Sauk County, Wisconsin - The whole text, 1861 (part 1 of 13)

Baraboo, Wis

The heterogeneous matter herein bound together may be of some value hereafter. Many of the items would have been buried in oblivion had "Outline Sketches" not caught them, which has been the work of almost hall" a century. The work has been one of love and pleasure, except when letter sharks for lucre have been stolen from our '-sketches" before they were complete, crippling the author, and collection of subjects. If this volume is of historic value in the years to come, the aim of the author will have been accomplished. Wm. H. Canfield.

Entered according to the act of Conyre \s, in, the year 1890, iy W. II. Canjield, in the office of the Librarian of Contrreu, at Washington."

Contents

The Cuts, Illustrations, Maps and Diagrams are in italics. Title Page, 0 To the Public, 1 Reedsburg Advertiseraets (in part) 2 *Thc Original Towns of Sauk County, 3 *Maps Showing the Towns and Townships of Sauk County and the adjoining Counties, 4 Antiquitv, § "-Outline Figure of a Skull of the Mound Builder Man, S Pluv.iok'Tica] Measurements and Character Reading of

County Reports

LS80 Meeting, June 23. Charles Hirschinger's Opening Address, Warren Cochran's Response, 1 Wni. H. Canfield, Reminiscences, 2 .Mi r. Seeley of Reedsburg, Reminiscences, 3 Second Day Opening. Prayer by Eld. Kezerta; Mr. J. Hawes, Song Composed tor and Dedicated to the Early Settlers of Sauk ' 'o., 4 Dr. ( bwles's Address of Welcome, 5 Win. Johnson's, Hubbard, Cowles - Response, C Mrs. Austin Seeley, Or Blachly, A Dr. Stary, Mrs.

1881 Meeting, at North Freedom, Pres. IS. J. Seymour Announced tin Opening and Addresse 1 the Meeting, A. Lock's Prayer, 1 Dr. Oowles's Address of Welcome, 3 Hon. Moses M. Strong of Mineral Point, Address, 4 Mr. Jeffries, Wm. Johnson, Groat - Anecdotes, 7 N. W. Wheeler, Speech, 7 L>. C . Barry of O'Brien Co., Iowa; R. P. Clement of San Francisco, Letters. Evening Story Telling, 9 i : tary's Report, 10 1 -> Meeting l( W th Fi Ion Pi -. EUinwood

ITtii Annual Meeting, held at Baraboo. Pies. D. K. Nbyes Opened the Meeting, Evening Session, Geo. Willard Re! t - the Circuit Court (at Prairie du Sac) Be; i Si ry; Edward Marsh Reads "The New Countiy" (a Poem), 2

To The Public

It is the desire of the undersigned to present a collection of historical, topographical, and physical observations and facts, relative to this portion of the countiy. It being an even period of time, when. tie United States census has been taken, and now completed, and seeing the necessity of preserving such facts and observations as have already been collected, and collecting still others, it has seemed to me appropriate now to present .to the public the following work.

The Original Towns

THE above Towns were organized at the first sitting of the board of County Commissioners after the organization of the State ^overniuent January 10th, 1849.

I shall devote a few pages to tlie antiquated humanity of the western hemisphere - to those who looked upon the same scenes we look upon, and tilled the same soil that we are tilling, and laid their bones where we must lay our own.

I have mostly quoted from such authors as have suited my views, and, perhaps, have done them injustice in eivins: so little of their labors, merely taking

(must, of necessity, be a mere syllabus. The world is now so full of available knowledge, our travelling facilities so good, that distant people become, in our imagination, our neighbors. Their widely different manners, their social life, their religion and government, become common place to our feelings and reflections. Bayard Taylor and many others, yea, almost daily visitors are telling us many things of the frigid zones, and the people who inhabit them ; while Dr. Livingston and others, are furnishing similar information relative to the torrid zones. But where is the author who can tell us about the Mound-builders who once so numerously inhabited Sauk county and the adjacent country, at least a thousand years ago I It

In now turning our thoughts to the acts of Man, we naturally look for a beginning. But -where ? "With his geological footprints I We will leave that to the geologist to explore. We next get the marks of his hands in the erection of his sepulchres, monuments, and cultivated fields. "We here are in the very midst of them. Who were, or what were the people ? and when did they exist I Were the climate, the soil, and natural productions the. same % and were they the ancestors of the present Indian races ? Did they cultivate the earth, and live a vegetarian life ? or by the chase ? These, and many other queries, naturally arise.

We will not attempt to theorize much, but give such information as we are in possession of, and shall quote largely from I. A. Laf-ham's "Antiquities of Wisconsin." This work all who are fond of such investigations should possess. It was published in June, 1S55. He commenced the work in behalf of the American' Antiquarian Society, but it was finally published by the Smithsonian Institution. Mr. Lapham made the surveys and compilation without charge or compensation, other than the incidental expenses. Surely the State cannot be ashamed of such a son.

Who were these mound-builders ? Like the Central American Indians, were they peculiar to themselves, and nothing, either in this or the eastern hemisphere, like them I After surveys and examination of works in the vicinity of Racine, Dr. Hoy says: "In conclusion I must remark that whatever be the legitimate inference drawn from similar works and remains in other places, concerning the state of civilization attained by the mound-builders, the evidence here goes to prove that they were an extremely barbarous people, in no respect superior to most of the savage tribes of modem Indians."

Mr. Lapham says : " It is not strange that changes should, from time to time, take place in the character and habits of a people so rude and so little advanced in civilization. Different tribes have different habits, and the stronger one may have overrun and swallowed up the weaker, and thus changed its customs and destroyed its institutions. In this way the mode of burial, and even the religious ceremonies, might be altered ; those of the conquerors being substituted for those of the conquered. History records many such events. The inhabitants of Egypt have ceased to build pyramids and sphinxes ; the Greeks have ceased to erect temples ; and yet we have reason to believe that their descendants occupy the same country. Is it more strange that the ancestors of the present Indians should have erected mounds of earth, than that the aborigines of any country should have had habits different from their posterity? We need not, therefore, look to Mexico, or any other country, for the descendants of the mound-builders. We probably see them in the present red race of the same or adjacent regions." "If the present tribes have no traditions running back as far as the times of Allouez and Marquette, or even to* the more recent time of Jonathan Carver, it is not strange that none should exist in regard to the mounds, which must be of much earlier date. It is by considerations of this nature, that -we

" Another fact is important in this connection. The mound-builders occupied the same localities that are now the favorite resort of the present Indians, who still often make use of the mounds for the burial of their dead. They have a kind of veneration for them, which may be the result of a lingering tradition of their sacred origin. The implements and utensils of the mound-builders were the same, in many cases, as those used by the recent inhabitants, before their intercourse with the whites ; and, as it has been quite clearly shown that the latter have, in former times, erected moimds of earth over their dead, we may consider such facts as tending to prove the unity of these people.

"It is a fact of some "importance in the deciding upon the general characteristics of the mound-builders, that they have selected the same localities as their successors, and probably for the same reasons, to wit : the greater facility of subsistence."

"It is important to determine with certainty whether the relics found buried are the work of the original mound-builders, and placed there at the time of erection of the mounds, or have been deposited subsequently. This can usually be done with a reasonable degree of certainty by one accustomed to such investigations.

Antiquity

are no original remains in the mounds of imitative form, beyond a few scattered fragments that may Lave gained a place there by accident. Many of the mounds have been entirely removed, including the earth beneath for a considerable depth, in the process of grading the streets in Milwaukee, and it is usually found that the natural surface had not been disturbed at the time of the erection, but that the several layers or strata of mould, clay, gravel, &&., are continuous below the structure as on the contiguous grounds.

" Great numbers of the smaller conical tumuli are also destitute of any remains. If any human bodies were ever buried under them, they are now so entirely 'returned to dust' that no apparent traces of them are left. If Ave assume that each mound was a place of burial, we must infer, from the absence of utensils, that the common practice of depositing with the dead the implements to be used in the other world,

!is of comparatively recent origin, since some of these, at least, would have resisted decay. The middle-sized conical mounds, and those of larger dimensions, almost always contain evidence of the deposit of one or more human bodies. These are always very much decayed, only one skull having been found sufficiently entire to enable Dr. Hoy, with much skill and labor, to restore it sutiieiently to make out its general characteristics. A tortmiate combination of circumstances had caused this preservation. The skull, and some other bones, were enveloped in a peculiar kind of clay, which seems to have possessed a preservative quality beyond that of ordinary earth, of which most of the accumulation Avas composed ; and on the very top of the mound was a large tree, which had shed oft" the rains for several' centuries. " Many peculiarities of this cranium are pointed out by Dr. Hoy. The following are its dimensions :

Longitudinal diameter, 6.8 ! Length of head & face, 8.2 Parietal diameter, . . . . 5.3 j Zygomatic diameter, . . 4.9 Occipitofrontal arch, . lu.8 > Facial angle, 70°

" To give the reader more particular information respecting the supposed characteristics of this interestingrelic of an ancient people, I have, with the assistance of a phrenological friend, prepared the following ' chart.' For the locality of the ' organs,' <fcc, reference was had to Spuuziiei.m, whose works have "become a portion of the literature of the country, and are to he found in all important libraries. Although the principles of this professed science may not be true in all their details, yet its nomenclature affords the means of presenting the conformation of the skull in a definite manner. The figure following the name of each organ, indicates its relative development ; 0 signifying deficiency, and G very full or unusual prominence.

