THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES GIFT OF COMMODORE BYRON MCCANDLESS THE *AfcEMC^ ^EOGRAPHY; OR, A VIEW OF THE PRESENT SITUATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: CONTAINING djlronomical Geography ; Geographical Definitions, Difcovery, and General Defcription Of their Boundaries ; Mountains ; Lakes ; Bays, and Rivers ; Natural Hiftory ; Production ; Population ; Government ; Agriculture ; Commerce ; Manufactures, and Hiftory. A concife Account of the War, and of the important Events which have fucceeded : A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF KENTUCKY, THE WESTERN TERRITORY, THE TERRITORY SOUTH OF OHIO, AND VERMONT : Of their Extent; Civil Divifions; Chief Towns; Climates ; Soils ; Trade ; Character; Confutations ; Courts of Juftice; Colleges; Academies; Religion; lilands; Indians; Literary and Humane Societies j Springs; Curiolities; Hiftorics; Mines; Minerals; Military Strength, &c WITH A VIEW OF THE BRITISH, SPANISH, FRENCH, PORTUGUESE, AND DUTCH DOMINIONS, ON THE CONTINENT, AND IN THE WEST INDIES, AND OF EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA. BY JEDIDIAH MORSE, A. M. A NEW EDITION, I REVISED, CORRECTED, AND GREATLY ENLARGED, BY THE AUTHOR, AND ILLUSTRATED WITH TWENTY-FIVE MAPS. Lonfcon ; PRINTED FOR JOHN STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY. 9 % 1794. I fc ADVERTISEMENT, I6f i f"T^HE prefent Edition of the following Work is brought down, by regular communications from the Author, to the end of July laft. It was the Publifher's intention to have given a complete Set of Maps on a very extenfive fcale ; but finding that Mr. Arrowfmith had in great forwardnefs two large ones of America, compiled from authentic materials that he had recently re- ceived, and knowing that preference would be given to him, being univerfally and defervedly allowed to be one of the firft Geographers now living, the Pub- lifher has prefented him with the whole of the documents he had in his pofTeflion, and declined proceeding with the plates that he had already begun which of courfe, had they been finiihed, muft have greatly enhanced the price of the pre- fent volume. Moil of the Readers will probably be fatisfied with the Twenty- five Maps now given on a fmall fcale, which of themfelves form a complete American Atlas. Such as wifh for further information will be highly gratified by the fight of Mr. Arrowfmith's Maps, which he underftands will foon be publilhed under the following titles : i ft. A Map of the United States of North America on a large Scale, fhewing *he Progrefs of Geography to the prefent Time. 2d. A Map of that Part of North America to the North of the 4Oth degree of Latitude, exhibiting all the Difcoveries made in the Interior Part of that Continent. To the prefent Edition is added a fhort Account of EUROPE, ASIA, and AFRICA. e v * P 'R E F A C E. fT'HIS Book may with more propriety be conjidered as a New Work, than a new Edition, being fo much altered and enlarged. The Science of Geography, like many other Science -j, is not Jlatlonary. So rapid are the Improvements made in it by travellers and navigators -fo fajl d& alterations and revolutions fucceed each other, that It is not an eafy matter for a Geographer to keep pace 'With them. What is this year a geographical truth, may the next year be a geographical error ^ and require correction. The ajlonifiing progrefs of things in the United States fnce the year 1789, will readily fuggeft to the reader the reafon of the many alterations and additions in this new Edition of the American Geography, as contained in the following Work. 'The Author does not forget here very gratefully to acknowledge his great obli- gations to fever al of the gentlemen who fujlain fome of the highejl offices in the- general government, and to many gentlemen of refpecJ ability in the fever al States, for their very liberal and valuable communications t which have contributed not a little to render the work accurate and ufeful. He hopes that fuch ufe has been made of their friendly ajjijiance, as will induce them to continue it, and to afford in future every information, and every hint, which may tend to render work more perf eft. CHARLES TOWN, (Majfachufetts) 1793. . 4 * \ PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. OO imperfect are all the accounts of America hitherto publifhed, even by thofe who once exclufively pofTerTed the beft means of information, that from them very little knowledge of this country can be acquired. Europeans have been the fole writers of Amerkan Geography, and have too often fuffered fancy to fupply the place of facts, and thus have led their readers into errors, while they profelTed to aim at removing their ignorance. But fince the United States have become an independent nation, and have rifen into Empire, it would be reproachful for them to furler this ignorance to continue; and the reft of the world have a right now to expect authentic information. To furnifh this has been the defign of the author of the following work; but he does not pretend that this defign is completed, nor will thejudicious and candid expect it, when they confider that he has trodden, comparatively, an unbeaten path; that he has had tp collect a vait variety of materials ; that thefe have been widely fcattered : and that he could derive but little ailiflance from books already publifhed. Four years have been employed in this work, during which period the author has vifited the feveral States in the Union, and maintained an extenfive correfpon- dence with men of fcience ; and in every inftance has endeavoured to derive his information from the molt authentic fources ; he has alfo fubmitted his manu- fcripts to the infpection of Gentlemen in the States which they particularly de- fcribed, for their correction. It is poffible, notwithftanding, and indeed very probable, that inaccuracies may have crept in ; but he hopes there are none of any great importance, and that fuch as may be obferved, will not be made the fubjed: of fevere cenfure, but afcribed to fome pardonable caufe. He flatters lumfelf, Jaoweverg^tat the work now offered to the public, will be found to be 2 as - vi PREFACE. as accurate, complete, and impartial, as the p relent ftate of American Geogra- phy, and Hiftory, could furmih. After all, like the nation of which it treats, it is but an infant, and, as fuch, folicits the foStering care of the country it de- fcribes ; it will grow and improve as the nation advances towards maturity, and the author will gratefully acknowledge every friendly communication which will tend to make it perfect. In the profecution of the work, he has aimed at utility rather than originality; and, of courfe, when he has met with publications fuited to his purpofe, he has made a free ufe of them ; and he thinks it proper here to obferve, that, to avoid unneceSTary trouble, he has frequently ufed the words as well as the ideas of the writers, although the reader has not been particularly apprized of it. For the author distinctly to acknowledge the obligations he is under to many- citizens ofthefe States, as well as to fome foreigners of distinction, among us, would fwell this preface to an improper length : he cannot forbear, however, to cxprefs his peculiar obligation to EBENEZER HAZARD, Efq. Poitmafter-Gene- ral of the United States, for permiSfion of free accefs to his very large and valu- able Collection of papers, from which he has derived much of his historical information. This collection has been made with unwearied care and minute exactnefs ; and the papers, which are of unquestionable authenticity, are the beSt and moSt complete dcpofitum of facts relating to the hiftory of America, from its firSt fettlement, that is to be found in the United States. The Author's ac- knowledgements are likewife efpecially due to Captain THOMAS HUTCHINS, Geographer General of the United States, for his particular friendship and aSTiStance. Every citizen of the United States ought to be thoroughly acquainted with the Geography of his own country, and to have fome idea, at leaSt, of the other parts of the world ; but as many of them cannot afford time and expenfe necef- fary to acquire a complete knowledge of the feveral parts of the Globe, this book offers them fuch information as their Situation in life may require; and while it is calculated early to imprefs the minds of American Youth with an idea of the fuperior importance of their own country, as well as to attach them to its inte- relts, it fumiihes a Simplified account of other countries, calculated for their juvenile capacities, and to ierve as an introduction to their future improvement in Geography. CHARLESTOWN, (MaSTachufetts) 1789. ^ CON- CONTENTS. NTRODUTTON, Of Agronomy, as connected and introductory to the fcience of Geography, I Of the feveral Agronomical Syftems of the World, 2 Table of the Diameters, Periods, &c, of the leveral Planets, 4 Of Comets, ibid. Of Fixed Stars, 5 Of Geography, its Rile and Progrefs, 8 Figure, Magnitude, and Motion of the Earth, 12 Doctrine of the Sphere, 14 Table of Countries and remarkable Places, fituated in the rcfpeclive Climates north of the Equator, &c i cjr Table fhewing the number of Miles contained in a Degree of Longitude, &c. 20 Methods of finding the Latitudes and Longitudes of Places from Celeltial Obfervations, ibid. Of the Globes, and their Ufe, 22 Problems fol ved on the Celeflial Globe, 28 Manner in which different Nations reckon Time, 30 Geographical Theorems,, or Propofi- tions, ibid.. Of Maps, and their Ufe, 32 General Obfervations concerning Heat and Cold, 33 Temperature of different Places^ ac- cording to their Latitudes, 36 Theory of the Winds, 37 Theory of the Tides, 38 Length of Miles indifferent CountrieSj. 40 Natural Divilions of the Earth, ibid. Account o the Gregorian^ or New Style, 41 Table, exhibiting the Superficial Con* tents of the whole Globe in Square Miles, &c. &.<:. 42 AMERICA.. Hiftory of its Difcovery, 45 Page General Defcription of America, in which the dueftions, whence, and by whom was America firfl peopled, are difcuffed Account of the In- dians New Difcoveries on the North-weft Coaft, &c. $% NORTH AMERICA. Summary Account of itsDifcovery and Settlement, i n ChronologicalOrder, 8 $ Boundaries, Extent, Bays, Sounds, Straits, and Iflands, 96 Divisions of North America, g& Table of the different Countries, Pro- vinces, and States of North Ame- rica to whom belonging Chief Towns, and Number of Inhabi- tants, ibid, DANISH AMERICA. Greenland, 99 Boundaries and Extent, Face of the Country, Population, &c. &c. ibid, BRITISH AMERICA. New Britain^ 107- Upper and Lower Canada, n i Ifland of Cape Breton, j 15 Nova Scoria, 1 1 8 Ifland of St. John's,, 122 Newfoundland', ibid. UNITED STATES OP AMERICAN General Defcription of the United' States of America, including a Hif- tory of the late War, and many other ufeful and entertaining Mat- ters, 123 GRAND DIVISION OF THE UNITED STATES, 272 Lift of AmericairQuadrupeds bfy Mr.. Pennant,, 602. Fir/} Grand Diviftin, or Northern- or> JLaftern States, New England^ 273 Vermont, 0^4: New i C p N T E N T S. Now Ilampfhire, Difmc-t of' TV Iain, Page. 200 306 Rhode Ifknd, 338 Connecticut, 349 Second Grand Dhifwn, or Middle States, 370 New York, 37 2 New Jkrfcy, 43 IVnnlylvania, 4 1 9 De-la ware, 4-19 Territory North-weft of the Ohio, 454 Third Grand Divi/ion, or Southern States, 464 .Maryland, ibid. Virginia, 475 Indiana, 53 Kentucky, 54 North Carolina, 513 Territory South of Ohio, 527 South Carolina, 536 Georgia, 550 Spanifo Dominions in North America. Eaft and Weft Florida, 565 Louifiana, 567 Mexico, or New Spain, 572 SOUTH AMERICA*. Spanijh Dominions in South America. Terra Fiona, or Caflile del Oro, Pern, Chili, Paragua, or La Plata, Portuguefe America* 580 583 587 589 Brazil, Cayenne, French America. 59* 594 594 Dutch America. Surrinam, or Dutch Guiana, Aborig inal America, or ' that Part which the Indians pojfefs. Amazonia, 598 Pata^;,. la, 600 Lift of American Quadrupeds, by Mr. Pennant, 602 VEST INDIA ISLANDS. General Description of them, 608 Page. Briiljl Weft Indies. Jamaica, 611 Barbadocs, 614 St. Chrillopher's, 615 Antigua, ibid. Grenada, and the Grenadines, 616 Dominica, ibid. St. Vincent, i'bid. Nevis, and Montfcrrat, 6 1 7 Barbuda, ibid. Anguilla, ibid. Bermudas, or Sommers' Iflands, ibid. Lucay's, or Bahama Iflands, 6 1 8 Falkland Iflands, 619 Spanijh Weft Indies. ' Cuba, . . 619 Hifpaniola, or St. Domingo, ,620 Porto Rico, 624 Trinidad, ibid. Margaretta, 625 Juan Fernandas, ibid. French Weft Indies. Martinico, 6 1 6 Gaudaloupe, ibid. St. Lucia, ibid., Tobago, ibid. Dutch Weft Indies. St. Euftatius, or Euflatia, 627 CuralTbu, 628 Danifh Weft Indies. St. Thomas, ' 629 St. Croix, or Santa Cruz, ibid. New Difcoveries. Northern Archipelago, 631 The Pelew Iflands, 632 The Marquefas Iflands, 633 Ingraham's Iflands, ibid. Otaheite, or King George's Ifland, ibid. Society Iflands, 634 The Friendly Iflands, ibid. New Zealand, 636 Continent of New Holland 637^ The New Hebrides 640 New Guinea ibid. New Ireland 641 Sandwich ibid. CONTENTS. Europe, Denmark, Lapland, Sweden, Mufcovy, Great Britain and Ireland, Germany, Pruffia, Auftria, Bohemia, Hungary, Tranfylvania, Poland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Holland, Auiirian and French Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey in Europe, Iflands, Seas, Mountains, &c, of Europe, Turkey in Alia, Tartary in Afia, The Empire of China, Indoflan, or India on this ilde the Ganges, The Peninfula of India beyond the Ganges, Perlia, Arabia, Aiiatic Ifles, Africa, Egypt, The States of Barbarjr, Of Africa, from the Tropic of Can- cer to the Cape of Good Hope, African Iflands, General Remarks, Federal Money, Calculations upon Population, Index, For a Lift of Books and Authors quoted and referred to in the following Work, fee the laft Page. JRage 678 68 1 686 688 689 690 693 694 69 < 698 700 701 703 ib. 705 A Lrff of the MAPS, with Dlreftions for placing them, i . Map of America in general, -------,. to face page 2. - Upper and Lower Canada, ._.--.---- 3. -- Nova Scotia, --- . - - .. - ------- 4. - Newfoundland, -------------- I2 2- 5. - Northern and Middle States, comprehending the Weftern Territory, and the Britifh Dominions in North America, - - - 272 6. Map of the State of Vermont, ------- ~ - - - - 2 g^ 7. -.. New Hampfhire, r _-_----. 290 8. --- MafTachufetts, ---------- 9. - -- Rliode Ifland, 10. - - Connecticut, -,--_-._--- 349 C 11. -- New York, ----------- 372 12. - New Jerfey, _-------.. 403 13. ' Pennfylvania, 4 T 9 C> 14. Map of the Southern States, containing Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, with the Spanifh Provinces in Eaft and Weft Florida, ------_______ 4&p 15. Plan of the City of Washington, ----_--_.__ 468 16. Map of the States of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, - - - 475, 17. -- Back Settlements, ----__-__._ 5 3 18. -- State of Kentucky, with a Plan of the Rapids -in the River Ohio, ----------_-____ 1 9. - State of North Carolina, --------- 20. -- TennefTee Government, ---------- 21. - State of South Carolina, -- 22. Map of Eaft and Weft Florida, ---- 23. -- South America, ------- 24. - the Weft Indies, ------- 25. - World, with the New Difcoveries, INTRODUCTION. Of ASTRONOMY, as conncRed with, and Introductory to, the SCIENCE cf GEOGRAPHY. THE earth is now univerfally considered as a. Planet, and, in company with fix other bodies, of a fimilar nature, revolves round the Sun as its center. Some acquaintance with the motions, times, diftanccs, and magnitudes of thcfe heavenly bodies is neceffary in order to a complete knowledge of Geography. The (Hence which treats of the plane.ts and other heavenly bodies, is called Ajlronomy. Hence the propriety of introducing this work with a iliort account of that fcience. Afironomy was firfl attended -to by the fhcphcrds, on the beautiful plains of Egypt and Babylon. Their employment led them to contemplate the ftars. While their flocks, in the filence of the evening, were enjoying fweet repofe, the fpangled iky naturally invited the -attention of the fhepherds. The obfervation of the heavenly bodies afforded them amufement, and at the fame time affiftcd them in travelling in the night. A ftar guided the fhcphcrds to the manger where our blefled Saviour was born. By the aid of a lively imagination, they diftributed the ftars into a number of conftellations or companies, to which they gave the name of the animals which they represented. The Sun, the moft glorious of the heavenly luminaries, is the fountain of heat and light to the planets which revolve round it. The paths which the planets defcribc in their revolutions are called their orbits. The number of planets in the Solar Syf- tem is fcven ; whole names, according to their nearncfs to the fun, are Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the new planet Herfehcl. The two firft of thefe, bccaufe they move within the orbit of the earth, are called inferior, or rather interior planets the four laft, becaufe they move without the earth's orbit, are called fttperior, or more properly exterior planets. To exprefs another diitincYion, thefe feven planets are called primary planets, in reference to fourteen other bodies, which are called fecondary pLwets, moons, or /J/ hi! cm, fo called from Claudius Ptolcmous,. a celebrated afironomcr of Peln- fimn, in "I'.^ypt, who ado})tcd and defended the prevailing tyllcni of that age, iuppofcs .art!) imrnoveably fixed in the center of the univerie ; and that the moon, the pla- nets, and the ftars, all move round it from caft to well, once in twenty-four hours, in the following order : the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the fixed itaiv. Thefe were all luppofccl to be fixed in icparate cryilallincipheres, and 'to be included in another, called the Primum Mobile, which gives motion to all the reft. This fyflem owed its origin to the fallible appearances of the celeftial motions. It was taken for granted, that the motions thole bodies appeared to poflcfs, were real ; and not dreaming of any motion in the earth, nor being acquainted with the difHnc- tions between ablblute, relative, or apparent motion, the philolbphcrs were incapable of forming adequate ideas of thefe particulars, and thence reduced to the necemty of being milled by their own fenles, for want of that afiiftance which after ages produced. It is eafy to obferve, they had no notion of any other fyllcm but our own, nor of any other world but the earth on which we live. They were pcrmaded that all tilings were made for the ufe of man ; that all the liars were contained in one concave fphcre, con- icq Kv.'iy, at an equal di fiance from the earth ; and that the Primum Mobile was circum- icribcd by the empyrean heaven, of a cubic form, which they fuppoled to be thebliish.il ulu.dc of departed fpirits. But modern obtervations and dilcovcries have (ufficiently Ihewn the ahiurdities of this fyllein, ib that it is now abandoned by all the learned, and hardly ever mentioned but to be exploded. Even in the infancy of aflronomy, it was found infufficient to account for all the motions of the lieavenly bodies, without having Tecourfe to fueh abl'urd (uppofitions that a novice in literature would be afiiamed to propofe. The BRAIIEAN SYSTEM. Tyeho Brahe, a nobleman of Denmark, and one of the molt eminent alrronomcrs of hi.s time, propofed another fyllem to account for the motion of the heavenly bodies. Unwilling to admit of the motion of the earth, and convinced that the Ptolemaic hy- pothcfls could not be true, he contrived another, different from any thing before of- This planet was (lifcovered by William Herfchel, L. L. D. F.R. S. in 1782. In a paper which Dr. Herfchel communicated to the Royal Society in London, in 17^8, giving an account of the elements of this new plantf, and its two fateii.tes, he obfervcs, that one of theie latellites revolves in about nine days, the other in about thirteen and an half. The planet moves at about doubk; the diftance of Saturn. The quantity of matter is feventeen times greater than the quantity rf mat'cr in the earth ; its magnitude about 80 times greater; its denfity about 4 times lefs ; and th? power >,f gravity on its furr'ace makes a heavy body fall i ieet in a fecond. The Dcclor, for he purpofe of making greater" difcoveries in the luavens, has conftrudted a grand reflecting teiefcope, forty ftet long, aud of fuch diameter as that it is eafy to walk through it. JDr. PrLt'i Letter to Dr. Stiles, 1788. fcred INTRODUCTION. 3 fered to the world. In this hypothefis, the earth is fuppofed to be at rell in the center of the univcrfe, and the fun, together with the- planets and fixed fiais, to revolve about the earth in twenty-four hours ; and at the fame time all the planets, except the moon, revolve about the fun. But this was even mure abfurd than that oi' Ptolemy, and it accordingly was loon exploded. Tbc COPERNICAN, or TRUK SOLAR SYSTEM. Copernicus, the author of this fyilcm,\vas born at Thorn, in Royal PrinTia, in 1473, This hypothclis, whieh is now univcrfally adopted by all the learned in Europe, fup- pofes the fun to be in the center of tlie fyilom, and that all the planet.-; move round him in the order we have already im-ntioned. TJicte, together with the comets, .form the con- fiitueiit p-.irts of tlie Solar Syiicm. See Plate, where this is rcprefeiited, and by which an adequate idea of the whole may he eafily obtained. i>ut it mult be obfcrved, that, though the orbits of tbe planets an- circles in the fchcmc. thc\ are not really fo, but ellipfes, and the fun placed in one of the focus's, All the planets have one common focus, in which the fun is placed. This fuppoiUion readily folves all the appearances obfervable in the motion of the planets, and alfo agrees with the ftricteft philosophical and mathematical reafoning. All the planets, in their revolutions, are fometimcs nearer to', and Ibmctimes farther from, the Sun ; a confequcncc of that luminary's not being placed in the center of each orbit, and their being clliples. Ilc.ncc, alfo, we fee the reafon why the planets move falter as they approach nearer to the fun, and flower as they recede from the fun. If a right line, called by fome the vector radius, be drawn from the fun through any planet, and fuppofed to revolve round the fun with the planet, this line will dcferibe, or pals over ever)- part of the plane of the orbit ; fo that the vector radius may be laid to delcribe the area of the orbit. In the folar fyilein are obferved two principal laws which regulate the motions of all the planets. Thefc laws are the following: 1. "The planets delcribe equal areas in equal times." That is, the vector radius, in equal portions of time, dcfcribes equal areas or portions of the fpace contained within the planet's orbit. 2. " The fquares of the periodical times of the planets are as the cubes of their mean diftanccs from the fun." That is, as the fquarc of the time which any planet takes to delcribe its orbit, is to the fquare of the time taken by any other planet to run through its orbit, fo is the cube of the mean diftancc of the former from tlie fun, to the cube of the mean difhmce of the latter from the fun. Thefe are the two famous laws of Kepler, a great afironomer, who flourifhcd about the beginning of the feventcenth century, and who deduced them from a multitude of observations; but the firil who demonfi rated thcfe laws, was the great Sir Ifaae Newton. By the fecond law, the relative distances of the planets from the fun are known ; and were the real diftance of any one of them determined, the abfolute diftanccs of all the others would be obtained. By the traniit of Venus over the fun in 1761, \ve now know the real diftanccs of the planets from the fun much better than before : thef(% together with the other neceffary particulars for forming a competent idea of the fplar ., are exhibited in the following table : A TABLF, 4 I X T R O D V C T 1 O X. A TABLE of the Diameters, Periods, &c. of the feveial Planets in the Solar Syfrr.m. 1 Names of (he planets. Dkinicters in Kij;lilh Miles. Mean difunec' from the fun. Annual pcriodb round me fun. Diurnal rota- ion on its axis. Hourly mo- ion in its or- bit. -loiirlyjino- tion of its equator. | Inclination of axis to orbit. d. h. rm > Sun 890,000 y. d. h. 25 6 o 3 ,8l8 8 Mercury 3,000 36,84.1,468 o 87 23 unknown 109,699 unknown unknown Venus 933 68,891,486 o 224 17 24 8 o 80,295 43 75 o Earth 7>970 95,173,000 I 00 I O 68,243 1,042 23 29 Moon 2,180 ditto. I O 29 12 44 22,290 91 2 10 Mars 5,400 145,014,148 1 321 17 o 24 40 55^87 556 O Jupiter Saturn 94,000 78,000 494,990,976 907,956,130 ii 314 18 29 176 15 o 9 56 unknown 29,083 22,IOI 25,920 unknown O unknowrt *HerfchcI 637,600 1800,000,000 82 34 o unknown unknown ditto. ditto. By the above Table, a competent idea of the Solar Syftem may be obtained. 7be COMETS. Befidcs the planets and ftars mentioned above, we perceive, in the expanfe of the univcric, many other bodies belonging to the fyftem of the fun, that fcem to have much more irregular motions. Thefe are the comets, that, defcending from the far diftant parts of the fyftem with great rapidity, furprife us with the iingular appearance of a train, or tail, which accompanies them, become viiible to us in the lower parts of their orbits, and, after a fhort ftay, go off again to vail dillances, and difappear. They are large opaque bodies, which move in all pofftble directions. Some revolve from weft to eaft ; fome from ealt to weft ; others from fouth to north, or from north to fouth. Their orbits have very different inclinations to the ecliptic. Some have con- jectured, that the comets were intended by the all-wile Creator to connect iyftcms, and that each of their feveral orbits includes the fun, and one of the fixed itars. The figures of the comets are very different. Some of them emit l>eams on all fides like hair, and are called hairy comets, others have a long, fiery, trant parent tail proie6ting from the part which is oppolite to the fun. Their magnitudes alfo arc different. Some appear no bigger than ilars of the firll magnitude ; others larger than the moon. Thov.;ih fomo of the ancients had more juft notions of thefe bodies, yet the opinion having prevailed, that they were only meteors generated in the air, like thofe we fee in it rvcry night, and in a few moments vanifhing, no care was taken to obferve or record their phenomena accurately, till of late. Hence this part of aftronomy is very imperfect. The general doclrinc is, that they are folid, compact bodies, like other planets, and regulated by the fame laws of gravity, ib as to delcribe equal areas in equal times by radii drawn from the common center. They move about the fun, in very eccentric cllipfes, and are of much greater denfity than the earth; for fume of tlicm are heated in every period to fuch a degree as would vitrify or drffipate any fubnancc known to us. Sir Ifaac Newton computed the heat of tl*e comet that ap- peared in the year 1680, when ncareft the fun, to be 2000 times hotter tlian red hot iron, and that being thus heated, it mult retain its heat till it comes round again, although its period fhould be more than 20,000 years ; and it is computed to be only * According to Dr. fkr&hcl, it is about 9o times larger than the earth; which wouid make its diameter 637,600 nriies. 575- INTRODUCTION. 5 575. The number of comets belonging to our.fyftem is unknown. All thofe which have been obierved have moved through the ethereal regions, and the orbit of the planets, without iuffcring the leaft fenlible refinance in their motions, which iufriciently proves that the planets do not move in folid orbs. Of all the comets, the periods of three only are known with any degree of certainty, being found to return at intervals of 75, 129, and 575 years ; and of thcfe, that which appeared in 1680 is the moft remarkable. This comet, at its greateft diflance, is about 1 1 thoufand 200 millions of miles from the fun, while its Icaft diftance from the center of the fun, is about 490 thoufand miles; within lets than one third part of the fun's iemjdiameter from his lurface. In that part of his orbit which is neareft to the fun, it flies with the amazing velocity of 880,000 miles in an hour; or above 244 miles in a lecond : a velocity much greater tluin any we are acquainted with, that of light excepted ; and the fun, as fcen from it, appears 100 degrees in breadth, confequently 40,000 times as large as he appears to us. The aftonilhing diitance that this comet runs out into empty Ipace, naturally ibjrgclts to our imagination the vaft diftance between our fun and the neareft of the fixed liars, of whole attractions all the comets muft keep clear, to return periodically and go round the fun. Dr. Halley, to whom every part of aftronomy, but this in a particular manner, is highly indebted, has joined his labours to thole of the great Sir Ifaac Newton on this fubjcdl. Our earth was out of the way when this comet laft parted near her orbit : but it requires a more perfect kn s vv- ledge of the motion of the comet, to be able to judge if it will always pafs by us with fo little eifecl: ; for it may be here obferved, that the comet, in one part of his orbit, approaches very near to the orbit of our earth : fo that in fome revolutions, it may approach near enough to have very confiderable if not fatal effects upon it. Of tbf FIXED STARS. The fixed ftars, though they do not conftitute a part of the folar fyftem, mufl be conlidercd here, as they are of infinite ufe in the practice of geography. They are readily known from the planets by their twinkling. They are obferved never to change their fituations with refpect to each other, and hence they obtained the name of fixed fiars ; they mine by their own light ; and there is the greateft reafon to think they are funs fixed in the centers of other fyftems, having planets and comets revolving round them like our fun. They appear of various lizes, owing to their different diftances ; thoie iizes are generally diftinguimed into fix or feven clafles, railed magnitudes ; the largeft and brighteft are laid to be of the firft magnitude ; thole of the next clafs, or degree of brightnefs, are called ftars of the fecond mag- nitude, and ib on to the lair, or thoie juft vtiible to the naked eye. But, befidcs thde, there are (battered in every part of the heavens, a prodigious number of others, called telclcopic ftars, from their being invifible without the afliftance of that inftrument. Great part of the modern aftronomy, indeed, owes both its rile and perfection to that admirable machine. The diftance between the earth and the neareft fixed ftar is aftoniihing. The orbit of the earth is at leaft 162 millions of miles in diameter ; yet this prodigious difference has no effecl: on the diftance of the ftar, which appears as far from the earth, when in the neareft, as in the fartheft point of its orbit. It has been computed, by fome of the moft able aftronomers, that if a cannon ball continued to move with the fame velocity as when firft difcharged from the piece, or 480 miles an hour, it would not reach the neareft fixed ftar in lefs than 700.000 years. Light, which is transmitted from one body to another almoft inftan- taneoufly, takes up more time in palling from the fixed ftars io this earth, than we * do INTRODUCTION. do in making a voyage to Europe ; (fo that if all (lie fixed ftars were now it of exigence, they would appear to us to keep their ftations for feveral months yet to come. It is impolfible, therefore, that they Ihould borrow their light fron.i the fun, as do the planets. The dilhmce, there-fore, is too great for the power of human beings to conceive; the underllanding is bewildered, and loft in tlie contemplation. But, though the fixed liars are placed at fuch immeiife diilaneos from us and from each other, and are, doubtlels, funs illuminating different worlds, yet astronomers, in order to facilitate their computations, conlulcr them all as equally dilrant from our fun, forming the furface of a fphere, metaling our fyilem, and called the celeftial fphcre : a fup])olition which may be ftriclly admitted, confidcring the ailonifhing dif- Unee of the neareft fixed ftar. A conftellation is a number of fiars which appear to lie in the neighbourhood of one another on the furface of the celeftial fphciv, and which aftronomers, for their caly remembrance, fuppofer to be circumfcribcd with the outlines of forne ancient or other figure, whereby the motions of the planets is more readily described and coni- pofed. . Thcfe conftellations arc eighty in number ; twelve of which are in the zodiac, thirty-fix in the northern, and thirty-two in the fouthcrn hernifphere. The number of ftars in the whole amounts to two thoufand eight hundred and forty-three, of which twenty are of the firft, fixty-five of the fccond, two hundred and five of the third, four hundred and eighty-five of the fourth, fix hundred and forty-eight of the fifth, and one thoufand four hundred and twenty of the iixth magnitude. Thefe ftars, by not altering their lituation in relpect to one another, ferve aftrono- mers as fixed points, whereby the motions of other bodies may be compared ; and, accordingly, their relative pofitions have been fought after with the moll alTiduous tare, during many ages, and catalogues of the obfervations have, from time to time, been publilned by thofe who have been at the pains to make them. Among thefe, the mofl copious, and at the fame time the moll accurate, is that called the Hiftoria Coeleflis of Mr. Flamflead. To confider thefe ftars as deligned merely to decorate the Iky, and form a rich and beautiful canopy for this earth, would derogate from the wifdom of the Creator. Aftronomers, therefore, with much reafon have confidered the fixed flars as fo many funs attended with a number of revolving planets, which they illuminate, warm, and chcrifh. If this be true, there are as many fyftcms as there are fixed ftars. Thefe may alfo revolve round one common center, forming one immenfe fyftem of fyilems. All thefe fyftems, we may conceive, are filled with inhabi- tants fuitcd to their refpeclivc climes ; and are fo many theatres, on which the great Creator and Governor of the Univerfe difplays his infinite power, wifdom, and good- net-. Such a view of the ftarry heavens muft' fill the mind of every contemplative beholder with fublime, magnificent, and glorious ideas of the Creator. The ancient Egyptian prfefts, to whom the Greeks owed all their philosophical Earning, are fuppofed to have been the firft acquainted with the true fyftem of the world. Pythagoras learned it in Egypt, and taught it to his difciplcs, after his return to Europe. But it was fo totally forgotten during the ages of ignorance, that when Copernicus, a celebrated aftronomer, revived it, in the fifteenth century, he was con- fidered as the author rather than the reftorer. Some of the learned immediately adopted the hypothefis, and it would probably foon have been univerfally received, had it not met with a formidable oppofition from an ignorant and bigotted clergy. Nurfed in the lap of indolence, and inveterate enemies to every fpecies of free and impartial inquiry, they condemned the Copernican fyftem, under pretence of its being repugnant to the facrcd writings. The thunder of the Vatican was employed to iilence INTRODUCTION. 