302 APPENDIX. 



On returning to the village from this excursion, I found Mr. B. 

 ready to proceed, and we lost no time in making the next point in 

 our proposed route. A drive of five miles brought us to the resi- 

 dence of Colonel Dodge, whose zeal and enterprise in opening 

 this portion of our western country for settlement, give him claims 

 to be looked up to as a public benefactor. I here met the super- 

 intendent of the mines (Captain Legate), and after spending some 

 time in conversation on the resources and prospects of the country, 

 and partaking of the hospitalities politely offered by Colonel D. 

 and his intelligent family, we pursued our way. The village of 

 Dodgeville lies at the distance of four miles. Soon after passing 

 through it some part of our tackle gave way, in crossing a gully, 

 and I improved the opportunity of the delay to visit the adjacent 

 diggings, which are extensive. The ore is found as at other 

 mines, in regular leads, and not scattered about promiscuously in 

 the red marl. Masses of brown oxide of iron were more com- 

 mon here than I had noticed them elsewhere. Among the rubbish 

 of the diggings, fragments of hornstone occur. They appear to 

 be, most commonly, portions of nodules, which exhibit, on being 

 fractured, various discolorings. 



Night overtook us before we entered Porter's Grove, which is 

 also the seat of mining and smelting operations. We are indebted 

 to the hospitality of Mr. M., of whom my companion was an ac- 

 quaintance, for opening his door to us, at an advanced hour of the 

 evening. Distance from Willow Springs, twenty-five miles. 



There is no repose for a traveller. We retired to rest at 

 a late hour, and rose at an early one. The morning (19th) 

 was hazy, and we set forward while the dew was heavy on the 

 grass. Our route still lay through a prairie country. The growth 

 of native grass, bent down with dew, nearly covered the road, so 

 that our horses' legs were continually bathed. The rising sun 

 was a very cheerful sight, but as our road lay up a long ascent, 

 we soon felt its wilting effects. Nine miles of such driving, with 

 not a single grove to shelter us, brought us to Mr. Brigham's, at 

 the foot of the Blue Mound, being the last house in the direction 

 to Fort Winnebago. The distance from Galena is sixty-four 

 miles, and this area embraces the present field of mining opera- 

 tions. In rapidly passing over it, mines, furnaces, dwelling* 



