DAEKE COUNTY. 497 



many windings, flows directly eastward to its junction with Stillwater 

 in Miami county. It receives its principal, in fact, all of its tributaries, 

 from the south, being hugged close on the north by a somewhat promi- 

 nent highland, which throws all the streams occurring on its surface into 

 the valley of the Stillwater. This, with Painter's Creek, which drains 

 the region immediately south of the former, constitute one system. There 

 are evidently four ; though rather insignificant, they are very distinct 

 and noticeable. 



Stillwater Creek has its origin in the northern part of the county, in 

 the summit ridge, and occupies the shallow valley between the divide 

 and the highland, separating it from Greenville Creek. Like the latter, 

 it takes an easterly direction, following the natural bent of the surface. 

 Its principal nourishing streams arise in the same clayey drift deposits 

 of the divide. This, which may be regarded as the second system in im- 

 portance, and the Greenville system just described, it may not be out of 

 place to notice, drain a region of extreme fertility. Though a score or 

 more years ago the great " Spread of the Stillwater " was anything but 

 an inviting agricultural district, by a little artificial drainage and enlarg- 

 ing of the natural capacities of the streams, it now includes some of the 

 richest and most productive farms in the county. 



Upon the northern slope of the divide rise the Mississinawa and 

 Wabash. These, which a little farther east would be thrown into Lake 

 Erie, are reflected, as described by Professor Winchell, by Wabash Ridge, 

 and directed westward into Indiana. However, but little territory is 

 drained by these streams in this county, being but the beginning of a 

 narrow gentle valley, which expands into a broad fertile tract in North- 

 eastern and Central Indiana, The Wabash, which at first flows south- 

 east, as if attempting to cross the summit ridge, probably mark.? the 

 course of one of the ancient breaks or gaps that discharged its waters 

 and floating icebergs into the valley of the Stillwater. In the extreme 

 south, and indicating a different declivity from the rest, originate Miller's 

 Creek, Twin Creek, Whitewater, and several other streams of lesser im- 

 portance. 



All of the streams flow in comparatively shallow and modern basins, 

 the banks of Greenville Creek nowhere exceeding twenty or thirty feet 

 in height. However, there are several exceptions in this respect, together 

 with several important topographical features, which will be spoken of 

 under the head of the Drift. 



The general surface of the county is for the most part flat, being almost 

 a uniform slope south-east and north-west from the summit line. Conse- 

 quently, no marked topographical features meet the eye, and only escapes 

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