course about two hundred and fifty | place for raftsmen, and those persons miles, flows into the Mississippi about visiting the upper country in search of eighty-five miles above Prairie du Chien. employment or to make claims. About Below the falls, which are about ninety five miles distant from this house, and miles from the mouth of the river, the settled by the same family (Douglass country is mostly a hilly prairie. The and sons), is a farm of fertile land under predominating rock, which is the base a good state of cultivation, though it is of hills at Prairie du Chien, rises in ran- but two or three years since the settleges of hills, or single bluffs, of all shapes, ment was made. The road through this and running in every direction; varying part of the country is still a very primiin height from one hundred to five hun- tive one, and is travelled only by footdred feet above the plain. The soil, men and horses; no vehicle of any which appears to be formed by the description except such as were merely gradual denudation of these hills is light for transportation to the upper country, and sandy, and, for the most part, pos- having as yet found their way along it. sesses but little fertility. The alluvial The mode of ferrying is equally primideposites on the bank of the river, how- tive; passengers and their baggage beever, are rich natural meadows, covered ing taken across in a canoe at a dime a with a most luxuriant growth of grass. head, while the horses are allowed to These meadows appear to be entirely swim beside it. From the mouth to the undisturbed by the foot of man or beast, falls, small flat-bottomed boats are used and the traveller is almost led to ima- to transport provisions, but even this gine that they must be under the pro- sort of navigation is frequently suspendlection of an owner, who is cultivating ed during the low water in summer, on hay on a large scale, and the appear- account of the numerous sand-bars with ance of an extensive hay-pressing es- which the river abounds. tablishment would appear almost as a thing of course. On the prairie berries and a variety of flowers grow in profusion. The strawberries are small. Among the flowers is a species of phlox, exceeding in splendor any of the family in an uncultivated state. The large yellow moccasin-flower, or ladies' slipper, is very common, and gives quite a variety of color to the prairies. In addition to their rich and varied coloring, most of these possess fragrance. There is an occasional grove to be seen, and the streams are generally skirted with timber, among which are several species of oak, white and black birch, maple, poplar, &c., but as a whole, this part of the country is deficient in fencing material, and, with the exception of the choice situations, must, for farming purposes, remain unoccupied for many years. For a distance of ninety miles there is but one house near the river, and this is at a mill-site at the mouth of one of the numerous streams which flow into it. This being about forty-five miles from the mouth of the river, and an equal distance below the falls is a stopping From latitude forty-five degrees north to near Lake Superior, and from the head waters of the St. Croix to those of the streams flowing into Green bay, about one hundred miles in length and breadth, the whole country may be regarded as a series of swamps, lakes, and rivers, with just sufficient dry land interspersed to serve for the summer residence of a few hundred Indians, who still hold it as their hunting-ground. Seven eighths of the entire country north of forty-five degrees is one immense swamp, interspersed with narrow sandy ridges; and not over one tenth of it suitable for cultivation. Some of this swampy land may ultimately become valuable for the timber it affords, being covered with a beautiful growth of cedar, very straight and tall, and from one to two feet in diameter. The tamerack, if it were near the coast, might be in demand for masts and spars, being superior to any other species of pine in height as compared with size, and in the firmness, elasticity and durability of its timber; but this central region of eternal swamp has no navigable rivers to float it out. Hemlock, fir, and spruce, are the growth of which are sometimes so disposed across the worst places as to form some support for the foot. The Indian ponies used for packing soon get accustomed to these perhaps the greater part of this low, wet tract of country. Many of these swamps have in their middle lakes of from half a mile to several miles in extent; some of these are connected with matters, and it is interesting to observe streams of water, forming chains for the caution and willingness with which many miles in length. Comparatively they encounter difficulties of this kind. few among the Indians, and scarcely any of the whites, have ever penetrated these gloomy water-courses so as to have become at all familiar with their outlets. For many years pas a portion of the Chippewa or Ojibwa ibe of Indians have had their summe esidence around a chain of lakes, the 1 gest of which is known as "Lake de rambeau," situated about the middle of this low flat country; they have drawn their summer subsistence from the waters, and in winter have spread over the frozen surface of the forest and marsh, in search of bear, deer, fox, beaver, otter, marten, and other valuable peltries and furs, which find a ready market at the various trading posts on the Mississippi and its lakes. Swamps form a very considerable portion of the territory of northern Wisconsin. From these sources flow the headwaters of the numerous streams with which the whole country is abundantly supplied, and which, uniting, form the tributaries of the rivers which flow into the Mississippi on the west, and the great lakes on the northeast. Of those most difficult to pass, the alder-swamps are perhaps the most common, such having nothing larger than the alder growing in them. Most of these are exceedingly miry, and many of them for horses quite impassable. On foot and without a load, a man may easily step from clump to clump of the alders, and thus get safely across; but a misstep may let him into the mud to the depth of several feet. It is fortunate for the traveller that these are the smallest in