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The at Pos I III; An > within Mann( A Ciptain Illuftratecl Amerk from th« mi -.■^-•;?;-*="lF TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION or THB WESTERN TERRITORY NORTH AMERICA: » • ,' CONTAININQ • ASucciNCT Account of itsSoil, Climate, Natural Hif- tory. Population, Agriculture, Manners, and Cuftoms, With an ample Defcnption of the feveral pivifioni into ' which that Country 'u partitioned ; TO WHICH AKB ADDED, ''''<'. '' ;. THE DISCOVERY, SETTLEMENT, AND PRESENT STATE OF KENTUCKY. AND All ESSAY towards the Topooraphv, and Naturai, History of that important Country. * By JOHN FILSON. '. TO WHICH IS ADDKO, I, The Adventures of Col. Daniel Boon, one of the Firft icttlers, comprehending every important Occurrence in the Political Hiilory of that Province. II. The Minutes of the Fiankashaw Council, held at Post St. Vincent's, April 15, 1784. Ill: An Account of the Indian Nations inhabiting within the Limits of the Thirteen United States ; their Manners and Cuftoms ; and KefledlioRs on their Origin. By GEORGE IML AY, A Cipuin in the -American Army during the War, aad Comtniflioner for laying out JLandl in the Back Scttlemenu. Illuftrated with coneft Mapi of the Weftcrn Territory of North America; of the Stats of Kentucky, as divided into Countiei, from the latent Surveys; and a Plan of the Rapid* of the Ohio. THE SECOND EDITION, WITH CONSIDBRABLB ADDITIONS. LONDON: printed FOA J* DEBRETT, OPFOSITS BVRLXNCTONr HOUSE, PICCADILLY. Mocc;;ciii. . . » M \\ ..r^-rr^ ■ *^i'LWJi 10-- ^./(^y ,i. ■'s M i1 J •ySei al *4< 4:^ y 4".' INTRODUCTION. . J The Author of the following Letters hav« ing been an early witnefs to the iettlement of Kentucky, had frequently fuggefled to me the importance of that riling country. But I confefs that, with every deference to his judgment, I was not aware how defervedly it had been eflimated as of the utmoft conn* quence. A momentous sera, during feveraji years of which the eyes of the whole world were attentively fixed upon Europe, had fo entirely occupied my mind, that, regardlefs of occurrences in the remote parts of Ame- rica, I felt no inconfiderable aftoni(hment at finding that Kentucky was to be admit* ted as a feparate State into the federal govern- ment* ■«s,^ i ( H ) It ftruck mc as a natural objcdl of enquiry to what a future increafe and ekvation of magnitude and grandeur the fpreading em- pire of America might^attain, when a coun- try had thus fuddenly rifen from an unin- habited wild, to the quantum of population iieceifary to govern and regulate its own ad- miniftration. ' '^ Itwa:s Utkterllfiis idea tba^t I reqveded my fr2end to fend me, at his leilbre, a complete "flcfcriptioh <*f s in qudftii^ Wdutd ))rbve ac- "t^>table to the Public, as 4(»)|Miiitittg ^%o ^httm 1a ihbre ihrticular^tinc^ledge^f ^h^ cotnitry, {o apparently the bone of contention between ^e Indians and the Americans. Con- '^ f enquiry ration of ding em- 1 a coun- an unin- Dpulation own ad- leded my complete of Agie- and go- Iccdtinit ^f )0£(t%d ibe \t a^man- ddksttof [ thought ^rt)ve ac- g^»o4hI >my&lf have experienced. It is very certain that no work of the kind •has hitherto been publiflied in this country ; and when original matter is brought before the Public, furely it cannot fail to prove ac- a % ceptable •?» ff, ,■<■ { w ) ceptable to the philofopher, and entertaining to the curious. The occafional remarks, which he has in- terfperfed, refpetSting the laws, religion, and cuftoms of Europe, are entitled to the great- eft indulgence, as I believe them to be made with the greateft candour. A man who had liv6d until he was more than five-and- twenty years old, in the back parts of America (which was the cafe with our Author, except during the period he ferved in the army), accuftomed to that fim- plicity of manners natural to a people in a ftate of innocence, fuddenly arriving in Eu- rope, muft have been powerfully ftricken with the very great difference between the £mplicity of the one, and what is called etiquette and good breeding in the other. ; Perhaps fuch a perfon is better calculated than ourfelves tc judge of our manners; and doubtlefs habit very materially a^s upon the human mind ; and iince it has been too much t- • * ' : the i ■m m ^■% ml ( » ) the pra^ice in Europe to confer favours in proportion to the fervility of courtiers* I am apprehenfive that we have imperceptibly loft much of our energy and manlinefs. . The calculated rife of the American em- pire, which thefe letters contain* will not* I think, appear extravagant, when we recol- left the rapid (Irides which have advanced it to its prefent flourishing ftate of wealth and population. In the life of Edward Drinker, which was publiOied in Philadelphia, April 1783, are contained thefe remarkable particulars : <* Edward Drinker, was born in a cottage in 1688, on the fpot where the city of Phila- delphia now ftands, which was inhabited, at the time of his birth, by Indians, and a few Swedes and Hollanders. « He often talked of picking blackberries, and catching wild rabbits, where this popu- lous city is now feated. He remembered the arrival of William Penn, and ufed to a 3 point V ■ ^mrn^"?! — Wi i ( vi ) point out the fpot where the cabin flood in which that adventurer and his friends were aecdtnniodated on their arrival. « He faw the fame fpot of earth, in the courfe of his own life, covered with woods and bu(hes, the receptacles of wild beaili and birds of prey« afterwards become tho feat of a great and ilourifhing city» not only the firfl in wealth and uru in America, but equalled but by few in Europe. . * " He faw fplendid churches rife upon morafTeSf where he ufed to hear nothing but the croaking of frogs j great wharfs and warehoufeSi where he had often (e^a fa- vages draw their fi(h from the river ; he faw that river afterwards receiving (hips and merchandize from every part of the globe, which, in his youth, had nothing bigger than an Indian canoe* . *' He had been the fubjedk of many crowned heads $ but when he heard of the oppreffivre and uncotiditutional a(Sts paiTcd in Britain, I ■^ A I flood in ds were 1, in the woods Id beails come the not only rica, but rife upon thing but harfs and t feen fa- r; he faw (hips and the globe, ^g bigger ■■:> I I ( vii ) Britain., he bought theoa all, and gave tham to his grandfons tQ naiiake kites of; and eni- bracing the liberty and independence of his country, aftr feeing the beginning and end of the British empire in Pennfylvania, and ^ter triumphing in the edablifhment of frec^ dom* he died in November 1782." ,1; v j , I repeat, that when we recoiled the won- derful changes which have taken place dur-, ing the life of one man in Pennfylvania} under all the difadvantages with which th^ population of that country was attended, ast veil as the reft of America, poilerity will not dec^M^ it ej^traordinary, Oiould tl^ey ^nd the country fettled quite acrofs to the Pas^ific Ocean, in lefs than another century, - * .^ I will fuppofe that the inhabitants of Ame^ rica amount at prefi^nt tQ four millions of fouls at lead, and that their population doubles once in twenty or twenty-five years | at the end of a hundred years thfir number will be fixty-four millions, w a 4 This --^^. m'mf^^ J*'-l ■¥ "i^' -^i ( viii ) This is a very fimple but very obvious truth. To be fenlible of this« we have only to mark th§ ftages of its growth. For, whe- ther the fecret of its amazing fecundity is owing to the great proportion of room which the extent of its territory affords, fignifies very little, as it does not appear likely that any material alteration, in that refpedt, will take place in the courfe of fo (hort a time as a century; as the expanfion of its dominion will fecure the fame advantages to popula- tion. 1 The immenfe extent of the American em- pire abounds with all climates, with every kind of foil, and with rivers fo various and extenfive, that it feems calculated to become a rival to half the globe in trade and riches. Some obflrudtions have interfered with the navigation of the Miiliflippi, which were as repugnant to found policy on the part of Spain, as it was diftreiling to the people of the weftern country. It ./ -I ,1 ni obvious ive only r, whc- ndity is n which fignifies icly that ►edt, will I time as lominion popula- rican cm- ith every irious and :o become d riches. - 1 with the :h were as le part of ; people of •I ^■■^.m ( ix ) It was under that coercion that the people of Kentucky in convention in the year lySH, petitioned the United States upon the fub- je& of their grievances ; who, in confequence, remonftrated with the Court of Spain upon that fubjed;, when fome indulgence was granted, though that navigation was not en- tirely liberated. -^ This petition contains fentiments fo pure, and fo manly, that I think there cannot be a better idea conveyed of their difpoH- tionsand manners, than by inferring it at full length. " Fathers, fellow-citizens, and * -' Guardians of our rights, *' As we addrefs you by the appellation of fathers, we rely on your paternal afFeaion to hear us j we rely on your judice, as men and citizens, to attend to the wrong done to men and citizens ; and as a people recog- nifed by the folemn adts of the union, we look for protedion to the federal head. *• When thepeacQ had fccured to Ame- rica m '!■■ ( X ) ri'ca that fcnrereignty and independence, for vrbicb fhe had fo iK)bly contended, we could not retire with our Atlantic friends, to en^^ joy, in eafe, tbie bleiBngs- of freedotxu Many of us had expended, to the dsrugglo for our country's rights, that property which would liave enabled us to poiie(^ a C0Q9pe« fence with our liberty. On the weA«fD waters, the commonwealth of Virginia pof- feffed a fertile, but uninhabited wild, iffi this wildernefs we fought, after having pro« cured liberty for our poilerity, to proviide Icff their fupport. .fa >n ^j lim '* Inured to hardfhips by a long warfare, we ventured into almoft impenetrable forefts —without bread or domeflic cattle, we de- pended on the cafual fupplies afforded by the chace— 'hunger was our familiar atten^ dant, and even our unfavoury meals were made upon the wet furface of the earth, with the cloud-deformed canopy for our co- vering. Though forced to pierce the thick* ct, it was not in fafety we trod-^tbe vile 4 favage ce, for e could toen-i -eodoQU ftrugglfi y which corop«* weit«fn inia pof- ild. to ving pro* ravide fo» g warfare, ble forefts le, we de- ffbrded by liar atten* ncaU were the earth, for our co- ; the thick- i-„the vile favage ( xi ) favage thirAed for blood, lurked in our paths/ and feized the unfufpeding hunter. • r ti: " Whilft we lamented the loft friend, a brother, a father, a wife, a child became the vi6kim to the barbarian tomahawk— In- ilead of confolation, a new and greater mis^ fortune deadened the fenfe of former afflic- tions. From the union we receive no fup- port ; but we impeach not their juftice. In- effectual treaties, often renewed, and as often broken by the favage nations, ferved only to fupply them with the means of our de- ftrudtion. . ?» ? *.; .; , i. ** But no human caufe could controul that Providence which had deftined this weftern country to be the feat of a civilized and happy people. The period of its ac- compliihment was diftant, but it advanced with rapid and incredible ftrides. We de«* rived ftrength from our falls, and numbers from our loffes — the unparalleled fertility of our foil made grateful returns, far difpro- portioned to the flight labour which our fafety ^ 1 I- * ( wi ). iafety would permit us to bedow— -our fields and herds afford us not only fufHcient fup- port for ourfelves, but alfo for the emi- grants, who annually double our numbers, and even a furplus flill remains for exporta- tion—this furplus would be far greater, did not a narrow policy Hiut up our navigation, and difcourage our induftry. '* In this iituation we call for your at- tention— wc beg you to trace the MifTiflippi from the ocean •— furvey the innumerable rivers which water your weftern territory, and pay their tribute to its greatncfs — exa- mine the luxuriant foil which thofe rivers traverfe^ Then we afk, can the God op Wisdom and Nature have created that vail country in vain ? Was it for nothing that he bleffed it with a fertility fo aftonifhing f Did he not provide thofe great ftreams which enter into the Mifliilippi, and by it com- municate with the Atlantic, that other na- tions might enjoy with us the bleflings of our prolific foil ? View the country, and you 3 will If r fields nt fup- ic cmi- imbers, sxporta- ater, did irigation> your at- /liffiflippi umerable territory, icfs — cxa- lofe rivers 1 God of •cated that jthing that loniftiing ? Eims which y it com- othcr na- blcffings of ry, and you will ii^ii ■ ;vi;| ( xi" ) will anfwer for yourfelves. But can the prefumptuous madnefs of man imagine a policy inconfiftent with the immenfe defigns of the Deity? Americans cannot. ** As it is the natural right to the inhabit- ants of this country to navigate the Mifli{^ iippi, fo they have alfo a right derived from treaties and national compadts. ** By the treaty of peace, concluded in the year 1763, between the crowns of Great Britain, France, and Spain, the free navi- gation of the river MifUfTippi was afcer- tained to Great Britain. .^ *• The right thus afcertained was exer- cifed by the fubjedts of that crown, until the peace of 1783, and conjointly with them by the citizens of the United States. By the treaty, in which Great Britain acknowledg- ed the independency of the United States, (he alfo conceded to them the free naviga- tion of the Miffiffippi. "It was aright naturally and eflentially annexed to the poffeffion of (he weftcrn ' ' country. I i C ^^ ) country. As fuch it was claimed by Ame^ fl-lca, and it was upon that principle ihe ^obtained it. Yet the court of Spain* who pof- fefs the country at the mouth of the Miilif- iippi, have (obftru£ted your citizens in the 'enjoyment of that right. . ., ** If policy is the motive which adtuates political condad, will yon fupport thk liigiht, and thereby enable us to affifl in the ibpport of government ? '** If you will 'be really our fathers, ilretch •Ibcdi your hands to fave us — if you would be worthy guardians, defend our rights. We are a member, that would exert every mufcle for your fervice. Do not cut us off icom your body. Ey every tie of coniangui- ;iilty and affedtion, by the remembrance of •1^ iylood which we have mingled in the common caufe, by a regard to juAice, and to policy, we conjure you to procure our • * ■ * rights. ''iMay your councils be guided by wif* :«lam«nd ^ftice, juxd may your determina- Ml - tion ^ Ame« >le ihe ho pof» MiiTif- in the adtuates tort this ift in the s, ilretdi ou would r righls. Kcrt every cut us ofF onfangui- ibrance of ed in the ice, and to ocure our -f ■A ( XV ) ^on he marked with deciiion and efFedll Let not your beneficence be circumfcribed by the mountains which divide us ; but let us feel that you are really the guardians and a(^ 'ferters of our rights. Then you would fe- cure the |>rayers of the people, whofe grati- tude "Would be as warm as their vindications df their rights will be eternal — ^Then our con- nection (hall be perpetuated to the latcft times, a monument of your juftice, and a 'terror to your enemies." ■ - « . /- - » J « The firft edition of this work haviT>g esr* citttd « general curiofity rcfpe^ing the We(t- tjfh'couiltiy df ^the United States of America, but tnope particuki'ly that of the State of lCerttu<5ky, the Editor has thought it would not be unwelcome to the Public to annex an appendix, containing a defcription of Ken- tucky by Filfon, published in America 1784 j from which Morfe and all other writers (our author excepted) fince that sera, have taken their :M ( xvi ) .heir infor«a.ion. concerning the develop. Vo .he firft rife and progrefs of a State. ■ r-llnces of .hich are fo truly afto. "■'tI;! propriety of adopting there »Ue. ■Je enforced by the peculiar energy wh.ch : corroboration of accounts, fo wonderful m ;: efti^ation of Europeans produces and Ihich the two works poffefs. that .tmuft be Lreffed upon th. mind of ever, mtelhgent iropren i- ^i^^ ardour of reader, who fometiroes .he authors imagination may exceed. he j«ft H«i.sof.ruth.«dpr.cifion,andthejuftnefs if .here accounts are farther ftrengtb^cd by pcndix, written plicity, by a man ters who firft pcnci that deUaablc region. who was one of the Hun- itrated into the bofom of !..■ •♦ • • ;■<&• developer )f a State, truly afto- fc motives irgy which onderful in iduces, and t it muft be intelligent ardour of ceedthcjuft thejuftncfs Bgthened by in this Ap- utmoft fim- of the Hun- le bofom of TOPOGRAPHICAL DEgCRIPTlON, 6ff . &c, &c. LETTER L ftlY DEAR PRIENOi KENTtJCity, .1 ME talk you have givert ime, hoM^ever difHcuIc, I undertake with the greacell pleafure, as it will afford me an oppor-> tunity of contrafting the limple manners, and rational life of the Americans, in thefe back fet-* rtlements, with the diftorted and unnatural habits of the Europeans : which have flowed no doubt from the univerfally bad laws which exill on your continent^ and from that pernicious fydem of blending religion with politics, which has been produ^ve of univerfal depravity* jB While ( • i While ignorance continued to darken the ho- • ^f Europe, prieftcraft feems to have forged nzon of Europe, f . . , . ;. jhe fecurity ,e„cr,forthehuman..ndandm'^ J ef U. own omn.potcnce to hav.g ,„.,ewriUngsa„dop.. - "'''^ZlehabcnuLtableinthee.- The conlequcnce n*» "'Xrc are .ras favourable to the rife of new ,ol.ents,and though natu^Ugov-^^^^^ .ppear f"^-"; ^ "^fj ,, „,„ che American but happdy for •"*"*"" „ded the -™nire was forming, philolopny y of Europe, and the radiance of her feature, gemus of Europe, an ^^^.^^^, moulded the mmds of men mto ''t:a,thezenUhofyourpower.andtheinflated gideur of vifionary plans for dom.n.o.^luch the remains of gothic tyranny produced, that g^e of Great Britain, as well as the reft ot 1. P^ 3 ,1.- :n the ho- |avc forged ic fccurity :n a ftamp that rivet- fophifts— le in the ex- rife of new governed by n and ftates m of chances : he American pervaded the of her features more rational nd the inflated minion, which aced, that gave cndence. We in avoiding the aces the courts reft of Europe. We I 5 ( 3 ) We have only appropriated the advantages of new lights, as they have (hone upon us ; which you have an equal chance of doing ; and your not doing it, mufl remain a monument of your folly; calculated to excite the aftonifhment and indig- nation of a more manly progeny. However, I ihall leave this fubje.at proof that there has been a recent alteration upon the face of the globe. Whether or not mankind came origi- nally from the Eall figniHes little. It is, how<-. ever, certain, that Europe was in its infancy three thoufand years ago j and that America was flill lefs advanced to maturity, I believe alfo will be acknowledged ; though the barbarifm of the one,, and the comparative civilization of the other, is no argument : for, let our hemifpherc have been peopled as it would, it had the difad- vantage of having no poli(hed country in the neighbourhood of its vail extent of dominion j and if it received emigrants from Tartary, they were equally favage with themfelves ; or if from the wreck of a Chinefe, or Japanefe vefTel, they fcem to have been too rare (if ever) to have been produdive of much good to the Americans. The idea of the Incas of Peru being of Chinefe origin merits no confideration. That man polTelTes from nature the talents ne- 33 ceflary '4 i«iW r ( < ) ceflTary to his own civilization, and that perfeftion of philofophy and reafon which dignifies his na- ture, admits, I ihould conceive, of no difpute. In all countries which wear the marks of age, men feem always to have been advancing their improvements for the comfort and order of fo- ciety. Adventitious circumdances have rapidly encreafed them in modern times in the old world, while they have retarded them in the new, among the natives. The improvements in navigation led to the overthrow of two empires in America which had attained confiderable improvements ; and if the natives which flill remain are barba- rous, we mufl, in juftice to human nature, allow that the contempt with which the Whites have always treated them, and the nefarious policy of encouraging their fury for intoxication, have proved the only caufe of it. This produced fuch an effedl, that the population of the Indian na. tions, had decreafed more than a twentieth nearly a century ago, according to the account of Char- levoix. While Spain was pracftifing the moft odious tyranny, and facrilegious inhumanity under the ^ Vl'f5 perfedlion fies his na-. difpute. irks of age, icing their )rder of fo- lave rapidly old world, new, among 1 navigation in America provements ; n are barba- nature, allow ; Whites have ious policy of ication, have jroduced fuch tie Indian na- entieth nearly ount of Char- e moft odious nity under the ■JdSSrSf? ( 7 ) i.Ioak of a deteftable religion, over millions of the miferable Americans, gorging an infatiable avarice in the glittering mines of the new world* England and France, with more humanity, open- ed fcttlements in North America. Other Euro- pean powers had fome part in thefe fettlements j but, after fome changes previous to the begin- ning of the prefent century, England feems to have been left in quiet poflefllon of the country lying upon the Atlantic coaft from Eaft Florida to the Bay of Fundy. The French, in the mean time, were rearing a colony in the unhofpitable and frozen forefts of Canada. The ambition of ; Lewis XIV. and the dazzling fcenery which the grandeur of his projeds difplayed, alone could have prompted that people to have perfevered in fo ruinous an undertaking. But in purfuing the great objedl of that voracious tyrant, the river St. Lawrence was afcended. Lake Ontario was traverfed, the falls of Niagara were pafled, and following the waters which lead to the MifTiflippi river, the delegable country of Louiliana opened in all the fplendour and variety of its charms. After the treaty of Utrecht, both nations con- "'•'. ^4 tinued *lk]( I ( « > tinued qu'ctly the objeft of aggrandizement. 7 he plan of Fiance was infidious. In poffbf-^ fion of the mcuth of the river MiflilTippi, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico in about lat, ^9', and the river St. Lawrence, which empties into the fea between Cape North and the coaft of Labrador, to the northward of |at. 48% (he feems to have contemplated the copfolida- tion of this vaft empire. Miffionaries were every where employed to convert the natives ; and fo fuccefsful were they, that a perfon, even in times of hoflility, fpeaking French, will find fecurity from the atachmcRt of the people to every thing which is French. The mifcarriage of the celebrated fcheme of Law, for fettling Louifiana, for a time retarded the progrefs of that coloHian plan. But the communication between Canada and Louifiana being fixed and fecured by fortreffes at Niagara and Detroit, and the Indians being univerfally friendly to the French, the features of the Titan was difcovcre^ in their ercding Fort D^ Quefne ^t the jundion of the Mononaha|a and Allegany fivers, which fojrm the Ohio. This 1^^ to the Mn ndizcmentu In pofifef-» Ippi, which 1 about lat, lich empties id the coaft of lat. 48% e coofolida- s were every vcs; and fa jven in times find fecurity o ev^ry thing ed fchemc of time retarded an. But the ind Louilian* fes at Niagara ng univerfally s of the Titan 3rt D\i Quefnc i and Allegany bis \^4 to the ( 9 ) war between England and France in the year 1755, you may well recoiled. But though that war terminated fo glorioufly for Great Bri- tain, and fecurely for the then colonies, ftill we re- mained ignorant of the whole of the ftne coun, try lying between the high hills, which rife from Great Sandy river, approximate the Allegany mountain, and extending down the Ohio to its confluence with the MiflifTippi, and back to thofc ridges of mountains which traverfe America in a S. W. b. W. direftion, until they are loft in the flat lands of Weft Florida. However, Indian traders, and certain men, called Long Hunters, from Virginia and North Carolina, by penetrat-t ing thefe mountains (which ramify into a country 200 miles over from eaft to weft, called the Wildernefs), were fafcinated with the beauty knd luxuriance of the country on the weftern fide, which ;heir enraptured imaginations could not find words fufficient to depidt. A grant had be^n fold by the Six Nations of Indians to fp|ne Britilh commifTioners at Fort Stanwix in 1768, which comprehended this coun- l^fy, and which afforded the Americans; a pretext • ^ for •<^ ( 10 ) for a right to fettle it ; but it was not yet fuffi- ciently known, and thofe Indian nations who were not concerned in the grant, became diffatif^ jied with the profpedlof a fettlement which might become fo dangerous a thorn in their lide, and committed fome nialTacres upon the firfl ex- plorers of the country. However, after the expe* dition of Lord Dunmore in 1774* and the battle at the mouth of the Great Kanhaway, between the army of Col. Lewis and the confederated tribes of Indians (in which thefe intrepid people fufFered feverely), they were in fome meafu re quiet. The aflembly of Virginia began now to encourage the peopling that diftrid of country called Ken- tucky, from the name of a river which runs pearly through the middle of it *. This encou- ragement confided in offering 400 acres of land to every perfon who engaged to build a cabin, clear a piece of land, and produce a crop of In- dian corn. This was called a fettlement right* Spme hundreds of thefe fettlements were made j This fiver is about 250 yards wide ts mouth, and is navigable for upwards of 130 miles j its current is confiderably rapid. but m yet fuffi- ons who e diiTatir* ch might fide, and firft ex- the expe- le battle at etween the ated tribes pie fufFered quiet. The I encourage called Ken- which runs rhis encou- cres of land lild a cabin, crop of In- • mer*t right* were made: i mouth, and is t is confiderably / >l ( " ) but, in the mean time, Mr. Richard Hendcrfon of North Carolina, a man of no inconflderablc abilities, and more entcrprife, had obtained a grant from the Cherokee tribe of Indians for this fame traft of country ; and though it was contrary to the laws of the land for any private citizen to make purchafes of the Indians, flill Mr^ Henderfon perfevered in his intention of e(la> bliihing a colony of his own. To the inhabitants he intended to grant the power of making their own laws, while he retained the executive autho- rity in his own hands. He adually took pofTelTion of the country, with many of his followers, where he remained pretty quiet, making very little im- provement, Virginia being at that time entirely pccupie^ with the war which had commenced be- tween Great Britain and the Confederated States, Moft of the young men from the back fettlements of Virginia and Pennfylvania, who would have migrated to this country, having engaged in the war, forn^ed that body of men called Rifle-men ; which not only checked the growth pi the fettle- pient, but fo dried up the fources of emigration, jha^ it was near being annihilated by the fury of th5 ^1 the ravages, who were hurried on by theemif- faries of the government of Canada. Though a confiderable number of inhabitants had fled from the different flates to this country, in fearch of an afylum againlt the calamities of the war on the other fide of the mountains in 177S, 1779* and 1780, yet fo diflrefTcd was the fettlement during this lafl year, after a ri- gorous winter (which had been more than ufually fevereupon the continent), that the fettlert judged right, when they determined to abandon the country for ever; but they were diverted from this flep by a feafonable reinforcement -of emigrants, after having experienced every hbrrbr which a fanguinary war can produce. The legality of Mr. Henderfon's claim was in- veftigated by the (late of Virgina in 1781 ; and though there could be no fort of equity in it, he having adled in contempt of the ftat6, the legif- lature, to avoid feuds or difturbances (for Hen- derfon (Viil had influence), agreed, as an indem- nification for the expence and trouble he had been at, that he (hould be allowed a tradb of country twelve miles fquare, lying in the forks of .0; foi and l?5. \ i-M jr the emif- nhabitants lis country, &Iamities of ountains in Tcfled was , after a ri- more than itthefettlert to abandon tre diverted brccmerit of every hbrrbr r» ^» :laim was in- n 1781 ; and ^uity in it, he ltd, the legif- :es (for Hen- is an indem« )uble he had ed a tra6b of in the forks of ( 13 ) of the Ohio and Green rivers : a tradl of his own chufing. Virginia gave farther rewards and encourage- ments at this time to the firfl fettlers, for ths perils- they had undergone in the edablifhment ll of their fettlement, of a traA of 1000 acres, 1 called a pre-emption right, to be laid off adjoin- ing to the fettlement of 400 acres, the grantee only paying office fees for the fame *. At this period * At this time, what was called Continental Cariency, wt$ feduced to as low a rate as 500 for one; nay, I believe 1000 was a more common exchange* This circamftance, though it htd its good effe^, fo far as it tended to accelerate the fettlement of the country, ftill was produAive of no fmall degree of evil nd injuftice. For in coniequence of the great quantity of this money, which lay dead in the hands of individuals, it was no fooner known in the difierent ftates, that Virginia held out an opportunity to them of obtaining a confideration for this de- preciated currency, than it was fent to the treafury of that date in fuch quantities, and given for land warrants, that ia a ihort time more of them were iifiied thaa would have cover* edhalf the territory within its limits, > Previous to this xra, great part of th«> valuable land in the diftrift of Kentucky, had been either taken up on old military grants, and pre-emption-rights, or located by thoie who had been firft in obtaining their warrants ; for it required fome time for the bufinefs to extend itfelf, and become generally known and underftood* ... ...:.•/.; -.i^. -; In confequence, a large proportion of the holders of treafuiy warrants :t m ( 14 ) pttiod (i. e. 1781), a land ofHce was opened hy the itate, granting warrants for any quantity of -•■■•:■•/'•.:.;' ^•".^ ■.•;;•'.: n-./i': unlocated Warrants were difappolnwd, when they determined, if they could not obtain prime land* they would lay their warrants upon fuch as was vacant, however fteril, which doubtHefs was proper ; for though the warrants had coft them only a nominal value, nor was the ftate of Virgihia fenfible of the dangerous avenue they were opening to fraudulent praAices, yet it was poflible, in an extenfive traA of mountainous country, there might be in the valleys, or between the hills, fome bottom land which, in the progiefs of fettlenfcnts, would be of value* Sut they did not ftop here ; for finding a general fpirit of mi- gration was taking place from every part of the Atlantic, to Che Weftem country, and that the reputation of the fine lands upon the Ohio, particularly thofe of Kentucky, were every day advancing in eftimation, they determined to have their fnrveys made out in the moft artful manner, by . having for corner trees, fuch kinds as are never known to grow but in the moft fertile foil, and which may always be found io the narrow firips of bottom land, and the plots embellilhed with the greateft elegance, difplayxng fine water courfes, mill feats (where periiaps there will not be a grain of com for half a cen* tnry to come), plains, groves and meadows. Hence proceeded fo generally the bufinefs of land-jobbing-* hence it is that there is to be (een in the Mercuries throughout Europe, fuch immenfe traAs of land in America offered for fale— and hence it is that fo many perfons have caufe to com- plain of having been deceived in the accounts which have been given of land they have purchafed. I had given fuch an account in this work, of the good and indifierent veins of land, which I believed would have dire^d every purchafer of fuch land againft the danger of impofition ; but J i(S 1 nl -.-m ;es. opened by quantity of unlocated mined, if they theii" warrant* doubtlcfs was only a noitiinal the dangerous yet it was country, there Is, (bme bottom uld be of value, ral fpirit of mi- he Atlantic, to of the fine lands :ky, were every d to have their , by. having for grow but in the and in the narrow lliihed with the lurfes, mill feats m for half a cen- »f land-jobbing— :uries throughout lerica oilered for ave caufe to cem- 1 which have been of the good and ould have dircAed ;er of impofition ; but ( ij ) unlocated land« upon condition of certain fumt of the depreciated continental currency being , . paid but as I have been informed, that Iand-jobb«ri hare confidered it as a work favourable to their views, I (hall here make forae remarks, which, if attended to, will infallibly prevent frauds. The country that feparates the back countries of Virginia from Kentucky, is* the greater part of it, mountainous, and through which, to its champaign lands, is nearly 1 50 miles, the whole of that traft of wlldernefs extending from Holfton nearly north, crofling Great Sandy River, the Great and Little Kanhaways, quite into the fine lands in the diftriA be* longing to Pcnnfylvania, excluHve of fome fmall trails in the upper countries of Virginia upon the Ohio, all of which are occupied, is altogether broken into high, rugged, and barren hills, the bottoms excepted, and, in all probability, will not be inhabited for centuries to come, by reafon of the immenie traAs of good land lying weft of the Ohio and Mifliflippi ; and that tradl of countr}- lying foutherly from Holfton, and extend- ing to Cumberland, Powell's Valley, Nolachufcky French- broad, and Clinch excepted, is little better. Befides, Kentucky itfelf extends a confiderablediftance into thefe broken trafts of country, and perhaps it is only poflible for a ftranger to guard againft impofition, by making one of the conditions of his contract, that it (hall be of fuch a rate of land. i. t. The different foils have been clafled by the general confent of the people, and are well underftood by the diftinc- tion of firft, (econd, third and fourth rate land; the laft is the loweft rate, I am convinced, that any perfon would fettle upon, and the difference of its value, in my opinion, is as two to one in the ratio of its rate. Now, the greater part of the broken trafts of country would not come under either of thcfe denominations ; confequcntly, if f*'! ^'-'i ( 18 ) ]>iiid into the treafury, at fo mUch for ah hurt*' dred acres. The great plentyi and little value, df this money, foon caufcd the whole country to be located, which was one of the material caufes of its rapid population* It was necefTary, in the management of this buiinefs, that care (hould be taken to prevent that perplexity and litigation, which the vague man- ner in which that bufinefs was executed in many inftances, would necclTarily produce. For this purpofe, three principal furveyors were appoint- ed, who were to lay, or caufe to be laid oflT, by their deputies^ the different locations within the limits of their di(lri£ls : this being done, and recorded in the office, the original furvey was fent to the deputy regifter's office, there to be recorded, where it mud be iix months, from which it was fent to the principal regifter's office at Richmond, the feat of government, there to re- main three months, in order that any perfon having a claim, by virtue of a prior location, if thefe hints fliould be attended to, and fufficient fecurity given for a performance of the agreement of the conttaAing parties upoB fuoh principles, to which no boneft perfon would object, impofition would be efieAually prevented. might u to he Wl lea no opi of pri t-IL >r ah hufi-i le value, bf untry to be al caufes of lent of this srcvent that ague man- ted in many I. For this ere appoint- laid off. by ions within being done, ginal furvey [fice, there to lonths, from gifter's office , there to re- any perfon ior location, nt fecurity given ittafHng partin )n woold object might ( «7 ) might have an opportunity to enter a caveat, and prevent a furrcptitious grant from ilTuing. Com*- miflioners were aifo fent to adjuH: the claims of fettlement and pre-emption rights; by which means order was preferved, and the government of a diflridl of country, detached, and feparated at that time more than 200 miles from any other fettled country — a country which had grown up under the devaftation of a mod barbarous Indian and civil war, and under the miferies of famine and diilrefs, fettled by all orders of men in the' ) United States, men of different intereffs, and |different politics, was preferved ; and the order -and quiet, which prevailed in 1784, was fufficient , to have induced a flranger to have believed that he was living under an old fettled government. Such is the fcience of jurifprudence, when it works upon iimple, but fubftantial fprings. Hence arife harmony without expence, and equity without litigation. Here are no mufty forms, to lead you into labyrinths of doubt and perplexity, no contradictory cafes and reports to diftradl your JJ opinions : — our deciiions are governed by adls ^ of the legiflature, decreed upon the clementarjr principles of truth and juftice. C After 'iit'J m ( 18 ) After the peace between Great Britain and the United States in 1783, the fettlement of Kentucky was confidered as formed ; but it was not yet determined^ whether it was to be an appendage of Virginia or not. The United States claimed the back country as the property of the ivhole union, which fhould be appropriated to the ufe of the federal government ; but Virginia urged the right of the charter granted by James I. ivhich defcribed its boundaries in this ftrange way. — To commence at a point fouthward of the capes of Chefapeak Bay,'in lat. 36 '^ running due well from thence, then fetting off from the faid beginning, and running to lat. 37* 57' upon the coaft, which is a little to the northward of the faid capes, and then running a north-weft courfe^ This indefinite grant, having no adlual bounda* ries, fecms to have originated in the belief of the times of its birth, 1. e, that the Atlantic and Pa* pific oceans were only divided by a narrow ttadi of country. This grant forming a kind of ob<' tufe angle, expanding as it advanced weflward, comprehended the whole of the fine country oa both (ides of the Ohio. But, in order to adjuft all 4. difputes, m w f 'mrt Iritain and clement of but it las to be an ited States lerty of the ipriated to ut Virginia by James I. this ftrange )uthward of 6't running jfF from the 37* 57' upon hwardof the -weft courfe- tuai bounda- belief of the ntic and Pa* narrow tratft , kind of ob<« ed weftwardy e country oa :r to adjuft all difputcsy 1'' ( »9 ) difputcs, the ftate of Virginia offered to concede the country weftward of the Ohio, provided that other individual ftatcs, holding back lands, would give up theirs, and the whole of the country comprehended within the prefent limits of the ftate, on the eaftern fide of the river Ohio, ftiould be guaranteed to them by Congrefs. This was done; and thus the federal government became pofTefTed of all the back lands in Ame« rica. Thus ftood matters refpeding Kentucky the latter end of 178J. As it is neceflary for me to take a retrofpedive glance of the progrefs of peopling feveral other parts of the weftern coun- try, I muft beg your indulgence and time for another letter. In the mean time, believe me to be devoted to your wiflies, I am, moft finccrely, Your's, <&c. C 2 LET. t *o 1 LETTER II. ;y>j MY DEAR FRIEND, KENTUCKY. XhE memorable defeat of General Braddock retarded, for fome little time, our opportunities of acquiring a further knowledge of the country on the fources of the Ohio. But the taking Fort du Quefne by General Forbes, in 1760, opened to the view of the colonies of that day a new world. Lands were granted by government to the army, for fervices done during the war, which in a great meafure, with the garrifoning Fort du Quefne (now called Fort Pitt), contributed to form the firft Englifti fettlemcnt upon the weft- crn waters. '^ After the treaty of Paris in 1763, by which Great Britain obtained a cefllon of Fad and Weft Florida, and all the country lying eaft of the Mifiiflippi, with a right to navigate that river, frequent excurfions had been made from that time down the Ohio and MiiTiiTippi to New Or- leans. But in thefe excurfions, which were by water, \cry little knowledge of the Kentucky country ^1 ft'iiV m hi NTUCKY* Braddock ortunities he country aking Forr 60, opened day a new rernmcnt to ; war, which ing Fort du itributcd to on the weft- 3, by which ill and Weft ; eaft of the e that river, e from that to New Or- lich were by le Kentucky country ( 21 ) country had been obtained, except at the Rapids, and fome few other places upon the banks of the river. Louiiiana was well known, and many fettle- ments were forming, previous to the late war, on the eaftern fide of the Mifliflippi, above and below the Natchez : fome troops had been fta- tioned in the Illinois, and at Poft St. Vincent on the Wabafli river, where the French inhabit- ants lived and cultivated their little plantations, in the ftyle of the Patriarchs of old ; enjoying the charms of nature, decked in all the foft fim. plicity which the genial current of the human feul, unfophifticated by the alloy of European artifice, produces in fuch elegant and fafcinating variety. They pofTefTed all the focial talents in an eminent degree: and their hofpitality was ever enlivened with the charms of wit, and the exhilerating juice of the vine * j which grew and flourifhed • The Illinois country it in general of a fuperior foil to any part of North America that I have feen. It produces fine oak, hickory, cedar, mulberry trees, &c. fome dying roots, and me- {licinal plants ; hops, and excellent wild grapes j and, in the C 3 year » s 'i 1 ^?;^; ( 22 ) Hourifhed to fuch a degree as to produce wine for exportation. Thefe fcttlements ftill cxift; but the fcttlements upon the Miflillippi that were made previous to the war, were broken up by Indians, who inhabit the country between Georgia and Weft Florida, called the Cherokee^ Creeks, Chacktaw, and Chichafaws nations. Be- fides, by the treaty of 1783 between Great Bri- tain and the United States, we acquired the coun- try on the eaftcrn (ide of the MifliiTippi river, only as low as the commencement of the 32 deg. or to the Natchez ; fo that thofe fettlements could not be renewed by the Americans, as both £aft and Weft Florida fell into the hands of Spain by the fame peace. The fouthern limits of Virginia, being ]at« 36i deg. are divided from North Carolina by a line of demarkation in a diredk weft line, until it ftrikes the Mifliflippi a little below its jundion with the Ohio. The fame ridge of mountains which feparates Virginia from the weftern coun- year 1769, one hundred and ten hogiheads of well tafted and firong wine were made b/ the French fettlers from thefe grapes, HVTCHIItS. try. .f'/i luce wine till exift; ippi that roken up between Cherokee* tions. Be- IGreat Bri- the coun^ ippi river, the 32 deg. fettlements lans, as both ds of Spain ) being lat. arolina by a ine, until it its jundion ' mountains ;ftern coun- ( 23 ) try, feparates the Carolinas alfo ; and on this fide of the mountain, within the limits of North Ca-» rolina, the luxuriance of the foil, in fome parts, is equally aftonilhing as that of Kentucky. Wheii Lord Cornwallis penetrated into the back parts of that ftate, many of its inhabitants began to fly over the mountains for fccurity ; and thus com* menccd the fettlement called Cumberland, from the name of its river *, which is a confiderabld branch of the Ohio, and joins it not a great way from its mouth. This fettlement began to form in 1780, and was encouraged by the fame means as the fettlement of Kentucky, ;'. e, by fettlements and pre-emption rights ; and now promifes to become fecond in magnitude to Kentucky, of all the fettlements upon the weftern waters, and in a few years, from its rapid growth, doubtlefs will become a diflind ftate. Such is the rapidity with which this part of the world is peopling. There are fettlements ftill to the fouthward of this, in what is called the Great Bend of the Tc- A^ell tailed and a thefe grapes* HVTCUIMS. * Cumbsrland river is 250 yards wide at its mouth j its current gentle, and it is navigable upwards of 200 miles from its mouth. try. C4 nafee^ ( 24 ) nafee, or the Mufcle Shoals, which have been made without the permiflion of the federal Go- vernment. This is a fine tradt of country, and in time muft beconie very valuable from its parti- cular fituation, and the peculiar manner in which the navigation of this country muft be conduced, concerning which I fhall expatiate in its proper place. Its proximity to the fouthern Indians renders it rather dangerous at prefent ; but the growing (Irength of Frenchbroad and Nolachuiky above, upon the waters of the fame riyers, will foon afford fecurity to every pa^ t of the Tenjifee country. , The country of Holdon is (till above thefe Cet- tlements upon the head waters of the fame rivert on the borders of Virginia and North Carolina ; and that you may form fome idea of the prpwefs of thofe people, I will relate a circumftance, which, perhaps, is not generally known on your fide of the water. When Lord Cornwallis had advanced, in 1780, into the back parts of North Carolina, he detached Col. Fergufon with about joo Britifli troops, to a place called King's Moun- tain, in order to give fecurity to the faitjtful ^nd loyal been IGo- andin parti- which uded, proper ndians 3ut the ichufky rs, will Ten^fcc befe Cet- nc rivcff larolina ; prowefs mftancc, on your allis had 5f North th about s Moun* • Icyal ( 25 ) Uyal fubjecfts of his Majefty, who were confider, ably opprefled by their unfaithful countrymen the rebels. Col. Campbell, a Virginian, who lived in thofc back fcttlements, hearing of the rendezvous ; of the loyalifts, under the banner of Col. Fergu- ifon's detachment, at King's Mountain, aflembled I what militia he could, and began his march on '^\ horfeback in the evening, without mentioning their deftination, and by continuing their march, without interceflion, for upwards of one hundred ' niiles, came up with them the fecond morning, about the break of day, when their horfes were \c^ at the foot of the mountain with a fmall iguard J his little army, divided into three detach- ments, were led to feparate attacks, and in lefs I than half an hour the hill was carried. Col. Fer- gufon killed, and the greater part of his detach, ment made prifoners. Col. Campbell's army I amounted to about 500: he took more prifoners. From fuch fpecimens, I think thofe people can have nothing to fear from M'Gilvery. I have not related this ftory from vanity, or from (he mofl; diflant idea that the Americans are in ^ny refped fuperior to Engliihmen; fo far from it. \-- 1' 1 ( 26 ) sr, that no man can more warmly admire the true Engliih than I do : but I have told it as a circum* ftancc tending to prove, that men feeling the fpiriic of liberty are always fuperior to flaves ; and that a well regulated militia are equal to the defence of a country without the expence of fup- porting a (landing army, which is not the only inconvenience flowing from fuch a fyftem. How much of the labour and ingenuity of a (late is facrificed by fuch a policy ! In how many in- ilances have the laws and civil authority been trampled upon by the contumely and ignorance of men educated with none but military ideas and habits, and thereby the refpe^ due to laws contaminated, and an indignant people awed by a martial phalanx ! While a good citizen feels his own iniignificance, the patriotic heart mourns for the facrilege committed upon their privileges with that impunity, which the patronage of a (landing army affords to the executive power of a (late ? We will now return to Kentucky, which is the key-done of the fettlements upon the waters of the MiiTiflippi. The years 1783 and 1784 brought out lurveye >)iterior i^much q any pai the diff '4 carriag |i(een in ^M ll :c ; the true circum- eling the ives ; and to the of fup« the only m. How a (late is many in- >rity been ignorance tary ideas lie to laws e awed by tizen feels irt mourns privileges nage of a : power of hich is the waters of !4 brought out ( n ) out vaft numbers of emigrants from all parts of America; particularly the latter year, when it was fuppofed that in Kentucky alone, not lels than 12,000 fouls became fettlers : fcveral Eu* 4ropeans from France, England, and Ireland were imong the number. The Indians gave us a ref- >ite, and there feemed to be nothing wanting to make us the happieil people upon earth. 1 In 1782 the State of Virginia had given us a Oeneral Court, with Judges and an Attorney- <>eneral, to manage all legal affairs refpedling the dillridt, without the trouble and expence of tra- j|felling to Richmond, which is diftant between live and fix hundred miles, two hundred of which V^ere through an uninhabited wildernefs. In 1783, ^1784, and 1785, great part of the country was ifurveyed and patented, and the people in the in<.- yjterior fettlements purfued their bufinefs in as .^much quiet and iafety as they could have done in any part of Europe. Court-houfes were built in the different counties, and roads were opened for carriages, which fcvcn years before had not been |feen in the country. The only roads hitherto were for finglc horfes. . » In •^^t '^M ( 28 ) In 1785 the diflridl had grown fo confiderablfl from the great number of emigrants which had arrived, and that refpedability which it had ac- quired produced a difpofition in the inhabitants to become an independent State, and to be ad- mitted as another link in the great federal chain. A convention was immediately formed by fend- i ig deputies from the different counties, who met at our then metropolis, Danville, for the purpofc of taking the matter into confideration ; when it was determined, after fome debating, to petition Virginia for that purpofe. An A6t had already paffed that State, authoriling any diftrid of country over the mountains to feparate when- ever a majority of the inhabitants (hould wifh it : but in this inftance it was urged, by thofe who were not friendly to the feparation, that it was not the wiih of the majority of the inhabitants of Kentucky to become independent. In fadb, many Gentlemen holding confiderable tradls of land in the diftriA, who were not relidents, thought our feparation would be premature, particularly as we had courts of jufticc, whofc jurifdidlion was diftind from that of Virginia, and the only folid complaint 3 )etent t m tion fbi > (iderabld hich had had ac- habitants ;o be ad- ral chain. by fend- ics, who for the deration ; Dating, to 1 Ad had ly diftrid ate whcn- d wi(h it : thofe who lat it was ibitants of ad, many of land in ought our arly as we flion was i only folid complaint ( ^ ) comprint (which, indeed, was a ferious 6nc) wa^ the diftancc to which we mull fend our repre- fentatives, and our local fituation requiring in fome inftanccs a legiflation, which the majority >f the Aflembly of the State would not be com- }etent to judge of. However, this buiinefs was Iprocraftinated J for finding, though we might feparate whenever we chofe, yet that it was op- tional with ihe legiflature of Virginia to recom- ^tnend us to be taken into the federal government (which they were not likely to do, and which it %as certain could not be done without), we were ||ontent to remain as we were for that time. The federal government in the courfe of this year undertook to lay off the country weft of the fOhio, in fuch manner as would anfwer the pur- ipofe of felling the land, and fettling the country. iPeace had been made the preceding year at Fort [M*Intcfh, between the United States and the In- lians, in which the country upon the Mufkingum, [Scioto, and the Great and Little Miami rivers, ^had been given up by the Indians as a coniidera- tion for former maffacres, and as neccflary to pro- duce ( 30 ) duce permanent tranquillity ; the/ finding the United States, by cefTion from Great Britain, had a right to all the country within the limits de- fcribed in the treaty of 1783, and that it would be in vain for them to remonftrate againft their peopling it, particularly as it was to Great Britain they were to look to for reftitution, who had abandoned them when allies, and fold their country without even confulting them. But when the furveyors began to ad, the Indians difcovered immediate and hollile (igns of difap. probation, fome maflacres were committed, and the bufinefs was put off until the following Spring. Congrefs as yet had taken no decided meafures as to the organization of this country, or the mode of parcelling it out, and difpoiing of it ; the dif. continuance of the late war was ftiil recent, and the multifarious objedts which prefented them* felves to an infant Government, not recovered from the (hocks of a doubtful credit, together with the habitual idlenefs which the profcflionof arms produces, threw a$i cmbarraiTmenc over all 1 their 'their p they re to be I 7s tares, fto take Idefcds filled. old go\ .abfence >from 1( K#elay, 1 ,^ountei I It wa lent fed 0nc grc ]pf man fwhich ent, ! ganger Lvernmi rs of into th makini iding the icain, had imits de- it would inft their at Britain who had fold their ;m. But e Indians of difap. litted, and following d meafures r the mode t; thedif. -ecent, and ted them* recovered :, together rofeflionof ;nt over all their ( 3' ) their proceedings. It was in this dilemma that they recommended the meeting of a convention^ to be compofcd of deputies fiom the different |5utes, toaflemblein Philadelphia in May, 1787, ^o take into their confideration the nature and ^^cfcds of the federal government as it then ex- •i(led. In this examination they found that the old government wanted efficiency, and the total \abfence of unifon between the different States, ^rom local laws and cuiloms, was produdive of ^chy, and a variety of obflrudions, tending to . ^unteract the concord of confederation. ^ It was under thcfe coniiderations that the pre- jpent federal government arofe. It has eftablifhed (0ne great and important principle for the benefit pf mankind, and the cxtenlion of civilization, jwhich is, that a power may fo exift in a govern- ent, as to admit of alteration or chaage, without ganger to the tranquillity of the State; by go- vernment recommending to the condituent pow- ers of that State, the deputing men to inquire into the radical defe(fls of their conftitution, and making fuch alterations as the improved wifdom of ii I ( 32 ) of experience may find neceflarjr. It is thus in the progrefTion of things that governments will arrive at perfeftion. I muft beg that you will cxcufe this digreflion, as it was neceffary to account for the delay in proceeding to the fettlement of the country weft' of the Ohio. This bufinefs took up the greater part of 1787, fo that it was a year or more before much was done. In the meantime the Indiam continued to increafe their depredations, under a belief, that if once the Whites were fuffered to cftablifh themfelves on their fide of the Ohio, there would be no end to their incroachments until they became extirpated. In this opinion they were not a little encouraged by the Englilh traders at Detroit and Niagara, who, from an avarice in human nature hard to be accounted for (but as it degenerates under bad laws and | worfe morals), feek, in murder and bloodfhed, for the fale of a few extra pounds of gun-powder and lead. However fome land had been furveyed in 1786 and 1787, and in the latter year a fettle- ment was formed upon the Mulkingum, which may igreflion, delay in ntry weft' e greater ore before e Indians s, under a ufFered to the Ohio, oachments lis opinion he Englilh >, from an accounted I laws and bloodfhed, ;un-powder en furvcyed :ar a fettle* urn, which may ( 33 ) hiay be looked upon as the commencement of the American fettlements upon the wcflern fide of the Ohio. In 1788 and 1789 fome farther furveyirig was done; but little fince has been tranfacfled in thofe parts, except wars between the Indians and the fettlers. Yet it is to be hoped that the decided meafures taken by the United States will fecure peace, which cannot fail to promote profperity. Nature in her pride has given to the i-egibns of this fair river i fertility fo aftonifhing, that to ' believe it, ocular demonftration becomes necef- i*ary. During thefe times of biirbarous war and thiaflacrei the people of Kentucky and Cumber- land, fecured by their numbers and ftrength, ex- tept in their buternrioft plantations, enjoyed per- fcdl fecurity. The former continued to keep in view the objed: of her independence, and from the refpedtable figure flie has made in the admi- niftration of her affairs, it is at length agreedi that (he is to be admitted into the federal union in June 1792. Having furnifhed you with only an imperfed hiftory of the manner in which this back country . B has M^ ( 34 ) has been fettled, I will endeavour, in compliance with your requeft, to give you a defcription of its natural and artificial produdions. Believe me to be, lincerely. Yours, &c. m In you coun a chs parts fey, ; are Ic Weft parts into It f tain,< LET. ( 35 ) LETTER III. LET- MY DEAR FRIEND, KENTUCKY* ,. In cafting your eyes over the map of America, i you will dilcover that its weftern (or middle) country is divided from the Atlantic country by a chai" -^f mountains which rife in the remote parts r States of New York and New Jer- fey, and run a fouth-wefterly courfe, until they are loft (as I obferved before) in the flat lands of Weft Florida. The weftern country is thofe parts which are watered by the ftreams running into the Mifliflippi. . i It is about fifty miles over the Allegany moun- tain,crofling by the route which General Braddock took from Fort Cumberland near the Potowmac, at the defcent into the country of Redftone on the Monongahala, the fouthern branch of the Ohio. This river rifes in the fame mountain confiderably to the fouthward, runs nearly pa* rallel with it, the oppofite way, upwards of one hundred miles, and is navigable for boats nearly to its fource ; the whole of this country D 2 beyond ,„a- ■■^Sffk^v. '.'