Intellectual Organs

This chart shows that the affective, or feeling facid. ties, prevailed over the intellectual in the proportion of 4.3 to 3.0 ; and the several groups of organs are developed in the following order :

" Whether these figures can be relied upon as indicating the character and disposition of the individual to whom the skull belonged, may be doubted; though it will be perceived that their indications correspond with the general character of the aborigines, in the large cautiousness, individuality, tfcc, and the deficient constructiveness, calculation, tfcc.

"Put few implements, ornaments, or works of art of any kind, have been discovered in the mounds of AVisconsin, that could not be traced to recent Indian burials; .and yet it is certain that had they been originally de- posited, they would still be found there. The stone axes, flint arrowheads, and articles of pottery are of a durable character, and could not have decayed since the creation of the mounds. Hence Ave conclude that the more ancient mound-builders of Wisconsin were not in the habit of making such deposits."'

"During these investigations we obtained sufficient evidence to warrant hie in forming the following conclusions : The bodies are regularly buried in a sitting or partly kneeling, posture, facing the east, with the legs fixed under them. They were covered with a bark or log roofing, over which the mound was built. The apparent confusion in which the skeletons are sometimes found, is owing to their falling over at different angles at the time, perhaps, of the giving way and caving in of the temporary roofing. It is quite common to find skeletons before reaching the primitive reeepta. cle or pit. These were undoubtedly subsetptent interments, made by the modern Indians. They are in a different state of preservation, and are mostly found in an extended posture. All the primitive crania were crushed and flattened by the weight of the superincumbent materials. In two instances, however, I succeeded, by great care and labor, in restoring these flattened fragment to their original shape. One of them is described in the preceding chart." ''The two were much alike, and quite different, in several particulars, from the various Indian crania that I have examined. The zygomatic arch has not the same projection, the angle of the cheek bone is more obtuse, and the orbits .are rather less angular than in the modern Indian.

The heavy projecting jaw and the flattened occiput, are quite characteristic of these ancient mound skulls. Facial angle, 76°. Internal capacity, eighty cubic inches."

" In regard to the antiquity of the works at Racine, it may be stated that on the mound from which I obtained the pottery, there was a burr-oak stump which contained 2'jO rings, and the tree was cut ten years since, when the land was first occupied. Near this, I excavated another mound, on . the centre of which were the remains of a large stump, which must have been much older. Immediately under the stump I obtained the cranium before mentioned. A stump on the long mound, at A., (plate it.,) has 310 rings; and near by are the remains of a large tree, and an oak stump five feet in diameter. These facts indicate an antiquity of at least a thousand years.'1

" As is the. case with the works of other forms, there, are no two precisely alike in their dimensions, or in their direction with reference to the cardinal points. But it has been observed that the larger extremity, or head, is usually directed towards the south . They vary in length from one hundred to four hundred feet. Their usual height of the body may be stated at four feet, from which there is commonly a gradual diminution, both in the height and width, to the extremity. It is frequently impossible to decide exactly where it terminates,. They are almost always associated with mounds of round or oblong form, usually having about the same general direction. Where they occupy the edge of elevated ground, the head generally points obliquely towards the low ground, and the projections, or " logs," are on the side towards the ridge.

" Again, there is a succession of mounds, from the simple ridge of considerable size at one end, and gradually diminishing to a point at the other, through the intermediate forms having one, two, three or four projections, to the turtle form. In this way, also, we may trace a gradual development, so to speak, of nearly all the more complicated forms. It is not pretended to assert that this was the order in which the mounds were erected, or that the aborigines gradually acquired the art by successive essays or lessons. Indeed, we are led to believe that the more complicated forms are the most ancient.

" The relative ages of the different ivories of Wisconsin, so far they can be ascertained from the facts now before us, are probably about as follows:

" The animal-shaped mounds appear to be peculiar ti> "Wisconsin ; for the few obscure instances noticed in Ohio, by Messrs. Sqeieu and Davis, can hardly be denned an exception to this remark. They indicate a difference in the character of the people occupying these regions, but not greater than often exists between the neighboring tribes or nations."

These ancient earth-works are very abundant in Sauk county - I think more so than in any other part of the State, it being about central to the country occupied by the animal-shaped mound-builders, which is of about 150 miles circuit. They are the most abundant in the valley of the Wisconsin river, and about the Baraboo rapids. There is one fine exception, however, in the group of mounds in the town of Dellona, on section 17, town 13 north, range 5 east. It contains many mounds, in many different forms: the parallel riclge. elliptical, square and octagon inclosures containing from two square rods to nearly one acre, with single and double walls, now about two feet nigh. "Within the octagon inclosure is a pit, resembling a fallen-in well, and considerable broken pottery, etc., were found. There are animal and birdshaped mounds, and the round, or tumuli. These latter seem to be of a mo7'e recent date, from their being more acute. They are so steep that is difficult for teams to get on to them for the purpose of cultivation. Time has not yet levelled them as much as the rest.

are animal-shaped mounds inverted, i. e., animal-shaped excavations. The garden-bed mounds do not, in this county, seem to be in company with other mounds, but, so to speak, are back more in the country, i. e., back towards the head of the streams, and in regions not calculated for fishing, but agricultural purposes, as the region about Babb's prairie, and for several miles, either way, where you can find large fields of them.

These beds are about six feet wide, and from six to twelve inches high, and about one and a half feet apart, and parallel to each other. In fields of from ten to one hundred acres, the beds will have several different direction!, as if different families had cultivated each it* own field, according to the lay of the ground and the taste of its members, (and I guess they got good crops, for they here had a good soil.)

The mounds of imitative forms, and tumuli, are so plenty near the Vrisconsin river, which forms the north and east boundary of the county, that we will not describe the different groups, but say, in general terms, that they occupy the most pleasant spots along the river, such as the Indians and our own people love to occupy, except the open prairies, on which 1 do not remember to have seen any. In looking over the different groups, I have noticed that the tumuli, or sepulchral mounds, usually occupy a central part of the ground, with the beast and bird mounds, and other forms, occupying the outskirts, as though they were mock guards to the dead. One mound that I surveved several years ago, is in the shape of a night hawk, with a small flat mound under its left wing, having the bill of the bird turned towards it, as though it were tarrying it. The thought suggested itself to me that it mitrht be intended as the bearer of souls from earth to heaven. The last mound that I have made a special survey and plot of, is more interesting than any other 1 have seen. It represents a man with a, head dress on ; has arms, legs and feet. The head is towards the south ; is represented as walking, one foot being partly raised ; is 214 feet long. It is located near Jonx Wing's house, on northeast cmarter of southeast quarter, section 28, town 12 north, range 7 east. See figure 1.

If, according to Mr. Latham, the most complicated and finest of. these works, as at Aztalan, are the oldest, and their builders were the ancestors of our present race of Indians, who have degenerated to their present condition, it would seem to show that the former had emigrated hither from some other country, where they had risen to a scale at least corresponding to their works here represented. Indeed, they probably stood higher in their native soil, for all new settlements are not ecpial to their " father land;" otherwise we should see a gradation of development - the rising, as well as the falling, in these works - the advancement, as well as the degeneracy. This is in the nature of things. Nothing could exist in its highest state of perfection without a gradual development.

Lapham of a mound-builder; tlieir cfestrtrctivenesa and combativene?3 is rather small,) got possession of this region of country, and turned tlieir attention more than they were accustomed to in their native land, to the chase and fishing, but still cultivated the soil some, as seen in tlieir garden beds. These garden beds may seem to show a later date, in some instances, but as far as my observation goes, they are on grounds separate and distinct from the other mounds, and their makers probably cultivated them when the}" were burying their dead, and erecting over them the tumuli and constructing other mounds, agreeably to their religious feelings. Those of the bird form are generally represented as flying southwardly, and the animals as walking in that direction, i. e., towards their "father land ;" and, like the Chinese, they may wish, after death, to be buried in their old homes, and these imi. tative forms may have answered the ends of their religious feelings.

All their cemeteries are associated with these zoologic and ornithologic mounds. These works are extremely rude as compared with those of the Mexican Indians, but perhaps the colonies were new, and either abandoned them or were driven off before they had become rich. The Mexicans had carved on their temples, in stone, men, birds and beasts ; here are represented men, birds and beasts upon the ground,

" It will be remarked that in opening mounds and penetrating to the original deposits, but few imple. ments and ornaments of any kind are found. In this respect the Wisconsin mound-builders differ from their successors, who are in the habit of burying articles of supposed value and utility with their dead." On page 45, while speaking of the Aztalan mounds, he says: " The analogy between these elevations and the " temple mounds" of Ohio and the Southern States, will at once strike the reader who has seen the plans and descriptions. They have the same square or regular forms, sloping or graded ascent, the terraced or steplike structure, and the same position in the interior of the enclosure. This kind of formation is known to increase in numbers and importance as we proceed to the south and southwest, until they are represented by the great structures of the same general character on the plains of Mexico."