size of any, for though frequently many miles in length, they are seldom over half a mile wide. When absolutely necessary to get packhorses across these morasses, the most favorable crossing-place is selected, and a road made by cutting away the alders, When the path is prepared, one of the horses is led over. On e cering the swamp, he places his foo with great care, moving it a few incnes at a time, until he feels that his footing is sufficiently firm to bear him up, when another foot is advanced in a similar manner. If, however, despite his care, he sinks into the mire beyond the power of extricating himself, he takes it as coolly as can be imagined, remaining perfectly quiet until all arrangements are made for his assistance, and then, at a word, using the greatest possible exertions to second the efforts of those endeavoring to extricate him. When the horses are all over, their packs are carried across, and they are reloaded as before. The black-ash swamps are also very miry, and differ from those already described, in having that species of tree thinly scattered through them, while the alder is merely an undergrowth. Those swamps in which the cedar predominates, however, are the most formidable, and are quite impassable for a horse, which must either meander, or turn back. The fallen but undecayed trunks of the trees, some of them perhaps the growth of four ages, lie across each other in every direction. As these become covered wish moss, young trees commence growing on the tops of the trunks, sending their roots down the sides. and into the ground, thus sometimes forming the novel sight of a large tree standing erect over the trunk of perhaps its fallen ancestor. The undergrowth is entirely of cedar, and is so dense, that an unencumbered man would be obliged, in addition to climbing the logs, to cut nearly his whole way through this bristling underbrush, in order to cross it. They are not miry, but are often miles in width, with water under the roots of the trees as clear as crystal and very cold. The tamarack, a species of pine, is a very common production. The swamps producing this are sometimes miry, in which case they have an undergrowth of alder. In other instances the whole surface of the ground is covered with an aquatic plant resembling moss, which grows to the height of from eight to twelve inches, holds water equal to a sponge, and though no water appears upon the surface, the foot of the traveller sinks into the soft, yielding, spongelike moss so as to bring it around his ankles and frequently higher. The hemlock, fir, larch, and spruce swamps have little to distinguish them, other than the species of tree which they produce. Many of them have lakes in the middle, the water being of a reddishbrown color, and not the most palatable. They may all be penetrated during the dry summer-months; all are mud during wet weather, and all abound in musquitoes and other pestiferous insects. RACINE, the capital of Racine county, is a thriving town, situated on Lake Michigan, at the mouth of Root river. It is one hundred and twelve miles from Madison, and seven hundred and eighty from Washington. It contains a courthouse and jail. There are here two academies, with about one hundred students. The population is increasing very rapidly, at present numbering nearly 6,000. There are about $200,000 invested in trade and manufactures. MADISON, one hundred and fifty-nine miles from Chicago, is the capital of Wisconsin. It stands on a peninsula between two lakes. The situation is very favorable, the ground rising gradually from the water on both sides to a moderate elevation in the middle, where a spacious square is laid out, the site of the statehouse. This is a large building of stone, with a fine dome rising from the centre. The population is over 1,200; and there are several churches of different denominations. Stage-coaches run to Milwaukie, Rockfort (Illinois), Galena, and Fort Winnebago, three times a week. Point the river is bordered by impassable marshes. The ground occupied by the town is uneven, rising from the river to the height of from fifty to one hundred feet, thus affording very beautiful situations for residences, commanding a full view of the town and bay, with its shipping. But few of these sites have yet been occupied and improved as their great importance and interesting views would lead us to expect. Along the base and front of these hills are a great number of springs of pure water, sufficient, if collected into a reservoir, to supply the wants of a considerable population. The river is sufficiently wide and deep to accommodate a large amount of shipping, and continues so for some distance above the city. At the head of this navigable portion of the river, a dam has been built by the " Milwaukie and Rock River Canal-Company," which raises the water twelve feet above high water, and causes a slack-water navigation extending two miles further up the stream. A canal of one mile and a quarter brings this water into the town on the west side of the river, and creates there a waterpower which is estimated to be equal to about one hundred runs of millstones and the canal has a width and depth sufficient to pass almost the whole body of water into the river. The manufactories erected on this canal have the advantage of being located on the immediate bank of the river, and may be approached by the largest steamboats navigating the great lakes: thus affording advantages not usually found associated in the western country. The city is ninety-seven miles from Chicago. ; The settlement of Milwaukie was commenced in 1835. The village was laid out the same year. In less than fifteen months its population amounted to 1200. A land-office was opened there in 1836, at which the amount of money received in ten years was $2,221,359 73. This, it is stated in "Lapham's Wisconsin," was about two thirds of the whole proceeds of sales of public lands during that time in the territory. Till the season of The city of MILWAUKIE commences about a mile above the mouth of the river of that name, at a place called Walk-1835 the waters of Milwaukie bay were er's Point, and extends about a mile and undisturbed by any craft save the Ina half along the river. Below Walker's dian's canoe, or perhaps the rudely-con |