.i.^**' >*■ ^ ■>•»• rt »• ' j.*****^- ( 36 ) beyond the mountain is extremely fertile, well watered, and abounding with all kinds of tim- ber calculated for building houfes, boats, cabinet work, &c. &c. The fugar maple tree is inter- mixed in great quantities* From the foot of thtf mountain it is about fourteen miles to Redftone Old Fort, which is on the banks of the Monon^ gahala, and the ufual place of embarkation of people coming down the Ohio, who travel Brad- dock's road ; from thence to Pittfburg is about fifty miles by Water. Large trads of flat land lay all along upon the banks of this river from the Old Fort to Pittfburg,^ which are capable of being made into extenfive ^nd luxuriant mea- dow grounds . This country is populous, it being the oldefl: fettlement, and made immediately after taking Fort du Quefne. The Yohogania empties itfelf into the Monongahala about lixteen miles above its jundlion with the Allegany river : the country on this river is more uneven, but in the vallies the foil is extremely rich. Near to Pittfburg the country is well peopled, and there, as well as in Redftone, all the comforts of life arc in the 1 1 ■ - % g reatcft 1 1 ^ • i 1 * '--• -■*■ ^^ 1 * 1 K II •• A.,. .-^ .*• ym e, well )f tim- cabinet s inter- t of the edftone Monon- ation of zl Brad* is about kt land /er from capable! mt mea- he oldeft T taking ties itfelf les above s country he vallies iburg the i/ell as in c in the greatcft ';<"■ .fi , V- I ( 37 ) greateft abundance. Flour is manufadlured in as good a ftyle as in any part of America j and butter, cheefc, bacon, and every kind of provi^ fions can be had in the greateft quantity. This whole country abounds in coal, which lies almoft upon the furface of the ground : the hills (4>po{ite Pittfburg upon the banks of the Monongahala, which are at leafl three hundred feet high, appear to be one folid body of this mineral. This muft become in time the mofl: valuable grazing country in all America from the fertility of its foil, its capability of being formed into extenfive meadows, and its proximity to the mountains which attraft the clouds, and produce that moifture fo neceflary to grafs;' — befidea which, its fituation is about three hundred milea from Philadelphia, about two hundred and forty from Baltimore, and about two hundred and twenty from the federal city on the Potowmac, a diftancc which is too great to carry by land (he bulky articles of hu(bandry j but to !'hicl| cattle may be driven with the greateft: eafe. This country has derived no inconftderable ad* Y?intagc from the fettlement of Kentucky, and 1^3 the ( 38 ) the other fettlements that are making on the Ohio and Miflifllppi, the great road of migrating from the northern ftates lying through it : and indeed it is moft convenient, both from Mary- land and Virginia, at all feafons of the year, provided that there be any thing bulky to carry, the paflage being for the greateft part by water, and the Potowmac navigable, a few places ex- cepted, to Fort Cumberland ; all of which ob- ftrudlions will be removed in a few years by canals that are cutting *. From Fort Cumber- land it is about fixty miles land carriage to Red- ftone Old Fort ; but fo friendly has nature been to this country, though it is without feas, yet the rivers run in fuch diredtions that there is fcarcc any place in all the back parts of America where art may not reduce the land carriage to a very ^mall diftance. I cannot fpeak upon fo general a fubjcdt definitively ; but I mean to be under- ftood within fifteen leagues. It is aiferted from the befl authorities, that the land carriage be- tween the Potowmac and Ohio may be reduced to lefs than twenty miles. ^I^ Thofe canals will be finilhed ia the courfe of i793> 3uch on the [grating t : and Mary- e year, to carry, water, ices ex- ich ob- rears by [Jumbcr- to Red- ure been ;, yet the is fcarce ca where 3 a very I general e under- ed from iage be- reduceii ( 39 ) Such is the progreffion of things in this coun- try, while there was apparently no market for its fuperfluous produdlions, that every article has Ibid extremely well, in confequence of the num- ber of emigrants who have been continually pafling down the Ohio. Down from Pittfburg the country is flat on the banks of the river ; but a little diftance from them it is confiderably broken, particularly on the north-weftern fide. Much good land, how- ever, is interfperfed on the fouth fide as far as the approach to the Little Kanhaway, where the nature of the foil feems reverfed, and the good land is then found on the weftern fide upon the Mulkingum. There are fome ftrips of rich land upon the Little Kanhaway ; but, farther up the river, the country is broken and fteril, pro- ducing fcarce any other timber than the fir tree, or pine and knotty black oaks, which are gene- rally deemed fymptoms of a bad foil. This trad of bad land extends quite into the mountains in a fouth diredion, and runs fouth-wefterly as far as Great Sandy river, with little or no variation, ^4 except m ( 4Q ) fiKCtpt on the bott9ms of the Great Kanhaway *, which are extenlive and rich. The bottoms or^ the Ohio are every where extenfive ?ind luxu- riant. On the weftern fide of the river, the coun- try beyond the rich vein of land on the Muf- kingum is only tplerable on this fide of the head waters of the Sciota, which are fucceeded by as fine a body of land as ^he imagination cai^ paint. This extends confiderably near to the Ohio, and running weftward quite to the Miami, oow approximates its banks, and difplays, in its verdure and variety of majeftic forcfts, all that beauty and richncfs, which have been fo much celebrated by travellers who have palTed through them. The country on the eaftern lide, except qn the banks of the rivers, is indifferent. There is a body of good land on Great Sandy ; but leaving that in a fouth-wefterly courfe^ high, * This river at its mouth is nearly 500 yards wide*, and the f^urrent gentle for about 10 or iz m^les, when it becomet con- fiderably rapid for upwards of 60 miles farther, where you meet with the firft falls, when it becomes alm.oft impoflible tQ navigate it from the great number of obftruAions which it^ various catarads prefent. 'Jook b: >^ed thr |away *, ms oi^ luxu- coun- Mufr of the Icceeded ion cai^ to the Miamij. rs, in its all that b much through , except There idy ; but e, high, ICi. and the :oinei con- >yhere you ipofllble to which it^ ( 41 ) irugged, and broken hills arife, which will hc^rdly ever be capable of cultivation : thefe hills exten4 Jaetwccn thirty and forty mile?, and open into the iinc lands of Kentucky. We have travelled now about five hundred miles down the Ohio in its meandering courfe, and we will fuppofe ourfelves at Limeftonc, where the champaign country on the eaftcrn fide pf the river begins. This is the ufual landing place for people coming down in boats, who ean to fettle in the upper part of the State, a^i fhall in future call it. It is now neceflary to 00k back to that country, which we have travel- ed through with fuch rapidity. Pittlburg lies in iibout lat. 40" 40', the general courfe of the Ohio is about W. S. W. and the diflance by land from Pittfburg to Limeftone is nearly 300 miles. But ^s the north-eaftern limits of the State are Great Sandy, which is fome diftance above Limeftone, ^c may fix them, as nearly as can be, in lat. 39", J am forry I cannot fpeak with more precifion, J)ut thefe things havp not yet been afcertained from obfervation. . * The ea(l fide of t,\ie Qhio fpr about ten or ^wenty ( 42 ) twenty miles below Whealing, which is about one hundred below Pittlburg, is generally well fettled. There are few fettlements on the oppc, iite fhore until you jome to the Mulkingum, and the country now wears the face. of a wildernefs on both fides of the river, there being no habit, ations worth notice, except at the mouth of the Great Kanhaway, until we arrive at Lime- (lone. Every thing here afTumes a dignity and fplen- dour I have never fcen in any other part of the \^orld. You afcend a conlidcrable diftance from the fliore of the Ohio, and when you would fup- pofe you had arrived at the fummit of a moun- tain, you find yourfelf upon an extenfive level. HcTc an eternal verdure reigns, and the brilliant fun of lat 39 , piercing through the azure hea- vens, produces, in this prolific foil, an early ma- turity which is truly aftonilhing. Flowers full and perfect:, as if they had been cultivated by the hand of a florid, with all their captivating odours, and with all the variegated charms that colour and nature can produce, here, in the lap «)f elegance and beauty, decorate the fmiling 3 grovt?' h M* ■<*!*• ich is about cnerally well on the oppc- fkingum, and a wildernefs ing no habit- ;he mouth of ive at Lime- iity and fplen- er part of the i diftance from ou would fup- it of a moun- cxtenfive level, id the brilliant the azure hea- 1, an early ma- Flowers full 1 cultivated l^ leir captivating ed charms that jere, in the lap itc the fmiling groves* tf:i ( 43 ) groves. Soft zephyrs gently breathe on fweets, and the inhaled air gives a voluptuous glow of health and vigour, that feems to ravilh the intoxi- cated fcnfes. The fweet fongfters of the forefts appear to feel the influence of this genial clime, and, in more foft and modulated tones, warble their tender notes in unifon with love and na- ture. Every thing here gives delight ; and, in that mild effulgence which beams around us, wc feel a glow of gratitude for that elevation our all- bountiful Creator has bellowed upon us. Far from being difgulled with man for his turpitude or depravity, we feel that dignity nature bellowed 'upon us at the creation ; but which has been con- taminated by the bafe alloy of meannefs, the concomitant of European education ; and what is more lamentable, is, that it is the confequence of your very laws and governments. You muH forgive what I know you will call a rhapfody, but wh..t I really experienced after travelling acrofs the Allegany mountain in March, w hen it was covered with fnow, and after finding phe countr)^ about Pittfburg bare, and not re, coverccj ( 44 ) covered from the ravages of winter : there wa« fcarcely a blade of grafs to be feen ; every thing looked dreary, and bore thofe marks of inelan. choly which the rude hand of froft produces. I embarked immediately for Kentucky, and in |efs than five days landed at Limeftone, where I found nature robed in all her charms. It naturally (truck me there mull be fomething |n climate that dcbafed or elevated the human ibul ; and that chill penury which a Aeril country ^nd damp cold climate produces, in accumulating the wants of men, had increafed their dependence, which at once faps the firft principles of man. I conceived in the infancy of the world, that men in temperate climates had retained their freedom longed. Thus in England you have enjoyed a conliderable fliare of liberty, while almoft all Europe have fuffered under the fetters of an x)dious defpotifm. The perfedion of arts will ineliorate the condition of ^lan in every part of |he world ; but the amelioration of government and education muil take place before he will be ^ble to refume his priftine dignity. { 45 ) l^rom Limcftone to Licking creek * the couii^ try is immenfely rich, and covered with cane* rye grafs, and the native clover. The cane is ^ reed that grows to the heighth frequently of fif- teen or fixtecn feet, but more generally about ten or twelve feet, and is in thicknefs from the iize of a goofe-quill to that of two inches dia- meter; fometimes, yet feldom, it is largen When it is flcndcr, it never grows higher thaa from four to feven feet ; it (hoots up in one fummer, but produces no leaves until the foIloW'^ ing year. It is an evergreen, and is, perhaps, the moft nourifhing food for cattle upon earth* No other milk or butter has fuch flavour and tichnefs as that which is produced from cov, i which feed upon cane. Horfes which feed uport it*work nearly as well as if they were fed uport com, provided care is taken to give them once in three or four days a handful of fait, other- wife this food is liable to hear, and bind their boweb. The rye graft, when it arrives to ma- turity, is from two feet and a half high to three * This rivtt is about 2co yards wide at its mouth, and itf principal branch is navigable nearly 70 miles* and / I '^ ( 46 ) and a half, and the head and beard refenribi^ the real rye, and fometimes produce a fmall grain long and flender not unlike rye. Whether cultivation would bring it to the fame perfedion, I can form no idea ; it is however certain that it is u very good and valuable grafs. The clover is in no refpe(5l different from the clover in £u. rope, but as it is more coarfe and luxuriant. There is a variety of other kinds of grafs, which are found in different places ; but I have only mentioned the two former, they being efteemed the mod valuable. In order to travel into the interior parts of the ^f i" State the route lies acrofs the branches of Licking j creek. There are feveral of them which take their rife in the high hills of Great Sandy, and the fpurs of the Allegany mountain ; they tra- verfe a mod delightful country, and form a junftion a fmall diflance below the Lower Blue Lick*. A fait fpring is called a Lick, from the earth about them being furrowed out, in a moft curious manner, by the buffalo and deer, which * There are two fait fprlngs upon Licking, both of which are now worked with rucceHi. lick ( 47 ) lick the earth on account of the faline particles with which it is impregnated. The country from the Fork to the Ohio is confiderably broken, but generally rich, and continues uneven, ex- cept on the banks of the river, quite to the mouth of the Kentucky, which is about one hun- dred and ten miles below the mouth of Licking creek by water, and feventy above the Rapids of the Ohio. Between the mouths of Licking and Kentucky lies the Great fione Lick, which is jullly celebrated for the remarkable bones which are found there, and which gave name to the place. Several of thofe bones have been fent to Europe ; but I believe no perfon who has written upon natural hillory has given any decided opi- nion to what clafs of animals they belonged. Buffon has called them the Mammouth ; but I am at a lofs to know from what authority, as we have no tradition either oral or written, that gives an account of any fpecies of animals which were as large as thofe mull have been, judging by the magnitude of the bones. Buffon fays, that Simi- lar bones have been found both in Ireland (if I am not miflaken) and in fome pr;rt of Aiia. It f 4« ) it appears fbmcwhat extraordinary, at the iir(t viewj that we fhould difcover manifeft proofs of there having exifted animals of which wc can form no adequate idea, ind which in fize mud have far exceeded any thing now known upon earth; and thofe figns too, in climates where the elephant (the largeft animal now in exiftence) is never found. Every phaenomenon upon the earth tends to confirm the idea, that it ever has been fubjedt to revolutions, befideS its diurnal and annual motion from eafl to wefl. After paffing the Blue Lick, the foil, if pof- fible, increafes in richnefs. From thence to Danville is about fifty miles. Lexington lies about midwayi and is nearly central of the fined and moft luxuriant country, perhaps, on fcarth. From Lexington to Leelburg is about twcnt) miles ; to Boonlbury it is about twenty ; the Upper Blue Lick nearly thirty. This fquarei which is nearly fifty miles, comprehends entirely what is called firft rate land. Leelburg lies on the Kentucky, about twenty miles from its mouth by land, and nearly forty by water. The coun- try between that and the Ohio is broken, but | { 49 ' rich, though it is not deemed a valuable body of land. The Kentucky is bound every where by high rocky precipices, that are generally two hundred feet and upwards perpendicular, and 'Which makes its palTes difficult. Few places on it have any bottom land, as the rock rifes moftly contiguous to the bed of the river ; which con- finement, after heavy rains, renders it very for- midable from the impetuofity of its current. On afcending the banks of this river, the land on either iide is equally good for fomc diftance above Boonfburg ; but adjacent to the mountains from whence the river rifes, the country becomes broken, fteril, and of little or no value. Boonf- burg lies on the Kentucky, about fixty miles above its mouth by land, and about one hundred and thirty by water. From Leclburg down the river on the fouth fide, for about ten or twelve miles, the hills are confidcrably high and fteep ; but when you pafs the waters of Drinnon*s Lick creek, you fall into a body of good champaign land, which extends, with little variation, to the Rapids of the Ohio. From Leefburg to Danville, the country, for the firft twenty miles, is of an E inferior '■l.t # '. , I ( 50 ) inferior rate of land for this country ; but farther on, you get into the rich country I have men- tioned, comprehended within the fquare of fifty miles. Lage bodies of good land lie on every fide of Danville for twenty miles and upwards ; but iii the courfe from thence to the Rapids of the Ohio, on the waters of Salt river (which takes its name from a fait fpring, called Bullit's Lick, that is on its banks, about twenty miles from the mouth of the river) the country is, in fomc places, broken into ridges of hills, which are in general good land, but not well watered. As | you approach the Rapids it becomes more levcli better watered, and the foil more fertile. The country of Beargrafs is beautiful and rich ; as, in- deed, is the land on Goofe and Harrod's creeks. In the fork of the Ohio and Salt river, which form a jund:ion about twen!y mules below the Rapids, the country is flat, and interfperfed with fmall lakes or ponds, occafioned by the extreme lownefs of the banks of the Ohio in this fork, which, when flooded, overflows the country, and the water filliithefc ponds periodically, or as often ti as .; * )Ut farther [have men- irc of fifty which are in r. ivatered. As fe. zs more level* §f fertile. The d rich ; as, in- rrod's creeks, river, which les below the ^rfperfed with y the extreme > in this fork, i country, and ily, or as often as ■J\ ^ I i^..' -.: f*- Sntfinvtd /hr JmL\\j Amfn'i \ l'ui>luh,.i FebufijiaAy '^ol ). £ntfravfd fhr ]mL{\i' Amfnean. Ihpoe/mphv. ^THE RAPIDS^ ^ o/ ///• — - ( ohIo.) I'uJUuthid Feb''ji*ij^,b} SDthntt.PimidUly, London- T.Cntdtr Sculpt ^>--,->i ■-fl \ifmphv. '^THE RAPIDS^ ( ohIo.) , Londvn ■ vT^nSt^ni^t A f ^: ^ .) ^<, ^B 'Cnidtr Seu^f ( S' ) ias thofc inundations happen, and which dre fre- quent from December until April. The Rapids of the Ohio lie about feven hun^i dred miles below Pittfbiirg, and about four hun- dred above its confluence with the Miffiflippi. . They are occafionied by a ledge of rocks that ftretch acrofs the bed of the river from one fide to the other» in fome places projedling fo muchi that they are vifibic when the water is not high^ and in moft places when the river is extremely low. The fall is not more than between four and five feet in the diftance of a mile ; fo that boats of any burthen may pafs with fafety when there ^, is a flood ; but boats coming up the river mufl: unload j which inconvenience may very 'jafily be removed by cutting a canal from the mouth of Beargrafs, the upper fide of the Rapids, to be- - low the lower reef of rocks, which is not quite two miles, and the country a gentle declivity thfc whole wayi A view of the Rapids are pointed out in the annexed plate, in which is marked the propofed canal. . . , . : , The fituation of the Rapids is truly delightful* The river is full a mile wide, and the fall of wa* E 2 ter. ( 52 ) ter, whicli is an eternal cafcade, appears as if na- ture had defigned it to fhew how inimitable and ilupendous are her works. Its breadth contri* butes to its fublinnity ; and tlie continually rum. bling noife tends to exhilerate the fpirits, and gives a cheerfulnefs even to fluggards. The view *p the river is terminated, at the diftance of four ■leagues, by an ifland in its centre, which is con- traded by the plain on the opposite ihore, that (extends a long way into the country ; but the r c receding, finds new beauties, and ample fubjcd for admirai ion^ in thf rifing hills of Silver creek, which, flretching obiiquely to the north-weft^ proudly rife higher and higher as they extend, until their illumined fummits imperceptibly vanifh. Clarkville, on the oppoficc (here, com- pletes the profpcc^, and from its neighbourhood, and from the fettlement forming upoa the Of- ficers land, a few years muft afford us a cultivated country, to blend appropriate beauty with the charms of the imagination. There lies a fmall ifland in the river about two hundred yards from the caftern (hore ; between which and the main is % quarry af excellent ftone for building, and in ( 53 ) in great part is dry the latter part of fummcr. The banks of the river are never overflowed here, they being fifty feet higher than the bed of the river. There is no doubt but it will foon become a flourifhing town : there are already upwards of two hundred good houfes built. This town is called Louifvllle. I omitted to mention, that when the State of Virginia conceded the country weft of the Ohio to the United StateS; fhe referveda trad of country lying oppofite to the Rapids, for thofe officers and foldiers called State troops, and who had been immediately employed in the weftern country. Having left the country on the weftern fide of the Ohio at the Miami, I fliall continue my de- fcription of the country on this fide, as far as my knowledge extends, and will then proceed upwards. in leaving the Rapids in a fouth-wefterly di-> redlion the country is flat, it bordering upon tho country I have defcribed in the fork of the Ohio and Salt rivers. After paffing the main branch E3 of » ^^imSSf^^- s3^Esa^^ii?[^ r,' ,)■<'■■ ( 54 ) of the Salt river * near Bullitt's Lick, ten miles diftarit, in the fork of the north and fouth branches, the country becomes broken and hilly ; but between which and the Cumberland road, that leads 'rom the upper parts of Kentucky, there is a conliderable extent of line land i but travelling a few leagues farther fouthward, you arrive at exteniive plains, that extend upwards of one hundred and fifty miles in a fouth-wefl courfe, and end only when they join the moun-. tainous country. Some few clumps of trees, and a grove here and there, arc the only obdruc- tions to a boundlefs horizon. It is pleafant to behold the deer bounding over the fcraggy ihrubs uhich cover the earth. While the fetting fun gilds thofe extenfive plains, the mild breezes of a fummer's eve, playing upon the enraptured fenfes, foftens the heart to love and friendfhip. Unperceived, upon fome eminence, you may enjoy the fports of wild animals, which here rove un- concerned lords of the field. Heavens ! what • This river is about 1 50 yar^s wide at its mouth, iti cur-r jent i> gentle^ and its principal branch is navigable about 6a miles* ^harms ( 55 ) charms arc there in liberty ! Man, born to cn- flavc the fubordinate animals, has long lince en* flaved himfelf. But reafon at length, in radiant fmiles, and with graceful pride, illumines both hemifpheres; and Freedom, in golden plumes, and in her triumphal car, mufl now refume her long loft empire, We now have arrived upon the waters of Green river : at the mouth of which, and between that and the Ohio, lies Henderfon*s grant of twelve miles fquarc, as I mentioned. The plains ex- tend beyond the head waters of this river quite into the limits of North Carolina ; but at thej mouth, and for forty miles above, there is a large proportion of good land, particularly upon Panther creek. From the mouth of Green river * up the Ohio to Salt river, the land upon the banks of the Ohio is generally fertile and rich ; but leaving its banks you foon fall into the plain country, which is confidered as little better than barren land. However, it is moft likely that it will prove excellent for flieep to feed upon, • Green river is upwards of 200 yards wide at its mouth, its pHrrcQt is gentle, ftnd it is navigable nearly 150 miles. E 4 thp py?^fi>*^ ; -% ^cr M ( 56 ) the climate being nearly the fame as that of Spain, where the fmeft wool in Europe is pro- duced. And though the land is not reckoned valuable in this country, on account of its com-i parative flerility, yet it is of a fuperior quality to great part of the foil in t!.w lower parts of Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. It abounds with hazel, which, it is well known, never grows kindly in a poor foil. The native ftrawberry is found in thefe plains in the greateft abundance, as are likewifc plums of different forts j and, if we can form any idea of the native grape that grows fpontaneoufly here, what the fame foil is capable of producing when they are cultivated, it would appear that no climate or foil in the world is more congenial to the vine ; for I have never tailed more deli- cious grapes; and it is the opinion of fome ju- dicious foreigners, who have vifited thefe genial regions, that as good vine as can be made in any part of the globe, might be produced from the native grape properly cultivated. There is nothing more common than to meet with a picafant wine made here by the fettlers, who know '. *, I .Ny (57 ) know nothing of the afe of vats, or the degree of fermentation neceflary to the perfedion of the art of wine making. But, I flatter myfelf fome progrefs will be made in this bufinefs, as feveral foreigners have long had it in agitation to under* take it. The country between Green and Cumberland rivers is generaly rich, and finely watered. There is in it a mofl valuable lead mine, and feveral fait fprings; and between Green and Salt rivers there are two of a bitumen, which, when ana- lyzed, is found to be amber. But, fo much do wc ftand in need of chymifts, and mineralifts, that we remain ignorant of the properties and value of many foflils which have been difcovered; and many continue unknown, I apprehend, from the want of curiofity of men whofe only obje(fl feems to be cultivation, and the fcience of go- vernment. Perhaps thefe are the moft eflential to the happinefs of men in the wild ftate which this country is in. Arts appear to follow popu- lation. Neceflity has been the mother of inven« tion, it is true ; but from the attainment of that perfection to which we have arrived in arts and philofoph/f ■I ■■^■ -■■ ni l — ^ >i>a»^i!w ( 58 ) philofophy, wifdom and fcience muft go forward, U is phylically impoflible for man to degenerate do barbarifm. When the greateft merit confifts in the exercifc of the mod ufeful and appropriate talents, I think it is likely that the ingenuity of men will feel a more lively ftimulus to the excrcife of in- vention from the love of fame, the love of man- kind, and regard to their own dignity, than it ever yet experienced from ncccfllty. While odious difl.in(flions exift, and men arc rewarded in proportion to their fervility, human nature mufl be robbed of half its manlinefs, and confe- quently men will be flothful. How many cjrones do we obfcrve in every part of Europe, who feed upon the induftry of the nccelTitous, who work only as it is neccfiary to .their exig- ence ! Such have been the cficcls of the fadli- tious duties of man in your hemifphere, that every thing has become perverted; and govern- ments, inftead of fecuring happinefs to men, liave only tended to aggrandize individuals, and thus has flowed in that dcbafement of charadcr )yhich has marked half the inhabitants of Eu- ^•opc ( 59 ) rope with little more dignity than brute crea- tures. Cumberland river rifes among the mountains, conliderably to the north-eail, and, after its fc- veral branches have joined it, runs a long way fouth, and enters the limits of North Carolina. After a courfe of half a degree within thofe limits, it turns to the north-weft-, and empties itfelf into the Ohio, at fome diftance above its jjundion with the Mifllflippi. The Tenafee runs into the Ohio, not a long way below the mouth of Cumberland. The Tenafee is the moft im- portant of the fouthern branches of the Ohio *. Jt^ northern fork, called Holfton, rifes in the country of the fame name (which I have before mentioned), and, after palling through Nola- chucky, is joined by the main or fouth branch. Thi^ b;"anch rifes in the remote part? of the • The Tenafee is 600 yards wide at its mouth, and upon afcending it, to the diftance of 26c miles, it widens to be- tween two and three miles, which wirth it continues for nearly thirty miles, and which comprehends wiiat is called the Gr^at Bend. Thus far it is navigable without any obftruClion, and, fome trifline; f^Us excepted, it may be navigated at leafl 600 mi^et |aither. Stat^ 3 t 1 r i p 1 1 ( 60 ) State of Georgia, and, after trarerfing the borders of the Cherokee country, is joined by the Hol- fton branch, when it is called the Tenafce : from thence it runs fouth-wefterly, quite through the limits of North Carolina, and approaches the head waters of the Mobile, which empties- itfelf into the Gulf of Mexico. In its courfe, it is very rapid thus far : from the material declivity of the high country, which from mountains gra- dually fink into a flat, there is a number of falls, but none of them confiderable. It now turns again to the northward, and from its lazy motion it is obvious that there is very little fall of water from this to the Ohio. This turn conflitutes what is called the Great Bend of the Tenafee, or Mufcle Shoal, from the number of ihoals in this part of the river that are covered with thefe fhell-fifh. The river is here from two to three and a half miles wide. Its importance will con- illl in its being the moil convenient inlet from the upper parts of Virginia and the Carolinas to the Mifliffippi, it being navigable for boats of forty tons burthen from Holfton, the falls ex- cepted, where carrying places will anfwcr until there .—jiU'-^iLme, ,=;-:^--r- 1^ ( 6i ) there are canals made, which can be done with very little cxpcnce. Holfton is a narrow ftrip of country, furround- cd on every fide by mountains j but there is a pafTage which w> ' Js through them, fo as to ad- mit of a paflage this way, and down the river, without any difficulty of bad roads whatever. Should you continue your route by land in the road to Kentucky (which I fliall defcribe in another place), you would have feveral mountains to paHs, and at leafl two hundred miles of bad road. After you leave the plains which extend into the Cumberland country, in your courfe to the Tenafee, the country is fomewhat broken, but moftly rich. Great part of the land lying be- tween thefe rivers and the Ohio, and between Cumberland and Green rivers, was in military grants, made by Virginia to their officers and fol- dfiers, and is efteemed a valuable fituation for its proximity to the jundion of the Ohio and Mif- fiffippi. Their grants extend as low on the *(iiffiffippi as the partition line between Virgi- nia and North Carolina ; all of which is a beau- tiful tiful country : and tfic banks of the Hvcf, which are very high, prevent it from overflowing, vhich is not tfte cafe a great way lower down. The land in the Great Bend of the Tenafee h very fine; but when you approach the country of the Chickafaws, it becomes broken^ light, and fandy : and, as you extend to the fouthward, I have been informed (I never travelled farther than this by land) the foil grows dill lighter, and, except a large body of good land on the Mifliflippi and the bottoms of the fevcral ftreams that run into the Gulf and the Miflifllppi, it is little better than Well Florida, which has been celebrated in Europe for its fertility ; but fo fine a country have I been endeavouring to defcribe to you, that, judging by comparifon, the people in PCcntucky and Cumberland look upon that as an indifferent foil. This letter has imperceptibly grown to a con- fiderablc length. I was anxious to comprehend "within this fkctch, all the country denominated the weftern country on both fides of the Ohio to the Miami, and then the whole of the Kentucky and Cumberland countries, and the country upon the Ippi ^rf ( 63 ) the Tenafec, in order that I might proceed up the Ohio on the weflern fide, comprehending the whole of the country between that and the Mif- fiffippi, back to the Miami, and continuing north- ward to the Lakes: afterwards to ilicw the probable rife and grandeur of the American em- pire, before I proceeded to an account of the ar- tificial produdlions, &c. of Kentucky and Cum- berland, Farewell. Believe, my Friend, I am yours finccrcly. 'Svl LET- ( 64 ) LETTER IV. .' MV DEAR FRIEND, KENTUCKY. In contemplating the vaft field of the Ameri- can empire, what a flupendous fubjed: does it aiFord for fpeculation ! Government, ethics, and commerce, adling upon principles different in many refpedls from thofe of the old world, and entirely in others ! A government which, with its ipreading branches, feems in its mighty grafp to promife liberty and protedion to one hemifphcre ! A government which, from its fimple conftruc- tion, and the unity and efficiency of its aftion, is not lefs remarkable in the political, than its natural hiftory is to the phyfical world ! In ten years more, perhaps, a fettlement will be formed fufficiently populous to become a fe- deral ftate in the country into which I am now going to advance ; the limits of which, from the confluence of the Mifliflippi and Ohio to Detroit, is between five and fix hundred miles ; and tak- ing the medium diflance between Pittfburg and the "^ KENTUCKY. ( 6i ) the mouth of the Ohio, acrofs to the MiHiflippi from the Ohio is very little lefs. The inhabitants of this immenfe diftridt do not, including PVench, amount to five thoufand. The country in this fork (if I may fo call it) is various. Great part of it has been defcribed by Charlevoix, Hutchins, and Carver. Charlevoix feemS to have gone rapidly from Detroit by water the grcateft part of the way to New Orleans, Hutchins to have done nearly the fame from Pittlburg, down the Ohio to the MiiniUppi, and up that river to the Illinois ; fo up that, and from thence to Detroit. He has given a tolerably good account of the Illinois country. Carver confined his travels and re- marks to the lakes, the upper part of the Miflif- fippi, particularly the river St. Pierre, and the north-weftern branch of that river, and to the cuf- toms and manners of the Indian nations. Thefc authors have all conllderable merit. They have written fo agreeably, that their books have been generally read ; which has tended to difleminate a knowledge of this country in a favage Hate. This part of it is little better ; but you muft view it as a creation burfting from a chaos of hetcro- F gcneous m .^.va*,^^ V- ■ ( 66 ) gcncous matter, and exhibiting the fliining tiflue with which it abounds. Immediately in the fork the land is flat, and liable to overflow ; but as you advance on either liver the banks rife, and the country expanding, difplays a luxuriant foil for a long diflance above the Wabalh on the Ohio fide, and quite to the Illinois on the MifTiflippi fide, which is about two hundred and thirty miles above its jundlion with the Ohio, and twenty above the mouth of MiiTouri. This country lies nearly in the fame parallel of latitude of Kentucky. From the mouth of the Wabafh * the bottoms on the Ohio are exteniive and extremely fertile, as is the coun- try from thence to Poft St. Vincent; but to- wards the rapids of the Ohio, and beyond the bottoms of this river, the country is conliderably broken, and the foil in fome places light and in- different. After leaving Poft St. Vincent, in the route to the Illinois country, you foon fall into thofe extenfive plains which have been defcribed * The Wabalh is nearly 300 yards wide at its mouth, and except fome inconfiderable rapids, it is navigable upwards of 400 miles. in ( 67 ) in fuch glowing colours by Hutchins. This is certainly a beautiful country, and the immenfe number of deer, elk, and buffalo, which arc feen grazing in thofe natural meadow ndcrs even wildnefs enchanting. The air in this climate is pure, and the almofl continual unclouded iky ends not a little to charm the fenfes, and to render even wildnefs delightful. The country between Poft St. Vincent and Kalkalkies is flat and plain, with little variation. As you afcend the Illinois river * the foil grows more fertile, and on either fide you find immenfe forefis. I muft now beg you will travel with Hutchins from hence to Detroit f. He will conduct you up the head branches of this river, and, after a fliort paflage, you will embark again on the waters of Lake Michigan, difcovering how the operations • The Illinois is a fine gentle river, and navigable to its fource for batteaux. Its width is various — in places it is nearly half a mile : but its general breadth may be confidered about 250 yards. f The Illinois river furni(hes a communication with Lake Michigan by the Chiago river, and by two portages between Che latter and the Illinoit river } the longeft of which is only foul miles, Hutchins, F2 of ^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^^ Ui II :'^I2£ — u& jg |U HA _ScieDces CarporatiQQ as WVT MAM STIHT WnSm,N.Y. 14SM 0> ' ' ^h ( 68 ) of this great country will be facilitated by thd peculiar courfes of its imincnfe and numerous rivers. His obfervations I have been told are conliderably accurate, and, as I have not had the advantage of travelling this route, 1 recommend you to read his book, which was originally pub- lifhed in England, |nd no doubt is ilill to be had. Detroit lies between lat. 42" and 43° upon the Straights which communicate between Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie, confiderably to the weft ward of Pittft)urg, The country lying between them is not remarkable for any thing but being a wil- dernefs. The foil and climate are fuch as would entitle it to the reputation of a fine country in any part of Europe, except in winter, when the froft is extremely fevere, but lefs intenfe than that of Canada. Quebec lies nearly in the fame latitude of Paris, and from the defcription which the Emperor Julian has given of the winters hq quartered there, during his command in Caul^ there feems to be little difference between the winters of France at that period, in refpe(5t to coldi aad the prefent wiater& of Canada. Per* haps ( 69 ) haps the extent of continent lying to the north- weft, and the immen<'e lakes of ffefli water which cover it, will not admit of the climate of that part of America being fo rapidly melio- rated as the climate of Europe has been by cul- tivation. However, it is certain, that as the country has been more opened in America, and thereby the rays of the fun have adted more powerfully upon the earth, thefe benefits have tended greatly already to foften the winter feafon : fo that peopling Canada (for which we are much obliged to you) is a double advantage to us. Firft, it is fettling and populating a country, that muft, fooner or later, from the natural order of things, become part of our empire, and imme- diately meliorating the climate of the Northern States. But, to return to Detroit. Our courfe from thence to the head waters of the Miami is fouth-wefterly. The country for fome diftancc is flat, and the foil heavy and damp ; but, upon the waters of thofe rivers, it is beautiful, and abounds in the gifts of nature. The communication between Lake Eric and the Ohio by water this way, will be up the :*• F 3 fouthcrn ( 70 ) fouthern branches of the lake, and by ihort paf^ /ages you arrive upon the waters of the great Miamij Sciota, and Mufkingum, which are na- vigable Mrhen flooded*. It mull be obferved, that the rivers I have been mentioning are not navigable, throughout the year, for boats of above ten or fifteen tons. Great part of the country between this and the Wabafh is cham- paign ; but in travelling towards the Rapids of * Great Miami is about 300 yards wide at its mouth, is a rapid ftrcam, but without catarads, with feveral large branches navigable for batteaux a long way up : the principal of which interlocks with a branch of the Miami river, which runs into Lake Erie, to which there is a portage, and a third has a portage to Sandulky. ., Sciota is about 20Q yards wide at its mouth, its current gentle, and is navigable for nearly two hundred miles to a portage of only five or fix miles to Sandulky. Mulkingum is a fine gentle river, confined by high banks, which prevents its floods from overflowing the furrounding coantry. It is 2 jo yards wide at its confluence with the Ohio, and navigable, without any obftrudtions, by large batteaux to a little lake at its head ; from thence to Cayahoga, a creek that impties into Lake Erie, is not above two miles; and which muft become the beft portage between that lake and the Ohio. Cayahoga at its mouth is wide and deep enough to receive large floops from the lake. Sanducky is a conftderable river that empties into Lake Erie ; Its ftteam is gentle, and large enough at its mouth to receive floops. .the ( 7' ) the Ohio you pafs confiderable plains, and then fall into a broken and hilly trad of poor land, that continues with little variation until you approach the Rapids, when all the variety and charms, which this river produces, prefent them, fclves again. P'rom Detroit to the Rapids is nearly four hundred miles. I have gone curforily over the weftern coun- try which is peopled, and about to be peopled : but have purpofely avoided taking any notice of thofe parts which are fo little known, and of which I could fay nothing but from the inform- ation of hunters and favages, which has been induftrioufly coileded and publiftied by Carver, Jefferfon, and others. Betides, as it is your wi/h only to be informed of the advantages of fettle- ment, it would have been idle to have troubled you with accounts of countries that will not be fettled, or at lead formed into States, in our time. The rapid population of the weftern country has not only aftoniflied America itfelf, but it muft amaze Europe, when they enter into the views and increafe of this growing empire. The firft F4 fettlemcnt '.4 ( 7^ ) Settlement on the weftcrn waters by the Englifh was in 1760, and, under the influence of alrtioft continual Indian wars, that fcttlement ( I am now fpeaking of the upper fettlement on the Ohio) now contains not lefs than an hundred thoufand fouls. The State of Kentucky did not make a permanent fettlement before 1780, which now contains not Icfs than an hundred thoufand. The Cumberland fettlement began about this time, but it was at leafl three years afterwards before there was fecurity given to that fettlement, and there are fettled about fifty thoufand fouls more. Befides the fettlement in the Great Bend of the Tcnafee, which will join them in their feparation from North Carolina, the fettlement of Nola Chucka and French-broad, made on the branches of the Tenafee in the year 1782, 1783, 1784, and 1785, contain between thirty and forty thou- fand fouls ; fcveral other fettlements are form- ing at the Iron Banks on the Mifllflippi, befides thofe upon the weftern fide of the Ohio, which, including the inhabitants at Poll St. Vincent and the Kafkafl^ies (I judge from the bed in- formation) do not fall ihoft of fifty thoufand. I have ( 73 ) I have not mentioned the number in the fettlc- mcnt of the Great Bend of the Tenafee, as I have not been able to coUie<5t any fatisfadlory in- formation refpefting them : but I fuppofe the aggregate number of fouls in the wcftern coun- try is very little, if at all, fhort of four hundred thoufand, including the fettlements of Holfton Clinch River, and Powel's Valley, which taken together may amount to fevcr^ty thoufand fouls^ and which are properly on the wcftern waters. The fettlements on the wcftern ftde of the Ohio have been greatly haraflcd and retarded by the Indian war, which has continued with little variation fmce 1785 j but the vigorous meafures which their depredations have obliged Congrefs to adopt, muft end with a permanent peace, or in a few years their provocations will lead to the extirpation of the whole of the Miami and Illi- nois tribes. Their prowefs and determined re- folution will, no doubt, confiderably annoy our army, which, having been moftly recruited from the Atlantic country, are not acquainted with fuch dexterity and courage, or indeed habituated to their manner of lighting ; but our numbers have ^:i.:-tm ( 74 ) have grown too conHderable; (or, defeats only invigorate our meafures, while the lofs of every man, to nations whofe population is fo extremely tardy as that of the favages of America^ is a la- menuble coniideration. In the peopling this country new States will naturally arife, and thus, in contemplating the continent of America, we may form an adequate idea of what will be the magnitude of its fe- deral empire. The upper fettlement on the Ohio, though more populous than the fettlement of Cumberland, is not likely to become a feparate Sute fo foon. The greateH part of it is within the limits of Pcnnfylvania, and not fo remote from the capital of that State as the Cumberland fettlement is from the capital of North Carolina. The intercourfe is continual, and the produc tions of the country, or at leaft their cattle, may be driven to Philadelphia, &c. &c. as I have ob- ferved before ; and their influence is not fufHcient to procure them an adl of feparation, fhould they deiire it. In the cafe of North Carolina and Cumberland there is little or no communication between them, nor is it to be expedcd that it ever can ( 75 ) can be the intereft of either to continue the con* neftion ; therefore, it is mod likely, that diltridt -will follow Kentucky in the links of the great federal chain. I muft now proceed upon conjedlure, as there are no definite limits prefcribed by the federal government for the lines of demarkation, which are to be the different boundaries or limits of new States that will arife. However, it is eafy, by confulting natural boundaries, to form a pretty jud idea where will be their different dividons. I have already remarked that Kentucky and Cumberland are divided by a line in lat. 36i% which will be the boundary of Cumberland tc- the northward. The mountains will moll I'lkclf be its eaflern limits : its fouthern limits will be, either the partition line continued between North Carolina and Georgia (South Carolina never pofTefTed any weftern land), or it will run fouth^i erly, until it ftrikes that ridge of hills which divides the Tenafce country from the country of the Chacktaws ; thence a due weft courfe to the MifTiflippi, or following fome one of thofe branches which rife in thofe hills, and purfuing it« (. 76 ) Its couffe to that river. This will comprehend 4 diftrift of country of nearly two hundred miles in length from cafl to welt, and nearly an hundred and fifty from north to fouth. I cannot fpeak here with accuracy, as it is that part of all the iivedern country which is lead known. The country upon the head waters of the Tc^ nafee (lands next m the lift of advancement. This country includes the fettlement of Holflon, the fettlement of Clinch, and the fettlemcnts of Powel's Valley, which are part in Virginia, and part in North Carolina ; befides the fettlemcnts of Nola Chucka and French-broad. This laft fettlement will be extended to the borders of the Cherokee country, which will bind this State to the fouthward. Its wellern boundary will l^e Cumberland Mountain, which will divide it from the States of Kentucky and Cumberland. Its northern limits will be the ridges of hills that di- vide the waters of the Tenafee and the Great Kanaway,andits eaflern boundary will be the high hills that divide the eaftern from the weftern waters in this part of America, which are called in Virginia the North Mountains,and which con- tinue ./ / *?. ( 77 > tinuc their courfe through the Carolinas. This State will be in extent upwards of two hundred miles from north to fouth, and the average width from call to weft nearly an hundred and fifty. This country has mountains on every fide but the fouth-weft, and is interfperfed with high hills in moft parts of it. The valleys are cxr tremcly fertile, and every where finely watered. The climate in the upper part of the country is not fo temperate as that of Kentucky, though it lies in the fame latitude, which is owing to the neighbouring mountains. Many parts of this diftridb are well fettled, and cultivation was brought to fuch confiderable perfection, that the inhabitants had it in contemplation to become independent fevcn years fince, under the diftinc- tion of the State of Franklin, of which very proba- bly you may have read. Its population is not only confiderable, but its refpeAability in every con- fideration will very foon intitle it to the rank of a diftind State; though it may require fome time to eifedi a unity of fentiments, and a confolida^ tion of its Vcvious and detached fettlements into "» ~^rttm- *» ' the Great Miami, the Ohio, and the fame rid^e of hills. The country lying between the Miami, Wabafti, the Ohio, and the fame hills, I would put into another State j and the countrj* lying between the Wabafh, Ohio, Miflifiippi, and Illinois rivers, I would eftafelifti into a fifth State. Between the mouth of the Illinois river aikl wa- ters of Lake Michegan, lies a diftrid of country equally fertile with any part of the weftern eoun- "'•>• - . G try J n r J' I ( 82 ) fry ; but, in the progrelTion of our fettlemcnts, it will be fonrie years before any fettlements cant be formed there, except in the fork of the Mif- fiflippi and Illinois ; which may be eredled into a State, by running a line from a point lat. 42". 30" upon the MifUflippi, in fuch a diredion as to (Irike the head branches of the Illinois. But it is mod likely that the country on the Milliflippl and Mifouri will be fettled before this difirid^ though it is confldered as the empire of Spain. However, I will not be fo indecorous as to parcel out the territories of other nations : it is fuffici- cntly prefumptuous to have gone fo far as I have. I have now marked out the imaginary bound-^ aries of fix new States, exclufive of thofe on the caftern fide of the Ohio, the Genafee fettlement, and without including the country between the northern limits of Kentucky and Pittlburg, or the country between Niagara, Detroit, and the fources of thofe rivers which run into the Ohio. The upper fettlement on the caftern fide of the Ohio will moft likely follow the Cumberland and Kolfton in its independence. In peopling the ( 83 3 fchd new Stated I conclude the lowermoft will be htd fettled^ and confequently the firll to be ad- mitted into the federal government. The di(lri(51: of country that will be laft fettled, in ill probabi* jity, between the Ohio, the lakes, and the Mif- fiflippii to the fouth of St. Anthony's Falls, is perhaps that which lies between Niagara and Detroit, and extending to the ridge of hills which divides the waters of lake Erie and Ohio, by reafon of its damp and cold foil. The furrender df the forts of Niagara and Detroit (which I un- derdand is about to be done), may increafe the fettlements upon the borders of Lake Erie ; but 1 think it is not likely that unhofpitable clime will find inhabitants, while the genial regions of the Miililiippi are in a great meafure uninhabited. It is next neceltary to take notice how, and in what probable time, thefe States will be inhabit- ed. The firfl. fettlement upon the Ohio, and the progrcfs made in agriculture, were extremely tdrdy. But it is neceflary to recoiled:* that Ame- rica was not only in an infant ftate at the coft. clufionof the war in 1763, but that the continual wars with the Indians greatly retarded the pro- „a:v-. ^ 2 grcls 1} k k 1; ( 84 ) grefs of that (ctttement ; and if the fame obflrucf- tions have been given to the fcttlements bn th6 wcftern fide of the Ohio, it is equally certaiil that the exhauiled condition of the finances of the United States, until within d year and a half paft, did not permit them to take thofe vigorous meafures neccflaiy to their tranquillity ; and that permanent fettlemcnts on that fide of the river, and the increafe of the neceflaries of life (which are now in greater abundance in the weftern country than in any other part of America), will enable them to fupport their fituation with infi- nitely more eafe, than when we were obliged to bring almoft every thing for ufe over the moun- tain. I have eftimated thd number of fouls on the weftern waters at 400,000. 1 fliould fuppofc, from the difpofition to early marriages, which is general, and the extraordinary fecundity it is obferved every where prevails, with the addition of the emigrants who may be expedted from the eaftern States, that the inhabitants will double once in 15 years for the next 60 years to come, at leaft^, — which in the fiift 15 years will be equal to ' peopling \ C 8s ) peopling four or five of thefe States ; and I think we may expedt to fee at the end of 30 years the whole country I have been defcribing inhabited. The ratio of increafe after the firft 30 years ap- pears almoft too aftonifhing for belief: 6,400,000 fouls increafe in the courfe of 60 years, when it is notorious that all America added to her popu- lation little more than 2,000,000 in the courfe of a century> no doubt will appear a calculation too extravagant ; for which reafon it will be neceflary for me to ftate the rife of the one, and the pro- bable growth of the other. Mr. JefFerfon, in his notes on Virginia (tq which I (hall have frequent occafion to advert in my fubfequent letters), allows a duplication only once in 27^ years. He takes the fpace of 118 years inclufive from 1654, until the year 1702, when the tythes of Virginia had increafed from 7209 to 153,000; which eftimate, he fays, is corroborated by the particular uniformity of the intermediate enumerations taken in 1700, 1748, and 1759. According to this increafe, l^e fuppofes the inhabitants of Virginia alone Q3i will v.. .■.=i.Lji-.*»-.™..*v.,^'Wj,«. *-■■ *%^k ( 86 ) will amount to between 6 and 7,000,000 within ninety-fix years. It appears, by a (latemcnt which he has made of the emigrants in different years to th^t coun- try, that the greateft number in any one year was 3000, which was the year 1628. From the year 1654 the diflblution of the Virginia Com- pany took place, and importations almofl: ceafed until it became the pradlice of your government to tranfport convids to the colonies ; fo that it docs not appear that the peopling of Virginia was materially owing to the migrations from Europe { whereas I have known upwards of 10,000 emi- grants to arrive in the ilngle State of Kentucky within one year, and from 4 to 10,000 in feveral other years. Great part of the country from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Florida upon the fea coafl is un- favourable to agriculture. New England has never yet produced corn fufficient to fupply its inhabitants with bread ; which muft proceed cither from the ignorance of the arts of hufbandry in that country, or from the poverty of the foil ; I belieye •i-*" ,:. .