90 Expedition to the 



the surrounding Country. Some furnaces have been erected, 

 and salt is manufactured, in sufficient quantities to supply 

 the neighbouring settlements. Compact limestone appears 

 to be the prevailing rock, but it is well known that coal-beds, 

 and strata of sandstone, occur at a little distance from the 

 river.* We visited one establishment, for the manufac- 

 ture of salt. The brine is taken from a spring at the sur- 

 face of the earth, and is not remarkably concentrated, yield- 

 ing only one bushel of salt to each four hundred and fifty 

 gallons. Eighty bushels are manufactured daily, and re- 

 quire three cords of wood for the evaporation of the water. 

 The furnace consists of a chimney-like funnel, rising ob- 

 liquely along the side of a hill, instead of the vertical and 

 horizontal flues, commonly used in these manufactories. 

 The fire being kindled in the lower orifice of this, the ascent 

 of the air drives the flame against forty or fifty iron pots, 

 inserted in a double series; to these the water is conveyed 

 by small pipes. The banks of the ravine, in which this 

 spring rises, still retain the traces of those numerous herds 

 of bisons, elk, and other herbivorous animals, which former- 

 ly resorted here, for their favourite condiment. 

 . While at Franklin, the gentlemen of the exploring party, 

 received many gratifying attentions, particularly from Gen. 

 T. A. Smith, at whose house they were often hospitably re- 

 ceived, and where they all dined by invitation on the 17th 

 of July. Here we met several intelligent inhabitants of the 

 village, and of the surrounding country, from whose conver- 

 sation we were able to collect much information of the 

 character of the country, and the present condition of the 

 settlements. 



Mr. Munroe, a resident of Franklin, related to us that be- 

 ing on a hunting excursion in the year 1816, he remained some- 



* In compact limestone, which had been subjected to the action of fire, 

 we observed segments of encriaites becoming easily detached. They 

 were three-fifths of an inch in diameter, varying to the size of fine sand. 

 At Boonsville we found a small ostrea and a terebratula, in carbonate of 

 lime. 