7 filcncc the voice of reafon, and the dread of ecclefiaftical cenfures almoft deterred mankind from thinking. At lail, the reformation in religion gave; a fital blow to luperftitious tyranny; the rays of learning broke through the night of igr. jranre, and genuine philofqphy triumphed over the chicanery of the fchools : mankind were now convinced, that the fcripturcs were never intended to explain the fyflem of philof. -phy, but to make us humane, virtuous, and happy; that it is agreeable t > the Great Author of our being to Contemplate his works, and diiplay the wonders of his creating hand. From this fortunate aera the feicnees made rapid il rides toward perfection, and every clay produced a difcovery of lome new truth, or the detection of fome ancient error. Proofs were multiplied in confirmation of the Copcrnican lyflem, which is now elra- blifhcd on a foundation not to be lhakcn. The aftonifhing harmony which prevails among the feveral ])arts, prove it to have been the work of a divine hand ; and that nothing elfe than Infinite Wifdom could have planned fa beautiful a fabric. The limits we are confined to, will not admit of our multiplying proofs to eftablifh. the Copernican fyftem ; the following therefore only will be added; but thefe, if there were no other, would be more than furficient for the purpofe. 1. The planets Mercury and Venus are always obferved to have two coniunctions with the fun, but no oppofition : this could not happen, unlefs their orbits were circumfcribed by that of the earth. 2. Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn have each their conjunctions and oppofitions to the fun, alternately and fucceflivcly, which they could not have, unlefs their orbs were exterior to that of the earth. 3. The greateft elongation or diflance of Mercury from the fun is about twenty- eight degrees, and that of Venus forty-feven degrees ; which anfwers exactly to their diflancc in the Copernican fyflem : but according to the Ptolemaic, they mufl often be fecn in opposition to him, or at the dillance of 180 degrees. 4. In this difpofition of the planets, they will all of them be fometimes much nearer to the earth than at others ; the confequence of which is, that their brightnefs and fplendour, as well as their apparent diameters, will be proportionally greater at one time than at another ; and this we obferve to be true every day. Thus the apparent diameter of Venus, when greatefr, is near fixty-fix feconds ; when leafl, not more than nine feconds and a half: that of Mars, when greatefr, is twenty-one feconds ; when leafl, only two and an half. But if the Ptolemaic hypothecs be tine, they mufl always be equal. 5. All the planets fometimes appear in direct motion ; fometimes fiationary, and fometimes retrograde. Thefe appearances mufl happen according to the Copernican fyflem, but are abfolutely repugnant to any other. 6. The bodies of Mercury and Venus, in their mperior conjunction with the fun, pafs behind the body of that luminary, and in the inferior conjunction are feen to tranfit or pafs over his difk, in the form of a round black fpot. Thefe phenomena are neceilary in the Copernican fyflem, but impoffiblc in that of Ptolemy. 7. The times in which thefe conjunctions, oppofitions, ftations, and retrogradations of the planets happen, are not fuch as they would be, were the earth at refl in the center ; but precilely fuch as would happen, if the earth and all the planets move about the fun, in the order, and with the velocities affigned them ir> the Corpernicau fvflem. Consequently this, and no other, can be the true fyflem of the world. of INTRODUCTION. Of GEOGRAPHY. Its RISE and PROGRESS. GEOGRAPHY is a word derived from the Greek,* and literally fignifies a defmp- tion of the earth, its figure, magnitude, and the petitions of the feveral parts of its lurface. Geography is either unrjcrjul, as it relates to the earth in general, or particular, as it relates to any tingle part of it. This fcience, like all others of a practical nature, has advanced towards perfection by flow, and, in lome periods of time, by almoii imperceptible degrees. In the infancy of the world the figure of the earth was unknown. It was generally fuppofed to be a plane, of a circular furface, terminated by the heavens ; that this plane was of no remarkable thicknefs ; and that the regions below it were the habitations of fpirits. Obfervations, however, foon demonftrated, that this was not the real figure of the earth. The deftrc of keeping up a mutual intercourte between each other, and of exchanging their different commodities, induced the inhabitants of ancient times to undertake joumies of confiderable length ; and thefe were extended in proportion as the inhabitants fpread themfelves into difiant countries. Their principal guides in thefe journies were the heavenly bodies. The fun was their direction during the day, and the flars fupplied his place in the night. The plains of Alia, where thefe difco- veries were made, are extremely favourable for contemplating the face of the heavens during the night. Blefied with a climate generally ferene, the fky is rarely obfcurcd ; and the praclice of fleeping upon the houfe tops, which has been continued from the earlieft ages, rendered the politions of the Itars familiar. They could not help obfer- ving, that, while the greater part revolved round the earth, fome in the northern parts remained nearly in the fame fituation ; and that the fun every day, in his grcateft elevation, was direcHy oppolite to the place of thefe flars. Hence it was natural to imagine, that all the heavenly bodies revolved round fome fixed point fituated near thole ftars ; and this point they called the pole. Affifred by thefe difcoveries, however imperfect, and animated with a defire of carrying on a commerce with diftant people, they travelled to very remote countries, and traded with the inhabitants of other climes. Thofe who directed their journies to the fouth, could not help obferving, that the fixed point round which the heavens appeared to revolve, was nearer the horizon there than in their own country ; and that new ftars appeared in the fonthern extremi- ties of the heavens, which they had not feen before. On the contrary, thole who directed their courfe towards the north, perceived that fome of the flars in the fouthern Jiemifphcre became more deprefled, and thole in the northern more elevated than in their own country. Hence they law that the earth was not a plane, as they had at nril imagined, but a curve. They further obferved, that after paffing over equal di fiances jn the direction of the meridian, the greateft and leaft elevations of the ftars were rqually increafed or diminifhed ; and hence they found, that in the direction of the meridian, at leaft, the furface of the earth was circular. From this period geography improved gradually by travels, by commerce, and by conqueft . Homer has defcribed fo many places with great accuracy and preciiion, that Strabo corfidered him as the firft among the geographers of early times. Thales divided the year into 365 days ; which was undoubtedly a method difcovcr - ed 1 y the Egyptians, and communicated by them to him. It is faid to have been in- vented by the fecond Mercury, furnamed Trifmcgiilus, who, according to Eufebius, lived about 50 years after the Exodus. From the days of Thales, who fiourifhed in the * Tivyftt$iet t from y*, terra, et yfaQv fcrib*. INTRODUCTION. 9 the fixth century before Chrift, very little feems to have been done towards the efta- blifhment of geography 'for 200 years. The expedition of Alexander, who extended his conquefts into India, and to the borders of Scythia, made the Greeks acquainted with many countries very remote from, their own. That conqueror entertained in his fervice two engineers, Diognetus and Barton, whofe bufincfs confined in meafuring, and keeping an accurate account of his marches. Pliny and Strabo have prcferved thele meafures ; Arrian has handed down to us the particulars of the navigation of Nearchus and Oneficritus, who failed back with Alexander's fleet from the mouth of the Indus to thofe of the Euphrates and Tigris. By reducing Tyre andSidon, the Greeks informed themfelves of all the places to which the Phenicians traded by fea ; and we know that their commerce extended even to the Britifh Illands. The fucceffors of Alexander in the Eaft, by carrying their conquefts to the mouths of the Ganges, obtained a genenil knowledge of many parts of India. Ptolemy Evcrgetes led his armies into Abyflinia ; and from his marches and fuccefs in that diltant country, a general know] edge of it was obtained. But geography acqui- red ilill greater advantages from the conqucfts of the Romans. Ambitious of eftablifh- ing an univerfal monarchy, and of forcing all the inhabitants of the earth to fubmit to the Roman eagles, they carried their armies into very remote countries, and conquer- ed the inhabitants of difhmt climes. Hence the geographers of thofe times were ena- bled to defcribe countries before hardly known, and correct the errors of former writers. The great roads of the empire, meafured through their whole extent, proved extreme- ly ufeful ; and the Itineraries, though often altered, and fometimes incorrect, afforded coniiderable affiftance. Accordingly moft of the valuable geographical treatifes wrote by the ancients, were compofed during the reigns of the Roman emperors. Timocharis and Arifttllus, who began to obfervc about 295 years before Chrift, feem to have been the firft who attempted to fix the longitudes and latitudes of the fixed ftars, by confidering their diftances from the equator. One of their obfervations gave rile to the discovery of the preccffion of the Equinoxes, which was firft obferved by Hipparchus about 150 years after ; and he made ufe of Timocharis and Ariftillus' me- thod, in order to delineate the parallels of latitude, and the meridians on the furface of the earth ; thus laying the foundation of the Icience of geography as we have it at prefent. Strabo and Ptolemy are the firft among the ancient geographers, and dispute the chair of precedence. The geography of Ptolemy is more extenfive ; it takes in a greater part of the earth, while it feems equally circumftantial every where : But this very ex- tent renders it more fufpected : it is not eafy to be every where exact and correct. Strabo, on the contrary, relates very little more than what he faw with his own eyes ; he made a vail number of voyages to gain the experience neceiTary to give the rcquifite certain- ty to his accounts, and is very fhort in what he relates from others. Strabo was a phi- lofopher as well as a geographer. Good fenfc, perfpicuity, accuracy, and folidity of judgement are vifible in every part of his works. Ptolemy, however, by dilpoiing his geography by latitudes and longitudes, opened a way for improvement, and pointed out a method for carrying the art to perfection. The difcovery of the longitudes and latitudes immediately laid a foundation for making maps, or delineations of the furface of the earth in piano, on a very different plan from what had been attempted before. Formerly the maps were little ntore than rude outlines and topographical Iketches of different countries. The earlieft were thofe of Sefoftris, mentioned by Euftathius ; who lays, that " this Egyptian king, having traverfcd great part of the earth, recorded his march in maps, and gave copies of his maps not only to the Egyptians, but to the C Scythians, io INTRODUCTION. Scythians, to their great aftoiiiihment." Some have imagined, that the Jews made a map of the holy land, when they gave the different portions to the nine tribes at Shi- : For JoJhua tells us; that they were lent to walk through the land, and that they dffcnbed it in ft ven parts in a book ; and JolVphus tells us, that when Jofhua lent out people from the different tribes to mcafure the land, he gave them, as companions, perlons well ikiilcd in geometry. Kratoft hones was the nril who attempted to reduce geography to a regular fyftem, and introilurcd a regular parallel of latitude. This was traced over certain places where the longeft day was of the fame length. lie began it from the ftraits of Gibral- tar ; and it thence palled through the Sicilian fea, and near the Ibuthern extremities of ;xmncms. From thence it was continued through the iiland of Rhodes and the bay of In* us ; and there entering Cilicia, and croffing the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, it was extended to the mountains of India. By means of this line, he endeavoured to rectify the errors of the ancient map, fuppofed to be that of Anaximander. In draw- ing this parallel, he was regulated by oblerving where the longeft clay was fourteen hours and an half, which Hipparchus afterwards determined to be the latitude of 36 clegr. The firft parallel through Rhodes was ever afterwards considered with a degree of preference, like the foundation flone of all ancient maps ; and the longitude of the then known world was often attempted to be meafured in ftadia and miles, according to the extent of that line, by many fucceeding geographers. Eratofthenes foon after at- tempted not only to draw other parallels of latitude, but alfo to trace a meridian at right angles to thefe, palling through Rhodes and Alexandria, down to Syene and Merce ; and as the progrefs he thus made tended naturally to enlarge his ideas, he at lali undertook a ftill more arduous talk, namely, to determine the circumference of the globe by an aclual meafurement of a fegment of one of its great circles. He knew that at the fummer folftice, the fun was vertical to the inhabitants of Syene, a town on the confines of Ethiopia, under the tropic of Cancer, where they had a well funk for that purpofe, on the bottom of which fhe rays of the fun fell perpendicular the day of the fummer folilice : he obferved, by the fhadow of a wire fet perpendicular in an he- mifphcrical bafon, .how much the fun was on the fame day at noon diilant from the zenith of Alexandria ; and found that diflance to be one 5oth part of a great circle in the heavens. Suppoling then Syene and Alexandria to be under the fame meridian, he concluded the diflance between them to be the 5oth part of a great circle upon th e earth ; and this diflance being by meafure 5000 ftadia, he concluded the circumference of the earth to be 250,000 ftadia ; but as this number divided by 360 would give 6944 ftadia to a degree, either Eratoflhenes himlelf, or fome of his followers, affigned the round number 700 ftadia to a degree ; which multiplied by 360, makes the circumfe- rence of the earth 252,000 lladia ;* whence both thcfe meafures arc given by different authors as that of Eratofthenes. Aftronomy was not neglected by the ancient geographers. They were convinced, that without its affiftance no great progrefs could be made in their art. Their inftru- ments, indeed, were inaccurate and imperfect, but they were affiduous in their obfcr- vations. They generally determined the latitudes of places by the fhadow of a gnomon of fome known height ; but they had no other method for determining the longitudes of A ftadium is the 8th part of a mile, hence 252,000 ftadia are equal to 3 1, ?oo miles. The real circum- ference of the earth is but 25,038 miles. INTRODUCTION. u places than that dfbbferrmg the eclipfcs of the moon ; they knew, that by comparing the times when any of thele phenomena happened at different places., the difference of longitude between them might be known. The parts of the earth's iurface known to the ancients were confined within narrow- bounds. On the we it, the Atlantic ocean and Britifh iiles limited their knowledge. The Fortunate iilands, now called the Canaries, were the remoteft lands they were acquainted with to the fouth. Their notions were very imperfect with regard to the northern countries. Though Scandinavia was known, yet that, and fome other coun- tries on the fame continent, were considered as large iflands. It is not cafy to deter- mine what place the ancients undcrftood by Ultima Thuk ; many take it for Iceland ; but Procopius thinks it was a part of ScandinaA'ia. Their knowledge of Sarmatia and Scythia was far from extending to the iea which bounds Ruilia and Great Tartary on the north and eaft. Their dilcoveries went no farther than the Rippean mountains, which now divide Ruffia from Siberia. The wcltcrn frontier of China feems to have bounded the knowledge of the ancients on the eafr. Ptolemy, indeed, had a very imperfect notion of the fouthern parts of that extenfive empire. He compofed his fyftem of geography about 150 years after Chrifr, in the reign of Antoninus Pius. The principal materials he made ufe of for compofing this work, were the proportions of the gnomon to itsflwdow, taken by different afrronomers at the times of the equinoxes and folftices ; calculations founded upon the length of the longefl days ; the meafures or computed diftances of the principal roads contained in their furveys and itineraries ; and the various reports of travellers and navigators, who often determined the diftances of places by hearfay and conjecture. AH thefe were compared together, and digefted into one uniform body orfyitem; and afterwards were tranflated by him into a new mathematical language, expreffing the different degrees of longitude and latitude, according to the invention of Hipparchus, but which Ptolemy had the merit of carrying into full practice and execution, after it had been neglected for upwards of 250 years. With fuch imperfect and inaccurate mate- rials, it is no wonder to find many errors in Ptolemy's fyftem. Neither were thele- errors fuch as had been introduced in the more diftant extremities of his maps, but even in the very center of that part of the world which was the befl known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and where all the famed ancient aftronomers had made their obfervations. Yet this fyfiem, with all its imperfections, continued in vogue till the beginning of the prcient century. All the others, which now make fo confpicuous a figure in the commerce of Europe, were unknown. How far they extended their dilcoveries with regard to Africa, cannot certainly be known. Some are of opinion, that they were acquainted with the whole coaft, having failed round the fouthern extre- mity, now called the Cape of Good Hope, and extended their voyages from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. Ptolemy, however, feems to inlinuate, that the fouthern parts had efcaped their knowledge. Indeed, the opinion almoft univerfally embraced by the ancients, that the torrid zone was uninhabitable, feems to prove, that their knowledge of Africa was veiy confined ; becaufe, as great part of that country lies in the burning zone, their acquaintance with it muft have convinced them, that the general notion was founded on miftake. The difcovery of the fouthern parts of Africa was referved for the Portuguefe. Ani- mated with a delire of finding a paffage to the Eaft Indies, they coafled along the wcftern fide of Africa, and, in the fifteenth century, completed the delign. They palled the Cape of Good Hope, and purfued their courfe to the Indies. The paflage being thus opened, feveral European nations, defirous of fhaving in the rich commerce Ca, of I4 INTRODUCTION. of the eaft, font their fhips to the Indian fea, where they difcovered the Afiatic iflands, and penetrated to the empire of Japan. The voyages of the Ruffians have completed our knowledge of the callcrn parts of the continent of Afia. The prodigious length of the voyage to India, round the foil them extremity of Africa, induced Chriitopher Columbus to attempt the difcovery of a fhorter tradl. About the end of the fifteenth century he crofTed the Atlantic ocean ; hut, inftead of the Indies, he found America, and put the crown of Caftile, under .whofe aufpices the voyage was undertaken, in poffelfion of a New World. The improvements in geography which fince have taken place, have been owing to the great pro iris made in aflronomy.. More cofrecl: methods and inftruments for obfcrvin r the latitude have been found out ; and the difcovery of Jupiter's Satellites hnvc afforded a much eafier method of finding the longitudes than was formerly known. The voyages made by different nations alfo, which are now become frequent, have brought to our knowledge, a vaft number of countries utterly unknown before. The voyages of Captain Cooke, and other late navigators and travellers, have contributed greatly to the improvement of geography during the prefent century ; fo that now the geography of the utmoft extremities of the earth is in a fair way of being much better known to the moderns than that of the adjacent countries was to the ancients. FIGURE, MAGNITUDE and MOTION of the EARTH. THE fundamental principles of geography are, the fpherical figure of the earth ; its rotation on its axis ; its revolution round the fun ; and the pofition of the axis or line round which it revolves, with regard to the celefiial luminaries. That the earth and lea taken together conftitute one vail fphere, is demonftrable by the following arguments : i ft, Such a figure is beft adapted to motion. 2d, The higher the eye is placed, the ,more extenfive is the profpecl ; whence it is common for failors to climb up to the tops of the mails to difcover land or fhips at a dillance. But this would give them no advantage were it not for the convexity of the earth ; for upon an infinitely extended plane, objects would be vifible at the fame diftance whether the eye were high or low ; nor would any of them vanifh till the angle under which they appeared became too fmall to be perceptible. 3d, To people on fhore, the mail of a ihip at fea appears before the hull ; but were the earth an infinite plane, not the highefl objects, but the biggeft, would be longer! vifible; and the mart of a fliip would difappear, by reafon of the fmallnefs^of its angle, long before the hull. 4th, To people at fea, the land dif- appears, though near enough to be vifible, were it not for the intervening convexity of the water. 5th, We argue from analogy, all the other planets being of a fpherical figure. 6th, The earth has often been failed round ; as by Magellan, Drake, Dumpier, Anfon, Cooke, and many others ; which dcmonftrates that the furface of the ocean is fpherical ; and that the land is very little different, may eafily be proved from the fmall elevation of any part of it above the furface of the water. The mouths of rivers, which run 1000 miles, are not more than one mile below their fources ; and the highefl mountains are not quite four miles of perpendicular height : fo that, though fome parts of the land are elevated into hills, and others ^leprdfed into valleys, the whole may ftill be accounted fpherical. 7th, An undeniable and indeed ocular demonfrration of the fpherical figure ef the earth is taken from the round figure of its fhadow, which falls upon tlie moon in the time of eclipfes. As various iides of the earth are turned to- wards the fun during the time of different phenomena of this kind, and the fhadow in all cafes appears circular, it is impoffible to fuppofe the figure of the earth to be any other INTRODUCTION. r; +J oilier 'than fpherical. The inequalities of its lurface have no effect upon the earth's fhadow on the moon ; for as the diameter of the terraqueous globe is very little lefs than 8000 miles, and the height of the highcft mountain on earth not quite four, we cannot account the latter any more than the 2000th part of the former ; fo that the mountains bear no more proportion to the bulk of the earth, than grains of dull bear to that of a common globe. The earth is not truly fpherical, but an oblate fpheroid, or flatted at the poles, fomething in the form of a flat turnip. Its diameter from eaft to weft is a fc\v miles longer than that from north to fouth. As many find it difficult to conceive how people can Hand on the oppoiite.fide of the globe without falling off, their conception may be allifted by fuppofing all the various bodies on the earth's furface were of iron, and a very large magnet were placed at the center ; then all bodies being attracted towards the center by the magnet they would not fall off, which way foever the earth fhould turn. Now the attraction of gravitation operates on all bodies, as that of magnetilin does on iron only. According to Norwood's meafureof a degree, which is generally preferred, onfuppo- fition that the earth is a true fpherc, its circumference is 25,020 miles. But by conii- dering its true figure, its circumference at the equator is 25,038 miles, and the length of an elliptical meridian 25,927. Though the earth is an oblate fpheroid, yet the difference between the two diameters and their two circumferences is but fmall. Had the difference been more oonfiderable, it would have greatly affecled all nautical and geographical conclufions deduced from a fphcre ; but the fmallnefs of the difference renders the error fcarcely difcernible, unlefs the di fiance be very great, and the latitudes very high. In the construction of globes, maps, charts, &c. the earth is confidered as a perfect i'phere. The earth, like the reft of the planets, has two motions, one round its axis, the other round the fun. It revolves round its axis once in 24 hours, and caufes a continual Jfucceflion of day and night, and an apparent motion of the heavenly bodies, from eaft to weft. By this motion on its axis the inhabitants on the equator are carried 1040 miles in an hour. It completes its revolution round the fun once in a year, and occafions the difference in the length of the days and nights, and the agreeable variety in the feafons. The diameter of the earth's orbit is 190,346,000 miles, and its circumference 597,987,646 miles. Its hourly motion in its orbit is 68,217 miles, which is 142 times greater than that of a cannon ball, which moves about 8 miles in a minute; and would be 22 years and 228 days in going from this earth to the fun. Many of the tcrreftrial phenomena depend upon the globular figure of the earth, and the poll tion of its axis with regard to the fun ; particularly the rifing and fetting of the celeftial luminaries, the length of the days and nights, &c. It belongs to geography to take notice of the difference betwixt the fame phenomena in different parts of the earth. Thus, though the fun riles and lets all over the world, the circumilanccs of his doing fo arc very dif- ferent in different countries. The molt remarkable of thefc circumftances is the duration of the light not only of the fun himfclf, but of the twilight before he rifes and after he fets. In the equatorial regions, for inftancc, da-knefs comes on very foon after funfet 5 becaufe the convexity of the earth comes quickly in between the eye of the obferver and the luminary, . the motion of the earth being much more rapid there than any where clfe. In our climate the twilight always continues between one and two hours, and. during the longeft days in the fummer fcafon it continues in a confiderable dcgreo during the whole night. In countries farther to the northward or fouthward, th<$ twilight 14 INTRODUCTION. twilight becomes brighter and brighter as we approach the pole?, until at lafl the fun docs not appear to touch the horizon, but goes in a circle at fome difrancc above it for many days luccef lively. In like manner, during the winter, the fame luminary finks lower arid lower, until at lafl he does not appear at all ; and there is only a dim twinkling of twilight for an hour or two in the middle of the day. By reafon of the refraction of the atmofphere, however, the time of darknels, even in the moft inhoipi- table climate?, is always lets than that of light ; and Ib remarkable is the effecl: of thi-; property, that in the year 1682, when fome Dutch navigators wintered in NovaZembla, .un was viiible to them fixteen days before he could have been fecn above the horizon hud there been no atmofphere, or had it not been endowed with any fuch power. The reafon of all this is, that in the northern and fouthern regions only a fmalL part of the convexity of the globe is interpofed betwixt us aiad the fun for many days, and in the high latitudes none at all. In the warmer climates the fun has often a beau- tiful appearance at rifing and fetting, by reafon of the refraction of his light through the vapours which are copioufly raifed in thofe parts. In the colder regions, halos, parhelia, aurora borealis, and other meteors, are frequent ; the two former owing to the great quantity of vapour continually flying from the warm regions of the equator to the colder ones of the poles. The aurora borealis is owing, fome fay, to the eleclricai matter imbibed by the earth from the fun in the warm climates, and going off through the upper regions of the atmofphere to the place from whence it came. In the high northern latitudes, thunder and lightning are unknown, or but feldom heard of ; but the more terrible phenomena of earthquakes, volcanoes, &c. are by no means unfrequent. Thefe, however, feem only to affe6t iflands and the maritime parts of the continent. Notwithftanding the fecming inequality in the diflribution of light and darknefs, it is certain, that throughout the whole world there is nearly an equal proportion of light diffufed on every part, abftracling from what is abforbed by clouds, vapours, and the atmofphere itfelf. The equatorial regions have indeed the moft intenfe light during the day, but the nights are long and dark ; while on the other hand, in the northerly and. foutherly parts, though the fun fhines lefs powerfully, yet the length of time that ho- appears above the horizon, with the greater duration of the twilight, makes up for the ieeming deficiency. Were the earth a perfect plane, the fun would appear to be vertical in every part of it : for in comparifon with the immenfe magnitude of that luminary, the diameter of this globe itfelf is but very fmall : and as the fun, were he near to us, would December The Water-Bearer c3 "S W 3 ^ u f H 2 t/D 1'e i *-> O 'i i 'O "rt i *+j O <-i-i &! re O *-! 