28 THE I'ENOKKK IKON-BEARlNG SERIES. 



Historically CDiisidered, the exploration of tliis region conuneiiced in tlie year 

 18-10, wiien Dr. Ilonulitou, as a eommissioner of the State of Miehigaii, accoiuiianied 

 Capt. Cram, of the United States Topographical Eagiueers, who was then surveying 

 the Menominee and Montreal rivers. 



In ISIO and 1S41 Dr. Hou,i;liton examined the roeks on both these streams and 

 the eountry between their sources. 1 am in possession of a transcript of his Held 

 notes (luring these explorations. In lS4.">-'4ii I made examinati(ms along the range 

 across the Montreal to the westward, as far as the main branch of Bad river. 



Up to this tinu' the public lands in this ])art tif Wisconsin had not been surveyed. 

 The fourth principal meridian was extended northward thnurgh Wisconsin to lake 

 Superior iu 1848. Dr. A. Randall, one of the assistants of Dr. Owen upon the survey 

 of the Chippeway land district in reference to mines and minerals, accompanied the 

 linear surveyors along this line. In T. 44 N., Dr. Raudail discovered an outcrop of 

 magnetic iron ore and brought in a specimen. The next season, as a member of Dr. 

 Owen's c(n'ps, I made an exploration on the western branches of liad river, cros.sing 

 southerly to the head waters of the Chippeway. Near Lac des Anglais, and thence 

 easterly across the miildle nr main fork of the Bad river, I found cliffs and Ijlutfs of 

 siliceous magnetite. The results of this examination may be seen in the final report 

 of Dr. Owen, publi.shed at Washington in the .year 1850. 



In the Chippeway language the name for inm is ^x'H'oJ'ih, and I thought it proper 

 to designate the mountains where this metal exists in quantities that surpiise all 

 observers as the "Pewabik range." The compositor, however, transformed it to 

 Feiuikif, a word wldcli belongs to no languagi'. luit uiiicli is now too well fastened 

 upon the range by usage to be changed. 



Soon after the publication ol Dr. Owen's report the excitement of 1845-411 iu 

 reference to copper was repeated in reference to iron. The government was at last 

 induced to maki^ surveys of the region. l'rccm]itors followed the sur\eyors, erect- 

 ing their rude cabins on each quarter section between the meridian and lac des 

 Anglais, a distauce of 18 (U- 20 miles. The iron belt is generally less thau oue-fourtli 

 of a mile in width, regularly stratified, dijiijing to the northwest conformable to the 

 formations, and having its outcrop along the summit of the second oi' soutiicrly range. 

 Viewing this mountain region from La Pointe, or from the open lake, it has the 

 apjiearance of a single crest. Its outline against the sky on a clear day is very dis- 

 tinct and regular. Along the range tiiis crest line is nearly Unci, its eh'\ atio.i above 

 the lake being 1,000 to 1,100 feet. But there are two ranges, known in tiie country as 

 the first and .second, or the "Coi)per"and the "Iron" range. There is not much 

 ditt'erence in their elevation. The co])per range, being nearest the coast, covers tiie 

 iron rauge, which, at the distance of .'50 miles, is vi.sible only through gaps and 

 notches, the whole forming one blended line in the horizon. To the south, beyond the 

 iron range, the country is lowei' and swampy. 



