Notice of Mr. Schoolcraft's View, &fc. 59 



Art. VII. — JVotice of " A vieio of the Lead Mines of Missou- 

 ri including some observations on the Mineralogy, Geology, 

 Geography, Antiquities, Soil, Climate, Population, and 

 Productions of Missouri and Arkansaw, and other sec- 

 tions of the Western country, accompanied by three engra- 

 vings; by Henry R. Schoolcraft, corresponding mem- 

 ber of the Lyceum ofJYatural History of JYew-York.^^ 



As this work has heen more than a year before the Amer- 

 ican pubhc and is already well known, it may seem super- 

 fluous to make any remarks upon it at so late a period. It 

 was our purpose to have given it an early notice but circum- 

 stances which could not be controlled, prevented. Still, as 

 it is devoted to subjects, which form a prominent object in 

 this Journal, and is, as far as we are informed, the only elab- 

 orate and detailed account of a mining district in the United 

 States, we are not disposed to remain silent, especially as the 

 discharge of the duty is not likely to be painful, either to our- 

 selves or to the author. Reviews in form, although within 

 the plan of this Journal, do not constitute one of its most lead- 

 ing objects, and we do not hold ourselves responsible for 

 analyses or even for notices of new American books, unless 

 they appear particularly interesting or important, or hold a 

 very intimate connexion with the great design of our work. 



We have already intimated that we regard Mr. School- 

 craft's work in this light. We take it for granted, that the 

 statements of facts made by this author, are both faithful 

 and accurate ; the information which we have incidentally 

 derived from other sources, certainly countenances this im- 

 pression, but the whole amount of it is small, compared with 

 the details contained in the present volume. 



Mr. Schoolcraft's opportunities for observation were ex- 

 tensive, particularly in relation to the mines of lead in the 

 Missouri region. Among those mines he spent a year. " 1. 

 have made, (says he) a personal examination of every mine 

 of consequence, with a view to ascertain its general charac- 

 ter and value and its peculiarities. I have travelled on foot 

 over the whole mine country, exploring its minerals, its geo- 

 logical structure, its geographical position, soil, climate, pro- 

 ductions, towns, streams, settlements, and whatever else ap- 

 peared to rne to be necessary to describe, explain and illus- 

 trate the subject before me.'' 



