of these is Rock river, a beautiful little stream running through the counties of Lyon and Sioux. It is supported by springs, and affords a volume of water sufficient for propelling machinery. Big Sioux river was once regarded as a navigable stream, and steamboats of a small size have on several occasions ascended it for some distance. It is not, however, now considered a safe stream for navigation. It empties into the Missouri about two miles above Sioux City, and some four miles below the northwest corner of Woodbury county. It drains about one thousand square miles of Iowa territory.

Just below Sioux City, Floyd river empties into the Missouri. It is a small stream, but flows through a rich and beautiful valley. Its length is about one hundred miles, and it drains some fifteen hundred square miles of territory. Two or three mills have been erected on this stream, and there are other mill sites which will doubtless be improved in due time.

Little Sioux river is one of the most important streams of northwestern Iowa. It rises in the vicinity of Spirit and Okoboji lakes, near the Minnesota line, and meanders through various counties a distance of nearly three hundred miles to its confluence with the Missouri near the northwest corner of Harrison county. With its tributaries it drains not less than five thousand square miles. Several small mills have been erected on this stream, and others doubtless will be when needed.

Boyer river is the next stream of considerable size below the Little Sioux. It rises in Sac county and flows southwest to the Missouri in Pottawattamie county. Its entire length is about one hundred and fifty miles, and drains not less than two thousand square miles of territory. It is a small stream, meandering through a rich and lovely valley. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad passes down this valley some sixty miles.

Going down the Missouri, and passing several small streams, which have not been dignified with the name of rivers, we come to the Nishnabotna, which empties into the Missouri some twenty miles below the southwest corner of the State. It has three principal branches, with an aggregate length of three hundred and fifty miles. These streams drain about five thousand square miles of southwestern Iowa. They flow through valleys of unsurpassed beauty and fertility, and furnish good water power at various points, though in this respect they are not equal to the streams in the northeastern portion of the State.

The southern portion of the State is drained by several streams that flow into the Missouri river, in the State of Missouri. The most important of these are Chariton, Grand, Platte, One Hundred and Two, and the three Nodaways-East, West and Middle. All of these afford water power for machinery, and present splendid valleys of rich farming lands.

We have above only mentioned the streams that have been designated as rivers, but there are many other streams of great importance and value to different portions of the State, draining the country, furnishing mill-sites, and adding to the variety and beauty of the scenery. So admirable is the natural drainage of almost the entire State, that the farmer who has not a stream of living water on his premises is an exception to the general rule.

LAKES OF NORTHERN IOWA.

In some of the northern counties of Iowa there are many small, but beautiful lakes, some of which we shall notice. They are a part of the system of

lakes extending far northward into Minnesota, and some of them present many interesting features which the limits of this work will not permit us to give in detail. The following are among the most noted of the lakes of northern Iowa: Clear Lake, in Cerro Gordo county; Rice Lake, Silver Lake and Bright's Lake, in Worth county; Crystal Lake, Eagle Lake, Lake Edward and Twin Lakes, in Hancock county; Owl Lake, in Humboldt county; Lake Gertrude, Elm Lake and Wall Lake, in Wright county; Lake Caro, in Hamilton county; Twin Lakes, in Calhoun county; Wall Lake, in Sac county; Swan Lake, in Emmet county; Storm Lake, in Buena Vista county; and Okoboji and Spirit Lakes, in Dickinson county. Nearly all of these are deep and clear, abounding in many excellent varieties of fish, which are caught abundantly by the settlers at all proper seasons of the year. The name Wall Lake,' applied to several of these bodies of water, is derived from the fact that a line or ridge of boulders, extends around them, giving them somewhat the appearance of having been walled. Most of them exhibit the same appearance in this respect to a greater or less extent. Lake Okoboji, Spirit Lake, Storm Lake and Clear Lake are the largest of the Northern Iowa lakes. All of them, except Storm Lake, have fine bodies of timber on their borders. Lake Okoboji is about fifteen miles long, and from a quarter of a mile to two miles wide. Spirit Lake, just north of it, embraces about ten square miles, the northern border extending to the Minnesota line. Storm Lake is in size about three miles east and west by two north and south. Clear Lake is about seven miles long by two miles wide. The dry rolling land usually extends up to the borders of the lakes, making them delightful resorts for excursion or fishing parties, and they are now attracting attention as places of resort, on account of the beauty of their natural scenery, as well as the inducements which they afford to hunting and fishing parties.

