Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-07-21
From the Wisconsin Enquirer.
THE WISCONSIN,

III w Io1oNsClN.
The Winnebago name for the river. is
Nee oo-sa-ho-ne-nik; which means the
little Rirer, SO called, probably in contra
distinction to the Mississippi, which is a
very large river. Its present namo of
Wisconsin, is evidently French corrup-
ton OF the Indian word, Wah- koo-se-rah:
which signifies place where councils are
held-and in tracing the word back to its
French and Indian origin, | am led to the
opinion that Judge Doty's Il comes nearer
to the true photography than the which
we generally use; as it expresses more of
that sharp angular consonant sound which
occurs in the second syllable of the word.
In this particular, therefore, | think the
learned delegate is right although in the
name which he has given TO Fox river, he
is most palpably wrong. The Neenah, is
the appellation by which we find that stream
desi gnatcd in nearly all the public docu-
mcnts of the day, which word means SIM
ply, aCater; and nothing more. Nce-oh-
nig-ce- nig-a-graw is the Indian word for
this stream, which means the Bdby riuer;
and with regard to the origin of these
names; we may fairly presume the fact to
be this: The Winnebagocs are, according
TO their own traditions, as we'll as the an
alogies Of their language, tribe, who, at
some remote period, migrated from the
south; and in their way hither, when they
entered the mouth of the Wisconsin, they
saw that compared with the Mississippi, it
was u small stream: consequently they
called it the Little river-Nec-koo-say no.
nc-nk; and in their language it still retains
that name. Proceeding up the Little river
as far as the Portage, they discovered the
Fox river,which was smaller, still smaller;
and taking their idea of great and small
from the gradations Of family, they consi-
dered the Mississippi the oldest father Of
rvers-the Wisconsin younger son in
the family, and the Fox nothing bat q lit
tie baby. Hence. Neo-oh-nig-ec-nig-a-
graw, the Baby river is the name by which
they always call it. Its present name Of
| Fox river was given it by the French; Le-
Ririere Reynard.
Along the Wisconsin, there are several
points OF most striking interest to the lover
of nature. and the admirer Of the sublime.
| The deIts twenty miles above the Portage,
are, in natural granduer, exceeded only by
Niagara here, the whole volume Of the RI
yer (Which in time Of high water is i'm
mense,) rushcs through chasm in the
rock, several miles in length, and which
in one point is only seventy feet across,
and as crooked as a serpent's track-and
through this dark ravine, where the sun
seldom shines, the whring and edying of
| the Strengthened stream is terrific. The
| rocks on either side, are high, bold and
projecting, and their lowcrparts, where ex-
| posed to the action of the sweeping cur
rent, are washed into figures, very much
resembling the base mouldings Of the Ionic
and Corlnthian orders. Fortifcation-rock
| too, opposite Sac Prairie, present a most
noble picture. Viewed at a distance, they
resemble the embattcd outlines Of a stu
pendous gothic fortress, with its extended
ravcllns and heavy bastions. Further
down the river, there is another object of
curiosity. About midway between the shot
tower and English Prairie, on the right
bank of the river, there is very steep hill,
of pyramidal form, rising to the height
Of about $50 feet from the surface of the
river, surmounted by a huge mass of rock,
with bold, and perpendicular front, full
20 feet high; and in this frowning forehead
of the rock, there is an aperture, which
from the river looks no larger than the
mouth of an oven; but when YOU ascend
the hill, (Which is rather difficulty you find
it to be a door between five and six feet
high, leading into a most beautiful cavern,
about forty feet in circumference, and high
enough for the taIlcst man to walk about
with his hat on. The sides and roof Of
this chamber are Of a concave form, and
as smooth as if they had been dressed off
by mason's hammer: and from this prin-
cipal chamber, are three dark narrow pas
sages, striking further into the rock, and
as we supposed, leading TO other cells in
the bowels Of the hill. From the outer
door Of the cave, there is a fine command
ing view Of the country; and the river,
winding its serpent;ne course in the vale
below. The cave bears evident marks Of
having once been inhabited; and if this airy
and picturesque vault had tongue to tell
of what has been transacted there, there IS
no doubt but that curious tale might be
unfolded Of the rites Of the Mctio and Ma
nitou worship in days Of yore. W.. P.
Portage, May 18th, 1910.
The American army contains Of officers
! and men 1877 in all, as folows:-Ge-
neral Staff 81; Medical department So;
| II