istence fifty years ago, would have contemplated that these vast and
still untenanted solitudes would have had their silence invaded by such
an unearthly sound? a sound which ever gives you the idea of vitality.
It is this appearance of breathing which makes the high-pressure engine
the nearest approach to creation which was ever attained by the
ingenuity of man. It appears to have respiration, and that short, quick
respiration occasioned by exertion; its internal operations are
performed as correctly and as mechanically as are our own; it is as
easily put out of order and rendered useless as we are; and like us, it
can only continue its powers of motion by being well supplied with
aliment.

Ran up Fever River to Galena, the present emporium of the Mineral
Country. There is an unpleasant feeling connected with the name of this
river; it is, in fact, one of the American translations. It was
originally called Feve, or Bean River, by the French, and this they have
construed into Fever. The Mineral district comprehends a tract of
country running about one hundred miles North and South, and fifty miles
East and West, from the River Wisconsin to about twenty miles south of
Galena. It was purchased by the American Government about fifteen years
ago, the northern portion from the Winnebagos, and the southern from the
Sioux and Fox Indians. The Indians used to work the diggings to a small
extent, bringing the lead which they obtained to exchange with the
traders. As may be supposed, they raised but little, the whole work of
digging and smelting being carried on by the squaws. After the land was
surveyed a portion of it was sold, but when the minerals made their
appearance the fact was notified by the surveyors to the government, and
the remaining portions were withdrawn from the market. A licence was
granted to speculators to dig the ore and smelt it, upon condition of
their paying to the government a percentage on the mineral obtained.
Those who found a good vein had permission to work it for forty yards
square on condition that they carried the ore to a licensed smelter.
This occasioned a new class of people to spring up in this speculative
country, namely, _finders_, who would search all over the country for
what they called a good _prospect_, that is, every appearance on the
surface of a good vein of metal. This when found they would sell to
others, who would turn _diggers_; and as soon as these finders had spent
t