LEAD MINES, &c.—BOOK tt. 
15L 
Having taken this general view, of the mines, their produce, 
&c. I shall proceed to describe the different diggings , more min¬ 
utely. I have elsewhere observed, that they are scattered over 
a tract of country about sixty miles in length and twenty-five in 
breadth, many of those in vogue a few years ago, are now aban¬ 
doned, for new discoveries. The appearance of the diggings 
which I have before partly described, is like that of small villa¬ 
ges, consisting of a collection of little cabins or huts. The dis¬ 
tance from Mine la Motte, to the Richwood mines, the one on 
the St. Francis, and the other near the Maramek, is about sixty 
miles; and from Fourche Courtois, west of the Mine a Burton 
(which I have considered as the centre) to the mines nearest the 
Mississippi, is about twenty-five miles. There is no doubt but 
that mines equally good as any that are wrought may be found 
out of this tract in every direction; even within a few miles of 
the Mississippi. Not more than four miles from that river, be¬ 
tween col. Hammond’s farm and Herculaneum, I picked up in 
the road, a large lump of ore, which had been washed out by 
rain a short time before. 
MINE A BURTON, 
Is situated on a handsome stream, a branch of Big river, and 
large enough to turn a mill the whole year. The village, which 
is much superior to those which are formed near the diggings, 
is built on either side of it. The diggings extend around it in 
every direction, but the principal, which are called the Citadel 
Diggings, are immediately west, on a high prairie. They occu¬ 
py about two hundred acres. The surface of the ground has 
been tolerably well searched; and very great quantities of lead, 
from the first discovery of this place to the present time, have 
been made: it will now be necessary to sink into the bowels of 
the earth before much more can be done : this place has been 
nearly abandoned by the common diggers. A shaft, and the first 
known in this country, has been sunk by Mr. Austin, on a part 
which falls within his concession. It is about eighty feet in depth, 
and drifts, in various directions, extend a considerable distance. 
Twenty hands, might work here at present to advantage, and 