There is a passage in the observations of J. W. Boxd, in his ;' Hidory of Minnesota" page 3G0, which indicates an opposition to my theory, lie says:

"The third species of elevations which I shall no" tice, have the form of embankments, rather than mounds. They are artificial, found usually in the river

1 bottoms and low planting lands, and formed by carrying out, spring after spring, the corn roots and other trash off the fields, and piling them along the outer edsce, or on the row between two fields. In many instances of patches that have been planted for ten or twenty years previous to the introduction of the plow, I have seen these embankments from two to three feet high, and of all conceivable shapes ; some rhomboidal, some hexagonal, and some oval. I remember having noticed them first many years ago, in Little Six, where,

I presume, they may still be traced, as I am not aware that those old fields, (which were on the opposite side of the river, and about two miles below the site of the present village,) have ever been plowed. The thought has occurred to me, that perhaps some which have been regarded as Indian fortifications in other parts of the country, may have a similar origin."

I do not wish to set up any antiquarian theory, and try very strenuously to defend it, without more read ing and observation ; but this quotation from Mr. Boxd's history, I do not think is applicable to our mounds and tumuli, for many reasons before given, and others not herein given.

There are in this region, as well as the entire Northwest, numerous works that show great skill, and yet are not made by the hands of man. They are the works of the Beaver. When these animals are entirely destroyed, their works will remain for a long time to command our admiration. I have seen from five to ten dams, within a space of half a mile, upon some small spring branch, and have often noticed where they have dammed quite large streams. It would seem as though the whole country had once been alive with them.

A gentleman from Earaboo, in travelling through the northwestern portion of this State, came upon a fresh dam with an inhabited village in it. In relating what he had seen, he said :

Ajtceettt Karthu'Okk

gentleman had "bnilt dams,) for instead of building their dam at right angles with and straight across from bank to bank, they constructed it in a waved line, ob. liquely np the stream. But upon inspecting it, I recanted my opinion immediately. The philosophy that governed their action -was too apparent - it was to make a long waste-ware, for they had holes cut through every few feet, to the water's edge, that the floods might pass through in a thin sheet upon the grass, thus doing less damage than it would if it passed oft' in a body.

On a small stream emptying into the dam, they had, as far up as a grove of aspens, (three-quarters of a mile,) made 'slack water navigation,' by building dams at the recmisite distance apart, for the purpose of floating to their village their winters supply of food. In this grove the trees, from six to sixteen inches in diameter, were felled, .and cut up into pieces from four to six feet long, and floated to their village and sunk, and when the bark had become partially rotted, their food was ready. I concluded, even if I could converse .with them I could give them no better knowledge than they possessed, at least of dam building. I left with great satisfaction, having learned much, wishing them a long and happy life."

American Indians

The origin of the present American Indians has been a subject of much theorizing and speculation. I do not remember to have read any that comes so directly home, as probable conjecture on this subject, as John Y. Smith's theory, contained in his address before the Wisconsion State Historical Society, delivered in January, 1S.">9. He recapitulates, on page 150:

"First, That, with Earth and Man as they are, the dispersion of the race over the whole world would in. evitably result from placing a single human pair upon the eastern continent.

" Fourth, That these original centres were derived partly from the accidental dispersion of population through the Aleutian and other islands of the Pacific, and partly from the extreme northeast of Asia, across Bearing Straits.

countries, the former by castaways more direct from the civilized regions of Asia, by way of the northwest coast, with rare instances of castaways from Europe, who mingled their blood with the Asiatic stock, and slightly modified their manners and institution* ; and the latter by similar migrations from Asia alone, either through the north, or, more probably, the south temperate regions of the Pacific.

" Seventh, That the means by which the various centres of Indian population arrived upon this continent, as well as the incongruities observed in their ideas and institutions, while they unite in pointing to an Asiatic origin, indicate, no less distinctly, that all the Asiatic nations were represented in the formation of the Indian race, and hence, that all attempts to trace them, as a whole, to any one of them, must prove abortive.

" EiijJrfh, When we consider that as early as the time of Solomon, some of the Asiatic nations possessed sufficient knowledge of naval architecture and navigation to fit out ships for a three years' cruise, we cannot avoid the conclusion that many instances of castaways upon this continent must have occurred before population could have had time to extend itself t> the extreme northeast of Asia and across Behring Straits, or by induction from island to bland, across the Pacific to the American coast."

It will not be compatible with my design to support these propositions by many or very lengthy quotation*, but recommend all who have not already read it, to get and give it a careful peiusaL general facts of tlieir foreign origin, their migration' "by water, and subsequent journeyings southward along the shores of the Pacific, are well established by their pictorial writings and charts, which, by the aid of Aztec instructors, the Spanish conquerors learned to decipher. The Aztecs also kept chronological records by tying sticks in bundles, by cycles, and by these it has been ascertained, with a reasonable degree of certainty, that they landed on the continent between the years 103S and 1064. But the Aztec were by no means the original inhabitants, and hence have been denied the title of Aborigines. They were preceded by the Toltecs, and they by the Oknecs, the farthest glimmerings of whose history come down to us, almost from the commencement of the Christian era." - National and Tribal Hldory. .

" The tradition of the appearance, from time to time, of remarkable personages, so different in appearance, and so superior in knowledge to the races among whom their lot was cast, should not be regarded as mere Indian myths.

" The discovery has been made, in one of the central counties of this State, of an image, carved in marble, found in the earth, about a foot below the surface. The head was broken off, but otherwise the relic was perfect. It was presented to the State Historical Society by lion. Levi Hubbell, and may be seen in the Society's rooms." " Prof. J. M. Ja.misox, of Carroll College, formerly a Missionary, pronounces it an image Budh, which the Budhists of China and Burmah, and the Jain sect of India worship.''

Baraboo, a relic which I should think might be here described as additional proof on this subject. It was deposited by Tyler F. Ayeks, and was found by him when a boy, in his fathers garden, town of Peru, Clinton county, New York. It is a small female figure, in a sitting posture, upon a globe of six inches diameter. The globe was broken, and it is now placed upon a wooden one of the same diameter, as a substitute. It is afac-simile, or nearly so, of one found in Michigan, and described in the Genesee Farmer, of 1837, as follows :

" We have now before us a very curious and interi esting specimen of ancient art, presented to us by a friend, the work, probably, of a people who inhabited this country previous to the present race of aborigines; for it displays a perfection in the arts far surpassing the rude state in which they at present exist among this people.

This relic Avas found in Michigan, in one of those ancient fortifications which are scattered over our conn try. It is a piece of sculpture, the material of which resembles, somewhat, black slate, but is as hard as flint. A knife will make no impression upon it. It evidently must have been carved when in a softer state than the present. It was, probably, formed of some earthy material into proper consistence to be cut, and then hardened by baking.

" The figure is that of a female, sitting on the ground, in an attitude and air of sadness and despon. dency, leaning her head upon the back of her left hand, the elbow resting upon a small vessel in the form of a cask ; the light hand resting on the knee, and holding something which appears to have engrav- ed on it some 'written characters, but which, are too small and indistinct to enable us to discern their form. Over the head is thrown a loose drapery, falling down upon the shoulders and hack, leaving the left arm, on which she reclines, and the left breast, naked, but folding across, in graceful folds, over the right arm and breast, and covering the. front part of the figure. On the fore part of the head, which is not covered by the drapery, the hair is gracefully parted, and a portion of it hangs down in tresses upon the left breast. The little cask on which she leans, shows the staves in regular order, with three hoops at the top, and two at the bottom. The head of the cask comes up even with the chime", and seems to be formed of narrow strips, like the staves ; on the fore pan of the cask there appears to have been something attached like a handle, but of what form is not distinguishable, as a portion of the front part of the figure is broken off. Around the cask lengthwise, over the hoops, passes something like a band, which was designed, perhaps, for the purpose of carrying it. From the size of the vessel, compart'! with that of the figure, we should judge its use was to carry water.

Every part of the figure and its appendages is very distinct, and the sculpture admirably performed, and yet the whole height, by exact measurement, is but one inch and one eigJitJt. The head, which displays very perfectly the features, and even a countenance indicative of wo. is not larger than a good Sized pea. What this tiny figure was meant to represent, when was the age in which it was made, and who were the people whose ingenious artists could produce such

" Col. Ciiari/es Hamilton Smith, of Edinburgh, in his treatise on the Natural History of the Human Species, suggests that the Chichemecs were from the Aleutian Islands - understanding the word eaves as a figure, denoting vessels or canoes. Mr. Schoolcraft addressed a letter to Lieutenant Maury, asking his opinion on this point, and several others relative to the navigation of the Pacific and Polynesian waters by means of the rude vessels of early ages. In his reply, to which we have before alluded, this scientific navigator says :

" At page 261, the Colonel had a stronger case than he supposed. The Aleutians of the present clay actually live in cares or subterranean apartments, which they enter through a hole in the top. They are the most bestial of the species."