1 Oj oi !-> 1 C^ O <-M | 1 -5 rt "o u- Q "" VO O " so O Q " SO O Q " \o o Q ^ >o o i 59 5 6 19 56 44 37 47 56 55 34 24 73 1 7 3 2 2 59 54 20 56 24 38 47 16 56 33 3 2 74 16" 3 2 3 59 5 2 21 56 00 39 46 36 57 3 2 40 75 15 3 2 4 59 5 22 55 36 40 46 00 58 3 1 48 76 H 3 2 5 59 46 23 55 12 4 1 45 16 59 3 5 77 *3 3 2 6 59 40 24 54 48 42 44 36 60 30 00 78 12 3 2 7 59 37 25 54 24 43 43 52 61 29 04 79 ii 28 8 59 24 26 54 00 44 43 8 62 28 08 80 10 24 9 59 10 27 53 28 45 42 24 63 27 12 81 09 20 10 59 oo 28 53 oo 46 4 1 40 64 26 16 82 08 2O ii 58 5 2 29 28 47 41 00 65 25 20 83 07 20 12 58 40 30 5 1 56 48 40 8 66 24 24 84 06 12 J 3 58 28 3 1 5 1 24 49 39 20 67 23 28 85 5 12 H 58 12 5 5* 5 38 22 68 22 3 2 86 04 12 58 OO 33 5 20 5 1 37 44 69 21 32 87 3 12 16 57 40 34 49 44 52 37 oo 70 20 32 88 02 04 '7 57 20 35 49 8 53 36 08 7 1 19 32 89 01 04 18 57 4 36 48 3 2 54 35 26 72 18 3 2 90 00 00 METHODS of fading the LATITUDES and LONGITUDES of PLACES from CELESTIAL OBSERVATIONS. WHAT is meant by latitude and longitude has already been fufficiently explained, it remains that we Ihew the methods ufed for rinding both by celeftial obfervations. I. Of finding the Latitude. As the latitude of a place is an arch of the meridian intercepted between the zenith and the equinoctial, which is always equal to the height of the vilible pole above the horizon, it follows that if the meridional altitude, or its complement, the zenith diitance, of any celeftial object, whofe place in the heavens is known, can be found, the latitude is eafily difcovered. Thus, if the heavenly object be in the equinoctial, the zenith dlftance will be equal to the latitude, which will be either north or fouth, according as the obferver is lituated either to the northward or fouthward of the object. But if the fun or ftar hath either north or fouth declination, that is, if its apparent diurnal motion be either to the northward or fouthward of the equinoctial, the declination muft either be fubtracted from, or added to, the zenith diftance, according as the zenith diliance and declination are of the fame or different denominations. i. If INTRODUCTION. 2 i 1. If the zenith diilance and declination have the fame name, their difference will give the latitude. And if the declination is greater than the zenith diftance, the lati- tude will be of the fame name with the declination ; but if the declination be lefs than the zenith diilance, the latitude will be of a contrary name. If they are equal, the latitude will be oo degrees, oo minutes ; that is, the place is fituated under the equinoctial. 2. If the declination and zenith diftance are of contrary names, that is, one north and the other fouth, their mm will be the latitude, and always of the fame name with the declination. In moft books of aftronomy and navigation are tables of the declination of the fun, and principal fixed liars ; and the meridian altitude of the fun or ftars may be ealily found by a great variety of inftruments. 3. When the object appears in the zenith, the latitude is equal to the declination, and alfo of the fame name. There are fcveral other methods for finding the latitude, but the above will be fuffi- cient in this place, efpecially as it is generally ufed. II. Of finding the Longitude. It has been already obferved, that the difference of longitude between any two places might be determined, by knowing the difference between the times that any remirk- able appearance in the heavens was feen in thofe places. For fince the fun and fixed ftars appear to move round the earth, or, which is the fame thing, the earth revolves about its axis in twenty-four hours ; it follows, that in every hour there paffes over the meridian one twenty-fourth part of 360 degrees, or of the whole circumference of the equator, equal to fifteen degrees, and a proportionable part in a greater or kfs time. The heavenly bodies afford frequent opportunities for making obfervations of this kind. For as thefe appearances confifl in the appulfes, that is, the approaches of the heavenly bodies to one another, or their pafling by one another ; and thefe appulfes, when they happen, are feen at the fame inltant of abfolute time in all parts of the earth where they arc vifible ; therefore, by knowing the relative times of the day when fuch appearances are feen in two diflant places, the difference between thofe times is known, and confequently the difference of longitude between thofe places. Several Ephemeres or Almanacks are annually publifhed, in which the times when the eclipfes of the fun, moon, and Jupiter's fatellites ; the rifing, letting, and fouth ing of the planets ; the appulfus of the moon to certain fixed ftars, and other celeftial ap- pearances, are determined with regard to fome meridian. By the help of one of thefe books, and a careful obfervation of thefe appearances, the longitude may be deter- mined. Eclipfes of the moon, when they happen, afford one method of finding the diffe- rence of longitude. For as thefe eclipfes are occafioned by an interpofition of the earth between her and the fun, and confequently fhe is immerfed in the earth's fhadow, the moment any part of her body is deprived of the folar rays,- it is vifible to all thofe people who can fee her, at the fame inltant of abfolute time. Hence by obferving the beginning, middle, or end of an eclipfe of the moon, in any part of the world, noting the apparent time of thefe phenomena, and comparing it with the calculations of the fame eclipfe, adapted to fome other meridian, the difference of time, and confequently the difference of longitude between thofe two places, will be known. Sappofe INTRODUCTION. flXtt cor _ of time be four hours, forty-one minutes, forty fcconds, equal to ieveniy degrees minutes, the difference of longitude ; and becaule the eclipfe happened later ;it Boft.on than at London, the difference of longitude will be weft. Confe- America. The fun is fetting at New Guinea, the Japan Tiles and Kamtfchatka, In the meridian, or noon, at - Perlia, Auftria, and Nova Zembla. Midnight at I ^ ne ^ a ^ ^ ^ OO( * Hope, in the vicinity of King 1 George's Sound. > XIV. To find the beginning and end of twilight. The twilight is that faint light, which opens the morning by little and little in the eaft, before the ftm rifes ; and gradually fhuts in the evening in the weft, after the fun is fet. It arifes from the fun's illuminating the upper part of the atmofphere, and begins always when he approaches within 1 8 degrees of the eaftern horizon, and end* when hedefcends 18 degrees below the weftern ; when dark night commences, and continues till another day dawn. INTRODUCTION. 27 To find the beginning of twilight ; rectify the globe ; bring the fun's place in the ecliptic to the meridian, and let the index to 12 at noon. Turn the degree of the ecliptic, which is oppofitc to the fun's place till it is elevated 18 degrees in the qua- drant of altitude above the horizon on the well, fo will the index point the hour twilight begins. To find when it ends bring the (ame degree of the ecliptic to 18 degrcs of the quadrant on the caft lido, and the index will point the time twilight ends. Thus on the icth of April, at Bofton, twilight begins at 41 minutes after 3 in the morning, and ends 19 minutes after 8 in the evening. In London they have no total night, but a conftant twilight, while the fun is beneath the horizon for two months, from the 2oth of May to the 2Oth of July. Under the north pole, the twilight ccafes when the fun's declination is greater than 1 8 degrees fouth, which is from the i3th of November to the 2Qth of January ; fo that notwithltanding the fun is abfent from that part of the world for half a year together, yet total darknefs does not continue above 1 1 weeks ; and befides, the moon is above the horizon, at the poles, fora whole fortnight of every month through the year. Note. The leis the fun's meridian altitude, the longer twilight continues ; therefore, at the equator, twilight is the fhortcft. XV. To meafure the dijlance from one town to another. Only take their diftance with a pair of dividers, and apply it to the equinoctial, that will give the number of degrees between them, which being multiplied by 60, (the number of geographical or computed miles in one degree) gives the exacl: diftance fought : Or, extend the quadrant of altitude from one place to another, that will fhew the number of degrees in like manner, which may be reduced to miles as before. Thus, the diitance from London to Madrid is i T \ degrees. From Paris to Conftan- tinople 19! degrees. From Briftol, in England, to Bofton, is 45 degrees, which multiplied by 69!, (the number of Englifh miles in a degree) gives 312,7! miles. Note. No place can be further from another than 180 degrees that being half the circumference of the globe, and confequently the greateft diftance. XVI. Te find all thofe countries in ivkich an eclipfe of the fun or mwn will be vifible. 1. Of the Sun : Find the place to which the fun is vertical at the time of the eclipfe, by problemn yth, and bring it to the zenith, or. top of the globe; then, to all thofe places above the horizon, if the eclipfe be large, will the fun appear (part of it) vilibly\ obfcured. 2. Of the Moon : Bring the antipodes, or country opposite the place where the fun is Vertical at the time of the eclipfe, to the zenith or top of the globe, and then the eclipfe will be fcen in all places above the horizon at that time. XVII. 70 calculate the circumference of the earth,, that is, to find how many miles it is round* A Hne.going round our globe is fuppofed by mathematicians to be divided into 360 equal parts, called degrees ; and each of thefe parts are fuppofed to be divided into 60 equal parts, called minutes. Mr. Norwood found, by accurately meaiuring from London to York in 1 635, that one degree upon the earth's furface contained 69^ ftatutc miles nearly ; confequently if the whole 360 degrees be multiplied by 69 f we fhall find the circuit of the whole earth, in mcalured miles, to be 25,020. The accurate meafure is 25,038. E 2 a 8 IN T R O D U C T I O N. Note. 60 computed miles make a degree, which makes the circumference to be "but 21,600 geographical miles. XVIII. To calculate the diameter of the earth, I. e. to findhoiv many miles it is through. It has been found by accurate menfuration, that if a circle mcafures 22 round, its diameter will be 7 ; i. e. the diameter is always a little lets than one third part of the circumference : and this always holds true, be the circle bigger or lets.* Therefore if we multiply the circumference of the earth by 7, and divide theproducl by 22, the quotient will give the diameter, or thicknefs ; and which, in this cafe, will be found to be 8018 meafured, 6872 computed, miles. The diameter of the earth is commonly reckoned at 7,970 meafured miles. Note. From thefe dimenfions of the earth we may difcover, ift, thatjif there were a hole made through it, and a mill-Hone let fall into this hole, and it fliould defcend at the rate of i mile a minute, it would be more than 3! days in coming to the center. 2d. If a man be defirous of travelling round the earth, and fhould go 20 miles each day, he would be 3 years and f in completing the journey. 3d. If a bird fhould fly round the earth in 2 days, irie mult go at the rate of 525 (meafured) miles an hour. XIX. To find the fuperficial content of the earth* Multiply the circumference by the diameter. XX. To find the folid content of the earth. Multiply the furface by oneftxth of the diameter and it will give the folidity. Or, multiply the cube of the diameter by 1 1, and the product divided by 21, will give the iblidity. After the fame manner we may find the furface and folidity not only of the natural globe, but allb of the whole body of the atmofphcre furrounding it, '(provided it be always and every whereof the fame height) for having found the perpendicular height thereof by that common experiment of the afcent of Mercury at the foot and top of a mountain, double the laid height and add the fame diameter of tlie earth ; then multi- ply the whole as a new diameter, by its proper circumference, and from the produd iubtract the folidity of the earth, it will leave that of the atmolphere, PROBLEMS folved on the CELESTIAL GLOBE. The equator, ecliptic, tropics, polar circles, horizon and brazen meridians, are cadly alike on both globes. Both alfo are reified in the fame manner. N. B. The s place for any day of the year, frauds diredly over that day on the horizon of the il globe, as it does on that day of the terreftrial. The teitudiwA kngltude of the ftars, or of all other celcftial phenomena^ *re 'reckon-- i a very different manner from the latitude and longitude of places on the earth ; r all terrefirial latitudes are reckoned from the equator; and longitudes from, the dian of fome remarkable place, as, of London by the Britifh, and of Paris by the the aftronomersof all nations agree in reckoning the latitudes of the moon, tars, planets, and comets, from the ecliptic; and their longitudes from the eqiiiDoclial re, in that icmicircle of it which cuts the ecliptic at the beginning of Aries ; and cailward, quite round the fame femi-cirde again. ConfequSntly thofe ftars *Nott. The circumference of a circle is to its diameter more exa<% as 3 5 5 to u 3. INTRODUCTION. 29 tvhich lie between the equinoctial and the northern half of the ecliptic, have north declination and Ibuth latitude : thole which lie between the equinoctial and the fou- thern half of the ecliptic, have fouth declination and north latitude ; and all thofe which lie between the tropics and poles, have their declinations and latitudes of the fame denomination. PROB. I. To find the right afcenfion and declination of the fun, or any fixed flar; bring the fun's place in the ecliptic to the brazen meridian; then that degree in the equinoctial which is cut by the meridian, is the fun's right afcenfion \ and that degree of the meridian which is over the fun's place, is his declination. Bring any fixed liar to the meridian, and its right afcenfion will be cut by the meridian in the equinoctial ; and the degree of the meridian that Hands over it is its declination. So that the right af- cenfion and declination on the celeiiial globe are found in the fame manner as longi- tude and latitude on the terreftrial. II. To find the 'latitude and longitude of any ftar. If the given ftar be on the north fide of the ecliptic, place the goth degree of the quadrant of altitude on the north pole of the ecliptic, where the twelve lemicircles meet, which divide the ecliptic into the twelve figns ; but if the ftar be on the fouth fide of the ecliptic, place the 9Oth de- gree of the quadrant on the ibuth pole of the ecliptic : Keeping the 9oth degree of the quadrant on the proper pole, turn the quadrant about, until its graduated edge cuts the ilar ; tb- n the number of degrees in the quadrant, between the ecliptic and the ilar, is its laihude ; and the degrees of the ecliptic, cut by the quadrant, is the flar's longitude, reckoned according to the fign in which the quadrant then is. III. To prefent the lace of a ftarry firmament, as leen/rom any given place of the earth, at any hour of the night. Rectify the celeftial globe for the given latitude, the zenith, and fun's place, in every refpecl, as taught by the problem for the tcrreftrial ; and turn it about, until the index points to the given hour ; then the upper hemifphere of the globe v. ill reprefent the vifible half of the heaven for that time ; all the ftars upon the glolx; being then in fuch fituations, as exactly correfpond to thofe in the heaven. And if the globe be placed duly north and fouth, by means of a fmall tea compafs, every ftar in the globe will point to the like ftar in the heaven : by which means, the conftcllations and remarkable fiars may be cafily known. All thofe ftars which are in the eallern fide of the horizon, are then rifing in the caftern fide of the heaven; all in the weftcrn, are letting in the welt ern fide; and all thofe under- the upper part of the brazen meridian, between the fouth point of the horizon and the north pole, are at their greater! altitude, if the latitude of the place be north ; but if the latitude be fouth, thofe liars which lie under the upper part of the meridian, be- tween .the north point of the horizon and the fouth pole, are at- their greater! al- titude. IV. The latitude of the place and day of the month being given to find the time when any known ftar will rife, or be upon the meridian, or let. Having rectified the globe, turn it about until the given fiar comes to the eaftcrn fide of the horizon, and the index will Ihow the time of the liar's riling ; then turn the globe weftward, and when the ftar comes to the brazen meridian, the index will fhow the time of the ftar's coming to the meridian of your place* laftly, turn on, until the ftar comes to the weftern fide of the horizon, and the index will Ihow the time of the ftar's fetting. N. B. In northern latitudes thofe ftars whic^i 'are lefs di ft ant from the north pole than the quantity of its elevation above the north point of the horizon, never ict ; and thofe Which are lefs diftant from the fouth pole than the number degrees by which 5 e INTRODUCTION. \vhich it is deprefted below the horizon, never rife : And vice verfa in fouthern lati- tudes. V. To find at what time of the year a given ftar will be upon the meridian, at a o-iven hour of the nig;ht. Bring the given itar to the upper femicircle of the brals me- jidian, and fet the index to the given hour ; then turn the globe, until the index points to XII at noon, and the upper femicircle of the meridian will then cut the fun's place, anfwerable to the day of the year fought ; which day may be ealily found againit the like place of the fun among the figns on the wooden horizon. different MANNER by which fome NATIONS and PEOPLE reckon TIME. THE Babylonians, Perfians, and Syrians, and the inhabitants of fome part of Germany , begin their days at fun-rijing. The (ancient) Jews, Athenians, and Italians, reckon from fun fet ting. The Egyptians, like the Englifi, &c. begin at midnight. The aftronomers andfeamen, begin the day at noon, and reckon on 24 hours to the next day at noon. And according to this n\ode of reckoning are all the calculations of the fun, moan, and planets, made and inferted in the common almanacks. GEOGRAPHICAL THEOREMS, or PROPOSITIONS. THESE proportions, which are dcducible from the nature of the foregoing work, the learner will find to be fo many real truths, if he properly applies and contemplates them upon the globe. I. Places lying under the equator have no latitude; becaufe the reckoning of latitude begins at the equator. II. Under the poles of the world the latitude is greateft, or juft 90 degrees ; becaufe the reckoning of latitude ends at the poles. III. Going from the equator towards the poles, the latitude increafes ; but going to- wards the equator, the latitude diminifhes. IV. The latitude of any place is equal to the height of the pole in degrees above the horizon. V. Places lying under that meridian, which is accounted the firft, have no longitude, fcccaufe the reckoning of longitude begins at that meridian. VI. Thpfe places have the greatefl longitude which lie under the meridian, oppofite io that where longitude begins. VII. The longitude of any place cannot be greater than 1 80 degrees, eaftward or weft ward ; becaufe that brings you to the meridian oppofite to that where longitude began to be counted from. VIII. No two places can be diftant from one another above 180 degrees ; becaufe 1 80 degrees is half the circumference of a great circle on the globe. IX. All the inhabitants of the earth enjoy the fun's light an equal length of time, and have him equally abfent from them. X. Under fhe*f*MKd/j the days and nights are alsvays equal to twelve hours; but not exactly fo in any other place. XI. In all places between the equator and the poles, the days and nights are never equal but at the time of fhe equinoxes, in March and September. XII. The difference between the lengths of the days and nights in any place on the equator, is greater in proportion as the latitude of that piece is greater. 2 XIII. INTRODUCTION, 31 XIII. In places exactly under the polar circles, the fun appears, when at the fummer tropic, one whole day without letting ; and difappears one whole day when in the winter tropic : At other times it daily riles and lets as (^fewhere. XIV. In all plaees of the frigid zones, the fun appears every year without fetting for, a certain number of days ; and difappears for about the fame fpace of time. And the nearer to, or further from the pole, thofe places are, the longer or Ihorter is his ap- pearance in, or abfence from them. XV. To all places under the fame femicircle of the meridian, whether on the north or fouth fide of the equator, it is noon or midnight, or any other hour of the day or night at the fame time precifely. XVI. Places lying eaftward of any other place, have their morning, noon, and evening hours earlier than at that place, by one hour for every 15 degrees it lies eaflward of it. XVII. Places lying \veft\vard of any other place have their morning, noon, and even- ing hours later than at that place, by one hour for every 15 degrees it lies wefiward of it. XVIII. A perfon in going eafcvard quite round the globe, will have gained one day; in his reckoning of time, alx>ve the account kept at the place he departed from : But bad his circuit been made wejtward, he would have been one day behind the account kept at that place. XIX. Two perfons fetting out at the fame time from a place to make the circuit of the globe, one going eaftward the other weftward, will on their return, differ in their account of time by two entire days. XX. To all places within the torrid zone, the fun is vertical, i. e. comes over the heads of the inhabitants, twice a year. To thofe under the tropics, once : But it is never vertical to thofe in the temperate or frigid zones. XXI. People who live to the north of the torrid zone, fee the fun due fouth at noon ; ar}d thofe who live to ihcjbuth of the torrid zone, fee the fun due north at noon. XXII. Thofe who fee the fun to the northward have their fhadows projected foittb- ward ; but when they fee the fun to the fouthward, their fhadows are projected north- ward. XXIIL The nearer the fun is to the zenith of any perfon, the fhorter is the fhadow at noon ; but the further from the zenith at noon, the longer is the fhadow : The fhadow is always oppolite to the fun; and thofe who have the fun in their zenith, i.e. directly over their heads, have no [length of] fhadow at all. XXIV. In all places fituated in a parallel fphere, i. e. at or very near the poles, the fun's daily motion runs always parallel, or nearly fo, to the refpedtive horizon of fuch place. XXV. In all places fituated in a right fphere, i. e. at or near the equator, the fun's daily motion is perpendicular, or nearly lo, to the horizon of fuch places. XXVI. In all places fituated in an oblique fphere, i. e. lying between the equator and the poles, the circle of the fun's daily motion is always oblique unto, or cuts the ho- rizon of fuch place at unequal angles. XXVII. On the days of the equinoxes only, that is, about the 2Oth of March, and ajd of September, the fun rites exactly in the eaft point of the horizon, and fets in the iveft point, to every place upon earth. XXVIII. To places in north latitude, the fun rites to the nerthivard of the eafl, and fets to the twrthvvard of the weft, from the vernal to the autumnal equinox ; and rifes to the 32 INTRODUCTION. thefotttkxwd of the eaf, and lets to the foutbward of the 7f;' thofe. who th^ilk Jhcte countries \\Xrere the original habitations of man. Jn the lain; F 2 ' '." manner, 36 J N T R O D U C T I O X. manner, mountains are nereirary ; not only as the refer voirs of rivers, but as a defence' againil llie violence of heat, in the warm latitudes: without the Alps, Pyrenees, Apcnnine, the mountains of Dauphine and Auvorgnc, &c. Italy, Spain, and France, \v ould be deprived of the mild temperature tliey at prefent enjoy. Without the Balgate hills, or Indian Appcnnine, India would have been a defert. Hence Jamaica, St. Domingo, Sumatra, and moti other intertropieal iflands, are furnifhed with mountains, from which the breezes proceed that refrefh them. A vle-jv of tks ANNUAL TEMPERATURE of different places, according to the order of tkeir LATITUDES. Wadlb, in Lapland Abo Peteriburgh Upfal Stockholm Solyfkamki Edinburgh Francker Berlin Lyndon, in Rutland Leyden London Dunkirk Manheim Rouen Ratifbon Paris Troyes, in Champaigne Vienna Dijon Nantes Poitiers Laufanne Padua Rhodez, in Guienne Bourdeaux Montpelier Marfcillies Mont Louis, in Roufillon Cambridge, in New England Philadelphia Pekin Algiers Grand Cairo Canton Tivoli, in St. Domingo Spanifhtown, in Jamaica N. Lar. Longitude. Mean an- deg. m. deg. m. nual heatr 7. 5 36 60, 27 22, 1 8 E. 40- 59' 5 6 30, 24 E. 38. 8 59. 5 1 17, 47 E. 41, 88 59' 20 18. E. 42, 39 59- 54- E. 36, 2. 55' 57 3. W. 47' 7 53- 5, 42 E. 52, 32 13, 31 E. 49. 52, 3 o. 3 W. 48, 3 52, 10 4, 32 E. 52, 25 5 1 . 3 1 5 1 . 9 5 1 , 2 2, 7 E. 54, 9 49. 27 9, 2 E. 5*> 5 49, 26 i. W. 5 1 - 48, 56 12, 5 E. 49. 35 48, 50 2, 25 E. 52- 48, 1 8 4, 10 E. 53. 17 48, 12 1 6, 22 E. 5i. 53 47, 19 4, 57 E. 52, 8 47. J 3 i, 28 E. 55. 53 46, 39 o, 30 E. 53. 8 46, 31 6, 50 E. 48, 87 45 23 12. E. 52, a 45. 21 2, 39 E. 52, 9 44. 5 o, 36 W. 57, 6 43. 3 6 3. 73 E. 60, 87 43. 19 5, 27 E. 6 1, 8 42. 2, 40 E. 44, 5 42, 25 71. W. 5> 3 39. 5 6 / j? y 52. 5 39. .54 1 1 6, 29 W. 55> 5 3 6 > 49 2, 17 E. 72. 3' 31, 23 E. 73- 2 3- i33- E. 75, H 19. 74- i8 3 15 76, 38 W. 81. Manilla Manilla Fort St. George Pondichcny Falkland Iflands Quito INTRODUCTION. N. Lat. dtg. m. i4 3 6 12. South Latitude. 5 1 THEORY of tbe WINDS. y Longitude. Mean 37 an- deg. m. nual heat. 120, 58 E. 78, 4 8 7 . E. 81, 3 6 7 . E. 88. 66. W. 47 4 77> 50 W. 62. AIR is a fine invifible fluid, (unrounding the globe of the earth, and extending to fome miles above its furfuce : and that collection of it, together with the bodies it con- tains, cireumfcribing the earth, is called the atmofphere. Few natural bodies have been the fubjec c t of more experiments than the air; and from thole it appears, that it is both heavy and elaftic. By its gravity it is capable of Supporting all lighter bodies, as fmoke, vapours, fumes, odours, &c. And by its elas- ticity, a (mall volume of air is capable of expanding itfelf in fuch a manner as to fill a very large (pace, and alfo of being compreifed into a much fmaller compafs. Cold has the property of comprefling air, and heat of expanding it. But as foon as the expan- lion or compreffion is taken away, it will return to its natural ftate. Hence, if an alteration be made in any part of the atmofphere, either by heat or cold, the neigh- bouring parts will be put into commotion, by the effort which the air always makes to recover its former ftate. Wind is nothing more than a ftream or current of air capable of very different degrees of velocity, and generally blowing from one point of the horizon to its oppofite part. The horizon, like all other great circles of the fphere, is divided into 360 degrees: but as thcfe divifions are too minute for common ufe, it is alfo divided into thirty two equal parts, called rhumbs, or points of the compafs. \Vindsareeitheroonftantor variable, general or particular. Conftant winds are fuch as always blow the fame way, at leaft for a considerable length of time. Variable winds, are fuch as frequently fhift, or change from one point of the compafs to another. A general wind, is that which blows the fame way over a large tracl of the earth the greater part of the year. A particular wind is that which blows in any particular place, fometimes one way and fomctimes another. The trade wind is a current of air blowing continually from the eaft, on the Atlantic and Pacific ocean, between thirty degrees north and thirty degrees fouth latitude. The caufe of this conftant wind is the action of the fun in his apparent motion from eaft to weft. For the air immediately under the fun being more heated, and confe- quently more expanded in that part than in any other, the air to the caftward is con- ftantly rufhing towards the weft, in order to reftore the equilibrium, or natural ftate of the atmofphere ; and by that means occafions a continual current of air from the eaft- ward within thofe limits. But the trade-winds near the northern boundary, blow between the north and eaft ; and near the fouthern, between the fouth and eaft. For as the air is expanded by the heat of the fun near the equator, therefore the air from the northward and fouthward will both flow towards the equator, to reftore the equilibrium. Butthefe motions from the north and fouth being compounded with the foregoing eafterly motion, will produce the motions obferved near the above limits, between the north and earl, and between the fouth and weft. It xS INTRODUCTION. It mu ft however be obfcnvd, that thefe general currents of the wind are difturbcd on the continents and near the con ft. Sometimes the nature ot" the ibil increafes or lefTens theln.it in the almofphcre ; and fometimes chains of mountains form a kind of eddy near their \veftcni lides ; hence the motions of the winds may he different and even contrary to the general motions ahovc ohfervcd. In fome parts of the Indian Ocean another fpecies of trade-winds, called monfoons* prevail. Thvfe blow fix months one way, and fix months the contrary way. Thefe pin- i flow from the fame caufe. For the air that is cool and denfe, mult force the rarefied air in a continual Itream upwards, where it mult fpread itfelf to preferve an equilibrium ; confequently the upper courfe or current of the air will he contrary to the under current ; lor the under current mult move from thole parts where i he greateft heat is ; and fo by a kind of circulation, the noi ih-ealt trade-wind below will be attended with a fouth-welt wind above; and a fouth-eaft below with a north- veil above. Experience has fufricicntly confirmed the truth of this proportion ; the leamen always finding that as foon as they leave the trade-winds, thev immediately find a wind blowing in an oppolite direction. Between the fourth and tenth degrees of north latitude, and between the longitudes of Cape Verd and the eafternmoft of the Cape de Vcrd Inlands, is a tract of lea which fcrms to be condemned to perpetual calms, attended with dreadful thunder and light- nings, and fuch frequent rains, that it has acquired the name of the Rains. This phe- nomenon teems to be caufcd by the great rarefaction of the air on the neighbouring coaft, which cauling a perpetual current of air to fet in from the weftward, and this current meeting here with the general trade-wind, the two currents balance eacli other, and caufe a general calm ; while the vapours carried thither by each wind meeting and condenfmg, occalion thefe frequent deluges of rain. THEORY of the TIDES. BY the word tide is understood that motion of the water in the feas and rivers by which they regularly rife and fall. The phenomena of the tides occalioned a variety of opinions among the ancient philosophers ; but the true caufe continued unknown till the latter end of the lail century, when it was difcovered by the illuftrious Sir Ifaae Newton, who deduced it from the following oblervations : One of the inherent properties of matter is gravitation or attraction. It is owing to this property, that heavy bodies thrown up into the air fall down to the furface of the earth in perpendicular directions. And as all lines drawn from the center of a ijphorc to its circumference are perpendicular to its furface, therefore all heavy bodies tali in line's tending to the center. This property of gravitation or attraction is found to be univer- fally ditfufed through this folar fyliem, and probably through the whole uni.verfe. The heavenly bodies are governed by this great law of nature. The earth and moon gra- vitate towards, or are attracted by the fun. Experience has alfo demonftrated, that the force of attraction exerted by thefe bodies on one another, is lels and lefs, as the\ farther removed afunder in proportion to the fquares of thole diftanc eft. From theie general principles it follows, that the gravitation of bodies towards the center of the earth will be lefs on thofc parts of its furface that are oppoiite to the fun and moon than in the others: and this defect of .gravitation in particular parts, is the true canie of the ebbing and flowing of the tide. For it is evident, that if no fuch forces were exerted by the fun and moon, the oceans, being equally attracted towards the earth's center on all lides by the force of gravity, would continue in a Hate of pe -jftagnation, But as thefe forces are really exerted, the waters in the oceans mult rife higher INTRODUCTION. 