«;ai ( 87 ) Ix believe both have helped to retard the progrefs 9f agriculture. Long Ifland is chieHy a fand heap, where the inhabitants .feem for a great length of time to have been content to live upon fi(h. The State of New York for a confiderablc diftance back is a continuation of hills and Hones. The country from Poloufhook to the capes of the Delaware is a flat of nothing but fait marfhes and pine barrans, which extend for twenty miles ^p the country ; and the whole country from thofe capes fouthward to the Gulf of Florida is no better, for a cnniiderable didance from the fea, the bottoms of the rivers excepted ; fo that the iirft fettlers of America had not only the natives to contend againll, but alfo extreme poverty. The exteniion of the Dutch fettlcment from New York up Hudfon's river to the fine lands about Albany, and to the fertile banks of the Rariton, in Jerfey, and the fettlement of Penn- fylvania by the celebrated Penn, firfl: produced that plenty which is not only neceflary to com- fort, but is efTential to occafion that fecundity which diftinguidies the rapid population of men: G 4 infant ^ J- >. ( 88 ) infant countries, after they have overcome the firft difficulties of eftablifliing a fettlcment. ' As the natives were driven back, the fettlers began to penetrate into the fertile regions of the middle parts of the States, av hich lie at fome diftancc from the fea coaft. But feveral caufes now combined to retard the population of the country. The unfavourable appearance of the foil of New England induced mod of its inha- bitants to lead fea-faring lives, which not only tend to check the natural increafe of men by the lolTes incidental to fuch an employment, but hinder, in a material degree, the propagation of the fpecies by the reparation of the fexes. ■ This bufinefs was in fome meafure common to the whole colonies. Befides which, the wars that England was often engaged in againfl; France and Spain, and in which we were alfo concerned, with the frequent Indian wars, and the late American war, helped not a little to obftrudl the natural proportion of the increafe of inhabitants. America had only crofTed the line between po- verty and affluence when the late unfortunate war commenced. I ( 89 ) commenced. However, there was a ft ill more nefarious and deteftable caufe for this flownefs of population ariiing from the introdudion of African flavery. Men began then to look upon it as infamous to labour— amufenients were in- vented to fill up their time— diflipation followed in all the excefs of idlenefs and folly. The fair fex were negledled; marriages were lefs early, and lefs frequent. And thus it happened tha( the inhabitants of Virginia were found to double ,only once in 271 years, and which has been gdopted by fome perfons as a criterion to eftimate the increafe of the inhabitants of all the other States; but it is not a fair criterion^ for it is notorious, tjbat Pennfylvania is much better peopled than Virginia, though its firft fettlement was at a later date. But, now, for the reverfe. Though we enjoy an extenfive inland navigation, we are not liable to the fame lofs of men which the periUof the fea produce ; nor any of that lofs which maritime countries fuffer by their citizens entering into foreign fervice, or fettling in foreign countries : our voyages will be regulated by the periodical floods^ ^nd (he aeras of abfence will bo ( go ) be more determinate and certain ; (6 that abfence here cannot fo materially interrupt domeftic happinefs, and cannot in the lead retard the increafe of inhabitants. It is impodible that we can experience any thing like poverty, for no country, perhaps, upon the globe is fo rich in the comforts and neceffaries of life. As to wars, we can have none after a few years more are paft. The Spaniards may put us tp fome incon-f venience for a few years to come ; but, in doing this, they will not only ri(k the lofs of New Orleans, but the whole of Louiliana, which they condder as the key to Mexico. Thus fecured from wars, and ^he inland navigation of the country not fubje(^ing us to material loifes in that bufiiiefs ; with the propenlity to early mar^ riages, produced by the fimplicity and innocence of youth, tutored under the pure maxims of virtue and reafon ; it cannot be confidered as a fanguine calculation, when we add the additional conlideration of the probable number o£ emi- grants we may receive, that o^r population wil) ^louble once in fifteen years. jtiaving endeavoured to give you an ideal of ih^ ( 9« ) ^he country north-well of the Ohio, omitted ii| my lad, and what will be the probable partitions of the New States to be laid off on that lide of the river, the population, and expeded increafe pf the inhabitants of the weflern country; I (hzW take leave of you for the prefcnr, and in my next you ihall have an account of its produc- ^ons^ navigations, &c. I remain, affectionately, i , Yours, &c« T ET- ( 9^ ) LETTER V. MY DEAR FRIEND, . KENTUCKY, In the advancement of civilization, agricuk ture feems to have bcei\ in every country th& primary obje(5): of mankind— Arts and fciences have followed, and, ultimately, they have been relevant to each other. Fortunately for us the prefent aera of reafon not only admits, but makes it necelTary, that they ihould go hand in hand. The decency of life is not the fmallcfl of fublunary blandiihments. Purity is to the body what virtue is to the foul •, — an eternal invigorating germ, whofe blofToms dif- fufe the moft fragrant odoursj and give a viva^ city to the mind equally manly and delightful. The weftern limits of the federal empire are bounded on the north by the Lakes Ontario, Erie, St. Clair, Huron, Superior, and the Lake of the Wood* ; to the weft by the Mifllflippi ; and * Lake Ontario is about 6co miles in circumference. Lake Eric nearly 300, Lake St. Clair about 90, I akc Huron is feckyacd 1000, iind Luke Superior between 15 and 1600. . The ( 93 ) tend extending as far fouth as the Natchez, or lat. 32 deg. then is bound by the Floridas to the fouth. What is called the Weftern Territory iiei on this iidc of the Allegany Mountain, u'ithin ihefc limits*. Here is found all the variety of foil and cli- The Lake of the Wood From caft to weft is about 70 milei, and its greateft breadth about forty. Lake Michigan is divided on the north«eaft from Lake Huron by the Streights of Michillimacknac. Its greateft length is 230 miles, its breadth about 60, and its circumference nearly 600, On the north-well parts of this lake its waters branch out into two bays ; that which lies towards the north is Noquet's Bay, and the other Puans, or Green Bay. ' The waters of this, as well as the other great lakes, are clear, wholefome, abound in fifh, and are of fuiEcient depth for the navigation of (hips. It is worth obferving, that fome of thefe lakes, in magnitude, are almoft equal to the feas of Europe; and though there is not an immediate communication for (hips with the Atlantic ocean* yet the advantages they muft afford to the operations of com- merce will prove not only very confiderable, but, I conceive,wilI be nearly as beneficial as open feas, when ths furrounding countries are under that fame government, and influenced by xeciprocal intereft. • Colonel Gorden, in his Journal, fays, " that this country may, from a proper knowledge, be affirmed to be the moft heaUhy, the moft pleafant, and raoft fertile fpot of earth known to European people,** . . , mate 1 ( 94 ) mite neccflary to the culture of every kind of grain, fibrous plants, cotton^ fruits, vegetablei;^ and all forts of provifions. The upper fettle- ments on the Ohio produce chiefly wheat, oats, barley, rye, Indian corn or maze, hemp and flax. The fruits are apples, pears, cherries, peaches, plumsj llrawberries, rajfbcrries, cut- rants, goofcberries, and grapes ; of culinary plants •snd vegetables, there are turnips, potatoes, car- rots, parfnips, cymbiline dr fquafh, cucumbers^ peafe, beans, afparagus, cabbages, brocoli, ce- lery and fallads ; befides which there are melons and herbs of every fort. The provifion conlill* of beef, pork, mutton, veal, and a variety of pbultryi fuch as ducks, Mufcovy ducks, turkeys, geefe, dunghill fowls, and pigeons. The fu- perfluous provifions are fold to the emigrants, who are continually palling through thofe fettle- ments, in their route to the different diftridh of country, and which I have enumerated. Some confiderable quantities of fpirits diftilled fronri rye, and likewife cyder, are fent down the river to a market, in thOfe infant fettlements where the inhabitants have not had time to bring or^ chards ft ( 95 ) chards to any perfedion, or have not a fupcr- fluity of grain to diftil into fpirits. The beef, pork, and flour are difpofcd of in the fame way. The flax and hemp arc packed on horfes and fent acrofs the mountain to the inland towns of Pennfylvania and Maryland, and (as I hinted in a former letter) in a few years, when gracing forms the principal objeft of thofe fettlers, they will always And a market for their cattle at Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Alexandria. Thefe fettlements might produce a coniider- able quantity of fugar, but hitherto what they have made has ferved for little more than home confumption, as every part of the back country from lat. 42" to 36° and upon the Mifliflippi, as far north as lat. 45°. produces an abundance of the fugar maple-tree as would be equal to furnilh fugar for the inhabitants of the whole earth ; and to fend it to any of the market towns on the At- lantic is too far to be profitable, until the canals nf the Potowmac Ihall have been finifhed. That country produces alfo all the pot-herbs which are common in Europe : feveral kinds of nuts grow in the forefts, fuch as chefnuts, hickory, and ( 96 ) and black walnuts. Ths mountains, hills, and uninhabited parts abound in deer, wild turkeys, and a fpecies of groufe, called by the Americans promifcuoufly partridge or phcafant. There is an abundance of wild fowl, as indeed is the cafe in every part of the weftern country : to enume- rate thefe could prove for you neither amufement or indrudlion. Linen and woollen cloths, leather, and hats, for home confumption, are manufadlured with conliderable fuccefs. The two firft articles are only made in families for their own iife; but the latter are made by men of profellion in that buHnefs, and are of a quality that would not difgrace the mechanics of Europe* Blackfmiths work of all forts, even to making fire ariDs, is done there ; as is alfo cabinet work, wheel- wright, mill-Wright, houfe carpentry, joinery, Ihoe- making, &c. &c* in fhort,all the trades, im- mediately neceflary to the promotion of the com- forts of new fettlements, are to be found here. After palling to the fouthward of lat. 40 deg. the climate becomes favourable to the culture of tobacco. It will> no doubt^ grow farther to the r t 97 ) the north; but neither its flavour is fo aromatic j or the crop fo certain or produdlive. Indeed the farther fouth tobacco grows, generally the finer its quality : hence it is, that the faegars of Cuba are fo much admired for their peculiar fcent, and the Oroonookoo for its mildnefs. How- ever, this is of little confequence to any country, as it is certain no cultivation is fo pernicious to the foil, and of fo little real advantage to the Cultivator. It continually impoverifhes the land t and every additional feafon, inflead of producing riches to an eftate, tends to beggar it : every vef- tige of its growth is mifery and devaftation, and no foil, but one as prolific as that of the Nile, would be capable of producing it for any length of time, according to the fyftem which has been purfUed in Virginia and Maryland. How- ever, the whole of the Ohio and Mifliffippi coun- try below lat. 40 deg. is perhaps better adapted to produce tobacco in quantity than any other country upon the face of the globe. Kentucky produces, befides tobacco, all the different kinds of grain that I have defcribed in the upper fettlement; all the fruits, with the addition of apricots and nectarines s thefe and H peache* ( 98 ) peaches grow here to very great perfcdion, particularly when plantad upon a light foil, which fhould always be the cafe when it can be found ; but however extraordinary it may ap- pear, it is not often the cafe in this diftridt of country. Thofc culinary plants, vegetables, &c. 1 have enumerated above, are produced in the whole Ucftefn country. In fome parts they grow to greater perfedion than in others, as in this the cu- cumber, turnips, peas, and many others are much finer than I ever faw them any where befide. The cantilope melon is only to be equalled by thofe in Perfia. We are not at the trouble and expenceof forcing. Every thing put into the ground of the vegetable kind grows in a moft wonderful manner. The foil is uncommonly favourable to hemp and Indian corn. I have known 12 cwt. of the former produced from an acre of ground, and as much as loo bufhels of the latter. This has not only been done from an uncommon fertile fpot, but there are large bodies of land adjoining, which are equally prolific. I belieVe that, were 8oo cwt. 60 bufhels. 30 ditto. 40 ditto. 50 ditto. 25 cwt. ( 99 ) Mrtrt I to mention upon an average the produce of the whole country it would be found to be nearly as follows t Hemp per acre * •- Indian corn^ of miSLie, ditto - Wheat, ditto * " fiarley, ditto - Oats, ditto -» Clover and timothy grafs, ditto Bcfides hemp and flax for manufaduringi cotton is cultivated with confiderable fuccefs^ particularly in the fouthern parts of the State, and Cumberland ; and, no doubt, in a few years^ when our fettlements extend to the Natchez, cot- ton will be produced in as great perfedion as in the Eaft or Weft Indies. No foil or climate can be more congenial to this plant than the re- gions on the lowermoft parts of the Mifllflippi. We have in our power to promote the cul- ture of iilk alfo. The mildnefs of the climate and the great quantity of the mulberry trees, which are every where interfperfed in our forefts, render this matter extremely eafy ; but how far this will be politic, when the ufe of filk is going H 9 out ( 100 ) out of falhion, is a matter that requires fotnc confideration. Cotton has fupplied its place, and its fupcrior excellence, I apprehend, will al. ways make it a m»rc profitable manufadtory. The growth of wool will form an important confideration with us. The plains I have de- fcribed extend quite to the mountains, fo that fhcep here may have every advantage which the flocks of Spain enjoy. If we can form any idea fjom the famples of wool produced in many parts of the country, we may conclude that our mod fanguine expedations Mill be fully an* fwered. The buffalo are mofl:Iy driven out of Ken- tucky. Some are ftill found upon the head waters of Licking Creek,Great Sandy, and the head wa- ters of Green River. Deer abound in the exten- five forefts ; but the elk confines itfelf moftly to the hilly and uninhabited places The rapidity of the fettlement has driven the wild turkey quite out of the middle countries ; but they are found in large flocks in all our ex- tenfive woods. Amidfl: the mountains and broken countries are ( 101 ) arc great numbers of the groufe I have defcribcd ; and fince the fettlement has been eftablilhed, the quail, by following the trail of grain which is neceflarily fcattered through the wildernefs, has migrated from the old fettlements on the other fide the mountain, and has become a conftant refident with us. This bird was unknown here on the firft peopling of the country. There is a variety of wild fowl in every part of this State, particularly teal, and the fummer duck. The latter breeds with us. Its incuba- tion is always in temperate climates, which is the reafon of its being called the fummer duck. The produdlions of Cumberland are nearly the fame as thofe of Kentucky. The quality of to- bacco is perhaps fomething better ; but the climate being confiderably warmer, it is not fo favourable to wheat and barley, nor does grafs grow there fo luxuriantly as with us. The country below Cumberland foon becomes warm enough for indigo and rice ; and perhaps thefe articles, in a few years, will be cultivated on the Midifllppi with as much fuccefs, if not piorc, than they ever were in South Carolina, or H 3 Georgia ; ( 102 ) Georgia; paiticularly the former, as the foil on the Miiliffippi is infinitely more luxuriant than any in the Carolinas. Some eflays were made in this buiinefs previous to the late war ; but the objeft was abandoned in the deftrudion of the fettlement I mentioned in a former letter, made below the Natchez, Oranges, and other tropical fruits, grow at the Natchez, and fome diftance above, to confiderable pcrfedion. There are a v ariety of nuts that grow both in Kentucky and Cumberland, fome of "W hich«arc common to bqth : the moft remarkable of them is the Pacane j all of which have been noticed both by Carver and JefFcrfon. Grapes, plums, goolberries, and ftrawberries, grow alfo fpontaneoudy in the fouthern parts of Kentucky, and in moll: parts of Cumberland. The produce of the weflern country will be nearly the fame in the fame parallels of latitude throughout; fo that comparing my imaginary States with the fettled country fouth-eaft of the Ohio, you will be able to form a juft idea of what they will be capable of producing. But to comprehend the objed of the copimerce of thiii ( J03 ) this country, it is firft ncceflkry to contemplate It, abounding in all the comforts of life, limited in its variety of climate only by what is not defirable ; with a foil fo prolific, a navigation fo extenlive, and a fecurity fo permanent, from being inland, that it feems this vad extent of empire is only to be equalled for its fuUimity but by ihe objedl of its aggrandizement. Provifions, tobacco, and raw materials will Conflitute the firfl articles of our trade *• Such * The following juft and judicious obfervations were nd- dtttkd to the Earl of Hillfborough, in the year 1770, when Secretary of State for the North American Department : ** No part of North America will require lefs encourage- ment for the production of naval (lores, and raw materials for manufa^ories in Europe, and for fupplying the Weft India Iflands with lumbir, provtfiontt &c, than the country of the Ohio ; and for the following reafons : Firft, The lands are excellent, the climate temperate, the native grapes, ftlk worms, and mulberry trees, abound every where ; hemp, hops, and rye grow fpontaneouQy in the valleys and low lapds ; lead and iron are plenty in the hills ; fait fprings are innumerable ; and no foil is better adapted to the culture of tobacco, flax, and cotton, than that of the Ohio. Second, The country is well watered by feveral navigable rivers, communicating with e^ch cfhefi by which, andafhort I^nd carriage, the produce of the lands of the Ohio can, even Aow (in the year 1772), be fent cheaper to the fea-port town of H 4 Alexandria, ( I04 ) Such a quantity of beef, pork, bacon, butter, cheefc, &c. &c. might be furnilhcd from thi» country Alexandria, on the Potomac river in Virginia (where the troops of General firac^dock landed), than any kind ^ f tnet'* chandife is Tent from Northampton to London. Third, The river Ohio is, at all feafons of the year, naviga- ble with large boats, like the weft country barges, rowed only by four or five men ; and from the month of February to April large (hips may be built on the Ohio, andfent tofea, laden with hemp, iron, flax, filk, tobacco, cotton, pot-afli, &c. Fourth, Flour, corn, beef, fhip-pLnk, and other ufeful articles can be fent down the ftrcam of the Ohio to Weft Flo- rida, and from thence to the Weft India iflands, much cheaper^ and in better order, than from New York or Philadelphia, to thofe iflands. Fifth, Hemp, tobacco, iron, and fuch bulky articles, may alfo be ff^nt down the ftream of the Ohio to the fea, at Icaft 50 per cent, cheaper than thefe articles were ever carried by land carriage, of only 60 niiles, in Pennfylvania ; where waggonage i& cheaper than in any other part of North America. Sixth, The expcncc of tranfporting European manufaftorics from the fea to the Ohio, will not be fo much as is now paid, and muft ever be paid, to a great part of the countries of Penn- fylvania, Virginia, and Marj'land. Whenever the farmers or merchants of the Ohio ftiall properly underftand the bufinefs of tranfportation, they will build fchooners, floops, &c. on the Ohio, fuitable for the Weft India or European markets; or, by having black Wt-ilnut, cherry tree, oak, &c. properly fawcd for foreign markets, and formed Into rafts in the manner that is now done by the icttlers near tlie upper parts of rhe Delaware in Pennfylvania, and rhcrcon ftow their hemp, iron, tobacco. Sec. and proceed with them to New Orleans* It ( 105 ) country as will one day, no doubt, furnifli the Weft India iflands, and afford relief to the jniferable Chincfe, whofc fcanty portion of rice i* It may not, perhaps, be aniifs to obfcrve, that large quantities of flour arc made in the diftant (weftern) countries of Pennfyl- vania, and fent by an cxpenfive land-carriage to the city of Philadelphia, and from thence (hipped to South Carolina, and to Eaft and Weft Florida, thero being little or no wheat raifed in thofe provinces. The river Ohio fecras kindly defigned by nature, as the channel through which the two Floridas may be fuppiied with flour; not only for their common coofnmption, but alfo for the carrj'ing on an cxtenfive commerce with Jamaica, and the Spa- ni(h fettlements in the Bay of Mexico. MilUlones in abundance are to be obtained in the hills near the Ohio ; and the country is every where well watered with large and conftant fprings aa4 ftreams for grift and other mills. ' The paHage froni Philadelphia to Pennfacola is feldom made in lefs than a month, and fixty (hillings per ton, freight '^con- fifting of fixteen barrels), is ufually paid for flour, &c. thither* Boats carrying 800 or 1000 barrels of flour may go in about ^he fame time from Pittflburg, as from Philadelphia to Pennfs* ^ola, and for half the above freight; the Ohio merchant! would be able to deliver flour, &c. there in much better order than from Philadelphia, and without incurring the damage and delay of the fea^ an4 charges of infurance, &c. as from thence to Pennfacola. This is iiot mere fpeculation ; for it is a fadt, that about the year 17^.6, there was a great fcarcity of provifions at New Orleans ; and the French fettlements at the Illinois, fmall at they then were, fent thither in one winter upwards of eight hundred thoufand weight of flour." only N r^. 1 r io6 ) only fufficicnt to keep foul and body together. Our mountainous countries mufl always prove excellent ranges for herds of cattle ; the grafs, in the fummerj affording fufficient food to fatten ihem, without the expence of cultivated mea- dows, and the winters are feldom fo fevere as to require any other food than the cane and pea- vine. The navigation of this country has been much talked of. The diftance from one place to an- other has been computed with fome degree of accuracy, and the various experiments which iiave been made confirm the opinion that its difficulty is merely imaginary. The common mode of defcending the flream is in flat-bottomed boats, which may be built from 15 to 500 tons burthen. But, as far as I have been able to judge, I fliould fuppofc, that about 50 or 60 tons burthen would be the moft conve- nient, wicldy, and confequently fafe, particularly when the waters are very high ; for in fuch cafes the rapidity of the current »nakes it difficult to manage an unwieldy mafs with facility. Thefe boats areJbuilt of oak plajik, with a certain pro- portion ( 107 ) portion of breadth to their length, i. c. nearlf as 12 feet to 40 { which will be a boat of nearljr 40 tons. They arc covered or not as occafion may require. The objeft is to build them at cheap as poflible, for their unwicldinefs prevents the pofllbility of their returning, and they can only be fold as plank. Several of thcfe boats fctting out together, let us fuppofe 5, 10, 15, or 20, of 60 tons burthen each, which would require each 6 hands to navi« gate them ; ten boats then of 60 tons each will employ 6q hands, which will be equal to navi- gate up the dream 3 boats of 5 tons each, and would be more than fufHcient to bring back the cargo that the produce of the ten boats would pur- chafe ; as the articles we export are grofs and bulky, while we want only in return fuperiine goods ; the coarfer goods of every fort will aU ways be manufadlured in the country, WeaJfo make our own fait, fugar, fpirits, malt liquor, and (hall foon make our own wine. Thefe boats muft be worked up with fleam and fails. The invention of carrying a boat againfl the pream by the influence of fteam, is a late im- provement I Ml \fi ( 108 ) provement in philofophy by a Mr. Rumfey of Virginia, whofc ingenuity has been rewarded by that State with the cxclufive privilege of navi- gating thofe boats in her rivers for IQ years; and as this grant was given previous to the inde- pendence of Kentucky, the jidl of reparation guarantees his right. Some circurnftance or other has prevented his bringing them into ufe. However, there can be no doubt of the fuccefs of his fchemc, for.the Afiembly of Virginia had the jTJoft unequivocal aflurances before they gave the privilege, in a certificate figned by General Wafhington and Man Page, Efquire ; fetting forth, that they had fecn a boat, they believed to be conftrudled by Mr. Rumfey, afcend a ilream without the aid of manual labour, but without mentioning the operating caufe, which has fincc appeared to be fteam. If this prin- ciple fhould fiiil (and from fuch authority I do not conceive how it is to beprefumed), I flatter myfclf that philofophy is capable of fupplying the place in the appropriation of fome one of the fccrets with which mechanics abound. In taking a retrgfpcc'^iv? vie\y of the world, ( 109 ) Xvc are for a moment furprifed when we recoiled that fome thoufands of years had elapfed before printing was invented ; and that the only way of accumulating the copies of art and genius was by the tardy method of tranfcribing ; and that the art of navigation was for nearly as long a time devious, and regulated by no certain laws, the ftars and head lands of different countries being the only guides to the adventurous mariner, who often peiifhed when the heavens were obfcured. O Liberty! how many bleflings haft thou brought us ! Man, in promulgating his opi- nions, now finds fecurity under the wings of an cftabliHied freedom ; and the difmal dungeon, which eclipfed the luminous mind of the cele- brated Italian, would now be eredied into a fchool for him to lefture in, inftead of a prifon to bewail the miferable ignorance and depravity of his fellow-creatures. Truth and reafon have led to this melioration of manners — it will lead to more benefits to mankind. — But fhould wc dill be obliged to row our boats againft the ilream, it is not only practicable, but eafy.' ^ The frequent turnings in the MiflifRppi pro- 3 duce 1 1' Ii;i ( no ) duCC in every bend eddy water j which, ^vith thtf advantage the wind affords, that blowing the greater part of the year from the fouth-weft, and dircdlly up the windings of the river, by reafon of the vacancy between the banks and riling fo- refts on either fide» afford a channel for the cur- rent of the air, is fufficient with fails, keeping as much as poHible in the eddy water, to carry a boat 50 miles a day up the dream* To account for thofe winds phil6fophicalIy would be extremely eafy ; but, as it is a circum- ftance notorious from the teftimony of voyagers in the Miffiflippi and Ohio, I prcfume the teft of experience will be preferred to any philofophical difquidtion upon the fubjeA, Should this navigation prove too tedioUs, and no improvements appear likely to be made in it, the importing into the country may be facilitated by another channel, from the Gulf of Mexico up the Mobile, which is a. lazy current; from the principal branch of which there is but a-ihort pafTage to a branch of the Tenafee, when you will have the advantage of the dream quite into the Ohio, I have enumerated this circumdance merely . '/ ( ill } mefefy for the fake of information ; for I hive not the fmalleft doubt of the eligibility of the navigation of the Mifliflippi, which is proved from the experiments which are daily making. The dillance from Pittfburg to the Mu(kin- gum is 173 miles ; to the Little Kenhaway 178; to the Great Kenhaway 285 j to Great Sandy 342 ; to the Sciota 390 ; to Limeftone 500 ; to the Little Miami 510 ; to Licking Creek 524; to the Great Miami 550 ; to the Great-bone Creek 582; to the Kentucky 626; to the Ra- pids 703 ; to Salt river 723 ; to Green river 922 ; to the Wabafli 1019 ; to Cuniberland river 1 1 13 ; to the Tenalee 11 26; to the Miffiflippi 11 83; from thence to New Orleans is about 1095. I have mentioned that it is about 230 from the mouth of the Ohio up the Mifllffippi to the mouth of the Mifouri, and about 20 from thence to Illinois, which is navigable for batteaux to its fource. From thence there is a portage only of 2 miles to Chickago, which is alfo navigable for batteaux to its entrance into Lake Michegan, which is a diftance of 16 miles. This lake affords communication with the river St» Lawrence * througjh i! f 112 ) through Lake Eric, pafling Niagara by a portage of 8 miles. The Lalces Erie and Michegan are navigable for vcflcls drawing 6 and 7 feet watcn This is one of the routes by which the exchange of commodities between the northern and fouth> crn parts of this empire will be facilitated. In continuing the plan of intercourfc, it will be found extremely eafy to pafs through Lake Ontario to Wood creek ; up Wood creek^ and by a portage of about 3 miles, you arrive at i. creek, which in 3 miles more brings you to Fort Edward upon the Mohawk river, a branch of Hudfon's river. There are feveral carrying- places between that and its jundion with Hud* fon ; but very little labour would remove them, and which I have no doubt but the State of New York* will be judicious enough to fet early about. It is certain they have ordered furvcys to be made, and plans are forming for the re- moval of thofe obHrudlions. It has been long in • That State paffed an Aft of Affembly in July 1792, for removing all tl c obftruftions between Hudfon's river and Lake Ontario ; by which means, when it is done, there will be an inland navijgation, taking its various courfes of nearly 2000 miles in extenr^ ' - . i embryo portage gan are t watcn ^change I fouth. 1 , it will rh Lake ;ek, and ive at i to Fort anch of irrying- th Hud- c them^ of New :t early i furveys the re- 1 long in 1792, for r and Lake will be an early 2000 embryo A TABLE OF DISTANCES between Pittsburg Great Ket Great Sandy Sciota 48 I Limeftone 1 10 158 I Little Miami 10 1 120 168 Licking Creek 14 24 134 i3« Great Miami 26 1 40 50 160 Great Bone Creek 32 | 58 I 72 82 192 Kentucky 44 1 76 I 102 116 126 236 208 240 284 Rapids 77 121 1 153 '79 193 203 313 1 361 1 Salt River 20 1 97 '4« 1 ^1% 199 213 223 333 381 Green Wabal River 199 3»9 298 340 1 372 398 412 1 422 532 580 1 h i)^ 296 4.6 393 j 437 1 469 495 509 S^9 629 677 Cumberland River 94 191 390 510 487 531 563 1 589 603 613 723 761 Tenafee 13 107 I 204 403 523 SOI j 544 576 6o2 616 646 73& 774 iffiflippi 57J70J 164] 261 j 460 1 580 j 558 I 601 I 633 j 659] 673 I 703 I 793 I 831 I Miffiflipp twecn Pittsburg and the Mouth of the Ohio. Pittlbnf{ Big Beaver aS Tw Little Beaver 12 1 40 Yelloi D Creek V Creek ix «4| S« & 20 3« 44 7» Long Reach 52 1 72 3+ 96 124 End of Long Reach 16 68 88 100 111 1 140 Muflcingum 35 1 49 101 !*• 1 >35 |.« •71 Little Kenhaway 57 38 54 106 126 .3SJ 150 .78 Hockhocking 1 5 20 53 69 121 141 «53 165 '93 Great Kenhaway 92 1 107 112 145 i6i 21 3 233 252 257 285 Great Sandy 57 1 149 164 1 169 2021 218 27c 290 309 314 34» Sciota 48 105 197 1 212 217 250 1 266 318 338 357 362 390 L leMiai imeftone no 'S« 1 215 1 307 j 322 1 227 360 1 376 428 448 1 467 472 500 ni 10 1 120 168 225 1 317 332 337 370 386 438 1 +58 477 1 482 S'O k 14 1 24 1 134 13* 239 331 346 35' 384 400 452 472 491 1 496 |,H 40 50 160 208 265 1 357 372 377 410 426 478 498 517 522 559 72 82 192 240 297 1^9 404 409 442 458 510 530 549 554 58* 116 126 236 284 34» 433 448 453 486 502 554 574 593 598 626 »93 203 3»3 1 361 1 4'3 5»o 525 530 563 579 631 651 1 670 675 1 703 213 223 333 381 438 530 545 550 583 599 651 } 671 690 695 7*3 412 422 532 580 637 729 744 1 749 782 793 850 870 889 894 922 509 S^9 629 677 734 826 841 846 897 896 947 967 986 991 1019 603 613 723 761 828 920 935 940 973 990 1041 ic6i loSo 1085 1113 616 646 73^ 774 841 933 948 953 1 986 1C03 1054 1074 1 1093 1098 1126 ^73 I 703 I 793 I 831 j 898 j 990 I 1005 loio I 1043 I 1060 I Mil I H31 I 1 150 I 1155 I "85 A TABLE OF DISTA taver 12 40 12 «4 St l«| 44 7* H 96 «H do IIS I 140 33 I 14s I 172 18! »3 ;2 »9 17 M Gre7 ISO i6s 257 178 «93 28s 314 34* 362 47* 390 500 482 I 510 496] 5H 522 I sso Great Bone Crei9 Kentucky 4.3 Rapids 77 I 12° 554 598 582 626 67s 703 Salt River 20 97 H^ 695 Green River 199 Wabalh 97 296 Cumbcuand River 94 191 390 3^9 416 510 298 340 894 393 j 43r^ 487 53' Tenafee 1 3 I 107 I 204 403 523 SOI 54^ 991 7«3 922 1 08s 1098 1019 1113 ii ■ i 1126 iffifllppi S7I70I 1641 261 I 460 j s8o] 558 I 60^1 "55] "85 Miflifli 12 40 «♦ $« 44 7« 96 124 IIS 140 »4S 1- IJO 178 165 »93 «S7 285 314 34* 36* 390 47* 500 482 510 496 P4 522 5 JO 554 S82 598 626 ^n 1<^l 695 in 894 922 991 1019 [085 1113 ro98 1126 i . ( "3 ) embryo with them. It was impoflibie a plan of To much utility could efcape that ix^t and pene- trating politician General Schuyler, whofe vaft edate lies modly in that part of America. There are alfo portages into the waters of lake Eric from the Wabafti, Great Miami, Mulkin- gum, and Allegany, from 2 to 16 miles *. The portage between the Ohio and Potowmac will be about 20 miles when the obllrudtions in the Mo> nongahala and Cheat rivers arc removed, which will form the firft objed of the gentlemen of Virginia when they have completed the canal on the Potowmac. The obftrudlions to the navigation of the Great Kanhaway arc of fuch magnitude, that it will require a work of ages to remove them ; but if ever that ihould be done, there will be an eafy communication between that and James rivet* and likewife with the Roanoke, which runs through North Carolina. But this is an event too remote to deferve any confideration at pre- fent. ^ - * Some of thefe have been noticed in a note in a preceding ^it of this work. I All ■■.i lis; I "85 \. ' ( 114 -) All the rivers in this country of 60 yards wide and^ upwards, are navigable almoU to their fources for flat-bottomed boats during their floods, and for batteaux the greater part of the year, the Great Kanhaway and little Miami ex- cepted. The Tenafee has a conflderable fall where it paiTes through Cumberland Mountain, where there muft be a portage alfo. From thence it is navigable quite to Holflon. The rapids of the Ohio I have defcribed in a former letter *, They are no obftrudtion in high water to boats going down the river, and indeed batteaux may pafs almofl at any time. There * Colonel Gordon, in his journal down the Ohio mentions, " That thofe falls du not deferve that name, as the ftream ot the noith fide has no fudden pitch, but only runs over a ledge of rocks. Several boats, he fajrs, palfcd them in the diyeft (eafon of the year, unloading one half of their freight. They pafled on the north fide, where the carrying place is three quar- ters of a mile long ; on the fouth-eaft fide, it is about half that diftance, and is reckoned the fafeft pafiage for thofe who are unacquainted with it ; but it is the moft tedious, as, during part of the fummer, and autumn, the batteaux-men drag their boats over the rock. The fall is about half a mile rapid wa- ter, which, however, is paflable, by wading and dragging the boat againft the ftream when loweft^ and with ftiU greater cafe when the water is raifed a little." * arc «v,| ( "5 ) are two fmall rapids in the Wabafli between its mouth and St. Vincent's, but they are no impe- diment to navigation, except at times of low water. The Kalkafkia is a fmall river which runs into the Mifliflippi below the Illinois, and is navigable a confiderable way above the plains. The Mifliflippi is navigableto St. Anthony's Falls, without any rbftrudtion. Carver dcfcribes it as navigable above them as far as he travelled. We have too little knowledge of the Mifouri to from any decided opinion of the extent of its na- vigation. It is however certain, that it is a more powerful ftream than the Mifliflippi, and in en- tering that river, it triumphantly ruflies acrofs, and its turbid waters, unmixed, feem to difdain a connexion fo inferior. From the befl: informa- tion that we have been able to colled, it is navi- gable for 12 or 1500 miles above its mouth, with- out obllrudlion ; and I think it is not unlikely that in fettling the country towards its fource, we (hall find it is not remote from the fources of the ftreams running into the Pacific Ocean, and that a communication may be opened between them with as much eafe as between the Ohio I 2 and H ( ii6 ) and Potowmac, and alfo between the fettlcment*^ on the MifliiTippi and California. This circum- (lance is the more likely to happen, as it does not appear that the ridges of hills which divide the waters of the Pacific Ocean from the waters of the Mifliffippi, are cither fo high or fo rugged as the Allegany mountains. You will obferve, that as far as this immenfe continent is known, the courfes and extent of its rivers are extremely favourable to communi- cation b/ water ; a circumftance which is highly important, whether we regard it in a focial or commercial point of view. The intercourfc of men has added no inconliderable ludre to the polilli of manners, and, perhaps, commerce has tended more to civilize and embellifh the human mind, in two centuries, than war and chivalry would have done in five. The federal government regulating every thing commercial, mull be produdtive of the greated harmony, fo that while we are likely to live in the regions of perpetual peace, our felicity will receive a zelt from the activity and variety of our trade. We Ihall pafs through the Mifliflipi to the '• I \ u,.~«. \ ( »>7 the fea^up the Ohio, Monongahala and Cheat rivers, by a fmall portage, into the Potowmac, which will bring us to the federal city on the line of Virginia and Maryland— through the fe- veral rivers I have mentioned, and the lakes to New York and Quebec— from the northern lakes to the head branches of the rivers which run into Hudfon's-bay into the Ar;.^lic regions — and from the fources of the Mifouri into the Great Seuth Sea *. Thus in the centre of the earth, governing by the laws of reafon and hu- manity, we feem calculated to become at once the emporium and protcdors of the world f. Before * Befides the feveral channels of cdmmunlcation already mentioned, there are two others which, in a very few years, will be opened ; as the Penrifylvauians have already turned their attention toward thera. One from Lake Erie to a place called Le Bocuf, down the Allegany, to a river called Kiilifminitas, then up the fame a certain diftance, and from thence by a fliort portage to a branch of the Sufquehanna, calld Juniata. The other is from Lake Ontario to the eaft branch of the Delaware, which it is faid will not be attended with much difficulty ; and which will be a direft communication between Philadelphia and that Lake. There is a ridge of hills, generally called the Shining l^ountains, which begin at Mexico, and continoe to the eaft 1 3 af ( Ii8 ) Before I finifh this letter, I (hall juft enter into fome of the minutiae of %\it di (lance and time of California, that feparate the water of thofe rivers which fall either into the gulf of that peninfula, or the Gulf of Mexico, From thence, as they continue their courfe northward, be- tween the waters of the Miffiffippi, and the rivers that empty themfelves into the Pacific Ocean, and end in about lat. 48 or 4.9, where feveral rivers have their fources, which either run into Hudfon's Bay, or the South Sea. Thefc hills lying nearly parrallel with the Allegany Moun- tains, a confiderable diftance from the Pacific Sea, forms, if it may be fo called, a great valley, which conftitutes what is called the Weftem Country of America, and is nearly in the centre of this vaft continent. In reflefting upon the objedl of the federal government, and the rapid ftrides it is making, it appears rather puetile in the United States thinking to make the feat of their government permanent upon the Powtomac ; or at leaft it would be fo, to run the country to heavy expences, when it is obviOus that pofterity will, in the courfe of a century at farthefl, remove it to the MifTifTippi, which is the mofl central, and confequent ly the proper place. By that means the efficiency of the fede- ral government will aft like the vital fluid which is propelled from the heart, and give motion and energy to every extremity of the empire. The country between Cape Florida and Cape North, the fouthem head>land of the Gulf of St Lawrence, lies between lat 2j and 48, and weft long. 82 and 66 ; and the country between Catifornia and Nootka Sound, between lat. 30 and 47, and weft long. 118 and 128, which is a diftance between 15 and 1600 miles from north to foutb, and between 2500 and 30C0 from eaft to weft ; fo that if we take the medium^, and aiake ( "9 ) time of dcfcending down the Ohio, which will ferve for an account of all the other rivers. Mr. Jefferfon make an allowance for the probable extenfion of the United States both to the northward and fouthward, it appears pretty clearly, that a fpot upon the MiiTiflippi, nearly lat. 44, I Ihink upon Lake Pepin, or at St. Anthony's falls, ought to be placed the permanent feat of the federal government. From a point lat. 44., upon the Atlantic coaft, and running from thenee a due weft line, until it ftrikes the Miinflippi, is a diftance of nearly 1 zoo miles, and from thence to the Pa- cific coaft, continuing the fame line, it is fomething more ; but the difference is immaterial, while the communications from (hence would be facilitated to every part of the empire, by the peculiar advantages of the various navigable rivers that have their lources in the fame neighbourhood Carver has de- fcribed them as follows • " The four moft capital rivers in America, i. t. the St. Lawrence, the MiflifTippi, the River Bourbon, or Red River, and the Oragon, have their fources in the fame neighbourhood. The wate'S of the three former are within thirty miles of each other; the latter is farther weft. ** This (hews that thefe parts are the higheft land in North America ; and it is an inftance not to be parralleled on the other three quarters of the globe, that four rivers of fuch magnitude Ihonld take their rife together ; and each, after running feveral courfes, difcharge their waters into different oceans, at the diftance of 2<. 00 miles from their fources. For in their pafTage from this fpot, to the Bay of St. Lawrence eafi, to the Bay of Mexico fo )tb, to Hudfun's Bay north, and to the Bay of the Streights of Annian weft, each of thefe traverfe upwards of 2000 miles." ^efides, the fame author has defcribed thofe places, and the I 4 truth ( 120 ) JcfFcrfon has flated, that " the inundations of the Ohio begin about the laft of March, and fubfide truth of which is Tupportcd by the teftimony of other travellers with whom I have converfcd, as one of the moft beautiful countries upon the earth. Thefe are his words : ** The Miffiffippi btlow Lake Pepin, flows with a gentle cu'rent, but the breadth is very uncertain, in fome places it being upwards of a mile, in others not more than a quarter* •* This river has a range of mountains throughout the whole way, which in particular places approach near to it, in others lie at a greater diHancc. " The land between the mountains on either fide, is generally covered with grafs, with a few groves octrees interfperfed, near which large droves of deer and elk are frequently feen feeding. ** In man\' places, pyramids of rocks appeared, refembling old ruinous tovers; at others, amazing precipices :— and what is very remarkable, whilll this fccne prefented itfelf on one fide, the oppofite fide of the fame mountain was covered with the fineft herbage, which gradually afcended to its fummit. From thence the moft beautiful profpcAthat the imagination can form opens to your view. ** Verdant plains, fruitful meadows, numerous iflands, and all abounding with a variety of trees that yeild amazing quantities of fruit without care or cultivation : fuch as the jiut tree, the maple, which produces fugar, vines loaded with ('elicious grapes, and plumb trees bending under their blooming burdens ;— but above all, the winding river flowing gently beneath, and reaching as far as the eye can extend, by turn* attrad your admiration, and exite your wonder. The lake is about 20 miles long, and nearly 6 in breadth. " The Mifliflippi, as far as the entrance of the river St. Croix, iho]it forty miles above Lake Pepin, is very fyll of iflands; fome of i. asoln ( 121 ) fubfide in July. He has written his notes- on Virginia like a man of erudition, and conlider- ing of which arc of a confiderable length. On thefe alfo grow great numbers of the fugar tree, and around them vines loaded with grapes creeping to their very tops. From the lake a few fnall mountains are to be feen. ** The river St. Pierre flows through a rnoft delightful country, abounding with all the neceflkries of life, which grow (^ontaneoufly i i ^ with a little cultivation It might be made to produce its 1' o ** Wild rice gtowshere in great abundance, and every part if filled with trees bending under their loads of fruit; fuch as plumbs, grapes, and apples — The meadows are covered with hops and many forts of vegetables ; while the ground is ftored with ufeful roots; —with angelica, fpikenard, and ground nuts as large as hens eggs. " A little diftance from the river are eminences from which you have views that cannot be exceeded for their variety and beauty ;->amidft thefe are deliglitful groves, and fuch amazing qaantities of the fugar tree, that they would produce fugar fufficient for any number of inhabitants. ** A little way from the mouth of this river, on the north fide of it, ftands a hill, one part of which, that toward the Miifillippi, is compofed intirely of white ftone of a foft nature* But what appears remarkable, is, that the colour of it is ai white as the driven fnow. The outward part of it was crumbled by the wind and weather into heaps of fand, of whicli a beautiful compofition might be made ; or, I am of opinion, that when properly treated, tite ftone itfelf would grow hardet by time, and have a very noble efFeft in architeAure. *• Near that branch which is termed the Marble River, is a mountain, from whence the Indians get ^a fort of whetftone, out ( 122 ) ing that he never was in this country, he has given fuch an account of it as cannot be dif- plealing out of which they hew the bowls of their pipes. This country likewife abounds with a milk-white clay, of which china-ware might be made, equal in goodncfs to the Afiatic. " At the falls of St. Anthony the Mifliflippi is above jjo yards wide, and forms a mod delightful cataraft. The fall is thirty feet perpendicular, and the rapids below is about 3P0 yards more, render the defcent confiderably greater ; fo that when viewed at a diftance they appear to be much higher than they really are. *« The country round is extremely bei^ntiful— It is not an uninterrupted plain, where the eye finds no relief ; but it is compofed of many gentle afcents, which are covered with the fineft verdure, and interfpcrfed with little groves, that give a pleafing variety to the profpcft. •* On the whole, ^yhen the falls ^re included, which may be feen at the diftance of four miles, a more pleafing and piAurcfque view cannot, I believe, be found throughout the untvcrfe •' The country, about 60 miles above the falls, to the river St. Francis, is in fonie p'aces hilly, but without mountains ; and the land is toleraoly good. A little above this, to the north-eaft, are a number of fmall lakes, called the Thoufand Lakes ;— the country about which, though but little frequented, is the beft within many miles for hunting, as the hunter never fails returning loaded beyond his expe repair the perpetual havoc k he makes. But death is only the minifter of life, and deftrudion is the parent of reprodudlion." The articles of fugar and fait, though not ab- folutely neceflaries of life, have become, from habit, fo cflential, that I doubt if any civilized people would be content to live without them. The extenlive climate of this country I believe is no where warm enough for the cultivation of the fugar-cane with fuccefs ; and to import it ^ould be too expenfive by reafon of its great weight ; but nature has fuperfeded that neceflity in the fupply of the fugar maple-tree. It has been long known that fugar could be made from the juice of this tree ; but from the imperfedl knowledge of the bufinefs of fugar-making, the famples from this liquid were fuch as promifed no great expedations in future experiments: however, the neceflity which the people were under of making them, or doing without fugar, proved, that with care ai^d proper management^ it could be made equal to the fined fugars of the Weft Indies or Brazil. Some famples ftiewn to 3 . K fuiiar «v \ a fugar refiner in Philadelphia (which adonlflied him) produced fcveral inftrudions in the art, which occalioncd immediate fuccefs. The peo- ple began to treat the fugar-trces more tenderly : and inftead of chopping a large gap in their trunk, as had always been the pradlicc, and which was fufticient to deftroy a Icfs tender tree, the juice was found to ooze as elfcdually from an incifion made with a fcrew auger of i of an inch diameter. But this was the fmalleft of the improvements. All the means made ufe of in the Wert Indies for the perfedion of the art were foon afcertaincd and pradiied : fo that the country is not only equal to fupply itfelf with fugar, but might, with increafe of hands, fupply the inhabitants of the globe. The fugar maple-tree not only grows in the greatefl abundance throughout this country within the limits I have mentioned, but it is known to be the hardicft, and the mod difficult to deftroy, of all the trees in our forcfts (the beech not excepted) by the planters, who have a method of chopping or girdling the trunks of trees ( lit ) trees abdutonc foot and a half above the ground, ih order to kill them, and thereby they prevent their crops from being Ihadcd. It is known, that old trees produce the mod and the richeft juice ; and it is alfo known, trees that haV3 been ufed for years are better than frefli trees. It is a common remark, that whenever you fee a black tree of this fort, it is a fure fign it is a rich one. The blacknefs pro- ceeds from the incifions made in the bark by the pecking of the parroquct, and other birds, in the feafon of the juice rifing, which oozing out, dribbles down its fides, and ftains the bark, which, in the progreflion of time, becomes black. I have mentioned thefe particulars with a view to prevent your falling into the general error, that the refource of making iugar from the maple will foon be deftrcyed from the very nature of producing it; believing, as many do, that it is impoflible for the tree to be able to bear the annual wounds which are neceflary to be made in its trunk in order to draw off the juice ; and that a few years rouft neceffarily ex- tirpate them J now, fo far from there being any K 2 danger ■.i.tp< ^ * 1-^ C 132 ) danger of that, experience has Ihewn, the lohgef that they are ufcd in a proper manner, the more plentiful and rich m ill be their juice to a certain age ; which will be in proportion to the life of thofe trees. No exaift eftimate can be made of that ; but I conclude their decay is not earlier than other trees. Both in the animal and vegetable world it has been obfcrved, that the exiftence of life, accord- ing to the natural order of things, is in propor- tion to the period of time required to produce maturity. There are exceptions to this princi- ple to be fure ; as the crane and hawk for in- ftance, which feom to acquire maturity as early as mod other birds, and are known to live a century and upwards. However, it is very certain that the life of a fugar maple is as long as an oak, or any other tree. If there is any analogy between animal and vegetable fubftanccs (and which there mod cer- tainly is), the increafing plenty and richnefs of the juice from the ufe and age of the fugar-tree, will it not be thought more extraordinary, than that the quantify of milk is greater and more rich ^ K.^.^.T'lfir-* -~ .— W- , ( ^i3 ) rich produced from a cow that has been ufed for years, than from one which has been neg- leded, or prevented from breeding annually. The feafon of tapping is moftly about the middle of February in Kentucky ; but not until the latter end of the month, about Pittfburg, in the remote parts of Pennfylvania, on the head branches of the Sufquahana, and Delaware, and in the State of New York. Frofly mornings and bright funfliine are ncceflary to produce copious exudations. The feafon continues in this climate about fix weeks, when the juice is found to be too thin and poor to make fugar ; but it is Itill capable of making molalTcs, fpirits by diltil- lation, vinegar, and an agreeable table beer. The bufinefs of fugar-making is moftly ma- naged by women and boys ; the men generally having nothing more to do with it than to tap the trees, prepare the ftieds, and different appa- ratus. So that our agricultural employments are very little obftruded by this bufinefs, which produces fo important an article for domellic ufes. The perfedion to which we have brought Qut fugarf has induced many people in the up- K3 .per ye '^9 M: ( '34 ) . per parts of the States of New York and Pcnn- fylvania to make a bulinefs of it during the fea- fon of the juice running ; and confiderable quan- tities have been fent to the markets of PhiladeU phia and York, not inferior to the beft clayed, French, and Spanifli fugars. The fait fprings that have been found in the Jingle State of Kentucky, under proper manage- ment, would be fufficient to produce fait for all the inhabitants which the weilern country could fupport. There are at leafl: twelve of thofe fprings between Great Sandy and Cumberland ; the principal of which are the upper and lower Blue Licks, on Licking Creek j one on the Great- bone Creek ; one on Drinnon's Lick Creek, about a mile and a half from the mouth of the Kentucky ; and Bullit's Lick, on Salt River, 20 miles from the Rapids of the Ohio. This fpring is the firft that was worked in the country. The firft eiTays in this bufinefs were alfo im- perfed:, which, however, proceeded more from poverty than ignorance. The great principle by which the faline particles are chryftalized, is univerfally known to be by the evaporation qf the ( i3S ) the humid ; and the greater the fuperficial fur- face of that evaporation, the more rapidly the chryftals will form. But the firft fettlers could not procure fait pans, and were obliged to ufe as a fubditute the pots and kettles they had brought out for domeftic purpofes. Such was the commencement of making falj: in this country; which, from its fcarcity and high price, in fome meafure difcouraged the fet- tlement of the country. However, the great im- provements iince that aera have done away all thofe fears, and fait is now manufactured in plenty, and fold cheap. The water is by no means fo ftrong as fea water. It requires nearly four hundred gallons to make one bu(hel of fait, which is more by one half than would be wanted of fea water to produce that quantity. The water is not collected immediately from the fpring. An area of from five to ten acres round thofe fprings is found to be impregnated with this mineral, fo that by digging wells in any part of that fpace fait water is difcovered. From this circumflancc I am of opinion, that by K 4 _ digging ( 136 ) digging pits a body of earth would be found ftrongly impregnated with fait, from which the faline particles might be more eafily feparated than from water ; and it is certain, that if the water receives its particles of fait from the earth that it paflcs through, fuch earth muft contain a large proportion of fait, otherwife the ftrength of the water would not be fo confiderable. However, it will require fome time to determine this matter, as the infancy of our country will not permit us to fpeculate too largely in experi- ments that would be attended with heavy ex- pences, were they not to prove fuccefsful. Salt fprings have been found in every part of the weftern country, which has been well ex- plored, and I have no doubt that time will prove every part of it is w^U fupplied with them. The manner by which they are moftly fo -r in uninhabited places, is by the large buffalo roads •which lead to them. Whenever the ramification of thofe roads begins to concentre, it is almoft an infallible fign that a fait lick is near. Thofe animals reforting to them throughout the tempe- rate part of the year for the benefit of the fait, makq f-ff ( 137 ) make large roads, which leading from the Lick» branch different ways into the country. We have various other minerals, fuch as iron (which is the moft ufeful), copper, lead, fuU phur, nitre, &c, &c. Iron ore is found in great plenty upon the northern branches of Licking Creek, and like wife upon the waters of Greei> River. A lead mine has been worked many years with confiderable profit, which lies in the country of Montgomery, upon the waters of the Great Kanhaway. There is another between the Cumberland and Tenafee rivers, faid to be very valuable, and its ore more pure than any other which has been difcovered in America. But the lead mine on the Mifliffippi muft prove inexhauftible. It extends from the mouth of Rock River more than loo miles upwards. Be- lides thefe, there are feveral others, fome of which lie on the Spanifh fide of the Miffiflippi, and have been ufed for years pall. Copper mines have been difcovered in feveral places, but the mine on the Wabafh is, perhaps, the richeft vein of native copper in the bowels of the whole earth 5 I ■■ "r C 138 ) earth ; and no doubt will render all the others of little or no value. Sulphur is found in fevcral places in abundance; and nitre is made from earth which is coUeded from caves and other places to which the wet has not penetrated. The making this fait, in this country, is fo common, that many of the fettlers manufacture their own gunpowder. This earth is difcovered in greater plenty on the waters of Green River, than it is in any other part of Kentucky. But perhaps ftill farther fouthward, it will be found in greater plenty. However, it is fo common in every part of the country, that it might be made a confider- able article for exportation. I have heard of black lead mines upon the head waters of the Kentucky, but I have not been able to procure any certain information refpeding them. But I Ihould conceive that there can be little doubt, that when the country, and particularly the moun^ tainous parts of it, are well explored, all the ufc- ful minerals will be found in abundance. I have already mentioned the coal mines in the upper parts of the Ohio country ; befides which 3 there i^ . ( 139 ) there arc great quantities of coal upon the upper branches of the Mifliflippi. It is particularly fa- vourable that this mineral lies at the heads of our larger rivers, as it can be fent down with the greatefl: facility ; and it is very <:ertaia that the great body of it, which the Ohio country alone contains, is equal to anfwer all the purpofes for "which it may be wanted throughout this cxten- live empire. Though the champaign part of this country has no flone on its fur face, yet every where limeflone is found from 6 to 15 feet below it. Moft of the bottoms of our rivulets and ftreami are paved with this ftone. It is very eafily cal- cined, when it becomes excellent lime. It it alfo convenient for building, by rcafon of its pe- culiar fmoothnefs, and the cafe with M'hich it may be worked into any form. Bcfides this (lone, which is the moft common, every other kind of flone is found that is cither ufcful or ornamental ; fuch as flint, grindftone, and mill- ilones, of a very good quality, which have been reckoned equal to French burrs. There is the greatcft ( 140 ) grcatcfl: plenty of marble upon the banks of the Kentucky, particularly at Leclburg. I have not feen any that has been polifhed ; but judges in that buiinefs give us the moll flattering ideas of its quality. Clay is very common in every part of this country which is proper for bricks; and there is a fupcrior kind on the Beech Fork of Salt Ri- ver, which no doubt might be manufactured into good porcelain. Carver has mentioned a clay of this fort that he faw above St. Anthony's Falls*, ^arle, chalk, gypfum, and ochres, are found ^n various parts. Mr. JefFerfon has defcribed the medicinal, in- flammable, bituminous, and other fprings, very accurately ; and as there have been no difcoveries or light thrown upon the fubjedl fince he wrote, I fhall refer you to his book for a particular ac- count of them. Indeed, his account of the natural hiftory of this country is generally to be depended upon, fo that it is fcarcely poffible to make any improvement upon it, until farther difcoveries • This you will find mentioned in a note extrafted from his book, in the preceding part of this work. ihaU C HI ) fhall have arifen : I therefore confine myfclf tO fuch objefls as he has not taken notice of, and to fuch as have prefented themfelvcs fince he wrote, occafionally making fome ftridtures and animad- veriions upon his opinions and information. I have obfcrved that the climate of this coun.. try is various. But, as climate is frequently different in the fame parallels of latitude, I will endeavour to give you fome idea of the differ- ence between the climate on the upper parts of the Ohio, Pennfylvania, and Maryland, of Ken- tucky and Virginia, and of Cumberland and North Carolina, which lie in nearly the fame parallels one with another. It is well known that the climate upon the Atlantic coaft of America is in the extreme of heat and cold, and that it is more variable than when it was firfl fettled by Europeans ; but the winters are milder. The extremes proceed no doubt from the immenfe continent, that lies to the north- weft, and which is interfperfed with frefli water lakes. The rarefied air of the torrid zone, rulhing in currents through the upper re- gions to the Ari^ic Circle, leaves a vacancy for the ( 142 ) the cold air, which, in fupplying its plattf, caufes thofe frequent chills or variations in the fprin^ and autumn, an alternate frofl-, rain, and mild weather in winter, which are fo common in the middle part of that country. The told is more ikady to the north of Hudfon's River; but the power of the fun to the fouth of 41", by counter- adlingthe influence of the northern winds, occa- fions thofe fudden changes from heat to cold. Opening the country has greatly tended already to leiTcn the cold, by confequencc of the greater power of the fun upon the earth ; and a general cultivation, by producing a warmer atmofphere, through which the north wind palTes, muft tend to moderate the climate generally upon the At- lantic fea. The greateft part of Pennfylvania lies between latitude 41" and 39" 40', and fiiould, from its lituation upon the globe, be a very excellent climate; and no doubt in time it will. At prefent it is too fubjeft to extremes ; and by the too frequent and violent bracing, and fudden re- laxation of the animal fyftem, the elafliciry of the nerves ( 1+3 ) ntrves is injured ; and thus the marks of age are vifible at an earlier period in fome parts of Ame- rica than in others. Farther fouthward the cold is Icfs ; but as the heat is proportionally greater, the extremes are much the fame quite to South Carolina. As you approach the ridge of mountains that run through America from north to fouth, the inha- bitants look more healthy, which is the confe- quence of the climate being more temperate and fteady. The country on the upper parts of the Ohio, and between Pittlburg and Lake Erie, is confidcr- ably colder than Pennfylvania and Maryland, which no doubt is occafioned, in a great degree, in the former, from its proximity to the moun- tains ; but in a greater degree in both, from the country . round them being a continual foreft. When you arrive in Kentucky you experience a greater temperature of air than in any country in which I ever travelled, Fahrenheit's thermo- me-'^r feldom falling below 35 deg. in winter, nor rifmg above 80 in fummer. The approach of the feafons '^,p»'- f U4 J feafons is gradual. The fummcr continues moniy to the middle of O(5lober. The autumn, or mild -weather, generally continues until Chridmas, when we have fome cold and froft until Febru- ary •, when fpring approaches, and by the begin- ning of March feveral fhrubs and trees begin to llioot forth their buds ; by the middle of the month, the buck-eye or horfe-chefnut is clad in its fummcr*s livery ; and by the middle of April the foliage of the forefts is completely expanded; which is a fortnight earlier than the leaves are fhot in Virginia and Maryland. Cumberland is proportionally more temperate than North Caro- lina, as Kentucky is to Virginia. 