" You wish me to state whether, in my opinion, the Pacific and Polynesian waters could have been navigated in early times, supposing the winds to have been as they now are, iu balsas, floats, and other rude vessels of the early ages (

" Yes ; if you had a supply of provisions, you could run down the trades in the Pacific on a log. There is no part of the world where nature would tempt savage men more strongly to launch out upon the open sea, with his bark, however frail.

"Most of the islands are surrounded by coral reefs, between which and the shore the water is as smooth as a mill-pond. The climate and the fish invite the savage into the water ; and the mountains which separate valley from valley, make it more easy for the natives to go from valley to valley by water than by land ; for the scoria? upon the mountains, with the bramble by the way, offer barriers to those naked people which are almost impassable; On the other hand, there is the refreshing water, the smooth bay, the floating loo-, or even the unhiisked cocoa-nut to buoy him alon<T. I have seen children there, not more than three years old, swimming off to the ship with nothing but a cocoanut to hold by. This voyage accomplished, (from one part of an island to another), there is the island in the distance to attract and allure ; and the next step Avould be - if we imagine an infant colony on an island of a group - to lit out au expedition to some of those to leeward. The native then finds a hollow log split in two. Like children here, he has dammed up his little mountain streamlet with a dam of clay across. He does the same with his trough, kneeding the clay and making a dam with it across either end. He puts in a few cocoa-nuts, a calabash of water, breaks a green branch tlrick with foliage, sticks it up for a sail, and away he goes before the wind, at the rate of three or four miles an hour. I have seen them actually do this. * * * * But by some mishap, in the course of time, his frail bark misses the island or falls to leeward ; the only chance then is to submit to the winds and waves, and go where they will bear."

" Lieutenant Mauey then remarks that the Pacific Islander very soon gets above the use of such rude contrivances, and describes their method of constructing canoes that will carry twenty persons, or more.

Aaeerican Indians

pear to relate particularly to the islands in warmer latitudes of the Pacific ; but by similar means the Aleutian chain, partly by accident and partly by design, would inevitably be reached, one after another, by people from the northeast of Asia, till the whole

[chain would be traversed, and the continent at length reached. Thus the Aleutian chain may have furnished numerous centres of population on the continent - not immediately Asiatic, but of Asiatic origin, and having become thoroughly savage in the long period of many generations required for their dispersion through the whole chain of the American coast, and the winds and currents forbidding all return, by any process known to them, it is not strange that the exis-

" Another natural channel of migration from the rude tribes of the extreme northeast of Asia, is Behring Straits. Some Avriters have regarded this as the derived, and have looked no further. That it was one of the routes by which the Indian fathers reached the continent, these can no longer exist a reasonable doubt. Lieutenant Malp.v, in the letter before quoted, says:

" ' Captain Ray, of the whale ship Superior, fished two years ago ^184's) in Behring Straits, and saw canoes going from one continent to the other.'

"If this was done in 1S4S, it may have been done in 14S as well. But it would not naturally take place until population had been pushed to the extreme north- oast of Asia. Migration by this route, was, most probably, first by accident, and afterwards by design ; and yet, the barbarous people having no conceptions of the nature of their discovery, or that they had discovered a new continent at all, the knowledge of it would not be likely to find its way back through the intervening barbarous hordes, to the civilized portions of Asia. But to conclude that this is the only route by which Asiatics could have reached the continent, would be as unphilosophical as it is inconsistent with well known facts. It was, doubtless, one, and only one, of several ways by which the American continent was furnished with its numerous centres of population."

We will content ourselves with these few extracts from lion. John Y. Smith's relative to the origin from which our aborigines came, and compile a few extracts of history relative to the occupants after the Avhite man knew them.

Eev. Alfred LbuNsox, formerly Indian Agent, in his article in the fourth volume of the Wisconsin State Historical Sqcietijs Collections, says:

" The earliest inhabitants of the territory now included within this State, of whom we have any positive knowledge, were the ancestors of the present Indians of this vicinity; and from the best lio-ht I have been able to ascertain upon the subject from Indian traditions and the earliest history of the country, the Dacotahs, or Sioux, were the occupants and owners of the soil of what is now our entire State, together with Minnesota and the northern parts of Iowa and Illinois. This occupancy we can trace back for about two hundred and fifty vears.

Americas Endiass

" Among tlie most prominent, and, indeed, the second in importance of antiquity of the Indians found in what is now Wisconsin, were the Chippewas, the chief or principal nation of the Algonquin or Algic race. Their proper name is Ojebewa. Their original location was Canada, over the entire region of which they seem to have spread their cohorts, totems, conquests' and villages. It is said by some that they J came from the west, down the north side of the great Lakes and drove the occupants of Canada south of the St. Lawrence river. At what period they commenced to encroach upon the territory of the Dacotahs, is not known to history, hut it appears to have been as early as the year 1G00 of the Christian era.

" They traveled mostly in canoes, following the. lakes, straits and rivers, making portages where their course was obstructed by tails, and across the intervening lands between lakes and water courses. They first crossed the straits at St. Mary and Mackinaw, and then worked their way south by slow degrees, having to contend with the Sioux at every advanced step. They worked their way to Green Bay, and even south of it, and to La Pointe, and the head waters of the St. Croix, Chippewa, and Wisconsin rivers, prior to 1G6S, but were driven all back as far as St. Mary's in 1670, and hence, as Shea says, our northeastern border and northwestern Michigan was the area of the first meeting of the Algic and Dacotah races. Here clans of both their wide spread families met and mingled at a very early period : here they first met in battle, and mutually checked each other's advance.

" The Sacs and Foxes probably left the Wisconsin river in 1766, and commenced their settlement at Rock Island. Their alliance was in 1 7G0 or 1761, by some authorities, and as early as 1GSG by others. The confederated tribe #iis driven from Green Bay up Fox river, and from thence to the Wisconsin and Mississippi. Carver found them, the Sacs at Sauk Prairie, the Foxes at Prairie du Chien, in 17GG, five or six years after the formation of the alliance. The Sacs are also known as the Sauk or Saukees.

"The next tribe in point of importance in early occupancy of our State, was the Winnehagos. But there is so much discrepancy in dates on the origin and numerical strength of this tribe, that, if I had not seen them myself, J should almost doubt their existence. One thing, 1 think, is well settled, and that is, they are not of the Algic race. Some of Shea's authorities found them at (been Bay as early as 1G39. ^V innebago is the name given them by the Al^ic or Algonquins, which means ' fetid.' It was because they were said to have come from the salt water, which the Indians style fetid water. This name, however is coiTupted. Weene means filthy, or fetid, be, water, go, gives its character. Wecn&bt-go is the name of the water in a marsh that is scented or filthy, and the Algic race gave this people this name because they were said to have come from the salt water, or marshes. They called them a Dacotali tribe, probably, because they were at peace with the Daeotahs ; but, as there is no analogy between their lan-ma^es, there is

American Indian'S

" The "Winnebagos, ever since their ingress into this country, have been a despised people by the Indian races and whites, their character being sly, underhanded, treacherous and cowardly."

" The same author says : ' The eastern portion of what is now Wisconsin being the common battle ground between the Dacotahs (Sioux) and Algic races, it is probable that the former, as an act of kindness to a wandering, homeless people, and as a matter of policy on their part, gave the "Winnebagos the country between them and their enemies.' lie says there is 1 strong reason to believe that they were driven from Mexico upon the approach of the Spaniards. They

"When Cauvt.r visited the Winnebagos, in 1766, they had left Green Bay, and were residing on Fox river and the lake which bears their name, and after the Sauk and Foxes had left the Wisconsin river, the Winnebagos occupied that region, where the present white population found them, and whence they were removed when taken from the State to Iowa."

" Jonx Metcalf, who now resides at Upper Mills, Baraboo, and has been acquainted with the Winnebagos from before the Black Hawk war, at Helena, says, from inquiries frequently made, he learned that they came from the south - below the Missouri river ; that they obtained the privilege from the Sacs and Foxes to locate upon the Wisconsin river for a few years only, until they could recruit, as they had

Relative to their disposing of these lands and their removal, an article published in the Sauk County Standard, December 19th, 1850, says, in describing the Baraboo Valley :

'_' For at least many years before their removal, the Winnebagos made choice of this valley for their home. Here, within a distance of three miles, were their villages, four in number, and there, near our village, was their council house. On these rapids were their fisheries, from which they obtained some of their supplies. There, on the south side of the river, only a league distant, were their sugar camps - groves composed almost entirely of the sugar maple. I never beheld handsomer. They are nearly girdled down by their frequent tappings. T1il.sc small prairies and frequent thickets on the north side of the river, made fine haunts and green pastures for deer and small game, as well as the lordly elk. On the range of bluffs, between this place and the Wisconsin river on the south, on those heavy oak ridges, are fields well calculated for the bear. AVas there ever a country better calculated for the Indian to enjoy his life according to his own peculiar nature and habits? But alas! that fell destroyer of his social and religious happiness, as well as his moral being - Civilization - a word that comes to his understanding as - do ye to others what you can that is bad, and do ye not unto others any good acts -which you would have done to yom'selves. The crafty white man held out the bait, the trappings of his art, and their gaudy show dazzled the judgment of a majority of their rulers, for which they sold their birthright and the bones of their fathers, to their superior and much civilized white brethren. At this move the tribe in general, together with one of their chiefs, (Dandy,) remonstrated. He would not sign the treaty, and objected to leaving the country, hut was, with the rest of the tribe, forced to leave for their new homes west of the Father of "Waters, and several hundred miles north of their present location. He, with his adherents, returned, and were, by the United States dragoons, hunted up and again removed; but they again returned, and for the last year have been upon the border of our settlement, doing no one any harm except in the imagination of some softbrained men, who sometimes succeed in getting the women a little excited.

