46 NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST. 



wider than its upper course, describing a very regular semi- 

 circle or rather semi-ellipse, which spans about one degree of 

 latitude, in Avhich it receives no tributary, it approaches the 

 Fox River of Green Bay within one mile, where, making a 

 bend at about right angles, it runs south-west, and afterward 

 nearly west, receiving after its recession from Fox a great 

 many small streams, it enters the Missisippi after a course 

 of more than 150 miles from the Fox, in lat. 43°. This 

 latter part of its course can be made navigable for steamboats 

 by clearing the bed of sand in some places. It is proposed 

 to do this, and by a canal from this to the Fox, of one or two 

 miles, to make a clear navigation from Lake Michigan to the 

 Missisippi. All these rivers named after the St. Peter's 

 have their whole course in Wisconsin. 



Rock River rises in Wisconsin, and after a main southerly 

 course for a considerable distance, in which it has entered the 

 State of Illinois, it turns westwardly, and directing its current 

 toward the Missisippi, finds that stream four miles below 

 Rock Island and the foot of the Upper Rapids, which is the 

 most beautiful point on the great river below Lake Pepin. 

 Small steamboats have been to Grand Detour, upwards of a 

 hundred miles from its mouth. This is very difficult, how- 

 ever, to be done in the spring floods, and can only be done 

 then. At the best water the rapids at the mouth are only 

 covered but little more than one foot. If the obstructions 

 higher up this stream could be removed, those at the mouth 

 might be obviated, by making it debouch into the Missisippi 

 through the Marais D'Osier, or at a point a little below the 

 village of Hampton, about midway on the rapids of the latter 

 river. The country upon Rock River and its tributaries is 

 one of surpassing beauty. On the Pectanon, or Pectanonica, 

 a principal branch, commonly called Peckatonica, and on the 



