Outlines of the Oshawano Mountains. Some Account of their Mineral Productions. Fluor Spar. Illinois Saline. Antiquities raised in the Cross the River Au Vase. Improved Qualities of the Soil. Indian Con- victs. Pass the Kaskaskia River. Proposed Canal. Geological Transformations Belleville. Mounds. Cross the Mississippi. St. Louis. Missouri Question. Self-Emancipation. Geological Cha- Cup-Shaped Con- Observations on the Geological Structure of the Missouri Mine Country, Of the Granite Formation. Of the Inferior Limestone. Of the Crys- talline White Sandstone. Of the Compact, or Superior Limestone Summary of Observations. Remarks on the Alluvial, or Unconsolidated Strata. Of the Promiscuous, or Upper Soil. Of the Metalliferous Return to St. Louis. Objects of Curiosity Mounds. Enigmatical Prints. Gov. Clarke's Museum. Depart for Chicago. Pass the Mouth of the Missouri. Portage Des Sioux. Enter the Illinois River. Mauvais Terre. Fass the Sangamo. Putrifying Vegetation. Enter Peoria Lake. Fort Clarke. Observations on the Comparative advan- Peoria Lake. Indian Village. Traits of the Pottowattomies,―Stature, -Beards. Reach the Vermillion. Rapids of the Illinois. Rock Fort. Indian Fortifications. Fox River. Scenery. El Dorado. Petrified Tree. Face of the Country on the Des Plaines. Mount Joliet. Cross the Ford of the Des Plaines. Remarks on the contemplated Canal. Proceedings of a Treaty with the Indians. Proposition submitted by the United States Commissioners. Reply of the Pottowattomies. Answer by the Commissioners. Council breaks up, and meets again on the 22d of August. Speeches of Topinabee and Metea, in which they allege the Non-performance of a former Treaty. Reply of Gov. Cass. The Ottowas give their Assent. Historical Speech of Keewaygoosh- kum. INTRODUCTION. VERY little was known, until within the last few years, of the finely diversified country which forms the peninsula of Michigan; and we believe the remark may be freely made, that, even at the present time, the knowledge of this valuable portion of country, is nearly confined to the enterprising individuals who have made a personal examination of it. It is only, in fact, since the conclusion of the late war, that public attention has been fully awakened to this hitherto neglected section of the national domain, and that emigrants have been led to entertain a just appreciation of its fine soil and equable climate. The tract under consideration, embraces upwards of four degrees of latitude, extending north of about 41° 30', and equal in surface to, perhaps, three-fourths of England. If the shape of this peninsula be compared to a garment, the comparison improves by observing, that during the whole period of its colonial subjection to the French and British governments, the hem only was known. With the single exception of the ancient settlement of Detroit, very little more was known of the agricultural capacities of this territory, at the commencement of the war in 1812, than at the commencement of the seventeenth century. And it is among the anomalies of its history, that a country deemed so inaccessible from swamps in 1818, as to be unfit to be given in bounty lands to the soldiers of the late army, should, within six years thereafter, be found to possess qualities of so different a nature, as to attract crowds of emigrants from the fertile banks of the Genesee, and to divert, in a measure, the current of migration from the Wabash and the Illinois. Time, better means of comparison, and the spirit of exploration, which characterizes the present era, without showing the advantages of other parts of the western country to be less than has been claimed for them, have, at the same time, shown the advantages of Michigan Territory, to be in many respects equal while its vicinity to the parent settlements, and the ease and cheapness of access, together with the quality of the land, and the permanent benefits anticipated from the completion of the Erie canal, give it, in the minds of many, a superiority. It is now very well understood, that the interior portions of this territory, are in most places equally fertile with its borders, and that there are no obstacles incompatible with its speedy settlement. Like those parts of it, where agriculture has long been successfully practised, a great portion of the surface is covered with an ample forest of hard wood, every where well watered by living streams, and susceptible of being improved by the labours of husbandry, and adorned with flourishing towns. The greater part of the newly explored lands, consists of an argillaceous soil, mellowed with sand and pebblestones, and clothed with an open growth of oaks and hickories, forming the much esteemed open oaklands; so favourable to all the staple products of temperate northern latitudes. These oaklands frequently present themselves to the eye in sloping ridges, with apparently measured interstices between the trees, and together with the larger dry prairies, are principally covered with a species of native grass, of a nutritious quality, which grows to the height of five or six feet, and is judged to be nearly equal to timothy for cattle. The intervening valleys, enriched with the alluvial wash of the hills, constitute the first-rate corn-lands, and are finely timbered with maple, beech, black-walnut, bois blanc, and ash. The proportion of comparatively arid pine land, is quite limited; and the whole surface of the country, as represented by those who have explored it, is agreeably diversified with small limpid lakes, grassy prairies, and pebbly-bottomed brooks.† "Whatever blooms in (western vales) appear, *Liriodendron. † Journal of the Shiawassa Exploring Company. |