Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-07-15


continues to within twenty miles Of this place,
from which, to appearance, spur Of il runs
north west between the Big Run branch oil
Black River on the south, g. Willowby's Run
on the north. But owing 10 the mistake OF
our guide, we left this latter Ridge to the left
hand, and passed through the swamPs, to the
north of Willoby's Run. Eight miles north of
Prospect Mound is another one, which we call.
ed Crooked Mound, at which the Bad Axe
heads. Leave this mound to the right d. cross
The head of the hollow 10 some green bushes
which are in sight. -Four miles further, we
came to break in the Ridge. Turn short to
the right, descend the hil--leave Pompey's
Pillar and Saco's Tower TO the left. aud en-
ter upon tho Round Prairie. Pompey's Pillar
Is rock fifty feet high and base Of 6 feet. Sa-
cos tower is about The same height & 30 Fl.
base, with several Rocky mounds ia the neigh
borhood. They cannot escape the notice Of
the traveller. Round Prairie is one Of the
most beautiful tracts of land ever saw. The
soil is equal to any thing 10 Grant Country. and
the plain more beautiful than Patch Grove
Prairie, being less broken, and can accommo-
date hundreds Of families. l. is ten miles a.
cross surrounded with good timber, with a
beautiful mound covered with heavy oak tim.
Der 10 the centre. a pool ofwater close by. and
is forty two miles from Prairie du Chen. The
Ridge breaks in several places north of this,
and between the streams. making from
the ridge, spur makes of, between
which aud the main ridge, it was Difficult,
sometimes to find our proper route. Where
the ridge was broken we descended 10 the
bsnch land and waded the hollows. none Of
which were bad; and when The ridge was
whole or unbroken. we mounted il and kept the
height level.
The frs. time we erred from the Ridge was
at the head Of Coou and Prairie La Crus rivers.
We went half mile to the left. then crossed
the prairie to high ridge on the north a, some
mounds. We should have followed line we
blazed to the right, descended the ridge and
passed between two prairies till We came
to cabin eight By tsn in grove, and near TO
an excellen. spring. Bus taking the high
ridge, We soon found We were wrong, and the
teams lay stil ono day while Mr. Whilcker
and myself rode thirty miles exploring the
country to find the right routs.
The next day we took the ridge at the cab
in and kept it for thirty miles without break.
We then diverged to the right two miles GU!
Of our way, on ridge leading to Fort Win
nebago, probably not more than forty miles
dis.an. f,om US. Here We passed through an
oak grove in which millions Of pidgeons were
nesting; Of course some two or three dozen
Of them were transferred from the trees to our
pots and frying pans. Correcting our course
by taking the back track and marking line
across the elbow, me turned N. w. and pass.
cd over high ridge from which we had the
most beautiful prospect the world can afford.
10 state Of nature. At our feet, some 800 #.
below e. on each side, were extend. plains of
pine forests and wet prairies or marshes, a.
round and amidst these are the most pic,u-
rescue hills, knobs, mounds and broken, peak.
ed ridges ever saw. On our left was the
head Of Big Run. on our right the head Of
WILDLY Run, both branches of Black River,
and between which is the direct course to these
falls. From tina, ridge can &C seen fifteen or
twenty miles distant, the hills Of this river. A
peaked irregular mound, called tho Devils
back bone, which Lies three miles S. f. of
these falls, and several ball mounds, contain.
ing the Iron stone, show themselves. The
mos, western OF the ball hills, covered
With oak underbrush, is in the direct route,
and only 10 miles from this place. The north.
ern one, 10 miles north Of this. is on the wes,
side of the river; another high blue mound
appers in the n. W., which is Is miles up
the river. Instead Of following our trail from
this high mound or ridge,l which descends to
the right, we might have gone to the iefi. But
our trail is a, The base Of This ridge and in
right direction for ten miles, where we ascend
ed the main ridge again. From this. instead Of
descending to the right, we now think we
should have descended to the left. But the
ridge is broken The road must descend one side
or the other, e. keep the bench land. cutting the
points and heading the swamps. We went to
the rishv and in three or four miles crossed o.
We, to The left. and following an indian trail 3
or 4 miles we crossed to the right CT the ridge
again, aud came out among recently fallen
timber. cut By indians. Here We should have
L., q, IL, Iof, lc.nirr the Iihre ON nnr laft