"After the Winnebago treaty was ratified, those wayward and resistless pioneers, waiting to have a new field opened for their enterprise, immediately took possession of their cornfields and gardens. This very much annoyed the Indians, and, to use the words of one of those pioneers as related to the writer, ' they would make up all kinds of faces, and call me all the hard names they could think of - blackguard and make sport of me, and even threatened to kill me, and I thought sometimes they would ; but I told them they dare not injure me, or any thing I had; if they did, every Indian of the tribe would be hung." This man could speak their language with as much fluency as his own, and therefore understood all they had to say to him perfectly well. It is a saying that ' men brought up in the woods are not to be frightened by owls,1 and I would say of these early settlers, by Indians, either.

" 1 he time fixed upon for their removal, was the 12th day of May, 1849 - a day that will long be remembered by the AVinnebagos, the real test to their feelings not having come till then. To leave the graves of their friends, (which, to an Indian, is no light matter,) the haunts of their younger days, a country to which they might well have become attached - all these things were brought fresh to their minds on the morning of the 12th, by the United States dragoons being present to assist in their removal ; and, said an eye -witness, their lamentations and cries were heard yet while out of sight ;' and, said the same person, ' there was not a member of their tribe, save some of their chiefs, who would not have given all they possessed to have the bargain made by them recanted. But our Christian mode of making treaties with the Indians is to get some kind of a bargain with some or all their chiefs, and then show them the sword and a map of the country west of the Mississippi, and the Indians have learned to understand the rest."

" For many years prior to IS 24, the northern portion of Wisconsin was occupied by the Winnebagos, Menominees, Ghippewas, and some Pottawatamies. The two first named tribes owned nearly all the country in the present State, lying on Lake Michigan and the Mississippi, Wisconsin, Fox and Wolf rivers. The Winnebagos on the west side of Winnebago Lake, and the Upper Fox and the Wisconsin Rivers. The Menomonees on the east side of the Lake, Fox and Wolf rivers, Green Bay ami the west shore of Lake Michigan. Both of these tribes were then powerful, and held in great awe by the few white inhabitants then in this country. The Winnebagos, in 1824, numbered, perhaps, upwards of six thousand. The Menomonees between three and four thousand. Their character and habits difter very essentially. The former tribe, although they could scarcely be called either brave or "warlike, were yet worse - they were cruel and treacherous ; and would much rather dispatch an enemy in secret ambush, than face him in fair and equal combat. They were friendly to the British, ami for many years were their pensioners, going openly every year to Canada to receive their pres- ents from the British Government. They hated the Americans, and in the war of 181 2, espoused the cause of the former, and proved the most sanguinary foes of the United States troops in the battles of the Thames and lliver Raising and in the massacres at Mackinaw, Chicago, and other places. Even in later years, they viewed the citizens with suspicion, and kept them in constant fear ; and it is well known that they not onlyinstigated the Sacs and Foxes, in the Black Hawk Avar, to commence hostilities, but participated in their battles. But these were not the worst features in the character of the tribe. They possessed vices of a more mean and groveling nature - they united the art of stealing to that of lying. If they could catch the traveler's horse, or lay hands upon any of his baggage or property, it was appropriated at once to their own use. It would seem that they even trained their miserable dogs to steal, as I experienced on more occasions than one, when the whelps eat the strips of ran) hide attached to the oars of the boat or canoe, whileencamped at night near one of their villages. Their lying propensities were proverbial, and if the traveler ever made inquiry of any of their tribe for information about his route or about the country, he could only be sure of being right by acting contrary to their suggestions and answers.

" Far different were the characters and habits of the Menomonees. As a tribe, they practiced neither of the low vices of thieving or lying. Unhke their neighbors, Avhose characters I have just portrayed, they were neither treacherous nor belligerent. Always friendly to the whites, they gained the friendship and confidence of the latter, 'if is true, that during the war of L812, this tribe, together with all the northern and western tribes, joined the British, and fought under their standard; but this must be attributed to thefact that the whole of this northwest was, at that period, in subjection to that power, rather than the inclination of the Menomonees, who -were induced to believe that the Government of the United States was entirely unable to keep possession of the country, and protect the Indians in their rights."

I find, in J. Wesley Bond's History of Jfinnesota, page 211, a few items relative to the. Winnebagos, must- be particularly interesting to us who live upon lands bought of them, and upon their village sites, where their " fires are hardly yet extinguished."

" The Winnebago Agency is located about forty miles back from the Mississippi river, on Long Prairie river, about 1-10 miles north from St. Paid. Long Prairie is about sixteen miles long, and, on an average, one and a half miles wide, stretching from the northeast to the southwest, and from the high and central location of the Agency buildings lying around it, presents a highly picturesque and agreeable view. This tribe numbers about 2,500 souls. The first recorded treaty by the United States with this tribe, was made in 1S1G. They were again included in a treaty made at Prairie du Chien in 182o; and at the same place, in the year 1S20, another treaty was made with them by which they received $30,000 in goods, and $18,000 annuity for thirty years, and 3,000 pounds of tobacco and 50 barrels of salt, annually, for the same period. And again, they treated in 1 H32, with an annuity of $10,000 for twenty-seven years, with astipulation to establish a boarding school for them at Praire du Chien, for the same period, at an annual cost of $3,000, and §3,700 more, annually, for farmers, blacksmiths, physicians, (fee. They also made a treaty at Washington, in the year 1S37, by which they sold all their lands east of the Mississippi

Amehicax Ixdiaxs

Under tliis latter treaty, the Government paid $200,- 000 in liquidation of their debts ; $100,000 to their relatives of mixed blood ; expended $7,000 for their removal west ; gave them -$50,000 in horses and goods, and paid for provisions, erecting a grist mill, breaking and fencing grounds, and incidental expenses, the sum of $43,000. It was also agreed to pay them, annually, for twenty-two years, §10,000 in provisions, §20,000 in goods, §20,000 in money, and §5,000 to be devoted to education, agriculture, &c'. They made a treaty at Washington City, in 1846, by which they agreed to move to the Upper Mississippi, and which they did in 1S4S. In this last treaty, they disposed of all their interest or claim in any lands whatever, on condition that the United States should give to them ' a tract of -country north of the Minnesota and west of the Mississippi river, of not less than 800,000 acres, and pay them §100,000 for the following purposes, to wit: To liquidate their debts, for their removal and subsistence, for breaking and fencing lands at their new home, and including §10,000 of it for manual labor schools, and §5,000 for grist and saw mills. The balance, being §85,000, is to remain in trust with the United States at five per centum, for thirty years, and the interest thereon is to be paid to the tribe yearly.'

" It is a lamentable fact that the educated of this tribe are the most worthless, which clearly shows that they should first be taught to labor and acquire prop-- erty, after which they will see not only the use, but the necessity, of becoming educated.

" It is to be hoped that they may yet become a civilized people. They raised, last year, on Long Prairie, the following quantities of produce :

" The crops at this Agency are unusually good, and the Indians cannot want for food. They have assisted in plowing, planting, and harvesting. Those that have horses, put up hay enough to keep them through the winter. I find that they are not only disposed, but anxious to work ; and many of them will do as much work in a day, as a laboring man among the whites."

The United State3 will have paid the AYinnebagos, in the space of thirty years, nearly two and a half miliums of dollars, or an average of nearly one hundred dollars per head.

There are marks of Indian corn fields in almost every part of the comity, the most extensive of wliich are at the Sauk villages. There are here, in one body, some five hundred to one thousand acres that were the fields of the Sauk and Foxes. Their fields were beautifully located, as are the present white people's villages upon them.

Second Sketch

We shall not in the subsequent Sketches follow a chronological order particularly, or make an attempt to follow closely any system or order. There will undoubtedly be matter considered that might have been left out, and that left out which ought to have been considered. There must in the very nature of things, be errors committed and blunders made.

We shall consider our descriptions, first - topographically, then chorographically, i. e., particular descriptions of the County in sketches, and then as a whole.

The natural topography of a country is divided into basins, tables, hills, mountains, bluffs, (a Western term,) ledges, precipices, etc., forming the contour; and

A Sew Antiquarian Observation

Since the first Sketch of " Outline Sketches of Sauk County" was issued, Avdbsw noDOETT, of Kingston, has shown me a stone *> by t> inches at one end, and four by 8 inches near the other. This end is brought by a short bevil on its four sides nearly to a point. It is «i feet lomr, and is a straight, handsome rectangled stone from the quartiile rock of the Baraboo Bluffs. It was taken from the breast of an animal shaped mound, and would seem to have been placed there at its erection. It stood nearlv in a perpendicular position, inclining a little to the South-west. The broadest end, which was pointed, stood about up'.n the original surface of the ground, and the other end was exposed above the mound al«.ut a toot. Me. II. has it lying by hi« door yard gate for the inspection of the curious.

