field
of elaboration.

HENRY R. SCHOOLCRAFT.
PHILADELPHIA, _Sept. 12th, 1851_.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Brief reminiscences of scenes from 1809 to 1817--Events preliminary to a
knowledge of western life--Embarkation on the source of the Alleghany
River--Descent to Pittsburgh--Valley of the Monongahela; its coal and
iron--Descent of the Ohio in an ark--Scenes and incidents by the
way--Cincinnati--Some personal incidents which happened there.

CHAPTER II.

Descent of the Ohio River from Cincinnati to its mouth--Ascent of the
Mississippi, from the junction to Herculaneum--Its rapid and turbid
character, and the difficulties of stemming its current by barges--Some
incidents by the way.

CHAPTER III.

Reception at Herculaneum, and introduction to the founder of the first
American colony in Texas, Mr. Austin--His character--Continuation of the
journey on foot to St. Louis--Incidents by the way--Trip to the
mines--Survey of the mine country--Expedition from Potosi into the Ozark
Mountains, and return, after a winter's absence, to Potosi.

CHAPTER IV.

Sit down to write an account of the mines--Medical properties of the
Mississippi water--Expedition to the Yellow Stone--Resolve to visit
Washington with a plan of managing the mines--Descend the river from St.
Genevieve to New Orleans--Incidents of the trip--Take passage in a ship
for New York--Reception with my collection there--Publish my memoir on
the mines, and proceed with it to Washington--Result of my
plan--Appointed geologist and mineralogist on an expedition to the
sources of the Mississippi.

CHAPTER V.

Set out on the expedition to the north-west--Remain a few
weeks at New York--Visit Niagara Falls, and reach Detroit
in the first steamer--Preparations for a new style of
traveling--Correspondents--General sketch of the route pursued by the
expedition, and its results--Return to Albany, and publish my
narrative--Journal of it--Preparation for a scientific account of the
observations.

CHAPTER VI.

Reception by the country on my return--Reasons for publishing my
narrative without my reports for a digested scientific account of the
expedition--Delays interposed to this--Correspondents--Locality of
strontian--Letter from Dr. Mitchell--Report on the copper mines of Lake
Superior--Theoretical geology--Indian symbols--Scientific
subjects--Complete the publication of my work--Its reception by the
press and the public--Effects on my mind