1 he rarefied air from the fouthern regions muft be more confiderable from that traft or fpace of the globe covered by fait water than from the countries covered Dvith forefts. Now, as almofl all America may be coniidered as one foreft, it appears to me that the vacancy occafioned by rarefication in fouthern latitudes muft be greater in the regions of air, both over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, than upon the continent ; and 4 that w^ r'^' / )' J { 145 ) 'that the cold air from the polar circle ru flies both 10 the fouth-eall and fouth-wcft, and confe- qucntly the middle parts of our continent mull be lefs fubjeft to cold and variation, by being more out of the courfe of the cold winds, than the countries either upon the Atlantic ot Pacific fea-coal^s. How far this theory mAy prove fatisfaclory, I can form no idea. If it is unphilofophical I hope you mW treat it accordingly; it is the only way that I can account for the very great difference between the climate of this country, and that of Virginia. :. .tv:;, > - Another caufe for our greater temperature iti fummer, is^ doubtlefsj owing to our lying fo rtiuch higher. It is one continual but gradual rife frvfn Richmond for 200 miles back. There are {everat riiings and fallings afterwards, and feVe- ral moamains in the wilder nefs ; but I have al- ways obferved that the rife from the eafl to their fum'mits, was greater than the defcettt weft, 19 their bafe, which makes the elevation of Ken-, tucky cdnfiderably above that of Virgirtia. Be- fides, Kentucky has lio marihes or btg«, whicH L as6 * /I 1 ' • Ir- I i' V i I'l ,* ( 146 ) arc very confideruble in the lower parts of Vir- ginia, and the exhaled vapours from them pro- duce deleterious air, which appears hotter than it really is. Mr. Jefferfon's Table of average heat and cold for the different months, made from the obfervations of five fuccefllve years, though it furnifhed him with a data to eftimate theoretically the climate of Virginia, can af- ford you no idea of its temperature. Perhaps, in fome of thofe years, the mercury was be- low o during the winter. But when he has Hated the leaft and greateft daily heat by Fahren- heit's thermometer for January ^o be from 3 8 J" to 44% you can have no conception that there can be any frod in Virginia. I do not mean to fay that it is common for the mercury to fall be- low o in that country, but I mean to be under- ftood that froft is very frequent there, and that bf taking the average of the greateft heat and the greateft cold, when the extremes are fo great as they are in Virginia, it is impoflible for a ftranger to form a juft idea of its climate. Mr. Jefferfon allows that ,thc extremes arc very conliderable, and •^ I J C HI ) and that the mercury has been known to defcend from92 deg. to 47 in thirteen hours. A journey to the Illinois will prevent me from writing to you again as ibon as I could wifh, but I ihall ever remain^ n '■ Hi \ M Yours, &c. ^' \. ^ 1 . < I * t.- ' ! L2 LET- ( i4r ) ;ii^'i--':t»',ry* «|^'-' ^,,, „./ ,,,,.,^; ^^.,^1 ',';rr^ ff)?''*f 5f' D'-J ,-y>-« - ;r 'I 1i t^ t E T T E R • ••%■ KENTUCKY* MY DEAR FRIEND, It is luturaJ, I think, that you fhouid expedt by this time fome account of the inhabitants, their manner of living, the mode of fettling the country,, the routes, diftance, and mode of tra- velling to it, with fome information refpefting religion and political fentiments, and the fociai pleafures of the people; all of which, lam afraid, will require too much time for a letter, and there- fore I beg that you will be content to receive the information in the defultory manner I ihall be enabled to fen4^t. In fome of my firft letters I gave you an ac- count of the firft fettlement of this country. The perturbed ftate of that period, and the fa- vagc ftate of the country, which was one entire Avildernefs, made the objedt of the firft emigrants Uiac of fecurlty and fuftenance, and produced ^ ♦ the »/'! ( «49 ) the fcheme of feveral familks living together in what were called Sutions. TheTc lUtions were a kind of quadrangular, or fometimes obloi|g forts, f(brmed by building log^houfes connc^d* I7, only leaving openings forgat6-ways to paTs as they might have occafion. They were generally fixed in a favourable iituatioh for water, and in a body of good land. Frequently the head of {orae party of connexions who had a fettlement and pre-emption right, feized upon thefe opportuni- ties to have his land cleared, whkh was neceilary for the fupport of the (lation t for, it was not only prudent to keep clofe in their forts at times, but it was alfo ntcefTary to keep their horfes and cows up, Otherwife the Indians would car^y off the horfes, and (hoot and deftroy the cattle« , Under fuch circumftances, the firft fettlement of Kentucky was formed* which fopn opened a conliderable quantity of land in the county of Lincoln* which lies in the upper part of the ftatej, zi\d contiguous to the wildernefs that ends in this dele^ilable region, A9 the country gained Arength, the ilations began to break up in that part of the country, 1. 3 and ^f'J « •^ ^1 1 ^ 7 I' ^ ( ' 'f 11 .t ( 150 ) and their inhabitants to ipread themfelves, and ^ fettle upon their refpedlive cdates. But the em- . barralTment they were in for moll of the conve- - niences of life, did not admit of their building any other houfes but of logs, and of opening fields in the mod expeditious way for planting the Indian corn ; the only grain which was culti- vated at that time. - riJ .f.!'i ! I . •, . «j . *< A log-houfe is very foon eredled*, and in con- fequence of the friendly difpofition which exifts among thofe hofpi table people, every neighbour flew to the afliftance of each other upon occafions of emergency. Sometimes they were built of round logs entirely, covered with rived afh iliingles, and the interflices flopped with clay, or lime and fand, to keep out the weather. The next objedl was to open the land for cultivation. There is very little under-wood in any part of this country, fd that by cutting up the cane, and girdling the trees, you are furc of a crop of corn. The fertility of the foil amply repays the labourer * A houfe of this fort maybe made as comfortable and elegant as any other kind of building ; and is therefore the mod convenient, as it may be ere^ed in fuch a manner as to anfwer thecircumdances of all defcriptions of perfons. for H! t ( iSi ) for his toil j for if the large trees are not very numerous, and a large propc rtion of them the fugar maple, it is very likely horn this imperfedl cultivation, that the ground will yield from 50 to 60 buftiels of corn to the acre. The fecond crop will be more ample ; and as the fhade is removed by cutting the timber away, great part of our i.\nd will produce from 70 to 100 bufhels of corn from an acre. This extraordinary ferti- lity enables the farmer who has but a fmall capi- tal to increafe his wealth in a mod rapid manner (I mean by wealth the comforts of life). His cattle and hogs will find fufficient food in the woods, not only for them to fubfift upon, but to fatten them. His horfes want ho provender the greateft part of the year, except cane and wild clover ; but he may afford to feed them with corn the fecond year. His garden, with little atten- tion, produces him ».ll the culinary roots and vegetables neceflary for his table; and the prolific increafe of his hogs and poultry, will furnifh him the fecond year, without fearing to- injure his (lock, with a plenty of aniuial food ; and in three or four years his flock of cattle and Iheep L 4 will M (i m f I' '' ^ i 111 I ii! % ^te> ( »S2 ) will prove fufficient to fupply him with both beef and mutton ; and he may continue his plan at the fame timeof increafing his ftock ofthofe ufe* ful anim3ls. By the fourth year, provided he is induftrious, he may have his plantation in fuffi* cient good order to build a better houfe, which he can do either of ilone, brick, or a framed vroodcn building, the pria<;ipai articles of which will coil: him little more than the labour of hitjeu felf and domeftics ; and he may readily barter or fell fome part of the fuperHuous productions of his farm, which it will by this time afford, and procure fuch thingii as he may fland in need of for the completion of his building. Apples^ peacbi.s pears, &c. &c. he ought to plant when he finds a foil or eligible fituation to place them in, as that will rot hi'^aier, or in any degree di- vert, him from the objeft of his aggrandize^ ment. I liave taken no notice of the game he might kill, as it is more a facrifice of time to an induftrious man than any real advantage. Such has been the progrefs of the fettlenoent ef this country, from dirty ilations or forts, and fmoaky huts, that is has expanded into fertile fields, •^S-Vf-^^w i^ ,• -i^^ "•%***■*> A ..^•*V ■>y^,C*'uy- ( 153 ) fieJdi, bluibing orchards, pleafant gardens, luxu^ riant fugar groves, neat and commodious houfest fifing villages, and trading towns. Ten years have produced a difference in the population and com- forts of this country, which to be pourtrayed ia juft colours would appear marvellous. To have implicit faith or belief that fuch things have hap- pened, it is firft neceflary to be (as I have been) a fpedlator of fuch events. Emigrations to this country were nioflly from the back parts of Virginia, Maryland, Pennfyl- vania, and North Carolina, until 1784 : in which years many officers who had ferved in the Ameri-» can army during the late war came out with their families ; feveral families came alfo fron^ England, Philadelphia, New Jerfey, York, and the New England States. The country foon began to be chequered after that aera with genteel men, which operated both upon the minds and actions of the back woods people, who confti^ tuted the firft emigrants. A tafte for the deco- rum and elegance of the table was foon culti- vated J the pleafures of gardening were confiidered Dot only as ufcful but amufmg. Thefe improve- 4 mentt f ''-■^■-V-^ f''^*-' ■^-'- - -'-^AiK. ( 154 ) ments in the comforts of living and manners, awakened a fenfe of ambition to inftru(n: their youth in ufeful and accomplifhed arts. Social pleafures were regarded as the moft ineftimabic of human pofleflions — the genius of friendfhip appeared to folter the emanations of virtue, while the cordial regard, and fincere dcfire of pleafing produced the moft harmonizing effeds* Sym- pathy was regarded as the eflfence of tl e human, foul, participating of celeftial matter, and as a fpark engendered to warm our benevolence, and lead to the raptures of love and rational felicity. With fuch fentiments our amufements flow from the interchange of civilities, and a recipro- cal defire of pleafing. That famenefs may not cloy, and make us dull, we vary the fcene as the nature of circumftances will permit. The open- ing fpring brings with it the profped of our fummer's labour, and the brilliant fun adlively warms into life the vegetable world, which blooms and yields a profufion of aromatic odours. A creation of beauty is now a feaft of joy, and to look for amufements beyond this genial torrent ( '55 ) of fweets, would be a pervernon of nature, and a facrilcgc againft heaven. The fcafon of fugar-making occupies the wo- men, whofe mornings are cheered by the mo- dulated buffoonery of the mocking bird, the tuneful fong of the thrufh, and the gaudy plum* age of the parroquet.— Feftive mirth crowns the evening.— The bulinefs of the day being over, the men join the women in the fugar groves, where inchantment feems to dwell. —The lofty trees wave their fpreading branches over a green turf, on whofe foft down the mildnefs of the evening invites the neighbouring youth to fportive play ; while our rural Neftors, with cal- culating minds, contemplate the boyifli gambols of a growing progeny, they recount the exj'loits of their early age, and in their enthufiafm forget' there are fuch things as decrepitude and mifery. Perhaps a convivial fong or a pleafant narration clofes the fcene. . . Rational pleafures meliorate the foul ; and it is by familiarizing man with uncontaminated fe- licity, that fordid avarice and vicious habits are p be deftroyed. . ^ Gardening I \'\ ^j i ( 156 ) Gardening and fidiing conflitute fome part of the amufcments of both fexes. Flowers and their genera form one of the itudies of our Ia« dies; and the embelliHimenc of th^ir houfes with thofe which are known to be falutary» conftitutw a part of their employment. — Domcftic carei and mufic fill up the remainder of the day^ and focial vifits without ceremony or form> leave them without ennui or difguil. Our young men arc. too gallant to permit the women to have fepar^^te (imufements 1 and thua it is tha^ we find that fuavity and politenefs of manners univcrfal, which can only be effeded by femininf poliih. • -.•...,' V,; .,. ^- The autumn and winter produces not tefs pleafure. Evening vifits moflly end with danc* ing by the young people9 while the more aged indulge their hilarity, or dilTeminate informa- tion in the difquilition of politics, or fome ufeful art of fcience. Such are the amufements of this country, which have for their bafis hofpitality, and a}} the variety of good things that a luxuriant foiP is capable of producing, without the alloy of that - \-. t»>-v~*.-»f»»^^^rj;gt3tty;' -J'-'^VK V- -'•^- ■■- th&t diftrefs of mifery which is produced from, penury or want. Malt liquor, and fpirita dif- tilled from corn and the juice of the fuga^- tree mixed with water, conftitute the ordiii^ / be'*. verage of the country. Wine is too dear to be drank prodigally j but that is a fortunate cir- eumflance, as it will be an additional fpur to / MS to cultivate the vine. The routes from the different Atlantic Stated to this country are various, as may be fuppofed. From the northern States it is through the upper parts of Pennfylvania to Pittfburg, and then down the river Ohio. The diftance from Phi- ladelphia to Pittfburg is nearly three hundred miles. From Lancader about two hundred and thirty. The route through Redftone and by PittA)urg, both from Maryland and Virginia, is the mod eligible, provided you have much bag- gage; except you go from the fouthern and back counties of Virginia j then your beft and moft expeditious way is through the wildernefs. From Baltimore, paffing Old Town upon the Potowmsc, and by Cumberland Fort, Braddock*9 road, to Redftooc Old Fort on th^onongahala, bhiV' -. • ' ' it ibU'* : j chong m;, ( i6i ) chong from 39. to 5s. ; coffee will cod from is. 3d. tc IS. 6d. per lb. ; loaf fugar from 7|d. to lojd. But I would not recommend their car- rying much fugar, for as the back country i% approached, the maple fugar is in abundance, and may be bought from 3d. to 6d. per lb. Such are the expences to be incurred in travel- ling to this country by Redftone and Pittfburg. The diftance which one of thofe waggons may travel one day with another is little fhort of twenty miles. So that it will be a journey from Alexandria to Redftone Old Fort of eleven or twelve days, from Baltimore a day or two longer, and from Philadelphia to Pittfburg I fhould fup- pofe it would require neaily twenty days; as the roads are not fo good as from the two former places. From thefe prices the expence of removing a family, from either of the fea ports I have men- tioned, to the Ohio, m^y be computed with to- lerable exaditude. The befl time for fetting out for this country from any of the Atlantic ports, is the latter end Qf either September or April, The autumn is M perhaps ( l62 ) perhaps the mod eligible of the two ; as it is moil likely that the roads acrofs the mountain Ivill be drier, and provifions and forage are then both more plentiful and cheap than in the ipring. . : ^ If this mode fhould not fuit the convenience of the party, by reafon of their not wanting a waggon or horfes when they arrive in this coun^ try, they may have their goods brought out to Redllone Old Fort from Alexandria for iis. per cwt. and in like proportion from B^iltimore an4 Philadelphia. . At Redftone Old Fort, or Pittlburg, they can either buy a boat, which will coft them about 5s. per ton, or freight their goods to Kentucky for about is. per cwt. There is po regular bufinefs of this fort ; but as there are always boats coming down the river, is. per cwt. is the common charge for freight. But more frequents ly when there is boat room to fpare, it is given to fuch as are not able to purchafe a boat, or have not a knowledge of the navigation. How- ever, that is a bufinefs which requires no ikill, and there are always numbers of people convr '■* ' ( i63 ) ing down, who will readily conduA a boat for the fake of a palTage. 'I The diftance from Philadelphia* by land to Kentucky is between feven and eight hundred miles ; from Baltimore nearly feven hundred ; nearly fix hundred from Alexandria ; and up- wards of five hundred from Richmond. The roads and accommodations are tolerably good to the borders of the Wildernefs ; through which it is hardly pofllble for a carriage to pafs, great part of the way being over high and fteep hills, upon the banks of the rivers and along defiles, which in fome places feem to threaten you at every ftep with danger f. This is the only route the peo- ple coming from the upper parts of Virginia and North Carolina can take at prefent to get into • The diftanccs in the fettled parts only can be computed with any degree of exa^itude ; but from the beft information that can be collefled, from the Rapids of the Ohio to Santa Fe is about looo miles* and from thence to the city of Mexico about 1500. The computed diftance between New Orleans and Mexico is fomething ihort of 2000 miles, and about the fame to Santa Fe. t This road has been confidcrably improved* and a poft now pffes weekly through it from Philadelphia to Kentucky. M 2 the 'i*: ( 1^4 ) the country ; the gap of Qimberland mountain being the only place it can be pafled without the greateft difficulty. The opening the Tenafee will afford a convenient communication with the Mif- fiffippi. The Wildernefs, which was formerly two hundred miles through, without a fingle habita- tion, is reduced from the fettlement of Powel's Valley to nearly one half of that diftance ; and it is to be expelled that in a few years more that the remainder of the didance will afford fettle- xnents for the accommodation of people travel- ling that route ; when a good road may be made quite to Kentucky. The canals I have fpoken of, which are cutting on the Potowmac *, and the lemoval of the obflruftions in Cheat River, will render the pafTage from Alexandria, or the fe- deral city, to the Ohio, both cheap and eafy. Upon the arrival of emigrants in the country they generally take a view of that part in which it is their objed to fettle, and according to their • There are two confiderable falls in the Potowmaf , one about twelve miles above Alexandria, the other nearly thirty, and when thefe canals are completed, which moft probably will be the latter end of 1793, its navigation will be carrie4 quite into the Allegany mountains. *;' circum««i ( i65 ) circumftances or calling fix upon fuch a iitua- tion as may appear eligible for their bufinefs. But as the greater proportion of the emigrants who come to this country are hulbandmen, I (hall only take notice of their manner of pro- ceeding and fettling a farm. Land is to be purchafed in every part of the country: the prices are various according to the improvements there may be upon it, its quality, and local fituation ; the general price of land, with fome improvements, is from 12s. to 15s. per acre. Plantations, with orchards and other improve- ments, may be purchafed from il. to il. 5 s. per acre; good land, without improvements, may be purchafed from is. 6d. to 8s. per ditto, w* ich price will be according to its rate or quality and iituation. Remember, I take notice only of the fettled country, as I apprehend no European would be hardy enough to form a fcttlement in a wilder- nefs, which will be left for the Americans, who, no doubt, from habit, are bed qualified for that fort of bufinefs. Indeed, there is a number of people who have fo long been in the cuftom of M 3 i)emoving ( i66 ) removing farther and farther back as the coun- try becomes fettled, for the fake of hunting, and what they call range for their cattle, which is that of their feeding upon the natural grafs, that they feem unqualified for any other kind of life. This is favourable to the fettling a wild and infant country ; and no doubt this difpofl- tion will lad (with fome) as long as there is left a wildernefs in America. It is however cer- tain, this is advantageous to fociety, which will be bettered, and not injured, by fuch peculiar ha- bits, fo long as they have new countries to peo- ple : for, this adventurous fpirit tends to accc. lerate the propagation of domeflic animals of every fort. Perfons of moderate fortune, upon taking pof- feflion of the land they intend to form into a plantation, procure fuch flock as their circum- fVances will admit, and the extent of their objed requires. Let us fuppofe an induftrious man already pro- vided with the necelfary tools for his agricultural employment, and a little money to buy flock. In fuch a lituation, after building his houfe in the ^ manner ( i67 ) hianner I have mentioned, which will coft hinl little more than his labour, he fliould procure fome dunghill fowls, a cow, and a breeding fow. The fowls will produce eggs for his family, the cow milk and butter, if (he is well taken care of; and the fow will produce two, if not three, litters of pigs within the year. Thefe animals are very prolific in this climate and foil ; and it is not a fanguine calculation to fuppofe the fow will have tight or ten pigs at each litter ; by which means the family will have pork fufficient for the next year ; and the year after they may barter bacon for beef and mutton, which I will conclude their circumftances have not permitted them, as yet, to purchafc. His labour will have pro- vided him with corn before this time, and in the extenfion of his plantation, and the increafe of his cow and hogs, his difficulties will be over, and a few years of induftry and perfeverance will make him a man of property. The increaf- ing ratio of ftock is prodigious, where provi- fion for them cofts fo little as it does here, and where the fertility of the foil is fo wonderful. His fowls will coft about threc«pence each, his brecd- M 4. ing X ( i6i ) ing fow about five (hillings, and his cow, if a very good one, of 4 cwt. and upwards, will coft him from thirty to forty {hillings. I have hitherto fuppofed this induflrious man not in circumftances to enable him to ufe horfes and plough, but obliged to hoe his corn; the only difficulty of which will be the preparing the ground for the feed. According to this im- perfed cultivation I will conclude that his crop of corn will not be more than 30 bufhels to the acre. Now an induflrious man making a fettle, ment in the autumn would be able to open three acres of land, in the manner J have related, be- fore the time of planting, which will be in April or May ; indeed, as late as June will anfwer ; (o that he may take advantage of this favourable circumllance, and, by planting at different pe- riods, he will be better enabled to cultivate his crop, as it will not all require his attendance at the fame time. Allowing half an acre for vege- tables and pulfe, and the yield of his labour will be 75 bufhels of corn. Admitting then that he has a wife and two children, I will allow one half of this corn for their year's fupport, which» with '*' ^ » \ ( 169 ) ^Ith the animal food his (lock avIH afford hinA« and vegetables, will conditutc a comfortable living. The other half he may fell, and pur- chafe thofe artificial necefTaries his family may u^ant. The fecond autumn and winter he may open two acres more, and put the other three into better condition ; one of which (liould be fown with flax or hemp feed, in order to give employment to his wife, and to provide linen for domellic ufes. His crop of corn the fecond year, with the extended and improved cultiva- tion, will not be fhort of 125 buHicls. The fCkrplus quantity of this year's crop will go a great way towards purchaling a horfe and plough ; and as the third crop will be more ample, he will then find himfclf comfortable and inde- pendent. I have all long fuppofed this farmer to have made prompt payment for every thing that he has wanted, which is feldom afked from an induflrious man who is anxious to provide for his family. Such a man may not only have credit for horfes and cattle, but even for the land; and in a very little time, with induAry, he may pay the whole off. I have taken no no- - . tice ticc of the taxes he will have to'pay, as it is mort likely they would not, all together, amount to five fhillings. Provifiorts of every fort are both plenty and cheap in this country. Flour is from Cs. to 9s. per cwt. according to its quality. Indian corn is from 9d. to i s. per bufhel. Beef is from 1 Jd. 16 2d. per lb. Veal, 2id. per ditto. Mutton, 3d. ditto; which high price is owing to the ge- neral defire the farmers have to increafe their flocks. Pork is from 2d. to aid. per lb. Ba- con, from 3id. to 4d. Bacon hams, from 4d. to 5id. Salt beef, 2d. Hung or dried beef, 3d. Neats tongues, 6d. each. Buffalo ditto, which are a moll delicious morfel, 9d. Dung- hill fowls, ducks, Mufcovy ditto, geefe, turkeys, Guinea fowls, and pigeons, are proportionally cheap. Butter is from 2Td. to 3id. per lb. Cheefe from 2d. to 3d. per ditto. : . ' ' We have a variety of fifh in our rivers j the moft efteemed of which arc the perch, trout, buffalo fifh, and foft turtle. The perch is in fize from 5 to 12 lb. is firm and fat in its fea- fon, which is from February until July, and is equal ecjual to any fait water fifh I ever tafted. ' ^ht trout is caught from 8 to jolb. weight. This' fi(h is too univerfally known and admired to re- quire any account of its excellence, particularly as the trout in England is the exadl miniature of ours. The buffalo fifh is in fize from 4 to 81b. is a very fine fifh, but inferior to the two former. But the foft turtle is, perhaps, the mofl delicious fifh in the world, and amply compen- fates for our having no other teftaceous fifh. This turtle is gelatinous, except a fmall fhell' upon' its back, about the bignefs of the palm o*^ the hand. The weight is froni 6 to 10 lb. - - Mofl people make their own fugar ;' but when it is fold, the price is from 3d. to 4^d. per lb. according to its finenefs. The bufincfs of fu- gar refining is only commencing, which makes it impoflible to fay exadlly what will be the general price of loaf or refined fugar ; but I conclude it will be proportionally low with raw fugar, as the bufinefs can be carried on in this country at lefs expence than in Philadelphia and York, where the price of the necelTaries of life is fo much higher. Tea, coffee, chocolate, and *; fpices. M *<■ U ( il2 ) fpices, are fomething higher here than in Phita- delphia. Good green tea is from 5s. to 8s. per lb. Imperial or gunpowder, los. 6d. Pearl andfchoulongfrom I2S. to i6s. Goodfouchong from 4s. 6d. to 7s. per ditto. Bohea from 2S. to 3s. 6d. Coffee, from is. gd. to 2s. Chocolate, from IS. 6d. to is. 8d, Spices are moftly 25 per cent, higher than they are at Philadelphia or Baltimore. I have entered into feveral minutiae, in order that you may have a more clear idea of the peo- ple and (ituation of this country. I have not aimed fo much at being agreeabkj as to convey information. In a country in the zenith of the perfedion of arts, and one juft removing the fhade of favage wildnefs, the contrail appears, I know, greater to an European than it really is. We have more of fimplicity, and you more of art. — We have more of nature, and you more of the world. Nature formed our features and intelledls verf much alike ; but while you have metamorphofed the one, and contaminated the other, we pre«9 fcFve the natural fymbols of both. You hav^ more ( '73 ) more hypocrify — wc are fincere. You are more cunning and adroit, which your laws and habits have rendered part of your natures. We are not fo ftupid as to not fee through the veil j but when an European does us the honour to vifit us, we have both too much hofpitality and fuavity of manners to inform them they have neither fenti- ments nor religion. A few years relidence with us teaches them that important truth, and felf- convidlion is always the mod lading. However, a delineation of the laws, and fub* fiance of the opinions, which our new code will contain, will give you a better conception of our moral and political fentiments, and their pro- bable duration ; and with hopes that an early op- portunity will prefent itfelf to forward my letter upon that fubjed, I fliall take my leave of you for the prefent, my dear friend, with wifhing you every poflible felicity. Farewell, lam. With the utmoft regard and efteem. Yours, &c. I.ET, ( >74 ) etOfil 'm.. :.'j i' - ■' I, 3..-r: ■,. -♦,.•■' LETTER Vlir. .>.i MY DEAR FRIEND, KENTUCKY., Our laws and government have for their bafia the natural and imprefcriptible rights of man. Liberty, fecurity of perfon and property, refill- ance againfl opprellion, doing whatever does not injure another, a right to concur, either per- fonaliy or by our reprefentatives in the formation of laws, and an equal chance of arriving to places of honour, reward, or employment, ac- cording to our virtues or talents, conllitute thofe rights.' Thefe are the principles of our confti- tution ; and laws grafted upon thefe fimple buc fubdantial principles, and a fyflem of legal ju* rifprudence organized, and acfling accordingly, forms the eflence of our government. When- ever the government fwerves materially from thefe fundamental principles, thecompad is dif-i fqlved, and things revert to a, co-equal ftate. "^^ 1< "T rr>1_ f -^ 'i.'i Thus. '^*1 ( 175 ) Thus, by this plain definition of the nature pf laws and government, every capacity, and every individual of the community, can judge with precifion of the purity of legiflation ; which pro- duces the moft entire convidion in the minds of all men, of the neceflity there is of ailing in every inftance according to the code of reafon and ;ruth. Every man is equally concerned in the welfare and profperity of his country j his own felicity can only be co-exiflent with it ; and to fuffer his ambition to run counter to the general weal would be madnefs in an enlightened com- monwealth, as it could only tend to produce his own eternal difgrace or ruin, where the genius of freedom i3 enthroned in the heart of every citizen, Europe has long been enflaved by forms and authorities ; and, while its multifarious laws and cufloms have ferved only to perplex profeflional men, the fophiftry employed in expounding them has completely bewildered the imaginations of its citizens, and produced an obfcurky of ideas upon the fubjeft of jurifprudence and govern- ment, which is truly deplorable. There is an pld adage which fays, " That too much learning ' 1 1 f »76 ) •* makes a man a fool." The pandecfls, and civil law, added to the barbarous codes of the anceftors of men in your hemifphere, have tended not a little to embarrafs the minds of men ; for after a life devoted to the ftudy and inveftigation of abfurdity, the miferable ftudent has generally found one foot in the grave before he has been able to difcover the impoflibility of obtaining the objefl of his purfuit. Religion, or what you call an eflablifhment, has had its Ihare in rivetting the fetters of igno- rance. The elucidation of truth has been retarded by the tyranny of the church j for while priejls have been the pedagogues of religion^ morals, fenti- tnentSy and politics, their interefted views have been the caufe of their flattering that govern- ment, whofe intereft it was to keep the people ignorant, as it fecured to them the undiflurbed divifion of the fpoils of the induftry of the great bulk of your citizens, while they were offering ^n indignity as grofs to the Deity as their fydem was unnatural and unjufV. What can be a greater fupererogation, than prefuming to arraign or judge of the fentiments of meji, the propriety of yhicli *' ( »77 ) which is to be determined before a tribunal in heaven ? It is an infuit too grofs to merit a com* ment. It has been fubveriive of all good mO'* rals« by affording a veil to cover the hypocrify of the moft defigning knaves. You mud excufe this digrefllon ; I have made it for a fubjed: of refledion for you, that your mind may be prepared to judge impartially of a iyilem fo very fimple, as that upon which the fa- bric of our government adts. It was firft necef- fary to (hew the caufe which has produced that myflery you reverence as wifdom ; but which is abfolutely founded in perplexity of opinion and ignorance ; or to give you a clue to reflexions that may develope its fallacy. Every man who is taxed or rated has a vote in the appointment of the reprefentatives of the State ; which confift of two houfes, i. e. the Houfe of Delegates and the Senate, who chufe a Pre- iident, or Governor, for one year. The Governor chufes his own council to advife with him in all public matters. It is not immediately necefTary that the legiflature fhould approve of his ap- pointments i but to prevent the poflibility of the N exercifQ ( I7« ) exercifc of prodigality and contumely, they have refcrved to themfelves the privilege of objeding to fuch chambers for his advifers who have not the public approbation; which has the good tffed: of producing harmony between the go« vernment and the people— K)f obliging men who afpire to the honours of their country to refped the public opinion ; and it prevents the pro(li« tution of principle, by interdiding the pernicious confequences of favouritifm; while no ill can flow from this negative, as it is not to be pre« fumed that the colleded fentiments of a whole ftatecan ever be prejudiced againft an indivi- dual ; and it is impofTible for the minds of the legillature to be warped againft their Preiidenl^ without fufHcient grounds. The very idea is a iblecifm in reafon. Mr. Jefferfon, fpeaking of the government of Vixgiaia, complains, that the fenate, by its con« ftitution, is too homogeneous with the houfe of delegates (our fenate is eleded and conftituted in the fame manner as the (bnate of Viiginia), be- caufe they are chofen by the fame eledlors, at tiie £ime time, and out of the fiune citizens ; ,. , and ( m ) and therefore he fays, the choice falls upon the fame defcription of men. It is not exadly thus, though it is liable to be fo. The manner of no- minating the reprefentatives of every country ihould be as general as pofTible. Government is a compact entered into by every community for the fecurity of the happinefs and profpcrity of the State ; every member of which is one of the ag* gregate body of that State ; therefore laws ought to emanate from the fentiments of the people. The wifdom of having two houfes of reprefen- tatives is, that they may be a mutual check upon etch other ; and it is expeded that the experi- ence and coUedled wifdom of the fenate, who are a lefs active body than the houfe of delegates, w(ll more maturely weigh the probable confe* qi^ences of any adt, and prevent, by their fuf^ penlion, any pernicious eifeds that might re- fult from its pafling into a law ; or, by giving time to the houfe of ai!embly, they may corred their own errors. If the fenate has not always been chofen of men of the greatelt experience, is has no doubt originated from the ignorance of its political in- N,2 inftitution; \ ( i8o ) Ititution ; but that is no argument againft the policy of the fyftcm. It requires time for every government to acquire its proper tone, and the people muft become familiar with that tone, be- fore they can make a proper ufe of the inftru- ment. At any rate, Mr. Jefferfon's opinion ap- pears to me premature ; for if it is necelTary to have two houfes of reprefentatives, clearly they ought to be elefled by the people. As to their being elected at the fame time, and from the fame defcription of men, this can fignify very little, as it adds to the number of reprefentatives, and confequently there is a more general confent to the legiflation. However, our fenate will be chofen for three years, and the houfe of delegates will be elected annually ; and it appears to me, that the people will not only foon difcover the objedl of its political inflitution, but will carry it into effc&. They have only to difcover the wifdom of chufing men of experience for the fe- nate, to make it a general pradice ; and it molt certainly is better to have the fyftem thus open, than by confining the elegibility of a fenator to the reftridion of a particular age, as that would not ' * ' ( i8i ) not only be an encroachment upon the liberties of the citizens, but it would frequently deprive us of the exercife of ufeful aud fplendid talents, which might have an opportunity of obtaining a feat in the fenate, when he could not in the houfe of delegates by confequence of the greater popu- larity of the delegates of the didridl or county to which he might belong. The Prefldent of the State is chofen annually, and eligible for the fucceflive years; after which he mud remain out of office three years before he can become again eligible. He has a negative voice upon all acfls, in confequence of which every ufurpation is prevented from being furreptitioufly praflifed upon the people by the two houfes of alTembly ; and thus a check is given to any inconfiderate flep or impetuofity of the legiilature, i^ntil phe fenfe of the people can be made Known, and meafures taken according- ly. The Preiident is, belides, the guardian of the police of the State, has the power, with the advice of his council, to pardon criminals, and by proclamation governs or corrects the influence of all extraneous cafes; N3 Such *v ( iSi ) Such is the organization of our Icgidative power, which originated from a convention of the people, and may be altered, improved, or amended, by another convention of the fame kindf whenever its prafticc proves its imperfec- tion or deficiency. Thus it is, that in the pro- greflion of philofophy and politics, as well as in arts, and the appropriation of experimental truths, the perfedion of government is to be aTcertaincd. All the powers of government revert to the people, and they ought to revert to them ; the judiciary having been referved to them through the medium of juries^ The legiflative they in- trufl; to their reprefcntatives who are eifentially the fame ; and the executive emanates from the legiflature, fo that the whole are ultintately re- fponflble to the people. The executive to the reprefcntatives, and the reprefcntatives to their conftituents. Such is the influence of education and habit that Mr. JefFerfon, who has given every polTible proof of his attachment to liberty, although ftducated when ariilocratical opinions were com- mon. ■ * ' **• mon, fays this is *' precifely the definition of defpotic government/' and he adds, *' that it can prove no alleviation that the powers will be exercifed by a plurality of hands, and not by a fingle one," and then he triumphantly begt^ ** thofe who doubt it, to turn their eyes on the Re- public of Venice.*' When he wrote this part of his notes, he feems to have been of the opinion of Mr. Burke (whofe paradoxical book has found its way out here), when he remarked "that government was a contrivance of human wif- dom.'* Other wife I am at a lofs to conceive how he could compare a government a^ing upon the unalienable privileges, and the light of reafon, to a dark ariitocracy which has rivetted upon the minds of their citizens the xnoft dia* bolical fuperftition, and who have no more chance of judging of the polity of their fenate, than they have capacity: but fpread the rays of philofophy and trt»rh among the Venetians, and then, if their tyrants praAiie the fame defpotifm with impunity, I will allow that Mr* Jefferibn's parallel is jufV. Yet fuch arguments would de- ferve nothing but contempt, were not their N4 author ti ( i84 ) author refpedable for his cardinal virtues, as well as for the career he bore in the glorious llrugglcs for American independence. How- ever it is a lamentable confide ration that men of talents and genius, who have acquired cele» brity among the friends of freedom, fhould, by vainly circulating their crude fe ntiments, retard the progrefs of reafon. "What myftery can there be either in politics or religion? Laws founded upon the rights of men, and executed with precifion, of which every capacity is adequate to judge, conftitute the perfedion of the fcience of government. It is the creation of a dillindion of powers, with views to intereft, which infallibly leads to the ob- fcurity of the human mind ; a diftindion to be avoided as much as poflible, for the purpofe of leaving in the hands of the people or their agents the whole powers of government. What fear of a bad adminiftration is to be apprehended, when it is the intereft of every individual to continue the guardian of his country's profpe* rity ? It is promoting a difiindlion when there is Bone ; and by creating a jealoufy of power, a real and ( 185 ) and growing evil is produced, when the danger was only imaginary. What intereft, but that of the public, can a legiflature have in making the executive part of t,he government refponfible to them? What poffible danger or inconvenience can flow from fuch refponlibility in an enlight- ened State ? The maxims of reafon and igno- ranee are different. The idea which Mr. Jefferfon makes ufe of in another part of his book, that the alTembly may affume " all the powers legiflative, executive, and judiciary, and that thefe may come to the fmallefl: rag of delegation" is perfeftly nugatory. The judiciary power the people never parted with entirely, and the executive by the agents of the reprefentatives, qualified to judge of the laws and nature of our particular conftitution, is not only a cuflom, but forms a part of the go- vernment. It is one of the fprings by which the harmony of the fyftem is preferved; and fhould it at any time be dellroyed, it is the people who are to redlify the abufe. They are the poten. cial fountain of all power ; and it is only necef. fary ■^ -^^'j^r-- (186) fary for them and their agents to know this, in order to prevent every danger of the wheels of government being clogged and impeded by th« deflrudion of any one of its effential fprings. The legiflature is not only unqualified for a tribunal to judge of its own laws from the plurality of its numbers, but it is impoiHble that it could have any objedt of tyranny in ■view, when men are familiar with their own rights ! and 1 beg to know what motive, in com- mon fenfe, could fugged the idea of embarraf- iing government by mutilating one of its branches? Or is it poilible that Mr. jefTerfon, when he faid under this fyflem, the affembly might " affume all the powers of government,** could mean, that as the executive power ema- nated from the legiflature, it was liable to be fuborned, or under the controul of the reprefen- tatives of the State ? This idea appears indeed too childilh ever to have entered into the head of even an indifferent llatefman : the executive agents of a government being independent in their ap- pointments of every power but the laws, are no ■V, (187} no more liable to be controuled by the legifla- ture, than by any other power which miglit ap- point them. Kentucky is divided into counties in like man- ner as the other States, which are iimilar to the counties in England. It has been the crude praftice hitherto, that each county fhould have two delegates, and one fenator to reprefent them, without any regard to the number of fuffrages they contained. This imperfed fyftem will be changed by our amended plan as foon as it can be finifhed, and a cenfus taken of the inhabit- ants ; and every county will then have its num- ber of reprefentatives in proportion to its popu- lation — which feems to be the only confident de- legation. However, our old fyftem as yet has not produced any bad effeds ; and as the fludua- tions of the populations of the counties were very great, perhaps an attempt at a more exad equality would have been premature. 4 It is when the local intereft of a State be- comes different or various, that this partial re- prefentation is liable to abufe of privileges ; but, for ( 188 ) for that reafon it ought to be remedied in every State as early as pofllble. In c\cry county magiftratcs, or judices of the peace, arc appointed by the people, but commifnoned by the Governor or Prelident: they adl without reward. Their number is in proportion to the population of their dlllrift, and they are nominated from time to time as the inhabitants increafe, or a vacancy happens from death, or any other caufe ; or as their mi> niftry may be required. The moft difcreet and refpedable men for integrity and knowledge arc promoted to this office. If it (hould happen that an ignorant perfon were to acquire popularity fufficient to fecurc his nomination to the office of a jufticc of the peace, the Governor is not obliged to commif- fion him : thus, if the people ihould be ignorant, they are obliged to ftand upon their guard, and from this vigilance fprings the adivity of invef- ligation. : . . Thefc magiftrates have jurifdidlion both cri- minal and civil. If the queftion be of law only, they decide on it themfelves ; but if it be of fa£t, or ■ * ' ( i89 ) or fafk and law combined, it mud be referred to a jury : the jurors decide the fad, and refer the law arifing on it to the deciiion of the judges. However, this divilion of the fubjeft lies with their difcretion only ; and if the queftion relate to a point of public liberty, or if the judges are fufpeded of partiality, the jury undertake to de- cide both law and fa<5t, which obliges judges to be regular, prompt, and jufl. When laws are iimple, and underflood, it is certainly better to leave the deciflon of a legal quedion to twelve upright men, than to the arbi- trary fiat of interefled or prejudiced judges. But it is by this poife, or balance of power, be- tween the jurors and judges, that fair and equit- able adminillratlon is fecured. • The magiftrates execute their procefs by the iherifF, or by condables. If any perfon commit an oiTence againft the State, if it be below the de- gree of felony, he is bound by a magiflrate to ap- pear before their court to anfwer it on indidhnent or information. If the offence amount to felony* he is committed to prifon, a court of magiftrates b called, and if on examination they find him guilty. ( 190 ) guilty, he is fent to the general court prifon, be. fore which court he is to be tried by a jury of twenty-four, thirteen of whom muft concur in opinion ; if they find him guilty, he is then tried by a jury of twelve of his own county where he offended, and by their verdid (which mufl be unanimous) he is acquitted or condemned with- out appeal. The Governor has the power to pardon, except in cafe of treafon, in which cafe the right refides in the General Affembly. Such do we conceive to be the value of the life of every citizen, that we afford him every poflible chance of proving his innocence. In civil matters, if the value in difpute be iefs than twenty (hillings, a (ingle magiftrate may try it at any time and place within his county, and may award execution on the goods of the party caft. If it be of that, or greater value, it mull be determined before the county court, when the quorum of magiltrates nvuii oe four at leaft ; for which purpofe, county courts mull be holden fome day in every month, in the court- houfe of the different counties. From thefe de- terminations, if the value be more than lol. or 3 concern ( 191 ) concern the boundaries of land, there lies an ap- peal to one of the fuperior courts. It is optional ivith the party who brings the adtion, if the de. mand is above lol. to bring it either in the county, or general court. We have two fuperior courts. The high court of chancery, and the general court. Both receive appeals from the county courts, and alfo have original jurifdidion, where the value is above lol. or where the difpute is concerning land. The high court of chancery is compofed of three judges ; the general court of five. The chancery holds its feflions twice a year, at Hated periods. The general court feflions are quar- terly ; twice a year for civil and criminal, and twice for criminal only. There is alfo a fupreme court called the Court of Appeals, compofed of the judges of the two fuperior courts, which af- fembles twice a year alfo, at flated times, at the capital of the State. This court receives appeals in all cafes from each of the fuperior courts, and determines them finally. This court has no original jurifdidlion."— Thus fir we have followed the model and pra^^ice of Virginia. Wc have ( 19* ) have no court of admiralty, nor have we com. pieted our fyllem of jurifprudence ; but I irili endeavour to give you the outlines or principles which will conftitute its bafis. The firll: objeft of every free government is fecurity of perfon and property ; which is called Freedom. Without fuch a prefervation there can be no pure liberty. Uhder fuch a govern- ment,' every citizen has a right to do whatever does not injure another. The hinge of fecurity in a civilized ilate is the fecurity of property ; but, in the fecurity given to property, it is ne- ceffary that care fhould be taken not to endanger the liberty of even one of the citizens of a (late. For the prefervation of perfonal liberty, fome fafeguard (hould be kept, provided by law, both upon the defigning and unfufpicious, in order to avoid the great inconveniences that have flowed from knavery and credulity, as well in moll of the United States as in Europe. Pri- fons and dungeons have been perverted into both afylums for rapine and fraud, and into cells of folitary mifery and wretchednefs, which have in no degree checked the career of dillipation and pro- ( ^93 ) prodigality, or produced more induftry or care i and while the refentment of difappointed avarice has been glutted in the fury of revenge, the world has loft much of the talents and ingenuity of fome of its mofl valuable citizens. Laws ihould be calculated to prevent diflrefs from in. temperance and folly, and the commiflion of crimes, as much as pofTible. Creditors ought to be made cautious in their fecurity, and when they have trufted beyond a certain fum, or have jiot taken proper precautions, they fhould be liable to lofe the debt. This would neceilarily make the parties prudent, and fo far from being injurious to trade, it would prevent many incon- veniences which refult from hafty dealings and infufficient fecurity. Habit and cullom adt as powerfully in bufinefs as in any thing elfe. Men would foon acquire this fure way of dealings an4 thereby their property would be prefer ved, and the liberty and talents of every citizen made ufeful to the Hate. Every man who Uves within his income, gnd makes prompt payment for what he purchafes, is known to be a more va- • luable member of fociety than a man who is ir- . ^i^'iv o regular ( »94 ) regular and uncertain in his payments } and it is the rapid circulation of money in the common affairs of life, which tends to lower the price of its necelTaries as effectually, as the frequent re- turns in commerce tend to accumulate the ca. pital employed. Laws may be made of this Ibrt, I am fure, to regulate the tranfadions of men, without injuring commerce in the lead: ; on the contrary, it would render it more profitable, irigorous, and extenfive. Liberty, and the rights of men, have been ihamefiilly profaned under the crude idea of the aggrandifement of com- merce. The fallacy of old errors will moulder away under the radiance of Philofophy, and man muft look back with indignation at the fa. crilege which has fullied his rank and dignity as a human being. Examine the catalogue of the poor and unfortunate debtors who have mifer- ably endured the tortures of cold^ hunger, and iicknefs, ia a dungeon, loft to their family and friends, prevented from a poflibility of obtaining the neceflary means to cancel their penal obliga- tioni, and left to brood over the calamities to which the follies of a fanguine youth, bad edu^ Cition^ ^ ( 195 ) cation, and pernicious laws, have reduced them^ and which had encouraged them in the career of vice, and punilhed them in the hour of defpair and mortification i and you mull be in- fenilble indeed not to deprecate that degradation which indigeiled, inhuman, and impolitic infti- tutions have produced in every part of the world. Thefe are the fentiments of many of our legiflators, and from fuch opinions, I flatter myfelf, we (hall afford teflimony fufHcient that prifons are unneccfTary, except for homicides and traitors, who ought to be tried as immedi* ittely as the nature of the cafe would admit. It is the certainty of punifhment, and the terror of inflantly fuffering, that deter men from the commilTion of thofe crimes where the confciepce is concerned* It is our nature to look at every thing which is remote with indifference; but proximity excites fome fentations of joy or fear in the hearts of the mod callous. It is a cruel mortification to the progeny vr family of any man who has difgraced his me. mory by murder, treafon, or any other crime, againil either the laws of God or the State; and O? it i I m': m ( I9« ) it is a lamentable confideration in human affair}, that it Ihould be ncceflTary to make examples which are fo degrading to the dignity of our na- tures. Should we then offer infult to misfortune, and reduce to beggary the innocent offspring or connexions of an ofliending culprit ? Surely not. The State is the tutelary guardian of its citizens, the protestor of innocence, the promoter of feli- city and profperity, the avenger of wrongs ; and not the fpoiler of comfort, and the tyrant of humanity. For thefe reafons, neither murder, treafon, or any other crime, ouf^ht to rob the family of the property of the offender by for- feiture of lands and goods to the State. Malefa(flors, fuch as have been guilty of petty treafon, manflaughter, fodomy, maiming, dif- figuring, counterfeiting money, robbery, burg- lary, houfe-breaking, horfe-fl:caling, grand lar- ceny, petty larceny, 8zc. &c. (hould be con- demned to labour for the State during fuch a length of time as would be proportionable to the crimes they had committed, which fhould be de- fined by law ; and in cafe it (hould be found from experience that this fyftem did not tend to deter fron\ ( »97 ) from the com miiTion ofcrimes,anJwAs proc!uflivc of other b?d elTccfls^ it would then be time enough to introduce more rigorous meafures. It is how- ever certain, that as yet the fyftcm in queflion has not had fufficient time to be experienced in its full effedis in thofc States that have introduced h in part. But fo far as a judgment can be formed, it is reafonable to expedt the mofl falu'- tary confequences from fuch humane meafures. Our criminal code will be eftibliflied uport thefe lenient principles. Our laws refpeifting foreign'- ers will be founded on the broad bads of hofpi- tality, and the friendly principle, that the world ought to be governed as one great family. Re- fpeding marriage and fucceffion, more conform* ably to the laws of nature, than the laws of Eu- rope :— women are permitted to enjoy all the privileges, and all that protedlion, to which rea- fon and delicacy entitle them. It is upon fimi- lar principles that property is diftributed in an equal and confident manner ; and that a father is not fuifered to dilinherit a child, except he can make it appear to a court of juflice, that he is radically vicious ; and even then, fuch a de- O 3 rcli(^ioa ! *♦> „ ( 198 ) relidlion mull be coerced with conlideratlods, pointed out by the law. Such are thecollefled fentiments of the people upon the fubjed of law and government ; and we have the fatisfadion to know they are analogous to the opinions of a wife and judicious European author, whofe virtues and fuperior good fenfe |. have given them a confequence in your own na- tion, which does him the higheft honour; and therefore I will quote from him to conclude this letter, which will (hew that the fentiments of enlightened men, upon the fubjedl of freedom and government, differ in Jio refpe(fb from the iimple ideas of men who have no guide but rea* foii and common fenfe. " The true intereft of the people, then, is to be fubjeft to a legiflation, which, while it fefpeds the enjoyments of the rights of mankind, is folely intent upon procuring it ; and w hich, faithful to the principles of an enlightened reafon, feeks only the furefl: and (implell means of obtaining this end.