his family to the mouth of Wilson's Creek in the latter part of 1841. He was a well-informed Scotchman, and had a family of well-posted children. I stayed with him one night, when I was informed it was an established family order that, by turns, one should read history or some other solid work-of which he had a good library-each night, while all the others worked and listened. Hence, the intelligence of the children was remarkable for a frontier family. Soon after, a Mr. Turner settled about where Spring Green now is, and several young men took claims on the prairie. On the 30th of May, 1842, I preached in Mr. Turner's house to the family and three young men who came in. My text was, "The time is short; " 1 Cor., vii, 29. That was undoubtedly the first attempt at preaching in Spring Green. In 1841, there was a temporary bridge built across Honey Creek at the mill, which saved me trouble. Before that, I had made my pony swim the creek at the crossing of the trail, and had taken my baggage across on a log. Sometimes my pony concluded it was as easy for me to walk and carry my luggage as it was for him to carry that and me too. Once I walked immediately behind him for about seven miles. West of this bridge a Canadian, Mr. Brisset, with a young Yankee wife, settled in 1842; I spent one night in their little cabin. Still west of him a mile or two, in a beautiful valley, after the burning of the grass, I saw a field of several acres of parallel ridges, about five feet apart, very nearly straight, that must have been used many years before, for large white-oak trees grew all among them. They were more artistic than any remains of Indian cultivation I have ever

seen.

My first visit to Baraboo Mills was October 5, 1841. Notice of my coming had not been given, and we therefore had no meeting. At that time, the saw-mill had been repaired, a new dam put in and some men employed. An old man, Mr. Draper, a member of the Baptist Church, was some way interested in the mill, and it was called Draper's Mill. He invited me to come and establish meetings there. A Mr. Hill, from one of the New England States. had built a log cabin about ten or fifteen rods east of the mill, and boarded Mr. Draper and the hands. This mill was not far from half a mile above the ford on the Baraboo River. On the 16th of October, Tuesday evening, I preached in Mr. Hill's house to eleven persons, from 2 Cor., v, 20; which was certainly the opening of the Gospel for the first time in Baraboo Valley. None of those present professed to be Christians, save Mr. Draper. After that, my appointments were regularly filled there, except once, when the roads were impassable. On Sunday, February 6, 1842, I formed a Methodist class at Baraboo Mills, consisting of Solomon Shaffer, leader, Öllie Shaffer and Parmelia Gibson, all of whom were Methodist immigrants, recently arrived. Mr. Shaffer was the mill blacksmith, and lived in a house newly built south of the mill. Mrs. Gibson and family had settled about a mile above the river, on the north side. Before I left the circuit, there were one or two families moved in above the Gibsons, I think about five miles up the river. I visited them once, but have no record of the names. My impression is that one of them was Jones. On the 10th of April. Mrs. Mary J. Hill, the woman of the house where our meetings were held, joined the class. She was the first convert to religion in the valley, having made a profession in the early spring of 1843. The unfinished schoolhouse at Lower Town, as Sauk City was then called, was very uncomfortable as a place of meeting; besides, the people therewere chiefly Germans, and had little sympathy with our forms of religion. Early in the winter of 1841-42, we got the privilege of holding our meetings at the house of Mr. Skinner, and thereafter had no services at Lower Town. About the 1st of April, 1842, Rev. Phillip W. Nichols came with his family to Upper Town as a Presbyterian Home Missionary, under the auspices of the American Board of Commissioners for the Home and Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church. He had formerly been a Methodist itinerant preacher, but, for reasons satisfactory to himself and his church, his connections with that body was dissolved. He had connected himself with the Congregational body; but at that time in Wisconsin Territory, under what is known as the "Union," a minister of either the Congregational or Presbyterian Church could serve the other without change of ecclesiastical relations. So he was a Presbyterian Pastor, but a Congregational minister. The scattered Presbyterian friends here had received him as a missionary, with an appropriation from the mission fund of $400, they agreeing to furnish him