39 higher in thofe places where the fun and moon diminifh their gravity ; or where tlie at trad ion of the fun and moon is greatefL This being an undeniable fact, it follows, that as the force of gravity muft be dirai- nifhed moft in thole places of the earth to which the moon is neareft, viz. in the zenith ; therefore the waters in fuch places will rife higher, * and confequently it will be full fea or flood in fuch 'places. From the fame principles it follows, that the parts of the earth directly under the moon in the zenith, and thofe in the nadir, or thole diametrically oppofile, will have the flood or high water at the fame time. But as the waters in the zenith and nadir rife at the fame time, therefore the waters in their neighbourhood will prcfs towards thefe places to maintain the equilibrium ; and, to fupply the places of thefe, others will move the fame way, and fo on to places ninety degrees difiant from the faicl zenith and nadir; confequently in thoie places where the moon appears in the horizon, tl>e waters will have more liberty to dcfcend towards the center ; and therefore in thofe places, the waters will l>e lowefi . From -what has been faid it follows, that if the turface of the earth was entirely covered with water, the ocean mult have a prolate fpheroidical figure, the longer dia- meter palling through the place where the moon is vertical, and the fhorter where fhe appears in the horizon. And as the moon apparently fhifts her place from eaft to weft in moving round the earth every day, the longer diameter of the fpheroid following her motion, there mult be two floods and two ebbs in the length of a lunar day, or about twenty-four hours, fifty minutes. Hence we fee the reafon why the lime of high-water is. about fifty minutes later every day. That is, if it be high-water at eleven to-day, it will not be high-water till near fifty minutes after eleven to-morrow. The tides are higher than ordinary twice every month, viz. about the time of the new and full moon ; and thefe are called fpring tides : becaufe at thefe times both the fun and moon concur, or draw in the fame right line ; and confequently the tides muft be more elevated. When the two luminaries are in conjunction, or when the fun and moon are on the fame iide of the earth, they both confpire to raife the water in the zenith, and confequently in the nadir and when the fun and moon are in oppofition, that is, when the earth is between them, while one make* high-water in the zenith and nadir, the other does the fame in the nadir and zenith. The tides are lefs than ordinary twice every month ; that is, about the times of the firfl: and laft quarters of the moon ; and thefe are called neap-tides. For in the quarters of the moon, the fun raifes the water where the moon depreffes it ; and deprefles it where the moon raifes the water ; ; the tides arc made therefore by the difference of their actions. It is however necefiary to be obferved, that the fpring-tides happen not precifely at the new and full moon, but a day or two after, when the attractions of the lim and moon have a6led in the fame direction for a. considerable time. In the fame manner the neap-tides happen a day or two after the quarters, when the force of the moon's attraction lias been leffened by that of the fun's for feveral days together. The Ipring tides are greater about the time- of the equinoxes, than at other times of the year ; and the neap-tides are then lets. Becaufe the longer diameter of the fpheroid, or the two oppofite floods, will at that time be in the earth's equator ; and confequently will defcribe a great circle of the earth, by whofe diurnal rotation- thofe floods will move fwifter, defcribing a great circle in the fame time they ufed to defcribe a lefler circle parallel to the equator, and confe- 3. quently. 40 I X T R O D U 1C T I ON. qucntly the waters being impelled more forcibly againit the fhores, tliey rife. higher. Such would be the phenomena of the tides if the whole furface of the earth was entirely covered with ua'tcr; hut ;H tliis is not the cafe, there being befides the con- tinents, a multitude of iflands, King in the way of the tide, which interrupt its courfe; therefore in many places near the fhores, a great variety of other appearances, belidcs thole already enumerated, arife. Thde retjuire particular folutions, in which the Ihorcs, ftreiglits, Ihoals, rocks, and other objects, mull be confidercd ; a difqnilition \\hich recjuires much more room than can be fpared in this introduction. What has been laid will however be fufHcicnt to explain the theory "of the tides, and enable the. reader to purfue the inquiry and folve the difficulties that may arife with regard to any particular place. LENGTH of MILES in different COUNTRIES. THERE is lea reel y a greater variety in any thing than in this fort of meafure ; not only thole of leparate countries differ, as the French from the Englifh, but thole of the country vary in the different provinces, and all commonly from the llandard, Thus the common Knglilh mile differs from the llatute mile, and the French have three forts of leagues. We lliall here give the miles of feveral countries, compared -with the English by Dr. Hally. The Englifh ftatute mile conlifts 01*5280 feet, 1760 yards, .or 6 furlongs. Eleven miles Irifh are equal to fourteen Englilh. The Rullian vorir. is little more than | Englifh. The Turkifh, Italian, and old Roman leffer mile, is nearly i Englifh. The Arabian, ancient and modern, is about i Englifh. The Scotch mile is about i { Englifh. The Indian is almoft 3 Ehglilh. The Dutch, Spanifh, and Polifh, is about 3^ Englifh. The German is more than 4 Englifh. The Swcdilh, Daniih, and Hungarian, is from 5 to 6 Englifh. The French common league is near 3 Englilh, and The Englifli marine league is 3 Englilh miles. NATURAL DIVISIONS of tbe EARTH. "HE Planet which we inhabit, called the Earth, is made up of land and water, and is therefore called terraqueous. About one fourth of the furface of the explored, and whofe dimcnlions are not exactly known. A M E R I C HISTORY AND DISCOVERY OP AMERICA. IT is believed by many, and not without fome plaufible foundation/ that America was known to the Ancients. Of this, however, hiftory affords no certain evidence. The Norwegians, theWelfh, and the Germans, each in their turn, have made prcten- lions to the difcovery of America. As early as 874 the Norwegians difcovered, and planted a colony in Iceland ; and in 982, they difcovered, and made fcttlcments in Greenland. Thence, fome of their entcrpriling navigators, proceeded ft ill farther weflward till they difcovered a. country, the ooaft of which wa.- fandy, but the interior parts level and covered with wood, on which account they called it HeUc-land and Murk- land, and having afterwards found fome plants of the vine, wliirh bore grapes, they called it IVme-land or Vine-land. But where this country lies hifiorians are not agnrci. If it was any part of the American coaft, as it probably muft have been, all attempts to plant colonies in it proved unfuecefsful, and the knowledge of it was toon loll.* The '* Monf. Mallet, in the firft volume of his Northern Antiquities, gives us from authorities of unqucftionable credibility, a circumftantial account of the difcovery and fettlements of I r ine-land. This Author informs that Iceland was peopled by a colony of Norwegians, under Ingnlph, in the year 874.. Greenland was fettled by EricRufus, a young Norwegian, in the year 982; and before the eleventh century, churches were founded, and a bifhppric erected at Garde, the capital of the fettlement. Shortly after this,- Biarn, an Icelandic navi- gator, t>y accident, difcovered land to the weflward of Greenland, which was more fully explored in the year jooz, and from the defcription given, anfvvers to no other than the American coaft. The difcovery of a diftant country, fays our author, " called Fine-land, . and the reality of a Norwegian co- lony's fettling there, appear to be facts, fo well attefted on all fides, and related with circurnftance.i to probable, as to leave no room for any doubt. But to fettle the geography of the country where this happened, is not an eafy matter. It could not, however, have been far from the coafls of Labrador, or thofe of Newfoundland ; both which are in the vicinity of Greenland. Mr. Calm (or Kalm) a Sweedifh botanift, educated under Linnaeus, who fome yeirs fiacc travelled through Canada, with a view to* acquaint himfelf with its natural hiftory, conjectures that the colony of ' I'-ne-laud A-::S in the Ifland of Newfoundland, which is feparated from that part of the continent called Labrador, by a narro'.v ftrait only, of a few leagues, called Belle-hie. Davis's ftrair, which feparntes Greenland from the American continent, is known to be very narrow in feveral places. The Greenlanders, according to .Mr. Rg'ede, a(Tt-rr, that it is only a deep bay which runs on, narrowing towards the north, till the oppolite American continent can be eafily difcerned from the Greenland fliore ; and that the extremity of this bay ends in a river, over wh.ch wandering favages, inured to cold, might eafily pafs from one land to the other, without canoes. And hence the peopling of the north-eaftern part o'f the American continent is eafily and rationally accounted for. All accounts agree in defcribing Vine-land as a country which fpontaneoufly produces .the Vine. And thi* lias led Dr. Robertfon and others to confider the whole hiftory as too fabulous to be c; -edited. Doctor Robert- ion aflerts that grapes are not the production either of Labrador, or Newfoundland. But the lc.ir:;ed .V.r. Ellis, ut 4 6 HISTORY AND DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. -The pretentious of the Wclfli to the difcovery of America have but a flight founda- tion. In tlie i2th century, according to Powell, a difpute having arilen among the fonsof OwciiGwyneth, king of North-Wales, concerning the fu ccrHion to his crown, Madoc, one of the number, weary of this contention, betook himfelf to fea, in fearch fa more peaceful fcttlcment. He Itccivddue well, leaving Ireland to the north, and arrived in an unknown country, which appeared to him deiirable ; he returned to Wales, and carried thither fcvcral of his adherents and companions. This is faid to have taken place about the year 1170. He and his colony have not been heard of Some German authors afcribc the honour of having ditcovered America, to Martin Bchaim, their countryman. He defeended from a noble family, of the imperial town of Nurembnrgh \vas a Icholar of the celebrated John Mullcr, and became an adept in the fcience of cofmography. Under the patronage of the Duchefs of Burgundy he repaired to Lifbon, whither the fame of the Portuguefc difcoveries invited all the adventurous fpirits of the age. In 1483, in company with Diego Cano, he made a voyage to the ibuthward, and is laid to have difcovered the kingdom of Congo, on the coaii. of Africa. He fettled in the illand of Fayal, one of the Azores, and was a par- ticuh'.r friend of Columbus. He conllruCtcd a terreftrial globe, which afterwards fell into the hands of Magellan. On this globe Magellan laid down the courfe which he purpofed to hold in fcyrch of the communication with the South Sea, which he after- wards difcovered. In the year 1492, Behaim vifi ted his relations at Nuremburgh, and left with them a map, drawn with his own hand, which is ftill preferved among the archives of the family. So far the flory of Martin Behaim is well authenticated; but as to the accounts of his having difcovered any part of the American coaft, though credited b\ fomc ingenious men, they have too great an appearance of conjecture to gain general belief.* For aught we can learn from authentic documents, the ealicrn continent was the only theatre of hiftory, the partial difcoveries of the Norwegians in his voyage to Hudfon's bay, mentions that he met with the vine, about the Englifh fettlements at that place, and compares the fruit of it to the currants of the Levant. And credible travellers fay that the vine grows fpontaneoufly in Canada, and in ftill more northern latitudes, and bears a fmall well-tafted fniit. On the whole, concludes our Author, " there can be no doubt but that the Norwegian Greenlanders difco- vered the American continent ; that the place where they fettled was either the country of Labrador or New- foundland ; and that their colony fubfifted there a good while. This is all we can fay about it with any certainty. To endeavour to afcertain the exact iituation, extent and fortune of the eftablifumenr, would be a fruitless labour. *The Librarian of St. Mark's Library at Venice, in a letter to the Editors of a foreign magazine, furniflies the following curious fact relative to the difcovery of America. To the inquiry which you make," faid he " I anfwer, that in the nautical map, exifting in St. Mark's 1 Jbrary, and lately published here by Signior Formaleoni, on the fpot, where at prefent the Antilles are known to be, there certainly is delineated, a great ifland, with various harbours, and near it is written f. de Antillia. The delineation and the writing are all by the fame hand ; it cannot therefore, be faid, that any addition has been made to it. In it is written, in ancient characters, and by the fame hand which wrote all the reft, Andreas KuinchoJe Ventcm me fecit MCCCCXXXVI.f Let it not appear extraordinary to you, that in thofe times hey had a confuted notion of the Antilles. I fhall fhew that even before the difcovery of Columbus, they had an idea of them, and that the Antillia were mentioned. This I fhall treat of in illuftrating the manufcripts ofXiufna Biatcb, together with the reft of St. Mark's library, which now employs all the time I am able to <5ol. Mag. for Nov. 1791. N. B The Antilles lie in the bay of Mexico, between the ifland of Cuba and South America. ^ Columlus f alle ^ f or the f'Jl *'"<> from the port of Pahs, in Spain, for tie Jfiovery of excepted HISTORY AND DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 4; exceptcd, from creation till the year of our Lord 1492 : and Columbus has a fair ( hum to the honour of bring the diScoverer of the NEW WORLD. As the following work propotes to give a defcription of this NEW WORLD, as it was originally called, cfpecially of its molt interesting parts, which have lately become the Scene of the moll important events that adorn the page of hiltory, an account of it* diScovery may rationally be expected. CHRISTOPHER COLON or COLUMBUS, a Subject of the republic of Genoa, was among the foreigners, whom the fame of the dilcoveries of the PortugueSe had' allured into their Service. He deScended from a noble family reduced by misfortunes ; but neither the time nor place of his birth are certainly known. His anccStors, having had rccourSe to a leafaring life forfupport, Columbus, from his early youth, discovered fuch peculiar talents for that profeifion, as indicated his future greatnefs. His parents encouraged this original propensity by giving him a Suitable education. After acqui- ring fome knoAvlcdge of the Latin tongue, the only language in which Science was taught at that time, he was inllrucled in geometry, coSmography, aftronomy, and the art of drawing. To thele he applied with Such ardour and predilection, on account of their connection with navigation, hi-> favourite object, that he made rapid proficiency in them. Thus qualified, in 1461, at the early age of fourteen, he went to lea, and began his career on that element which conducted him to So much glory. His early voyages were limited principally, to thole places which had beSore 1x:eii discovered, in which nothing very remarkable happened, except that in a Sea fight, oft* the coaft of Portugal, with Some Venetian coaSters, the verlel on board which he Served, took fire, together with one of the enemy's, to which it was tali grappled ; upon which he threw himfelf into the Sea, laid hold oS a floating oar, and by the Support oSit, and his dex- terity in Swimming, he readied the Ihore, though more than fix miles dillant, and thus prcScrved a life dcligned for great undertakings. Soon after this he went to Lifbon, where he married a daughter of Bartholomew Pereflrcllo, one of the captains employed by Prince Henry in his early voyages, and who had difcovered and planted the HI amis of Porto Santo and Madeira, The jour- nals and charts of this experienced navigator, his father-in-law, fell into his hands, and he, with avidity, availed himfelf of the valuable information they contained. His impatience to vifit the places which Pcreftrcllo had leen and deSc.ribcd, became irrc- fiitible ; and he made a voyage to Madeira, and Spent Several years in trading with that ifland, the Canaries, the Azores, the Settlements in Guinea, and all other places which the PortugueSe had discovered on the continent of Africa. By the experience acquired during fuch a variety oS voyages, Columbus became one of the moft Ikilful navigators of Europe. But his ambition did not permit him to rejft Satisfied with that praifc. He aimed at Something more. A project had been conceived of finding out a parTage by fea to the Eali Indies. The accomplishment of this became a favourite object with Columbus. The PortugueSe Sought this rout by Steering towards the South, in hope oS arriving at India, by turning to the eafl, aSter they had Sailed round the Sarther extremity of Africa ; which paflage Avas afterwards effected 1497, by VaSco de Gama, a PortugueSe navigator. Columbus contemplated a Shorter and more direct paflfage to the Baft Indies^, by Sailing towards the well, acroSs the Atlantic Ocean. The principles and arguments which induced him to adopt this opinion, then confidercd as chimerical, were highly rational and philoibphical. The Sphericity and magnitude of the earth were at that period aScertained with Some degree of accuracy. From this it was evident, that the continents of Europe, Afia, and Africa, formed but a Small i . part 4 8 HISTORY AND DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. part of the terraqueous globe. It appeared likewifc extremely probable,, that the con- tinent on tin- one fide of the globe, was balanced by a proportionable quantity of land ;n the other hemisphere. Theie conclufions -concerning the exigence of another conti- nent, drawn from the figure and ftruclure of the globe, were confirmed by the obfer- . ations and conjc-cmres of modern navigators, and from pieces of timber artificially cirved, canes of" an enormous fize, trees torn up by the roots, and the dead "bodies of two men with fmgular features, which had been difcovcred and taken up, floating .re a wclicrly wind, or driven on the coafts of the Azores. The force of this united- U-nv, ariling from theoretical principles and practical obfervation, led Columbus to conclude, that by failing directly towards the weir, acrofs the Atlantic ocean, new i . m nines which probably formed a part of the vaft continent of India, mult infallibly be diii overed. As early as the year 1474, he communicated his ingenious theory to Paul, a ph yfi- cian of Florence, eminent for his knowledge of cofmography. He warmly approved of the plan ; fuggrfted feveral facts in confirmation of it, and encouraged Columbus to- perfevere in an undertaking Ib laudable, and wliich muft redound fo much to the ho- nour of his country, and the ben.erit of Europe. Columbus now became impatient to bring to the tefl of experiment, the truth of his fyliem, and to let out upon a v wage of difcovery. The firlt ftep towards this was to fecure the patronage of fome of the conliderable powers of Europe. With this view he- laid his fcheme before the Senateof Genoa, and making his native and belo'ved country, . the firft tender of his fervicc, offered to fail, under the banners of the republic, in. quefl of new regions which he expected.to difcover. But they, incapable of forming iuft ideas of his principles, inconnderately rejected his propoial as chimerical.. He then . fubmitted his plan to the Portuguefe, who pcrfklioufly attempted to rob him of the ho- nour of accomplifhing it, by privately fending another pcrfon to purfuc the fame tract which he had propofed. But the pilot, who- was thus bafely employed to execute Columbus' plan, had neither the genius nor the fortitude of its author. . Contrary winds arofe no land appeared his courage failed, and he returned to Lhbon, execrating a plan which he had not abilities to execute. On difcovcring this flagrant treachery, Columbus immediately quitted the kingdom indifguft, and landed in Spain, towards the clofe of the year 1484. Here he refolvcd to propofe it in pcrfon to Ferdinand and Ifabella, who at that time governed the united kingdoms of Caftile and Arragon. He, in the mean time,, fent his brother Bartliqjo-^ mew t3 England, to propofe his plan to Henry VII.. \ftcr experiencing a {cries of mortifying difappointmcnts, during eight tedious years, wh'ch the brevity of this hiftory will not permit us to relate, Columbus, in deep an- gu;ih, withdrew from court, determined to repair to England as hislaft refource. At t lis juncture the affairs of Spain, which had been perplexed in confequence of a war with the Moors, took a favourable turn. Quintanilla and Santangel, two. powerful, vigilant and difcerning patrons of Columbus, feized this favourable opportunity to make one more effort in behalf of their friend., They addrefled themfelves to Ifabelta, with fuch forcible arguments as produced the dclired effect. They difpelled all Ilabclla's doubts and fears ; fhe ordered Columbus, who had proceeded on his journey, to be inftantly recalled declared her refolution to employ him on his own terms ; and regret- ting the low eftate of her finances, generoufly offered to pledge her own jewels, in order to raife as much money as might be needed in making preparations for the voy- age. Santangel, in a tranfport of gratitude, kiffed the queen's hand, and, in order to fave DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 49 fave her from having rccourfc to lucli a mortifying expedient for procuring money, en- gaged to advance, immediately, the, fum that was rcquiiite. Columbus had proceeded fomc leagues on his journey, when the meiTenger from I label la overtook him. He returned with joy mingled with fome degree of fear, left he ihould again be difappointed. The manner of his reception by the queen was, how- ever, fuch as quickly diipcllcd his fears. A negociation commenced, and was for- warded \vith difpatch, and a treaty of capitulation, with Columbus, was iigned on the 7th of April 1492. The chief articles of it were, i. Ferdinand and Ifabella, as fovc- ivigns of the ocean, conitituted Columbus their high admiral in all the feas, iflands, and continents, which ihould be difcovered by his induftry ; and ftipulated, that he and his heirs for ever fhould enjoy this office, with the fame powers and prerogatives which belonged to the high admiral of Caflile, within the limits of his jurifdiciion. 2. They appointed Columbus their viceroy in all the iilands and continents which he Ihould difcover ; but if, for the better administration of affairs, it ihould be neceffary to eflablifh a feparate governor in any of thofe countries, they authorifed Columbus to name three perfons, of whom they would chufe one for that office ; and the dignity of viceroy, with all its immunities, was likewife to be hereditary in the family of Co- lumbus. 3. They granted to Columbus and his heirs for ever, the tenth of the free profits accruing from the productions and commerce of the countries which he fhould difcover. 4. They declared, if any controverfy or lawfuit fhould ariie, with reipecl; to any mercantile tranfaclion, in the countries which fhall be diicovered, it ihould be determined by the fole authority of Columbus, or of judges to be appointed by him. 5. They permitted Columbus to advance one eighth part of what Ihould be ex- pended in preparing for the expedition, and in carrying on commerce with the coun- tries which he ihould difcover, and intitled him, in return, to an eighth part of the profit. Though the name of Ferdinand appears conjoined with that of Ifabella in this tranfaclion, his diilruil of Columbus was fo violent, that he refilled to take any part of the enterprife, as king of Arragon. As the whole expence of the expedition was to be defrayed by the crown of Caftile, Ifobella referred for her fubjecls of that king- dom; an exclufive right to all the benefits which might redound from its fuccefs. After all the efforts of Ifabella and Columbus, the armament was fuitablc, neither to the dignity of the power who equipped it, nor to the importance of the iervice to which it was deitined. It coniiited of three veflels ; the largeit, a ihip of no con- iiderable burden, was commanded by Columbus, as admiral, who gave it the name of Santa Maria. Of the lecond, called the Pinta, Martin Pinzon was captain, and his brother Francis pilot. The third, named the Nigna, was under the command of Vin- rcnt Yanez Pinzon. Thefe two laft mentioned were light velfels, hardly fuperior in burden or force to large boats. This little fquadron was victualled for twelve months, and had on board ninety men, moitly failors, together with a few adventurers, who followed the fortune of Columbus, and fome gentlemen of Ifabella's court, whom ihe appointed to accompany him. The fum employed in fitting out this fquadron did not exceed . 4000, fterling. On the 3d of Auguit, 1492, being Friday,* Columbus fet fail, in the prefence of a vail The fuperftidous notion that Friday is an unlucky day fo commence a voyage, did not, it feems, exift in age, which boafts a freedom from the fliackles of fuperfti H fucccis ^o DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. vafr crowd of fpeetators, svho offered fervent Vupplir;; . heaven for hi? fu reefs, which they rather wifhed than . lie. itccreJ tl cnr/y a; pointed, and very unfit for fo long and dangerous a navigation as he had undertaken. After reritt'mg them as \\cll as he could, he left the Canaries on the 6th of September, and here properly com- menced the vovage of difeovery. He held his courfe. due well, and immediately left the nfual track" of navigation, and ftretehed into unknown and unfrequented leas. In the 1 4th of September the fleet was about 2O U <5" leagues weft of the Canaries, at a greater diitance from land than any Spaniard had been before that time. Columbus early difcovered, from the fpirit of his followers, that he muft prepare to ft niggle, not only with the unavoidable difficulties which might be expected from the nature of his undo'taking, but with fuch alib as were likely to arife from the igno- rance and timidity of tlve people under his command. All the art and addrefs he was mailer of was hardly fumcient to quell the mutinous difpolition of his failors, who grew the more turbulent in proportion as their diftance from home increafed. What moil aftonifhed Columbus, during the voyage, was the variation of the magnetic needle. He obfervcd that it did not point exactly to the polar ftar, but varied towards the weft. This appearance, then one of the inyfterics of nature, though now familiar, filled the companions of Columbus with terror. They were now in the midft of a tracklcfs ocean nature herfclf teemed to be altered, and the only guide they had left was about to fail them. Columbus, with no lets quicknefs than ingenuity, invented a reafon for this appearance, which, though it did not fatisfy himlelf, feemed ib plau- iible to them, that it difpellcd their fears, and filenced their murmurs. On the evening of the nth of Oclober, Columbus was fo confident, from various appearances, of being near land, that he ordered the fails to be furled, and the fhips to lie to, and ftrict watch to be kept left they mould be driven on fhore in the night. During this interval of fufpenfe and expectation, no man fliut his eyes, all kept on deck, gazing intently towards that quarter where they expected to difcover the land, which had fo long been the object of their wifh.es. A little -before midnight, Colum- bus, from the forccaftle, difcovered a light at a diftancc and fhortly after the joyful found of land! land! was heard from the Pinta, which always kept a head of the other fhips. At the dawn of day, an ifland was fecn from every fhip, at the diitance of about two leagues north, whofe verdant afpect indicated a molt delightful country. The crews of all the fhips, with tears of joy and tranfports of congratulation, unitedly fang Te Deum, as a hymn of thankigiving to God. They then, with feelings of fell" condemnation, mingled w r ith reverence, threw themfelves at the feet of Columbus, begged him to forgive their ignorance, incredulity and infolcnce, which had given him fo much unneceifary difquiet acknowledged his fupcrior abilities, and promifed obo clience in future. At funrifing, the boats were manned and armed, and they rowed towards the ifland with their colours difpiayed, with warlike muiic and other martial pomp. As -they approached the eoaft, they faw it covered with a multitude of people, whom the novelty of the fpectacle had drawn together, whofe attitudes and gcftures expreffed wonder and afionifhnieirt at the ftrange objecls before them. Columbus was. the firft European who fet foot in the New World which he had difcovered. He landed in a fuccefs of Columbus in difcovering a New World, during a voyage commenced on Friday proves, if any thing, that this is the moft lucky Jay in the feven, forgoing to iea: If fo, why would it not be well to fubratute it in the room of the Sabbath, which is now too commonly fixed on for that purpofe ? rich DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 51 rich drcA, and with a naked fword in his hand. His men followed, and kreeling down, they all kitted the ground which they had fo long defired to fee. They next civ ted a crucifix, and prollrating themlclves before it, returned thanks to God for .aftiiig their voyage to ib happy an iflbe. They then took folcmn and formal poileilion of the country for the crown of Caftile and Leon. The drefs of the Spaniards, their beards, their arms, the vaft machines with which they had travcrfed the occa.ii, the tlmiulciiug iuai or iliv, vxu.ii HIM i, a.L^winpo.iiicJ with lightning and iinokc, filled the natives with furprife and terror, and they began to rontider them as children of the fun, who had defcended to vifit mortals here below. The Spaniards were hardly lets amazed in their turn. The productions of the ifland were different from any tiling they had feen in Europe. The inhabitants ap- peared in the fimple innocence of nature, entirely naked. Their black hair, long and uncurled, floated upon their fhoulders, or was bound in trefTes round their heads. They' had no beards, and every part of their bodies was perfectly fmooth. Their completion was of a dulky copper colour ; their features fingular rather than dif- agreeable, and their aipect gentle and timid. They were fhy at firft, through fear, but foon became familiar with the Spaniards, and with tranfports of joy, received from them various kinds of trinkets, in return for which they gave provisions, and fome cotton yarn, the only commodity of value they could produce. Thus in the firli in- terview between the inhabitants of the Old and New Worlds, every thing was con- dueled amicably, and to their mutual fatisfaftion. The iiland on which Columbus firil landed he called San Salvador. It is one of that large cluiler of iflands known by the name of the Lucaya or Bahama iflands, and is above 3000 miles weft of the Canaries. He afterwards touched at feveral iflands of the fame cluflcr, inquiring every where for gold, which he thought was the only object of commerce worth his attention. In. fleering fouthward, he difcovered the iflands of Cuba and Hifpaniola, abounding in. all the necefTarics of life, and inhabited by a humane and hofpitable people. On his return to Spain he \vas overtaken, by a ftorm, which had nearly proved fatal to his iliips and their crews. At a crilis when all was given up for loft, Co- lumbus had pretence of mind enough to retire into his cabin, and to write upon parchment a ihort account of his voyage. This he wrapped in an oiled cloth, which he inclofcd in a cake of wax, put it into a tight cafk, and threw it into the fea, in hopes that fome fortunate accident might preferve a depofit of fo much importance to the world. He arrived at Palos in Spain, whence he had failed the year before, on the i5th of March 1493. He was welcomed with all tlie acclamations which the po- pulace are ever ready to beflow on great and glorious characters ; and the court re- ceived him w r ith marks of the greatell rcfpeft. In September, of this year, (1493) Columbus failed upon his fecond voyage to America ; during the performance of which, he difcovered the iflands of Dominica, Marigalante,. Gaudaloupe, Montferrat, Antigua, Porto Rico, and. Jamaica; and re- turned to Spain 1496. In 1408, he failed a third time for America ; and on the-ifl of Auguft difcovered the continent, at the mouth of the river Oronoke. He then coafted along weftward, making other difcoveries, for 200 leagues to Cape Vela, from which he cro'fled over to Hilpaniola, where he was lei zed by a new Spanilh governour, and lent home in chains*. II i. In ji DISCOVERY OF AMERIC-V. fn 1502 Columbus made his fourth, and lafL voyage to Ililpaniola ; thence he went over to the. continent diftxm>red the bay of Honduras thence failed along main Ihore eailerly 200 leagues, to Cape Gradas a Dios. i, Porto Bello, and the Gulf of Da: ' > the ] ' ::siv ]! ^'*- During thi* ^,v,,- , mipwrecked' on the I Hand of Jamaica, where lie Suffered almoSt in- conceivably from the cruelty of the inhabitants, the mutiny of his- men, and especially from the infamous conduct oi the governor of Hifpamoia. lie returned to Spain in i ^04. On his arrival he received the fatal news of the death of his patronefs, Queen I label la. The jealous and avaricious Spaniards, not immediately receiving thofe golden ad- vantages from thefe ne\v discoveries, wh;ch they had prom i fed, and loii to Hie trel- ing> of humanity and gratitude, fuffered their eiteem and admiration of Columbus to degenerate into ignoble envy. 