TOPOGRAPHY. 121 



on the borders of the Platte and Grant Rivers, and in the 

 vicinity of the Missisippi. Ahnost every small stream also 

 has its romantic bluffs and dales, but the county notwith 

 standing has advantages, as an agricultural and grazing coun- 

 try, in soil, timber and water, and in its salubrity and its river 

 borders ; apart from its exhaustless stores of lead ore, which 

 are from time to time laid bare by tlie enterprise and industry 

 of the miners. 



The country generally west of the Pectanon (so called by 

 Long), or, as conmionly called by the inhabitants, the Peka- 

 tonica, and south of the Wisconsin, is rather broken, but 

 contains many spots highly suited to agriculture. The coun- 

 try, how ever,as a whole, as well as that west of the Missi- 

 sippi, is admirably adapted to grazing. Grant county, just 

 described, is included in this tract. A portion of Iowa 

 county is also within it. This is an extensive count)', 

 bounded by the IlHnois State line and by the Wisconsin 

 River, for its south and north boundaries, and is one of great 

 capabihties. It has an abundemce of lead mineral, and coj>- 

 per ore also has been found and worked. The eastern part 

 of the county is a fine agricultural tract ; and the whole 

 countr}^ east of Pekatonica, to the lake, may be said to be a 

 most delightful and fertile farming region. Mineral Point is 

 the county seat of Iowa county. It has also the Land Office 

 for the District, and is a point of much business, rendered so 

 by the large number of miners engaged in the vicinity, by 

 the smelling of the mineral, *Scc. 



Iowa county contains a large proportion of prairie, extend- 

 ing, in its southern part, from Green county on the east, 

 westw^ardly to Grant county, and in its northern part from 

 Dane county on the east, along a beautiful dividing ridge, 

 which extends westAvardlv into Grant. On this ridge runs 

 the United Stales road leading from Fort Wiimebago to 