— Whatever be the form of govern- ment to which the people are fubjedlcd, a free commerce, an unreKlrained induflry, civil laws dii:. '■■■* ■ V ( »99 ) ^I(^ingul(hed for their iimplicity, criminal laws for their juflice and humanity, founded upon the nature of man, and of fociety, and deduced from thefe principles by reafon, ought to be every where the fame.**— Farewell. Yours, &c. O4 LET- U::; ( aoo ] * U -; ' .nc- ■1 LETT E R IX. MY DEAR FRIEND, KENTUCKY. I HAD the pleafure of receiving, within thcfc two days, your favour, dated the 24th of Auguft laft, and admire the virtue and humanity of thofe of your citizens you mention to have left off the ufc of Weft India produce, in confequencc of your parliament not having adopted any mode 6f effefling the abolition of the (lave trade. The little pamphlet you did me the favour to fend with your packet, addrefled to the people of Great Britain on that fubjed, with obferva- tions upon the fituation of the unfortunate Afri- cans endaved, contains the pureft fentiments of benevolence, and the moft rational ideas, and it is written with a precilion which does the higheft honour to the author's head, as well as to his heart. We have difgraced the fair face of humanity^ ■•• * ~ and ( 201 ) tintl trampled upon the facred privileges of man, at the very moment that we were exclaiming againftthe tyranny of your miniftry ; but in con- tending for the birth-right of freedom, we have learned to feel for the bondage of others ; and, in the libations we offer to the fair goddefs of Liberty, we contemplate an emancipation of the (laves of this country, as honourable to them- felves, as it will be glorious to us. I have been afhamed, in reading Mr. Jcffer- fon's book, to fee, from one of the moft enlight- ened and benevolent of my countrymen, the difgraceful prejudices he entertains againft the unfortunate negroes. But if he has given Eu- ropeans a flagrant proof of his prejudices, he has afforded common fenfe an opportunity of judg- ing from his paradoxes, that fuch cannot be the general fentiments of the people of America, In the revifion of a code of laws propofed for the State of Virginia, it was recommended to emancipate all flaves born after palling the a6t, who were to be brought up, at the public ex- pence, to different vocations, until females fhould be eighteen, and the males twenty-one years of ,i.i age; •y**-- ( ao2 ) iUge; when they fhould be colonized to fuch place as circumftances Ihould render moll pro- per, giving them arms, implements, &c. &c, to declare them a free and independent people, and extend to them their alliance and protedionj until they ihould have acquited ftrength and power equal to felf-protection* Concerning which meafure, Mr. Jcflferfon fays, " It will probably be aiked. Why not re- tain and incorporate the blacks ?*' He then at« tempts to give reafons to prove why it would be impolitic ; by alleging that the deep-^rooted pre- judices of the whites, and the recolledlionof pall injuries by the blacks, would be produdtive of continual feuds, which would probably never end but in the extermination of one or the other race. To fuch objections, which he calls political, he fays, ** may be added others, which are moral and phylical.'* I will obferve upon his political opinions firfl;. The great charge fuch a bufinefs would be to that State, would neceffarily tend to procraftinate its execution, and perhaps render abortive the whole defign, by making it necef- lary to relinquifli an objeft which the financet 4. of ' # ( ao3 ) at the government would not admit of bciitg carried into execution; and thus a moft odious tyranny would be prolonged. Belides, what could be fo impolitic, in fuch a country as Vir- ginia, as banifhing a numerous clafs of men who might be made uieflil citizens, rifking a depopu* lation of one colour, in order to fupply theif places with another ; an undertaking which, in- dependent of the great expence it would be at- tended with> would alfo prove furrounded by many other difficulties. From what country !s the vacancy to be filled ? Emigrations have been frequent from Europe to America : but it would require a length of time to recruit 250,000 in- habitants, which, I fuppofe, is nearly the amount of the flavcs of Virginia. There are in politics, as well as in phyfic, cafes which require irregular prefcriptions. There is no law in nature which binds one man to ano- ther; and laws, which are not founded in the principles of reafon and truth, invalidate them- felves. There is no ftatute which gives power to a white man to exercife defpotifm over a man becaufe he is black. It is contrary to our bill I L^^ ( 204 ) of rights, as well as repugnant to the code of iia« ture. But the mifchief lies in the prejudices of the times. A complete emancipation, perhaps, wrould not be borne in Virginia ; for which rea- fon it mud be gradual, as it has been in Penn* fylvania. It would therefore be wife in that State to attach their flaves to the land of their refpec* tive mailers for a certain term of years ; after which they lliould be at liberty to change their iituations,as their circumflancesor pleafure would direcfb, the fame as any other tenants. Such a fyftem, under falutary regulations, would not only afford the negro a coniiderable proportion of freedom, but would be highly ad* \antageous to the State j as, by parcelling out their immenfe wafte trads of land into little farms, the low country, which has been impo- veriftied by the pernicious cultivation of tpbacco, would become fertilized, and rellored to its prif« tine fecundity. Let us fuppofe the prefent flaves of Virginia placed in fuch a fituation for their lives, and that all blacks, born after pafTing an aft for this pur* pofe, Ihould be free at twenty-five years of age. Thia f ' r.M ( 205 ) This would afford time not only to put thefc little farms in order, but it would reclaim the ex- hauded land, and leave the proprietors in a better fituation than they otherwife would have been in, from a fyflem which encourages indolence, pro- motes ignorance, tyranny, and every radical vice ; but the blacks, by liberal conditions upon fuch a plan, with indullry, might be able to educate their children, and accumulate a fmall property to encourage and fupport their liberty and independence^ and the State would have time to acquire white emigrants, if the blacks did not anfwer the purpofes of cultivation, and the end of the civil polity of an enlightened government ; to fuppofe which would be as uncharitable as the remarks of Mr. Jefferfon. It will, doubtlefs, require a length of time to generalize marriages between the whites and blacks ; but that would not prove a material dif- advantage to the State, There would always be fome whites who would marry blacks for the fake of property ; and, no doubt, when prejudices jire worn away, they would unite from more ten- der and delicate fcntiments. Aju- ( 206 ) A judicious author of this country, who hsis written on the complexion and figure in the hu. mail fpecies, has faid : ** A nation which mi- grates to a different climate will, in time, be impreifed with the charaders of its new State : The dark colour of the natives of the Weil India iflanda is well known to approach very near to a dark copper. The defcendants of the Spaniards in South America are already become copper, coloured. The Portuguefe of Mitombo> in , Sierra JLeona, on the coail of Africa, have, by intermarrying with the natives, and by adopting their manners, become, in a few generations,^ perfedly afHmilated in afpe^, figure, and conw plexion." And Lord Kaims, who cannot be fufpeded of partiality on this fubjed^, fays of another Portuguefe fettlement on the coaft of Congo, " That the defcendants of thofe polifhed IFluropeans have become, both in their perfont and in their manners, more like beads than like men. Thefe examples tend to ftrciigthcn the inference from the changes that have happened in the Anglo-Americans ; and they fhew how caHly climate would alfimilate foreigners to na^ tives. * ' ( 407 ) lives, in thecourfe of time, if tliey would adopi tlie fame manners, and equally expofe them-* felves to its influence." Whether the black of negroes refides in the reticular membrane between the Ikin and fcarf- ikin, or in the fcarf-lkin itfelf — whether it proceeds from the colour of the blood, the co- lour of the bile, or from that of fome other fe- cretion, the difference is not fixed in nature, but is the mere effe(fl of climate, which is proved by the daily teftimony of the moft enlightened phi. lofophers of the prefent age s who have for their fupport the obfervations and remarks of travel. lers upon the effed^ of climate in every part of the globe, Mr. Jefferfon (kys, it is fixed in nature ; and afks, ** if ^he difference is of no real importance ?'* I anfwer, that it is of no real importance, when compared with the objeA of refcuing fome miU lions of miferable human beings from the odious prejudices which have degraded a whole race of men to the rank of beafts of burden, hecaufe they had the misfortune not to have the tinge of r$4 and whiff. .^ '-:y,-i Q-'-'l ■■ ■.-J ..•::■ , Were vi!! I' ( 208 ) Were a man, who, with all the ardour of a youthful paffion, had juft been gazing upon the fair bofom of a loved and beautiful midrefs, and afterwards marked the contrafl of that paradifc of fublunary blifs, to the African or Indian hue, to exclaim in the terms which Mr. Jefferfon has ufed, he might be judged excufabic on account of the intoxication of his heated fenfes — But when a grave philofopher, who has palTed the meridian of life, fits down to meliorate, by his writings and opinions, the condition of the Haves of his country, whofe fetters have fixed an oblo» quy upon the virtue and humanity of the fbuthern Americfins, I confefs it appears to me not a little inconfiftent. As to the whites being more elegantly formed, as aflerted by Mr. JcfFcrfon, I muft confefs that it has never appeared fo to me. On the contrary, I have often obferved, in families which have been remarkable for feeding their blacks well, and treating them in other refpedis with humanity, that their negroes have been as finely formed as any whites I ever law. — Indeed, my admiration has often been arrefted in examining thefr -* ' pro- '.<■ ' ( 209 ) proportion, mufcular (Irength, and athletic powers. If they fecrete lefs by the kidneys, and more by the glands of the Ikin, which gives them a ftrong and difagreeable odour, it is aifo certain that white men, inhabiting fouthern climates, do the fame, more than in northern latitudes : by which means an evaporation takes place from the whole i.irface of the body, which produces that degree of cold which is requilite to counteradl the heat of the climate. As there is always a flow of bile proportionate to the degree o( heat, the perfpir* able matter will be more or lefs faturated with that fluid, which, from an antifeptic quality, pro- duces that odour which is fuppofed to indicate an original difference ; but which, in reality, may be difcovered in a degree in all black haired people in all countries. No doubt, too, much of that odour is owing to their difference of living from that of the whites : for it is certain, that thofe negroes who are cleanly, and live in the manner of their maflers, have lefs of it. . , However, there can be no doubt but that the ,.). P animal ■•^1 ■i ( 210 ) animal fyHem may be fo materially affedled by climate, as to require a lengtb of time to reftore it to its priftine (late; and whether man was aboriginal to Afia, or whether every continent has had its Adam, is of no confequence to the argument :— it is certain we arc eflentially the fame in fhape and intellect. " Comparing them by their faculties of me- mory, reafon, and imagination, it appears to me," fays Mr. Jefferfon, " that in memory they are equal to the whites, in reafon much inferior, as I think one could fcarcely be found capable of tracing and comprehending the inveftigation of Euclid : and that in imagination they are dull, taflelefs and anomalous. It would be unfair to follow them to Africa for this inveftigation ; we will condder them here on the fame (lage of the whites, and where the facfts are not apocryphal on which a judgment is to be formed.** Can any pofltion be more puerile and incon- fiftent ? " We will confider them on the fame flage of the whites, and then a comparifon is not- apocryphal." Now I beg to know what can be more uncertain and falfe than cftimating or K I V) ( 211 ) or comparing the intelled or talents of two de* fcriptions of mcni — one enjlaved, degraded, and fettered in all their aSl^ of volition^ without a vijla through which the rays of light and fcience could be Jhot to illumine their ignorant minds. The other free, independent, and w ith the advantage of appro- priating the reafon and fcicnce which have b en the refult of the ftudy and labours of the philo- fophers and fenfiblc men for centuries back. If there have been fome folitary indances where negroes have had the advantage of education, they have Ihewn that they are in no degree infe- rior to whites, though they have always had in this country the very great difadvantage of aflb- ciating only with their ignorant countrymen, which not only prevents that polilh fo effential to arreft admiration, but which imperceptibly leads to fervility from the prevalence of manners. Mr. JeHferfon's own arguments invalidate themfelves. " Homer told us, he fays, nearly 3000 years .fince, « Jove fixed it certain, that whatever day « Makes man a flave, takes half his worth away.'* Now it is mod certain that the negroes in Ame- P 2 rica ^•«^ m ( 212 ) rica have not only been enflavcd, but that they have exiiled under the mod inhuman and nefarious tyranny, particularly in the fouthern States. ' Baron de Tott, fpeaking of the ignorance of the Turks, who are alfo flaves, but whites, faid " that it was with difficulty that he could make them comprehend how two triangles could be equal to one right one.** But it is only necelTary to prove the nullity of Mr. Jefferfon's argu- ments to copy his own refleftion. He afks, *f if the world has produced more than two poets acknowledged to be fuch by all nations, how many mathematicians, how many great inventors in arts and fciences had Europe, north of the Alps, when the Romans croffed thofe moun- tains ?'* and then he fays, ** it was lixtcen centu- ries before a Newton could be formed.*' And after alking thefe queflions, he abfurdly cxpedls that black poets and mathematicians are to fpring up like mu (brooms. However, a black in New England has com- pofed an ephemeris, which I have feen, and which men, converfant in the fciencc of aftro- . ; 4 * nomv ( ai3 ) nomy declare exhibits marks of acute reafon and genius. ' - To contend, however, that the world has pro- duced but two poets, is rather the alTertion of a pedant than a philofopher ; and to maintain that no perfons read Milton and Shakefpear with delight but Engliftimen is not ftridly juft. For every man of tafte and judgment who un- derHands the Englifh language to perfedion« mull read them, and many other Englifh poett with the mod animated pleafure — and if the Je- rufalem delivered, the Henriad, and the Luiiad, have only been generally read by the country- men of their refpedlive authors, it is not becaufe they have neither genius nor excellence, but be-* caufe it has been more the fyftem of education in Europe to ftudy the daffies than the modern languages, which has given a predominant pre- ference among the literari in every country to the Greek and Latin poet. " Religion has produced a Phillis Whately ; but it could not produce a poet,** is another of Mr. JefFerfon's dogmau. Phillis was brought from Africa to Amferica, between fevcn and P 3 eight n ■( "4 ) eight years of age, and without any afliftancc from a fchool education, and before fhe was fif, teen years old wrote many of her poems. This information is attefted by her then matter, John Wheatly, dated Bofton, November 14, 1772, I 'will tranfcribe part of her Poem on Ima- gination, and leave you to judge whether it is pbetical or not. It will afford you an opportu- nity, if you have never met with it, of eftimat- ing her genius and Mr. JefFerfon's judgment ; and I think, without any difparagement to him, that, by comparifbn, Phillis appears much the fupcrior. Indeed, I ihould be glad to be in- formed what White upon this continent has writ- ten more beautiful lines. ** Imagination ! who can fing thy force ? Or who defcribe the fwiftnefs of thy courfe ? 3paring through air to find the bright abode, Th* imperial palace of the thund'ring God, We on thy pinions can furpafs the wind, And leave the rolling univerfe behind : From ftar to ilar the mental optics rove, Meafure the fkies, and range the realms aboye ; There in one view we grafp the mighty whole. Or with new worlds amaze th' unbounded foul. Though winter frowns, to fancy's raptured eye* The fields may flourifh, and gay fcenes arife ', The - * ' *r i TThe frozen deeps may burft their iron band% And bid their waters murmur o'er the fands. Fair Flora may refume her fragrant reign. And with her flow*ry riches deck the plain ; Sylvanus may difTufe his honours round. And all the foreft may with leaves be crown'd : Show*rs may defcend, and dews their gems difcloie. And ne£tar fparkle on the blooming rofe." M^. JefTerfon has been equally fevere upon Ignatius Sancho. But, as I have not the ho^ nour to be acquainted with Mr. Sancho*s writ- ings, I fhall conclude that that criticifm is equally marked with prejudice. His faying, *• that Terence was a flave, but not black,** is in contradiftindtion to the teftimony of every other authority ; who all agree, that he was not only an African, but a Numidian, who are all known to be black. But, to complete his paradoxes, Mr. Jefferfon has remarked, '* that the Indian, with no advant- age of education, is eloquent and ingenious,'* without recolleding that the favage is free while fhe poor African is enflaved ; though he allows P4 " that ( ( 216 ) that fcrvitudc deflroys half the worth of the hu- man foul. But to do juflice to his candour and heart, I will give you his conclufion upon this fubjed : " The whole commerce between maftcr and flave is a perpetual exercife of the mod boiller. ous paflions, the mod unremitting defpotifm on one part, and degrading fubmiflions on the other. Our children fee this, and learn to imitate it. The parent florms, the child looks on, catches the lineaments of wrath, puts on the fame airs, gives a loofe to his worfl of pafllons ; and thus nurfed, educated, and daily exercifed in tyranny, cannot but be (lamped with odious peculiar!- ties.*' After making feveral moral rcfledions upon the fubje^•^- .imi^:,:mm ( 222 ) fc(5libn which that language has arrived at, t think it feems probable in the courfe of time that it^will become univerfal. We have a variety of fpontaneous kinds of grafs, for many of which we have no name. I have fpokcn of the cane and its properties in a former letter, which the farmer may confider as a grafs, lince it will anfwer every purpofe of grafs to him, I have alfo mentioned our clover and rye-grafs. Befides which, we have, of the grafs kind, the pea-vine, which in a fmall de- gree refembles your pea- vine. It has the fame kind of tendril, and runs up the cane, ihrubs, and rye-grafs, which frequently grows inter- Iperfed with it. Its bloflbms are of a reddifli hue, and it produces a fmall and imperfed pea* In very rich foil, it grows from three to five feet high; but in general it does not exceed eighteen inches or two feet, and is not of fo luxuriant a growth as the vine of the cultivated pea, but has a much nearer refemblance to grafs. Our other principal forts of natural grafs are, the buffalo, orchard, fpear, blue, and crab grafles. The buffalo grafs is rather coarfe, 3 grows ( 223 ) grows from nine to eighteen inches high, and la generally found mod plentiful in a middling foil. It has a broad leaf, and feems unworthy of cul- tivation. The latter kinds generally fpring up after the land has been cultivated, and from ex- cellent pallures ; and are alfo capable of being made into hay, particularly the fpear and blue grafs. Every part of the country abounds in a va- riety of natural flowers. The crocus, and a pro- fulion of dailies, appear on the approach of fpring, which are fucceedcd by the daffodil, jonquil, hyacinth, tulip, and a multitude of other flowers, fuch as heart*s-eafe, lilies, red and white, holly- hocks, pinks, golden rod, cowilips, may-flowers- jeflamine, columbine, honey-fuckles, rock honey- fuckles, tuberofe, ranunculas, marfh-mallows, violets, rofes of different forts, &c. &c. Of herbs, &c. we have of the wild fort, mar- joram, fun-dew, fage, thyme, Indian leaf, rofe- mary, angelica, fennel, lovage, mug wort, ox- eye, mother-wort, feverfew, cat's-mint, penny- royal, rue, mint, yarrow, burnet, nettle, fanicle, rupture-wort, cudweed, white and black mai- den- J«»i5; W^:- _jt ^ A_ 4'» ( 224 ) den«hair» colewort» ground-pine» tooth-wort, ground-ivy, lung-wort, mountatn-polly, wintcr- grecn, hore-hound, ladies mantle, celadine, Jew's, ear, horfc-mint, liver-wort, water-crelTcB, fcur- vy gra(6« mudard, hy0bp, tanfy* dock, afnnart, glafswort, hellebore^ wolfs- bane, fpikenard, &c. &c. &c. You will obfcrvc, that we have adopted names that arc common in Euro^je, and prefume that it is the affinity between your plants of the above names, and ours, which have produced thefe de* nominations. How far they are applicable, re- quires a better botanifl to determine than I pro- fcfs to be; and to relate their different minutiae, would be both tedious and unfatisfadory, as it is impoflible to give a juft idea of their compara- tive flmilitary by a defcription. Farinaceous, Leguminous Plants, &c. Indian corn Wild oat Wild rye Indian nvillet Wild pea Panic Zea mays Zezania aquatica Holcus iaxus Bolichus Panicum There are many of this fpecies. Lupine ( Lupine Jcrufalcm artichoke C mlings Squalhes Purflain Lettuce 445 } Lupinus perennis Helianthus tuberofus Cucurbita verrucofa Cucurbita melopepo Portulaca oleracea Lacluca virofa. Fibrous Plants, Sec. Wild hemp Wild flax Wild hop Acnida cannabina Linum Virginianum Humulus cupulus. Roots, &c. Sarfaparilla Indian phyfic Ipecacuanha Pleurify root Virginia fnake root Black fnake root Sarfaparillae Spiraea trifoliata PhyciAC iia emetica Afclepias decumbens f\ iiHoIochia ferpentaria Adlaea racemofa Seneca rattlefnake root Polygala fenega Valerian Valeriana locufta radiata Ginfeng Phanax quinquefolium Caflava Jatropha urens Granadillas Pafliflora incarnata. Q Fruits, ■j i .! ( 22$ ) Fruits, &c. Mulberry Green-river plumb Barren, or red plumb Cherokee plumb Wild cherry Wild crab-apple Perfimmon Morus Prunus fylveftris frudu minori Prunus Virginiana Pyrus coronaria Diofpyros Virginiana. There are various kinds of grapes. Scarlet ftrawberries Fragaria Virginiana Wortleberries Wild goofeberries Wild currants Cranberries Black ralberries Vaccinium uliginofum [Jefferfon, Ribes grofTularia Vaccinium oxycoccos Rubus occidentalis. May-apple. This apple is produced from an annual plant which is among the firft vegetables that come forward in the fpring ; it is about ten or twelve inches high, advancing rapidly to ma- turity, and the apple grows much in the man- ner of the potatoe feed, and is nearly of the fame fize. When ripe, it is of the colour of a pale orange. ( 227 ) orange. The pulp is of a fucculent nature, without any feed, and its flavour very much like the pine apple. It is ripe early in June. Acimene. This fruit grows upon a flirub, and is from four to five inches in length, and from one to one and a half diameter. The pulp is fweet and tender. It ripens in July. Peakimine. A fpecies of plumb, nearly the fize of the mogul plumb, but more delicious. Papaw. This fruit grows upon a tree from twelve to twenty-fix feet high. It is in Ihape more like a feed cucumber than any thing elfe. It is ripe about midfummer. Its pulp is yellow, and fomewhat of the confiftence of an indifferent melon, and its flavour very much like a cuftard, but it is too lufcious to be agreeable j though, when boiled green, it is good eating. Nut Trees, &c. Sealy bark hiccory Juglans alba cortiae fqua- mofo [Jefferfon, Common hiccory Juglans alba frudlu mi- nore rancido [Clayton, There are a variety of other kinds of hiccory which have not been deflgnated. Qa Black ( i2t ) l!r i I Black walnut White walnut Chefnut Hazlenut Juglant nigra Juglans alba Fagus pumila Corylus avellana. Befides the above, the Carolina ground-nut grows low down on the MilFiflippi, and the peccane in the Illinois, in the county of Cumberland, and every where near the mouth of the Ohio. It is about two-thirds of the fize of an Englifh wal- nut, and the fhell fmooth and tender. Mr. Jef- ferfon has given it a defignation which is equal in length to the name of a Spanifh cavalier. He fpecifies it as the juglans alba, foliolis lanceola- tis, acuminatis, ferratis, tomentoiis, frudu mi- nore, ovato, compreflb, vix infculpto, dulci. putaminc, tenerrimo. Phytolacca decandra Platanus occidentalis Zilia Americana Liriodendron tulipifcra Populus nigra Acer rubrum Magnolia tripetala i^fculus Afpen Poke Plane-tree Lime-tree Poplar Black poplar Red flowering maple Umbrella tree Buck-eye ( 229 91 Afpcn Populus tremula H Reed, or cane Arundo phragmitis fl Locuft Robinia pfeudo acacia ij Honey locuft Gleditfia H Barberry Berberis vulgaris M Dog.wood Cornus florida m Snow-drop tree Chionanthus Virginia m Holly Ilex aquifolium m Swamp !aurel Magnolia acuminata |p Portugal bay Laurus indica i| Catalpa Bignonica catalpa K Wild piniento Laurus benzion Vj Red bud Cercis Canadenfis If Saflafras Laurus faffafras || Mj Common laurel of this J| country Notclaffed . fl| Cockfpur Cratoegus coccinea Ml Red bay Laurus borbonia Ml Dwarf rofe bay Rhododendron maximum Ij Spindle tree Euonymus Europaeus 1 !| Evergreen fpindle tree Euonymus Americanus ll Ml Alder Sambucus nigra f Candleberry myrtle Myrica cerifera ,||^ Rhus. Notclaifed ^ 1 Sumach Cotton tree Notclafled |i> - Q 3 Satin 11 Satin-wood tree Coffee tree Dwarf laurel American aloe Ivy Hemlock fir Papaw 330 ) Not clafTcd Not clafled Calmia latifolia; Agave Virginica Hedera quinquefolla Pinus Canadenlis Annona triloba Trumpet honey-fuckle Lonicera Temper virens Upright honey-fuckle Azalea nudiflora Juniper Juniperus Virginica Grows only in the fouthern parts of the weftern country. Black oak White oak Red oak Willow oak Chcfnut oak Black-jack oak Ground oak Live oak Quercus nigra Quercus alba Quercus rubra Quercus phellos Quercus prinus Quercus aquatica {Clay ton f^ ercus pumila [Ditto, Quercus Virginiana [MiUer. * The live oak grows only low down on the MinKTippi, on this fide of the mountain. Sugar * The live oak grows in quantity fufficient, between the Miflifllppi and the River St. Jofcph, as would be equal to build * ' .■*i ii: C 331 ) Sugar tree Acer faccharinum Which is the common name throughout this country for the fugar maple. Fagus fylvatica Fraxinus alba Fraxinus n|gra Ulmus Americana Not clafled Ulmus faccharina Ame- ricana Not clafled Betula nigra Betula alba Liquidambar flyraciflua Pinus taeda Grows only on the fouthern branches of the Ohio, Weil Florida, and the mountainous parts of the country. White pine Pinus ftrobus Grows only in the mountainous country. build and fupport a navy fuperior to the maritime ftrength of Europe combined together, and which is acknowledged to be the moil lafting and beft calculated for (hips of war of any kind of timberhat has been ufed for that purpofe* Q4 Yellow Beech White afli Black aih Elm Slippery elm Sweet elm Button-wood tree Black birch White birch Sweet gum Pitch pine ■ "1 n ■ ( 232 ) ' Yellow pine Pinus Vlrginica Grows alfo in the mountains. Spruce pine Pinus foliis lingularibus [CiayioJt. Spruce pine grows moftly upon the precipices of river banks, upon the fides of high hills, and never in the champaign country. Cyprefs Cypreflus difticha White cedar Cypreflus thyoidcs The cyprefs and white cedar grow in abun- dance in the country contiguous to the gulf of Mexico, but in the country high up the rivers, very few of them are to be found. The beft foil produces little timber but the lo- cuft, cherry, walnut, buck-eye, fugar-tree, elm, beech, afh, fatin-wood, and papaw. The mid- dle rate land oaks, hiccory, dog-wood, fomc fugar-trees, and beech. What we call indiffer- ent land affords moflly black and red oaks, fome hiccory, gum, &c. and the more broken and hilly country (I mean the worft land), black-i jack oak, fir, &c. There is a variety of fhrubs in every part of the country, the principal of which are the myrtle an4 fpice berry ; and a number of different kinds of , ■i,»n>^-"-Tni"r-'iri*riT " ^ttMWS^^jijJK^ i ^33 ) of grafs, &c. that I am unable to defcribe ; for, indcedj they have not all obtained popular names* and I am too ignorant of botany, as I have con- fefled, to attempt to clafs them; which, per- haps, is the fineft field now open to a man of ge- nius, in the fcience of botany, upon the face of the globe. BufFon, Kalm, D'Abenton, Catefby, and Pen- nant, have all touched upon the natural hiftory of America. The firft and lafl: have confined themfelves chiefly to the defcription of animals; and as they are juftly admired for their talents, I fliall confine myfelf merely to giving you a lift of the wild animals which are common to the weft- ern country, and refer you to their works for the natural hiftory. Such errors as BufFon had been drawn into from prejudice, Mr. JefFcrfon has ably confuted. Animais Where common. Buffalo. Bifon Between lat. 42 and 37 Moofe elk. Elan orig- nal, palmated To the north of lat. 43 Elk, round horned Between lat. 40 and 36 Caribou, * * "'fSRSPI^MP'P^ ( Animals. Caribou. Renne Red deer. Crof Roc. Chevrecul Fallow deer. Daim Bear. Ours 334 ) Where common^ To the north of lat. 43 To the fouth of lat. 40 To the north of lat. 40 To the north of lat. 48 Every partof this country Wild cat. Chat fauvage Ditto Wolf. Loup Glutton. Carcajou Lynx, Loup cervier Beaver. Caftor Otter. Loutrc Red fox. Renard Grey fox. Ifatis Ditto To the north of lat. 42 To the fouth of lat. 40 To the north of lat. 37 Between lat. 45 and 36 To the north of lat. 39 To the fouth of lat. 40 Hcdgc-hog. Herrifon To the north of lat. 40 Martin. Marte To the north of lat. 38 Weafel. Belitte To the fouth of the lakes Water rat. Rat d'eau Between lat. 42 and 36 Monax. Marmotte Flying fquirrcl. Pa- latouche Fox fquirrel Black fquirrel Red fquirrel To the fouth of lat. 40 Between lat. 39 and 36 Bettween lat. 39 and 42 To the fouth of lat. 40 Great ■ t' l«^.W^,?Mp Animals. Great grey fquirrcl Little grey fquirrcl Ground fquirrel Mink ( 235 } Where COMMON. To the northof lat. 38 Between lat. 38 and 33 Between lat. 40 and 36 To the fouth of lat. 44. Shrew moufe. Mufa- ra'gne To the fouth of lat. 43 Roccoon. Raton To the fouth of the lakes as far as lat. 37 Opoflum. Sarique To the fouth of lat. 41 Vifon. Fouine Seunk. Mouffette. Co- nepate Between lat. 43 and 36 Congar Rabbit Every partof this country, but no where fo numerous as on the other fide of the mountain ( N. B. There is not a wild hare in all America.) Mouffette fquafh Mouffette chinche Panther Wood chuck Porcupine Dormoufe Between lat. 43 and 36 To the north of lat. 33 Between lat. 39 and 44 To the north of lat. 42 To the north of lat. 40. There arc bcfides moles, mice, and bats, fe- vcral m k >mm.mp^'S» i^0^'Wby' ( «3« ) vcral other animals in the extreme parts of the country. I have omitted faying any thing re- fpcdting them, as I could not do it with fuffi- cient accuracy; but you will find, in Mr. Jef- ferfon*s lift of the aboriginal animals of America, an account of the whole of them. 1 have already taken notice of the great bones which have been found in this country ; but as I was not minute as to the cftimate of their fize, I fhall juft remark, that it was the opinion of your celebrated anatomift, the late Dr. Hunter, from an examination of the tufks, that the mammouth was an animal entirely different from the eJephant; and ?vir. JefFerfon, who fecms to have examined the fl^elcton with curious attention, fays, ** the bones befpeak an animal of five or fix times the cubic volume of the elephant, as Monf. dc Buffon has admitted." And I have been inform, cd by a gentleman who attended the Icftures of Dr. Cline, in London, that this ingenious anato- mift ufed to produce one of the tulks of the mam- mouth, when he was ledluring, and declared that the animal muft have been carnivorous. In my account of the birds of this country, I iliaU moftly give you the Linnaean defignation, in ' * ' ?>^^v>-— ^ ( m ) in preference to Catelby's, though Catefty's de- signation is moH general. LiNNyEAN DeSICNA- TION, Falco leucocephalus Vultur aura Falco fparverius Falco furcatus Falco columbarius Accipiter pifcatorius PotuLAR Names. Bald eagle Turkey buzzard Sparrow hawk Forked tail hawk Pigeon hawk Fifhing hawk Field martin Little owl Tyrant martin or king bird Perroquct Red headed wood pecker Large red crefted ditto White bill ditto Gold winged ditto Red bellied ditto Small fpotted ditto Yellow bellied ditto Hairy ditto Strix afio Laninus tyrannus PHttaccus Picus erythrocephalus Picus pileatus Picus principalis Picus auratus Picus Carolinus Picus pubefeens Picus varius Picus villofus Popular h-' ^■ A» ( 238 ) Popular Names. Blue jay Crow black bird Baltimore bird Ballard Baltimore dit- to Carolina cuckoo Field lark Red winged black- bird Robin red breall Red thrufti Mocking bird Little thrufh Purple finch Lettuce bird Cowpen bird Little fparrow Towhe bird Blue linnet LiNNi£AN Designa- tion. Corvus criftalus Gracula quifcula Oriolis Baltimore Oriolis rpurius Cuculus Amerlcanus Sturnus niger alis fuper- nerubentibus [Catejby, Turdus migratorius Turdus rufus Turdus minor cinerco albus non maculatus Catejly. Turdus minimus[C being defeated By tht tKaty, In which Great Britain acknowledged the in« dependence ( «47 ) Every man whd engages in the perilous vo- cation of a foldidr ought to recolleft before- hand. dependence of the United States, it was ftipulated and agreed ' to by Great Britain, that the Ibrtreflcs of Niagara and Detroit Ihould be delivered up to the United States as immediately as it Could be done with convenience. Whether it proceeded from the reprefcntations made by the government of Canada to the miniilers of Great Britain, or not, I cannot prefume to de- termine ; but it is certain thofe plans arc properly coniidered of more importance than v/as at firft imagined by the Britiih Court ; and it is an indubitable truth, the moment they are podefTed by the Americans, that inftant the Englifli fur trade of Canada will he deduced more than one half of what it is at prc<* Tent. This declaration, as it comes from aii American, may be contidered as impolitic ; but I have thrown it out purpofely to ihew how little the faith of treaties are to be depended upon, when they are found to clafh with the important interefts of the tontrading parties,— and as I coniider every fpecies of policy, which has not integrity for its bafis> mean and contemptible* As the United 6tates had waited more than feven years in ex- udation that the Britifli Government would fulfil this engage* ment, and (indirtg it was not then coilvenient for them to aban* don thofe forts, they determined to eftablilh a garrifon at the mouth of the Miimi, of the lake which v/as to have been fup- ported by a chain of communication with Pittlburg, and for the acquifitioii of thispurpofe was the objeft of this expedition. Fort Walhington, at the mouth of flie Mulkingum, and Fort Jiefferfon, between the head waters oXthc Sciota and St, Mary's river, which empties into Lake Erie, a fhort dlftance from San- dufty, had been previouHy eftabliOied; and the next objedl R 4 was a ki ■ ■ ->*^jw»— ( 44« ) h^nd, the facrifices he will be obliged to make of pleafurable indulgence, and, in many inflances, of was to eftabliih a third, fouth eaft of Sanduflcy, upon tliofe ridgei of hills where the waters of the lake* and thofe of the Ohio, take different direAiuns. Had this plan been effefled, though the Indians might at times have harrafled thofe pofts» ftill the purpofe for which they would have been created muft have anfwered } as it is impoffible for them to carry on their attacks regularly, or for siny length of time, by reafon of their defultory manner of living ; and thus, by our becoming permanently fixed upon the lake, we ihould at once have given a decided blow to your trade in Ca> nada j for it was the intention of the federal government, not to permit any perfon to trade within the limits of the tJnited States in that quarter, without a written privilege for that pur- pofe, figned by the Prefident of Congrefs* The army of General St. Cbir, which was to hare atchitved this arduous end, amounted to about 1400 men, great part of which were militia ; and mod of the otheirs, inconccivab'e as it may appear, were recruited from the fea-port towns upon the Atlantic; andofcourfe were compofeJ of men who were to* tally unacquainted with the Indian manner of lighting i«*-in* deed a large proportion of them were Europeans. General St. Clair had advanced between twenty and thirty miles in front of Fort Jefferfon in his courfe toward Lake Erie, when about fixty of the militia deferted with an intention to re- turn to their refpeAive homes, after whom he difpatched 500 of his men, they conflftiag of the only old troops he bad in his army ; and it was in the abfencc of this detachment, that his army was attacked, juft at the break of day ; after the troops, Boft inqpcudcntly> had kft (b^ pandc at which they had been Ukoc \ ( 249 ) of his conftitution. But when a fervice of dan*- get calls him to the defence of his country, or t9 fotne time before it was light* according to the cuftom in Tti- dian war, though his out pofts had been attacked inceflantly during the whole night* and feveral of his ccntlnels- killed. The Indians* finding the army was thin of their guard* ruftied upon them with fuch impetuofity* as to prevent their being able to form* or t6 aA with any vigour or precifion. This gnnd objeft has not been abandoned by the federal go- vernment* and for the purpofe of ca rying it into executioa* by meafufes more wife* and means more certain* than had been purfued hitherto* 3000 federal troops, with a legion of 1 zoo liorfe and foot* are to be kept in continual pay ; and while the dlffisrent garrifons are to over-awfc the Indians, the legion is to Icour the country round, fo as to fecure the fettlements on the weft fide of the Ohio from their attacks, and thus by progrelfivc and permanent eftablilhments ward off the dangers of irregular and predatory warfare. Thisfyftem has alre^.7y produced a very important tScA:-^ the more intelligei^t Indian chiefs are fo perfefUy fenfible* that ' it is now in vain for them to contend againft a palladium, which is daily invigorated by the current of emigration, which* like a perennial plant, (hews no figns of decay, that they have promifed to punifli thofe audacious fugitives* who murdered our Commiflioners that were going to their nations for the pur* pofe of ofiering them peace ; and have alfo agreed to a ceiFation of hoftiiities while the preliminaries are fettling; fo that I have no hefitation in declaring it as my opinion, that, if the prefent meafures are purfued with wifdom and vigour* thete will be a fpeedy end to war and maflfacre in that quarter, and the whole weftem country muft then enjoy that repofe, which has fo often and fo fatally been difturbed by thft iuccudiariea both of Ca- nada and Louifiana, avenge ! ii •IP rr, ( i5<3 ) avenge the infults which tyranny or barbjlrifrfl have offered, it becomes ignominious not cheers fully to forego every gratification which is in- compatible with heroifm. It is equally ignomi- nious to put any confideration in competition with the certainty of fuccefs. I know that it has been much the ciCt With us to relax in difciplinc for fear of haraHing our men. In Indian wars it is neceflary to obfervc this rule, which infallibly leads to vidlory when the combat othcrwife is upon an equal footing-^ Never be furprifed. To prevent which, it is only neceflary to move with ftrong and aflive flanks, to keep powerful and vigilant guards, and to have your whole army under arms every morn- ing at leaft an hour before break of day ; which will effedually prevent a furprife, as the Indians never attack when their enemy is in force during the night. Move in compati: order, and though you may be haralfed in a degree, yet with an army of two thoufand men well appointed, it would be no difficult matter topafs through the whole weftern country. I hope I have not appeared too flrenuous in endeavour- '"^ir ( aSi ) endeavouring to wipe away the ftain, which our recent defeat has brought upon rhe valour of my countrymen. There has appeared a languor in the execution of our mea<" i rcfpecfling Indian affairs. Which ha$ not only brought an obloquy upon the wifdom of our councils, but has fub- jedted us to loITes that are as baneful to our po- pulation, as they are affcding to our fympathy. Many of us have caufe to mourn the lofs of fome friend or dear relation. Among the flain was a youth of the m'oft promifing hopes and fplendid talents — talents which might have prov- ed ornamental to his country, and ufeful to man- kind. 1 know you will excufe me for appropriating to the death of my young friend, with a flight al- teration, thofe beautiful lines in the Iliad with which Homer defcribes the death of Euphorbus : The •* As tlic young Olive, in fome Silvan fcene, Crown'd by frelh fountains with eternal green. Lifts the gay head, in fnowy flow'rets fair. And plays and dances to the gentle air. When lo ! a whirlwind from high heav'n invades The tender plant, and withers all its (hades } It li^s uprooted from its genial bed, A lovely i ^^1 u in IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) fe ^ ^ 1.0 1.1 1^121 125 w lU 111 : la 12.0 6" Fhotographic ^SoHices CorptBBliQD as WKT MAIN STRUT WnSTIR,N.Y. 14SM (7U)I72'4S03 ***^> 4^^^ V A lively ruin now defac'd and dead. Thus young, thus beautiful, '* brave Maffttal" lay> While the fierce ** Indian" tore his life away." The expedition condufled under the command of General Scott terminated with fuccefs. In- deed, from the firfl iettlement of Kentucky not one of our expeditions have failed. The watch- ful Indians, who are always near us, and fcarcely ever to be difcovered but in force« obferve the motions of our army, and readily determine from our vigilance whether an attack will prove hazardous to them or not. , I (hall begin my enumeration with the fouthern Indians, and proceed with thofe of the greateft proximity s taking care to comprehend in the fchedule thevarious tribes that we have any diftind knowledge of to the northward of the chain of lakes, which bounds our empire to the north, and thofe to the weft of the Midiflippi, and fouth of the Mifouri. Tribes* Where they ri^sioe. No. Cherokees In the country between the Great Bend of thtf Tena(<^ and the ridges V »T 'S?^/i*''J,i' =*' of of Tribks. Chacktaws Upper Creeks Lower Creeks Natchez Alibamons Chckafaws ( 253 ) Whxrb TRBY resioi. of hills (which are called the Allegany niountains)^ theweftem limits of Georgia, and the eaftern branches of the Mobile Between the faid Great Bend, the Miflidippi, and Natchez Bet ween the head branches oC ,the river Apala- chies, £aft Florida, the Cherokee nation, and the MiiUflippi Between the Upper Creeks and the Gutf of Mexi- co A little to the eaU c^ ;. the Natchez Between the Natchez and New Orleans Between the fouthern li- mits of Cumberland^ No. 85CO 6qo Sftponics Upon a north branch of the Sufquehanna 30 j Munfies At Diahago, upon the north branch of the Sufquehanna 120 Senecas Upon the waters of the Ohio, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and Sufque- j hanna 550 CayugJis Upon the Cayuga, and „ near the north branch of the Sufquehanna 180 Onondagoes Near Onondago 20Q p Oncidas ' 1 On the caft fide of Onei- da, and head branches of the Sufquehanna 250 Tyfcaroras Tribes. Tufcaroras Mohocks ( ^5^7 ) Where they reside. No. 'fietween the Oneidas and ^ Onandagoes 170 Upon the weftcrn branch - '^ of Mohock river 140 (The laft-mentioned fix tribes conflitute what are known by the name of the Six Nations.) Orondocs Near the three rivers 100 Abenak^es Near the three rivers 150, Little Algonkins Near the three rivers 1 00 Pouteotamies Between St. Jofeph*s and , ,.>,,' Detroit 270 Near Detroit 500 On Saguinambayoflake , , Huron , 200 Ottawas (a dif- On Saguinam bay of lake ferent tribe) Huron 150 Chippawas (fe- Near Michillimackinac, veral tribes of) fort St. Mary*^, on lake Superior, and upon the fouthern ihores of that lake 5500 Shakies Pauns bay, on lake Mi- chigan Ottawas Chippawas S 400 ^ynonamies s J'*'!?^- ■ -.,;.'*''» ' "" I. i Tribes* Mynomamics Ouifconfings Kickapous Otbgamies MafcouteAs Mifcotliins Outimacs Mufquakies Sioux ; > v:. . Where they reside; Noi Near Pauhs bay, on lake Michigan 300 Ouifconfing riVer 300 Upoh the fouthern head branches of the Millif- Rppi, and the waters of lake Michigan 30d Between the lake of the Wood and Mifliflippi 300 On lake Michigan, and between that and the MiffilTippi 400 Between lake Michigan and the Miflifllppi 34O Between lake Michigan and lake St. Clare 200 Upton the fouthern waters of lake Michigan 200 On the eaftern head • branches of the J'ifiif- iippi, and the iflands of •lake Superior jbo OttagaumicB ">•'■*>.;. i'-vj3*^..^omen, I think the circumllance does not ap. pear problematical. However, that is not our wi(h. We would gladly teach then|thc bleflings of peace; and {o far did the AfTembly of Virginia carry thisdifpo- fition, in the year 1784, that, the more effec- tually to accelerate fo dedrable rm end, they took it into coniideration to pafs an ad offering bounties to fuch men and women as would inter- marry with the Indians. But as the animofities which then exilled between them and the back fettlers had arifen to fuch a height, it was thought moft U !■ ( 266 ) moH: advifeable to poflpone it until there Hiould be a liable peace, and till the whites and the/ were reconciled ; but that never will be the cafe until we are in pofTelTion of Niagara and Detroit. Farewell. A TABLE iliould d they le cafe )etroit. ABLE APPENDIX. fp THE DISCOVERY, SETTLEMENT, AND PRESENT STATE «r K E N T U C K T: AMD AN ESSAY TOWAAOa TUB TOPOGRAPHY and NATURAL HISTORY OF THAT IMPORTANT COUNTRY t TO WHIOH II ABBISt I. The Adtsntorbs of Col. Daniel Book, one of the firft Settlen, comprehending every Important Occurrenoe in the Political Hiflory of that Province. II. The MiKVTBs of the Piankashaw Couneil, held at Po«T St. Vincents, April 15, 1784. III. An Account of the Indian Nations inhabiting within the Limits of the Thirteen United States, their Man* nen and Cuftoms, and Reflexions on their Origin. By JOHN FILSON. rVBLISHED IN THB TEAR 1784. i m ADVERTISEMENT. "IXrE the Subfcribers, inhabitants of Ken- tucky, and well acquainted with the country from its firfl fettlementj at the re- qucft of the author of this book, have care- fully revifed it, and recommend it to the Public as an exceeding good performance, containing as accurate a defcription of our country as we think can poflibly be given : much preferable to any in our knowledge extant ; and think it will be of great utility to the Public. Witnefs our hands this I2th day of May, Anno Domini 1784. r:? I DANIEL BOON, LEVI TODD, JAMES HARROD. \- -i PREFACE. The generality of tbofe geographer s^ who have aU tempted a map, or defcription of Amerifat feem either to have had no knowledge of Kentucky or to have negkSled it, although a place of infinite importance : and the reft have proceeded fo erroneoujlyt that they have left the world as much in darknefs as before. When Iviftted Kentucky , I found itfofar to exceed my eitpeffations, although great, that I concluded it was a pity, that the world had not adequate information of it. I conceived that a proper defcription of it was an objeSl highly interefting to the United States i and there* fore, incredible as it may appear to feme, I muft declare^ that this performance is not publifhed from lucrative motives f but folely to inform the world of the happy climate, and plentiful foil of this favoured region. And I imagine the reader will believe me the more eafily when I inform him, that I am not an inhabitant of Kentucky, but having been there feme time, by my acquaintance in T it. h ♦i ■ i V I \ ' 1 I 4 * I .., t ^:rf / / ( a74 ) iV, amfufficitntly able topuhli/htbe truth, and from principU, have eautioujly endeavoured to avoid every fpecies offaljebood. the confcioufnefs of this encourages me to hope for the public candour, where errors may pojjibly be found, the three gentlemen honouring this work with their recommendation. Col, Boon^ Col, Todd, and Col. Harrod, were among the firft fettlers, and per" feSily well acquainted with the country, to them I ac- knowledge myfelfmuch indebted for their friendly ajjiji- once in this work, which they cheerfully contributed, with an difinterejled view of being ftrvlceahk to tht public. My thanks are more cfpecialJy due to Co!. Boon^ who was earlier acquainted with thefubjeSl of this per-^ fermance than any ether now living^ as appears ly the account of his adventures, which lefleemed curious and interejling, and therefore have publified them from his own mouth. Much advantage may poffibly arife to the poffeffor of this hook, as thofe who wijh to travel in Ken- tuky will undoubtedly find it a Complete Guide, to fuch J ajjirm, that there is nothing mentioned or defcri- bed but what tj^ will find true. Confcious that it would be of general utility, I have omitted nothing, and been exceeding particular in every part, that it may have the dejired ejfe£li is tbefincere wifh of JOHN FILSON. % THE DISCOVERY, PURCHASE, AMD SETTLEMENT or KENTUCKT. ii !