Beginning at a point in the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River, due east of the mouth of the Meramec; thence due west to the middle of the main channel of the Meramec River, at the mouth thereof; thence up the Meramec, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to where the township line between townships forty-three and forty-four crosses the same; thence west with said line to the Meramec River, where the said township line again crosses the same; thence up the Meramec River, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to a point where the range line between ranges two and three, east, crosses the same; thence south with said range line to the northwest corner of township forty-two, range three, east; thence direct to the northeast corner of Washington County, being a point sixteen chains north of the quarter-section corner on the line between sections fourteen and fifteen, in township forty, north, range two, east; thence in a direct line to the middle of the main channel of Big River, opposite the mouth of Mineral Fork; thence up said river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to where the subdivisional line between sections eighteen and nineteen intersects the same; thence east with the subdivision lines to the southeast corner of section sixteen, township thirty-eight, range four, east; thence direct to the southeast corner of township thirty-nine, north, range five, east; thence in a direct line, and with the St. Francois County line, toward the southeast corner of section twenty-three, township thirty-eight, north, range six, east, to where said line intersects the Platten Creek; thence in a direct line to Skagg’s Spring, on the Isle au Bois Creek, in section fourteen, township thirty-nine, north, of range six, east, and to said Isle au Bois Creek, and to the middle of the main channel thereof; thence down the middle of the main channel of said Isle au Bois Creek to the slough bank; thence in a northeastern direction to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said Mississippi River to the place of beginning.