a dwelling, fuel and provisions for one year as their part. He was the first regular Pastor for Sauk exclusively; for, although I preceded him, my parish embraced Grant, Iowa, Dane and Richland Counties, besides Sauk, and all the settled regions beyond. Again, his salary equaled $700 or more, while mine could, according to our law, be no more than $100. He had $100 missionary funds; I but $50, aside from which I only received during the whole year 92 cents. He had a pleasant home with his family; I boarded round like the schoolmaster of the times. He was a man of years of experience in the ministry, and knew the inconveniences of Methodist pioneering; I was inexperienced in both. It is therefore no wonder at our first interview at the house of Mr. Skinner after I had preached and called on him to close, he gave me and the audience to understand that he thought I had vast room for improvement. We first met April 13, after which we alternated in holding meetings at Upper Sauk. My principal home during the year was at Father Teel's. I spent nearly a week there once in three weeks, and myself and horse shared the best they had. The family consisted of two old persons and George, about seventeen, and Charles, about twelve. Mother Teel was more than a mother to me, for she saved my life once, at least, by her skill in treating a dangerous disease successfully. No poor itinerant ever met with more generous hospitality than I did at that "Methodist Tavern," and my home there is among the most cherished memories of my life.

I finished my year on July 20, having traveled about 3,500 miles, besides visiting generally about the settlement, preaching nearly 200 times to congregations ranging from two, the lowest, to thirty, the highest, averaging eight. I could count my congregation every time for the whole year without making a mistake. The people were generally poor, consisting in most instances of newly married couples, just beginning life for themselves. But they were exceedingly kind, and I may add, patient, for I was often ill, and at best, could poorly interest, much less profit them. But it was a valuable year to me, rich in privations, trials and opportunities, and one I can never forget, because of its pleasures. At the Conference of 1843, held at Chicago, Seymour Stover succeeded me on the Muscoda Mission, while I was sent far hence to the Gentiles; that is, among the Chippewa Indians at the head of Lake Superior. Mr. Stover is still living near Chicago. His connection with the Sauk County people did not prove very happy. At the end of his year, the mission was left off the minutes. In 1844, it was again favored with mention, but not called "Sauk Prairie" and left "to be supplied," being yet in Platteville District, Benjamin T. Kavanaugh being Presiding Elder. Being far Being far away, I have no knowledge as to who was the supply for that year, but he probably was a Badger.

CHAPTER VIII.

TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY.

PHYSICAL FEATURES-ELEVATIONS-THE BARABOO QUARTZITE RANGES-WISCONSIN'S AMAZON -FLORA AND FAUNA.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Sauk County is situated midway between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, in the center of the south half of the State. Upon its south, southeast and northeast sides, sweeps the rapid current of the Wisconsin River, one of the largest tributaries of the "Father of Waters," into whose channel every stream in the county eventually finds its way. The county is bounded on the north by Juneau, on the west by Vernon and Richland, on the south by Iowa, southeast by Dane, and east and northeast by Columbia County.

The soil embraces every variety, found frequently in strangely close proximity. Stiff clays are sometimes found terminating abruptly in beds of sandy loam, or gradually intermixing with them, so that a single farm often embraces many varieties. Marshes occur along the watercourses, sometimes of considerable extent, though rarely of a swampy character. Rich bottom lands occasionally hem in the streams, while fertile prairies, for the most part of quite limited dimensions and skirted with timber available for farm purposes, greet the eye of the traveler in nearly every portion. The largest of these is Prairie du Sac. But one of the greatest glories of Sauk County is her extensive and heavily timbered lands, lying nearly midway between her northern and southern limits, and running the entire length from east to west.

The largest branch but one of the Wisconsin River is the Baraboo, a stream of perhaps one hundred miles in length and running through the county from east to west. Directly south of this stream lie the famous Baraboo Bluffs, a range of hills with occasional subranges shooting off, which also stretches entirely across the county. Upon this range, and its offshoots, are located the large supplies of timber. The east end of the Baraboo Bluffs is geologically very interesting. Here nature has cut many freaks. The bluff is from three to four miles wide, and for this distance has but few spurs, but is indented here and there with small streams, in the valleys of which there seems to have been a general tear-up. The redeeming feature of this locality is the abundance of timber. Passing from this mountain-like end of the Baraboo Bluff, which averages from four hundred to six hundred, and at some points eight hundred, feet above the Wisconsin River, to the line of Range 4, we leave the flinty or vitrified sandstone and come upon the Lower Magnesian limestone and the lower sandstone. Here the top of the divide softens down to good farming land of a clay loam-white-oak soil. The top of the ridge, being wide enough for a farm and in some places two abreast, thus forms a solid chain of farms, not only on the main ridge, but for some distance on the spurs. As we pass into Range 3, in Town 11, the Baraboo Bluff meets and unites with other ranges, which radiate off to the south, northeast and north, the main bluff passing out of the county to the northwest. These "divides" form broad, elevated tables of excellent lands, well timbered with red and white oak and poplar. There is but little rough land.

