Q2 Notice of Mr. Schoolcroft's View of 



captains of mines, such as are found in every mining district 

 in Europe, would supply the immediate demands of the 

 country. 



The mining district, formerly called the lead mines of 

 Louisiana, is situated between the 37th and the 38th de- 

 gree of north latitude, and between the 89th and 92nd degree 

 of west longitude, covers three thousand one hundred and 

 fifty square miles — it is from seventy to one hundred miles 

 long b-y forty or forty-five wide, extending in width from the 

 Mississippi south-west to the Fourche a Courtois, and in 

 length from the head waters of St. Francis northerly to the 

 Merrimack. 



Lead ore is found in almost every part of this district. 

 Mr. Schoolcraft says, " the general aspect of the country is 

 sterile, though not mountainous : the lands lie rolling, like 

 a body of water in gentle agitation. In some places the 

 hills rise into abrupt cliffs, where the great rock formations 

 of the country may be seen ; in others, they run into level 

 plains ; a kind of highland ^rame." 



" The soil is a reddish coloured clay, stiff and hard, and 

 full of fragments of flinty stone, quartz and gravel: this ex- 

 tends to the depth of from ten to twenty feet, and is bot- 

 tomed on limestone rock. It is so compact in some places, 

 as almost to resist the pick-axe ; in others it seems to par- 

 take of marl, is less gravelly, and readily penetrated. The 

 country is particularly characterized by quartz, which is 

 strewed in detached pieces over the surface of the ground, 

 and is also found imbedded in the soil at all depths. This 

 is here called blossom of lead. Iron ores and pyrites are 

 also scattered over the surface of the ground, and occasion- 

 ally lead ore. Such is the general character of the mineral 

 hills, which are invariably covered by a stinted growth of 

 oaks." 



Walnut is also found on the hills, and there is a ridge of 

 yellow pine, not more than six or eight miles wide, run- 

 ning nearly south-east and north-west, but it is nearly or 

 quite destitute of lead — the mines lie generally east ot it. 

 In summer the flinty aspect of the country is veiled by a 

 luxuriant growth of grass, which gives it a very pleasing and 

 picturesque appearance. 



The vallies have a rich alluvial soil, well fitted for culti- 

 vation ; but our limits will not allow us to mention the vege- 



