extended view, in all directions, are scattered the incipient farms of the settlers, with their luxuriant crops of wheat and oats, whose yellow sheaves, already cut, form a beautiful contrast with the waving green of the Indian corn, and the smooth, dark lines of the potatoe crop. Throughout the prairie, the most gorgeous variety of flowers are seen rising above the thickly set grass, which in large and small patches has here and there been mowed for hay, all presenting a curiously chequered appearance of the table beneath us. The mineral flower, the tall, bright purple and red feather, the sun-flower, the yellow bloom, the golden rod, the several small and beautiful flowers, interspersed with the grass, render the scene indescribably beautiful. To the north, the Wisconsin hills are seen bounding the view; to the east, prairie and wood are only limited by the hori ⚫zon, and the Blue Mounds, on the northeast, form a back ground and a land mark; to the south, the view over the rolling country extends into the State of Illinois; in the southwest, is seen the Sinsiniwa Mound; the view to the west is only bounded by the Table Mound, and the hills west of the Mississippi, and distant about thirty miles; while to the northwest the high hills through which the Father of

Waters breaks his sweeping way, close the view. Below us, on the plain, is the little village of Belmont, with its bright, painted dwellings; the brown lines in the broad green carpet indicate the roads and tracks over the prairie ; the grazing cattle are scattered over the wide surface looking like dogs, or sheep, in size; while in the distance are seen waggons of emigrants, and ox teams hauling lead, merchandize and lumber; the horseman and foot traveller are passing and re-passing; pleasure and travelling carriages are whirling rapidly over the sward, as if the country had been improved for a century past, instead of having been only five years reclaimed from the savages. This picture is not exaggerated-it fails of the original beauty, in the attempt to describe that scene which is worth a journey of a thousand miles to contemplate in the calm sunset of a summer day, as I have viewed it, from the top of the Platte Mounds."

Beside the Platte Mounds, the Western Blue Mound falls within this county.

HELENA is situated on the Wisconsin river, near the mouth of Pipe creek, seven miles below Arena, fifteen miles from Dodgeville, and about the same from the Blue Mounds. The most important business done at this place is the manufacture of shot, by the "Wisconsin Shot Company"--the only place in Wisconsin where shot is manufactured.

The view of the valley of the Wisconsin from the top of the shot tower at this place is described as very fine, extending a great distance. The river is seen winding through the rich, flat valley, which is bordered on both sides by high hills, with here and there rocky cliffs, separated by well wooded coves or vales. Besides the operations at the shot tower, there is much other business done at Helena, in the shipment of pig lead, and the receipt of lumber from the Upper Wisconsin, to supply the surrounding country. A few miles below Helena, on the Wisconsin, is a place

called the Fallen Rocks, where the river has undermined the strata, and a mass of sandstone about thirty feet high, and two hundred feet long, has fallen off from the body of the cliff.

ARENA is situated on the Wisconsin river, the northeast angle of the county, at the mouth of the Black Earth creek.

DODGEVILLE is a thriving little village, six miles north of Mineral Point, named in honor of General Dodge, first Governor of Wisconsin. Several lead mines have been opened, and furnaces are in operation in the village; and the mineral diggings in the neighborhood are numerous and valuable, and are among the first that were discovered and worked in the country. A company was incorporated in 1836, to construct a railroad from the Mississippi to Belmont, with the privilege of extending it to Dodgeville; but nothing has been done towards constructing the road.

MINERAL POINT is so named because it is situated on a point of land between two small branches of the Pekatonica, containing mineral, or lead ore. Besides lead-copper, zinc and iron are found here in great quantities. It is the seat of government for Iowa county, and is rapidly improving in population and wealth, as is evinced by the number of new and permanent dwellings erected recently. The quantity of lead and copper sent from here is very considerable; most of it finds its way to Galena, in Illinois, whence it is shipped down the Mississippi, and by way of the ocean to New York. Within the last few years, however, much of it is sent by waggons to Lake Michigan, mostly at Milwaukee, and hence sent direct by way of the lakes to New York. The experiment has been tried of boating lead down the Pekaonica, and up Rock river to Beloit, whence it was sent to Southport; and a company has been incorporated to improve the navigation of the Pekatonica, with a view of securing this trade on that route; but nothing has yet been done towards accomplish

ing this object. A company has also been incorporated to construct a railroad from Mineral Point to the Mississippi. The town was incorporated in 1844.

The amount received at the land office at Mineral Point

for the last few years is as follows.

Several other towns have at different times been laid out in Iowa county. Among them are Albion, New Baltimore, Buchanan, Otterborne, Muskado, Savannah and Shutsburgh -which have not grown to be towns of much size and importance.

There are no lakes or marshes in Iowa county.

The PEKATONICA is the principal stream, rising a few miles west of Mineral Point, and running in a southeasterly direction through the southeast corner of Green county, passes into Illinois, where it makes a long bend to the south, and enters Rock river five and a half miles below the State Line. It is a sluggish stream, remarkable for the great number of short bends or crooks, running through a beautiful and romantic valley, bordered by high bluffs. The water is usually turbid, hence its name, which signifies "the muddy stream." It is navigable for small boats from its mouth to the "Forks," at the village of Wiota. The principal branch, or tributary of the Pekatonica, is called the East Branch, and rises along the ridge between Dodgeville and the Blue Mounds. It runs south, through the eastern part of the county. The other tributaries are Spafford's Creek, Wolf Creek, Big and Little Otter Creeks, and Bonner's Creek. It was on the Pekatonica that one of fought with the Indians during the June 17, 1832.

the first battles was

Black Hawk war,

FEVER RIVER rises near Belmont, in this county, and running south enters the Mississippi seven miles below Galena, the great depot of the lead trade of this region. The river was named after a Frenchman (La Fever) and not on account of the prevalence of fevers in its vicinity. The Indian name, Mecobea (Small Pox river) is equally unfortunate for the reputation of this stream for healthful

ness.

MINERAL CREEK, and PIPE CREEK, are two small tributaries of the Wisconsin, in this county. They have an unusual number of small branches, a fact which seems to be common in the sandstone district.

GRANT COUNTY

Occupies the southwest corner of Wisconsin, being bounded on the north by the Wisconsin river (or Crawford and Richland counties); on the east by Iowa county; on the south by the Mississippi, which separates it from the Territory of Iowa. Its extreme length, from north to south, is forty-eight miles, and from east to west, thirtyseven miles; its mean breadth, however, is only twentyfour miles, showing an area of eleven hundred and fifty-two square miles. It has a river coast along the Wisconsin and Mississippi of nearly one hundred miles.

Grant county was set off from Iowa and organized as a separate county in 1836. In 1838, it had a population of two thousand seven hundred and sixty-three; in 1840, of three thousand nine hundred and twenty-six; and in 1842, of five thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven. It is now supposed to be about ten thousand. The county seat is at Lancaster.

The topography of this county is quite simple; it may be described as a series of ridges, with intervening valleys. The main ridge runs east and west, commencing at the mouth of the Wisconsin, and running east along the south part of township six, quite through the county; from this