'Hie latter part of his life was made wretched by the cruel perfections of his enemies. Queen Ifabella, his friend and patronefs, was no longer alive to afford him relief. He fought redrefs from Ferdinand, but in vain. Difgufted with the ingra- titude of a monarch whom he had terved with fo much fidelity and SucceSs, exhausted with hardfhips, and broken with the infirmities which thefe brought upon him, Co- lumbus ended his active and ufeful life at Valadolid, on the 2Oth of May, 1506, in the 59th year of his ag. He died with a compoSure of mind fuited to the magnanimity which diftinguifhed his character, and with fentiments of piety becoming that Su- preme refpe^t for religion which he manifeited in every occurrence of his life. He was grave though courteous in his deportment, circumfpecT: in his words and actions, irreproachable in his morals, and exemplary in all the duties of his religion. Among other adventurers to the New World, in purfuit of gold, was Americus Vefpucius, a Florentine gentleman, whom Ferdinand had appointed to draw fea charts, and to whom he had given the title of chief pilot. This man accompanied Ojeda, an enterprifing Spanifh adventurer, to America; and having with much art, arid fome degree of elegance, drawn up an amufmg hiStory of his voyage, he publifh- ed it to the world. It circulated rapidly, and was read with admiration. In his nar- rative, he had iniinuated that the glory of having firft difcovered the New World belonged to him. This was in part believed, and the country began to be called after the name of its fuppofed firll difcoverer. The unaccountable caprice of mankind his perpetuated the error ; fo that now, by the univerfal confent of all nations, this new quarter of the globe is called AMERICA. The bold pretenlions of a fortunate impol- ter liave robbed the difcoverer of the New World of a diftinclion which belonged to O him. The name of Americus has fupplanted that of Columbus, and mankind are left to regret an act of injufticc, which, having been Sanctioned by time, they can never redrcfs. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. i BOUNDARIES W EXTENT. THE continent of America, of the difcovery of which a fuccincl account has jufl been given, extends from Cape Horn, the fouthern extremity of the continent, in latitude 56 fouth, to the north pole; and fpreads between the 40 th degree eaft, i and GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 53 and the looth degree weft longitude from Philadelphia. It is nearly ten thoufand miles in length from north to ibnth. Its average breadth may be about 14 or 1500 miles. This extensive continent lies between the Pacific Ocean on the welt, and the Atlantic on the eaft. It is laid to contain upwards of 14,000,000 fquare miles. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] In regard to each of thole, America has all the varieties which the earth affords. It It retches through almoft the whole width of the five zones, and feels the heat and cold of two fu miners and two winters in every year. Molt of the animal and vegetable productions which the eaftern continent affords, are found here ; and many that are peculiar to America, of which accounts will be given in their proper places. RIVERS.] This continent is watered by fome of the largefl rivers in the world. The principal of thete are Rio de la Plata, the Amazon and Oronoke, in South Ame- rica The Miffiiippi and St. Lawrence, in North America. GULF.] The Gulf or Bay of Mexico, lying in the form of a bafon, between North and South America, and opening to the call, is conjectured by fome to have been formerly land; and that the conftant attrition of the waters in the Gulf Stream has worn it to its prefent form. The water in the Gulf of Mexico is faid to be many, yards higher than on the weftern fide of the continent in the Pacific Ocean. GULF STREAM.] The Gulf Stream is a remarkable current, iffuing from the Gulf of Mexico, whence it takes its name, and proceeding along the coaft of Florida and the United States, to the banks of Newfoundland, where it turns off and runs down through the Weflern Iflands ; thence to the coal! of Africa, and along that coaft in a fouthern direction till it arrives at, and (applies the place of thofe waters, carried by the conflant trade-winds from the coaft of Africa towards the weft, thus producing a perpetual circulating current. This ftream is probably generated by the great accumulation of water, on the eaftern coaft of America between the tropics, by the trade-winds which constantly blow there. It is known that a large piece of water ten miles broad, and generally only three feet deep, has, by a ftrong wind, had it waters driven to one fide and ful- tained fo as to become fix feet deep, while the windward fide was laid dry. This may give fome idea of the quantity heaped upon the American coaft, and the rcafon of its running down in a ftrong current through the iflancls into the Gulf of Mexico and iffuing as above-mentioned. This allb renders the opinion, that the waters in the bay of Mexico are confiderably higher than the waters on the oppofite coaft of the Pa* cific Ocean, in a high degree probable. This ftream is diftinguifhed from the other parts of the ocean by the gulf weed, with which it is every where intcrfperfed. It is alib always much warmer, 8 or ro degrees, than the fea on each fide of it, and it does not fparkle in the night, as do the other waters of the ocean. It is no wonder that fo vaft a body of deep warm water, feveral leagues wide, coming from between the tropics, and iffuing out of the gulf, into the northern feas, fhould retain its warmth longer than the 20 or 30 days required to its paffing the banks of Newfoundland, The quantity is too great, and too deep to be fuddenly cooled by paffing under a cooler air. The air immediately over it may receive fo much warmth from it as to be rarefied and rife, bein rendered lighter than 3 o C the air on each fide of the ftream ; hence the furroundiag denier air muft rum in to fupply the place of the rifing warm air, and meeting with each other form thofe tor- nadoes and water-fpout?, which are fo common in and near the ftream : and as the vapour from a cup of tea, in a warm room, is hardly difcernible, but becomes vifible in the cold air; fo the vapour from the Gulf Stream, in warm latitudes, is fcarcely vifible, but 54 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA, but when it comes into cool air, off Newfoundland, it is condenfcd into the fogs for which thole parts are to remarkable. The power of wind to raife water above its common level in the fea, is evident by the high tides ocralioned in all our American lea ports, when a ftrong north-call wind blows againil the Gulf Stream. bkiliul navigator?, who have acquirei} a knowledge of the extent to which thi^ ftrcam rcac-hr? on the New England coaft, have learnt, in their voyages from Europe c.\v England, New York, or Pennfylvania, to pals the banks of Newfoundland in about 44 r or 45' North latitude; to fail thence in a courfe, between the northern -edge of the Gulf Stream, and the ilioals and banks of Sable Ifland, George's Bank, and Nantuckct, by which they make better, and quicker pallages to America-. This lircam is about 75 miles from the fhorcs of the fouthern States. The diftance- iiicrcales a> you proceed northward. The width of it is about 40 or 50 miles, widen- ing towards the north. Its common rapidity is 3 miles an hour. A north-eaft wind narrows the lircam, renders it more rapid, and drives it nearer the coaft; north-weft and weft winds have a contrary effect. ISTHMUS OFDARIEX.] The celebrated Ifthmus of Darien, which divides North and South America, lies in about 8 North Latitude, and in the narrowefl part is not more than 70 miles acrofs on an E. N. E. and W. S. W. courfe. The country about the jiarrcrwefl parts of the Ifthmus is made up of low r , fickly rallies, and mountains of fuch itupendous height, as to incline one to imagine that nature had railed them to icrve as an eternal barrier between the Atlantic and Pacific ocdans, which here ap- proach fo near each other, that from thefe mountains you can plainly difcern the waters of both at the fame time and feemingly at a very fmall diitance. Some have imagined it practicable to unite thefe oceans by a canal, through this- Ifthmus. But an Englifh gentleman, from a late careful furvey of the country, pro- nounces fuch an undertaking impracticable : as the mountains run north and fouth,. and icveral ridges of them, confifting of little elfe than folid rock and immenfe beds of oyfter fhells,* muft be dug through in order to accomplifh it. But by going into. i2 North Latitude, and joining the head of Lake Nicaragua to a fmall river that runs- into the Pacific Ocean, a communication becomes practicable ; and by 30 miles digging through a level, low country, two oceans may be joined, and a tedious navigation laved, of 10,000 miles, round Cape Horn. What would be the confequences of fuch, a junc- tion is not eafy to fay, but it is very probable, that a fmall canal, in this place, would in the courfe of a few years be formed into a deep river, more especially when we con- fider that the waters on the oppofite fhore of the Atlantic, as w r e before obferved, are considerably higher than thofe in the Pacific. Probably too, in a length of years, fuch a junction would wear away the earthy parts of the Ifthmus, and form a broad ftrait between the oceans ; in which cafe the Gulf Stream would ceafe, being turned into a different channel, and a voyage round the world would become an inconfiderable thing. Upwards of an hundred years ago, the Scots people had fo juft an idea of the great importance of this Ifthmus, that they tent out a colony to fettle there, which fettlement, however, proved abortive, through the extreme jealoufy of the Spaniards in that neigh- bourhood, but more through the fhameful partiality of William III. and the jealoufy of the Englifh nation. MOUNTAINS.] The principal mountains on this Weftern Continent are the famous chain of the Andes of South America. They ftrctch. along the Pacific Ocean from the Straits of Magellan to the.Iithmus of Darien or Panama, upwards of 4000 miles ; thence they are GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 53 continued through the exteniive kingdom of New Spain till they lofc thcmfelvo.s ia the unknown eountrics of the North. In New Spain, the moti < onlidemble part of l!i ; s chain is knn\\ n by the name of Sierra Atadre^ particularly in Cinaloa, and Tarahumary, pnniiKvs 1200 nfiles diltant iroin thecapital. Farther north they have been called, from their bright appearance, ihe Shining Mountains. Little is known respecting them. It is conjectured that they terminate in about 47 or 48 degrees of North latitude, where a number of rivers rife and empty themfelves cither into the Pacific Ocean, into Hudfon's Bay, into the waters which lie between them, or into the Atlantic ocean. The Allegany Mountains, extending from Georgia to Hudfon's river, in New York, are next in magnitude and length to the Andes. It is not improbable that they are a. branch of the .Andes, linking off in fomc part of South America, and interrupted by the Gulf (u Mexico. It has been conjectured that the Weft India iflands were formerly united with each other, and formed a part of the continent. ^Their prefcnt disjointed iituation is fuppofed to have been occafioned by the trade-winds. It is well known, as we have before mentioned, that they produce a ftrong and continual current in the ocean from eaft to well, which, by beating againft the continent for a long courfe of years, mufl have canted great alterations, and may poffibly have produced the effecl iirppofed. In the Bahama channel arc many indications that the Ifland of Cuba \v r as once united to Florida. POPULATION.] There are no data from which we may eftimate the number of inha- bitants in America with any degree of accuracy. All calculations muft proceed on uncertain grounds. The population of mod of thofe countries which have been fettled by Europeans has not been afccrtaincd ; who then is capable of estimating the number of inhabitants in thole numerous countries which have been very particularly explored, and thofe which are altogether unknown to any European or other civilized nation ? and luch arc thofe vait regions welt, north-well, and north of the Miffiffippi and theLakes, and immenfe countries in the interior parts of South America. The number of provin- ces, kingdoms, and even of nations, is unknown. We can therefore hardly guefs at the number of inhabitants. It has been common in eftimating the population of the whole world to give 150 millions to America. The calculations of P. Riccioli, make them 300 millions. Su> limilch, in one part of his work, computes them at 100 millions, in another at 150 millions. M. de Paw fays, that political arithmeticians do not reckon more than 100 millions ; but it is his own opinion that there are not more than from thirty to forty mil- lions of " real Americans." I know not the principles upon \vhich either of thefe au- thors grounded their calculations. I am inclined, however, to differ from them all. Some of them I am perfuaded are far beyond the truth ; and M. de Paw, I imagine, has erred on the other hand. I ground my diffent from the common opinion, and from the cfti- matcs of the forementioned refpeclable authors, on a calculation made on the following fimple principles, which I adopt becaufe I know of none better. I fuppofe the continent of America -to contain 14 millions of fqnare miles ; including the iflands, 15 millions. The United States contain one million fquare miles, or one fifteenth part of the American continent and iflands. I fuppofe (merely for the purpofe of calculation, what I do not believe to be facl) that every other part of America is as populous as the United States. Probably there may be fomc parts, particularly the Weft India iflands, and fomc provinces in Spanifh America, which -are more populous, but there are many other parts which arc by no means fo populous. The probability in my opinion, that the other parts of America, collectively coniidcred, are not nearly fo 5 6 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. ib thickly inhabited as the territory of the United States. There is certainly no reafos to believe that they are more populous. Indian population is thin : and vaft tracts of defcrts, marines, and mountains are uninhabited. In the United States we reckon lour millions of inhabitants, Anglo-Americans, Negroes, Mulattoes, and Indians, within the iurifdic"tion of the general government. Bciidcs thefe there may-be about 50,000 In- dians, independent of the United States, and fubjecl to their own princes. The whole population of the United States then \ve reckon at 4>5)OO' If then we fuppofe America to contain 15 millions of fquarc miles ; and that in every part it is equally as populous as the United States, that is, that there are in every million of fquare miles 4,050,000 inhabitants, the whole number will be Jixty millions^ feven hundred and fifty thov.fdnd. The exact number I prefume is considerably Icls than this. WHEN WAS A.\iE-lThat America was peopled very anciently and foon after the RICA PEOPLED ? J flood, is very probable : i. Becaufe the aboriginal Americans,, till they became acquainted with Europeans, were ignorant of thofe arts and inventions, iiich, among others, as thofe of wax and oil for light, which being very ancient in Eu- rope and Alia, on the one hand, are, on the other, molt ufeful, not to fay necefTary,. and when once difcovered, are never forgotten. 2. Becaufe the polihed nations of the New World, and particularly thofe of Mexico, prefervc in their traditions and paintings, the memory of the Creation of the World, the building of the Tower of Babel, the- conruiion of languages, and the difperiion of the people, though blended with fome: fables, and had no knowledge of the events which happened afterwards in Alia, Africa,, or in Europe, many of which were too remarkable to efcape the memory. 3, Becaufe neither was there among the Americans any knowledge of the people of the old conti- nent, nor among the latter any account of the pafTage of the former to the New World. Thefc reafons we prefume render it at leafl probable that America was peopled early after the flood.* WHO WERE THE FIRST - On thefe two queftions much has been fa id. Thofe who PEOPLE OP AMERICA ? AND Icall in queition the authority of the facred writings lay, the WHENCE DID THEY COME ? J Americans are not defendants from Adam, that he was the father of the Aliatics only, and that God created other men to be the patriarchs of the Europeans, Africans, and Americans. But this is'one among the many weak hypo- thefes of unbelievers, and is wholly unfupported by hiftory. It is contrary to the tra- dition of the Americans, who in their paintings, and in their hymns, called themfelves the defcendants of thofe who efcaped from the general deluge. The Mexicans, Tol- tecas, and feveral other nations were agreed in this point. They all faid their anceftors came from other parts into thofe countries ; they pointed out the road they came, and even preferred the names, true or falie, of their rirft progenitors, who, alter the con- funon of languages, feparated from the reft of mankind. The traditions, with others, \vhich the limits of this work will not allow us to infert, coniidered in connection with the facred writings, muil convince us that we ought to feek among the defcendants of Noah, for the firft peoplers of America. But who were they ? To recite all the opinions given in anfwer to this queftion, and the reafons to fupport them, would fill a volume. Dr. Robertibn. and the Abbe Clavigero have extensively and learnedly investigated the fubjecl. I cannot expect to afford the reader more fatisfa&ion than to give him the refult of their inquiries. Dr. Robertfon, having recapitulated and canvarled the moil plaufible opinions on the fub- ject, comes to the following concluiions, viz. * Abbe Clavigero's Hift. Mexico, Vol. JI, pageaic, I. That GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 57 T. That America was not peopled by any nation from the ancient continent, which had made any confiderable progrefs in civilization ; becaufe when America was firft dil'eovercd, its inhabitants were unacquainted with the ncceffary arts of lite, which are the rirfr effays of the liurnan mind toward improvement ; and if they had ever been ac- quainted with them, for inftancc, with the plow, the loom, and the forge, their utility would have been fo great and obvious, that it is impoffible they fhould have been lofl. Therefore the anccftors of the firft fettlers in America were uncivilized and unacquainted with the nccefYary arts of life. 2. America could not have been peopled by any colony from the more fouthern na- tions of the ancient continent ; becaufe none of the rude tribes of thcfe parts poflefled enterprize, ingenuity, or power lurficient to undertake fuch a diftant voyage : but more efpecially, becaule, that in all America there is not an animal, tame or wild, which properly belongs to the warm, or temperate countries of the eaftcrn continent. The firft. (are of the Spaniards, \\hen they. fettled in America, was to ftock it with all the dome ftic animals of Europe. The firft fettlers of Virginia and New England brought over with them, horfes, cattle, Iheep, &c. Hence it is obvious that the people who firft fettled in America, did not originate from thofc countries where thefe animals abound, othcnvilc, having been accuftomed to their aid, they would have fuppofed thernnecef- fary to the improvement, and even fupport of civil fociety. 3. Since the animals in the northern regions of America correfpond with thofe found in Europe in the fame latitudes, while thofe in the tropical regions are indigenous, and widely different from thofe which inhabit the corrcfponding regions on the eaftern continent, it is more than probable that all the original American animals were of thofc kinds which inhabit northern regions only, and that the two continents, towards the northern extremity, are fo nearly united as that thefe animals might pafs from one to the other. 4. It haying been eftablifhed beyond a doubt, by the difcoveries of Capt. Cook in his laft voyage, that at Kamtjkatka, in about latitude 66 north, the continents of Aria and America are feparated by a ftrait only 1 8 miles wide, and that the inhabitants on each continent are limilar,- and frequently pafs and repafs in canoes from one continent to the other ; from thefe and other circumftances it is rendered highly probable, that America was firft peopled from the north-eafl parts of Aria. But fince the Efquimaux Indians are manifeftly a feparate fpecies of men, d5ftin<5lfrom all the nations of the American Con- tinent, in language, in difpofition, and in habits of life ; and in all thefe refpects bear a near refemblance to the northern Europeans, it is believed that the Efquimaux Indians emigrated from the north-weft parts of Europe. Several circumftances confirm this belief. As early as the ninth century the Norwegians difcovered Greenland, and plant- ed colonies there. The communication with that country, after long interruption, was renewed in the laft century. Some Lutheran and Moravian miffionaries, prompted by zeal for propagating the Chrifiian faith, have ventured to fettle in this frozen region. From them we learn, that the north- weft coaft of Greenland is feparated from America, but by a very narrow ftrait, if feparated at all ; and that the Efquimaux of America perfectly referable the Greenlanders in their afpecl, drcfs, mode of living, and probably language. By thefe decilive facts, not only the confanguinity of the Efqnimaux and Greenlanders is eftablifhed, but the poffibility of peopling America from the north-weft parts of Europe. On the whole, it appears rational to conclude, that the progenitors of all the American nations, from Cape Horn to the fouthern limits of Labrador, from the fimiliarity of their afpecl, color, &c. migrated from the north-eaft parts of Alia ; and that the nations that inhabit Labrador, Efquimaux and the parts adjacent, from their I 5 8 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. unlikcncls to th an nation?, and their rdcmbbmce to the n;>rthcr!> European-?, came over from the north-weft paris of Europe.* Such is the opinion of Dr. Rohcrttbn, on the qucfti'on before us-, and for want of infonnalivii, it is- in fevcr.d rripcvl.. iir ' -iri'te and without foundation. The opinion of the Abbe Ciavi^ero, who was a native of America, and had much better advantage* for knowing its hiitory than Dr. Robjrlfon, and who a lib is a lai-.T writer, is in my opinion far let" umable, and has much b.-.tttr grounds for its rapport. He ex- plains his opinion in the following conclufions : 1. The Americans clefccndcd from different nations, or from different families dif- perfed after the eonfufio'i of tongues. No perlbn will doubt of the truth of this who lias any knowledge of the multitude and great diversity of the American languages. In Mexico alone thirty-five have already been difeo-ve^ed. In South America (till more are known. In the beginning of the laft century the Portuguefe counted fifty in Ma- ra gnon. .Between fome of thefe languages, there is indeed a great affinity ; but others are as different from each other as the Englifh and the Hebrew. It is atnath, that no living or dead languages can differ more than the languages of the Mexicans, Otoniies, Tarafcas, Mayas, and Miztecas, five languages prevailing in different provinces of Mexico. It would therefore be abfurd to fay, that languages (b different were diffe- rent dialects of one original. Is it probable or even poffible, that a nation fhould alter its priroative language tofuch a degree, or multiply its dialects fovarioufly as that there iliould not be, even after many centuries, if not fome words- common to all, at lea it an affinity between them, or fome traces left of their origin } 2. The Americans do not derive their origin from any people now exi ft ing as a nation on the eaftern continent ; at leaft there is no reafon to affirm that they do. This infe- rence is founded on the fame argument with the preceding ; fince, if the Americans are descendants from any of thefe nations it would be pofiible to trace their origin by fome marks in their languages, in fpite of the antiquity of their feparation : but any filch traces have not yet been difcovered, although moft diligent and attentive fearch has been made, as appears from the work of Dominican Garcia. We have, fays Clavigero, leifurely compared the Mexican and other American languages with many others which are now livhig, and with thofe which are dead, but have not been able to difcover the leaft affinity between them. This argument is ftrong with refpect to the Americans, they fhew great firmnefs and conftancy in retaining their languages. The Mexicans preferve their language among the Spaniards, and the Otomies retain their difficult dialect among Spaniards and Mexicans, after communication with both for more than two centuries and an half. If the Americans defcended from different families difpcrfed foon after the conftifion of tongues, as we believe, and have fince been feparated from thofe others who peo- pled the countries on the eaftern continent, authors will labour in vain to feek, in the language or cuftoms of the Afiatics, for the origin of the people of America. But the moft difficult point in the problem of the population of America remains to be folved, and that is, how did the inhabitants and animals originally pats to America, and from what parts did they come } Among the various opinions of authors upon this point, the following is the Abbe Clavigero's : i. The men and animals of America pafled there from the old continent. This if* confirmed by the facred writings. Mofes, who declares Noah the common father of -all men who furvived the deluge, fays exprefsly, that in that general inundation of the earth all its quadrupeds, birds and reptiles, periihed, except a few, of the feveral * Hift. of America, Vol. II. p. 22, &c. 3 fpecies GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 59 fpei ies which were laved alive in the ark, to re-people the earth with their kind. The repeated <"xpre1lions which the faered hiftorian ufcs to liquify its univerfality, do not permit ns to doubt, that nil quadrupeds, birds and reptiles, which are in the world, deli -ended from thofe few individuals which were Hived from the general inundation. 2. The firft inhabitants of America might pals there in vefiels by fea, or travel by- land or by ice. i. They might either pals there in veffelsdcfigncdly, if the diftance by \\atcr were hiitlmall, or be carried upon it accidentally by favourable 'winds. 2. They might pafs by land, on the fuppoiiiion of the union of the continents. 3. They might allb make that palfagc over the iee of fome frozen arm of the fea. 3. The anceftors of the nations which peopled Anahuac, (now called New Spain) might pals from the northern countries of Europe into the northern parts of America, or, which is more proba'.l' . (Vom the moft eaf tern parts of Ana to the moll wcftern p;:rts of America. This conclusion is founded on the con fhmt and general tradition of ihoie nations, which unanimously fay, that their anceftors came into An-ihuur from the ' north and iiorth-v/elt. This tradition is confirmed by the remains of i' . iiccs, built by thole people in-ilnMr migrations. In a journey made 1606, from New IV -.nlo the river which they call Tizon, 600 -lat pnn U the north-weft, they found there fome large edifices, me Indians who fpoke the Mexican language, and who told them, that Tram that river, toward; the north, was the kingdom of Tollan, and many other inhabited place*. \\hence the Mexi'-nns migrated. In fact, the whole ; >e of Anahuac hare uluaUy affirmed, that towards the north were the kingdoms and provinces of Tollan, Aztlan, Copalla, andfeveral other*, \\hich have all Mexican names. lioturini fa\-s. that in the ancient paintings of the Tolteoas was reprefented the migration of their anceftors through Alia and the northern countries of America, limil tiny cftablifhed themfelves in the country of Tollan; and even endeavours to afccr -tin in his general hiftoiy, the rout they purfued in their travels. "With ' > the other nations of America, as there is no tradition among them, concerning the way by winch their anceftors came to the new world, we can fay nothing certain of them. It is pojjible, that they all panned by the fame way in which the anceflovs of the Mexicans paffed; but it is more probable that they paifed by a very different rout. We conjecture, that the anceftors of the nations of South America went there by the way in which the animals proper to hot countries pailed; and that the anceftors of thofe nations inhabiting Efquimaux, and Labrador, and the countries adjacent, paifed thither from the north-weft parts of Europe. The difference of cha- rterer which i^ difcovcrable in the three above-mentioned claifes of aboriginal Ame- ricans, and the liluation of the countries which they occupied, afford ground to fufpecl that they had different origins, and that their anceftors came there by diiferent routs. But this is mere conjecture. 4. The quadrupeds and reptiles of the new world paffed there by land. This fact is manifeft from the improbability arid inconliirerrey of all other opinions. St. Auguftin folves the difficulty of peopling the iflands \\ bealK and deftractivc animals by fuppoling either, i. That the angels ranfporteu them thither, (a folution, which, though it cuts off every difficulty in the paifage of animals to the new world, would not be lati"ii'c;'..