112 NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST. 



on the Missisippi, on one of the finest town sites in that part 

 of the river. It is an elevated bank, twenty feet or more above 

 the water mark, forming nearly a level of sufficient extent for 

 a city of the largest class. Its soil is sandy, and from its 

 relations with the river must be very healthy. It has at pre- 

 sent, by estimation, from twelve to fifteen hundred inhabitants. 

 There are some interior flourishing villages in this county. 



Des Moines is next on the river, extending from the Che- 

 kakwe or Checaqua River, nearly to the Iowa. Its river 

 boundary is not so good as that of Lee county, the bank 

 being, for the greater part, a low bottom, and presenting only 

 one favorable site for a town, which is at the mouth of 

 Shokokon or Flint Creek, at a bluff called by the Indians, 

 Shokokon, from the abundance of chert found on the surface, 

 and by the Whites, Flint Hills. The Indian appellation or 

 mineral feature to which it was owing, should have furnished 

 a name to the modern town : and Chertburg, or Shokokon, 

 would have as good sound, and more sense, than the thread- 

 bare Burlington. The place is partly on the irregular edge 

 of a bluff, and partly on a low bottom, being an inconvenient 

 place for a town ; but having had a great impulsion at first 

 from the location of the land sales there, and the temporary 

 seat of government also, it made a progress, which, backed 

 by a very popidous interior behind it, and having a good 

 landing, has been more rapid than any other place, and it is 

 now beyond all other towns in the Territory in population, in 

 trade, in prosperity and wealth. The number of its inhabit- 

 ants is exceeding two thousand. The county of Des Moines 

 is the third in population. Van Buren and Lee being first and 

 second. The three counties have probably not much less 

 than 40,000 inhabitants, which is very nearly equally divided. 

 The land of Des Moines county is good ; there being little 

 difference in quality throughout this Territory. Being, how- 



