In several parts of the Arkansa territory we were shewn dollars, which were believed to have been coined in some of the upper settlements of White river; and it has been currently reported, that mines of silver exist, and are wrought there. It appears, however, upon examination, that much spurious coin is here in circulation; and it is probable that the White river country owes its present reputation for mineral wealth to the successful labours of some manufacturer of imitation dollars. Since the time of De Soto, it has been confidently asserted by many who have written concerning Louisiana, that mines of gold and silver exist in that part of the country of which we are speaking. In an old map, by Du Pratz, a gold mine is placed somewhere near the confluence of the Illinois and the Arkansa; a silver mine on the Merameg, and he says, "I myself saw a rivulet whose waters rolled down gold dust."[22] We are informed by Schoolcraft, that granite exists about the sources of the St. Francis, which are near those of White river.[23] Of the extent and character of this formation of granite, we have not yet been able to form any very definite ideas; it is, however, by no means improbable, that to its plates of yellow and white mica, we are to look for the origin of the fabulous accounts of the precious metals in those regions. Like the country of the gilded king, the El Dorado of South America, it is probable the gold and silver mines of the Arkansa territory will recede, before the progress of examination, first into the wildest and most inaccessible parts, and at length disappear entirely. We by no means intend to assert, that the region in question will not prove of immense importance, on account of its mineral treasures; valuable mines of lead and iron are certainly frequent in many parts of it. And we can assign no reason why silver {139} and other metals should not be found in the argillite with quartzy veins, and in the other rocks of the transition period, which we know to exist in these mountains. We only intend to give it as our opinion, that there has as yet been no foundation in actual discovery for the belief that such mines do exist.