-vy intheprefent age): or 2. That they mightfvvimto the iflands; or 7. That they might* have been carried there by men for the fake of hunting; or 4. *J J < O * That they might have been formed there by the Creator in the bcgiruiirig. Others have imagined that beafts might pafs over fome frozen ftrait or ami of the fea. But as T 1 i 2 neither 60 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. neither of thefc opinions can be fupportcd,* the probability is, that the quadrupeds, as well as the reptiles which arc found in America, palled thither by land, and of coude that the two continents were formerly united. This was the opinion of Acofta, Gro- tius, JRuffon, and other great men. That this earth has experienced great changes iince the deluge will not admit of a doubt. Earthquakes have fwallowed up large traces of land in tome places fubtcrraneous fires have thrown up others the lea in fome places has been forced to retil'at many miles from the Ihore in others it has made encroachments and in many in fiances leparated territories which were formerly united. Very conlidcrable traits of land have been alto formed at the mouths of rivers. We have many examples of all thefe revolutions Sicily was formerly united to the continent The ftraits of Gibraltar, as Diodorus, Strabo, and other ancient authors aiiirm, were formed by a violent irruption of the ocean upon the land between the mountains Abyla and Calpe. The people of Ceylon have a tradition, that a fimilar irruption of the fea feparated their ifland from the peninfula of India. The fame is believed by the inhabitants of Malabar with rcfpect to the Ifles of Maldivia, and by the Malayans with refpecl to Sumatra. Ceylon, as Buffon afferts, has loll 30 or 40 leagues of land, by the fea; and Tongres, a place in the Low Countries, has gained 30 leagues of land from the fea And Florida and -the fouthern American States have gained as much from the Bay of Mexico, and the iflands between North and South America. The northern part of Egypt owes its exiflence to inundations of the Nile And the province of Yellow-River in China, and part of Louiliana in America, have both been formed by the mud of rivers. The peninfula of Yucatan has every appearance of having once formed a part of the bed of the fea. In the flrait which feparates America from Alia, many iflands are found which probably were the mountains belonging to that part of the land which we fuppofe to have been fwallowed up by earthquakes ; which is rendered probable by the multitude of volcanoes which have been difcovered in the peninfula of Kamtfkatka. The finking of that land, however, and the feparation of the two continents, was probably occalioned by thofe extraordinary earthquakes men- tioned in the hiflorics of the Americans, which formed an era almofl as memorable as that of the deluge. 5. The quadrupeds and reptiles of America paffed by different places from the one continent to the other. Among the American beafls there are many whofe natures are averfe to cold ; fuch are apes, dantes, crocodiles, &c. There are others formed to in- habit cold countries ; fuch are martins, rein-deer, and gluttons. The former could not go to America through any country in the frigid zone ; their natures would not have admitted it they would have perifhed in their paffage We cannot indeed imagine what inducement they could have to quit a climate, congenial to their nature, and undertake a journey they knew not whither, through a region whofe cold they could not endure How did they know there was a country friendly to their natures in America ? The apes which are in New Spain pafTed there, certainly, from South America. Time was when they did not inhabit that country and it is known that they came from the South. The center of their population is the country under the equator, and 14 or 15 degrees on each fide of it. It decreafes as you depart from this tract on either fide, till you arrive at the tropics, when it ceales, and none are found, except in fome * See Clavigero's Hid. of Mcx. Vol. II. Diflert. I. p. a 16, where all thefe opinions are Ihewa to be highly improbable, not to fay impoffible. few GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 6r few diflricls, which, from the peculiarity of their fituation, are as hot as the equinoctial country. None can imagine that this Ipecics of animals travelled to the new worlo^ through the cold regions of the north. Nor can we believe that they were tranfported thither by men ; for, not to mention that fome of them are of a ferocious difpolition, and very unlikely to he lelecled to be companions on a long voyage, to people a new country, there is another flill greater difficulty : as they could not have been condu6ted over the teas and countries of the north, on account of the cold, 'they muft have been tranfported from the warm countries of the old, to the warm countries of the new world, over a lea fubject to a clime not diflimilar to the native country of thofe quadrupeds, that is, by the countries of the fouthern parts of Afia, to about the fame latitudes in America, over the Indian and Pacific Oceans or from the weflern countries of Africa, to the caltern countries of America, over the Atlantic Ocean. If, therefore, men transported thofe animals from the one to the other world, they did it acrofs thofe feas. But was this navigation accidental or defigned ? If the former, how, and why did they carry fo many animals with them ? If the latter, if they were determined to pafs from the old to the new continent, who gave them intelligence of the new world ? Who ihcwcd them the lituation of thofe countries ? How did they venture to crofs fuch vail feas without a compafs ? In what veffels did they pafs ? If they landed there hap- pily, why does there not remain, among the Americans, fome memory of their con- flrutions ? Why but it is necdlefs to ftart more objections; thcfe already mentioned can never be anfwered. Beiides, in the torrid zone, and the warm climates that border upon it, in the new world, crocodiles are common animals which require a hot or temperate climate, and live alternately on land or in fweet water : how did fuch animals pafs there ? Not by the north they could not endure the cold No one will believe they were tranfported by men nor yet that they fwam thither 2000 miles through an ocean of fait water. There remains no other folution but that of admitting an ancient union between the equinoctial countries of America and thofe of Africa and a conne6lion of the northern countries of America with Europe on the eaft, and Alia on the weft fo that there has probably been a period lince the flood, when there was but ONE continent. The beafls of cold climes patted over the northern illhmuifes, which probably connected Europe, America, and Alia and the animals and reptiles peculiar to hot countries, palled over the iflhmus that connected South America with Africa For the reafbns already mentioned induce us to believe that there was formerly a tract of land, which united the moft eaftern part of Brazil to the molt wcftern pail of Africa ; and that all the fpace of land may have been funk by violent earthquakes, leaving only fome traces of it in that chain of iflands of which Cape de Verd, Fernando, de Norona, Afcenfion and St. Matthew's iflands make a part ; and allb in thofe many fand banks dilcovered by different navigators, and particularly by de Bauche, who founded that lea with great exactnefs. Thefe iflands and fand banks may, probably, have been the higheft parts of that funken iflhmus. In like manner it is probable the north-weflern part of America was united to the north-eaftern part of Afia by a neck of land which has been funk or wafhed away, and the north-eaftern parts of America to the north -weftern parts of Europe, by Greenland, Iceland, &c. On the whole, we cannot but believe that the quadrupeds and the reptiles of the new world patted there by land, and by different routs, from the old continent. All other fuppofitions are fubject to heavy difficulties ; and this is not without fome, which how- ever are not altogether infurmountable. The greatefl is the improbability of an earth- quake fo great as to link a fpace of land for more than 1500 miles in length, which, according GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. : our frtppofition, united Africa and South \merica. Bui we do not afcribe .-n.-'oiis revolution ton finglc fhock it may have been '< by a lliceefnon '.rrhqnakes. It is well known that they are common in the :9 where wefwp- ifihmus to have been. It is not impotlible nor improbable, that nVh an c Id Iv produced by canlujuakes, nor is hiltory unfurnifhed v. itli fueb example-; to . The earthquake which was felt in Canada in 1663,* ovmvhelmrd a imtains of iree Itone more than 300 miles long, and the whole of that irn- fe tract was changed into a plain. Flow great then mu ft have been the eonvnlllon d by thole extraordinary earthquakes, mentioned in i~he hiftories of i the world was thought to be coining to an end ! ll m&j thi bjeeied to this fyftem, that if beafts palled by land from oner tir.cm to the other, it is not eafvto allign the canfe why fm\e fpec: : ng a fmgle individual in the old continent; and on the contrary, that tome ii'd remain in the old continent, and not a fingle individual of them to 4m~i'i- But this objection operates with equal force againl-t all-other opinion-, except t ! -h employs angels in the transportation of beads. But fuppofe it did M>ry auiwcrto it. All the quadrupeds of the earth arc not yet -known, kvc aftihol .' tfefotfc fay how many are in the one which are not in the other continent. The knowledge of the beft informed zoologiils is very imperfect, and they diiler among themfelves. The Count- de BafF<;n numbers oi.ly two hundred fpccies of quadrupeds. Bomare, wlio wrote a little after him, makes them 265 ; but to f.iy how inimy more there may be, and of what kinds they are, until we have examined the in- terior regions of Africa, of a great part of Tartary, the country of the Amazons, and the vail territory weft of the MifHffippi, and various other unexplored and extenfive countries, which together eonftitute a -great part of the whole globe, would be mere conjecture. No argument, therefore, can be inferred from the difference of the animals in the two continents againft our fyftem, till the animals in thefe unexplored regions fhall have been examined.-}- \\f e have dsvclt the longer on this fubjccr, as it rnuit be interefting to every inquifitive mind, and the difeuflion of it is blended with much ufeful information. INHARITAXTS.] Having ftated the prefent population of America, from the beft ^data we could find, and given the moft probable accounts of the manner in which it was originally peopled, it will be expected that we now fay fomething of its inhabitants, of their character, manners, &e. The prefent Americans, whofe number we reckon at about 60 millions,, may be di- vided into two general clafles Firft, the proper Americans, commonly called Indians, Tomctimes Aborigines, or thofe who are defcended from the firft inhabitants of the new vorld, and who have not mixed their blood with the inhabitants of the old continent. -Secondly, thofe who have migrated, or have been tranfported to America, fi nee its difcovery by Columbus, and their defendants. The former may be fnbdivided into ree clafles ; firft, the South American Indians, who came over in the manner we have fuppofed, from the northern and wefrern parts of Africa, and the fouthern parts of Afia and Europe. Secondly, the Mexicans and all the Indians ibuth of the Lakes and ft of the Miffiffippi. Thirdly, the inhabitants of Elquimaux, Labrador, and the Countries around them. The latter may alfo be diltingmihed into three claries Firft, See an account of this earthquake, and of many others which happened in New England, in the third the American Mufeum, p. 292, written by Profeflbr Williams, F. A. A. of Cambridge, of hearts, of feathers fewed together, and in the fouthern and colder >ns, where they raife fhccp, of wool manufactured into fluffs and .blankets. They are reprefented as almoft univerfally addicted to drunkenness. Tncre feems to be no other vice common to them all. A few of them arc cannibal?, and fome nations are idolaters ; in general they have fome notions of a Supreme Being, and have words iu their various languages to exprefs their ideas of him. They believe in the immortality of the foul, and have fome imperfect ideas of future rewards and punifhments. They are uni vert ally addicted to various fuperftitions, -and have much to do with witches and <:vil fpirits.* A great proportion of them lead a wandering life, are extremely indolent, dirty and wretched, living on fifh, and the efh of the various wild animals, birds, and even reptiles which inhabit the forefts. " All the Indians of South America," fays Charlevoix, " have hot flomachs.," -which can digeft all forts of food, and in great quantities, and they are in general " exceffively voracious." Their notions of religion and government, with a few exceptions., are very rude. Some nations live compactly in towns and cultivate the earth, railing, among other productions, wheat, which they bruife between ftones, and make into cakes. Some nations are reprefented as dull, cruel, and inconftant others as fierce, cunning, and thievilh others as humane, in- genuous, and hofpitable^-and in general they are kind and attentive to rtrangers, Ib long as they arc well ufed by them ; and we feldom read of their being firit in a quar- rel with thofe who pafs their territories, or fojourn among them. The aftonifhing fuccefs of the Jefuits in converting fuch multitudes of them to their faith, is a convie- tive proof of their capacity to receive infiruction ; of their docility, humanity, and friendly difpo,iitions. All accounts agree that the middle and fouthern parts of South America are very thinly inhabited, being interfperfed with extenlive ridges of mountains, immenfe bar- ren plains, and numerous marfhes. * Father Paftor, a Jefuit, one day vifited one of the old women of the Abipone nation, a reputed witch, and at the point of death, and told her that if fhe died vvih out baptifm, her foul would be eternally tormented by the devifg. She very calmly anfwered, that they had beenher friends for a long time, and fha was there- fore very fure they would do her no harm. Hift. Par. vol. i. p. 406. As i , GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 65 AS to the fecond clafs of American Indians, who formerly inhabited, and who yet inhabit Mexico and the country fouth of the lakes and welt of the.Miffifiippi, and who came over, as we have fuppofed, from the north-cart parts of Alia ; they ieem, from \\hatever caufe, to he advanced fomewhat higher in the fcale of human beings than the South Americans, if we except the Peruvians, who appear to have made greater progrefs in civilization than even the Mexicans. Concerning the nations of the v.dl country of Anahuac or New Spain, compofing a large portion of the fecond clafs of the proper Americans, the Abbe Clavigero has the following obfervations : " We have had intimate commerce for many years with the Americans, have lived feveral years in a feminary deftined for their inftruction, had fome Indians among our pupils, had par- ticular knowledge of many American reclors, many nobles and numerous artifls attentively obferved their character, their genius, their difpofitions and manner of thinking ; and have examined, befides, with the utmoil diligence, their ancient hiflory, their religion, their government, their laws, and their cufloms ; after fuch long experi- cnce and ftudy of them, from which we imagine ourlelves able to decide without dan- ger of erring, we declare that the mental qualities of the American Indians are not in the Icaii degree inferior to thofe of the Europeans that they are capable of all, even the moil abftract fciences, and that if equal care and pains were taken in their educa-, tion, we fhoitld fee rile among them philosophers, mathematicians, and divines, who would rival the iirft in Europe. But it is not poflible to make great progrefs in the fciences, in the midft of a life of mifery, fervitude, and opprelfion. Their ancient go- vernment, \hcir laws, and their arts, evidently demonflrate that they fuffered no want of genius." This lame author, who appears to be a competent judge, defcribes the Mexicans as being of a good ftature, rather exceeding the middle lize well-proportioned in all their limbs as having a fine olive complexion narrow foreheads black eyes clean, firm, regular white teeth thick, black, coarfe glofly hair thin beards, and generally no hair on their legs, thighs, and arms. They are neither very beautiful nor the re- verfe, but hold a middle place between the extremes. Some of the women are fair and beautiful. Deformities arc fcarcely known among them. Their fenfes are very acute, cfpecially that of light, which they enjoy unimpaired to the greater! age. They are moderate eaters, but much addicted to intemperance in drinking, which, as far as we know, is true of all the American Indians. They are patient of injuries and hard- fhips, and grateful for benefits. Good faith is not fo much refpecled as it deferves to- be. They are naturally unfocial, ferious, and aultere, and are more anxious to punifli crimes than to reward virtues. Generofity and perfect difintereltednefs arc llriking traits in their character. Their religion is blended with much fuperftition ; and fomc. of the more ignorant are very prone to idolatry. The relpect paid by children to their parents, and by the young to the old, among thofe people, is highly commendable. Parents are fond of their children, The afFec-. tion of huibands for their wives is Icls than the wives for their hulbands ; and it is very common tor men to love their neighbours' wives better than their own. Courage and cowardice Ieem alternately to afrcel their minds, and it is difficult to determine which predominates. They can meet dangers in war, and fuch as proceed from natural cauies, with great intrepidity, but are panic Itruckbythc Item look of a Spaniard. On- the whole, their character, like that of all other nations, is a mixture of good and l>ad. Of their morality, the following exhortation of a Mexican to his fon, may ferve as a fpecimen : " My fon, who art come into the light from the \vomb of thy Kiolhcr ,i chicken from the egg. and like it art preparing to fly ::;: - ou^i the world, we K know 66 GF,\T,R\L DESCRIPTION Op AMERICA. know no! how long Heaven will grant to us the enjoyment of (hat precious gem which we pofli-fc in thee; but however "ihort the period, endeavour to live exactly, praying God continually to aflift tliec. He created thee : tliou art his property. He is thy fa- ther, and loves thee ft ill more than I do ; rcpofc in him thy thoughts, and day and night direct thy fighs to him. Hcverenec and Mute thy elders, and hold no one in contempt. To the poor and dilrreflcd be not dumb, but rather ufe words of comfort. Honour nil pcrfons, particularly thy parents, to whom thon oweft: obedience, rcfpecV, and lerviee. Guard againiT instating the example of thofe wicked fons, who, like brutes that are deprived of reafon, neither reverence their parents, liften to their inltrucliori, nor fub- mit to their correction ; l>eeaute whoever follows their fleps will have an unhappy end, will die in a defperate or fudden manner, or will be killed and devoured by wild bcafts. " Mock not, my fon, the aged or the imperfecl. Scorn not him whom you fee fall into fome folly or tranfgreffion, nor make him reproaches ; but reitrain thyfelf, and beware left thou fall into the fame error which offends thee in another. Go not where thou art not called, nor interfere in that which does not concern thee. Endea- vour to manifeft thy good breeding in all thy words and act ions. In converfation, do not lay thy hands upon another, nor fpeak too much, nor interrupt or dilturb another's difcourfe. When any one difcourfcs with thee, hear him attentively, and hold thyfelf in an eafy attitude, neither playing with thy feet, nor putting thy mantle to thy mouth, nor fpitting too often, nor looking about you here and there, nor riling up frequently if thou art fitting ; for fuch aclions are indications of levity and low breeding." He proceeds to mention fcvcral particular vices which are to be avoided, and concludes * 4 Stral riot, nor give thyfelf to gaming; otherwife thou wilt.be a difgrace to thy pa- rents, whom thou oughteft rather to honour for the education they have given thee. If thou wilt be virtuous, thy example will put the wicked to fhame. No more, my fon ; enough hath been faid in difcharge of the duties of a father. With thefe coun- iels I wifh to fortify thy mind. Refufe them not, nor at in contradiction to them ; for on them thy life and all thy happinefs depend." Although fo much cannot be faid with truth, perhaps, in favour of the more northern Indians, whom we have included in the fecond clafs, owing to the inferiority of their advantages, -yet we are far from thinking them inferior in point of corporeal or mental endowments, to the Mexicans. In their completion, fize, and form, they are not in general unlike the Mexicans. In focial and domeftic virtues, in agriculture, arts, and manufacture:?, they are far behind the Mexicans in their hofpitality, equal and in their eloquence in council, and bravery in war, perhaps fuperior. Their mode of life, and the ftate of fociety among them, afford few objects for the difplay either of their literary or political abilities. Monf. Buffon has given an humiliating picture .of the Aborigines of North America, whicfc, us it is a falfe one, I fhall not give the reader. Mr. Jefferfon's anfwer to M. .publifhed of them. Thefe I believe to be jufl the fables of /Kfop. This belief is founded on what I have feen of man, white, red, and black, and what has been w-rittcn of him by authors, enlightened themfelves, and writing amidft an enlightened people. The Indian of North America being more within our reach, I can fpeak of him fomewhat from my own knowledge, but more from the information *>f others better acquainted with him, and on whole truth and judgement GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 67 judgement I can rely. From thcfc fources I am able to fay, Fn contradiction to this representation, that he is neither more defective in ardor, nor more impotent with his female, than the white reduced to the fame diet and exercile : That he is brave, when nn enterprise depends on bravery ; education with him making the point of honour confiit in the deirruction of an enemy by llratagem, and in the prcfervation of his own perlbn free from injury; or perhaps this is nature; while it is education which teaches us to honour force more than fineile- : that he will defend himfelf againft an licit of enemies, always enuring to be killed, rather than to iurrendcr, though it be to the whites, who he knows will treat him well : thai in other filiations alfo he meets deatli with more deliberation, and endures tortures with a firmncfs unknown almofr to religious cnthuiiafm with us : that lie is affecTionate to his children, careful of them, and indulgent in the extreme : that his affections comprehend his other con- nections, weakened, as with us, from circle to circle, as they recede from the center : that his friendships are rtrong and faithful to the uttermoit * extremity : that his ienii- bility is keen, even the warriors weeping moll bitterly on the lofs of their children, though in general they endeavour to appear fuperior to human events : .that his vivacity and activity of mind is equal to our's in the fame fituation ; hence his cagernefs for hunt- ing, and for games of chance. The women are fubmitted to unjufr drudgery. This I be- lieve is the cafe with every barbarous people. With inch, force is law. The flronger fijx therefore impofes on the weaker. It is i ivili/.ation alone which replaces women hi the enjoyment of their natural equality. That iirft teaches us to fubdue the felrifh pallions, aJid to refpect thole rights in others which we value in ourfelves. Were we in equal barbarifm, our females would be equal drudges. The man with them is lefs ITrong than with us, but their women flronger than our's ; and both for the fame ob- vious rcafon ; becaufe our man and their woman is habituated to labour, and formed by it. With both races, the lex which is indulged with cafe is leall athletic. An In- dian man is fmall in tiie hand and wriit, for the fame rcafon for which a failor is large and ftrong in the arms and fKoulders, and a porter in the legs and thighs. They raife fewer children than we do. The caufes of this are to be found, not in a difference of nature, but of circum fiance. The women very frequently attending the men in their parties of war and of hunting, child-bearing becomes extremely inconvenient to them. It is laid, therefore, that they have lean it the practice of procuring abortion by the ufc of ibme vegetable ; and that it even extends to prevent conception for a confiderable time after. During thefe parties they are expofed to numerous hazards, to exceflive exertions, to the grcatctt extremities of hunger. Even at their homes the nation depends for food, through a certain part of every year, on the gleanings of the forcil: that is, they experience a famine once in every year. With all animals, if the female be badly- fed, or not fe^ at all, her young jierifh : and if both male and female be reduced to like want, generation becomes lefs active, lefs productive. To the obflacles then efore you get at him, you muft kill me." On which they returned, and the- council refpec~ted the principie fo cau.;h as to recede from their determination. ' K 2, wan* 6-8 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. than v.e do. Where food i< regularly tupplicd, a iingle farm will fhc\v more of cattle, than a whole country oi" forefls can' of buri;docs. The lame Indian women, when inarrii-d to white traders, who fe,-d them and their children plentifully and regularly, who exempt them from c\(vrtive. drudgery, u ho keep them ftationaiy and iniexpofed to accident, prod'; ' children as the white troifcen. Inttances are known, under tli. - f their rearing a dozen children. An inhuman practice once prevailed in this country of making Haves of the Indian-. It is a fact well kiuwii with us, that the Indian women lo enflaved, produced and raifed as numerous families as cither the whites or hlacks among whom they lived. It has been laid, that Indians have lets hair than the whites, except on the head. But this is a fact of which fair proof can fearcely he had. With them it is dilgraceful to be hairy on the body. They lay it likens them to hogs. They therefore pluck the hair as. fa'ft as it appears. But the traders who marry their women, and prevail on them to dif -ontinue tins practice, lay, that nature is the fame with them as with the whites. Nor, if the fact be true, is the conlequence ncceftary which has been drawn from it. Negroes have notorioufly lefs hair than the whites ; yet they are more ar- dent. But if cold and mpifturc be the agents of nature for diminilhing the races of animals, how comes fhe all at once to fufpend their operation as to the phyiical man of the new world, and to let loofe their influence on his moral faculties ? How has this combination of the elements and other phyiical caufes, fo contrary to the enlarge- ment of animal nature in this new world, thefe obftacles to the developement and formation of great germs, been arrefted and fuipended, fo as to permjt the human body to acquire . its juli dimcnlions ; and by what inconceivable procefs has their action been directed on his mind alone ? To judge of the truth of this, to form a jull eftimate of their genius and mental powers, more facts are wanting, and great allow- ance to be made for thofe circumllances of their lituation which call for a diiplay of particular talents only. This done, we fhall probably find that they are formed in mind as well as in body, on the fame model with the * f Homo fapiens Europa?us.' The principles of their fociety forbidding all compulfion, they are to be led to duty and to cntcrprize by perfonal influence and perfualion. Hence eloquence in council, bravery and addrcfs in war, become 'the foundations of all confequence with them. To thcle acquirements all their faculties are directed. Of their bravery and addrefs in war we have multiplied proofs, bccaufe we have been the fubjecls on which they were excrcifed. Of their eminence in oratory \\ r c have fewer examples, becaufe it is difplayed chiefly in their own councils. Some, however, we have of very fuperior luftre. I may challenge the whole orations of Demofthenes and Cicero, and of any more eminent orator, if Europe has furnifhed a more eminent, to produce a lingle paflagc fuperior to the fpeech of Logan, a Mingo chief, to Lord Dunmore, when governor of this fiate. And, as a teftimony of their talents in this line, I beg leave to introduce it, firft ftating the incidents neceffary for underftanding it. In the fpring of the year 1774, a robbery and murder were committed on an inhabitant of the frontiers of Virginia, by two Indians of the Shawanee tribe. The neighbouring whites, according to their cuftom, undertook to punifh this outrage in a fummary way. Col. Crefap, a man infamous for the many murders he had committed on thole much * Linn, Syft. Definition of a Map. injured GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 69 :d people, collected a party, and proceeded down the Kanhaway in queft of reanec. Unfortunately a canoe of women and children, with one man only, was coming from the oppofite Ihore, unarmed, and unfufpecting an hofiile attack from the whites. Crcfap and his party concealed themfelves on the bank of the river, and the moment the canoe reached the more, jingled out their objects, and, at one fire, killed rvery perl on in it. This happened to be the family of Logan, who had long been difttnguifhed as a friend of the whites. This unworthy return provoked hs vengeance. He accordingly fignalizcd himfeif in the war which enfued. In the ! mn of the fame year, a deeilive battle was fought at the mouth of the Great K haway, between the collect forces of the Shawanee-. Mingoes, and Delav. and a detachment of the Virginia militia. The Indians were defeated, and fued for peace. Logan however difdained to be teen among the fuppliants. But, left the iinccrity of a treaty mould be diftruitcd, from which fo diftinguifhed a chief abfen ted himfeif, he lent by a mefiengcr the following Ipcech to be delivered to Lord Dun- more : ' I appeal to any white man to fay, if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he rave him not meat ; if he ever came cold and naked, and he clothed him not. During the c''-.tnefs, preferve the It ip illations of treaties entered into a. hundred years bark. ' Their ki minds and hofpitality is Icarccly equalled by any civilized nation. Their politenefs in convcrlktion is even carried to excels, fines it does not allow th< m to contradict any tiling that is alferted in their prefence. In ihort, there appears to be much truth in Dr. Franklin's obfervation, " We call them favagcs, becaufe their man- ners differ from ours, which we think the perfection of civility ; they think the fame of their V Society among the Indian?, we arc forty to fay, has not been improved, but in moll inltanccs corrupted, by their intcrcourfe with Europeans. It is believed by many, that the wars with them generally originate in ' flic injuilice, avarice, and pride of their oppofers and vanquiihcrs. None, however, can juflify their mode of carrying on a war when once it has commenced. If the guilty, or thole who fhould conceal and defend the guilty, we're the lole objects of their vengeance, we could not condemn them. But v,hcn thole who never did or meant them an injury, when defencelcls- women, and children, and even babes, are made the victims of their fhocking barba- rity, we cannot but deeply lament their want of that humanity, and juft dilcrimination between the innocent and the guilty, which are the peculiar fruits of civilization. \\ c \vifh we could fay, that they never had any examples of indifcriminate barbarity from their neighbours, who ought to have taught them better. The Indians many times treat their prilbners in the moft cruel and barbarous man- ner ; but they often ufe them with the greateft humanity, feeding and clothing them, even better than thcmfelves, and adopting them as fathers, mothers, fons, and daugh- * The following anecdote of an Algonquin woman, we find adduced as a remarkable proof of their inmte thirft of blood. That nation being at war with the Iroquois, flie happened to" be taken prifoner, and was carried to one of the villages belonging to them. Here fhe was ftripped naked, and her hands and feet bound with ropes in one of their cabins. In this condition flie remained ten days, the favages fleeping round her every night The eleventh night, while they were afleep, fhe found means to difcngage one of her hands, with which flie immediately freed herfelf from the ropes, and went to the door. Though (he had now an opportunity of efcaping unperceived, her revengeful temper could not let flip fo favourable an op- portunity of killing one or her enemies. The attempt was manifeftly at the hazard of her own life ; yet, fnatching up a hatchet, fhe killed the favage that lay next her; and fpringing out of the cabin, concealed herfelf in a hollow tree which flie had obferved the day before. The groans of the dying perfon foon alarmed the other favages, and the young ones immediately fet out in purfuit of her. Perceiving from her tree, that they all took their courfe one way, and that no favage was near her, flie left her fanftuary, and, flying by an oppofite direction, ran into a foreft without being perceived. The fecond day after this happened, her foot Heps were diicovered ; and they purfued her with fuch expedition, that the third day flie difcovered her enemies at her heels. Upon this flie threw herfelf into a pond of water ; and, diving among foine weeds and bulruflies, fhe could juft breathe above water without being perceived. Her purfuers, after making the moft diligent fearch, were forced to return. For thirty-five days this woman held on her courfe through woods and defarts, without any other fuftenance than roots and wild berries. When flie came to the River St. Law- ranee, flie made with her own hands a kind of a wicker raft, on which flie crofled it. As fhe went by the French for Trois Rivieres, without well knowing where flie was, fhe perceived a canoe full of favages ; and fearing they might be Iroquois, ran again into the woods, where flie remained till fun fet. Continuing her courfe foon after, flie faw Trois Rivieres ; and was then diicovered by a party whom flie knew to be Hurons, a nation in alliance with the Algonquins. She then fquatted down behind a bufli, called out to them that flie was not in a condition to be feen, becaufe flie was naked, They immediately threw her a blanket, and then conducted her to the fort, where the recounted her ftory. a ters, GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 71 tors, brothers, and fitters, nncl treating; them hi all refpects as fuch. There have hern hill ai ices of whites, thus adopted, while young, who have hecome chiefs of the nations that adopted them. Compulfion has frequently heen found neccfiary to fepnrate from, their Indian relations, thofe white prifoners who have refidcd a few years with them; and many men and women, who have been ranfomed and delivered up by the Indians to their white parents or relations, ha^ve returned back to their Indian friends, and of choice, married and fettled among them. A late cntcrpriiing traveller * into the country weft of the MifTifrippi, who took his courfe well fouth-wcft from the pofts on the lakes, and penetrated to the head of the Mifiburi, and thence due weft, till he arrived within about 500 miles of the Pacific Ocean, informs, that beyond, the Miftburi he met with many powerful nations of In- dians, who were in general courteous and hofpitable. The nations which he vifited to the weftward appeared to be a polilhed, civilized people, having regularly built towns, and enjoying a ftate of focicty not far removed from the European ; and in order to be perfectly equal, wanting only the ufe of iron and fteel. Their clothing is of ikins, cut in an elegant manner, and in many refpec~ts~ preferable to the garments, in ute among the whitcs.