Q'.'Ear. - Was this, stone placed there as a grave-stone by those ancient mound building people:' Was it pnrposelv inclined Suiith-wesiwardiy in the same direction thai most of the animal shaped mounds are headed? ll is located »a the N. K. quer. ler of the S. E. quarter of section *, Town 1U, North, Range 6, East.

into water-courses and stationaiy bodies of water, - the arterial ; vegetation, the botany ; the material of all earthy substance, its mineralogy, and the classification of its rocks its geology.

The association being different in different places - ever varied and varying, makes this handy-work of nature the most interesting of studies, and its topogra phy a colossal subject to handle, even by the most learned; yet there can be a few abstractions made that all can understand.

That portion of Sauk County first occupied by white men should be called the Sauk Prairie Basin. It extends from the East side of the County, at the Columbia County line to the mouth of Honey Creek, and lies upon the Wisconsin River, extending back to the Baraboo Bluffs, an average width of about three miles by twenty in length. Like other portions of country, it has a complexion and physiognomy (so to speak,) peculiar to itself. There is, however, near the Eastern end a creek crossing it, having its source near the Lake of the Bluffs, and is supposed to carry oft' the surplus water of that Lake by an underground passage which breaks out in large springs about two miles distant from it. This is a small creek discharging at its mouth about 50 to 75 inches of water. The water is very pure and I believe quite soft. It lias not much of a valley or basin, and does not change the general character of the Sauk Prairie basin above described.

This basin of country is supplied with many excellent natural elements. The Baraboo bluffs on the north, ern side afford numerous springs and rivulets of soft water, and are timbered with a growth of large white oak (but already most of it is in the shape of fences, buildings, <fcc, in this basin below). Upon the South and East side of it, it is not only watered by the Wisconsin River, but reaps a benefit by its being a navigable stream. At the upper end and next to the bluffs, clay is the predominating soil, particularly so, next to the bluffs. At the lower end and near the Honey Creek valley, sand predominates, and the soil is less productive. There is about two square miles here that the soil is poor, but the conditions for improving it are complete ; it being in the vicinity of the towns, where manures are plenty; and owned in small tracts, and also near the hay marshes of Honey Creek, makes its renovation more easy and sure than if located at a more distant part.

Most of this basin is gently undulating except the lower end, which is quite level. The upper end is timbered with white, black, and burr oak. Sauk Prairie occupies most of the lower end, but for half a mile from the river, and also from Honey Creek marshes, it is timbered with burr and black oak.

There are no valuable minerals within this basin, although lime is procured from the bluffs adjoining. These bluffs back from Sauk Village furnish a superior building stone from their cap, which is a ealciferous magnesian lime rock, king in strata from 4 to S inches thick. They have a yellow tinge, some quite a cream color, others lighter (all from the same quarries,) and when artistically arranged in the front of buildings and stuccoed between the joints, make a plea-ant appearance. There are many handsome buildings already built of it in this valley. The stone dresses easily, the face scarcely needing the chisel applied at all, and breaking very square and nice. These quarries are an immense source of wealth to this region, as from the ease of procuring and using the stone, it must ever form almost the entire building material.

Its geology consists of Potsdam sand stone as the untying rock, covered to a great depth with drift sand, pebbles and boulders. I am not aware that it has been struck by digging wells, although shafts have been sunk to the depth of a hundred feet and over. There is no rock in place within the basin. From the bluffs there crops out this sand rock capped with the lower inagnesian lime rock, quartzite slate and talcose slate. (The quartzite slate <fcc. will be more particularly described in another sketch, as it does not belong to this basin.)

Sauk Prairie occupies about twenty-two of the sixty square miles which the basin contains. It has two square miles of poor soil, and about three or four more that pays but a small profit for cultivation ; the remaining eighteen are of excellent 'soil, being second to but little in the State. The aspect and scenery are beautiful. There are many points where fine views can be had, but none hardly equal to that from Prospect Hill, on the opposite side of the river from Upper Sauk Village. From here can be seen much of the artificial as well a9 natural topography of the neighborhood.

The Kee-hrsa-ra , the Indian name for the Wisconsin river, and signifying in their language, '' River of flowery banks," which is about \ of a mile in width at this place, flows at your feet, fading away among the many islands in the distance, both up and down the stream, with several points of bold and bald bluffs look- ing down into the valley, and sometimes into the river. The fall of the river from Portage to its mouth, is 2^ feet per mile, while that of the Mississippi is hut Clinches per mile from the mouth of the Ohio to St. Paul, including its two rapids. (Geological report of Iowa.) But in comparing this and other branches with the bluffs. Upon your left, and partly behind you, the bluff sides are profitably cultivated to the grape. One vineyard, that of Mr. Kehl, will make this season 20 barrels of wine, besides selling a large quantity of the fruit. This is the largest plantation, but Mr. Hurley is the pioneer grape man. In this vicinity there are several quite extensive vineyards. Upon the river you see steamboats, and see it spanned by two bridges, one at each town. Where but 23 years ago, the Indians were lords, of the soil, there are within the town of Prairie du Sac, on an area of 31 square miles, all within sight, 380 dwellings and 1,900 inhabitants. Upon this prairie, then, so beautifully clothed in myriads of flowers of every shape, shade and color,* and the luxu. riant grasses, - you see a plaid work of farms striped byroads and dotted with buildings. The high chimneys indicating steam propelled machinery ; you see in each village steamboats lying upon the river and people moving in all directions. To the South-west of you, at the lower end of the prairie, and li mil«s from the mouth of Honey Greet, you see a prominent point of bluff that forms a land mark of the country. At its base the creek is dammed. At the East of the dam the fine flouring mill of Messrs. Meeeihew, Eowkll ct Co. stands. It is 32 by 50 feet, is built of the magnesian lime stone from the top of this bluff, and has four run of stone at present. There is also a shed built for feeding teams in, which is the first appendage of the kind in the County. In 1859 the flour made at this mill took the first premium at the State Agricultural Fair. The creek here furnishes about 1,000 inches of water - calculated on the edge of the dam. At the West end of (he dam stands the old mill, now used for chopping and coarse grinding. Itcrus Mereihetv is now the active man of the firm, and a man who prides himself much in the milling business. Here was the first dam built in the County. ' Robert Bryant built it in 1S41 and got his saw mill running in 1S42, but it never did much business. He sold to II. B. Staines who put into operation a pair of 2.s inch burr stones and a shaking bolt.. This bolt was some two feet wide and eight feet long, placed in an inclined position - the ground wheat falling on the upper end, and the bran running off at the lower end. This mill was a little improvement on " Uncle Bill's" - \V.\r. Johnson's - big coffee mill. But we would sometimes have to wait a day or two before getting our small grist, and tend mill ourselves. It required more than common honesty to toll our own ^rist. Staines sold to Mix, who put up a respectable building and pot to -work two pair of 30 inch burrs with smut mill and other usual fixtures appertaining to a custom mill. "Wilsox was the next proprietor, J. R. "Woodr.iFF next, Henry Howell next, then Meroihew & Rovvell, who built the new mill shown in the engraving, and lastly its present firm.

From the favorable locality of this mill, it has always all the custom work it can do. Since the completion of the new mill it has done a good deal of flouring.

Of the 31 miles (19,840 acres) area of this town, 5,201 acres are under cultivation or nearly one-fourth its surface. (In quoting from the United States census report of the Southern Assembly District, made by Stephen B. Dillet, Deputy Marshal, it must be a pleasure to all to learn that he did his work of taking it, to the letter of the law.)

Of the population GS7 are from the German States, 75 from other foreign countries, S2 from New Hampshire, 79 from Vermont, 116 from Xew York, 352 born in Wisconsin and the remainder divided among the other States of the Union.

There were grown in 1S59, 23,7G4 bushels of wheat, 18,085 bushels of Indian corn and 15.G18 bushels of oats. The next year, which will long be remembered for the abundance of our crops, there were raised from nearly the same number of acres, 50,109 bushels of wheat, 30,832 bushels of corn, and 23,G63 bushels of oats. (See Town xYssessor's agricultural statistics.)

The three Villages of this town are very pleasantly located upon the Wisconsin river, and are within two miles up and down the river, and at some future dav will be united into one town. There are now two Post Offices, - one at Sauk City and the other at the village of Prairie du Sac. There was formerly a good deal of antagonism existing between these two places; Upper town being settled principally by Americans, and Lower town by Germans. They are, however, now good neighbors, and entertain a friendly feeling towards each other.

