80 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



[1853 



except of tracts promising profitable veins of lead, of copper, or one of 

 the precious metals.* 



The coal-measures of Iowa are shallow, much more so than those of 

 flic Illinois coal-field. They seem attenuated, as towards the margin 

 of an ancient carboniferous sea, not averaging more than fifty fathoms 

 in thickness. Of these the productive coal-measures are less than a 

 hundred feet thick. The thickest vein of coal detected in Iowa does 

 not exceed from four to five feet ; while, in Missouri, some reach the 

 thickness of twenty-five feet and upwards. 



In quality, the coal is on the whole inferior to the seams of the Ohio 

 Valley. To this, however, some very fair beds form exceptions. 



On the Mankato and its branches, several pieces of lignite were 

 picked up from the beds and banks of the streams, Some of this lig- 

 nite approaches in character to caunel coal ; but most of it has a brown 

 colour, and exhibits distinctly the ligneous fibre, and other structure 

 of the wood from which it has been derived. Diligent search was 

 made to endeavour to trace this mineralized wood to its source, and 

 discover the valuable coal-field. At one point a fragment was found 

 seventy feet above the level of the river, projecting from the drift, but 

 no regular bed could be detected anywhere, even in places where sec- 

 tions of the drift were exposed down to the magnesiau limestone. — 

 The conclusion, at which those gentlemen who were appointed to in- 

 vestigate this matter arrived was, that the pieces occasionally found 

 throughout the Minnesota country are only isolated fragments dissem- 

 inated in the drift, but that no regular bed exists within the limits of 

 the district 



The occurrence of strata of brown coal, earthy coal, and bituminous 

 coal and slate, on the west side of Great Bear, Lake, as reported by 

 Dr. Richardson, overlying a vast region of magnesiau limestone, like 

 those of Iowa and Wisconsin, rendered it possible that this lignite 

 might be found in partial beds also on the Mankato ; nevertheless, the 

 observations of the subcrops on that stream do not leave any hope of 

 the existence of even such local carbonaceous deposits. On the con- 

 trary, it appears most probable that the pieces found have been trans- 

 ported from the north along with the drift, perhaps from their very 

 beds on the Great Bear Lake ; or from the creta-eous or supercretace- 

 ous lignite formations which were observed by Nicolet, and others, off 

 towards the Missouri and Rocky Mountains. 



In further support of this view of the origin of the lignite of the Min- 

 nesota country, I may add that, every piece and fragment which the 

 members of the sub-corps could find was collected and brought away, 

 all of which when put together and weighed, did not exceed tea 

 pounds. 



From the confluence of the Waroju, to the mouth of the Red Wood 

 River, which is as far up as the country was explored, different varie- 

 ties of crystalline rocks, alone, make their appearance, varying in 

 height from a few feet to a hundred and twenty-five feet. After pass- 

 ing Little Rock, twelve principal exposures are seen immediately on 

 the bank of the river, in the distance of eighty miles, the intervals 

 being covered by alluvium and drift, which hides them from view. — 

 The principal varieties are granites and hornblendic rocks, with oc- 

 casional syenite. No traces of metallic veins worthy of note were ob- 

 served traversing these formations. In the granite, eight miles below 

 the Red Wood River, some specular iron was found, but only in thin 

 crusts in the joints of the rocks 



The only mineral that promises to be of much value in this region 

 of country is a bed of nodular iron stone, found ata^number of localities 

 both on the Mankato and Lesueur Rivers, at the base of the drift, rest- 

 ing either on the magnesiau limestone or sandstone. This argillace- 

 ous bed of carbonate and hydrate 1 brown oxide of iron, varies from 

 one to three feet in thickness. 



The middle division of the Iowa coal field affords, at many locali- 

 ties, iron stone of various qualities, associated frequently with hydrau- 

 lic calcareous cement, and which occurs, either in the fcrm of discon- 

 nected sepiaria, or regular beds. In the same geological position, at 

 many localities, crystalized selenite has been observed, which accu- 

 mulates in quantity high up on the Des Moines ; and finally, a few 

 miles below its Lizard Fork, that mineral expands itself into heavy 

 beds of gypsum, or plaster of Paris, which show themselves on both 

 sides of the river, for the distance of about three miles, exposed in 

 horizontal beds with a thickness of from twenty to thirty feet. 



The iron stone occurs sometimes in the form concretionary nodules, 

 sometimes in continuous bands of several inches in thickness, inter- 

 stratified in the shales. In the chapter embracing the detailed de- 

 scription of the carboniferous rocks of Iowa, will be found the analysis 

 of some of this iron ore, together with other more precise information 

 regarding it. 



