52 Expedition to the 



Cornice rock, near the mouth of a creek of the same name. 

 Along the base of this cliff, we found the water three and 

 some times four fathoms deep. In the evening we arrived 

 at Herculaneum, a small village on the west side of the 

 Mississippi, dependii.g principally upon the lead mines, for 

 its business. 



Here are three shot manufactories, all of them budt at 

 the summit of perpendicular precipices; by which means, the 

 expense of erecting high towers has been avoided. Thirty 

 or forty miles to the south-west of Herculaneum, commen- 

 ces the region of the lead mines, which, though not yet 

 satisfactorily explored, is known to extend for many miles 

 through the hilly country, at the sources of the Merameg, 

 the St. Francis, and the other small rivers, rising in the 

 angle between the Mississippi and Missouri, below the 

 mouth of the latter river. 



Soon after the cession of Lousiana, to the United States, 

 particular care was taken to have all claims to land investi- 

 gated and registered. Some few, may have been omitted, 

 which may be hereafter revived, but these cannot be nu- 

 merous. In all the recent sales of public lands in the 

 western states and territories, liberal reservations have been 

 made for the encouragement of learning. We subjoin 

 some particulars, extracted from a communication of the 

 commissioner of public lands. From this statement, it 

 will be easy to form an idea, of the liberal provision made 

 by government, for the future support of schools and colle- 

 ges. It is probable, similar grants will be made to the 

 Eastern States.* 



* A township is a square whose sides, (limited by true meredians and 

 parallels to the equator.) are each 6 miles in length ; area 36 square miles, 

 or sections, each containing- 640 acres ; each township contains 23,040 

 acres, a quarter section is a square whose sides (bounded by meridians 

 and parallels,) are each 1-2 a mile, and contain 160 acres. The corners 

 of each section are distinctly marked by the United States' deputy sur- 

 veyors. The sections are numbered from ■ to 36. begining at the N. E. 

 comer of the township, and going from right to left, to the IV. W. corner, 