As descriptive of some of the lakes of Northern Iowa, the author would here introduce some former correspondence of his own on the occasion of a visit to Spirit and Okoboji Lakes, in Dickinson county. At that time he wrote in regard to Spirit Lake:

With a party of delighted friends-seven of us in all-we made the circle of Spirit Lake, or Minne- Waukon as the Indians called it. Starting from the village of Spirit Lake early in the morning, we crossed the upper portion of East Okoboji on a substantial wooden bridge about three hundred feet in length, a half mile east of the village. Going around a farm or two, we proceeded up along the east shore of Spirit Lake to what is known as "Stony Point." Here a point of land has been gradually forming, for, we do not know how many years, or even centuries, but large trees have grown from the rocks, gravel and sand thrown together by various forces far back in the past. From the inner edge of the growth of timber, a ridge of rocks extends some forty rods into the lake, gradually lessening until, at the further extremity, it only affords a dry foot-way by stepping from rock to rock. This point is said to be constantly extending and it is not improbable that in time, two lakes may be formed instead of one. "Stony Point" is almost wholly composed of boulders of various sizes and shapes, brought together by the action of water, on either side. It is the resort of innumerable birds and water fowl of various kinds, including pelicans, black loons and gulls. When we approached they were holding high carnival over the remains of such unfortunate fish as happened to be thrown upon the rocks by the dashing of the waves. Our presence, however, soon cleared the coast of its promiscuous

gathering of feathered tenants, but after we left, they doubtless returned to their revelry.

We continued our journey up the lake a mile further to the "inlet." Here a small stream makes its way in from the east, and, having high steep banks, all we had to do was to go round its mouth through the lake, the water being very clear, with a fine gravel bottom, and sufficiently shallow for good fording. Just above this, a sand-beach extends for some distance, portions of which are covered with clumps of willows and other small trees. No heavy groves of timber border on the east side of the lake, but scattered trees and small groves extend all the way along. The adjoining prairie land is generally dry, rolling and well adapted to farming purposes. Several farms are in cultivation along the banks of this part of the lake.

Nearly east of the north end of the lake, we crossed the Iowa and Minnesota line. Our road led us about a mile further north, where it diverged westerly to the south bank of a pleasant little sheet of water, known as Loon Lake. This has an outlet connecting it with other small lakes, which lie near the head of Spirit Lake, and which were doubtless once a part of the same. In a pretty little grove on the shore of Loon Lake, in the sovereign State of Minnesota, we paused for our nooning.

From Loon Lake the road turns southward, passing several miles through groves of timber that border the west shore of Spirit Lake. A number of clear and quiet little lakes are nestled romantically in the groves west of Spirit Lake with only sufficient room in many places for a roadway between them and the latter. Of these charming little lakes, the three principal ones are Lake Augusta, Plum Lake, and Round Lake. In the formation of the last named, nature has indulged in one of her most singular and interesting freaks. It is something over a quarter of a mile in diameter, and so nearly round that the eye can detect no irregularity. The bank, all around, rises to the uniform height of about thirty feet, sloping at an angle of forty-five degrees, and giving the lake the appearance of a huge basin. A dense forest approaches on all sides, with large trees bending over the water, which is so deep down in its reservoir that the wind rarely ruffles its surface.

There is

no visible inlet or outlet, but the water is always deep and clear. It is indeed worth a day's journey to see this charming little gem of a lake, reposing so quietly in the midst of its wild surroundings of lofty trees, tangled vines and wild flowers.

Plum Lake is so called from the fact that there are many groves of wild plums around it. It lies between Lake Augusta and Round Lake. Near the north end of Plum Lake is a commanding elevation called "Grandview Mound." From the summit of this mound there is a fine view of Spirit Lake, and a portion of the surrounding country. There is every appearance that these little lakes were once a portion of the greater one that lies east of them, and they are now separated from it by a strip of land only wide enough in many places for a good wagon road, but it is gradually increasing in width from year to year. It is covered with a growth of cottonwood, soft maple, elm, wild plum, and other trees, with a dense profusion of wild grape vines clinging among the branches. The beach along the edge of Spirit Lake here is composed of gravel, sand and shells, with a ridge of boulders, rising and extending up to the timber, through which the road passes.

Round Lake, above mentioned, is situated in what is known as "Marble Grove," one of the finest bodies of timber to be found about the lakes, and is so named from its early occupant, who was killed by the Indians. It was in

In the

this grove, after the massacre, that the Indians peeled the bark from a tree, and with a dark paint, made a picture-record of what they had done. The killed were represented by rude drawings of persons in a prostrate position, corresponding with the number of victims. Pictures of cabins, with smoke issuing from their roofs, represented the number of houses burned. murder of Marble and his child, and the capture of Mrs. Marble, the Indians completed the annihilation of the settlement at the lakes, and thus left a record of their fiendish, work. "Marble Grove" at that time was doubtless a scene of savage rejoicing over the perpetration of deeds which cast a gloom over all Northwestern Iowa, and which the lapse of years only could remove. From the south end of " Marble Grove" to the village of Spirit Lake, the road passes over undulating prairies for some three or four miles, with several new farms now being improved on either side. The principal groves of timber about this lake are at the west side and the north end, while a narrow belt extends around the other portions. The water is deep, and the wind often dashes the waves against the banks with great violence. At other times the surface is smooth and placid.

