THE NATURALISTS’ COMPANION. 
185 
and we cannot help but lament the 
fate of our less fortunate brethren who 
sank amid its stormj^ billows. Now^ 
that w'e have succeeded so famously 
on our lirst vo^^age, we feel amply 
strong- enough to endure the trials and 
hardships of another journey, and we 
sincerely hope that all our readers will 
embark with us again. 
Among the many contributors secur¬ 
ed for the coming year, we mention 
the following gentlemen: W, R. Ligh¬ 
ten, W. G. Talmadge,Harry F. Thomp¬ 
son, George II. Berry, Warren K. 
Mooreliead, Prof. Edwin A. Barber, 
Prof. Chas. N. Bell, and W. S. Beek- 
anan. 
A great many subscriptions expire 
with this number and we hope that 
our readers will all see tit to favor us 
with a prompt renewal. The sub¬ 
scription price will remain the same 
as heretofore, 35 cents. Wishing our 
readers unbounded success, especially 
in their natural history studies, I 
remain. Yours for science, 
Chakles P. Guelf. 
The Great Mineral Region of Jas¬ 
per County, 
G. B. SrOliY- CARTERVILLE, 310, 
Jasper County^ produces more zinc 
.and lead than any other county in the 
United States, besides many^ other 
minerals. The iron pyrites found here 
are the most beautiful in the country.. 
Jasper County^ is situated in the south¬ 
western part of Mis,souri, bordering on 
the Kansas line. Here in Carterville, 
the centre ot the mining region, are 
enormous mines, also at Webb City, 
Granby, Carl Junction, Galena, Jop¬ 
lin and many other places. The ore 
is found all the way from the surface 
down, so far not over 250 feet deep, as 
they are working out the top run; af¬ 
ter a while, as it is worked out, they 
will go deeper. The lead is on top 
and the zinc is uhderneath. The way 
the mines were discovered w'as by a 
man plowing the lead up in the grass 
roots. Some men at work in the mines 
at this place found a live frog in the 
solid rock fifty feet deep. There are 
three large caves in this place, where 
3’ou can go down into the mines at any 
place. There are many evidences of 
the earthquake of 1812 around here. 
On the rivei’, about two miles from 
here, there is a ledge of rock about 
five miles long, part of it on one side 
of the river and part on the other, and 
in some places 200 feet high, which is 
a perfect labyrinth of caves, which are 
all connected together. The largest 
one is about fifty feet square at the 
mouth, and gradually slopes in for 
about 200 feet, where it gets so small 
that a man can go no farther, although 
foxe s go in and out of the whole ledge. 
Last winter some hunters built a tire 
at the mouth of one of the caA^es to 
smoke out a fox, and in about live 
minutes the animal came out of a 
round hole about 500 yards back in 
the woods, where the smoke Avas rol¬ 
ling out. The country back of the 
ledge is full of holes which are con¬ 
nected with the caA-es. About five 
miles back on the prairie is a large 
hole about twenty-five feet deep and 
lifty^ feet across, with a small hole at 
the bottom. Hunters very often run 
foxes in to it, but so far as I know no 
one has explored it. Some bo3-s and 
niy'self.are talking of doing so; if we 
do I AA'ill tell you all I can learn about 
the place. 
