186 NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. 



CHAPTER XYII. 



Descent of the Fox River from Winnebago Lake to Green Bay— Incidents — 

 Etymology, conchology, mineralogy — Falls of the Konomic and Kakala — Popula- 

 tion and antiquity of the settlement of Green Bay— Appearances of a tide, not 

 sustained. 



A RAPID commences at the precise point where Fox River 

 issues from Winnebago Lake, This rapid, down which canoes 

 descend with half loads, extends a mile and a half, when the river 

 assumes its usual navigable form, presenting a noble volume. 

 Nine miles below this, a ledge of the semi-crystalline limestone 

 rock crosses the entire channel, lifting itself five feet above the bed 

 of the stream. Over this the Fox River throws itself by an abrupt 

 cascade. Down this shelf of rock, the canoes, previously lightened 

 of their burden, are lifted by the men. It was sometime after 

 dark when we reached and encamped on the north shore, at the 

 foot of this cascade, which bears the name of Konamik. The 

 syllable l-on, in this word, appears to me to be the same as con 

 in Wisconsin, and is, apparently, a derivative from a term for 

 strong water, which has, in this case, the meaning of cascade or 

 fall. The word amik^ its terminal, means a beaver. We thus 

 have the probable original meaning in beaver-water, or, by im- 

 plication, beaver cascade. There is a rapid below this fall. I 

 judged the water must sink its level, in this vicinity, about fifteen 

 feet. On examining the character of the limestone, I discovered 

 crystals of calcareous spar occupying small cavities. At other 

 localities, at lower points, there were found crystals of black sul- 

 phuret of zinc, and yellow sulphuret of iron. The rock appears 

 to be of the same age as the lead-bearing limestone of the West ; 

 it is also overlaid by the red marly clay, and I should judge it to 

 contain deposits of sulphuret of lead. 



The next morning, we resumed our descent of the Fox River 



