CHAPTER III. 



ANCIENT WORKS IN THE BASIN OF ROCK RIVER AND ITS 



BRANCHES. 



SECTION I. 

 BELOW AZTALAN. 



The Rock River country is favorably known as among the most fertile and beau- 

 tiful in the broad West. The early settlers were eager to reach this valley; and it 

 has now become the centre of a numerous, thriving, and intelligent population. It 

 occupies the central portions of the southern and most populous part of the State ; 

 having an area of five thousand five hundred and fifty square miles. At Beloit, 

 where the river passes into Illinois, it has an elevation of one hundred and thirty- 

 eight feet; and the rim of the great basin is from three hundred to eight or nine 

 hundred feet above the level of Lake Michigan. 



Ancient works exist in this valley below the State line ; but of their nature and 

 extent I have been able to obtain no very particular information. It is believed 

 that they are of less importance than those to the north ; and, with the exception of 

 some of the turtle form as far south as Rockford, they do not assume those peculiar 

 imitative figures so characteristic of the mounds of Wisconsin. North of the State 

 line, the mounds are profusely scattered over this broad valley (as Will be seen by 

 reference to the map), reaching to the very sources of some of the branches. 



The following statement is from the " Narrative of an Expedition to the Source 

 of St. Peter's River," &c., under the command of Captain Long, in 1823 : 



" On both banks of the Kishwaukee, not far from its mouth, there are many 

 mounds in every respect similar to those met with on Fox (Pishtaka) River, but 

 scattered along the bank without any apparent order. Mr. Say counted upwards 

 of thirty of these mounds. It is probable that they were the cemeteries of a large 

 Indian population, which resided along the banks of the Kishwaukee, and which, 

 perhaps, had its principal village at the beautiful confluence of this stream with 

 Rock River."^ 



Only one locality of any importance was found on the Pekatonica, a branch of 

 Rock River that has its rise in the centre of the lead-mine region, where ancient 

 works had been constructed. The necessities of these builders probably did not 

 include lead, for in this region but few woi'ks are seen ; and we find no indications 



» Narrative, &c., I. 185. See also Chap. II. p. 23, of the present work. 



