170 NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST. 



family, widow, or single man, over the age of twenty-one 

 years, a citizen of the United States, or who has filed a 

 declaration under the naturalization laws, to become a citi- 

 zen, who shall make a settlement on the public lands in per- 

 son, and inhabit and improve the same and erect a dwelling- 

 house thereon, shall be authorized to enter a quarter section 

 of 160 acres, or a less legal subdivision, at the Land Office 

 of the District. 



The title by occupancy is thus limited by the enactment 

 of the legislature, which defines the extent which the occu- 

 pancy may cover ; — and, at the same time, to that extent, 

 fortifies and confirms the title. 



The system of public surveys is a very complete admea- 

 surement and marking of the whole body of public lands. 

 As soon as the claim of the Indian occupants is extinguished, 

 the land is first run off and marked in township lines, which 

 are divisions of six miles square. Afterward the township 

 is divided into sections of one mile square, each section and 

 quarter section being marked, by blazing a tree, as the tech- 

 nical phrase is for marking it with an axe ; or, if the corner 

 to be marked is in the prairie, by driving a stake and throw- 

 ing up a sod, marking at the same time on the tree or the 

 stake the number of the township and section. The town- 

 ships are numbered from south to north on a base line, and 

 the north and south ranges are numbered on both sides of an 

 arbitrary meridian, east and west. The sections are num- 

 bered, beginning at the northeast section of the township for 

 number one, running west, and alternately east, terminating 

 with number thirty-six in the southeast corner. Section 

 numbered sixteen in each township is appropriated to schools, 

 and transferred to the States for that purpose. 



Those lands not entered under the pre-emption law, are 

 offered at public sale, previous to whicli no otlier person, not 