Sauk City, the lower town, now contains about 1,000 inhabitants. It has (now being completed) a stone School blouse 40 by 60 feet, a Catholic Church 90 by 129 feet, (see engraving), a tree Congregational Hall 20 by 40 feet, 3 Taverns, G Dry-Goods Stores, which sell $65,000 worth of goods per year, 1 Hardware Store that does a heavy business for a country town, 2 Druggists, 4 Breweries, 1 Distillery, that does a small business, for all Germans when they come to town to trade must have their lager beer, - 6 Shoemakers, 4 Black, smiths, 2 Wagon makers, 1 Jeweler, Wekneb, an old resident, 1 Tobacconist and a Furnace. - See engraving. It is now double as large as shown in engraving and propelled by steam. There are a corresponding number of artisans and professional men. There is about $75,000 worth of merchandise sold annually. There is a bridge across the river which is 1020 feet long, built nearly on the Hall plan, and is a fine and substantial truss work ; and a Bank, that withstands the pressure of the times. There is a collection of about -300 specimens of natural history ; about 250 specimens of different species of stuffed birds which were collected mostly in and about this neighborhood, and constitute perhaps four-fifths of such as inhabit, as well as those that frequent this State. It is truly interesting as well as instructive to look upon so large a collection made mostly in our neighborhood, and notice the great variety of plumage, the many different and singular forms. We often ask in looking at them, is it really true that this bird and that bird inhabited Sauk County. This region of Country has some rare specimens of ornithology. This collection is the property, and was made by Charles Destn-gee, a German gentleman. From the fact of their being put up neatly, accurately and Avith an air of life-like appearance, they are valuable to the student and an ornament to the County - there will be a list prepared for our future sketches by ^ - an experienced taxidermist and ornithologist. There is a German newspaper printed here, the first copy of which was issued by Lochixe, as printer, and C. Dunn, editor, Not. 23, 1S53. It came into the hands of its present owners in October 1856 ; L. Cetjsius printer, H. Kleestei.l editor. Its name is Pioneer Am "Wisconsin - in English, Pioneer on the Wisconsin. It now has a circulation of 350 and is doing a good living business.

Second Sf.5Tci1

This is strictly a family boarding school, under th» immediate supervision of Professor IT. J. Turner, formerly of Utiea, Xew York. French is the common language spoken in the family. It was opened at Sauk City in the spring of 1854, and averages about thirty students from some of the best families in the State.

"William II. Clark, more familiarly known as Major Clark, located here as a lawyer, in the spring of 1S4l'. He boarded with Esquire Alban, and I believe had his study and office in the Esquire's Log House chamber, and of course was the first lawyer in the County. James S. Albax became his student at law on rainy and other leisure days. He moved into Sauk County December 21, 188B, crossing the river on the ice. His family consisted of his wife and three children.

(His wife who had been in poor health died shortly after her arrival. She had the reputation of being an excellent woman. Consequent upon his circumstances, Mr. Alban labored at various kinds of manual labor. He could shell out rails equal to " Old Abe," and has

He has been twice elected to the Senate of this State, is Probate Judge of Portage County, and has just received the appointment of Colonel of the ISth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers.

There is one class of seventeen members in this and opper town Village, of "Albrights," from Jacob Albright, a Pennsylvania!!, who founded this sect. Their cornet corporate name is " Evangelical Association of Nurth America," and another class of nineteen, back at the Honey Creek bluil's. There, is but a slight difference between this sect and the Methodist.

There is a sect of "Atheists" also. They first styled . themselves ''Humanists" and held their first meeting at Sack City, October 24, 1S42. They were incorporated, however, by the name of "Free German Association of Sauk County," June 3, 1853. There are 70 families in all who are associated together of this creed; 20 in this town, 35 in Honey Creek and 15 in Mirrimack. They met with violent opposition at first from other sects, especially the Catholics, whose desire to persecute only strengthened them the more. Their members constitute, to say the least, a very respectable portion of the community, and their meetings are marked 'with civility and decorum. They employ a salaried speaker. Charles Durij, now deceased, was their first speaker and Edward Shroeter their present speaker. The lectures are upon some science or biography, or any subject the speaker may consider useful. Declamation by young men after speaking and singing, constitute their services. Feasts, dancing, and amusements are also participated in on Sunday.

The following is a short sketch of the history and .origin of the Roman Catholic Church, at Sauk City, as furnished by Rev. F. H. Weixii.vkt :

" In the month of September, A. D., TS45, there came the first Priest and Missionary, Rev. Adelbert Inama, of Tyrol, io this place. With the then small congregation of eight families lie built a frame Church 20 by 36 feet, which, however, scarcely completed, after the first service was held therein, accidentally became a spoil of the flames.

'- Jn the year 1847, the Rev. A. Inama, who then re moved about three miles East of Sauk City, with the intent to found a congregation there also, (in which he succeeded beyond all expectation, having since built a beautiful Church, 45 by 90 Feet,) was followed bv the Rev. Maxmilian Gaertner. Up to 1852 the divine service was held in the public School House of this place, wben the foundation to a stone Church 50 bv 105 feet (not 90 by 1:29 feet,) was then laid, of which Charles J. Ross, of Sauk City, is the architect.

" The congregation then yet being a very small number, only a part of said building, 35 by 50 feet was erected, in which the divine service was held up to the present time.

" Up to the year 1S5S, the congregation gradually increased to the number of about 80 families, at which time the Rev. M. Gaertner returned to his old home, T) rol, and was then succeeded by the Rev. F. H. "Weinliart, also a Tyrolese by birth, who is still attending the congregation. The work of the building was then continued with united zeal, and in I860 the walls were completed. During last summer (1801,) the Church became entirely enclosed.

"Had it not been for the late money crisis, and the now pending war between the North and the South of this great American Republic, the work would have progressed farther, but with the aid of divine providence the congregation expects to complete the building during the coming year, 180:2.

bells, one of which was purchased by the congregation some time since, and the other was presented to the Church bv Casper Hormuug, in the spriii"' <>f this vear, 1*61." . F. II. WRIXHAUT.

" Early in the Spring of 1838, Berry Ilaney receivprivate information from George W. Jones, who was then delegate in Congress from Wisconsin Territory, that the Treaty with the Winnebago Indians, for their lands North of the Wisconsin liver, was ratified. ilaney at that time was engaged with Col. Aimer Nichols, of Mineral Point, in staging between Mineral Point and Fort Winnebago. They had two men in their employ by the names of Jonathan Taylor and Solomon Shore. Ilaney at that time was living on Black Earth Creek, at the place now called Cross Plains. On the receipt of the intelligence of tha ratification of the Treaty, as above mentioned, he sent Taylor to the Wisconsin River, opposite Sank Prairie, there to await the coming' of Shore, who went with Ilaney to Fort Winnebago to purchase a skiff to takedown the river to Sauk Prairie, in order t<> get aeross. They met at that point according to previous arrangement, crossed over and proceeded to mark out their claims. The first one marked out by them was for Berry Ilaney, on what is now Sauk City. Taylor claimed the next above Huney, and Shore the next, which claim I afterwards purchased and owu at this time. Ilaney, I believe had the first land broke in Sauk County. In June 18.*>S he employed James. Ensminger and Thomas Sanser to break ten acres, for which he paid them one hundred dollars. The. first place in the shape of a dwelling on Sauk Prairie was built by Ensminger and Sanser. They dug a pit in the ground about four feet deep, 12 by 1<'> or IS feet square, logged it up and covered the hole with hay and earth, making a sort of root-house. This they did for the purpose of preventing the Indians from burning them our, as they had threatened

"James S. Alban (who is now Judge Alban of Por- County) and family moved on to Sauk Prairie in January 1839, being the first family I believe in Sauk County, or what is now Sauk County. I believe it is claimed by John Wilson, of Wilson s Creek, that he and family were the first. How this is I cannot say ; I have always understood, until a few years since, that Alban and family were the first.

"I left Pock Island for Wisconsin about the 1st of April, 1S39, on board the old steamer Fayette. I arrived at Galena in due time, and there took stage, - or rather wagon - for Mineral Point. The proprietor was John Messersmith, Esq. A\ e arrived at his place at Elk Grove, at noon, where we were very politely en tertained by the Esq. and his family, and after an excellent dinner we proceeded on our way. We arrived at Mineral Point in the evening of the same day. I there lay over one day for the stage - or rather wagon again - to Madison. At Mineral point I met Berry Haney, who introduced me to A. A. Bird, of Madison, who was also waiting for the stage, and to many prominent citizens of the Point. We were one day in goiug from the Point to Haney's place in Black Earth Valley, where I arrived, I believe, on the (>th of April. A few days after I arrived at Haney's place, Haney, Joseph Denson, from Iowa Territory, and myself started for Sauk Prairie. We followed a dim trail to the river, left our horses on the South side and crossed over in an Indian canoe.

" We visited several of the cabins and claim shanties, and among others we visited D. B. Crocker's, which was situated where the village of Prairie du Sac is now situated. While there a little incident occurred that may be worth relating.

"The day was pleasant and we were all seated out in front of his cabin, admiring and conversing upon the beauties of the country, when some one of the company discovered an animal of f-ume kind approaching tha grove below us, from the prairie. Some supposed it to be a deer, others that it was a wolf. Henson being an old hunter and good marksman, proposed to go down and try to get a shot. lie took Crocker's gun and went down to the grove, where he soon disappeared. Presently we heard the report of the gun, and very soon saw Denson with his hat off, running with all speed towards us, making signs to us to come to. him. We all ran as fast as we could. When we came up to him he told us he had shot an animal, the like of which he had never before seen, lie said when he fired it leaped into the air about ten feet, and then he thought it was making after him, which was the cause of his running and giving us signals to come to him. Aftes re-loading his gun, we cautiously advanced to the spot, and there found a monster lynx pierced through the heart.

