33 



In tlie southern part of the State, too, the Sweet Buckeye {^IiJsciiIuk (jluhra 

 Willdenow) attained great size, often being three feet six inches and four feet in 

 diameter with trunks as straight as columns, tlie trees reaching a total height of over 

 100 feet. One example of this species is unique. It is the tree from which was 

 made the celebrated buckeye canoe of the Harrison presidential campaign of 1840. 

 The tree grew in the southeast corner of Rush county and is eaitl to have been, 

 when standing, twenty-seven feet nine inches in circumference and ninety feet 

 from the ground to the first limb. ^ Here and there, quite thickly scattered, 

 would be found groves of the finest Black Walnut {Juglans nigra L.) trees the 

 world has ever known. Some of these groves were quite extensive, containing 

 hundreds of trees, individuals of which were four to six feet in diameter and 100 

 to 150 feet high.^ 



In the river valleys, along the streams, the great size of the Sycamore {Platanus 

 occidentalis L) was noticeable. This was the largest of the hardwood trees, reach- 

 ing a maxium lieight of 140 to 165 feet and often measuring five to ten feet in 

 diameter.^ Keeping those company were the Cottonwoods (PopMus monilifera 

 Alton), the larger of which measured five and even eight feet through and 130 to 

 165 feet high. The beauty of all the trees of this region was the White Elm 

 (Ulmus americana L. ). Its diameter sometimes reached five feet, and its height 

 120 feet or more, the ambitus often spreading over 100 feet. 



At the time of its settlement the southeastern third of our territory, including 

 all the Whitewater Valley, contained no Indian towns and was unoccupied by 

 them save as occasionally a hunting or a war party passed through it. In the 

 valley of the Wabash and in the northeastern part of the State were Indian vil- 

 lages, located because of natural advantages. These have been apparent to the 

 whites, who in several instances established upon their sites settlements which 

 have since become prominent as towns or cities. Among these Kekionga (Ft. 

 Wayne), Chip-kaw-kay (Vincennes) and Ouiatanon on the west side of the 

 Wabash River, four miles below Lafayette*) were selected as trading })osts by the 

 whites, being centers of the finest game regions occu])ied Ijy man within the limits 

 of the present State. The peltry from the last-mentioned post, in one year, in 

 tiiose early times amounted to about eight thousand pounds sterling.* 



1. W. P. Shannon: Proc. hid. Ac;ul. Science, 1894, p. l.SO. 



2. R. Ridgway: Proc. U. S. National Museum, Vol. V, 1882, p. 76. 



3. R. Ridgway: Ibid, p. 73-75. 



4. Prof. Oscar J. Craig: Ouiatanon, a Study in Indiana History. Ind. Hist. Soc, 



pubs. Vol. II, No. 8. p. 3. 



5. Prof. O.scar .J.Craig: Ihirl ., v.i^. 