There is a legend which we give briefly, for the benefit of those who may be curious to know the origin of the name of Spirit Lake. Many moons before the white man took up his abode or built his cabin on the shores of the lake, a band of Dakota warriors brought a pale-faced maiden here, a captive taken in one of their expeditions against the whites who had ventured near their hunting grounds. Among the warriors was a tall young brave, fairer than the rest, who had been stolen from the whites in infancy by the wife of Um-pa-sho-ta, the chief. The pale-faced brave never knew his parentage or origin, but the chief's wife called him Star of Day, and he knew not but that she was his own mother. All the tribe expected that he would sometime become their chief, as no warrior had proved so brave and daring as he. Star of Day, only, had performed deeds which entitled him to succeed to the honors of the aged Um-pa-sho-ta. But all the distinctions or titles that his nation might bestow, possessed no attraction for him while he beheld the grief of the beautiful pale-faced captive. He therefore determined to rescue her, and also made up his mind to flee with her from the tribe and make her his wife. The maiden had recognized in the blue eyes and fair face of her lover, something which told her that he, like herself, was a captive. One night, while all the warriors were asleep in their lodges, Star of Day and the maiden slumbered not. He silently unbound the thongs which fastened her to the lodge frame. Only a few paces through the thick forest brought them to the lake shore, where, under the willows, his light canoe was in readiness. Soon the lovers were midway across the lake, but the Great Spirit who ruled in the wind and the water, as well as in the forest, willed that their home should be together beneath the waters where no Dakota should henceforth ever disturb them. And so a breath of the Great Spirit in the wind dashed a wave over the little canoe, and it went down with the lovers. Since that time no Indian's canoe has ever dared to venture upon the lake. Only the white man's canoe is always safe, for the spirits of Star of Day and the maiden still abide under the water, in a beautiful cave of shells, guarding only the white man's canoe from danger, as spirits ever know their own. From that time the Dakotas called the lake Minne-Waukon, or Spirit-Water.

Okoboji.-Okoboji is the most beautiful of all the lakes of Northwestern Walter Scott could not invest the historic lakes of Scotia with more

Iowa.

of the wild beauty of scenery suggestive of poetry and romance, than we here find around this loveliest of Iowa lakes.

Okoboji lies immediately south of Spirit Lake, and is of very irregular shape. Its whole length is at least fourteen miles, but it is nearly separated into two parts. The two parts are called, respectively, East and West Okoboji. A wooden bridge has been erected across the straits, on the road from the village of Spirit Lake to that of Okoboji, the water here being ordinarily not over a couple of hundred feet wide and about fifteen feet deep. West Okoboji is much the larger body of water, stretching west and northwest of the straits some eight miles, and varying in width from one to two miles. As you pass around this lake, the scene constantly changes, and from many different points the observer obtains new views, many of which might furnish inspiration to the pencil of the artist. The water has a deep sky-blue appearance, and the surface is either placid or boisterous, as the weather may happen to be. The dry land slopes down to the margin on all sides.

Huge boulders are piled up around the shores several feet above the water, forming a complete protection against the action of the waves. These rocks embrace the different kinds of granite which are found scattered over the prairies, with also a large proportion of limestone, from which good quick-lime is manufactured. This rock protection seems to be characteristic of all that portion of the lake-shore most subject to the violent beating of the waves. But there are several fine gravel beaches, and one on the north side is especially resorted to as being the most extensive and beautiful. Here are immense wind-rows of pebbles, rounded and polished by the various processes that nature employs, and in such variety that a single handful taken up at random would constitute a miniature cabinet for the geologist. Agates, cornelians, and other specimens of exquisite tint and beauty, are found in great profusion, being constantly washed up by the water. The east end of West Okoboji, at the straits, is some five miles south of Spirit Lake, but the extreme west portion extends up to a point west of Spirit Lake. East Okoboji is not so wide or deep as the other part, but is nearly as long. It extends up to within a quarter of a mile, or less, of Spirit Lake, and is now connected with it by a mill-race, being some four or five feet lower than that lake. At a narrow place near the upper end of this lake, a bridge some three hundred feet long has been erected on the road leading to Estherville. The Okoboji outlet heads at the south end of East Okoboji, and in its passage flows through three lakes called Upper, Middle and Lower Gar Lakes. These little lakes are so named because large quantities of the peculiar long-billed fish designated by that name, are found therein. outlet has a rapid fall all the way to its junction with the Little Sioux river, some five miles below, and is about being turned to good account by the erection of machinery on it. This outlet is also the greatest of the fishing

resorts about the lakes

This

On

The groves around Lake Okoboji embrace over one thousand acres of good timber. The larger groves are found on the south side, where the principal settlement was at the time of the Indian massacre. There are two or three fine bodies of timber on the north side of West Okoboji, and a narrow fringe of timber borders nearly all the lake shore between the larger groves. the north side of West Okoboji, near the west end, is a splendid grove of hard maple, of large size, while none of this kind of timber is found elsewhere about the lake. On the same side in another grove, we observed many red cedars of large growth. We noticed one nearly three feet in