" The only families that were then settled in what is now Sauk County, were James S. Alban and Albert Skinner, unless John Wilson. Wilson was living at Wilson's Creek at that time. There were several young men making and improving claims when I came, the 'names of all of whom I believe I recollect.

"II. F. Crossman, 13urk Fairchikl, D. B. Crocker, William Billings, William May, Nelson Lathrop, E. B. Harner and an old bachelor, by the name of Hunter.

"We celebrated the 4th of July, 1839, where the village of Prairie du Sac, now stands. There were 25 persons present, of whom four were females. - Mrs. Alban, Mrs. Skinner, Mrs. Parks ami Mis. Ilaney. The other population of the County, or what is now Sauk County, were present. At that time we were in Crawford county. In the winter of IS:!'.' and 1840 we petitioned the Legislature to strike out a new county, call it Sauk, and attach it to Daue for all purposes, which was done.

Speak, I think, in the centre range between the prairie and Baraboo. The trail led us directly to the Baraboo river, at the place where Maxwell's mill dam now stands. Here we forded the river and entered the Indian Chief, Caliminee's, village, where we were very warmly and hospitably received. We rested and refreshed ourselves and horses, and were much amused in seeing the Indians playing at cards and horse racing. Some of them would stake their last string of AVampum on a single chance at cards. The game Ave could not understand. After spending about two hours at this village Ave started to traverse the river above, Avhich we did, wherever it Avas approachable, as far up as Dandi/s village, which Avas five or six miles above. At this village Ave were received with marked displeasure by the Indians, many of them gathering around us, and making much noise and confusion. They made signs and gesticulations for us to leave. After some parley with them, however, Ave succeeded in restoring quiet, and afterwards purchased some corn to feed our horses for the night, and then left them in peace.

" We encamped about two miles above the A-illage, where I spent the most disagreeable night of my life. It Avas very chilly, pitchy dark, and rained the entire night. We had no shelter except that afforded by our blankets, which Avas but little, as we were drenched to the skin in a short time, through blankets and all. Af- tex much trouble we succeeded in making a fire, which £ornewhat relieved us from the Cold.' ->i;,f-Thenext morning the fain ceased. After drying" eu3r«lotHes and taking breakfast in the Indian style, we proceeded up .the river to the narrows, from which point -we returned on the direct trail to the lower, village, where, we; had the honor of. dining with the Chief. . "We spent several hours at' this village and then went down ffte/prairie to the narrows below, from which place we returned home. After a very tedious and tiresome jour- DfiyVaerbss the bluffs, we arrived af Sauk some hours' after "night aim lodged in the primitive- house,, (or. dug out, -as1, we used to call it,") which was a very agreeable chansre from the night before.

4 'We saw ho visil>le signs of white men in the Barab,QO .valley. I think in all probability we were the first *vr|iite(nien that ever /crossed the bluff's between ther Prairie and Baraboo valley.

V'^jSome time in the after part of the summer of 1 S39," C^yru3. Behind and George Cargel moved' their families fo.the jirairie, 1 icing the 5th and 6th', and a little later in rfctie season of the same year Berry llariey moved his family to the Prairie, being the. 7th. On the otnh or Kovember iSofJ, '-'Charles B., son, of Berry and Anna Hariey was born, being the first white child born iu S.-in r ,'". There was nothing further of importance transpired during .the winter' of that year. The winter was Very. cpld, with much. snow, which, covered the ground Until spring. This ends my first year's stay in .'Wisconsin."" eS .....T ' '..C.'.t>. BAXTER. ' lS40, with' an intention of settling in Florida!' 'That State had then fust come into the Union, and in Hun? gkry, it -was ' represented' as ' 'the' 'Garden of Eden", "-by German travelers. The}- were young' and full of poet'.5 re 'ardo'r,: and having plenty of money they determined' ib'ied' if Florida was k paradise.' On leaving '-Ilanr burg they purchased some of Maryatt's novels and travels,' to while' away the time upon the packet 'ship Stimj): $B$ while at sea. Maryatt's descripti< in of his trip from Green Bay. up the Fox River, via ForfWinnebago, ana down the "Wisconsin River to Prairie du ChienJ was' so detailed as to determine them to alter their destination, together with a description of some : Englishmen who were '' coming to Mineral ' Point. . " Lead to' be' 'got 'almost anywhere a few inches under the surface. '' The country beautiful, rich, and one great flower gardMi, especially at the Indian Villages on Sauk Prairie!,' aHa above 'all, the climate so invigorating fha^'a man could' ha'fdly 'die without artificial means," consequently they3 landed at Xew York city - thence by the Tlud<o'n"'rivi er and Prie canal to Buffalo and by steamboat 'fo'Mtlwaukeel After a short stay here they procured 'a pliifi from the. Land office, and employed an interpreter, at &2 perridav, who' -proved to be nearly as 'green as them; selves.

- They purchased three'hor-es, ar.d after recnnri6iteFing the; country found sbine land that suited thehV'oS Rock River; at the head' of Lake' Foshkonong. : Tljey* mred'a log lnurse put up, and in 'the: -hi'eari tirite-'they built a hay cabin - purchased ox-teams and implements, got their goods from Milwaukee and went vigorously to work getting a winters supply of hay.

The country, the implements of agriculture, and the newness of everything had the effect to stimulate them to great exertion. To fish, to hunt, and to work had all their charms. But they were inexperienced, and nothing but buoyant spirits and stout hearts carried these young men through with whatever they undertook.

The mosquitoes were intolerable. One night, the Count in a rage declared that he could not stand them. He took a wisp of hay, went out to the fire and lit it to smoke them out ; while passing it about in the hay house it blazed up and set fire to the roof. The' roof was green a few days previous, but now as dry as powder. In one moment it was all in a blaze. What Bhould they do I Six loaded pistols, three loaded double barreled guns and thirty-five pounds of powder. They run into a ravine near by - the guns aud pistols went off, but the powder " cleared the deck." Ashes, coals and sticks flew beautifully. After a while they approached, some of them only in their shirts. It was a sad spectacle, situated as they were, but they consoled themselves with " let it go,'' and that they had driven the musquitoes out.

TheEegister of the Land office had made a mistake in the plat he had given them, aud their lands proved to have been entered a year previous. They felt chagrined and set fire to the loghpuse now partly completed, picked up what "traps" they had and left.

to leave Hallasz could not catch his horse, (a French ponv); he could get his hands almost on to him and then he 'would turn and trot oil*; he would follow the train well enough, bat would not he caught. Hallasz said this made him " so tarn madder as all the rest." If he'd had his gun "he'd shot 'is tarn head off." After traveling about a half day they came to a field of oats. Here they took rails and made a pen, and by

I getting in their other horses caught the wily brute. Hallasz said if the man who owned the oats had found them they would have had to pay about £10 damage

\ for grain trampled down. But just then they had but a small respect for the land of their "golden dreams." But at night they partly forgot their troubles, for they encamped upon a most beautiful small lake, and with some fish tackle they had, caught fish and passed the night pleasantly. They passed on with their cup continually full of green-horn experience on trails and new roads - sometimes mired in sloughs - sometimes lost. They made their way to Janesville, which contained but one log house ; thence to Madison, and by way of Berry Hanev's to the Wisconsin River. The}' had now before their eyes what they had read of upon the ocean, in Maryatt's works. They arrived here about the middle of July, 1840, and found the country about the Indian Village and upon the river all claimed up by a few Americans. The Count purchased of Burk Fairchilds for $400, a strip 30 rods wide upon the river and running back a mile. They went back to Milwaukee for supplies and then spent the rest of the summer mostly in hunting trips back in the country, and many a iiovel circumstance can friend Hallasz relate.

In the fall, the Count went to Milwaukee and made the acquaintance of an Englishman of rank and wealth by the name of Robert Bryant. The Count returned and Bryant soon came out, and a co-partnership was entered into. They purchased Berry HaneyV claim for $1,000, and in the summer of 1841 employed Chas. O. Baxter to lay out a town, and named it Haraszthy. The name was afterwards changed to "Westheld, and at a still later date to its present name. Both of the proprietors were companionable, poetical and also goahead men, spent money freely, and were just the right sort of persons to build up a town. The Count soon drew about him a large German Settlement. In the spriug he returned to Hungary and came back withhi^ wife, children and father in the summer of 1X4:2. His' father was generally spoken of as the " old General." He was an excellent chemist.

This family remained here until the spring of 1S49, when they left for California by the overland route- It will be remembered that at this early date the undertaking was much mure than at present, but the Count could face any hardship easily. The ''old General" was soon appointed Assayer in the 3Iint at San Francisco, and his son, the Count, was appointed clerk. The soon amassed a fortune, and it would take a volume to relate the interesting details of the checquered life of this man. .:.'. r : l^-yDejw Sir: - "When you last saw me I was sick, but am now recovering. I write you a few lines in regard to our German settlement, which I enclose herewith to your service. Yours Truly,