• The firll 'whiteman we have certain accounts of, who difcovered this province, was one James M'Bride, who, in company with feme others, in in the year 1754* palTrng down the Ohio in ca^ noes, landed at the mouthof Kentucky river, and there marked a tree with the firll letters of his name, and the date, which remain to this day. Thefe men reconnoitred the country, and return-* cd home with the plealing news of their dif- T a covcry % I r \- ( 276 ) covery of the bed tradl of land in North Ameti- ca, and probably in the world. From this pe- riod it remained concealed till about the year 1767, when one John Finley, and fome others, tradmg with the Indians, fortunately travelled over the fertile region, now called Kentucky, then but known to the Indians, by the name of the Dark and Bloody Ground, and fometimes the Middle Ground. This country greatly en- gaged Mr. Finley's attention. Some time after, difputes aridng between the Indians and traders, he was obliged to decamp *, and returned to his place of refidence in North Carolina, where he communicated his difcovery to Col. Daniel Boon, and a few more, who conceiving it to be an inter- efting objed, agreed in the year 1769 to under* take a journey in order to explore it. After a Ibng fatiguing march, over a mountainous wiU dernefs, in a weftward direction, they at length- arrived upon its borders i and from the top of an eminence, with joy and wonder, defcried the- beautiful landfcape of Kentucky. H^re they en- camped, and fome went to hunt provifidns, which were readily procured, there being plenty of T:: game. i i^ ^-^tf-f^i m^ mmmi»^' ( 377 ) game, while Col. Boon and John Fintey mtde a tour through the country, which they found far exceeding their expcdations, and returning to camp, informed their companions of their dif- coveries : but in fpite of thii promiling begin- ning, this company, meeting with nothing but hard(hips and adverfity, grew escceedingly difii heartened, and was plundered, difperfed, and killed by the Indians, except Col. Boon, who continued an inhabitant of the wildernefs until the year 1771, when ht returned home. About this time Kentucky had drawn the at- tention of feveral gentlemen. Dodlor Walker of Virginia, with a number more, made a tour weft- ward for difcoveries, endeavouHng to find the Ohio river; and afterwards he and General Lewid, at Fort Sunwix, purchafed from the Five Na- tions of Indians the lands laying on the north fidt of Kentucky. Col. Donaldfon, of Virginia, be- ing employed by the State to run a line from fix miles above the Long Ifland, on Holfton, to the mouth of the great Kenhaway, and finding there- by that an extenfive traft of excellent countiy would be cut off to the Indians, was folicited, by T3 the f- I ( 178 ) the inhabitants of Clinch and Holfton, to pur^ chafe the lands lying on the north i^de of Ken- tucky river from the Five Nations. This purchafc he completed for five hundred pounds, fpecie. It was then agreed, to fix a boundary line, run- ning from the Long Ifland on Holfton to the head of Kentucky river: thence down the fame to the mouth, thence up the Ohio, to the mouth of Great Kenhaway ; but this valUfible purchalc the State refufed to confirm* Richard Henderfoo, o( North-Carolina, being informed of this country by Col. Boon, he, and fome other gentlemen held a treaty with the Che- rokee Indians at Wataga, in March 1775, and then purchafed from them the lands lying on the fouth fide of Kentucky river, for goods, at valu- able rates, to the amount of fix thoufand pounds, fpecie. Soon after this purchafe, the State of Virginia took the alarm, agreed to pay the money Col. Ponaldfon had contrafted fof, ^^d (hen difputed Mr. Henderfon's right of purchafe, as a private gentlemen of another ftatc, in behalf of himfelf : Ho\yever for his eminent fervjces to this coiuir try, ( 279 ) try, and for having been inftrumcntal in making fo valuable an acquifition to Virginia, that ftate ivaspleafed to reward him with a tradl of land, at the mouth of Green River, to the amount of two hundred thoufand acres ; and the (late of North- Carolina gave him the like quantity in Powel's Valley. This region was formerly claimed by vari- ous tribes of Indians ; whofe title, if they had any, originated in fuch a manner, as to render it doubt- ful which ought to polTefs it : Hence this fertile fpot became an objedl of contention, a theatre of war, from which it was properly denominated the Bloody Grounds. Their contentions not being likely to decide the right to any particular tribe, as foon as Mr. Henderfon and his friends pro- pofed to purchafe, the Indians agreed to fell ; and notwithftanding the valuable coniideration they received, have continued ever iince troublefome neighbours to the new fettlers. SITUATION and BOUNDARIES. KENTUCKY is fituated, in its central part, near the latitude of 38° north, and 85° weft longi. T 4 tude^ it ( 280 ) tude, and lying within the fifth climate, its longeft day is 14 hours 40 minutes. It is bound- ed on the north by great Sandy-creek ; by the Ohio on the N. W. by North>Carolina on the fouth ; and by the Cumberland mountain on the caft, being upwards of 250 miles in length, and two hundred in breadth j and is at prefent divid- ed into three counties, Lincoln^ Fayette and Jef- ferfon; of which Fayette and Jefferfon are bound* cd by the Ohio, and the river Kentucky fepa- rates Fayette on its north (ide from the other two. There are at prefent eight towns laid off, and building, and more are propofcd. Louifville, at the Falls of Ohio, 4nd Beards, town, are in Jefferfon county; Harrodlburg, Danville, and Boons-burrow, in Lincoln county ; Lexington, Lees-town, and Greenville, in Fay- ette county ; the two laft being on Kentucky river. At thefe and many other places, on this and other rivers, infpefting-houfes are eftablilhed for Tobacco, which may be cultivated to great advantage, although not altogether the Aaple commodity of the country. RIVERS. s ( 281 ) RIVERS. THE beautiful river Ohio, bounds Kentucky in its whole length, being a mile and fometimes lefs in breadth, and is fufficient to carry boats of great burthen. Its general courfe is fouth 60 de- grees weft ; and in its courfe it receives numbers of large and fmall rivers, which pay tribute to its glory. The only difad vantage this fine river has, is a rapid, one mile and half long, and one mile and a quarter broad, called the Falls of Ohio. In this place the river runs over a rocky bottom, and the defcent is fo gradual, that the fall does not'probably in the whole exceed twenty feet. In fome places we may obferve it to fall a few feet. When the ftream is low, empty boats only can pafs and repafs this rapid ; their lading muft be tranfported by land ; but when high, boats of any burthen may pafs in fafety. Except- ing this place, there is not a finer river in the world for navigation by boats. Befides this, Kentucky is watered by eight fmaller rivers^ and many large and fmall creeks. Licking River heading in the mountaini with Cumbcr- 'i i %' ( 282 ) Cumberland River, and the North Branch of Kentucky runs in a N. W. dircAion for upwards of a hundred miles, colleding its lilver dreams from many branches, and is about one hundred yards broad at its jmouth. Red River* heads and interlocks with the main branch of Licking, and flows in a S. W. courfe into Kentucky River, being about fixty miles long, and iixty yards wide at its nmouth. The Kentucky River rifes, with three heads, fiom a mountainous part of the country. Its northern branch interlocks with Cumberland ; runs ha'f way in a weflern diredion, and the other half N. weftcrly. It is amazingly crooked upwards of two hundred miles in length, and about one hundred and fifty yards broad. Elkhorn is a fmall river which empties itfelf into Kentucky in a N. W. by W. courfe; is mbout fifty miles long, and fifty yards broad at the mouth. Dick's River joins the Kentucky in a N. Weft direction ; is about forty-five miles long, and/orty« five yards wide at its mouth. This river curiouf. ly ^ This river is a principal branch of the Kentucky. ( 283 ) ly heads and interlocks its branches )vith Salt River, Green River, and the waters of Rock- caftle River. — Salt River rifes at four diflferent places near each other. The windings of this river are curious, rolling its flreams round a fpacious tradt of fine land, and uniting almofb fifteen miles before they approach the Ohio, and twenty miles below the Falls. It is amazingly crooked, runs a weilern courfe near ninety miles. Green River interlocking with the heads of Dick's River, as mentioned above, is alfo amaz- ingly crooked, keeps a weilern courfe for up- wards of one hundred and fifty miles, and is about eighty yards wide at its mouth, which is about two hundred and twepty miles below the Falls. Cumberland River, interlocks with the north- ern branch of Kentucky, as aforefaid, and rol- ling round the other arms of Kentucky among the mountains, in a fouthern courfe for one hundred miles j then in a fouth weflern courfe for above oi^e hundred miles ; then in a fouth- ern and S. weftern courfe for about two hundred ;>nd fifty more, finds the Ohio, four hundred and thirtepn miles below the Falls, At the fettle- mentt; Vll II ( 284 ) ments it Is two hundred yards broad ; and at its mouth three hundred, having pafTed through North Carolina in about half its courfe. The Great Kenhaway, or New River, rifes in North Carolina, runs a northern, and N. W. courfe for upwards of four hundred miles* and linds the Ohio four hundred miles Above the Falls. It is about five hundred yards wide at its mouth. Thefe two rivers are juft mentioned, being beyond our limits. They run contrary courfcs, are exceeding large, and it is wbrth no« ticc, that Clinch, Holflein, Nolachucky, and French-Broad rivers, take their rife between thefe two, or rather wed ward of New River, fomc of them riHng and interlocking with it ; and when they meet, form what is called the Tenafee River, which runs a weftern courfe, and finds the Ohio twelve miles below Cumbeiland River. It is very large, and has fpacious trads of fine land. Thefe rivers are navigable for boats almofl to their fources, without rapids, for the greateft part of the year. This country is generally level, and abounding with limeflone, which ufually lies about fix feet deep, except in hollows, where ftreams 3 ( 285 ) (Vreams run, where we find the rock in the bottom of the channel. ^ The fprings and ftreams leflen in June, lind continue low, hindering navigation, until No- vember, when the autumnal rains foon prepare the rivers for boats, and repleniih the whole country with water ; but although the ftreams de- creafe, yet there is always fufficient for domeftic ufes. There are many fine fprings, that never fail ; every farmer has a good one at lead ; and excellent wells may ealily be dug. N A T u R E of the S O I L. THE country, in fome parts, is nearly level ; in others not fo much fo ; in others again hilly, but moderately, and in fuch places there is moft water. The levels are not like a carpet, but in« terfperfed with fmall rifings and declivities, which form a beautiful profped. A great part of the foil is amazingly fertile ; fome not fo good* and fome poor. The inhabitants diftinguifh its quality by firft, fecond, and third 'rate lands ; and i \\ / I I ! )| ■J(|lWMNI«»^ i ( 29i ) The Ohio River, the great refervoir of all the numerous rivers that flow into it from both fides, has many fine valleys along its fides ; and we obfervc that oppofite to each of them there is a hill ; thefe hills and bottoms changing fides alternately. It only remains under this head to inform the reader that there is a great body of firll rate land near the Falls, or Rapidi), called Bare-grafs ; and it will be fufHcient jud to men- tion that the country on the N. W. fide of the Ohio, is allowed by all travellers to be a mod fertile, level country, and well watered. ^ , AIR AND c LI Mate. THIS country is more temperate and healthy than the other fettled parts of America. In Summer it wants the fandy heats which Virginia and Carolina experience, and receives a fine air from its rivers. In Winter, which 'at mod only lafts three months, commonly two, and is but feldom fevere, the people are fafe in bad houfes ; and the beads have a good fupply without foddtr. V 2 The • .■■*;^ ( 292 ) The Winter begins about ChrifVmas, and ends about the firfl of March, at farthefl: does not exceed the middle of that month. Snow feldom falls deep or lies long. The weft winds often brii^g ftorms, and the eaft winds clear the iky ; but there is no fteady rule of weather in that re- fped> as in the northern ftates. The weft winds are fometimes cold and nitrous. The Ohio running in that diredlion, and there being moun. tains on that quarter, the wefterly winds by f weeping along their tops, in the cold regions of the air, and over a long traA of frozen water, colledl cold in their courfe^ and convey it over the Kentucky country ; but the weather is not fo intenfely feverc as thefe winds bring with them in Pennfylvania. The air and feafons depend ycry much on the winds, as to heat and cold, drynefs and moifture. SOIL AND PROD U CE. . THE foil of Kentucky is of a loofe, deep black mould, without fand, in the firft rate lands about ( ^9B ) About twd or three feet deep, and exceeding Iux« urious in all its produAions. In fome places the mould inclines to brown. In fome the wood, as the natural confequence of too rich a foil, is of little value, appearing like dead timber and large ftumps in a field lately cleared. Thefe parts are not oonftderable. The country in general may be conftdered as well timbered, producing large trees of many kinds, and to be exceeded by no countrjr in variety. THofe which are peculiar to Ken- tucky are the fugar.tree, which grows in all parts in great plenty, and furnifhes every family with plenty of excellent fugar. The honey-locull is curioudy furrounded with large thorny fpikes bearing broad and long pods in form of peas» has a fweet talle, and makes excellent beer. The cofFee-tree greatly refembles the black oak, grows large, and alfo bears a pod, in which is enclofed coffee. The papwa-tree does not grow to a great iize, is a foft wood, bears a fine fruit, much like a cucumber in fhape and iize, and tades fweet. The cucumber-tree is fmall and foft, with remarkable leaves, bears a fruit much refembling that from which it is named. U3 Black ( 294 ) Black mulberry- trees are in abundance. The wild cherry-tree is here frequent, of large fize, and fupplies the inhabitants with boards for all their buildings. Here alfo is the buck-eye, an ex- ceeding foft wood, bearing a remarkable black fruit, and fpme other kinds of trees not common clfe where. Here is great plenty of fine cane, on which the cattle feed, and grow fat. This plant in general grows from three to twelve feet high, of a hard fubftance, with joints at eight or ten inches diflance along the llalk, from which proceed leaves refembling thofe of the willow. There are many cane brakes fo thick and tall that it is difficult to pafs through them. Where no cane grows there is abundance of wild-rye, clover, and bufFalo-grafs, covering vaft trads of country, and affording excellent food for cattle. The fields are covered with abundance of wild herb, age not common to other countries. The Shawanefe fallad, wild lettuce, and pepper- grafs, and many more, as yet unknown to the inhabitants, but which, no doubt, have excellent virtues. Here are feen the fined crown-imperial in the world, the cardinal flower, fp much ex. tolled ( 29S ) tolled for its fcarlet colour; and all the year, excepting the Winter months, the plains and valleys are adorned with variety of flowers of the moit admirable beauty. Here is alfo found the tulip-bearing laurel-tree, or magnolia, which has an exquifite fmell, and continues to bloflbm and feed for feveral months together. This country is richefl: on the higher lands, exceeding the fineft low grounds in the fettled parts of the continent. When cultivated it pro- duces in common fifty and fixty bulhels per acre ; and I have heard it affirmed by credible perfons, that above one hundred bufliels of good corn were produced from an acre in one feafon. The firil: rate land is too rich for wheat till it has been reduced by four or five years cultivation. Col. Harrod, a gentleman of veracity in Ken- tucky, has lately experienced the ^rodudlion of fmall grain, and affirms, that he had thirty- five bulliels of wheat, and fifty bulhels of rye per acre. I think, in common, the land will produce about thirty bulhels of wheat and rye, upon a moderate computation, per acre j and this is the ' » U 4 ' general •^v:«. r \ ( 296 ) general opinion of the inhabitants. We may fuppofe that barley and oats will increafe abun- dantly; as yet they have not been fufficiently tried. The foil is very favourable to flax and hemp, turnips, potatoes, and cotton, which grow in abundance ; and the fecond, third, and fourth rate lands are as proper for fmall grain. Thefe accounts of fuch amazing fertility may, to fome, appear incredible, but are certainly true. Every huibandman may have a good garden, or mea- dow, without water or manure, where he pleafcs. The foil, which is not of a thirfty nature, is com- monly well fupplied with plentiful ftiowers. Iron ore and lead are found in abundance, but we do not hear of any filver or gold mine as yet difcovered. The weflern waters produce plenty of filh and fowl. The fifli, common to the waters of the Ohio, are the buffalo-fifh, of a large iize, and the cat-fifh, fometimes exceeding ope hundred weight. Trout have been taken in Kentucky weighing thirty weight. The mullet, rock, perch, gar-iifh, and eel, are here in plenty. Suckers, fun-fifh, and other hook-fifh, are abundant ; but no ( 297 ) no (had, or herrings. We may fuppofe with a degree of certainty, that there arfe large fub- terraneous aqueduds flored with filh, from whence fine fprings arife in many parts, produc- ing fine hook-fifti in variety. On thefc waters, and efpecially on the Ohio, the geefe and ducks are amazingly numerous. The land fowls are turkeys, which are very frequent, pheafants and partridges *. The par- roquet, a bird every way refembling a parrot, but much fmaller; the ivory-bill woodcock, of a whitifli colour, with a white plume, flies fcream- ing exceeding fharp. It is afierted, that the bill of this bird is pure ivory, a circumfiance very fingular in the plumy tribe. The great owl re- fembles its fpecies in other parts, but is remark- ably different in its vociferation, fometimes mak- ing a firange, furprifing noife, like a man in the mod extreme danger and difficulty. Serpents are not numerous, and are fuch as ar6 to be found in other parts of the continent, ex- cept the bull, the horned, and the mockafon !r * What is called a partridge by moft people in America is a quail, and what is called a pheafant is a^fpecies of groufe. fnakes* / ( 298 ) fnakes. Swamps are rare, and confequently frogs and other reptiles, common to fuch places. There are no fwarms of bees, except fuch as have been introduced by the prefcnt inhabitants. I ' QUADRUPEDS.' AMONG the native animals are the urus, or zorax *, defcribed by Cefar, which we call a buft'a- lo, much refembling a large bull, of a great fize, with a large head, thick, ihort, crooked horns> and broader in his forepart than behind. Upon his fhoulderisa large lumpofflefh, covered with a thick bofs of long wool and curly hair, of a dark brown colour. They do not rife from the ground as our cattle, but fpring up at once upon their feet ; are of a broad make, and clumfy ap- pearance, with fliort legs, but run faft, and turn not afide for any thing when chafed, except a (landing tree. They weigh from five to ten hundred weight, are excellent meat, fupplying the inhabitants in many parts with beef« and i Bifon. their ( 299 ) their hides make good leather. I have heard a hunter alTert, he faw above one thoufand buffaloes at the Blue Licks at once ; fo nume- rous were they before the firft fettlers had wan- tonly fported away their lives. There ftill re^ mains a great number in the exterior parts of the fettlement. They feed upon cane and grafs, as other cattle, and are innocent harmlefs crea- tures. ' There are ftill to be found many deer, elks, and bears, within the fettlement, and many more on the borders of it. There are alfo panthers, wild cats, and wolves. The waters have plenty of beavers, otters, minks, and mufk-rats : nor are the animal s com* mon to other parts wanting, fuch as foxes, rab- bits, fquirrels, racoons, ground-hogs, pole-cats, and opoflums. Moft of the fpecies of the do- meftic quadrupeds have been introduced fince the fettlement, fuch as horfes, cows, flieep and hogs, which are prodigioufly multiplied, fuifered to run in the woods without a keeper, and only brought home when wanted. n INHA* \ . ( 300 ) INHABITANTS. AN accurate account is kept of all the male inhabitants above the age of fixtcen, who are rated towards the expences of the government by the name oftithablesi from which^ by allowing that thofe fo enrolled amount to a fourth part of the whole inhabitants, we may tonclude that Kentucky contains, at prefent,^ upwards of thirty thoufand fouls * : fo amazingly rapid has been the fettlement in a few years. Numbers are daily arriving, and multitudes expedled this Fall; which gives a well grounded expedation that the country will be exceedingly populous in a fliort time. The inhabitants, at prefent, have not ex- traordinary good houfes, as ufual in a newly fet- tled country. ^ They are, in general, polite, humane, hofpita- ble, and very complaifant. Being collected from different parts of the continent, they have a * This eftimate, the reader will recollect, was made in 1784. diverfity ( 301 ) diverlity of manners, cudoms, and religions, which may in time perhaps be modified to one uniform. As yet united to the State of Virginia, they arc governed by her wholefome laws, which are virtuoufly executed, and with excellent de- corum. Schools for education are formed, and a college is appointed by ad of Aflembly of Vir- ginia, to be founded under the condudl of truf- tees in Kentucky, and endowed with lands for its ufe. An excellent library is likewife bellow- ed upon this feminary, by the Rev. John Todd, of Virginia. The Anabaptifts were the firft that promoted public worlhip in Kentucky; and the Prelbytc- rians have formed three large congregations near Harrod's ftation, and have engaged the Rev. David Rice, of Virginia, to be their pallor* At Lexington, 35 miles from thefe, they have form- ed another large congregation, and invited the Rev. Mr. Rankin, of Virginia, to undertake that charge among them. At prefent there are no other religious focieties formed, altho; gh feveral other fefts have numerous adherents. But from thefe early movements it is hoped that Kentucky will i t ■ 4 ( 3^2 ) will eminently fliinc in learning and piety, which will fulfil the willi of e\cry virtuous citizen. [^' CURIOSITIES. AMONGST the natural curiofities of this country, the winding banks, or rather precipices of Kentucky, and Dick's Rivers, dcfcrve the liril place. The aflonifhed eye there beholds almofl; every where three or four hundred feet of a folid perpendicular lime-ftonc rock ; in fome parts a fine white marble, either curiouHy arched, pillared, or blocked up into fine building Hones, Thefe precipices, as was obferved before, arc- like the fides of a deep trench, or canal ; the land above being level, except where creeks fet in, and crowned with fine groves of red cedar. It is only at particular places that this river can be crofTed, one of which is worthy of admiration ; a great road large enough for waggons made by the buffalo, Hoping with an eafy defcent from the top to the bottom of a very large fteep hill, at or near the river above Lees-Town. Caves ( 303 ) Caves are found in this country amazingly large j in fome of whicii you may travel feveral miles under a fine limeftone rock, fupported by curious arches and pillars : in moll of them runs a dream of water. Near the head of Salt River a fubterranean lake or large pond has lately been difcovered. Col. Bowman fays, that he and a companion tra- velled in one four hours till he luckily came to the mouth again. The fame gentleman men- tions another which operates like an air furnace, and contains much fulphur. An adventurer in any of thefe will have a perfed idea of primaeval darknefs. There appear to be great natural llores of fulphar and fait in this country. A fpring ac Boonfburrow condantly emits fulphureous par- tides, and near the fame place is a fait fpring. There is another fulphureous fpring upon Four Mile Creek, a third upon Green River, and ma- ny others in different places, abounding with that ufeful mineral. '' There are three fprings or ponds of bitumen near Green River, which do not form a ftream, but ( 304 ) butdifgorgc thcmfclvcs into a common refcrvoir, and when uTcd in lamps anfwcr all the purpofes of the fined oil. . There are different places abounding with copperas, eafily procured, and in its prefent im- pure ilate fuflicient for the ufe of the inhabitants : and when refined, equal to any in the world. There is an allum bank on the fouth fide of Cumberland River, fituated at the bottom of a cliff of rocks projecting over it. In its prefent ilate it has the appearance and poffciTes the vir- tucs of that mineral, and when purified is a beautiful alium. Many fine fait fprings conflantly emit water, which, being manufadlured, affords great quanti- ties of fine fait. At prefent there is but one, called Bullet's Lick, improved, and this aftbrds fait fu^cient for all Kentucky, and exports fome to the Illinois. Drinnons-lick, the Bigbone, and the Blue-licks, fend forth fireams of fait water. The Nob-lick, and many others, do not pro- duce water, but confid of clay mixed with fait particles : To thefe the cattle repair, and reduce high hills rather to valleys than plains. The ; V, - amazing ( 305 ) amazing herds of Buflfalo which refort thither, by their fize and number, fill the traveller with amazement and terror, efpecially when he be- holds the prodigious roads they have made from all quarters, as if leading to fome populous city^t the vaft fpace of land around thefe fprings defo- lated as if by a ravaging enemy, and hills rc^« duced to plains; for the land near. thofe fpringit are chiefly hilly. Thefe are truly curiofities, and the eye can fcarcely be fatisfied with admiring them. A medicinal fpring is found near the Great- bone Lick, which has perfedly cured the itch by once bathing ; and experience in time may dif* cover in it other virtues. There is another of like nature near Drinnon's Lick. Near Lexington are to be feen curious fepul- chres, full of human (keletons, which are thus fabricated. Firft on the ground are laid large broad ftones ; on thefe were placed the bodies, feparated from each other by broad ftones, cover- ed with others, which ferve as a bails for the next arrangement of bodies. In this order they are built, without mortar, growing ftill narrower X to ( 306 ) to the height of a man. This method of bury- ing appears to be totally different from that now pradifed by the Indians. At a fait fpring near Ohio river, very large bones are found, far fur- palTing the fize of any fpccies of animals now in America. The head appears to have been about three feet long, the ribs feven, and the thigh bones about four; one of which is repofited in the library in Philadelphia, and faid to weigh feventy-cight pounds. The tufks are above a foot in length, the grinders about five inches fquare, and eight inches long. Thefe bones have equally excited the amazement of the ignorant, and attraded the attention of the philofopher. Specimens of them have been fcnt both to France and England, Mhere they have been examined with thegreatcft diligence, and found upon com- parifon to be remains of the lame fpccies of ani- mals that produced thofe other foflil bones which have been difcovered in Tartary, Chili, and feveral other places, both of the old and new con- tinent. What animal this is, and by what means its ruins are found in regions fo widely different, and where none fuch cxills at prefent, is a quef- tion r 307 ) tion of more difficult decifion. The ignorant and fuperftitious Tartars attribute them to a creature, whom they call Maimon, who, thef fay, ufually refides at the bottom of the rivers, and of whom they relate many marvellous (lories ; but as this is an aflertion totally diverted of proof, and even of probability, it has juftly been rejedl:- cd by the learned ; and on the other hand it is certain, that no fuch amphibious quadruped ex- iils in our Anierican waters. The bones them.- ielves bear a great refemblance to thofe of the elephant. There is no other terreftrial animal now known large enough to produce them. The tulks with which they are equally furnifhed, equally produce true ivory. Thefe external rc- femblances have generally made fuperficial ob- fervers conclude, that they could belong to no other than that prince of quadrupeds; and v/hen they firft drew the attention of the world, philo- fophers feem to have fubfcribed to the fame opinion. — But if {o, whence is it that the whole fpecies has difappeared from America? An ani- mal fo laborious and fo docile, that the induftry of the Peruvians, which reduced to fervitude X 2 and 11 K ( 308 ) and fubjeded to education fpecics fo vaftly ih« ferior in thofe qualities, as the Llama and the Paca, could never have overlooked the elephant, if he had been to be found in their country. Whence is it that thcfe bones are found in cli- mates where the elephant, a native of the torrid zone, cannot even fubfift in his wild ftate, and in a Hate of fervitude will not propagate? Thefe are difficulties fufficient to dagger credulity itfelf ; and at length produced the enquiries of Dr. Hunter. That celebrated anatomiil, having pro- cured fpecimens from the Ohio, examined them ivith that accuracy for which he is fo much dif- tinguiihed. He difcovered a coniiderable dif- ference between the fhape and (Irudure of the bones, and thofe of the elephant. He obferved from the form of the teeth, that they mud have belonged to a carnivorous animal ; whereas the habits of the elephant are foreign to fuch fullen- ance, and his jaws totally unprovided with the teeth neceflary for its ufe : and from the whole he concluded, to the fatisfadion of naturalills, tlyit thefe bones belonged to a quadruped now unknown, and whofe race is probably extindt, unless 3 .^s^; ( 309 ) unlefs it may be found in the extenfive conti- nent of Niew Holland, whofe recelTes have net yet been pervaded by the curiofity or avidity of civilized man. Can then fo great a link have perifhed from the chain of nature ? Happy we that it has. How formidable an enemy to the human fpecies,an animal as large as the elephant, the tyrant of the forells, perhaps the devourer of man ! Nations, fuch as the Indians, mull have been in perpetual alarm. The animoiltics among the various tribes muft have been fufpend- ed till the common enemy, who threatened the very exigence of all, ihould be extirpated. To this circumllance we are probably indebted for a fadt, which is perhaps lingular in its kind, the cxtinAion ofa whole race of animals from the fyllem of nature. RIGHTS OF LAND. THE proprietors of the Kentucky lands ob- tain their patents from Virginia, and their rights are of three kinds, viz. Thofe which arife from X 3 military i i 310 ) military fcrvicc, from fcttlement and pre-emp- tion, or from warrants from the treafury. The military rights are held by officers, or their re- prefentatives,as a reward for fervices done in one of the two laft wars. The fettlement and pre- emption rights arife from occupation. Every man who, before March 1780, had remained in the country one year, or raifed a crop of corn, was allowed to have a fettlement of four hundred acres, and a pre emption adjoining it of one thoufand acres. Every man who had only built a cabin, or made any improvement by him- felf or others, was entitled to a pre emption of one thoufand acres where fuch improvement was made. In March 1780, the fettlement and pre-emp- tion rights ceafed, and treafury warrants were afterwards iffued, authorizing their poHefTor to locate the quantity of land mentioned in them, wherever it could be found vacant in Vir- ginia. The mode of procedure in thefe affairs may be inllruAive to the reader. After the entry is made in the land-office, there being one in each coun- ty. f 3" ) ty, the perfon making the entry takes out a copy of the location, and proceeds to furvey when he plcafcs. The plot and certificate of fuch fur- vey muft be returned to the office within three months after the furvey is made, there to be re- corded ; and a copy of the record mud be taken out in twelve months, after the return of the fur- vey, and produced to the afliftant regifl;er of the land office in Kentucky, where it muft lie fix months, that prior locators may have time and opportunity to enter a caveat, and prove their bet- ter right. If no caveat is entered in that time, the plot and certificate are fent to the land-office at Richmond, in Virginia, and three months more are allowed to have the patent returned to the owner. The validity of the right of Virginia to this cxtenfivc weftern territory has been difputed by fome, but without reafon. The weftern boundary of that ftate, by charter, reftrided by the treaty of Paris, in 1763, is fixeu upon the Ohio River. She has purchafed the foil from the Indians, has firft fettled it, and eftabliftied wholefome laws for the regulation and government of the X 4 inhabit- r 3" ) inhabitants ; and therefore we conclude, that the right of Virginia to Kentucky is as peripanent at the independence of America. ( i TRADE OP KENTUCKY. A CONVENIENT fituation for commerce is the grand hinge upon which the population, riches, and happinefs of every country greatly depend. I believe many conceive the fituation of ICentucky to be unfavourable in this refpedt. I confefs when I firfl vilited this country I was of the opinion of other mifinformed men, that the beft channel was from Philadelphia or Balti- more, by the way of Pittlburg, and from thence down the Ohio ; and upon account of the diffi* culties and expences attending this route, for which there is no remedy, that goods would ever be dear. 1 his opinion I have (ince reprobated, as the effedb of ignorance of the trade up the Mif- fiflippi from New Orleans, or Mantchac, at the river or gut Iberville. Thofe who are acquainted with America know • the ( 3IS ) the MifliiTippi and Ohio Rivers to be the key to the northern parts of the fouthern continent. Thefe are the principal channels through which that exteniive region, bathed by their waters, and enriched by the many ftreams they receive, com- municate with the fea, and may truly be con- Hdered as the great paflage made by the Hand of Nature for a variety of valuable purpofes, and principally to promote the happinefs and benefit of mankind ; amongfl which, the conveyance of the produce of that immenfe and fertile country lying wellward of the United States is not the leafl. A fhort defcription of thefe rivers, and fome others flowing into them, are objedts fub- mitted to the reader's attention, in order to form a juft idea of the favourable commercial circum- ftances of that important country. The Ohio River begins at Pittfburg, 320 miles weft of Philadelphia, being there formed by the jundlion of the Alleghany and Monangehela Ri- vers, and, running a winding courfe of S. 60° Weft, falls into the Miffiflippi 1074 miles, by the meanders of the river, below Pittft)urg. The only obftruAion to navigation on this river are the Rapids, 'J^ \''. ( 3H ) Rapids, as defcribcd before under the defcription of the Kentucky rivers ; but they arc pafled in fafety when the ftream is high. The moft remarkable branches compofing the head waters of Ohio are Red-ftone Creek, Cheat River, and Yohogania. Thcfc waters are navi- gable to a conliderablc diftance above Pittfburg, from November until June, and the Ohio a month longer; but from Great Kenhaway, vihich is one hundred and nincty-fix miles and a half below Pittfburg, the ftream is navigable moft of the year. Down this river great quantities of goods are brought, and fome are conveyed up the Kentucky rivers, others on horfeback or in waggons to the fettled part, and fold on an aver- age at one hundred pounds per cent, advance. The current of the Ohio defcends about two miles an hour in autumn, and when the waters are high, about four miles. Thofe of the Ken- tucky rivers are much the fame, and without ra- pids, and are of immenfe value to the country, affording fifh and fowl, and tranfportation of the produce of the country to the beft market. Thefe rivers increafe the Ohio more in depth than back or in ( 3'5 ) than breadth. At its mouth it is not more than one and a half mile in width, and enters the Mifliflippi in a S. W. direction with a flow cur- rent, and a fine channel. This great river, at the jundion with the Ohio, runs in a S. E. di- re(flion, and afterwards in a S. W. having been a little before joined by a greater river called MilTouri, which runs in an eaftward diredlion through Louifiana, and afterwards communicates to the MiflifTippi, its own muddy and majeftic appearance. The depth is, in common, eight or ten fathoms, until you approach its mouth, which empties itfelf by feveral channels into the Gulf of Mexico. Here the navigation is danger- ous, on account of the many iflands, fand-bars, and logs, interfperfed in its mouth, which is about twenty miles wide. This difadvantage may be remedied almofl: in the fame manner that the ftream was difconcerted. The conflidl be- tween the fea and this mighty river, which brings down with its ftream great numbers of trees, mud, leaves, &c. caufes them to fubfide and form Ihoals. One of thefe trees, ftopped by its roots or branches, will foon be joined by thou- fands ( 3i6 ) fandf more, and fo fixed, that no human force is able to remove them. In time they are con. folidated, every flood adds another layer to their height, forming iflands, which at length are covered with fhrubs, grafs, and cane, and for- cibly ihift the bed of the river. In this man. ner we fuppofe mod of the country on each fide of the Mifliflippi, below the Iberville, to have been formed, by iflands uniting to iflands, which in a fucceflion of time have greatly encroached on the fea, and produced an vcxtenfive tradl of country. If fome of the floating timber at the mouths of this river were moved into fome of the channels, numbers more would incorporate with them; and the current being impeded in thefe, the whole force of the river uniting, one important chan. iiel would forcibly be opened, and fufHciently cleared to admit of the mofl excellent naviga- tion. About ninety-nine miles above Orleans is a fort, now called Mantchac by the Spaniards; for* Hierly Forte Bute by the Englifb, who built it. Near thif is a Isige gut, formed by the Miflif- fippi, on the eaft fide, called Iberville; fome have I 3n y have dignified it with the name of River, when the Mifliflippi, its fource, is high. This is na- vigable, at mod, not above four months in the year for the firft ten miles ; for three miles further it is from two to fix feet in autumn, and from two to four fathoms the remaining part of the way to lake Maurepas, receiving in its courfe the river Amit, which is navigable for batteaux to a confiderable diftance. Lake Maurepas is about ten miles in length, and feven in breadth ; and there is a palTage of feven miles between this and Lake Pontchar- train. Lake Pontchartrain is about forty miles long, twenty-four broad, and eighteen feet deep. From this lake to the fea the channel is ten miles long, and three hundred yards wide ; and the water deep enough to admit large vlTels through thefe lakes, and their communications. This place, if attended to, might be of confequence to all the weftem country, and to the commerce of Weft-Florida: for it may reafonably be fuppof- cd, that the inhabitants and traders of the weft- cm country would iTAther trade at this place than at >■ ( 3i8 ) at New Orleans, if they could have as good re- turns for their peltry, and the produce of their foil, as it makes a conliderable difference in their voyage, and faves labour, mrney, and time. Ex- perience will doubtlefs produce confiderable im- provements, and render the navigation of the MilTiflippi, either by thefe lakes, or New Or- leans, nearly as cheap as any other. That the Mifllflippi can anfwer every valuable purpofc of trade and commerce is proved already to a dc- monftratlon by experience. I have rcafon to believe that the time is not far diftant when New Orleans will be a great trading city, and perhaps another will be built near Mantchac, at Iberville, that may in time rival its glory. A prodigious number of iHands, fome of which are of great extent, areinterfperfed in that mighty river v and the difficulty in afcending it in the fpring, when the floods are high, is compenfated by eddies or counter currents, which mofWy run in the bends near the banks of the river with nearly equal velocity againft the dream, and aflift the afcending boats. This river is rapid in thofe parts ( 319 ) parts which have cluftcrs of iflands, flioals, and fand hanks ; but the rapidity of thcfe placer, will be no inconvenience to the ne vly invented me- chanical boats*, it being their peculiar property to fail bcfl in fmart currents. From new Orleans to the Falls of Ohio> l.i- teaux, carrying about 40 tons, have ^e^n rowed by eighteen or twenty men in eight » t u. weeks, which, at the extent, will not amount to more than five hundred pounds expcnce, which expe- rience has proved to be about one-iaird of that from Philadelphia. It is highly probable that in time the diftance will be exceedingly fliortened by cutting acrofs bends of the river. Charlevoix relates, that ;u' Coupee or Cut-point, the river formerly made a great turn, and fome Canadians, by dcepciungthe channel ofafmall • This plan is now in agitation in Virginia, and reconi> mended to government by two gentlemen of firft rate abilities, Mr. Charles Rumfey and Dr. James M'Macken. Their pro- pofals arc, ♦* to conftruft a fpecies of boat, of the burtlien of ten tons, that ihall fail, or be propelled by the force of me- chanical powers thereto applied, up the dream of a frefli water river the diftance of between 25 and 40 miles a day, notwith- Handing the velocity of the water fliould move at the rate of ten miles an hour, to be wrought at no greater expcnce than that of three hands." brook. r ( 320 ) brook, diverted the waters of the river into it. The impetuofity of the ftream was fo violent, and the foil of fo rich and loofe a quality, that in a fhort time the point was entirely cut through, and the old channel left dry, except in inunda- tions, by which travellers fave 14 leagues of their voyage. The new channel has been founded with a line of thirty fathoms without finding bottom. When the diftance is (hortcned, which I believe may readily be done, and the mechani- cal boats brought to their highell improvement, the cxpences of a voyage from New Orleans to the Falls of Ohio will be attended with incon« liderable expence. Now we know by experience that forty tons of goods cannot be taken to the Falls of Ohio from Philadelphia under iixteen hundred pounds expence ; but by improvements on the MiHiflippi, with the conveniences of thefe boats, goods can be brought from New Orleans to the Falls for the tenth part of that expence ; and if they are fold at one hundred pounds per cent, now, when brought from Philadelphia at expences fo great, what may the merchant afford to fell his goods at> who brings them fo much cheaper ? ( 3a« ) cheaper? Befidci, the great advantageg arifing from the exporting of peltry, and country pro- duce, which never can be conveyed to the eaftern ports to any advantage. It is evident alfo that the market from which they receive imports, mud confequently receive their exports, which is the only return they can poHibly make. By Hating the commerce of Kentucky in its proper terms, we find the cxpences fuch, that wc conclude with propriety? that that country will be fupplied with goods as cheap as if iituated but forty miles from Philadelphia. But perhaps it will be replied. New Orleans is in the poiTeflion of the Spaniards, who whenever they pleafe, may make ufe pf that fort, and fome others they have on the Miiliilippi, to prevent the navigation, and ruin the trade. The pafTage through Iberville is alfo fubjedl to the Spaniards, and, bciides, inconvenient ; that ftream continu- ing fo Ihort a timCi «nd in the moll difadvantage,^ ous feafon. I grant it will be abfurd to expeA a free navi. gation of the Miflidippi whilft the Spaniards are in pofTeinoii of New Orleans. To fuppofe it, is Y an r [h; ill ( 322 ) an idea calculated to impofe only upon the weak. They may perhaps trade with us upon their own terms, while they think it conliftent with their intercft*, but no friendfhipin trade exifts when in- tereft expires ; therefore, when the weftern coun- try becomes populous and ripe for trade, found policy tells us the Floridas mud be ours too. Ac- cording to the articles of the Definitive Treaty, we are to have a free and unmoleded navigation of the Mifliflippi ; but experience teaches man- kind that treaties are not always to be depended upon, the mod folemn being broken. Hence we learn that no one fhould put much faith in any flate ; and the trade and commerce of the Mifliflippi River cannot be fo well fecured in any other pofTefllon as our own. Although the Iberville only admits of alhort and inconvenient navigation, yet if a commercial town were built there, it would be the center of the weftern trade ; and a land carriage of ten or twelve miles would be counted no difadvantage • Article 8th of the late Definitive Treaty, fayi, The navigation of the Mifliflippi River from its fource to the ocean, Ihall for ever remain free and open to the fubjedls of Grpat- Britain and the citizens of the United States. to ' V laty, fayi, The •cc to the ocean, jjefts of Grpat- r r 323 ) to the merchant. Nay, I doubt not, that in time a canal will be broke through the gut of Iberville^ vrhkh may divert the water of Miiliflippi that way, and render it a place of the greateft confc- quence in America; but this important period is referved fgr futurity. Ya THE t- »,- ■ - j;s'-.' ■ '.=,^..-*il^l..-« ( 3H ) THB ADVENTURES OF COLONEL DANIEL BOON, FORMERLY A HUNTER -, Containing a Narrative of the Wars of Kentucky. Curiosity is natural to thefoul of man and interefling objeAs have a powerful influence on our affe<5lions. Let thefe influencing powers aAuate, by the permiiBon or difpofal of Provi- dence, from felflih or focial views, yet in time the myflerious will of Heaven is unfolded, and ive behold our conduft, from whatfoever motives excited, operating to anfwer the important defigns of heaven. Thus we behold Kentucky, lately an howling wildcrnefs, the habitation of favages and wild beads, become a fruitful field ; this region, fo favourably diftinguifhed by nature, now become the habitation of civilization, at a period unparalleled in hiflory, in the midfl of a raging war, and under all the difadvantages of emigration to a country fo remote from the inhabited .V. ( 3*5 ) inhabited parts of the continent. Here, where the hand of violence (hed the blood of the inno- cent ; Avhere the horrid yells of favages, and the groans of the deftrelTed, founded in our ean, we now hear the praifes and adorations of our Creator ; where wretched wigwams Hood, the mi* ferable abodes of favages, we behold the founda* tions of cities laid, that, in all probability, will equal the glory of the greatell upon earth. And we view Kentucky iituated on the fertile bankf of the great Ohio, rifing from obfcurity to (hine with fplendor, equal to any other of the ilars of jhe American bemifphere* The fettling of this region well deferves a place in hiftory. Moil of the memorable events I have myfelf been exercifed ins and, for the fa* tisfadtion of the public, will briefly relate the circumftances of my adventures, and fcenes of life, from my nrft movement to chi« country un* til this day* It was on the firit of May, in the year 1769, that I reiigned mydomellic happinefs for a time» and left my family and peaceable habitation on the Yadkin River, in North Carolina, to wan- Y3 dipr '■(, If i ( 3»6 ) der through the wildernefs of America^ in quell of the country of Kentucky, in company with John Finley, John Stewart, Jofeph Holden, James Monay, and William Cool. We proceeded fuc- cefsfully, and after a long and fatiguing journey through a mountainous wildernefs, in a we(l« ward direflion, on the fcventh day of June fol- lowing we found ourfelves on Red-River, where John Finley had formerly been trading with the Indians, and, from the top of an eminence, faw with pleafure the beautiful level of Kentucky. Here let me obferve, that for fome time we had experienced the moll uncomfortable weather as a prelibation of our future fuflferings. At this place we encamped, and made a Ihelter to defend us from the inclement feafon, and began to hunt and reconnoitre the country. We found every where abundance of wild bealls of all forts, through this vaft foreft. The buffalo were more frequent than I have feen cattle in the fettlements, browzing on the leaves of the cane, or cropping the herbage on thofe extenfive plains, fearlcfs, becaufe ignorant, of the violence of man. Some- times we faw hundreds in a drove, and the num- bers ( 3^7 ) bers about the fait fprings were amazing. In this foreft, the habitation of beads of every kind natural to America, we pradlifed hunting with great fuccefs, until the twenty-fecond day of December following. This day John Stewart and I had a pleaiing ramble, but fortune changed the fcene in the clofe of it. We had pafTed through a great fa- reft, on which flood myriads of trees, fome gay with blollbms, others rich with fruits. Nature was here a feries of wonders, and a fund of de« light. Here (he difplayed her ingenuity and in* duflry in a variety of flowers and fruits, beauti- fully coloured, elegantly fhaped, and charmingly flavoured ; and we were diverted with innumer* able animals prefenting themfelves perpetually to our view. — In the decline of the day, near Kentucky river, as we afcended the brow of a fmall hill, a number of Indians rulhed out of a thick cane>brake upon us, and made us prifon- crs. The time of our forrow was now arrived, and the fcene fully opened. The Indians plundered us of what we had, and kept us in confinement feven days, treating us with common favage ufage. During this time we difcovered no uneaiinefs or Y 4 delire ( 32> ) defire to efcape, which made them lefs fufpicious of us ; but in the detd of night, as we lay in a thick cane-brake by a large fire, when fleep had locked up their fcnfes, my (ituation not difpoling me for red, I touched my companion, and gently awoke him. We improved this favourable op- portunity, and departed, leaving them to take their refl, and fpeedily direfled our courfe to- wards our old camp, but found it plundered, and the company difperfed and gone home. About this time my brother. Squire Boon, with another adventurer, who came to explore the country Ihortly after us, was wandering through the forcft, determined to find me if poilible, and acci« dentally found our camp. Notwithftanding th6v unfortunate circumdances of our company, and our dangerous iituation,asfurroundcd with hoftile favages, our meeting fo fortunately in the wilder* nefs made us reciprocally feniible of the utmofl fatis£i£^ion. So much does friendlhip triumph over misfortune, that forrows and fuf!erings va- nifh at the meeting not only of real friends, but of the moft diftant acquaintances, and fubftitute happineTs in their room. Soon ( 3^9 ) Soon after this, my companion in captivity, John Stewart, was killed by the favagcs, and the man that came with my brother returned home by himfelf. We were then in a dangerous, help- lefs iituation, expofed daily to perils and death amongft favages and wild beads, not a white man in the country but ourfclves. Thus lituated, many hundred miles from our families in the howling wildernefs, I believe few would have equally enjoyed the happinefs we ex* perienced. I often obferved to my brother. You fee now how little nature requires to be facisfied. Felicity, the companion of content, is rather found in our own br^'ads than in the enjoyment of external things : and I firmly believe it fe« quires but a little philofophy to make a man happy in whatfoever (late he is. This confifl/i in a fuU refignation to the will of Providence | and a refigned foul finds pleafure in a path ftrew-* ed with briars and thorns. We continued not in a (late of indolence, but hunted ^ery day, and prepared a little cottage CO defend us from the winter ftorms. We re- mained there undifhirbed during the winter } und j) „ 'ii ( 330 ) and on the fi«fl; day of May, 1770, my brother returned home to the fettlement by himfelf, for a new recruit of horfes and ammunition, leav- ing me by myfelf, without bread, fait or fugar, without company of my fellow creatures, or even a horfe or dog. I confefs I never before was under greater neceflity of exercifing philofophy and fortitude. A few days I palfed uncomfort- ably. The idea of a beloved wife aod family, and their anxiety upon the account of my abfence and expofed iituation, made fenfible impreflions en my heart. A thoufand dreadful apprehen- Aons prefented themfelves to my view, and had undoubtedly difpofed me to melancholy, if further indulged. . One day I undertook a tour through the coun. try, and the diverfity and beauties of nature I met with in this charming feafun, expelled ever ' gloomy and vexatious thought. Jull at the cloie of day the gentle gales retired, and left the place to the difpofal of a profound calm. Not a breeze (hook the moil tremulous leaf. I had gained the fummit of a commanding ridge, and, looking round with aftonilhing delight, beheld the ample plains, the beauteous trads below. On the other hand. ( 33» ) hand, I furveyed the famous river Ohio that rolled in filent dignity, marking the weftern boundary of Kentucky with inconceivable grandeur. At a vaft diftance I beheld the mountains lift their venerable brows, and penetrate the clouds. All things were ftill. I kindled a fire near a foun- tain of fweet water, and feafted on the loin of a buck, which a few hours before I had killed. The fulien (hades of night foon overfpread the whole hemifphere, and the earth Teemed to gafp after the hovering moidure. My roving excur- iion this day had fatigued my body, and diverted my imagination. I laid me down to fleep, and I awoke not until the fun had chafed away the night. I continued this tour, and in a few days explored a confiderable part of the country, each day equally pleafed as the fird. I returned again to my old camp, which was not difturbed in my abfence. I did not confine my lodging to it, but often repofed in thick cane-brakes, to avoid the favages, who, I believe, often vifited my camp, but fortunately for me, in my abfence. In this iituation I was confiantly expofed to danger and death, flow unhappy fuch a fituation for a man tormented with fear^ which is vain if no danger comes. II ( 33* ) comei, and if it does, only augments the pain. It was my happinefs to be deflitutc of this afflid- ing paHion, with which I had the gieatefl reafon to be affedled. The prowling wolves diverted my nodlurnal hours with perpetual howlingi; and the various fpecies of animals in this vaft foreH, in the day time, were continually in my view. Thus I was furrounded with plenty in the midft of want. I was happy in the midft of dan- gers and inconveniences. In fuch a diverfity it was impofTible I (hould be difpofed to melan- choly. No populous city, with all the varieties of commerce and (lately ftrudlures, could afford Co much pleafure to my mind, at the beauties of nature I found here. Thus, through an uninterrupted fcene of fyivao pleafures, I fpent the time until the 27th day of July following, when my brother, to my great felicity, met me, according to appointment, at our old camp. Shortly after, we left thia place, not thinking it fafe to (lay there longer, and pro- ceeded to Cumberland River, reconnoitring that part of the country until March, 1771, and giving names to the different waters. Soon ( 333 ) Soon after, I returned home to my family, with a determination to bring them as foon as poflible to live in Kentucky, which I elYeemed a fecond paradife, at the rifk of my life and for- tune. I returned fafe to my old habitation, and found my family in happy circumftances. I fold my farm on the Yadkin, and what goods we could not carry with us ; and on the twenty-fifth day of September, 1 773, bade a farewell to our friends, and proceeded on our journey to Kentucky, in company with five families more, and forty men that joined us in Powel's Valley, which is one hundred and fifty miles from the now fettled parts or Kentucky. This promifing beginning was foon overcaft with a cloud of adverfity; for upon the tenth day of Odobcr, the rear of our company was attacked by a number of Indians, who killed fix, and wounded one man. Of thefe my eldeft fon was one that fell in the adiion. Though we defended ourfelves, and repulfed the enemy, yet this unhappy affair fcattered our cat- tle, brought us into extreme difficulty, and fo difcouraged the whole company, that we retreat- ed ■J^i nn g Hfj i ^ ( 334 ) ed forty miles, to the fettlemcnt on Clinch river. We had pafled over two mountains, viz. Powel's and Walden's, and were approaching Cumber- land mountain when this adverfe fortune over- took us. Thefe mountains are in the w' : lernefs, as we pafs from the old fectlements in Virginia to Kentucky, are ranged in a S. W. and N. E. diredlion, are of a great length and breadth, and not far didant from each other. Over thefe, na- ture hath formed pafTes that are lefs difficult than might be expedled from a view of fuch huge piles. The afped of thefe cliffs is fo wild and horrid, that it is impoflible to behold them with- out terror. The fpedlator is apt to imagine that nature had formerly fuffered fome violent con- vullion 5 and that thefe are the difmembered re- mains of the dreadful (hock ; the ruins> not of Perfepolis or Palmyra, but of the world ! I remained with my family on Clinch until the (ixth of June, 1774, when I and one Michael Stoner were folicited by Governor Dunmore of Virginia, to go to the Falls of the Ohio, to con- dud into the fettlement a number of furveyors that had been fent thither by him fome months before ; ( S3S ) before; this country having about this time drawn the attention of many adventurers. Wc immediately complied with the Governor's re- qucfl:, and condu6led in the furveyors, compleat- ing a tour of eight hundred miles, through many difficulties, in fixty-two days. Soon after 1 returned home, I was ordered to take the command of three garrifons during the campaign, which Governor Dunmore carried on againd the Shawanefe Indians : after the conclu- fion of which, the militia was difcharged from each garrifon, and I being relieved from my poiV, was folicited by a number of North-Ca- rolina gentlemen, that were about purchaiing the lands laying on the S. (ide of Kentucky River, from the Cherokee Indians, to attend their trea- ty at Wataga, in March 1775, to negociate with them, and mention the boundaries of the purchafe. This I accepted ; and at the requeft of the fame gentlemen, undertook to mark out a road in the beft paiTage from the fettlement through the wildernefs to Kentucky, with fuch afliftance as I thought neceflary to employ for fuch an important undertaking. I foon 4 III :r I* I ( 336 ) I foon began this work, having coIle(flcd a num- ber of cnterprifing men, well armed. We pro- ceeded with all poiTible expedition until we csunc ivithin fifteen miles of where Boonlborough now /lands, and where we were fired upon by a party of Indians that killed two, and wounded two of our number ; yet, although furprifed and ta- ken at a difadvantage, we ftood our ground. This was on the twentieth of March, 1775. Three days after, we were fired upon again, and had two men killed, and three wounded. After- wards we proceeded on to Kentucky River with- out oppofition ; and on the firfl day of April be- gan to crc^k. the fore of Boonlborough at a fait lick^ about fixty yards from the river, on the S. fide. On the fourth day, the Indians killed one of our men.