SYSTEMS O F V A L L E Y S 



permit. Thus : from the Valley of Chippewa River, at the mouth of the Mani- 

 dowish, to that of the Upper St. Croix, in a direct line, and at right angles to the 

 course of the valleys, is about sixty miles ; and from the Valley of the St. Croix to 

 that in which the Mississippi flows, between the outlet of Sandy Lake and the 

 mouth of Crow Wing River, in the same direction across the strike of the valleys, 

 is about sixty-two miles ; and from this portion of the Valley of the Mississippi to 

 the next parallel valley — the one in which Leech Lake is situated — is about fifty 

 miles ; and from the Valley of Leech Lake, to the next great parallel valley north- 

 west of it — the one in which Red Lake lies — is about sixty-eight miles ; showing a 

 remarkable degree of uniformity in the undulations of the crust of the earth through- 

 out a very extensive region of country. These valleys, together with others to be 

 mentioned, may be traced by the courses of their streams for great distances, and, 

 when taken in connexion with the shores of Lake Superior, for several hundred 

 miles. 



There are three great systems of valleys in the Northwest, besides numerous 

 subordinate ones ; the valleys of each system preserving a very uniform degree of 

 parallelism with one another, and with the smaller valleys between the anticlinal 

 axes. 



The first system includes the Valley of the Chippewa, throughout nearly the 

 whole course of the river; the Valley of St. Croix River, from its source to the 

 mouth of Crow Wing River; the Valley of the Mississippi, from the outlet of 

 Sandy Lake to Crow Wing ; the Valley of Minnesota River, from its mouth to the 

 mouth of Lesueur River; the west end of Lake Superior, from Fond du Lac Su- 

 perieure to the mouth of Pigeon River, and as far as Thunder Cape ; and, north- 

 west of the Lake, the Valleys of Cloquet and Big Whiteface Rivers ; that of St. 

 Louis River, from its source to the mouths of the Two Rivers ; and of Upper Em- 

 barras River, from its source to Ininiwishtigonon Lake. The valleys of all these 

 streams run northeast and southwest. 



To these may be added, the Valleys of Illinois River, from near Hennepin to 

 Naples ; of Rock River, from its source to Grand Rapids ; of Wisconsin River, from 

 Winnebago Portage to its mouth ; of Kaskaskia River, from its source to Athens ; 

 of the Ohio River, from Beaver to the mouth of Big Sandy River, and from Law- 

 renceburgh to Cairo ; of the Mississippi, from Beaver Island to Muscatine, and from 

 the mouth of the Missouri to Herculaneum ; and of the Wabash, from its source to 

 Westport. 



The valleys included in the second system are at right angles to the first. Among 

 them may be mentioned those of St. Louis River, from Knife Portage to the mouth 

 of East Savannah River ; of the Mississippi, from the mouth of Swan River to Lake 

 Winibigoshish ; from the mouth of Clear- Water River to the mouth of Prairie a la 

 Crosse River ; and from Hannibal to the mouth of the Missouri ; of the Des Moines, 

 throughout nearly its whole course ; of Minnesota River, from its source to the 

 mouth of Lesueur River; of Crow Wing River; of large portions of Snake and 

 Kettle Rivers ; of large portions of Big Fork and Little Fork Rivers, and nearly 

 the whole of Vermilion River ; and of Pigeon River, and the chains of lakes which 