-f- Adjacent to thele nations is a vaft range of mountains, which may be called the Allegany of the weftern parts of America, and ferves as a barrier againft the too frequent incurfions of the coaft Indians, who, Mr. Stewart relates, appear to be inveterate enemies to the tribes eaftward of the mountains. The Indians are unacquainted with letters, and their hiftory is preferved in fome few inftances by hieroglyphic paintings and fculpture, but principally by tradition. They often* difcover great ingenuity in communicating information to the abfent. Of the following inftance of Indian hieroglyphic writing, Do6tor Mitchell, who in a very- obliging manner communicated it to the Author, was an eye-vvitnefs. Dr. Mitchell, in company with feveral other gentlemen, as they were proceeding up Onondngo river, to an Indian treaty, overtook feveral canoes of Seneka Indians, who encamped with them at night near fort Brewington ; and the next day proving rainy, they continued in company till the weather became fo. favourable as to permit them to crofs the Oncida Lake. During the ftorm, one of the Indian canoes ftove, and be- came unfit for fcrvice. The commiflioners took the crew on board their boat, and carried them to a landing place fome diftance up Wood Creek. Here one of them, before he left the water, took the following method to let his companion*, who were left behind, know when and whither they had proceeded. He took a piece of wood, and hewed it flat and fmooth, and then raked his fire for a fuitable coal, with which he rudely delineated, on the flab, the figure of an Indian carrying a gun reversed upon his fhouldcr. In front of him he drew a crooked line, which reached to a man with a long coat and a cocked hat, and holding a cane in his hand ; and behind him a framed houfe. He then took a ftrait pole, and tied fome weeds and grafs upon one end of it, and fixed the other in the earth, in fuch a manner, that, in the pofition the fun then was, which was fix o'clock in the morning, it caft no fhadow or, in other words, he pointed it exactly towards the fun. The meaning of all, was this " Sufquewewah (the name of the Indian) left this fpot at fix o'clock in the morning, or when the fun was in the place where the pole pointed, and has proceeded up Wood Creek, (which is remarkably crooked) to the fettlement where the commiffioners of the * Mr. Stewart. f ^This information of Mr. Stewart's ferves to confirm the accounts given of the kingdom of Tollan t by the Spaniards who journeyed far north in 1606, and of whofe discoveries we have a'.ready given an account in pge 78. State ;i GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. Slate of New York are aiTcmbled to hold r a treaty with the Indians." All thefe infignia, were arranged ib confpicuor.il y on the margin of the creek, that his companions behind could 1* arccly avoid obfcrnng tlicm as they patted. In the interior purts of Anieiica various monuments of art have been found, which diicover greater ingenuity in t heir conftrucTtion, than the preient generation of Indians appear to porTcis. Two miles well of the Geneilee river, in the State of Ne\v York, we have been informed,* are the remains of an ancient Indian Fort. It enclofes about 4 a> npalfed \\ith a ditch 8 feet wide and 5 or 6 feet deep, and has iix gate wav-. Its form is circular, except on one part, which is, defended by nature with i high bank, at the foot of \\hich is a line nream of water; there is an appearance of there, having bc.cn a deep covered way through- the middle , of the bank to the water. Sop trees oil the bank and in the ditch look as if they had been growing 150 Half a mile fouth, on an eminence, are the ruins of another Indian fortified town, of final ler dimenfions, arid more advartageoufly iituatcd for defence. The old Indians fay thefe forts were built before the Senakas were admitted into coii- fcderary with the Mohawks, Onondagos, Oncidas and Ca yogas, and while the Senakas were at war with the MiiTifluages, and other Indians, on the great lakes, which Mr. Kirklaud conjectures, from various accounts that he received from different tribes, was at leaft 300 years ago. A few miles from the above-mentioned forts, at a place which the Senakas call Tcgatccnedaghque, iignifying a town with a fort at each end, are the remains of two other forts, conitmcted nearly in the fame form, with iix gates, a ditch, and a ftream of water, and a covered way to it. Near the northern fort, are the ruins of a funeral pile, 6 feet high, and 20 or 30 feet diameter, where were buried 800 Indians, who, according to tradition, fell in a famous battle fought at this place, between the Senakas, who were the victors, and the weftern Indians. The weapons of war then in ule were bows and arrows, the Ipear or javelin pointed with bone, and the war dub, or death mall. When the former fort of weapons were expended, they came to clofe engagement with the latter. The warriors wore a fhort jacket made of willow flicks or of moofe wood, laced tight round their bodies on their heads they wore a cap of the fame kind, but commonly wove double, the better to fecure them againlt a mortal blow from the death-mall. The battle above mentioned was fought, fomc of the Indians fay 300, fome 400, and fome 500 lives or ages ago, and long before the arrival of the Europeans. They commonly reckon a life or an age, one hundred winters or colds. Mr. Kirkland obferves, that there are iimilar veitiges of ancient fortified towns throughout the extensive territories of the Six Nations, and, by Indian report, in various other parts, and particularly on a branch of the Delaware river, which appear to be very ancient. He adds, " I find on inquiring, that a tradition prevails among the Indians in general, that all Indians came from the welt." This is a confirmation of the opinion that this fecond clafs of Indians, of whom we have been fpeaking, and of which the Six Nations make a part, came over from the north-ealt of Alia, to the north-weft coaft of America, whence they migrated fouth towards Mexico, and call- ward 'into the prcfent territory of the United States. Judging of the ancient Indians from the traditionary accounts of them, and the ruins we have been deferibing, we are led to conceive of them as a more civilized, ingenious, and warlike people than their descendants at the preient time. We are at a lot's for By the Rev. Mr. Kirktand, Miffionary to the Six Nations, who vifited'this Fort, in 88. the GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 73 the caufes of their degeneracy, unlds we mention as fuch the introduction of fwrihioua liquors among them,, a deep fenfe of their inferiority in military fldll to the white people, and their chagrin and broken hcaricdnels, at the loft of their lands, and being forced to give place to UK ir fi-ppofcd enemies. The third rials of American Indians, viz. ihofe who inhabit Esquimaux, Labrador, and the countries around, arc much lefs Ten own than either of the afore-menfioned claries. Thole who profcis to he befl acquainted with them fay, they differ in iize and ihape from the other American Indians, and reicmble the Laplanders, and Samoicds, of Europe, frbmwhotil it is conjectured they defcended.* In the years 1771, and 1772, Mr. Hearne, an ingenious young gentleman, tra- velled main- hundred miles into thcfe dreary countries, (for fuch lie' found them) and in his journal draws a plain, artleis picture of the favagc modes of life, the fcanty means of fubfiflance, and the iingular wrerchcdnels in almofl every 'refpect, of the various tribes, who, without fixed habitations, pals their lives in roving over dreary deferts and frozen lakes, of the extenfive tract of continent through which lie paffcd.-j~ The following extracts from his Journal will give the; reader a better and more jnft idea of thcfe Indians, than any accounts of them which the author can furnifh from any other fource. " We arrived at the Copper-mine river on the ijth of July, and as I found after- wards, about forty miles from its exit into the fea. On our arrival at the river, the Indians difpatched three men before, as fpies, to lee if any Efquimaux Indians were about the river : and on the 151!! of the lame month, as I was continuing my liirvey' towards the mouth of the river, ,1 met thefpics, who informed me there were five tents of Efquimaux on the wcfl fide of the river, and by their accounts of the diftance, I iudgecl they were about twelve miles off. On receiving this news, no more attention was paid to my furvey, but their whole thought was engaged on planning the heft method of dealing on them the cnfuing night, and killing them while afleep. The better to complete their defign it was neccliary to crofs the river, and by the account of the fpics, no place was fo proper for that purpofe as where we were, it being fine nd fmooth and at fomc diftance from any cataract. Accordingly, after they had put their guns, targets, Ipears, &c. in order, we were ferried over the river, the doing of which (as we had only three canoes) took up a confiderable time. It muft be obfervcd that before we let out on the well fide, all the men painted their targets, fome with the image of the Sun, others with the Moon, others with different kinds of birds and beails of prey, and fome had the images of fairies, and other imaginary beings on them, which, according to their filly imaginations, arc inhabitants of the different elements, as the earth, fea, air, &c. By a ft ri for fuperior to the five tents of Esquimaux, and the warlike manner iu which they were equipped, in proportion to what might he expected of the poor Efqui- manx, rendered a total niaiiaere inevitable, unle'.'s kind Providence ihould work a miracle tor their prefervation. The land was ib tituatcd tint we walked under cover of the hills till \\e came within 200 yards of their tents, where the Indun- that wero v,!th me Li) luin'c time in ambufh. watching the motions of the Efquimaux (for wo v.uc in full light of their tents). The Indians adviled me to ftay here till the light over, withwWch I would by no means comply, for I thought when the Efquimaux furpriicd, they would rly every way lor refuge, and if they found me alone, not knowing me from an enemy, they would lay violent hands on me when there were none to affair.. I therefore determined to accompany them, alluring them at the fame time that I would have no hand in the murder unlels I found it necefTary for my own lafety. They feemed highly pleafed with my propofal, and directly fixed a Ipear and bayonet for me, but I had no target. By the time this was all fettled it was near one o'clock in the morning, when finding all the Efquimaux afleep in their tents, they ran on them without being difcovercd, until they came clofe to their very doors. They then began the cruel malTacre, while I Hood neuter in the rear, and in a few feconds a Icene truly fhocking prefented itfelf to my view. For as the poor unhappy victims were furprifed in the midfl of their fleep, they had neither power nor time to make any refinance, but men, women and children ran out of their tents quite naked. But alas, where could they fly for fhelter ! They every foul fell a facrifice to Indian barba- rity, in all near thirty. The fhrieks and groans of the poor expiring fouls were truly horrible, and this was much increafed by the light of one poor girl (about 1 8 years old) whom they killed fo near to me, that when the firft fpear was ilruck into her, Ihe fell down and twilled about my feet and legs, and it was with much difficulty I ditengaged mylelf from her dying grafps. As the Indians purfued her, I folicited for her life, but fo far was it from being granted, that I was not fully allured of my own being in entire fafety for offering to fpeak in her behalf. When I begged her life, the two fellows that followed her made no reply, till they had both their fpears through her fixed into the ground : they then both looked me fternly in the face, and began to upbraid me, by aiking if I wanted an Efquimaux wife ; at the fame time paying no regard to the loud ikrieks of the poor girl, who was twining round the fpears like an eel. Indeed I was obliged at lair to detire that they would be more expeditious in difpatching her out of her mifery. leii otherwise I mould be obliged out of pity, to aflift in performing that friendly'oilice. The brutilh manner in which they ufed the bodies, which they had deprived of life, is too Ihocking, and would be too indecent to defcribe, and the terror of mind I was in from fuch a fituation is fo much eaiier to be conceived than delcribed, that I lhall not attempt it. When they had completed this moll inhuman murder, we obferved feven more tents on the oppofite fide of the river. The Indians of thefe tents were foon in great confufion, but did not offer to make their efcape. The Indians fired many Ihot at them acrofs the river, but the poor Efquimaux were ib unacquainted ^ ith the nature of guns, that when the bullets Ilruck the rocks they ran in great bodies to fee what was lent them, and teemed curious in examining the pieces of lead which they found flatted on tire rocks, till at laft one man was Ihot through the leg, after which they embarked in their canoes, with their wives and children, and paddled to a 3 fhoal GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 75 in the river. When my Indians had made all their observations on the bodies, as above mentioned, and liad plundered their.tents of all their copper-work (which they and the Copper Indians ufed inftead of iron) they affembled at the top of an high hill, landing in a circle with their fpears erect in the air, and gave fhouts of victory, calling Thnii ! Tinia ! by way of derilion to the furviving Efquimaux who were ftanding on the fhoal. We then went up the river about half a mile, to the place where our canoes and baggage were, with an intent to crofs over and plunder the other feven tents. It taking up a considerable time to get all acrofs the river, as we had only three canoes, and being entirely under cover of the rocks, the poor Efquimaux whom we left on the fhoal, thought \\e were gone about our own bulinels, and had returned to iheir own tents again. And the land was fo iituatcd on the earl fide that the Indians went under cover of the hills, until they were within a hundred yards of their tent?, where they law the Elquimaux bufy in tying up their bundles. They ran on them again with great fury, but having the.ir canoes ready, they all embarked, and reached the Ihoals before-mentioned, except one poor old man, who being too attentive in tying up his thing?, had not time to reach his canoe, and ib fell a faerifice to Indian fury. After the Indians had plundered thefe tents of what they thotight worth their notice, they threw their tent poles into the river, broke their llonc kettles, and did all they could to diftrefs the poor furvivors. We found an aged woman at a fmall diftance up the river, fnaring of lalmon, whom they butchered in the lame manner, every man having a thrult at her with his fpear." The other extra ct is as follows : " This day, January the nth, 1772, as the Indians were hunting, fome of them iiiw a ftrange ihow-fhoe track, which they followed, and at a confiderable diftance came to a little hut, where they found a young woman fitting alone. They brought her to the tents, and on examining her found that ihe was one of the weftern dog-ribbed Indians, and had been taken prifoner by the Arathapelcow Indians, in the fummer of 1770, and when the Indians, who took her prifoner, were near this place in 1771, me eloped from them, with an intent to return to her own country. But it being fo far off, and when me was taken prifoner having come all the way in canoes, with the winding of rivers and lakes, flie had forgot the way, and had been in this little hut -ever iince the beginning of fall. By her account of the moons pail fince her elope ment, it appears to have been the middle of laft July when fhe left the Arapathefcow Indians, and me had not feen a human face iince. She had fupported herfelf by fnaring rabbits, partridges and fquirrels, and was now in good health, and I think, as fine a woman of a real Indian, as I have feen in any part of North America. She had nothing to make lhares of but the finews of rabbits legs and feet, which me twifted together for that purpofe, and of the rabbits fkins had made a neat and warm winter's clothing. The ftock of materials fhe took with her when fhe eloped, confifted of about five inches of an iron hoop for a knife, a ftone ftcel, and other hard ftones for flints, together with other fire tackle, as tinder, &c. about an inch and an half of the ihank of the fhoeing of an arrow, of iron, of which fhe made an awl. She had not been long at the tents, before half a fcore of men wreftled to fee who fliould have her for a wife. She fays, that when the Arathapelcow Indians took her prifoner they ftole upon the tents in the night, when all the inhabitants were afleep, and murdered every foul except herfelf and three other young women. Her father, mother, and hulband, were in the fame tent with her, and they were all killed. Her child, of about five months* old, fhe took wiih her, \vrapt in a bundle of her own clothing, undifcovered, in the night. Bi.it when fhe arrived at the place where the Arathapcfcows had left their L 2 wives. 76 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. wive-, \vhirh was not far off, it being then day-break, thcfe Indian women immediately be^an to examine her bundle, and having there found the child, took it from her and killed it immediately. The relation of this fhocking fcene only ferved the lavages of my gang for laughter. Her country is fo far to the welt ward, that fhe fays Hie never law any iron or other metal till fhe was taken prilbner ; thole of her tribe making their hatchets and chisels of deer's horns, and knives of ftone and bone ; their arrows are fhod with a kind of flate, bone, and deer's horns, and their inltrumcnts to make their wood work are nothing but beaver's teeth. They have frequently heard of the ufcfriJ materials that the nations to the eail of them are iupplied with from the Engli-fhr, but initead of drawing nearer to be in the way of trading for iron work, &c. are obliged t& remove farther back to avoid the Arathapefcbw Indians, as they make furprriing flaughtcr among them every year, both winter and fummer." The Esquimaux, according to Mr. Pennant, arc diitinguiihed from the tribes fouth of them, chiefly by their drels, their canoes, and their inltrumcnts of chace. He di- vides them into two varieties. About Prince William's Sound they are of the largefr lize. As you advance northward they decreale in height, till they dwindle into the dwarfim trihcs, which occupy fome of the coafts of the Icy fea, and the maritime parts of Hudfon's Bay, of Greenland and Labrador. Their dwarfifhnefs is doubtlef* occasioned by the fcantincfJs of their provifions, and the feverity of their climate. Be- yond the 6yth deg. N. Lat. according to Capt. Ellis's account, there are no inhabitants. The Arctic countries in America, Alia, and Greenland, if inhabited at all, have very few inhabitants ; and thofe are of the dwarfifh kind, fcattered on the banks of rivers, lakes and fcas, and fubfiit miferably upon fifh, and the fiefh of thofe animals which inhabit thole frozen regions, with the fkins of which they clothe themfelves. Mr. Crantz gives it as his opinion, that the Efquimaux came originally from the north-call regions of Great Tartary, between the Icy fea and Mungalia ; becaufe he observes a greater affinity between them and the Kalmucks, Tungufes and Kamlkadales, who inhabit thofe regions, than between them and the Laplanders, Samoieds and Olriaks, who inhabit the north-well parts of Europe, whence, it has generally been conjectured, the Efquimaux migrated. It is his opinion alfo, that Greenland was- fettled in the i4th century, from the north-eaftern parts of America ; for till that period,. Greenland appears not to have had any inhabitants. The rout which the firlt migrants . he fuppofes was, firll into Tartary, after the difperlion of the nations, thence into Kamtlkatka, thence acrofs the ftrait which feparates the two continents; whence they fpread themfelves unmolefled, into the then uninhabited countries round Hudfon's Bay, and down as far fouth as Canada. And here they were found in the i ith century, by the Norwegians, in their Wineland. Afterwards thefe more fouthcrly regions were conquered by the more numerous and powerful tribes ib'uth of the lakes, and the Efqui- maux were forced to retire as far north as the 6oth deg. N. lat. Here Capt Ellis found the Efquimaux, in his voyage to Hudfon's Bay, and dilcovered that they had the fame afpedt, drels, boats, hunting and fifhing implements, habitations, manners and ulbges iis the Greenlanders.* They are often purfued and hunted by the other Indians, who live about the fouth and weft ihores of Hudfon's Bay, and who appear to be quite a different people. The * One of the Moravian brethren, who understood the Greenland language, made a voyage to Labrador in 1764. On the fourth of September he met about 200 Indians. The firft that he fpoke to behaved very wild and Ihy ; but when the Indian faw him clad in his own drefs, and heard him fpeak in his own language, h called out to the others with (hoius of joy, " Our friend is come.'* They conducted him further up, to their families, GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. The riewly-diicovcred American Indians about Nootka Sound difguife themfelves after t Tic manner of the ancient Scythians, in drcfles made of the Ikins of wolves and other wild bc.ulls, and wear even the heads fitted to their own. Thcfe habits they ufe in the chafe to circumvent the animals of the field. Concerning the religion of the Indians much has been faid, and much that has no foundation. In general it may be fuid, that they all have an idea of a Supreme Being, whom they worfhip under different names, and with a great variety of (updiUtious rites and ceremonies. Some, particularly the nations of the Algonquin language, call their Supreme God, the Grtat'ffarf; fome Micbabou, and others Atabocan. The Being oppofed to tins Firjl Spirit, whom they considered as the Creator and Governor of the world, they llyle the Great Tyger. The name of the Hurons' Supreme God. or more properly their God of War, is "Arejkoui ; of the Iroquois, Agre/kottfe ; but molt of the nations fouth of the Lakes, as far as Louisiana, denominate their Supreme God, the Great, the Good, or the Grand Spirit, to whom they aicribe a kind of omniprefence, and whom they invoke as their guardian. To their evil genii they never addrefs themfclves, except to entreat them not to do them an/ injury ; and to appeale their wrath they often facrifice to them. Mr. Kirkland mentions a fmall lake, which he vifited, lituatcd at the foot of a pre- cipice, nearly 50 feet perpendicular height, in the territory of the Six Nations, ill which, the old Indians affirm, refidcd formerly a demon in the fhape of a dragon, and that he had been fecn frequently to dilgorgc balls of liquid fire. To appcafe his wrath, they faid, many a facrifice of tobacco had been made at the lake by the fathers. NEW DISCOVERIES ox THE NORTH-WEST COAST OF AMERICA.] The country on the North Weftern part of the Continent of America, bounded by the Pacific ocean, is yet unexplored. We however have feveral charts of the coafl : the lateft publifhed, is that, taken by Captains Portlock and Dixon, in a voyage performed in the years 1785, 86, 87, and 88 ; and from the enterpriz ing genius and repeated voyages of our own countrymen, we expect to be furnifhed with others much improved. " This vail country, with very little deviation, has the appearance of one continued forelt, being covered with pines of a different fpccics, andthcfe intermixed \yith alder, birch, witch- hazle, &c. belides various kinds of brufh-wood : and 'the valleys and low grounds afford wild currants, goofeberrics, rafpberrics, and various florwering fhrubs. On the coaft are many iilands, fpacious hays, commodious harbours and mouths of navigable rivers: among which are, Queen Charlotte's ifland-, * extending from N. lat. 51 42' to 54 1 8' W. long. 129 54' to 133 ib' from Greenwich. Nootka Sound, Situated in N. lat. 40 30'. W. lung. 126 42'. Admiral iy bay and port Mulgrave, N. lat. 59 31' W. long. 140 18'. Prince William's Sound, N. lat. 60 30' W. long. 147 30'. Cook's river, N. lat. 59 30' W. long. 153 12'. This confl i.? inhabited by numerous but fmall tribes of Indians; each tribe appears to be independent and governed by its own chief. They differ from each other in their .language and cuiloms. The neighbouring tribes are frequently involved in wars with each other. It is impoilible to afccrtain with any degree of certainty the number of inhabitants; but tht'y have been computed at ten thousand, from Cook s rver to. families, and though other Europeans think they riik their lives in being a!o;ie \\ ith them, they ihe-.vtu all imaginable friendship, and rejoiced when he gave ;hem hopes or vifiting them the next ycarj.which hi iri company with the Rrv. Mr. Dracharr, a gentleman -veil rk'i'.'