— Wc were bufily employed in building this fort, until the fourteenth day of June follow, ing, without any farther oppofition from the In- dians; and having finilhed the works, I returned to my family, on Clinch. In a Ihort time, I proceeded to remove my family from Clinch to this garrifon : where we arrived \ ( 337 ) arrived fafe without any other difficulties than fuch as are common to this paffage, my wife and daughter being the firfl: white women that ever flood on the banks of Kentucky River. On the twenty-fourth day of December fol- lowing, we had one man killed, and one wounded, by the Indians, who feemed determined to per- fecute us for ereding this fortification. On the fourteenth day of July 1776, two of Col. Calaway's daughters, and one of mine, were taken prifoners near the fort. I immediately purfued the Indians, with only eight men, and on the lixteenth overtook them, killed two of the party, and recovered the girls. The fame day on which this attempt was made, the Indians divided themfelves into different parties, and at- tacked feveral forts, whrch were fhortly before this time ereded, doing a great deal of mifchief. This was extremely dillreffing to the newfettlers. The innocent hufbandman was Ihot down, while bufy in cultivating the foil for his family's fup- ply. Mod of the cattle around the ftations were deftroyed. They continued their hoftilities in this Z ' manner ( 338 ) manner until the fifteenth of Apnl 1777, when they attacked Boonfborough with a party of above one hundred in number, killed one man, and wounded four. — Their lofsin this attack was not certainly known to us. On the fourth day of July following, a party of about two hundred Indians attacked Boonf- borough, killed one man, and wounded two. They befiegedus forty-eight hours ; during which time Cc\Qn of them were killed, and, at laft, find- ing themfelves not likely to prevail, 'they raifcd the liege, and departed. The Indians haddifpofcd their warriors in dif- ferent parties at this time, and attacked the dif- ferent garrifons to prevent their afllfting each other, and did much injury to the diftrelTcd in- habitants. On the nineteenth day of this month, Col. Lo- gan's fort was befiegcd by a party of about two hundred Indians. During this dreadful ficgc they did a great deal of mifchief, diftrefled the garrifon, in which were only fifteen men, killed two, and wounded one. The enemy's lofs was uncertain,, © ( 339 ) uncertain, from the common prafticc which the Indians have of carrying off their dead in time of battle. Col. Harrod's fort was then defended by only fixty-five men, and Boonfborough by twenty-two, there being no more forts or white men in the country, except at the Falls, a con- fidcrable diftancefrom thefe; and all taken col- letflivcly, were but a handful to the numerous warriors that were every where difperfed through the country, intent upon doing all the mifchief that favage barbarity could invent. Thus we palTed through a fcene of fuffcrings that exceeds defcription. On the twenty-fifth of this month, a reinforce- ment of forty-five men arrived from North Ca- rolina, and about the twentieth of Auguft fol- lowing. Col. Bowman arrived with one hundred men from Virginia. Now we began to ftrengthen, and from hence, for the fpace of fix weeks, we had fkirmifhes with Indians, in one quarter or other, almoft every day. The favages now learned the fuperiority of the Long Knife, as they call the Virginians, Z2 by -j^'TV— T»l— iT^ ( 340 ) by experience; being oiit-gencrallcd in almofl every battle. Our affairs began to wear a new afped, and the enemy, not daring to venture on open war, pra6lif:d fecret mifchief at times. On the firil day of January 1778, I went with a party of thirty men to the Blue Licks, on I icking River, to make fait for the different gardfons in the country. On the 7th day of February, as I was hunt- ing to procure meat for the company, I met with a party of one hundred and two Indians, and two Frenchmen, on their march againft Boonfborough, that place being particularly the objedl of the enemy. They purfued, and took me ; and brought me on the eighth day to the Licks, where twenfy- i'even of my party m ere, three of thcin having previouily returned home with the fait. I, know- ing it was impoffible for them to efcapc, capitu- lated with the enemy, and, at a diftance in their view, gave notice to my men of their fituation, ■with orders not to refift, but furrender them- felves captives. The \ as hunt- , I met Indians, I againft ilarly the )ught me twenty- 1 having I, know- , capitu- e in their fituation, er them- The ( 341 ) The generous ufage the Indians had promifcd before in my capitulation, was afterwards fully complied with, and we proceeded with them as prifoners to old Chclicothe, the principal Indian town on Little Miami, where we arrived, after an uncomfortable journey in very fevcre weather, on the eighteenth day of February, and received as good treatment as prifoners could exped; from favages. — On the tenth day of March following, I and ten of my men were conducfled by forty Indians to Detroit, v/herc we arrived the thirtieth day, and were treated by Governor Hamilton, the Britifh commander at that pofl:, with great humanity. During our travels, the Indians entertained me well; and their affedlion forme was fo great, that they utterly refufed to leave me there with the others, although the Governor offered them one hundred pounds fterling for me, on purpofe to give me a parole to go home. Several Eng- lifti gentlemen there, being fenfible of my ad- verfe fortune, and touched with human fympathy, gcneroufly offered a friendly fupply for my wants, which I refufed, with many thanks for their kind- Z 3 nefs; i ( .i iai- !m3«^SSiiBiraw-"W-^^. ( 342 ) ncfs ; adJing, that I never cxpeflcd it would be in my power to iccompenfc fuch unmerited gc- neroiity. The Indians left my men in captivity with the Britifli at Detroit, and on the tenth day of April brought me towards Old Chclicothe,"where we arrived on the twenty-fifth day of the fame month. This was a long and fatiguing march, through an exceeding fertile country, remarkable for fine fprings and dreams of water. At Che- licothe I fpent my time as comfortaby as I could cxpefl; was adoptf'd, according to their cuftom, into a family, where I became a fon, and had a great fliare in the afFeClion of my new parents> brothers, fifters, and friends. I was exceedingly familiar and friendly wi':h them, always appear- ing as chearful and fatisficd as poiHble, and they put great confidence in me. I often went a hunt- ing with them, and frequently gained their ap- plaufe for my aflivity at our fliooting -matches. I was careful not to exceed many of them in fiiooting; for no people arc more envious than they in this fport. I could obfcrvc, in their coun- tenances and geilures, the grcatcll cxprclTions of joy ''T^M't * ( 343 ) joy when they exeedcd mc ; and, when the rc- vcrfe happened, of envy. The Shawanefe king took great notice of mc, and treated me with profound rcfpedl, and entire friend Ihip, often cn- trufting mc to hunt at my liberty. I frequently returned with the fpoils of the woods, and as often prefented fome of what I had taken to him, expreflive of duty to my fovereign. My food and lodging were in common with them ; not fo good indeed as I could defire, but neceflity made every thing acceptable. I now began to meditate an cfcape, and care- fully avoided their fufpicions, continuing with them at Old Chelicothe until the firft day of June following, and then was taken by them to the fait fprings on Sciota, and kept there, mak- ing fait, ten days. During this time I hunted fome for them, and found the land, for a great extent about this river, to exceed the foil of Kentucky, if pofTiblc, and remarkably well wa- tered. When I returned to Chelicothe, alarmed to fee four hundred and fifty Indians, of their choicefl warriors, painted and armed in a fearful man- Z 4 nei, •4*8 ,h [\\ I! I i:, I '-V. 'I ■' ( 344 ) ncr, ready to march againft Boonlborough, I determined to cfcape the firH: opportunity. On the fixtcenth, bcibrc fun-rife, I departed in the mofl: fecret manner, and arrived at Boonf- borough on the twentieth, after a journey of one hundred and fixty miles j during which, I had but one meal. I found our fortrefs in a bad ftate of defence } but we proceeded immediately to repair our flanks, flrengthen our gates and pofterns, and form double baftions, which we completed in ten days. In this time we daily expedcd the arrival of the Indian army ; and at length, one of my fellow prifoners, efcaping from them, arrived, informing us that the enemy had, on account of my departure, poflponed their expedition three weeks. — The Indians had fpies out viewing our movements, and were greatly alarmed with our increafe in number and fortifications. The Grand Councils of the nations were held frequently, and with more deliberation than ufual. They evi- dently faw the approaching hour when the Long Knife would difpofTefs them of their d^firable ha- bitations J and, anxioufly concerned for futurity, determined ( 345 ) determined utterly to extirpate the wliites out of Kentucky. Wc were not intimidated by their movements, bur f'-^quently gave them proofs of our courage. About the firll of Augnd, I made an incur- fion into the Indian coUiitry, with a party of nineteen men, in order to furprifc a fmall town up Sciota, called Paint- Creek-Town. We ad- vanced within four miles thereof, where we met a party of thirty Indians on their march againfl: Boonfborough, intending to join the others from Chelicothc. A fmart fight enfued betwixt us for fome time : at length the favages gave way, and fled. We had no lofs on our fide : the enemy had one killed, and two wounded. We took from them three horfes, and all their baggage ; and being informed, by two of our number that went to their town, that the Indians had entirely evacuated it, we proceeded no further, and re- turned with all pofTiblc expedition to aflift our garrifon againfl: the other party. We pafled by them on the fixth day, and on the feventh, wc arrived fafc at Boonfborough. Qn the eighth, the Indian army arrived, being four IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 125 £ |£ 12.0 u M 1 ' ^ ^ 6" ^ » FhotogFaphic Sdmces CarparatiQQ 23 WIST MaM STMIT WltSTIR,N.Y. 14SM (716)«7:!-4S03 ^^^ ^^» ^P> ^ ^ ' 4^^ '>>* ( 346 ) four hundred and forty-four in number, com-i mandcd by Capt. Duquefne, eleven other French- men, and fome of their own chiefs, and march- ed up within view of our fort, with Britilh and French colours flying ; and having lent a fum- mons to me, in his Britaniiicic Majclty's name, to furrender the fort, I rcquellcd two days confi- deration, which was granted. It was now a critical period with us. — We were a fmall number in tbeg.irrifon : — a powerful army before our walls, whofe appearance proclaimed inevitable death, fearfully painted, and mark- ing their footfteps with defolation. Death was preferable to captivity ; and if taken by ftorm, we muft inevitably be devoted to deftrudlion. In this fituation we concluded to maintain our garrifon, if poflible. We immediately proceeded to colled what we could of our horfes, and other cattle, and bring them through the pofterns into the fort : and in the evening of the ninth, I re- turned anfwer, that we were determined to de- fend our fort while a man was living. — * Now,* faid I to their cominandcr, who flood attentively hearing my fcntimcnts, • Wc laugh at all your formidable ( 347 ) formidable preparations : but thank you forgiv- ing us notice and time to provide for our defence. Your efforts will not prevail ; for our gates (hall for ever deny you admittance.* — Whether this anfwer affedted their courage, or not, I cannot tell ; but, contrary to our expedations, they formed a fchcme to deceive us, declaring it was their orders, from Governor Hamilton, to take us captives, and not to deftroy us ; but if nine of us would come out, and treat with them, they would immediately withdraw their forces from our walls, and return home peaceably. This founded grateful in our ears j and we agreed to the propofal. We held the treaty within fixty yards of the garrifon, on purpofe to divert them from a breach of honour, as we could not avoid fufpicions of the favages. In this fituation the articles were formally agreed to, and figned ; and the Indians told us it was cuftomary with them, on fuch oc- cafions, for two Indians to fliake hands with every white man in the treaty, as an evidence of entire fricndfhip. We agreed to this alfo, but were foon convinced their policy was to take us prlfoners.— il V f 348 ) prifoners. — They immediately grappled us ; but, although furrounded by hundreds of favages, we extricated ourfclves from them, and efcaped all fafe into the garrifon, except one that wai wounded, through a heavy fire from their army. They immediately attacked us on every iide, and a conftant heavy fire enfued between us, day and night, for the fpace of nine days. In this time the enemy began to undermine our fort, which was fituatcd llxty yards from Kentucky River. They began at the water-mark, and proceeded in the bank fome diftancc, which we underftood by their making the water muddy with the clay ; and we immediately proceeded to difappoint their defign, by cutting a trench acrofs their fubterranean paflagc. The enemy difcover- ing our counter-mine, by the clay we threw out of the fort, defifted from that ftratagem : and ex- perience now fully convincing them that neither their power nor policy could cffedl their puropfc, on the twentieth day of Auguft they raifed the ficgc, and departed. During this fiege, which threatened death in every form, wc had two men killed, and four wounded. ( 349 ) wounded, befidcs a number of cattle. We killed of the enemy thirty-feven, and wounded a great number. After they were gone, we picked up one hundred and twenty-five pounds weight of bullets, befides what ftuck in the logs of our fort; which certainly is a great proof of their in- duftry. Soon after this, I went into the fettle- ment, and nothing worthy of a place in this account pafled in my affairs for fome time. During my abfence from Kentucky Col. Bow- man carried on an expedition againft the Shawanefe, at Old Chelicothe, with one hundred and fixty men, in July 1779. Here they arrived undifcovercd, and a battle enfued, which lafted until ten o'clock, A. M. when Col. Bowman, finding he could not fucceed at this time, retreated about thirty miles. The Indians, in the mean time, colleding all their forces, purfued and overtook him, when a fmart fight continued near two hours, not to the advantage of Col. Bowman's party. Col. Harrod propofed to mount a number of horfc, and furioufly to rufh upon the favages^ who at this time fought with remarkable fury. This ( 3SO ) This dcfperate ftcp had a happy cfledl, broke their line of battle, and the favages fled on all fides. In thefc two battles we had nine killed, and one wounded. The enemy's lofs uncertain, only two fcalps being taken. On the twenty-fccond day of June 1780, a large party of Indians and Canadians, about fix hundred in number, commanded by Col, Bird, attacked Riddle's and Martin's ftations, at the Forks of Licking River, with fix pieces of ar- tillery. They carried this expedition fo fecretly, that the unwary inhabitats did notdifcover them, until they fired upon the forts j and, not being prepared to oppofe them, were obliged to furren- dcr thcmfclves mifcrable captives to barbarous favages, who immediately after tomahawked one man and two women, and loaded all the others with heavy baggage, forcing them along toward their towns, able or unable to march. Such as were weak and faint by the way, they tomahawked. The tender women, and helplefs children, fell viflims to their cruelty. This, and the favage treatment they received afterwards, is fliocking to humanity, and too barbarous to relate. The ( 351 ) The hoflilc difpofitibn of the favages, and their allies, caufed General Clark, the com- mandant at the Falls of the Ohio, immediately to begin an expedition with his own regiment, and the armed force of the country, againfl: Pecaway, the principal town of the Shawanefe, on a branch of Great Miami, which he finifhed with great fucccfs, took feventecn fcalps, and burnt the town to afhes, with the lofs of feven- teen men. About this time I returned to Kentucky with my family ; and here, to avoid an enquiry into my condud, the reader being before informed of my bringing my family to Kentucky, I am under the neceflity of informing him that, during my captivity with the Indians, my wife, who de- fpaired of ever feeing me again, expeding the In- dians had put a period to my life, opprefled with the diftrefles of the country, and bereaved of me, her only happinefs, had, before I returned, tranf- ported my family and goods, on horfes, through the wildernefs, amidft a multitude of dangers, to her father's houie in North Carolina. Shortly after the troubles at Boonlborough, I went t ■■■" ( 352 ) went to tticm, and lived peaceably there until this time. The hiftory of my going home, and returning with my family, forms a fcrics of difii- culties, an account of which would fwcll a volume, and being foreign to my purpofe, I fliall purpofely omit them. I fettled my family in Boonfboroiigh once more; and fliortly after, on the iixth day of Odlober 1780, I went in company with my brother to the Blue Licks j and, on our return home, we were fired upon by a party of Indians. They fliot him, and purfued me, by the fcent of their dog, three miles ; but I killed the dog, and efcaped. The winter foon came on, and was very fevere, which confined the Indians to their wigwams. The feverity of this winter caufed great diffi- culties in Kentucky. The enemy had deftroyed moft of the corn the fummer before. This neceflary article was fcarce, and dear ; and the inhabitants lived chiefly on the flefli of buffalo. The circumflances of many were very lament- able : however, being a hardy race of people, and accuftomed to difficulties and neceffities, they were iV '?*.• ■* ^- ( 3S3 ) Vvcrc wonderfully fupported through all their fufferings, until the enfuing autumn, when we J-eccived abundance from the fertile foil. Towards Spring, we were frequently haraflcd by Indians; and, in May, 178a, a party aflaulted Afhton's flation, killed one man, and took a Negro prifoner. Capt. Afliton, with twenty- iive men, purfucd, and overtook the favages, and a fmart fight enfued, which lafled two hours; but they being fuperior in number, obliged Captain Aftiton's party to retreat, with the lofs of eight killed, and four mortally wounded ; their brave commander himfelf being numbered among the dead» The Indians continued their hoAilities ; and, about the tenth of Auguft following, two boys were taken from Major Hoy's flation. This party was purfued by Capt. Holder and feventeen men, who were alfo defeated, with the lofs of four men killed, and one wounded. Our affairs became more and more alarming. Several flations which had lately been ereded in the country were con- tinually infefted with favages, Healing their horfes and killing the men at every opportunity. In a A a field. .f :■'».. I/I I ' ( 354 ) field', near Lexington, an Indian (hot a man, and running to fcalp him, >vas himfelf Hiot from the fort, and fell dead upon his enemy. Every day we experienced recent mifchiefs.' The barbarous favage nations of Shavvanefe, Che< rokees, Wyandots, Tawas, Delawares, and fcveral others near Detroit, united in a war againll us, and aflembled their choicell. warriors at old Chelicothe, to go on the expedition, in order to deftroy us, and entirely depopulate the country. Their favage minds were intiamed to mifchief by two adandoned men. Captains M'Kee and Girty. Thefe led them to execute every diabolical fcheme; and, on the fifteenth day of AuguH', commanded a party of Indians and Canadians, of about five hundred in number, againll Briant's (lation, five miles from Lexington. Without demanding a furrender, they furioufly affaultcd the garrifon, which was happily prepared to oppofe them ; and, after they had expended much ammunition in vain^ and killed the cattle round the fort, not being likely to make themfelves maflers of this place, they raifed the fiege, and departed in the morning of the third day after they ■■'^. «ft< i«i •-- ■<0r- ( 355 ) they came, with the lofs of about thirty killed, and the number of wounded uncertain. — Of the garrifon four were killed, and three wound- ed. On the eighteenth day Col. Todd, Col. Trigg, Major Harland, and myfelf, fpeedily colleded •ne hundred and feventy-iix men, well armed, and purfued the lavages. They had marched be- yond the Blue Licks to a remarkable bend of the main fork of Licking River, about forty, three miles from Lexington, where we overtook them on the nineteenth day. The favages ob- ferving us, gave way ; and we, being ignorant of their numbers, pafled the river. When the enemy faw our proceedings, having greatly the advantage of us in (ituation, they formed the line of battle, from one bend of Licking to the other, about a mile from the Blue Licks. An exceeding fierce battle immediately began, for about fifteen minutes, when we, being over- powered by numbers, were obliged to retreat, with the lofs of (ixty-feven men, feven of whom were taken priibners. The brave and much- lamented Colonels Todd and Trigg, Major A a 2 Harland, ii I { 356 ) Harland, and my fecond fon, were ahiorigttie dead. We were informed that the Indians, num^ bering their dead, found they had four killed more than we ; and therefore, four of the pri^ Toners they had taken were, by general confent, ordered to be killed, in a mod barbarous manner^ by the young warriors, in order to train them up to cruelty j and then they proceeded to their towns. On our retreat we were nrtet by Col* Logan^ haftening to join us, with a nufhber of well arm- ed men. This powerful aHiilance we unfortu-* nately wanted in the battle ; for notwithftanding the enemy's fuperiority of numbers^ they ac- knowledged thati if they had received one more lire from us, they ihould undoubtedly have given mray. So valiantly did our fmall party fight, that, to the memory of thofe who unfortunately fell in the battle, enough of honour cannot be paid. Had Col. Logan and his party been with us, it is highly probable we fhould have given the favages a total defeat. I cannot refled upon this dreadful fcene, but forrow fills my heart. A zeal for the defence of . thcit As ( 357 ) their country led thefc heroes to the fcene of ac- tion, though with a few men to attack a power* ful army of experienced warriors. When wc gave way, they purfued us with ihe utmoU eager- nefs, and in every quarter fpread deilrudtion. The river was difficult to crofs, and many were killed in the flight, fome jud entering the river, fome in the water, others afcer crofling, in afcending the cliffs. Some efcaped on horfe- back, a few on foot ; and, being difperfed every where in a few hours, brought the melancholy news of this unfortunate battle to Lexington. Many widows were now made. The reader may guefs what forrow filled the hearts of the inhabi- tants, exceeding any thing that I am able to defcribe. Being reinforced, we returned to bury the dead, and found their bodies (Irewed every where, cut and mangled in a dreadful manner. This mournful fcene exhibited a horror almoft unparalleled : Some torn and eaten by wild beads ; thofc in the river eaten by fifhes ; all in fuch a putrified condition, that no one could bo dii^inguifhed from another. iVs foon as General Clark, then at the Falk of A^3 the hi ,jj 'A ■^ ft III t 358 ) the Ohio, who was ever our ready friend, and merits the love and gratitude of all his country- men, underflood the circumftances of this unfor. tunate action, he ordered an expedition, with all polTiblc hafle, to purfue the favages, which ^ was fo expeditioufly effeded, that we overtook them within two miles of their towns, and pro« bably might have obtained a great vidtory, had not two of their number met us about two hun- dred poles before we came up. Thefe returned quick as lightening to their camp with the alarm- ing news of a mighty army in view. The favages fled in the utmoft diforder, evacuated theit towns, and reluctantly left their territory to our mercy. We immediately took pofTefnon of Old Chelicothe, without oppofition, being deferted by its inhabitants. We continued our purfuit through five towns on the Miami rivers, Old Chelicothe, Pccaway, New Chelicothe, Will's Towns, and Chelicothe, burnt them all to aihes, entirely deftroyed their corn, and other fruits, and every where fpread a fcene of defola- tion in the country. In this expedition we took fevcn prifoners and five fcalps, with the lofs of only ( 359 ^ only four men, two of whom were accidentally killed by our own army. This campaign in feme mcafurc damped the fpiritsof the Indians, and made them feniible of our fuperiority. Their connexions were difTolv* ed, their armies fcattered, and a future invadon put entirely out of their power ; yet they conti- nued to praftife mifchief fecretly upon the inha- bitants, in the expofed parts of the country. In October following, a party made an ex* curiion into thatdiftridt calied the Crab Orchard, and one of them, being advanced fome diftance before the others, boldly entered the houfe of a poor defencelefs family, in which was only a Ne- gro man, a woman and her children, terrified with the appreheniions of immediate death. The favage, perceiving their defencelefs fituation,. without offering violence to the family, attempted to captivate the Negro, who happily proved an over-match for him, threw him on the ground^ and,, in tl^e druggie, the mother of the children drew an slxc from a corner of the cottage, and cut his head off, while her little daughter (hut the door. The favages inflantly appeared, and ap- A a 4 plied I f 360 ) plied their tomahawks to the door. An old rufty gun-barrel, without a lock, lay in a corner^ which the mother put through a fmall crevice, and the favages, perceiving it, fled. In tho^mean time, the alarm fpread through the neighbour- hood J thearmtd men collcdled immediately, and purfucd the ravagcrs into the wildernefs. Thus Providence, by the means of this Negro, faved the whole of the poor family from deftrudlion. From that time, until the happy return of peace between the United States and Great Britain, the Indians did us no mifchief. Finding the great king beyond the water difappointed in his ex- pe(5lations, and confcious of the importance of the Long Knife, and their own wretchednefs, fome of the nations immediately defired peace ; to which, at prefent, they feem univerfally dif- pofcd, and are fending ambalTadors to General Clark, at the Falls of the Ohio, with the minutes of their Councils ; a fpecimen of which, in the minutes of the Piankafhaw Council, is fub- joined. To conclude, I can now fay that I have veri- fied the faying of an old Indian who figned Col. Hender- ( 36- ) Hcnderfon's deed. Taking me by the hand, at, the delivery thereof. Brother, fays he, we have given you a fine land, but I believe you will have much trouble in fettling it. — My footfteps have often been marked with blood, and therefore I can truly fubfcribe to its original name. Two darling fons, and a brother, have I loft by favage hands, which have alfo taken from me forty va- luable horfes, and abundance of cattle. Many dark and fleeplefs nights have I been a compa- nion for owls, feparated from the cheerful fo« ciety of men, fcorched by the fummer's fun, and pinched by the winter's cold, an inftrument or- dained to fettle the wildernefs. But now the fcene 16 changed : peace crowns the fylvan fhade. What thanks, what ardent and ceafelefs thanks are due to that alUfuperintending Providence which ha$ turned a cruel war into peace, brought order out of confufion, made the fierc?: fayage^ placid, and turned away their hoftile weapons from our country 1 May the fame Almighty Goodnefs bjinilh the accurfed monfter, war, from all lands, with her hated alTociates, rapine and infatiable ambition ! Let peace, defcending; fron\ .^■ ( b62 ) from her native Jieaven, bid her olives fpring amidfl the joyful nations ; and plenty, in league "with commerce^ fcatter bledings from her copi- ous hand ! This account of my adventures will inform the reader of the mod remarkable events of this country.— I now live in peace and fafcty, enjoy- ing the (Veets of liberty, and the bounties of Providence, with my once fellow-fufferers, in this delightful country, which I have feen pur- chafed with a vail expencc of blood and treafure, delighting in the profped of its being, in a (horc time, one of the moll opulent and powerful fiates on the continent of North- America; which, with the love and gratitude of my countrymen^ I elleem a fufficient reward for all my toil and dangers. DANIEL BOON. Fajette county, Kentucky. PlANKA- ( 363 ) PIANKASHAW COUNCIL. /» tf Council, held with the Piankajhaw Indians^ ^Thomas J. Dalton, at Poji St, Vincent* s^ April i^t 1784. My Children, W^H AT I have often told you, is now come to pafs. This day I received news from my Great Chief, at the Falls of Ohio. Peace is made with the enemies of America. The White Flefti, the Americans, French, Spaniards, Dutch and Englifh, this day fmoke out of the peace-pipe. The tomahawk is buried, and they are now friends. I am told the Shawanefe, Delawares, Chica- faws, Cherokees, and all other the Red Flefh, have taken the Long Knife by the hand. They have given up to them the prifoners that were in their nations. ^ My I \ \ f 364 ) A/y Children on Wabajhy Open your ears, and let what I lell you flnk deep in your hearts. You know me. Near twenty years I have been among you. The Long Knife is my nation. I know their hearts ; peace they carry in one hand, and war in the other. 1 leave you to yourfclvcs to judge. Confider, and now accept the one, or the other. We never beg peace of our enemies. If you love your women and children, receive the belt of wampum I prefent you. Return me my flelh you have in your villages, and the horfes you Hole from my people at Kentucky. Your corn fields were never difturbed by the Long Knife. Your woqien and children lived quiet in their houfes, while your "warriors were killing and robbing my people. All this you know is the truth. This is the lad time I ihall fpeak to you,. I have waited fix moons to hear you fpeak, and to get my people from you. In ten nights I (hall leave the Wa- balh to fee my Great Chief at the Falls of Ohion where he will be glad to hear, from your own Ups, what you have to fay. Here is tobacco \ give you : Smoke j and coi^fidcr >\hat I have f 3^5 ) JTaid. — Then I delivered one belt of blue and white wampum; and faid, Piankafhaw, fpeak^ fpeiik to the Americans. Then the Piinkafliaw Chief anfwered s My Great Father^ the Long Kntftt You have been many years among us. You have fuffered by us. We ft ill hope you will have pity and compaflion upon us, on our women and children ; the day is clean The fun fhines on us ; and the good news of peace appears in our iaces. This day, my Father, this is the day of joy to the Wabafti Indians. With one tongue we now fpcak. We accept your peace-belt. We return God thanks, you are the man that delivered us, what we long wiflied for, peace with the White Flefh. My Father, we have many times counfelled be- fore you knew us ; and you know how fome of us fuffered before. . We received the tomahawk from the Englifh : j)ovcrty forced us to it : we were attended by other nations : we are forry for it : we this day colled the bones of our friends that long ago were fcattered upon the earth. We bury them in / ( 366 J in one grave. Wc thus plant the tree of peace, that God majr fpread branches ; fo that wc can all be fecured from bad weather. They fmoke as brothers out of the peace-pipe we now prefent you. Here, my Father, is the pipe that gives us joy. Smoke out of it. Our warriors are glad you are the man we prefent it to. You fee, Fa* ther, we have buried the tomahawk: we now make a great chain of friendlhip never to be broken ; and now, as one people, fmoke out of your pipe. My Father, we know God was an- gry with us for Healing your horfes, and dillurb- ing your people. He has fent us fo much fnow and cold weather, that God himfelf killed all your horfes, with our own. We are now a poor people. God, we hope, will help us ; and our Father, the Long Knife, will have pity and compailion on our women and children. Your fleih, my Father, is well that is among us ; we (hall colledl them all together when they come in from hunting. Don't be forry, my Father, all the prifoners taken at Kentucky are alive and well : we love them, and fo do our young women. Some / • ( 3^7 ) Some of your people mend our guns, and others tell us they can make rum of the corn. Thofe are now the fame as we. In one rtioon after this» we will go with them to their friends at Ken- tucky. Some of your people will now go with Coftea, a Chief of our nation, to fee his Great Father, the Long Knife, at the Falls of Ohio. Af/ Father, This being the day of joy^to the Wabalh Indi- ans, we beg a little drop of your milk, to let our warriors fee it came from your own bread. Wc were born and raifed in the woods ; we could never learn to make rum>->God has made the White Flefli mafters of the world ; they make every thing ; and wc all love rum Then they delivered three firings of blue and white wampum, and the coronet of peace. PRESENT in COUNCIL, MusRiTO, Antia, Capt. Beaver, Montour» WoooEs & Burning, Castia, Baotripes, Grand Court, With many other Chiefs, and War Captains, and the Principal Inhabitants of the Poft of St. Vincent's. Of <^\ ^ III t 36» ) Of the INDIANS. We have in account of twenty-eight different nations of Indians, Eaftward of the MifTiirippi.— Their fituation is as follows. The Cherokee Indians dre rteareft to Ken- tucky, living upon the Tenafee River, near the mouths of Clench^ Hdlftein, Nolachucke, and French Broad Rivers, which form theTenafeeor Cherokee River, in the interior part of North Carolina, two hundred miles from Kentucky* The Chicamawgces lives about ninety miles down the Tenafee from the Cherokees, at a place called Chicamawgee, which in our language lignifies a boiling pot, there being a whirlpool in the river dangerous for boats. The Drago- monough, a Chief of the Cherokees, with fixty tnore, broke off from that nation, and formed this ( 3^9 ) this tribC) which is called by the name of the Whirlpool. ' The Checgccs, and Middle-Settlement Indi- ans, arc fettled about fifty and eighty miles South of the Cherokee. — Thcfe four tribes fpcak one language, being defcended from the Cherokees. The Chicafaws inhabit about one hundred milci N. W. from our fettlement at French Lick, on Cumberland River, on the heads of a river called Tombeche, which runs into Mobile Bay. The Chodaw nation are eighty miles from the Chicafaws, down the fame river. The Creek Indians live about one hundred and fixty miles South of the Chodlaws, on the Apa- lache River, which runs into the Gulph of Mexi- co, fome little diftance Eaft of Mobile Bay. The Uchees Indians occupy four different places of rcfidence, at the head of St. John's, the Fork of St. Mary's, the head of Cannuchee, and the head of St. Tillis. Thefe rivers rife on the borders of of Georgia, and run feparately into the ocean. . ' i^^ The Catauba Indians are fettled in North-Ca- rolina, about two hundred miles diHant from Charles-town, in S. Carolina. Bb The ( 370 ) The tribes to the vveftward of Ohio River arc the Dclawares, living upon the Mulkingum Ri. ver, which runs into the Ohio one hundred and eighty-feven miles above Sciotha, on the N. W. lide. The Mingo nation lives upon a N. W. branch of Sciotha River, as is reprefented in the map. The Wyandotts poflefs the banks of a river called Sandulky, which heads and interlocks with Sciotha, and, running in a contrary diredlion nearly N. W. for a great diilance, falls into Lake Erie. The Six Nations are fettled upon waters run- ning into Lake Ontario, that head in the moun- tain, from whence the Ohio and Sufquehannah rivers rife. The Shawanefe Indians occupy five towns on the waters of Little and Great Miami, as ap- pears in the map. The Gibbaways are fixed on the Eaft fide of Detroit River, and oppofitc the fort of that name. This river runs out of Lake Huron into Lake Erie, is thirty-fix mile^ in lengthy and the forr (lands on the Weft fide, half way betwixt theic lakes. The ( 371 The Hurons live fix miles from the Gibbaways, towards Lake Huron, and on the fame fide of the river. The Tawaws arc found eighteen miles up the Mawmee or Omee River, w hich runs into Lake Eric. There is a fmall tribe of Tawas fettled at a place called the Rapids, fome diflancc higher up the river than the former. The Mawmee Indians live two hundred and forty miles up this river, at a place called Ro- fedebeau. ' The Piankafhaws refide about one hundred and iixty miles up Wabalh River: — The Vermilion Indians about fixty miles higher;— and the Wyahtinawi about thirty miles ft ill further up the fame river. The Wabafh heads and interlocks with Maw- mee, and runs a contrary diredion into Ohio, three hundred and eighteen miles below the Falls. The Long-ifle or Iflc-River Indians live on Iflc, or White River, which runs into Wa- bafh. Bb2 The i 1 ( 372 •) The Kickapoos arc fixed on a branch of Maw- nice River above the Long-iflc Indians. The Ozaw Nation lives on the Ozaw River, which runs into Mifllflippi : — And the Kakalky Nation, on the Mifliflippi, two hundred miles above the Ozavvs. The Illinois Indians inhabit Upon the Illinois River, which falls into the Mifliflippi j — And the Poutawottamies near St. Jofeph's, a town on a branch of the Illinois. . The Sioux and Renards, arc neighbours to the fort of Michillimackinac, on Lake Michigan. Thefe are the principal part of the Nations within the limits of the United States. Allow<> ing about feven hundred to a nation or tribe, they will contain, in all, twenty thofand fouls, and confequently may furnifh between four and five thoufand warriors. The fpeculations of curious idlenefs have fram- ed many fyftems to account for the population of this'immcnfe continent. There is fcarce a people in the old world which has not had its advocates; and there have not been wanting fome ( 373 ) fome, who, defpairing too loofen, have cut the knot, by fuppofing that the power which fur- niftied America with plants, has in the fame mann r fupplied it with men; or at leaft, that a remnant in this continent was favcd from the imiverfal deluge, as well as in the other. As this fubjedt is rather curious than ufeful, and, in its very nature, does not admit of certainty, every thing that pafled in America before the arrival of the Europeans being plunged in Cimmerian darknefs, except thofe little traditional records, which difFufe a glimmering light on the two em- pires of Mexico and Peru, for about two hundred years at moft before that period, we (hall only flightly touch on that fubjedl ; chiefly for the fake of taking notice of fome modern difcoveries which feem to ftrengthen the probability of fome former theories. The great fimilarity, or rather identity, of the perfons and manners of the Americans, and thofe of the Tartars of the N. Eaftern parts of Alia, together with a prefump- tion, which has long poflefied the learned, that Afia and America were united, or at leaft fepa- fated only by a narrow fea, has inclined the B b 3 ^ more i:: 1,1 :l ii (if- v;j ( 374 ) more refledling part of mankind to the opinion, that the true origin of the Indians is from this quarter. The immenfe feas, which fcparatc the two continents on every other fide> render it high- ly improbable that any colonies could ever have been fcnt acrofs them before the difcovery of the magnetical compafs. The ingenious M. Buf-* fon too has remarked, and the obfervation ap.- pears to be jud, that there are no animals inha^ biting in common the two continents, but fuch as can bear the colds of the North, Thus there are no elephants, no lions, no tigers, no camels in America ; but bears, wolves, deer, and elks in abundance, abfolutely the fame in both he- mifphcres. This hypothefis, which has been gaining ground ever iince its firfl appearance in the world, is now reduced almoft to a certainty by the late difcoveries of Capt. Cook. That illuflrious, but unfortunate navigator, in his laft voyage, penetrated for a conliderable diftance into thcflrait which divides Alia from America, which is only fix leagues wide at its mouth ; and therefore eafily pradicable for canoes. We may now therefore conclude, that no farther enquiry will nSSBBSSSl^s. •SLSr^i:: ( 375 ) ivill ever be made into the general origin of the American tribes. Yet after all it is far from being improbable that various nations, by ftiip wreck, or other wife, may have contributed, in fome degree, to the population of this continent. The Carthaginians, who had many fettlements on the coail of Africa, beyond the Straits of Gibraltar, and pufhed their difcoveries as far as where the two continents in that quarter approach each other the neareft, may probably have been thrown by tempefls on the American coa(^, and the companies of the veiTels finding it impradliicable to return, may have in. €orpdrated with the former inhabitants, or have formed new fettlements, which, from want of the necelTary inftruments to exercife the arts they were acquainted with, would naturally degene- rate into barbarity. There are indeed fome an- cient writers, who give u? reafon to fuppofe, that there were colonies regularly formed by that na- tion in America, and that the communication, after having continued for fome time, was (topped by order of the State. But it is difficult to (Conceive that any people, cftabiilhcd with all tholb *^ :pb4 neccfTvie* II m I I w ( 376 ) nccclTarics proper for their fituation, Ihould ever degenerate, from fo high a degree of cultivation as the Carthaginians polTeired, to a total ignorance even of the mofl: neceflary arts : and therefore it feems probable, that if that nation ever had fuch colonies, they muft have been cut off by the natives, and every vcftigc of them de- flroyed. , =,. ,. ■ - •. . .wi:;! •-: •• ■; -•■■ •■ About the ninth and tenth centuries, the Danes were the greateft navigators in the uni- verfe. They difcovered and fettled Iceland ; and from thence, in 964, planted a colony in Green- land. The ancient Icelandic chronicles, as reported by M. Mallet, contain an account of fome Icelanders, who, in the clofe of an unfuc- ccfsful war, fled to Greenland, and froip thence Weftward, to a country covered with vines, which from thence they called Vinland. The adventurers returned home, and con- du(fled a colony to their new difcovery ; but dif- turbances arifing in Denmark, all communica- tion with Greenland, as well as Vinland, ceafed j and thofe countries remained unknown to the ff ft pf the world for fcveral ages. The ^Qmajn^ .TT' ( 377 ) of this colony are probably to be found on thp coad of Labrador, in the nation of the £fqui-.< maux. The colour of their Ikins, their hairy bodies and buihy beards, not to mention the difference of manners, mark an origin totally diftind from that of the other Indians. In the year 1 170, Madoc, fon of Owen Gwyn^ nedh. Prince of Wales, diflatisfied with the fitua- tion of affairs at home, left his country, as related by the Wclrti hiftorians, in queft of new fettle- ments, and leaving Ireland to the North, pro- ceeded Weft till he difcovered a fertile country ; where, leaving a colony, he returned, and per- fuading many of his countrymen to join him, put to fea with ten (hips, and was never more heard of. - : " v^ This account has at feveral times drawn the attention of the world j but as no veftiges of them had then been found, it was concluded, perhaps too ralhly, to be a fable, or at lea ft, that no remains of the colony exifted. Of late years, however, the Weftern fettlers have received fre- quent accounts of a nation, inhabiting at a great diftancc up the MiiTouri, in manners and appear- I. I Hi % ¥ [f i ancc I ( 37^ ) ance refembling the other Indians, but fpeaking Wclih, and retaining fome ceremonies of the Chriflian woriliip ; and at length this is univer- faily believed there to be a fad. Captain Abraham Chaplain, of Kentucky, a gentleman whofe veracity may be entirely depended upon, aiTured the author, that in the late war, being with his company in garrifcm at Kaikaiky, fome Indians came there, and, fpeak- ing in the Welfli dialed, were pcrfedlly under- ftood and converfed with by two Welflimen in his company, and that they informed them of the iituation of their nation as mentioned above. The author is feniible of the ridkule which the vain and the petulant may attempt to throw on this account ; but as truth only has guided his pen, he is regardlefs of the confequences, and flatters himfelf, that, by calling the attention of mankind once more tc th^ fubjed, he may be the means of procuring a more accurate inquiry into its truth, which, if it fhould even refute the (lory of the Wclfh, Will at leaft perform the important fcrvice to the world, of pi-omoting a more ( 379 ) more accurate difcovery of this immenfe conti* nent. There are feveral ancient remains in Kentucky, which feem to prove, that this country was for- merly inhabited by a nation farther advanced in the arts of life than the Indians. Thefe are there ufualiy attributed to the Wel{h,whoarefuppofed to have formerly inhabited here; but having been expelled by the natives, were forced to take refuge near the fources of the Miflburi. It is well known, that no Indian nation has ever pratfiifed the method of defending thcmfelves by entrenchments ; and fuch a work would even be noeafy one, while thefe nations were unacquainted with the ufe of iron. M In the neighbourhood of Lexington, the re- mains of two ancient fortifications are to be feen, furnifticd with ditches and baftions. One of thefe contains about fix acres of land, and the Other nearly three. They are now overgrown with trees, which, by the number of circles in the wood, appear to be not lefs than one hundred and fixty years old. Pieces of earthen vefl[els h*vc alfo been plowed up near Lexington, a ma- /♦, nufa^^urc J ( 3^0 ) nufadluie with which the Indians were never ac-, quainted. The burying grounds, which were mentioned above, under the head of Curiofities, form ano- ther flrong argument that this country was for- merly inhabited by a people different from the prcfent Indians, Although they do not difcover any marks of extraordinary art in the ftrudture, yet, as many nations are particularly tenacious of their ancient cuftoms, it may perhaps be worthy of enquiry, whether thefe repofitories of the dead do not bear a confiderable refemblance to the ancient Britifh remains. Some buildings, attri- buted to the Pifts, arc mentioned by the Scottifh antiquaries, which, if the author miftakes not, are formed nearly in the fame manner. Let it be enough for him to point out the road, and hazard fome uncertain conjedures. The day is not far diftant, when the farthefl: recefles of this continent will be explored, and the accounts of the WcHh eftablifhed beyond the poflibility of a doubt, or conligned to that oblivion which has already received fo many fuppolitions founded or^ i^rguments as plaufibie as thefe. ' ' ""•'- ' *' * • PERSONS ( 38i PERSONS AND HABITS. THE Indians are not born white; and take £l great deal of pains to darken their complexion, by anointing themfelves with greafe, and lying in the fun. They alfo paint their faces, breads and flioulders, of various colours, but generally red ; and their features are well formed, efpecially thofe of the women. They are of a middle flature, their limbs clean and flraight, and fcarcely any crooked or deformed perfon is to be found among them. In many parts of their bodies they prick in gun-powder in very pretty figures. They (have, or pluck the hair off their heads, except a patch about the crown, which is ornamented with beautiful feathers, beads, wam- pum, and fuch like baubles. Their ears are pared, and ftretched in a thong down to their fhoulders. They are wound round with wire to expand them, and adorned with iilver pendants, rings, and bells, which they likewife wear in their nofes. Some of them will have a large feather through the cartilage of the nofej and thofe I 'i M^ il '1 ( 3«« ) thofc who can afford it, wear a collar of wampum, a filvcr breaftplate, and bracelets, on the arms andwrids. A bit of cloth about the middle,aniirt of the Englilh make, on which they bcftow innu- merable broaches to adorn 't, a fort of cloth boots and mockftfons, which are (hoes of a make peculiar to the Indians, ornamented with porcu- pine quills, with a blanket or match-coat thrown over all, compleats their drefs at home; but when they go to war, they leave their trinkets behind, and mere neceflaries ferve them. There is little difference between the drefs of the men and women, excepting that a (hort petticoat, and the hair, which is exceeding black, and long, clubbed behind, dillinguifh fome of the latter* Except the head and eye-brows, they pluck the hair, with great diligence, from ail parts of the body, efpecially the loofcr part of thefex. Their warlike arms are guns, bows and arrows, darts, fcalping-knives and tomahawks. This is one of their mod; ufeful pieces of iicld-furniture, ferving all the offices of the hatchet, pipe, and fword. They are exceeding expert in throwing it, and will kill at a confiderable diffance. The world ( 3«3 ) world has no better m^rks-men, with any wet« pon. They will kill birds flying, filhes fwim^ ining, and wild bcafls running. GENIUS. THE Indians are not fo ignorant at (brae fuppofe theni» but are a very underftanding peo- ple, quick of apprehenflon, fudden in execution,' fubtle in bulinefs, exquiiite in invention, and induflrious in adion. They are of a very gentle and amiable difpodtion to thofe they think their friends, but as implacable in their enmity ; their revenge being only completed in the entire deftrudion of their enemies. They are very hardy, bearing heat, cold, hunger and third, in a furprifing manner, and yet no people are more addided to excefs in eating and drinking, when it is conveniently in their powjcr. The follies, nay mifchief, they commit when inebriated, arc entirely laid to the liquor ; and no one will revenge any injury (murder excepted) received from one who is no more himfelf. Among the Indians, 1 ■ ^ « ( 3H ) Indians all men arc equal, pcrfonal qualities Scing^ moft cftccmed. No diftindion of birth, no rank, renders any man capable of doing prejudice to the rights of private perfons ; and there is no pre- eminence from merit, which begets pride, and which makes others too fenfible of their own inferiority. Though there is perhaps lefs delicacy of fentiment in the Indians than amongft us; there is, however, abundantly more probity, with infinitely lefs ceremony, or equivocal com- pliments. Their public conferences (hew them to be men of genius ; and they have, in a high degree, the talent of natural eloquence. They live difperfed in fmall villages, either in the woods, or on the banks of rivers, w here they have little plantations of Indian corn, and roots, not enough to fupply their families half the year, and fubiifling the remainder of it by hunt- ing, fiiliing and fowling, and the fruits of the earth, which grow fpontaneoufly in great plenty. Their huts are generally built of fmall logs, and covered with bark, each one having a chim- ney, and a door, on which they place a padlock. Old us; ( 3«S ) Old Chelicothe is built in form of a Kentucky flatioDt that is, a parallelogram, or long fquare ; and fome of their houfcs are fhingled. A long Council-houfe extends the whole length of the town, where the king and chiefs of the nation frequently meet, and confult of all matters of importance, whether of a civil or military na- ture. Some huts are built by fetting up a frame on forks, and placing bark againft it ; others of reeds, and furrounded with clay. The fire is in the middle of the wigwam, and the fmoke palTes through a little hole. They join reeds together by cords run through them, which ferve them for tables and beds. They mollly lie upon (kins of wild beads, and fit on the ground. They have brafs kettles and pots to boil their food; gourds or calabaihes, cut afunder, ferve them for pails, cups, and difhes. ♦ ;■ RELIGION. THE accounts of travellers, concerning their religipn, are various; and although it cannot be C c abfolutely •t- ( 386 ) abfblutely affirmed that they have none, yet it muil be confelTed very difficult to define what it is. All agree that they acknowledge one Su- preme God, but do not adore him. They have not feen him, they do not know him, believing him to be too far exalted above them, and too happy in himfelf to be concerned about the trifling affairs of poor mortals. They fccm alfo to believe in a future (late, and that after death thfey fhall be removed to their friends, who have gone before them, to an elyfium, or paradife. The Wyandotts, neir Detroit, and fome others, have the Roman Catholic religion introduced amon'gft them by miflionaries. Thefd have a church, a minifler, and a regular burying-ground. Many of them appear zealous, and fay prayers in their families. Thefe, by acquaintance with whitie people, are a little civilized, which mufl of neceffity precede Chriftianity. The Shawanefe, Cherokees, Chickafaws, and fome others, are little concerned about fuperili* tion, or religion. Others continue their former fupfcrftitioUs Worfhip of the objeds of their love and fciiir, and efpttially thofc beings whom they moft ( 38? ) mod dread, and whom therefore we generaily denominate devils ; though, at the fame time, ic is allowed they pray to the Sun, and other infe- rior benevolent deities, for fuccefs in their under- takings, for plenty of food, and other necelTaries in life. They have their feftivals, and other rejoicing- days, on which they ling and dance in a ring, taking hands, having fo painted and difguifed themfelves, that it is difficult to know any of them; and after enjoying this diverilon for a while, they retire to the place where they have prepared a fealt of iiih, flefh, fowls, and fruits $ to which all are invited, and entertained with their country fongs. They believe that there is great virtue in feafts for the lick. For this pur- pofe a young buck mufl be killed, and boiled* the friends and near neighbours of the patient invited, and having firll thrown tobacco on the fire, and covered it up clofe, they all lit down in a ring, and raife a lamentable cry. They then uncover the fire, and kindle it up ; and the head of the buck is fir ft fent about, every one uking C c 2 a bit^ ''% ( 388 ) a bit, and giving a loud croak, in imitation of crows. They afterwards proceed to eat all the buck, making a moft harmonious, melancholy fong ; in which ftrain their mufic is particularly excellent. As they approach their towns, when fome of their people are loft: in war, they make great lamentations for their dead, and bear them long after in remembrance. Some nations abhor adultery, do not approve of a plurality of wives, and are not guilty of theft ; but there are other tribes that are not fo fcru- pulous in thefc matters. Amongfl; the Chicka- faws a hulband may cut ofFthe nofe of his wife, if guilty of adultery ; but men are allowed greater liberty. This nation defpifes a thief. Among the Cherokees they cut oif the nofe and ears of an adulterefs ; afterwards her hufband gives her a difcharge ; and from this time ftie is not per- mitted to refufe any one who prefcnts himfelf. Fornication is unnoticed ; for they allow perfons in a tingle ft;ate unbounded freedom. , Their form of marriage is (hort— the man, before ( 389 ) before witnefles, gives the bride a deer's fool, a4id flie, in return, prefents him with an ear of corn, as emblems of their feveral duties. The women are very (laves to the men ; which is a common cafe in rude, unpoliihed nations, throughout the world. They are charged with being revengeful ; but this revenge is only doing themfelves juftice on thofe who injure them, and is feldom executed, but in cafes of murder and adultery. Their king has no power to put any one to death by his own authority ; but the murderer is generally delivered up to the friends of the de- ceafed, to do as they pleafe. When one kills another, his friend kills him, and fo they conti- nue until much blood is fhed ; and at lail the quarrel is ended by mutual prefents. Their kings are hereditary, but their authority ex- tremely limited. No people are a more ftriking evidence of the miferies of mankind in the want of government than they. Every chief, when offended, breaks off with a party, fettles at fome diffance, and then commences hollilities againd his own people. They are generally at war with C c 3 each ■r- 41 ( 390 ) each other. Thefe are common circumftances imongft the Indians. When they take captives in war, they are exceedingly cruel, treating the unhappy prifon- ers in fuch a manner, that death would be preferable to life. They afterwards give them plenty of food, load them with burdens, and when they arrive at their towns, they muft run the gauntlet. In this, the favages exercife fc much cruelty, that one would think it impoflible they ihould furvive their fufFerings. Many are killed; but if one outlives this trial, he is adopted into a family as a fon, and treated with paternal kindnefs ; and if he avoids their fufpicions of going away, is allowed the fame privileges m their own people. THE CONCLUSION. HAVING finiflied my intended narrative^ I Ihall clofe with a few obfervations upon the happy circumftances, that the inhabitants of Kentucky will probably enjoy, from the ppf^ fedion of a country fo extcnf^ve ^nd fertile. There I 39« ) There are four natural qualities neceilary to promote the happinefs of a country, viz. A good foil, air, water, and trade. Thefc uken colIe nitive treaty, are fubjoined), where agriculture induftry, laws, arts and fciences, flourifh ; where affli^ed humanity raifes her drooping head; where fprings a harveft for the poor; where confcience ceafes to be a flave, and laws are no more than the fecurity of happinefs } where na- 6 c 4 turc ,1 ( 392 ) tiirc makes reparation for having created man ; and government, fo long proftituted to the moft criminal purpofes^ edablifhes an afylum in the wilderncfs for the diftrefled of mankind. The recital of your happinefs will call to your country all the unfortunate of the earth, who, having experienced oppreflion, political or reli- gious, will there find a deliverance from their chains. To you innumerable multitudes will emigrate from the hateful regions of defpotifm and tyranny ; and you will furely welcome them as friends, as brothers ; you will welcome them to partake with you of your happinefs.— Let the memory of Lycurgus, the Spartan legiflator, who baniflied covetoufnefs, and the love of gold from his country ; the excellent Locke, who firft taught the doftrine of toleration ; the venerable Pcnn, the firft who founded a city of brethren ; and Wafhington, the defender and protecflor of perfecuted libertyj be ever the illuftrious ex- amples of your political conduft. Avail your- felves of the benefits of nature, and of the fruits ful country you inhabit. Let the iron of your mines, the wool of your flocks, ( 393 ) flocks, your flax and hemp, the flcins of the favage animals that wander in your woods« be fafliioned into manufacflures, and take an extra- ordinary value from your hands. Then will you rival the fuperfluitics of Europe, and know that happinefs may be found, without the commerce fo univerfally defired by mankind. In your country, like the land of promife, flowing with milk and honey, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, that fpring out of valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, and all kinds of fruits, you (hall eat bread without fcarcencfs, and not lack any thing in it; where you are neither chilled with the cold of Capricorn, nor fcorched with the burn- ing heat of Cancer; the mildnefs of your air fo great, that you neither feel tht effeds of infec- tious fogs, nor peftilential vapours. Thus, your country, favoured with the fmiles of heaven, will probably be inhabited by the firft people the world ever knew. I 'vi 11 Article ( 394 ) Article II. of the late DEriNiTivE Treaty. AND that all difputcs which might arife in future on the rubJ66 Powel's Mountain 33 Walden's Ridge 3 '569 : the Valley Station 4 573 Martin Cabbin's 25 598 Cumberland Mountain 20 618 the Ford of Cumberland River »3 631 the Flat Lick ^ 640 Stinking Creek 2 642 Richland Creek • 7 649 Down Richland Creek 8 657 Rackoon Spring 6 663 Laurel River 1 665 Hazlc Patch 15 680 the Ford on Rock Caftlc River lO' 690 Engliih's Station 25 7") Col. Edwards's at Crab Orchard 3 718 Whitley's Station 5 723 Logan's Station 5 728 Clark's Station 7 735 Crow's Station 4 739 Harrod's Sution 3 742 Harland's 4 746 Harbifon's lO 756 fiard's-town 25 781 the Salt-works 25 806 the Falls of the Ohio 20 826 Kentucky is iituated about fouth, 60* well from Philadelphia, and, on a llraight line, may be about fix hundred miles diftant from that city. ROAD ( 399 ) 49« 533 '569 573 598 618 631 640 642 649 657 663 665 680 690 718 723 728 73S 739 742 746 756 781 806 826 ROAD and Diftances from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. I M |m.D4 FROM Philadelphia to Lancaflcr To Middle-town To Harris's Ferry » Carlide • • Shippenfburg Chamber's-tovvn Fort Loudon Fort Littleton (uniata Creek Bedford the Foot of the Allegany Mountains Stony Creek the Eaft fide of Laurel Hill Fort Ligonier Pitt (burg 66 26 92 10 I02 17 119 21 1*40 II i5« 13 164 18 182 19 aoi H 215 15 230 15 245 12 257 9 266 54 320 POSTSCRIPT. 