The basin of the Baraboo River has an area of over six hundred square miles, extending, of course, without the county. The stream itself is about two hundred feet wide at its mouth, and has a volume of water, made up mostly from the flow of springs, of between 15,000 and 20,000 inches, as calculated on the edge of a dam. It passes through two ranges of bluffs, forming the Upper and Lower Narrows, the latter being an opening in the Wisconsin River bluffs

about ten miles from the mouth of the Baraboo. At this point, the valley is but sixty to eighty rods wide, and upon either side the bluff is from three hundred to four hundred feet high, presenting, in some places, a face of perpendicular rock, and, in others, rugged slopes covered with. pine, red cedar and oak firmly rooted in the broken debris. This pass, or gorge, is half a mile in length, the river being very shallow along its entire extent. It was a favorite fording-place for Indians in primeval times. Below the Narrows, the Baraboo and Wisconsin River bottoms soon unite and form a large tract of variegated soil. The Wisconsin River being the most rapid stream, the floods that collect here soon discharge through its broad channel. In these bottoms, there are patches of marshes, but a good share of it can be plowed and cereals grown. From the Upper to the Lower Narrows, a distance of fifteen miles by six or seven wide, the country is interesting from its peculiar geological features, which are referred to in another part of this work. It forms a distinct basin from the other part of the Baraboo Valley. It contains about one hundred square miles, and the Baraboo Rapids seem to have been designed as its business center. There is but very little poor land in it, and the river is the dividing line between two distinct soils. That upon the south side is mostly a heavy clay subsoil, with a vegetable loam surface soil, being timbered with lime, maple, oak, elm, walnut, hickory, ash and cherry. That upon the north side has a similar subsoil, but more sand with the surface soil. In contradistinction with the cherry timber of the south side, the north side comprises openings, marsh and prairie, nearly equally divided. The rapids are some two miles and a half in length, and have a fall of fifty feet. The land being so well divided between timber, oak openings, prairie and marsh, well watered with springs and runs, and very healthy withal, time will give it credit for more advantages than are here rehearsed.

Narrows Creek breaks through the Baraboo range about two miles west, and flows at its base to the river. The gorge is very narrow, having a little more than enough width for the creek bed and a road. Here there is a natural fall over rapids of about ten or twelve feet, making a good water-power with from five hundred to one thousand inches. The opening for the river is still narrower. The quiet stream in this narrow dell, with rocks wildly arranged to the height of three hundred to four hundred feet, the absence of sunshine, the hemlock and pine, with their "music of a thousand harps," lead us to thoughts of nature's wonders. Above this range of bluffs, the basin of the Baraboo River is in unison with the country previously described, with the exception of some variations in soil. The great physical features of the Upper Baraboo country are the prairies dotting the heavily timbered districts. The area of these prairies is from one acre to several hundred. Some of the largest have names-such as Narrows, Ball's, Blakeslie's, Hubbell's. Kerstetter's, Stead's, Ribock's, etc. Narrows Creek Valley is quite equally divided between timber, marsh and prairie. It has a large basin of country, containing from forty-five to fifty square miles, and is a rich valley of land.

Passing from Narrows Creek over a divide capped in several places with limestone, we come into the valley and basin of Babb's Creek, which is the largest of the timber-inclosed prairies above described, and lies thirty to fifty feet above the creek. The arms of the prairie extend in several directions into the heavy timber, and upon the main body there are several timber islands," making the whole aspect a very pleasant one. Upon its east side is the Baraboo River, and here, in early days, was an Indian ford, the bottom of the river for a short distance being rock. Now upon this rock bottom the river is dammed, and near by is the village of Reedsburg.