On Soapcr eek and its branches, in Davis cnuntv, where the middle 



* A rich vein of lead ore, traversing the Lower Magnesiau Limestone, 

 was discovered en the " Half-hreed Tract," souili ol Lake Pepin ; but this 

 being an Indian cession, it was not reported to the Department for reservation. 



divison of the coal series prevails, there are several salt springs winch 

 were tested qualitatively on the spot, and fouud to contain a portion 

 of common salt (chloride of sodium). The amount of the precipitated 

 chloride of silver, as 'well as the taste of the water, indicated, however, 

 only a weak brine. By boring, a stronger water might possibly be 

 obtained ; nevertheless, the shallowness of these coal measures, the 

 frequent rupture of the strata aud consequent local reversion of the dip. 

 together with the fact of the lowest division being composed chiefly 

 of limestone instead of sandstone, are unfavourable indications ol the 

 existence of deep-seated brine, or of nests of salt, whence the percula- 

 ting waters might become saturated and carry the saline matter to the 

 surface. 



Though deficient in productive minerals, such as are reserved by 

 the Land Office, a large proportion of this disti ict consists of rich fer- 

 tile soil, well adapted to all agricultural purposes. Of such is a large 

 portion of the Iowa coal field ; and the region lying north both of that 

 and the Illinois coal field, as far as the falls of the eastern tributary of 

 the Mississippi. Some of the lands of the Des Moines and Cedar Riv- 

 ers can be scarcely excelled for fertility, perhaps, in the world. 



On the other hand there are portions of the district, chiefly in the 

 vicinity of the sources of the Black and Chippewa Rivers, and of the 

 streams flowing north into Lake Superior, which are, in part so hope- 

 lessly arid that, in our generation, they will assuredly never be pur- 

 chased or occupied ; in part so covered with erratic boulders that the 

 traveller can step from one to the other for miles, without setting fuot 

 on the drift soil on which they lodge, and that a bridle path for a pack 

 horse cannot be picked out over the country they cover ; in part, again 

 so intersected by pouds and swamps, that fish, frogs and water, 

 fowl must, in our day at least, be their only inhabitants. 



In conformity with my instructions, I have heretofore, from time to 

 time, reported to the Department what portion of these lauds are so 

 wholly worthless as not to justify, in my judgment, the expense of sec- 

 tioniz'ing or surveying at all, except so far as may be necessary to con- 

 nect the surround.ng surveys. These refuse lands amount to fifteen 

 thousand miles. If, in consequence of the recommendation thus made 

 they are excepted from the linear surveys which are usually extended 

 by the Government over all its Indian purchases, without examiuation 

 or inquiry, the saving to the Land Office will much over-pay the en- 

 tire cost of the survey, the results of which I am now reporting. 



A circumstance which to some may seem trivial, will delay, to a 

 considerable extent, the settlement of a portion of the District. It is 

 the prevalence, especially on the Upper Wisconsin, Chippewa, St. 

 Croix and Black River countries, and thence north to Lake Superior 

 and to the British line, of venomous insects, in such insufferable quan- 

 tities, that, at certain seasons, they destroy all comfort or quiet by day 

 or by night. Among the pineries of Northern Wisconsin, aud more or 

 less throughout the whole of the above designated region, the buffalo 

 gnat, the brulot* and the sandfly, to say nothing of myriads of gigantic 

 musquitoes, carry on incessant war against the equanimity of the un- 

 fortunate traveller. I aud other members of the corps, when unpro- 

 vided with the necessary defence, have had our ears swelled to two or 

 three times their natural size, aud the line of our hats marked all 

 round by the trickling blood. It was often necessary to rise many 

 times, in the course of the night, to allay the fever of the head, by re- 

 peated cold bathings; and, at some of the worst spots, we could 

 scarcely have discharged our ordinary professional duties at all without 

 the constant protection of musquito-netting worn over our head and face. 

 The health, even of the more marshy portions of the District, seems 

 better than, from its appearance, one might expect. The long, bracing 

 winters of these northern latitudes exclude many of the diseases which, 

 under the prolonged heat of a more southern climate, the miasm of the 

 swamp engenders. Perhaps the healthiest portion of the whole Dis- 

 trict is along its northern limit, where it is continuous to the British 

 dominions. At the Pembina settlement, owned by the Hudson's Bay 

 Company, to a population of five thousand there was but a siugle 

 physician ; and he told me that, without au additional salary allowed 

 him by the Company, the diseases of the settlement would not afford 

 him a living. * * 



Before starting on the expedition, I had obtained from Mr. John F. 

 Crampton, of the British Legation at Washington, a letter commending 

 me to the good offices of t 1 officers of the Hudson's Bay Company, 

 and which procured for us . .t hospitable reception at the settlement. 

 On our arrival at the mouth of the Assibiboin, Governor Christie, 

 then acting as Superintendent of affairs of the Hudson's Bay Company, 

 and Governor of the Colony, invited us to make his house our home 

 during our stay on Red River, aud entertained us in the kindest man- 

 ner. I have to acknowledge the attentions paid to our party by the 

 officers stationed both at the Upper and Lower Forts. 

 (To be Continued.) 



* So called by the v;yageurs brider, to bum; the sling producing a 

 burning sensation. 



