On one of these excursions, while stopping at a planter's who owned a mill, I saw several large masses of sienite, lying on the ground; and on inquiry where this material could come from, in the midst of a limestone country, was informed that it was brought from the waters of the St.
Francis, to serve the purpose of millstones.

This furnished the hint for a visit to that stream, which resulted in the discovery of the primitive tract, embracing the sources of the St.Francis and Big Rivers.
I found rising of forty principal mines scattered over a district of some twenty miles, running parallel to, and about thirty miles west of, the banks of the Mississippi.

I spent about three months in these examinations, and as auxiliary means thereto, built a chemical furnace, for assays, in Mr.Austin's old smelting-house, and collected specimens of the various minerals of the country.

Some of my excursions were made on foot, some on horseback, and some in a single wagon.

I unwittingly killed a horse in these trips, in swimming a river, when the animal was over-heated; at least he was found dead next morning in the stable.
In the month of October I resolved to push my examinations west beyond the line of settlement, and to extend them into the Ozark Mountains.