Seven or eight miles further up, we come to the beautiful valley of the Little Baraboo, containing nearly forty square miles, one-fourth of which is in Richland County. The Little Baraboo River furnishes, at its mouth, probably 12,000 inches of water, and is a very permanent stream. Further on is the valley of the main river, which, upon the southwest side, is rather rolling, but not rough, the soil being very rich. Next come the Kerstetter, Stead and Ribock Prairies, and then we find ourselves in the Plum Valley, which is about one-third the size of the Little Baraboo, with similar characteristics. Across the river, on the northeast side, are the remains of the famous "Old Pinery," whence came so many "drives" of logs in the early

history of this wonderful valley. The town of Lavalle, and especially the Ox and Big Creek Valleys, is not inviting to the lover of prairie land. Turning southward into the town of Winfield, we enter the narrow valley of Twin Creek, surrounded by rich-soiled table-lands, which lie from seventy-five to one hundred feet above the creek bottom, and are well timbered with oak. In the eastern part of Winfield, there is an excellent country, in the edge of the Irish settlement formerly called Sligo. Nearer Reedsburg, in the Copper Creek Valley, the soil is light and sandy. Not far from the mouth of Copper Creek is a copper mine, which at one time created considerable excitement. The ore was rich, and several tons were taken out, but it seemed to run out and was abandoned. In sinking shafts or making excavations anywhere in this region, a sheet of clay is found strongly impregnated with verdigris.

Dell Creek enters the Wisconsin River near the foot of the Little Dells, and furnishes about one thousand inches of water. The area of this basin is sixty-five square miles. This is very large for the size of the stream, owing, probably, to there being but few hills or elevated lands, which always furnish an abundance of water. With the exception of some country in the neighborhood of the Dells, and a few isolated mounds, such as Hay Rick, Rattlesnake Bluff, Haystack and Prospect Hill, the basin is an unbroken level. The lower part of the basin is of a light, sandy soil, with black-oak openings and pine groves. There are, however, places in this region, equal to about a third part of it, that have a stiff clay soil, with white-oak openings. Interspersed through this light soil are occasional marshes. In the upper part of the valley, and lying at the foot of the ridge that divides it from the Baraboo Valley, is a strip of country equal to about half a township, which is second to none in the county in productiveness. The soil is a deep, rich clay loam, lying on a shelf about fifty feet higher than the rest of the valley. This vicinity is well supplied with timber.

In the southern portion of the county the aspect changes. Leaving Harrisburg and passing in a southwesterly direction, the traveler finds himself in the little valley of Wilson's Creek, so called in honor of John Wilson, a Scotchman, who settled there in 1840. In passing down the Wisconsin River, about four miles from Wilson's, the bluffs recede from the river at Sauk, and for the first two or three miles the basin is timbered with white and burr oak openings, and has a very fair soil. From this we pass to a prairie dotted with patches of sand. About three miles from Spring Green and five miles from Lone Rock, Big Hollow opens out upon the prairie. This hollow, or canyon, is about three miles long, and its soil is an excellent clay loam.

Honey Creek empties into the Wisconsin River some two and a half miles below Sauk City, and is nearly forty feet wide. It flows along the south end of Sauk Prairie four or five miles, above which it has the appearance of being lost among the bluffs, or rather coming abruptly and almost mysteriously out of them. These high and formidable-looking bluffs, presenting in very many places perpendicular faces to the south and capped with red cedars, are mere walls for their base is as nothing compared with their height-that stand from 100 to 150 feet high, and scarcely thick enough to support themselves. The valley of Honey Creek is from two to three miles wide, and almost level. It is divided up between marsh, prairie, openings, tamarack swamp, thickets, oak brush, etc. It is emphatically a valley of "pockets,' varying from ten acres to a section of land in size, nearly inclosed by these high bluff walls. The soil has a clay base and is generally of a durable nature. Excellent quality of buildingstone is found in the foot-hills. This locality is somewhat famous for its caves, which, in cold weather, emit steam like furnaces. They are penetrated with considerable difficulty. In one of these caves have been found some very beautiful stalactites.

Bear Creek Valley, with its branches, is properly a grazing country, as there is more meadow or marsh land than grain land. The soil is considered rich, and is well watered by little rivulets coming from the adjacent rocks. There are no bold-faced rocks and picturesque hills here as in Honey Creek Valley, though the bluffs are equally high. The narrow ravines near the heads of the streams wind around in a most singular manner, and those unacquainted with the face of the country thereabouts will do well to take along a guide when they make exploring expeditions.

J