7 y] i i '• 1 POSTSCRIPT. In order to communicate a diftinA idea of theprcfent complexion of the flate of Kentucky, I have drawn a map from the bed authorities, from which you will difcern that Kentucky is already divided into nine counties; and that villages are fpringing up in every part within its limits, while roads have been opened to Ihorten the diftancc to Virginia, and to fmooth the rugged paths, which a fhort time lince were our only trads of communication from one place to ano- ther. You muft have obferved in a note I annexed to my laft letter, the fecurity Kentucky enjoys from the cordon of troops extending upon the weftcrn fide of the Ohio ; and you have only to contemplate the advanced fettlcments on that fide of the river, I prefume, to become per- fe(5lly convinced of our permanent fafety from the attacks of the Indians. It ■.- ■< I !• I y. * is. I- I It J #■ M **f,-'- ■* •^■fm^miOimf^'a r'^mmmmm>mm4^ ffcy V . ^ .V * r Jint/mtYt/ thr Imlrtv'.f ^iinrrican Topography. ISitUshed Feh.'i.ijin , M' J- /W/rrt, PUxadiUv. Lv^ •»♦ //»/• ImJov'-f ^iintriean Topoffrafthy . b:'t.iifl% , hy J. Iletiru, PinaMlv. London . T.l'ander SciOp' ti-'s: ^u- *f ' ;r •- • lo .1 ;i/^/// r^/' ', The STATE of KE MUCKY, Dniwn /}vtn //w ^ i Best Authorities. ^ i V93- ^ , ( MY ^ ', ^ i 1 ' V ' ^ d\l ! ^ ' '^^'^ frv ?fi w iiMi^Siif^^Pf""^'"' 1 r ^xr^n^^^*'- 'il< \ ^dbf""^ f s^y ^Sy tf ^^ * t£^'^ ^Hr^ 37 ■ 1 P^^'t^ J i" 1 ' ^ \ Nl O i;i i'^[ pcl ■Mtaattk »mit' I ( 401 ) At the mouth of the Great Kanhaway, a ku ilement has been formed, which, united with the fetticments on Elk River, makes il fufficiently populous to become a diftindl county of Virginia, by the name of Kanhaway : fo that if you look on cither quarter of Kentucky, you will find its frontiers are guarded by fetticments nearly adult. ' . ; Galliapolis, upon the weftern fide of the Ohio, a little below the mouth of the Great Kanhaway, and extending to the Sciota River, fettled by the French, forms a barrier to the north ; the forts, and the different fetticments contiguous to them, to the weft; Cuniberland to the fouth; and upon our back, or eaft, you will obferve the diftance through the wildernefs, which feparates us from the back counties of Virginia, is rapidly con- trading by the approximation of our fetticments with thofe of Virginia and North Carolina, and which will very foon cut off the communication between the northern Indians. There were two expeditions from Kentucky performed againfl the Indians in i79i> under id fouthern tribes of . # 5 'lit i ill Dd the •■ ^■!* '.v^. M i ( 4«2 ) the command of Generals Scott and WiIkinron» that I have not hitherto noticed, and which had for their objedl the chaftifement of a predatory, troublefome, and warlike tribe, who lived in fe- veral detached towns upon the Wabafli and its waters. The particulars of thofe expeditions I do not think have been generally known in Europe, and as they were undertaken when I was abfent from the country, I fhall fubjoin an extradt from t letter 1 received from a friend, who formed one of the party, and which, I flatter my felf, will ^e found to contain a confiderable (hare of in. formation, both as to the manner and addreft of the Kentuckians in Indian warfare, and a more minute account of the country lying between tht Ohio and the Wabalh. •'General Scott, at the head of 800 Ken- tucky Volunteers, marched from oppolitc the mouth of the Kentucky River, about the be- ginning of June, the courfc he (leered was aboUt north 20° weft, and in about fifteen days he ftruck and furprized the lower Weaudleneau towns on the Wabalh River, and the pararie adjoining; but unfortunately ( 403 ) Unfortunately the river at that trme was not ford- able, or the Kickapoo Town on the north-weft iide, with the Indians Who efcaped in their ca- noes from the Weau Tdwn on the fouth, muft have fallen completely into our hands; however, about 20 warriors were killed in the Wcau vil- lages, and in the river crdlfrng the Wabafh, and 47 of their Squaws and children taken prifoners. " Immediately after the engagement, a coun- cil of war was called, when it was determined, that Wilkinfon Ihduld crofs the Wabafh under tover of the liight, with a detachment of four hundred men, and endeavour to furprife the town of Kdthtippacamunck, which was (kuated upon the north fide of that river, at the mouth of kippacanoe creek, and dbout twenty miles above the Lower Weau towns. This expedition wag condudled with fo much caution ^nd celerity, that Wilkinfon arrived at the margin of the pa- tarie, within a mile, and to the well of the town, about an hdur befofe the break of day ; whilll a detachment was taking a circuit through the pa- rarie to co-operate with the main body on a given iignal; day appeared, and the volunteen D d 2 ruihed It ■! N ( 404 ) ruihed into the town with an impetuofity not to be refifted. The detachment in advance reached the Rippacanoe Creek the very moment the lad of the Indians were eroding, when a very brilk fire took place between the detachment and the Indians on the oppofite fide, in which feveral of their warriors were killed, and two of our men wounded. " This town, which contained about 120 houfes, 80 of which were fh ingle roofed, was immediately burnt and levelled with the ground; the bed houfes belonged to French traders, whofe gardens and improvements round the town were truly delightful, and, every thing conlidercd, not a little wonderful ; there was a tavern, with cellars, bar, public, and private rooms ; and the w hole marked a conliderable fhare of order, and no fmall degree of civiliza- tion. " Wilkinfon returned with his detatchment, after dellroying the town, and joined the main army about feven in the evening ; and the day following our little armywere put in motion with their prifoners; and fleering about fouth, in twelve ■X ot to iched cua brilk d the ral of men ( 405 ) twelve days reached the Rtipids of the Ohio, with the lofs only of two men, who unfortunately were drowned in eroding Main White River. . '* The fuccefs of this expedition encouraged Government to fet another on foot, under the command of General Wilkinfon; which was dcllined to operate againfl the fame tribes of Indians; whofe main town, near the mouth of Ell River, on the Wabafli, had not been attacked in the firft excurfionj and accordingly, on the firft of Auguft following, the general, at the head of 500 mounted volunteers, marched from Fort Walhington, north 16" weft, fteering, as it were, for the Manmic villages on the Picaway Fork of the Manmic (or Miami of the lake) and St. Mary's River — This movement was intended as a feint, and the Indians, who afterwards fell upon our trail, were completely deceived ; nor did we change our courfe, until by the capture of a Dela- ware Indian, we afcertained that we were within 3omilesof the principal of the Manmic villages, and having marched down our northing, at the very time we received the information, ihifted our courfe to due weft, ;ind at the diftance of 1 80 . D d 2 miles ftl /*iv;-*r: ( 406 ) miles from Fort Wafliington wc ftriick theWabalh -within two mile;:; and a half of Longuillc, or, as the Indians call it, Kenapacomaqua — Jt wa§ about 4 P. M. \/hcn wc reached that river, and crofllng it immediately, we marched in four columns acrofs the neck of land, formed by the jundion of the Wabafli and K!l Riyers : pafiing fcveral Indian war pods that had been frclh painted, we arrived completely concealed on the fouth bank of Eli River, and dircdly oppofite the town of Kenapacomaqua. " The furprize of this town was fo very com- plete, that before we received orders to crofs th? river and rulh upon the town, wc obfcrved feveral children playing on the tops of the houfes, and could diilinguiih the hilarity and merriment that fecmed tocrownthe feftivity of the villagers, for it was in the feafon of the green corn dance. " The w ant of day-light, and a morafs, that nearly encircled the town, prevented us from fuddenly attacking, which enabled feveral of the Indians to efcape ; and in feme mcafure obfcurc^ the brilliancy of the enterprize, by limiting the number of warriors killed to eleven, and captur- ing ( 407 ) ing forty Squaws and their children, after burning all the houfes, and deftroying about 200 acres of corn ; which was then in the milk« and in that ftage when the Indians prepare it for Zoflb- manony. This fucccfs was atchicved with the lofs of two men, who were killed. *' About four o'clock in the afternoon we mounted our prifoncrs, and took a wefl and by north courfe toward the Little Kickapoo Town, which the general hoped to furprizc on his v\ ay to the Great Kickapoo Town, in the pararie, on the waters of the Illinois Rivera but the difficulties we encountered in this march, through thefe almoft boundlefs pararies, were fuch, that upon our arrival at the Little Kickapoo Town, we found one half the horfes in the army non-efFeflive, and unlikely to reach the Ohio, by the nearcft courfe we could take; which conlideration induced the general to relinquiih the enterprizc againd the Great Kickapoo Town; and, accord- ingly, after dedroying about 200 acres of corn at Kathtippacanunck, Kickapoo, and the lower Weauc^enau towns, y^c gained General Scot's Kturn trad, and on the 21 II of Augull, after D d 4 a circu- •it I' I' i ( 408 ; a cirruifous rrarchof 486 miles, arrived with our prifoncrs at Loulfville. " In the courfe of this march, I had an opportunity of obferving the general face of the country through which we pafTed. — Between Fort Wafl\ington, at the croflluj.!; of the Great Miami, where at prefcnt there is a confidcrablc fctticmcnt under the protceti;)n of Fort Ha- milton, a fiix body of land is found, but which is very indiftucntly watered. The fituation of Fort Hamilton is well chufen, as advantageous fjr defence, as pleafing to the eye ; it Hands on a narrow neck of land, commanding the Miami on N. W. and a pirarieand fliect of water on the N. £. about a mile wide, and two miles and an half long ; from this pararie an abundant fupply of forage may be got for the ufe of the army by repeated movings of a very fine natural grafs, from the month of June till the end of September. After pafling the Miami River hills, on the weft fide, the country in places is broken, though, generally fpeaking, from thence to the limits of our march, toward (he Manmic villages the face of it is agreeably varied with hills and dales ; ( 409 ) dales, well watered, and the timber moftly fuch as indicates a (Irong and durable foil. Between the Manmic trace and our A^elV line of march toward Kcnapacomaqua, there arc a numher of beech fwamps, which will requiredrariing before they will admit of fettlements being form — there are however delightfully pleaf'.nt and fertile fituations on thj Balemutand Sal\mir/e Rivers, which arc only inferior to the woody plains of Kentucky in extent and climate. The pararie, in which was fituatcd Kenapacon>aqua, on the north bank of £11 River, is chiefly a morafs, and produces little elfc, other than hazel, fallow, a fpecies of dwarf poplar, and a very coarfe« but luxuriant grafs ; the latter of which covers mollly the whole furface of the earth. — The fame kind of pararie extend.^, vi^ith little alteration, until you approach Kathtippacanunck, when the whole country gradually aflumes a more pleaiing and valuable appearance. On our line of march from Kenapacomaqua to Kathtippacanunck (the dilVance of which from the trav^rfes we were obliged to make to avqid impaiTable moralTes, was iixty miles}, in feveral m pi aces, 'I ( 410 ) places, the profpeA was only bounded by the natural horizon, the uniformity of which was here and there broken by the diftant looming of a grove on the edge of the plane, which ftrongly refembled theprojeding points of a coach clothed with wood, and feen by mariners at a diftancc from the fliore, •« The fituation of the late town of Kathtip- pacanunck was well chofen for beauty and con- venience ; it {lood in the bofom of a delightful furrounding country on a very rich bottom, ex- tending cart: and well, on the Wabafti River about two miles ; the bottom about half a mile wide, bounded on the caft by Tippacanoe, and weftward by a beautiful rifing ground, Ikirted and clothed with thin woods -^ from the upper bank you command a view of the Wabafli River, which is terminated by a towering growth of wood to the fouth, and Tippacanoe Creek to the Eaft — the country in the rear from the upper bank fpreads into a level parar ie of firm, ftrong land, of an excellent quality, interfperfcd with copfcs, naked groves o{ trees, and high mounds of earth of a regular and conical form, all of which confpire ( 411 ) Qonfpire to relieve the eye, and cheer the fcejjie .)vith a mod agreeable variety. The topofthif bank, which is level with the plane of the pararic^ and about two hundred feet perpendicular from the bottom ^n which the town flood, forms aa Angle about 60^, and about midway there ilTuef from its fide two living fountains, which have hitherto conftantly fupplied the town with water. ♦* The country between Kathtippacanunck and the Little Kickapoo town is beautiful beyond de- fcription. The numerous breaks, and inter- mixture of woodland and plains, give the whole an air of the moit perled talle j for nature here, in a propitious hour, and in a benignant mood, feem? to have deiigned to prove, in beau- tifying, how far (he excels our utmoft efforts, and the molt laboured improvements of art. ** Between the Little Kickapoo town and the lower Weauftcneau towns, the land is of the firfl:- rate quality— at the edge of the wood lands, and before your defccnd into the river bottoms, one of the mod charming profpefts the imagination can form, difplays itfelf in all the variegated pride of the / 1: Jii ( 412 ) tht mofl; captivating beauty. From this placf, through the glades and viftas of the groves in the bottom, you catch a view of the meandering jriver, which filently P.eals through this fmiling country, as if pregnant with its charms, and, as if it was hurrying to communicate its joys to Icfs happy fi reams. The bottoms of the Wabafh on the oppofite fide are confined by a bluff bank nearly two hundred feet, which interrupts the profped, and runs parrallcl with the river — from the top nf this b.ink a plain is fcen ftretching cut to the call and weft as far as the eye can reach, vv itiioul tree or bufti, covered with a moft luxuriant herbage, and in every rcfpecH- afluming the appearance of an highly improved and culti- vated meadow. The plain is terminated on the fouth by a didant profpecfl of the riling wood- lands, w hich, with a mifty bloom, and in all that azure beauty, fo peculiar to thefe fair regions, here appears in all its aetherial luflre; and feems finally loft in combining with the clouds. •• The Briares extend about twenty-five miles fouth of the Waballi, from thence the country gradually breaks into hills and valleys, and until we ( 413 ) we reached the waters of White River, we found the foil tolerably good. There it is very much broken, the bottoms of the rivers are narrow, and fkibje .t to frequent and violent innundations. , " There is Tome tolerable good land on Rocky River, but as we approached the waters of the Blue River, the country again opens into plains, in which arc intcrfpcrfcd clumps of fcrubby oak, dwarf laurel, plumb, and hazel, that extend to Indian Creek, when the country again improves, and though it is rather broken, it continued to improve until wc reached the Rapids of the Ohio." What I formerly advanced refpedting a new State being formed in ten years from that date, weft of the Ohio, merely as conjecllire, does not appear to me at prefent the kaft problema- tical The circumftanccs attending the rife of the State of Kentucky were infinitely more perilous and calamitous than extending our fettlements farther weftward are likely to be: — and when it is remembered that State rofe, from an uninha- bited wild, detached from every other country from ( 414' ) fforti which it would obtain fuppliesa diftanceof fcveral hundred miles, and expofed on every Quarter to the mcrcilefs fury of the favagcs, iii a ihorter period of time, and that our prefent Infant fettlements arc protedled by a ftrong and adlive military force, direfled by fatal and im- proved experience of our former misfortunes, with a cultivated country at their back, which pours fourth an abundance of refources to fup- port them againft the effcdts of contingencies «nd difartefs, I think we may contemplate, with every degree of human certainty^ the fucccft of fuch a fpeculatibn. The fettlement at the moUth of the Great Kanhaway, which did not commence until ^785, tthd which was an^ra when otirwedern affairs had ^ mdd gloomy afpec'lj coriftitutcs alreidy, witK the fcttlements above ^ne river Elk, a diftincl county, and in which the laws of the State td which it belongs are adminiftered with great precifion and juftice< Galleapolis and the fettlements upon the Mi- ami incrcafc daily in ftrength^ while frelh en- couragement and fecurity arc given to emigrants by iii int ,nd m- ( 415 ) by the vigilance of the army in their neighbour- hood ; who fo completely overawe the Indians, that little harm in future can be dreaded from their incurfions, and they well know their par- tial fuccelTes hitherto were owing to the folly of our war minifter, and the inexperience of the officers of his appointment — but the fyftem has been completely changed — and the fuccefs of Wilkinfon and Scot's expedition is amply fuf- ficient to juftify the meafure. i : ' 1:': .rt' -..I .bj jj.: lit- :-.i '';r^t(>Jt' out 150 miles alfo, from eafl to weft, on tl>e fame Virginia line, and its height, from north to fouth, about 55 miles, and fo may com2>reheiid about four thoufand fquare miles, or upwards of two and a lialf millions of acres of land. Within thefe triangles, however, are the following claims of citizens, refervcd by the deed ofceflxon, and confequently forming exceptions to the rights of the United States : I. Appropriations by the State of North-Carolina, for their continental and Aate officers and foldiers. 1. Grants and cities to grants veiUd in individuals by the laws of the State. ill. Entries made in Armllrong*s Office, under an adl of that State, of 1783^ for the redemption of fpecie and other certificates. The claims covered by t\^e firft refervation are, I A, The bounties in land given by the faid State of North Carolina, to their continental line, in additiou to thofe given by CongreCs ; thel'e were to be located within a diftri«St bounded northwardly by the Virginia line, and fouthwardly by a line parallel thereto, and 55 miles diAant : weflwardly, by the TanniiTee, and eafl- wardiy i>y the meridian of the interfeiStion of the Vir- ginia line, and Cumbf-rlaiul River; gruius have accord- ingly iiTucd for 1*239,498 :icie'', and warrants for the further. V \ ( 4^3 ) further quantity tofore declared void, by any a6l or z6ks of the GctieraL Aflcmbly of this State.'* Still it is to be confidercd, that many of thefe perfons have fettledand improved the lands, are willing, as it is faid, to comply with fuch conditions as Hiall be required of other purchafers, form a ftrong barrier on the new frontier, acquired by tne treaty of HolAon, and are therefore obje«Sls meriting the confideration of the Legiflature. 4. Entries in Sullivan county, amounting to 240,624 acres i for 173>332 acres of which, grants have already ilTued; of the remaining entries, many art certified void, and others underftood to be lapfed or otherwife voidable under the laws of the State. 5. Certain pre-emption rights granted to the firft fet- tlersof Davidfon county,on Cumberland River, amount* ing to 390,760 acres, 6. A grant of -«: 00,000 acres to Richard Henderfon and others on Powel's and Clinch's Rivers, extending «p Powers River in a breadth of not lefs than 4 miles, and down ClincVs froT. their juntSion in a breadth not lefs than I2«itles. A great part of this is within the Indian territory, . Among the grants of the State now under recapitula- tion, as forming exceptions cut of the abfolute rights o{ the United States, are ;iot to be reckoned here two grants of 2,000 acres .each to Alexander Martin and David Wilfon, adjacent to the lands allotted to the officers and foldiers ; nor a grant^f 25,000 acres on Duck River to the late Major General Greene; becaufe they are wholly within the Indian territory, as acknowledged ^y the treaties ©f Hopewell and HolSton, .> The ( 425 ) The extent of the third refervation m favor of entries maile in Armdrong^s Office is not yet entirely known* nor can be till the 20th of December 1 7q2, the laft day given for perfedting them : the fum of certificates, how- ever, which had been paid for ihefe warrants into the tieafury of the State, before the 20th day of May 1790, reaches in all probability near to their whole amount; this was ;^ 373*649 : 6/ : 5 contains, on a loofeeftimate, about 5S)000 fquare miles, or 35 millions of acres. During the Britifh government, great numbers of perfons had formed themfdves into companies under different names, fuch as the Ohio, the Wabache, the Illinois, the MifliiTippi, or Vandalia companies, and had covered, wiih their applications, a great part of this territory. Some of them had obtained orders on certain conditions, which, having never been ful- filled, their titles were never completed by grants. Others were only in a Aate of n sgociation, when the Briti(h authority was difcontinued. Some of thefe claimt being already under a fpecial reference by order of Congrefs, and all of them probably falling under the operation of the fame principles, they will not be noticed in the prefenc report. The claims of citizens to be here ftated will be, I. Ihofe referved by the States in tlieir deeds of cef- iton* II. Thofe which have arifen under the government of the United States themfelves. Under ( 428 ) Under the firft head prefents itfelf the traA of courts- try from the completion of the 41ft degree, to 42 deg. 2 min. of north latitude, and extending from the Penn- lylvania line before mentioned, 120 miles weftward, not mentioned in the deed of Connecticut, while all tli« country weftward thereof was mentioned to be ceded ; about two and a half millions of acres of this may per- haps he without the Indian lines before mentioned. 2. A refervation in tl>e deed of Virginia of the pof- fcflions and titles of the 1 "rench and* Canadian inhabitants and other fettiers of the Kafls-nilNias, St. Vincent's, and the neighboring villages, who had profefled themfelves citizens of Virginia, whicii rights have been fettled by an acH; of thelaft feflion of Congrefs, intitled, " An aft for granting lands to the inhabitants and fettlers at Vin- cennes and the Illinois country in the territory north- • wefl of the Ohio, and for conlirming them in their pofleffions.*' 'I'iiefe lands are in the neighbourhood of ihc feveral viHages. 3. A refervation in t lie fame deed of a quantity not exceeding 150,000 acres of land for General George Rogers Clarke, and the officers and foldiers of his regi- ment who were at the reduction of Kalkalkias, and St. Vincent's, to be laid ofF in fuch place on the north-well fjde of the Ohio, as a majority of the officers fhould choofe. They chofe they ihould be laid ofFon the river adjacent to the Rapids, whi( h accordingly has been done* . ' , V 4. A refer^ratjonj in the fame deed, of lands between the Scioto and Little Miami, to make up to the Vir- ginia troops on continental eflablifliment the quantity n-hrch the good lands, in their fouthern allotments, might b ( 429 ) might fall fliort of the bounties given them by the laws of that State. By a ftatement of the 1 6th of September, 1788, il appears thac 724,045* acres had been furveyed for them on the fouth-eaftern fide of the Ohio; that 1,395,385 J acres had been furveyed on the north-weftern fide; that warrants for 649,649 acres more, to be laid off on the fame fide of the river, were in the. hands of the furveyor, and it was fiippofed there miglit ftill bo fome few warrants not yet prefenred ; fo that this re- fervation may be ftatcd at 2,04 5,031' acres, or pcxhap? fome fmall matter more. II. The claims of individual citizens derived from the United States tlienifelves are the following : I. Thofe of tiie continental army* founded 00 the refolutions of Congress of September 16, 1776, Auguli: 12, and September 30, 1780, and 6xed by the ordinanca of May 20, 1 785. 'i'he refolution of Ojitober 22, 1 78^ and the fupplemcntary ordinance of July 9, 1788, iu the feven ranges of townlhips, beginning at a point on the Ohio, due north from the wellet iji termination gf a line then lately run, as the fouthern boundary of Penn- fylvania : or in a fecond traifl of a million of acres, bounded eaft by tiie 7th range of the ''/ui townftjipSf fouth by the lands of Cutler and Sargpnt ; north, by an extenHon ofthe northern boundary of thefaid townihips; and going towards the well fo far as to include the above quantity ; or, laftly, in a tliiid trafl of country ; be- ginning at the mouth of the Onio, ;)nd running up the Miffiflippi to the river Au Vaiife, thence up the jjme till It meets a well line from tlie mouth of the Little Wa • bafli; thence; along that line to the Great Wabaih; thence down the lame and tlic O lio lo tlie beginning. The ( 430 ) .r The fum total of the faid military claims is 1,851,^00 acre's. 2. 1 hofe of the individuals \fhQ made porchafes of land at New York, within the faid fcven ranges of town* {htps, according to the ref:>lutions of Congrefs of April 21, 1787) and the fupp]ementary ordinance of J«ly 9> 1788) which claims amount to 150,896 acres. 3. The pui chafe of one million and a half ncres of land by Cutler and Sargent, on behalf of certain indi- viduals, aGbciated under the nam« of the Ohio Com- pany. This begins where the Ohio is interfefted by the weAern boundary of the 7th range of townfliips, and runs due north on that boundary 1306 chains and 25 links; thence due weft to the weftern boundary of the i7th range of townihips ; thence due fouth to the Ohio, and up that river to the beginning ; the whole area con* Gaining 1,781,760 acres of land, whereof 281,760 seres, confining of various lots and townHiips^ are referred to the United States. 4. 'I'he purclwfe by the fame Cutler and Sargent oi| behalt alfo of themfelves and others. This begins at the north-eaftern angle of the tradl of their pnrchafe before defcribcd, and runs due north to the northern boundary of the tenth townfliip from the Ohio ; thence due weft, to the Scioto; thence down the fame, and up the Ohio to the fouth«weftern angle of the faid purchafe before defcribed, and along the weftern «nd northern boundaries thereof to the beginning } the whole area containing 4,901,480 acres of land, out of which, how- itver, five lots, to wit, Nos. 8, 11, 16, 26, and 29 of every townftiip, of fix miles I'quare, are retained by the V^njted States, aiiJ out of the whole are retained the three ? [ 431 J rliree townfliijis of C)n»ilenhiitten, Schoenbrun, and Salem ; and certain lands around them, as will be here- after mentioned. 5. The purchafe of John C)eve SymmeS| bounded ow the weft by the Cireat Miami ; on the fouth by the Ohio ; on the eaft by a line which is to begin on th« bank of the Ohio, 20 miles from the mouth of the iCireat Miami, ?s mtafured along the feveral courfes of Ohio, and to run parallel with the general courfe o£ the fuid Great Miami; and on the north by an eaft and Vved line, fo run as to include a million of acres in the whole area, whereof five lots, numbered as before men- tioned, are jreferved put of every townfliip by the United State?, It is fuggeiled that this purchafer, under colour of fir(V and larger proportion to the board of treafury, which was never plofed (but pending that proportion )| fold fundry parcels of lai)d, between his eaflern bound* ary before mentioned, and the Little Miami ; and that the purchafers have fettled thereon. If thefe fuggeftions prove true, the fcttlers will, perhaps, be thought to |nerit the favor of the legiilature, as purchafers for valuable confideration, and without notice ot the de- feat of title. The contrails for lands, which wer«* at one time under confideration with Meflrs. Flint and Parker, and witU Colonel Morgan, were never fo far profecuted as t* l)ring either party under any obligation. All proceed- ings thereon wece difcontinued at a very early (lage, an4 it is fuppofed that no further views exift with any party. Thefe, therefore, are i^t to be enumerated among ex^f i^lii^g dai«)<|»i^ ^. Threg n ( 43* ) 6. Three townfliips were referved by the ordinance of May 20, 1 785, adjacent to Lake Erie, for refugees from Canada and Nova-Scotia, and for other purpofes, accord* ing to refolutions of Congrefs, made or to be made on that fubje<5t. Thefe would of courfe contain 691 120 acres. 7> The fame ordinance of May 20, 1785, appropri* ated the three towns of Gnadenhutten, Schoenbrun, and Salem, on the Mufkingum, for the ChriAian In- dians formerly fettled there, or the remains of that fo- ciety* with the grounds round about them, and the quantity of the faid circumjacent grounds, for each of the faid towns, was determined by the refolution of Congrefs of Septeml)er 3d, 1788, to be fo much as, with the plat of its refpedlive town, fhould make up 4000 acres; fo that the three towns and their circum* jacent lands were to amount to 12,000 acres. This re- fervation was accordingly made out of the larger pur- chafe of Cutler and Sargent, which comprehended them* The Indians, however, for whom the refervation was made, have chofen to emigrate beyond the limits of ^he United States, fo that the lands referved for them flill remain to the United States. On the whole, it appears that the United States may rightfully difpofe of nil the lands between the Wnbaih, the Ohio, Pennfylvania, the forty- firft parallel of lati- tude, and the Indian lines defcribed in the treaties of the Great Miami, and Fort M^Intorii, with exceptions only of the rights faved by the deed of ceiRon of Virginia, and of all rights legally derived from the government of the United States, and fuppoling the parts fouth of the Indian lines, to contain as before conj,ei^ured, about 35 mil- L 17 ] • 35 millions of acres, and that the claims of citizen^ before enumer;\te. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 11.25 mm ^ « 13.6 ^BB Sf i&o i zg m U H 1.6 HiotogFaphJc ^Sciences Craporation M m ^ <^ 4^ 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIISTIR,N.Y. 145M (716) •72-4503 ;\ ' INDEX. ment, iTp; its four mofl: capital rivers dcfcribed, ;i/V. ctfeq. extenfion and ftrength of its fettlements, 1 2?, et feti. the general climate of it defcribcd, 140, et feq. contraft between it and Europe, 1721 its inhabitants not generally prejudiced againft the negroes, 201 ; defcription of its plants, fruits, trees, animals and birds, 224, 242 \ its natural hiftory touched upon by BufTon, Kalm, D'Abenton, Catcftjy, and Pennant, «33 } remarks concerning the population of its im- menfe continent, 373, ctfeq what nations may be fup- pofed to have contributed to it, 375, etfcq, Anabaptifls, the firft who promoted public worfliip in Kentucky, 301. Animals, American, locally enumerated, 233, etfeq. Appendixes, 268, 400. Army, (landing, its pernicious confequences, 26. Afhton, Captain, falls in an adlion againft the Savages, 353- ^ B. Bifons of Scythia refemble the buffaloes of America, 4. Black, one in New England compofcd an ephemeris, 213. Blue-Licks, dreadful refult of the battle there, 357. Boats, flat-bottomed, how conftrucled, 106; in what manner propelled by the force of mechanical powers, 3'9' Bones of immenfe magnitude not afcertained, 47 \ con- jectures refpefting them, 306, etfeq. Boon, Colonel l^'aniel, figns his recommendations of Filfon's State of Kentucky, 271 ; himfelf one of the • earlieft fcttlers there, 274 ; proceeds in queft of Ken- • tucky, with his aflbciates, 326 } finds in it abundance ' of wild-beafls, ih. and immenfe quantities of buffaloes, • fearlefsly browzing, th. feifed and plundered by the < Indians, 327 ; efcapes, 328 ; joined by his brother, ih. who (hortly returned, leaving him alone, 330 j con- ' templates the beauties of the country, 331 ; his brother ^ comes back, and they depart together to Cumberland river, 332 ; he foon afterwards goes home for his ^ family, 333 i whom, with other families, he brings towards Kentucky, ib. again engaged with the Indians, lb. — .*. INDEX. w. his fon fulls in the aftion, ib. employed by Governor Lord Duninore, to conduft fome furveyors to a diftant fettlement, 335 ; takes a command during the cam- paign, ilf. marks out the roads towards Kentucky, ib» aflailcd by the Indians, 336 ; crefts a fort, at Boonf- borough, ilf. more battles, 337, 338, 339, 340, 345, 347, 354, 358, et fiq. their coufequences, 337, 338, 339» 34p. 34S> 347» 354> 35?, et feq- his daughter taken prifoner, 337 ; he experiences a generous treat- ment from the Englilh, 341 ; and from the Indians, 342 } efcapes to Boonfborough, 344 \ lofes his fecond fon in battle, 356 ; hotv verifying the obfervations of an old Indian, 361 ; his prayer for the extirpation of war, 361 } lives, at length, in undifturbed tranquility, Bourbon, one of the four moft capital rivers in America, l\C),et/i-q. Bowjnan, Colonel, his long paflage through a fubterra- neous lake, 303 ; brings a reinforcement to ColonelBoon from VirgiP'a, 339 ; refult of his expedition againft the Shawanefe, 349. Braddock, General, a confequence of his defeat, 20. Briarcs, country furrounding it defcribcd, 413. Buffaloes of America rel'cmble the bifons of Scythia, 4 ; manner in which they form a lick, 46 ; their immenfe number, 67. Buffon, in part, dcfcribos the Mnmmouth, 47, 236 i touches upon the natural hiftory of America, 233 ; his remarks concerning tht animals inhabiting, in com- mon, the two continents, 373. Burying grounds, fome, at Kentucky, perhaps bearing a refemblance to ancient BritKh remains, 3 80. C. Calaway,- Colonel, his daughters taken prifoners by the Indians, 337. Campbell, Colonel, gains a vitStory over Colonel Fergu- fon and his detachment, 25. Canada defcribed, 68 j its winters, »^. Canals, benefits to be derived from their completipn, 38.. ^ane, the, defcribed, 45, % Carolma Hi INDEX. Cafolitta ground^niitj ike long defignatloa of It by Mr* Jcfferfon, ?jS. Carver, his ideas of civiiizaticm, on one fide of tfa« Alle- gany mouat^ns, imaginary, 3 ^ parts of America described by faim, 65 ; accuracy of his obfervatlons, 68 i mentions the four moft capital rivers of An:erica, Catabavs defer ibe<3, 79, 369. Gatelby touches upon the natural hlAory of America, 233- Catsfilh, its immenfc Hzr, 2p5. Caves, dieir prodigloiu JimcnCons, 303 1 how curioufly fupported, a, Cayahoga river dclcribed, 70. Chafhiws dcfcribctl, 78, tf/^q. Channels of cominunicatioas, by v ater, their vaaicti« and extent, 117. Chaplain, Captuin, nature of his remarks in ilonfinnation of the idea that the Miflburi colony was fuppofed to have been founded by Madoc, a Prince of Wales, 377. Charlevoix qviotcd, 6 ; pnrts of America defcribed by him, 6^ ; his account of the Ohio, 2^9*'^ J*^' Chegee Indians defcribed, 369. Chclicothe, old, manner in which it is built, 385. Chcrokees defcribed, 78, ft/t'g. 368. Chicamawgec Indians (lefcrihed, ^158. / Chkafaw Indians deiicribcd, 369. Choftaw Indians defcribed, /A. '* Chilrch, ks tjTanny retarding the elucidation of truth, 175. Clark, Genera!, his fucccfsful expedition arr.^.inil Pccka;- way, 351-, his diitinguiihod chara<^ter and fortunate expeddtiou, 359; rcccivoi ambdlladorii from the In- dians, 360. Clarkrille defcribed, 52. ClJmate, remarks concerning its cflV»fls on the fkiti, and its affimilation of foreigners to natives, 207, Cline, Doflor, bis opln'.on refpcfting the Mammoutlj 236. Clover, thC| defcribc J, 46- (^omni / INDEX. Coninicrce, fjrrtems for its aggrandifemcnt, how baneful, 124. Cook, Captain, his difcoverles appear to fupport the hy- pothefis of Buffon, concerning the animals inhabiting in common^ the two continents, 374. Conclufion,) the, 390. Contitiental currency, ftate of the, 13. Cool, William, accompanies Colonel Boon in que;ft of Kentucky, 326. Cotton manufaflory apparently more proi^table than that of filk, 10?; Crane, its particular longevity, 132. Creeks defcribed, 7S, eifeq, Cumberland mountain, its horrible afpeft, 334. Cumberland river defcribed, 23, 28j. Cumberland fettlement, caufe of it commencement, 23 ; its produftions, 100, etfeq. Curiofity natural f) the foul of man^ 324; D. b' Aberiton touches upon the natural hiftory of Ajpnerica, 23> Daltonj J. holds t council with the Piankafhaw Indians, 363 } his fpeech, ih. Danes, great navigators, 376$ their difcoveries, /i^. Deer, manner in which they form a lick, 46 } their iin<^ menfe numberj 67* definitive treaty, copy of its fecond article, 394, dfeq, Detroit defcribed, 68, etfeq^ probable furrender of its forts likely to increafe the fettlements upon the borders of the lake Erie^ 83 ; of material Importance to Great Britain, 24), t)ick's river defcribed, 282. biftances from one river to another, 1 1 1. Diftin£tipns, their exiftence how baneful to human na- ture, 58. brinker, Edward, curious particulars coi^cernuiff ^im, Introdudiorii v ; gave the unconftitutional afts of Great Br^tai^ againft i\merica, to, his grandfons tjhat they might convert them into rites, ib. vii. Dunmorc, Earl 0^ his^ ej^dition, 10. Elk-horn I N D E X. E. Eik-hom river defcrlbed, 282. j Elks, their immenfe number, 67. Emigrants, their numbers, 86. England, how politic and humane, 7 ', her fcttlemehts hi America, 7, et feq, caufe of the war between her and France, 8 } obtains ceflions by the Treaty of Paris in i7<^3> 20; enjoying a conliderable fliare of liberty, whilil other countries languifh under defpotifm, 44 \ in what inftance pradlifing the very policy which fhe fo feverely reprobated in France, 264. Englifh language, likely to fuperfede the Latin, 221. Erie, lake, its circumference, 92. Efquimaux Indians, fuppofed remains of the colony of Vinland, /!77. Euphorbus, defcription of his death, 2^1. Europe, when in its infancy, 5 } contraft between it and America, 172 -, Expeditions, recital of two againft an Indian tribe, 402, ttfeq, ;..•-.. • ■ -F. Federal Government, circumdances under which it arofe, etjeq. Fergulon, Colonel, defeated and killed, 25. Filfon, John, his account of Kentucky a fource of in- formation to all fucceeding writers, Introduclioiiy xv ; his ftate of it, 269 ; recommendations of the authen- ticity of his account, under the fignatures of Boon, Todd, and Harrod, 271 ; not an inhabitant of the fet- tlement, 273; goes thither in 1767,276; obliged to decamp, ib. returns again in 1769, with Colonel Boon and others, ib. deicribes its fituation and boun- "-> daries, 279, ct feq. its rivers, 281 \ the nature of its foil, 285, et /eqi its air and climate, 291, et feq» its foil < and produce, ^92 } its quadrupeds, 298 ; its inhabit- ants, 300, et ,eq. its religious fefts, ^03 ; its curiolities, \* 302 i its dilTerent fprings, ^O", et Jeq. its curious fepulchres, 305 ; its various rights of land, 309, et/eq, its trade, 312, <"/yfy. ■ • • Forbes, XV INDEX. Forbes, General, rcfult of his capture of Fort Du Qucfnc^ 20. FonUs, Avhy of unafcertained value, 5 7. France, how politic and humani.', 7 •, her fcttlements in America, 7, et jeq, caufe of the war between her and Kngland, 8 } patriarchial manner in which her colonial fubjefts lived at P ft Saint Vincent, 21; conciliates the manners of the Savages in America, 264 ; difFitfed amongft them a more general knowledge of the ufe of fire-arms, to render them more formidable to the Whites, ib. when this aniraofity ccafed, ib. Franklin, ftate of, an intended dillinclion, 77. Freemen, inftanccs of thtir inperioriry over flaves, 16, Friend, an accomplillied military lamentation over the lofs of one, 251 ; liis dcatli compared to that of F.uphorhus, ib. Fur trade, Englifh, in Canada, v/hen likely to be reduced more than one half, 2^7. G. Gallipolis, fettlement of, defcribed, 401; inercafing in lireni'.th, 414. Genafee country defcribed, 80, ct "eq. Geographers either ignorant of Kentucky, or negligently overlooking it, 27 ^ Gibbaway Indians dtfcribcd, 370. Girty, Captain, inflames the Savages againft Colond Boon, and his aiTotiates. 3:54. Gordon, Colonel, his high opinion of the Weftern limits of the Federal Empire of America, 93 \ defcribes the manner of pafling the falls of the (3hio, 114. CJrape, native, defcribed, 56. Great-bone Lick defcribed, 47. - Greenland difcovcrcd by the Danes, 376. Green river defcribed, 55, 283. H. Harland, Major, killed in an aftion \\\\\\ the Indians, 356. Harrod, ( olonel James, figns his recommendation of Filfon's ftatc of Kentucky, 271. Hawk, its particularly extended age, 132. Hendcrfon, i» i N D E X. Henderfon, Mr. the refult cf his endeavours to eftablilh i colony at Kentucky, ii j fituation of his grant, 55 ; purchafes of lands at Kentucky, 278 } his right dis- puted by the State of Virginia, who, notvf ithftanJin^, reward him for his acquifitions, 278. Henriade, the reafons why it has been (6 littte read, 213^ HiUibororugh, Earl of, account prefented to him of the various and important public advantages to be drawn from the country of the Ohio, 103, r/ eq. Holden, John, accompanies Colonel Boon in qued of Kentucky, 326. Holder, Captain, defeated at the head of his party, againiV the Savages, 353, Holdon, country of, its iltuation, ^4 ; defcribed, 6i. Homer,his idea ofthe refult of fla very, 211 •, quoted^ 251. Hunter, Dr. his opinion concerning the Mammouth, 2^6. of certain bonet of an immenfe fize, 308. Huron, lake, its circumference, 92. I. Ibberville, how it might be rendered the centre of the Wefterrt trade, 322. Iceland difcovertfd by the Danes, 376. Icelanders, their fettlement at Vinland, ib. Jefferfon, Mr. his remarks on population, 85 } on the numbers of emigrants, 86 ; his account of the inund;!- tions of the Ohio, 120} a man of erudhion. 121 } but fupcrficial, and attached to his own theories, 124; quoted, 143; obfervations concerning his tables of average heat and cold, 1 46 ; his ideas of the govern- ment of Virgiiiia, 178, <•/ eq. where adopting the fen- timents of Mr. Burke,: 1S3 ; his prejudices againft the Negroes, 201, et jeq. objedlions againll: his argu« nients on this I'ubjcdt, 202, et ;eq. comparatively inferior in genius to Fhillh JVhately, 214 ; too fevcrc on Igna- tius Sancho, 215-, how niiftaken with refpe^k to Terence, ih. his humane and candid remarks On the relative fituation of mafter and flave, 2:6-, yet thinks) tiie African a being between the Oran-Outang, 217 f his lon^ dclignation of the Carolma ground nut, 228 ^ his o;ii!;ioii conctjrning the Mnmmouth, 23d. Jerufal«m INDEX. 228 ( Jenifalem deVivered, reafons why it has been fo little tad, 213. Illinois country defcribcd, 21, et/eq, Illinois river dcfcribed,^7. Indian Chief, Old, his obfervnttons to Colonel Boon, on ilgnmg Colonel Henderfon*s deed, 361. Indian nations, caufe of their decreafe in population, 6 Indians fell grants of land to the Britiih Ccmmiflioners, ' 9 i maflacre the firll iettlers, 10; engaged againft the army of Colonel Lewis, ih. their conceifions in con* iiderations of former auiracres, 29 ; which, notwith- (landing, they, in part, renew, 39 j at war with the fettlers, 33 ; how fuffering by intoxication, 79 ; why they cannot carry on their attacks regularly and per- feveringly, 248 ; their barbarous treatment of the vanquifhed, 350 ; one (hot in the moment after he had killed his enemy, 354; fend ambafladors to General Clark, 360 ; names of thofe prefent at the Pianka(haw Council, 367 ; various nations of them defcribed, 368, etfeq. their perfons, habits, and various ornaments, 381, ^tffq. their warlike in{lrumeii:ts, 382 ; their great dexterity in udng them, ih. their gen r^y difpofition and conAiitution, 383, et/eq^ their generour allowance for mifchiefs done during intoxication, 383 ; tiieir natural eloquence, 384 ; their modes of living, ib, their dwdlings, it, their domeflic utendls, .^85 ; their religion and its accompanying ceremonies and feftivals, ih. ttjeq. they feaft for the recovery of the fick, 388 ; their laws againft adultery and murder, 388, 389 ; their forms of marriage, ib. the flavery of their wo- men, ib. power of their kings, ib. their mutual wars^ '^o ; their cruel treatment of their captives, ib* Indians, Huron, defcribed, 371. Introdu^ion, L Invention, what the moft powerful ftimulus to the exer- cifeof it, 58. Julian, tlM Emperor, his opinion of the winters in France, 68. Jurifprudence, advantageous refult of its fimplicity and ilrength. »7- Kaimsy ¥ INDEX. • , K. * Kaims, Lord, contends that climates ailimilatc foreigners to natives, 'jo6. Knkafky Indians dcfcribcd, ^"ji. Kalm touchts upon the natural hiftory of America, 233. Kanhaucary, Great, when the fettlcaicnts at the mouth of it commenced, 414, Kanhaway, Great river, defcribcd, 40 ; magnitude of the obftructions againrt its navigation, 1 13. Kenapacomaqua, country near it dt'lcribcd, 409. Kennaway, Great River, defcribed, 284. Kennaway, I ittle River, defcribed, 39. Kentucky, fcttlement of, aftonifliing that it fhould be ad- mitted as a fcparate ftate into the Federal Government of America, IiitroduBion^ i ; its fuddcn rife, ii ; an ol>- je6l of contention between the Indians and Americans, iii } its inhabitants petition the United States to remon- ftrate with Spain, upon the obftru(Slion of the navigation of the MiflilTippi, ix ; the purity and manlinefs of the fcntiments which the petition contains, ib. its peopling encouraged by Virginia, 10 ; the river defcribed,/^. defcription of the various lands, their allotments, how contracted for, and how purchafed or obtained 13, etfeq, commiflioners fcnt to adjuft the claims of the fettlers, 1 7 J when confidered as an cftablifhed fettlement, 1 8 ; ftrange defcription of its boundaries, ib. formed in part, by pre-emption righls, 23 ; the Key-ftone of fcttlcments upon the waters of the Mifliflippi, 26 ; number of emigrants reforting thither, 27 } receives a General Court from the State of Virginia, ib. it roads more opened to admit carriages, 28 } augmented in its numbers, ib. inclined to independence, ib. reafons for deferring an application to be taken into the Federal Government, 29; fecure in defpite of furrounding wars, 33} agreement for its admiflion into the Federal Union, ib. its population, and natural and artificial productions, 36 ; et feq, 72, 29, et feq. advantageous courfe of its rivers for the purpofes of land-carriage, 38 \ heights of its perpendicular precipices, 49 } Wine made from its oative grape, 56 ; abounds in fofiils, 57*. iaib.£ikji«j£it^ wA ijff^ INDEX. «; 7 ; but is in want of chymifts and mineralifts, ib. its ioil favourable to hemp and Indian corn, p8 ; and to filk and cotton, 99 •, excellence of its fhcep and wool, 1 00 ; its r.ilt fprings defcrlbed, 1 34, et jeq. its various injK's, niincr;ils, and quarries, 137, et eq, its difterent f^uiiigs, 140; its climate, 141, 1'/yi-^r. advantage from having, neither marfhcs nor bogs, 145 \ Jlations of it» inhab'rant^ dellribcd, \^,Z^etfl'q their log-houfes, 150; their modes of cu'tivation, 15 (, tt feq and the variety of their abundant rcrourtc;, ih fortunate confcquenccs accruing to it from an acceilion of emigrants, 153, etfeq. their occupations and pnftimcs, \llyCtfeq. their ufual bover.'go, 157 ; tlielr I'-veral/o/zA-j, ib. modes of trani^ portiuif ba!;gagc, 158 •, expencc or travelling, \^f)^ etfeq, prices of provirions, 160, et fcq its diftances from other iettlemeuts, ifj3 ; value cf land,- for purchafe, 165 ; pre- parations and acquifitions neceirary upon taking poflef- ficn of it, 1 66^ f: .7. abundance which muft enfue, 168, etfeq. laws, government and religion, defcribed, 174, et fcq. ftate of it hy Filjon, 269*, either not known or neglected by the geographers, 273 i who the firft white man that difcovered it, 275 » called, by the Indians, the dark and bloody ground, 276 ; infpefting houfes for tobacco cftabliftied within it, 280 j charac- ter of its inhabitants, 300, etfeq, its religious fec^s, 301 j its curiofitics, 30.1 j how riling from a howling wildernefs to a flourifliing and fplendid fettlement, 324, etfeq. a fevere winter there, 352 ; why conceived to have been anciently inhabited by the Welfh, 379; entrenchments there, of the mode of raifing which the Indians were ignorant, 370 ; its. burial grounds perhaps bearing a refcmblance to ancient Britifh remains, 380$ how poflefled of the four natural qualities ncccflary to promote the happinefs of a country, 391 *, the various feafons why it fhould univerfally attraft the attention « of mankind, 39 1 > ^/ feq. confequences likely to accrue to it from the recital of its happinefs, 392, et feq. the in- habitants advifed to imitate the political conduct of Lycurgus, Locke, Penn, and Wafhington, 392 ; and to introduce manufactures from their own internal rcfources, 393 -, reafons for fuppofing that, probably their I N I> E X. their country wiil be inh.tbttecl by the finl people t\%e- world ever knew, it. fccurity of the fcttlcmcnt from a cordon of troops, extending upon the Wcftcrn fide ot the Ohio, 400 ; circumftances attending the rife of thtr fettlemcnt, how companiiivcly perilous and calamitous, Kentucky RivcT dcTcrlbcd, iSz. Kethtippaca-Munck, the town of it dcftroyeJ, 403 ; defcrilwd, with the adjoining country, 41 1, Kickapoo defcribed with the adjoining country, 41 x. Kickapoo Indians defcribed, 372. I.. Lake, an extraordinary fubterraneous, 393, Lakes, American, their vaft magnitude, 93. Lakes of the wood dcl'eribed, g^. Law, Mr. mifcarriage of hU fchcmc, 8. Lead mine, 5 7. Learning, one refultof itsfuperabundance, I7<1. Lewi^, Colonel, engaged againft the Indians, 10. Lewis, General, proceeds to Kentucky, 277 •, purchafes I'jud there, ib. Lexington, remain* of fortifications in its neighbourhood, 379 i atid of earthen velfels, a injinufat^^ure unknown to the Indians, ib. Liberty, its charms, 55 ; the numerous bleflings which it has conferred on mankind, 109. Lick, a, defcrihed, 46. Licking Creek described, 45. licking River defcribed, 28!. Licks, extraordinary curiofitics, -^o^^ tt feq, Limeftone, fertility, abuixdance, and beauty of this part of the country, 42. JLannaeus, an inilance of his literary merit, 221. '- .^ Locke teaching the doArine of toleration, 392. ' y Logan, Colonel, hailens to join Colonel IJoon with a reinforcement, 357. ^ng Hunters penetrate the mountains of the wilder- nefs, 9. Lo|ig Ifland defcribed, 87. ;' X«ong Ifle Indi;ins defcribed, 3 7 1 , Ixtng I N D F. X. from a fide ot of tht- niitous, 403 i II. urchafcs (urhood, nknown which it s part of 1 with a c wilder- Long Knife, exprefllon of the Savages, its meaning, ^39^ Louis XIV. one of the confequences of his ambition, 7. Louifiana, fcttleme^nts of, defcribcd, ai j the key tq Mexico, 90. Louifville defcribcd, 53. Lufiad, the reafons why it has been fo little read, 213. Lycurgus baniihing covetoufnefs and tlie love of gold, 392. M. Macbride, the BxR. white man that difcovered Kentucky, 275- M'Macken, Dr. James, propofes to conftrudl: boats fo that they fhall be propelled by the force of mechanical powtrs, 319. Madoc, Prince of Wales, why fuppqfed to have founded a colony up the MifTouri, 377. Mallet, his report from the ancient Icelandic Chroniclesi ^ammouth, immenfe Hzc of its bones, 47 \ opinions con- cemins it, by Byfibn, Hunter, Cline, and J efferfon, 2 36. Manlineis of charafter degenerating proportionably wi(h the fsrvility of courtiers, Introduclion, v. Maple Tree, produfkive of the fined fugars under care and management^ 1 29 ; its nature and power of fupply defcribed, 130, et/iq. Marriages, lats and ixiifret^uent caufe a flownefs of popu- lation, 89. Mawmee Indians defcribed, 370. Meafures (probably fuccefsfui) adopted for terminating the Indian war, 249. Miami, Great River, defcribed, 70. Miohegan, Lake, country near it defcribed, 81, etfig. 93. Militia, its advantages, 26, Mineo Nation defcribed, 370. Miflouri, the, a more poweiiul dream than the Miffif- fipfM, 115 } how far navigable, ib. its adjacent colony fuppofed to have been founded by Madoc Prince of Wales, 377. Mifliflippi, its navigation ob(lru£led by Spain, IfitroduHion, ' viii, advantages of its frequent turning, no; eligibility gf its aavlfation beyond that of any other channel. I N D. E X. HI ; how far navigable, 115} when its inundations commence, 126 ; being central is proper for the feat of government, 118; dcl'cribed, 315 •, its navigation de- clared, by the eighth article of the Definitive Treaty, free and open to the fuhjecls of Great Britain and the citizens of the United Statcb of America, ^2j« Morfe and all other writers take their information, con- cerning Kentucky, from Filfbn, IntroduBioHi xv, Mufcle flioals, thCir fcttlements delcribed, 24. Mufkinghum, fcttlemcnt formed upon it, 32 } defcribcd, (0. N. Nations, migrating, how imprefled with the charaftcrs of its New State, 206. Navigation, one of its confcqucnces, 6 j why the art of it continued devious until after the lapfe of feveral cen- turies, 109. Negro, his intrepid defence againft the Savages, 359. Negroes, their proportion, mufcular ftrength and athletic powers, 208 ; caufcs of their odour, 209, etfeq. New York, ilate of, defcribed, 87 j the affembly of it pa^s an aft for removing all obflru^tions between iHudfon's River and Lake Ontario, 112. ' Niagara, probable furrender of its fort likely to encreafe the fetttements upon the borders of the Lake Erie, 83 ', of material importance to Great Britain, 247. O. Oak, Live Virginian, fo abundant and fo eftimable that it would prove equal to the conAruftion of a navy fuperior to the maritime ftrength of all Europe combined to- gether, 230. ' , , ■" ; * Officer, his great duties, 247. Ohio, extreme fertility of its neighbouring hn U, 9,'>', where it rifes and how far it runs, 35 j the country adjacent to it defcribed, 81, et fcq. its productions and navigation, 92, et feq. multiplicity and importance of its local advantages, 103, etfeq, mode of descending its ftreams, 106; its rapids no obliruftion in high water, to boats going down the river, 1 14 j diflance and tkne of ."<:,. -^""^'^^m^ dationi : feat of ion cie- Trtaty, and the 3n, con- :fcribcd, afters of art of it :ral ccn- 359* i athletic )ly of it between encreafe Erie, 83 j ble that it y fuperior ibined to- e country ^ions and >rtance of ending its igh water, e and tkne of INDEX. of deicending down it, 1 18. et feq. when its inundations commence, 126; further defcription of it, 281 *, table of diftances between its mouth and Pittfburgh, 267 ; its current defcribed, 314 } roads and diHances, b/ land, to its Falls, from Philadelphia, 397. Oragon, one of the four moft capit.il rivers of America, 119. Orleans, New, likely to prove a great commercial city, 318. Owl, Great, its furprifing noife, 297. Ozaw Indians defcribed, 372. P. Page, Mr. figns a certificate in favour of Mr. Rumfey*' invention for carrying a boat againft the flream by the influence of fleam, 107. Paris, treaty of it, in 1 763, cefljons which the Englifh obtained by it, 20. Partridge, a name given by the Americans to quails, 297. Peace concluded between the United States and the In- dians, 29* Penn, William, founds a city of Brethren, 392. Pennant, his opinion concerning the peopling of America, 3 i touches upon the Natural Hiftory of America, 233. Pennfylvunia defcribed, 87 •, its population, 89. Pheafant, a name giveii by the Americans to groufe, 297- Philadelphia, its infancy and flourifhing maturity rjli^ nefled by one man, Introdttflion, vii ; roads and diftances from it, by land, to the Falls of the Ohio, 399 } roads and diflances from tlience to Pittfburg, ib, Piankafhaw Council, minutes of, and fpeeches, 363, et.Jeq, Pittfburg, flate of the country by which it is (urrounded, 44 ; table of diflances between it and the mouth of the Ohla, 267 \ road, and diflances, to it from Philadelphia, 399- Plants, American, botanically defcribed, 224, et feq» Politics, the fyflem which blends them with religion baneful, i. Population, flownefs of it, how caufed, 89: G g Foutawottamies ♦♦ ■ . *>'• y^-tt, •*•-* INDEX. Poutawottamics (Indians) defcribed, 372. Powel's mountain, its horrible afpect, 334. Powtomac, puerile to make it the feat of government, 1 1 8. Preface to Filfon's State of Kentucky, 273. Prieftcraft, its pernicious influence, 2. Printing, why not invented until after the lapfe of fcvcral centuries, 109. Pruffia, late king of, his juft remark concerning fecurity in war, 246. Purity in the body and virtue in the foul compared, 92* Quebec defcribed, 68. Q:. R. Rankin, Mr. Paftor to the Anabaptifts at Kentucky, 301. R apids, fituation and Fall of the, defcribed, 5 1 , et/eq. Red River defcribed, 282. Religion, the fyftcm which blends it wifh politics bane- ful, I. Rice, David, a Paflor to tlic Anabnptifts at Kentucky, 301. Rivers, fmall, their inundations not periodical, i 7. R oads, extraordinary, made by the buffaloes, 302. r..ocky River, land near it defcribed, 41a. Rumfey, Mr. of Virginia, his invention for carrying a boat againft the ftream by the influence of Aeam, 107. Ryc-grats, the, defcribed, 45. S. Saint Clair, General, Ids cAimable character, 245 ; the great obje6l of his expedition, 24*^ > defeated by the Indians, ih. from what probable caufes, 246, it feq. amount and nature of his army, 248. Saint Clair, Lake, its circumference, 92. Saint Lawrence, one of the four moft capital rivers of America, 1 1 9, etjeq. Saint Pierre River, the fine country near it defcribed, 121. Salt, procefii of making it, 134, ^-/yi^. Salt River defcribed, 54, 283. Salt fprings, what called, 46 i how formed, ib. 57, 134, etfeq^ how difcovercd, 1^6. Sanducky I N D E X. Sanducky River dcfcribed, 70. Sandy, (jreat, dcfcribed, 39, Savages, their hoftile attempts fruftrated by the intrepidity oi a negro and a woman, 359. Schuyler, General, inftrumental to the removal of all the obftrud'tions between Hudfon's River and Lake On- tario, 1 1 3 } his vail eftatc, ib. Sciota" River dcfcribed, 70. Scott, General, his expedition fuccefsful, 252 ; his ex- peditions againd an Indian tribe, 402, et eq. Sepulchres, extraordinary, defcribed, 305, eifi«i n i r -»■«- .!.< .,». -*n-> .f" ERRATA. tbsdn Page vii. //W 4> rra