.ed in the Gt-onhnd langnag?. ' He f;nir.dthr,t the two languages did not differ ib much as the high a id l. of them as large as the mouth, in which they wear a piece of bone, vvood, or ivory, tilted with holes -in it, from which they fufpcnd beads as low as the chin. They are very fond of mafks or vilbrs, and various kinds of caps painted with different dt> vices, Inch as birds, bealls, fillies, and fometimes repvelentations of the human face. They have likeuife many devices carved in wood, which arc greatly valued i)y them. There appears to be a greater uniformity in the drefs of the different tribes than in their ornaments. The aperture, or .fecond mouth, above the chin, icerns confined to the men of Cook's river and Prince William's Sound; whilit the wooden ornament in the under lip is worn by the women only, in that part of the coait from port Mulgrave to Queen Charlotte's I/lands. Thieving is a very prevalent inclination among them, which is practifed, not only upon flrangers, but among themfelves. Iii: the courfe of their trading, they are frequently feen'to fleal from each other, and on being detected they will give up the articles ftolen with a laugh, and immediately appear as uncon- cerned as if nothing had happened. Their habitations are generally the moft wretched that can be conceived ; a few poles ftuck in the ground, without regularity j loofcly covered with bark, conftitute their huts, which are quite insufficient to fhelter them from the fnow and rain, and the infides of their dwellings exhibit a complete picture of filth and indolence. In one corner are thrown the bones and remaining fragments of victuals left at their meals ; in another, heaps of fifh and putrefied flelh, greafe, oil, &c. In Ihort, the whole ferves to fhew in how wretched a flate it is poflible for human beings to exift. They fubfift wholly by fifhing and hunting. Their clothing is made of the fkins of animals and birds; and the probable reafon why the Indians take no greater pains in the conduction of their habitations, is, that their fituation is merely temporary ; for no fboner does the mafter of a tribe find game begin to grow fcarce, or fifh not fo plenty as he expected, than he takes down his hut, puts the boards or barks into his canoe, and paddles away to feek a fpot better adapted to his purpofes ; which having found, he erects his dwelling in the fame carelefs manner as before. Few or no remarks concerning their religious ceremonies have yet been handed to us ; but from the traits already difcerned, thefe cannot be lefs rude than their other cuftoms. The chief object of civilized nations in navigating this coafi hitherto has been to traffic with the natives for furs ; which they give in exchange for pieces of iron, nails, beads, penknives and other trifling trinkets. Thefe furs are carried to China and difpofed of to a great profit. The fkins obtained are thofe of the fea otter, racoon, pine-martin, land beaver, earlefs mammot, &c. A traffick which in profpect affords fuch uncommon profit, has induced many citizens of the United States to engage in it ; but whether the number of velfels fitted ovrt GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 79 out by other nations has not made a fcarcity of furs, and taught the natives to fet a higher value on them, experience will determine. The following ftatcmcnt fhews the number of veffels that had arrived at China, from the N. W. coaft, to February, 1788, with the number of furs, and their value, viz. Tots From whence No. of Furs SoUfor fejfth. Nafnts. Caftt. Burden. Tears. fcnt. obtained. Doll. Brig Hanna, 60 1785 560 S. Otter 20,600 Ditto ibid. ibid. - 400 - - 8,000 Snow Capt. Cook, Loyie, 3001 _ i;86 _ Bombay, - 600 - -' 24,000 Snow, Experiment, Guife, - looj Nootka, - Mears, 1786 - Bengal, - 357 - - 14,242 Imperial Eagle, Berkley, - - 800 - - 30,000 1700 Skins imported by the "1 Spaniards, unfold, valued j Ship - Peyroufe, \ tA%*i Ship DeLangle, J What furs the Ruffians procure is not known, as they never carry them to Canton. From the above fketch it appears that the fur trade has been very lucrative. There are allb other articles which might perhaps be procured to advantage, fuch as ginfeng, copper, oil. fpars, &c. with great quantities of falmon. . The following extracts from the account of Capt. Cook's difcoveries contain much valuable information reflecting the N. W. coaft of America, and its neighbouring iflands. Having left the Society Iflands, Captain Cook proceeded to the northward, crofting the equator on the 2 id and 23d of December, 1777 ; and on the 24th difcovered a lo\v uninhabited ifland about 15 or 20 leagues in circumference. Here the longitude and latitude were exactly determined, by means of an eclipfe of the fun. The weft fide of it, where the eclipfe was obfervcd, lies in N. Lat. i 59 E. Lon. 202 30'. From the time of its dilcovery it obtained the name of ChriJImas Ifland. Plenty of turtle were found upon it, and the Captain caiifed the feeds of the- cocoa-nut, yams, and melons, to be planted. Proceeding full to the northward, our navigator next fell in with five iflands, to which he gave the general name of Sandwich IJles, in honour of his patron. Their names in the language of the country are Woahoo, Atooi, Oneeheow, Oreehoua, and Tehoora. They are lituated in the latitude of 21 30' and 22 15' North, and between * 199 20' and 201 30' E. Long. The longitude was deduced from no fewer than 72 lets of lunar obfervations. The largefl of ihcle iflands is Atooi, and does not in the leall referable the iflands of the South Sea formerly vifited by our navigators, excepting only that it has hills near the center, which flope gradually towards the lea-fide. The only domeflic animals found upon it were hogs, dogs, and fowls. Captain Cook de- figned to have made the inhabitants of this iiland a prefent of fome others ; but being driven out of it by ftrefs of weather, he was obliged to land them upon a f mailer one, named Oneeheeozv. He left a he-goat with two females, and a boar and fow of the Englifh breed, which is much fupcrior to that of the South Sea Iflands. He left alfo < the feeds of melons, pumpkins, and onions. The foil of this ifland teemed in general to be poor : it was obferved that the ground was covered with fhrubs and plants, fomc ot which had a more delicious fragrancy than he had ever experienced before. The inhabitants of thcfe iilands ^re much commended,, notwithstanding their horrid cuftom ' - of So GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. of eating human lieih, lu every thing manufactured by them tin-re is an ingenuity j-id neati}i:l> in an uncommon degree ; aid the elegant form and poliih of Tome of their iinYmg-hooks could not lx* exceeded by an European artiir, even af filled by all his proper tools. From what was fecn of their agriculture alfo, it appeared that they we< by no means novices in that art, and that the quantity and goodnefs of their vegetable productions might with propriety be attribut-ed as much to their ikilful culture as to the fertility of -the foil. The language of the Sandwich I lies is almoit identically the lama with that of Ota he : - Proceeding farther to the northward, our navigator difcovercd the coaftof New Al- bion, on the 7\h of March 1778. Its appearance was very different from that of the countries with which they had hitherto been converfant. The land was full of moun- tains, the tops of which were covered with mow ; while the valleys between them, and the grounds on the iea ' oait, high as well as low, were covered with trees, which form- ed a beautiful profpec-l as of one vail forcli. The place' where they landed was Ihuated in N. Lat. 74 33'. E. Long. 235 20'. At firii tlie natives i'ecmcd to prefer iron to ever)- other article of commerce ; but at laft they ihowcd fueh a predilection for "brats, that fcarcely a bit of it was left in the fhips, except what belonged to the neccf- Jary inilr-umcnts. It. was obferved allb, that thefe people were much more tenacious, of their property than any of thefavage nations that had hitherto been met with, info- m-uch that they would part neither with wood, water, grafs, nor the moll trifling ar- ticle, without a compenfation, and were ibmetimes very \ - >v :flibnable in their demands ; with -which; however, the captain always complied as far as was in his power. The place where the Refolution was now rnchored, was by our navigator called Sf. George's Sound, but he afterwards understood that the natives gave it the name of Nootka. Its entrance is iituated in the caft corner of Hope Bay ; in N. I at. 49. 33'. E. Long. 233. 12'. The climate, as far as they had an opportunity of obierving it, was much milder than that on the eaitern coafl of the American continent in the fame parallel of latitude : and it was remarkable that the thermometer, even in the flight, never fell lower than 42, while in the day time it frequently rofe to 60. The trees met with here are chiefly the Canadian pine, white cyprefs, and fome other kinds of pine. There fccmed to be a fcarcity of birds, which are much harafTed by the natives, who ornament their clothes with the feathers, and ufe the flefh for food. The people are no ftrangers to the ufe of metals, having iron tools in general ufe among them ; and Mr. Gore procured two iilver fpoons, of a conftruction iimilar to what may be ob- fervcd in fome Flemifh pictures, from a native who wore them round his neck as an -ornament. It is moil probable that thefe metals have been conveyed to them by the way of Hudlbn's Bay and Canada ; nor is it improbable that fome of them may have t>een introduced from the north weiiern parts of Mexico. While Capt. Cooke failed along this coail, he kept always at a diilance from land \vhen the wind blew itrongly upon it ; whence feveral large gaps were left unexplored, particularly between the latitudes of 50 and 55. The exa x > lituation of the fuppo- icd 11 raits of Anian was not afcertained, though there is not the leafl doubt, that if he had lived to return by the fame way in 1 779, he would have examined every part with &is ufuai accuracy. On departing from Nootka Sound, our navigator firil fell in with an illand in N. lat. 59 49.' E. long. 216 58.' to which he gave the name of Kafs Ijland. Several others were difcovercd in the neighbourhood ; and the fhipcame to an anchor in an inlet named by the Captain Prince William's Sound. Here lie had an op- oortunity of making feveral obfervations on the inhabitants* as well as on the nature of GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA. 3i of the country. From ever}- thing relative to the former, it was concluded, that the inhabitants \\erc of the lam.- race with the Efquimaux or Greenlanders. The an; \\-ere much the fame with thole met with at Nootka, and a beautiful ficin of one ani- mal, which ieemed to he peculiar to the place, was <>-:<-red for fale. Mr. Anderfon was inclined to think that it was tile fame to which Mr. Pennant has given the name of the ciifan marmot. The alceclo. or great king's rimer, was found here, having very fine and bright colour.?. The hummingbird allb came .juently, and flew about the llrip while at anchor ; though it is fearce to be fuppofcd that it can live throughout the winter, on account of the extreme cold. The water fowl were in confiderable plenty; and there is a fpecies of diver which feemetl to be peculiar to the place. Almoft the only kinds of fiih met with in the place v, ere torik and halibut. The trees were chiefly the Canadian and fprucc pi;. . .e of v. inch were of a confiderable height and thick- ncis. The -Sound is judged by Captain Cook to occupy a degree and a half of latitude, and two of longitude, cxclufivcly of its arms and branches, which were not explored. There was every reafon to believe that tiie inhabitants had never been vifited by any- European vcfTel before ; but our navigator found them in po'Feffion not only of iron but of beads, which, it is probable, are conveyed to them acrofs the continent from Hud- ion's Bay. Soon after leaving Prince William's Sound, our navigator fell in with another inlet, which it was expected would lead either to the northern lea or to Hudfon's or Baffin's bay ; but upon examination it was found tooured for more than twelve months. Soon after he had breathed his fcifr, land beinf feeii at a diltance, it was named Anderfons I/land; and on the 9th of Angnft the fhip anchored under a point of the continent which he named Cape Prince cf titles. This is remarkable for being the molt weiterly point of the American continent hitherto known. It, is Situated in N. lat. 65" 46'. E. long. 191 45'. It is only 39 mi jes diftant from tlie ea jlern cOa# of Siberia ; fo that our commander had the pleafurc of af- certaini] the vicinity of the two continents to each other, which had only been imper- fectly done by the Ruffian navigators. Setting fail from this point next day, he fleered to the weft and north, whe.n he- foon fell in with the country of the Tfchutfki, which had been explored by Beerin in 1728. Here he had an opportunity of correcting M. Stcchlin's map, who had placed in thcfe feas an imaginary ifland, on which he bcftowrd the name of Alafckka. Being convinced that' tire land he had now reached was part of the Aliatic continent, our commander directed his courfe eailward, in order to fall in with that of America ; and on the 17(1'; reached the latitude of 70 33'. and E. long. 1 79 41'. Here they began to perceive that ^rightnefs^in thdhorizon called by the mariners the blink oftke ice ; and in 70 41' they had ot quite up to it, fo that no farther progsefs ;could be made.. Next day they made a fhirt to get as far as- 70 44', but the ice was nvered Bonavilia, on the north -call fide of Newfoundland. Before his return he travelled the coal! from Davis's limits to Cape Florida. 1502.] Sebaitian Cabot was this year at Newfoundland ; and on his return, earned three of the natives of that iiland to King Hemy YJJ. 1513.] In the fpring of 1^13, John Ponce failed from Porto Rico northerly, and difcovcrcd the continent in 30 o' north latitude. He lamVu La \pr:!, a feafon when the country around \va.s covcral \vitli verdure, and in full hloom. This circumftance induced lii'in to call the eountry FLORIDA, \\hich, for many year-, was the common name for North and South America. 1516.] In 1516, Sir Sebaitian Cabot and Sir Thomas Pert, explored the coal! as ir as Brazil in South America. This vair extent of country, the coaft of \vhich was thus explored, remained r.nelaimcd and unlettled by any European power, (except by the Spaniards in South America) for almoft a century from the time of its difeoveiy. 1524.] It was not till the year 1524 that France attempted difcovcrios on the Ame- rican coalt. Stimulated by his cnterpriiing neighbours, Francis I, who poifeffcd a great and active mind, lent John Yerazano, a Florentine, to America, for the purpofe of making difcoveries. He traverfed the eoaft from latitude 28 to 50 north. In a fecond voyage, fome time after, he was loft. I 5 2 5-] ^ 1C ncxt ) ear Stephen Gomez, the firft Spaniard who came upon the American coait for difeoveiy, failed from Groynin Spain, to Cuba and Florida, thence northward to Cape Razo, in latitude 46 north, in fearch of a northern pailage to the liait Indies, 1534.1 In the fpring of 1534, by the direction of Francis I. a fleet was fitted out at St. Male's in France, with cldign to make difcoveries in America. The command of this flc^yt was given to James Cartier.* Fie arrived at Newfoundland in May of this year; tlit-nce he failed northerly; and on the day of the feilival of St. Lawrence, he found himfelf in about latitude 48 30' north, in the midft of a broad gulf, which he named St. Lawrence. He gave the lame name to the river which empties into it. In this voyage, he failed as far north as latitude 51, expecting in vain to find a paflage to China. 1535.] The next year he failed up the river St. Lawrence 300 leagues, to the great and fwift Fall. He called the country New France ; built a fort, in winch he fpcnt the , winter, and returned in the following fpring to France. 1539.] On the 1 2th of May, 1539, Ferdinand de Solo, with 900 men, befides feamen, failed from Cuba, having for his object the conqueil of Florida. On the 3oth pf May he arrived at Spirito Santo, from whence he travelled northward to the Chick- afaw country, in about latitude 35 or 36*. He died and was buried on the bank of MiflilSppi River, May, 1542, aged 42 years. Alverdo iuccccded him. 1542.] In 1542, Francis la Roche, Lord Robewell, w-as lent to Canada, by the- French king, with three fhips and 200 men, women, and children. They wintered here in a fort which they had built, and returned in the fpring. About the year 1550, a large number of adventurers failed for Canada, but were"never after heard of. In 1598, the king of France commiiiloned the Marquis dc la Roche to conquer Canada, other countries not poffcffed by any Chriiiian prince. We do not learn, however, B Hazard's Hiitorical Colle&ions, Vol. I. pnge 19, is a commiifion from Francis I. to James Cartieror Quartier, for making an eftablifhment in Canada, dated Oft. 17, 1540. Probably this commiffion was given ioi in conieauence oi'lii former difcoveaes, that SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AMERICA. 87 tli at la Roche ever attempted to execute his commifTion, or that any further attempts were made to fettle Canada during this century. January 6, 1548-49.] Tin's year king Henry VII. granted a penfion for lite to Schafnaii Cabot, in confidcration of the important icmrr> he had rendered to the kingdom by his diic ovcrics in America.* Very rrfpcdtable deiccndants of the Cabot family now live iii the commonwealth of MaiT.ichufetts. 1562.] The admiral of France, Chatillon, early in this year, fent out a fleet under the command of John Ribalt. He arrived at Cape Francis on the coaft of FloiUa, near which, on the firft of May, he discovered and entered a river, which he called May river. It i.-, more than probable that this river is the lame which we now call St. Mary's, which forms a part of the fouthern boundary of the United States. As he coaiied northward he difeovered eight other rivers, one of \\hieh he called Port Royal, tind failed up it fcveral leagues. On one of the rivers he built a fort and called it Charles, in which he left a colony under the direction of Captain Albert, The fcverity of Albert's mealures excited a mutiny, in which, to the ruin of the colony, lie 1564.] was llain. Two years after, Chatillon fent Rene Laud mier with three fhips to Florida. In June he arrived at the river May, on which he built a' fort, and, in honour to his king, Charles IX, he called it CAROLIXA. In Augult, this year, Capt. Ribalt arrived at Florida the Second time, with a fleet of feven vellcls, to recruit the colony, which, two years before, he had left under the direct ion of the unfortunate Capt. Albert. The September follov, ing, Pedro Metandes, with fix Spaniih fhips, purfued Ribalt tip the river on which he had fettled, and overpowered him in numbers, cruelly mafiacrcd him and his whole company. Melandes, having in-this way taken porTeffiou of the country, built three forts, and left them garriibned with idoo loldiers. Laudo- jiirr and his colony on May River, receiving information of the fate of Ribalt, took the alarm and efeapcd to France. 1567.] A fleet of three ihips was this year fent from France to Florida, under t he-- command of Dominique de Gourges. The object of this expedition was to difporTefs the Spaniards of that part of Florida which they had cruelly and unjuftirlably J563.J ieized three years before. He arrived on the coaft of Florida, Aprili568, and loon aticr made a fuccetsful attack upon the forts. The recent cruelty of Me- Imeies and his company excited revenge in the breait of Gourges, and roufed the iinjiiftifiable principle of retaliation. He took the forts, put molt of the Spaniards to the fword, and having burned arid demolished all their fortreifes, returned to France. During the 50 years next after tliis event, the French enterprized no fettlements in America. 1576.] Capt. Frobifhcr was fent this year to find out a north-weft paflage to the Eaft Indies. The firft land which he made on the coaft was a cape, which, in honour to tl*c queen, he called Queen Elizabeth's Foreland. In coafting northerly he difeovered the ftraits which bear his name. He profecuted his learcli for a paflage into the \veftern ocean, till he was prevented by the ice, and then returned to England.-^ June iith, 1578.] In 15/8, Sir Humphrey Gilbert obtained a patent from queen Elizabeth, for lands not yet pofTefTed by any Chrifiian prince, provided he would take poileffioii within iix years. With this encouragement he failed for America, and * Hazard's Hift. Coll. Vol. I. page 23. Hackluyt calls this " The large pcnlion granted by K. Edward VI. to Sebaftian Cabot, conftituting him Grand Piiot of England* f Hazard's Historical CoUeftion, Vol. L pnge 23* 88 SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AMERICA. J 5^3-] on llic ^ r ^ f Auguft, 1583. anchored in Conception Bay. Afterwards lie dik ovcrcd and took pofTrfHon of St. John's Harbour, and the country fouth of it. In purfuing his difcoveries he loft one of his fhips on the fhoals of Sablon, and on his return home, a ft orin overtook him, in which he' was unfortunately loft, and the intended fettlemcnt was prevented. 1584.] This year two patents were granted by queen Elizabeth, one to Adrian Gilbert, (Feb. 6.) the oilier to Sir Walter Raleigh (Mar. 25.) for lands not pofferTcd by any Chriftian prince.* By the direction of Sir Walter, two fhips were fitted and fe'nt out under the command of Philip Amida.s, and Arthur Barlow, with 107 paf- fcnirers. In June 1:585 they arrived on the coali, and anchored in a harbour feven leagues weft of the Roanoke. This colony returned to England in June, 1586. Ou the 1 3th of July, they, in a formal manner, took poflelrum of the country, and, in honour of their virgin queen Elizabeth, they called it Virginia. Till this time the country was known .by the general name of Florida. After this VIRGINIA became the common name for all North America. 1586.] This year, Sir Walter Raleigh fent Sir Richard Greenville to America, with feven fhips. lie arrived at Wococon harbour in June. Having ftationed a colony of more than an hundred people at Roanoke, under the direction of Capt. Ralph Lane, he coalted north-cafterly as far as Chclapeak Bay, and returned to England. . The colony under Capt. Lane endured extreme hardfhips, and muft have perifhed, had not Sir Francis Drake fortunately returned to Virginia, and carried them to Eng- land, after having madefeveral conquefts for the queen in the Welt Indies and other places. A fortnight after, Sir Richard Greenville arrived with new recruits ; and although he did not find the colony which he had before left, and knew not but they had perifhed, he had the rafhnefs to leave 50 men at the fame place. 1587.] The year following, Sir Walter fent another company to Virginia, under Governor White, with a charter and twelve affiftants. In July he arrived at Roa- noke. Not one of the fecond company remained. He determined, however, to rilk a third colony. Accordingly he left 115 people at the old fettlement, and returned to England. This year (Aug. 13.) Manteo was baptized in Virginia. He was the firfr. native Indian who received that ordinance in that part of America. He, with Towaye, another Indian, had vifited England, and returned home to Virginia with the colony. On the iSth of Augufr, Mrs. Dare was delivered of a daughter, whom fhe called VIRGINIA. She wag bom at Roanoke, and was the firft Englifh child that was born in North America. 1590.] In the year 1590, Governor White came over to Virginia with urpplics and recruits for his colony ; but, to his great grief, not a man was to be found., They had all miferably famifhed with hunger, or were mafiacred by the Indians. 1602.] In the fpring of this year, Bartholomew Gofnold, with 32 pcrfons, made a voyage to North Virginia, and difcovered and gave names to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Elizabeth Iflands, and to Dover Cliff. Elizabeth Ifiand was the place which they fixed for their firft fettlement. But the courage of thole who were to have tarried, failing, they all went on board and returned to England. All the attempts to fettle this continent which were made by the Dutch, French, and Englifh, from its * Hazard's Hift. Coll. Vol. I, p. 28 and 33. difcovery SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AME1UCA, 89 difrovery to the prcfent time, a period of no years, proved inefFcclual. The Spani- ards only, of all the European nations, had been fuccctsful. There is no account of there having been one European family, at this lime, in all the vaft extent of coaft from Florida to Greenland. 1603.] Martin Pring and William Brown were this year lent by Sir Walter Raleigh, Vvith two final 1 vellels, to make difcoveries in North Virginia. They came upon the. coaft which was broken with a multitude of iflands, in latitude 43 30' north. They coafted fouthward to Cape Cod Bay ; thence round the Cape into a commodious har- bour in latitude 41 2,5' where they went alhoreand tarried feven weeks, Curing which time they loaded one of their vefTels with falfafras, and returned to England. Bartholemew Gilbert, in a voyage to South Virginia, in learch of the third colonjr which had been left there by Governor White, in 1587, having touched at teveral oV the Weft India Iflands, landed near Cliefapeak Bay, where, in a Ikirmilh with the Indi- ans, he and four of his men were unfortunately flain. The rell, without any further fearch for the colony returned to England. France, being at this time in a ft ate of tranquillity in confequence of the edicl of Nantz in favor of the Proteftants, palled by Henry IV. (April 1598) and of the peace with Philip, king of Spain and Portugal, was induced to purfue her difcoveries in Ame- rica. Accordingly the king ligned a patent * in favor of De Mons, (November 8, 1603) of all the country from the 4oth to the 46th degrees of north latitude, under the 1604.] name of Acadia. The next year De Mons ranged the coaft from Sf. Lawrence to Cape Sable, and round to Cape Cod. 1 605 .] In May 1 605 , George's Ifland and Pen tecoft Harbour were discovered by Capt (jeorge Weymouth. In May he entered a large river in latitude 43 2,0', (variation 1 1 15' weft,) which Mr. Prince, in his Chronology, fuppofes muft have been Sagada- hok ; but from the latitude, it was more probably the Pifeataqua. Capt. Weymouth. carried with him to England five of the natives. 1606.] April i oth this year, James I. by patent, ~f- divided Virginia into two colonies. The fouthern, included all lands between the 34th and 41 ft degrees of north latitude. This was ftyled the firjl colony, under the name of South Virginia, and was granted to the London Company. The northern, called the fecond colony, and known by the ge- neral name of North Virginia, included all lands between the 38th and 45th degree* north latitude, and was granted to the Plymouth Company. Each of thefc colonies had a council of thirteen men to govern them. To prevent difputes about territory, the colony which fhould laft place themfelvcs was prohibited to plant within an hundred miles of the other. There appears to be an inconliftency in thefe grants, as the land* lying between the 38th and 41 ft degrees arc covered by both patents. Both the London and Plymouth companies enterprizcd fettlements within the limits of their refpcctive grants. With what fuccefs will now be mentioned. Mr. Piercy, brother to the Earl of Northumberland, in. the ler vice of the London Company, went over with a colony to Virginia, . and difeovered Powhatan, now Jafties- river. In the mean time the Plymouth company fent Capt. Henry Challons, in a veflcl of fifty-live tons, to plant a colony in North Virginia ; but in his voyage h^ was takoa by a Spanifh fleet and carried to Spain. 1607. i The London company this fpring fent Capt, Chriftopher ^Newport, with zb. J three velfels, to South Virginia. On the 26th of April Ire entered Chefapeak and landed, and foou after ave to the moil fvuthern point the name Q+Cape Henry, ^ * * Hift. Coll. Vol. I. p. 45- t Ibid. p. 50. N which 9 o SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AMERICA. which it frill retains. Having elected Mr. Edward Wingficld prelidcnt for the blii\ 13-j year, they next day landed all their men, and began a fcttlement on James river, at a place which they called James. To\vn. This is the firft town that was June 22.] fettled by the Englifh in North America. The June following, Capt. New- port failed for England, leaving with the'prefidcnt one hiindrcdandfour perfons. Augj'Jl 22.] Iii Augufi. died Capt. Bartholemew Gofnold, the ririt projector of this itttlement, and one of the council . The following winter James Town was burnt. During this time, the Plymouth company fitted out two imps under the command of Admiral Rawley Gilbert. They failed for North Virginia on the 31/1 of May, with one hundred planters, and Capt. George Popham for their prefident. They arrived in An- guft'and lettled about nine or ten leagues to the fouthward of the mouth of Sagadahok river. A great part of the colony, however, difheartened by the feverity of the winter, returned to England in December, leaving their prelident, Capt. Popham, with only forty-five men, It was in the fall of this year that the famous Mr. Robinfon, with part of his congre- gation, who afterwards fettled at Plymouth in New-England, removed from the north of England to Holland, to avoid the cruelties of perfecution, and for the fake of enjoy- ing " purity of w r orihip and liberty of confcience." This year a final 1 company of merchants at Dieppe and St. Malo's founded Quebec, or rather the colony which they fent built a few huts there, which did not take the form of a town until the the reign of Lewis XIV. 1608.] Sagadahok colony fuffered incredible hardfhips after the departure of their friends in December. In the depth of winter, which was extremely cold, their ftore- houfe caught fire and was confumed, with moil of their provifions' and lodgings. Their misfortunes were increafed foon after by the death of their prefident. Rawley Gilbert was appoinied to fucceed him. Lord Chief Juilice Popham made every exertion tp keep this colony alive, by repeat- edly finding them fupplics. But the circumftance of his death, which happened this year, together with that of prefident Gilbert's being called~to England to fettle his affairs, broke up the colony, and they all returned with him to Englaaid. The unfavourable reports which thefe firfl unfortunate adventurers propagated ref- pe<5ling the country, prevented any further attempts to fettle North Virginia for fevcrai years after. 1609.] The London Company, laft year, fent Capt. Nellbn, with two fhips and one hundred and twenty perfons, to James Town ; and this year, Capt. John Smith, after- wards prefident, arrived on the coafl of South Virginia, and by failing up a number of the rivers, difcovered the interior country. In September, Capt. Newport arrived with feventy perfons, which increafed the colony to two hundred fouls. Mr. Robinfon and his congregation, who had fettled at Amilerdam, removed this year to Leyden ; where they remained more than eleven years, till a part of them came over to New-England. The council for South Virginia having resigned their old cornrniffion, * rcquefted and obtained a new one ; in confequence of which they appointed Sir Thomas Weil, Lord De la War, general of the colony ; Sir Thomas Gates, his lieutenant ; Sir George Somers, admiral ; Sir Thomas Dale, high marfhall ;- Sir Ferdinand Wainman, gene- ral of the horfe; and Capt. Newport, vice-admiral. * The fecond Charter of Virginia bears date May 43, 1609. Hift. Coll. Vol. I. p. 58. Juns SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AMERICA. 91 June 8.J In June, Sir Thomas Gates, Admiral Newport, and Sir George Somers, with feven fhips, a ketch and a pinnace, having five hundred fouls on board, July 24.] men, women, and children, failed from Falmouth for South Virginia. In crof- fing the Bahama Gulf, on the 24th of July, the fleet was overtaken by a violent ftomi, and teparated.. Four days after, Sir George Somers ran his veflel afliore on one of the Bermuda Iflands, which, from this circumflance, have been called the Somer lilands. The people on board, one hundred and fifty in number, all got fafe on fhore ; and there remained until the following May. The remainder of the fleet arrived at Virginia in Auguft. The colony was now increafed to five hundred men. Capt. Smith, then preiident, a little before the arrival of the fleet, had been very badly burnt by means of fome powder which had accidently caught fire. This unfortunate circum- flance, together with the oppofition he met with from thofe who had lately arrived, in- duced him to leave the colony and return to England ; which he accordingly did the lafl of September. Francis Weir, his fucceflbr in office, foon followed him, and George Piercy was elected prefident. 1610.] The year following, the South Virginia or London company, fealed a patent to LordDe la War, conftituting him Governor and Captain General of South Virginia. He foon after embarked for America with Capt. Argal and one hundred and fifty men in three fhips. The unfortunate people, who, the year before, had been fhipwrecked on the Ber- muda Iflands, had employed themfelves during the winter and fpring, under the direc- tion of Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, and Admiral Newport, in building a Hoop to tranfport themfelves to the continent. They embarked for Virginia on the loth of May, with about one hundred and fifty perfons on board ; leaving two of their men behind, who chofe to fiay ; and landed at James Town on the 23d of the fame month. Finding the colony, which at the time of .Capt. Smith's departure, confided of five hundred fouls, now reduced to fixty, and thofe few in a diftrefled and wretched fitu- ation, they with one voice refolved to return to England ; and for this purpole, on the yth of June, the whole colony repaired on board their vefTels, broke up the fettlement, and failed down the river on their way to their native country. Fortunately, Lord De la War, who had embarked for James Town the March be- fore, met them the day after they failed, and perfuaded them to return with him to James Town, where they arrived and landed the loth of June. The government of the colony of right devolved upon Lord De la War. From this time we may date the effectual lettlement of Virginia. Its hiitory from this period will be given in its pro- per place. As early as the year 1607 and 1608, Henry Hudfon, anEnglifhman, under a com- mifiion from King James, in the employ of certain merchants, made leveral voyages for the difcovery of a north-weft paifage to the Eait Indies In 1609, upon ibuic mif underflanding, he engaged in the Dutch fervice, in the proiccuuon of the fame dciign, and on his return ranged along the tea coaii of what has iincc 'been milled New Eng- land, (which, three years before was granted by King James to his Englifh fubj the Plymouth Company) and entered Hudibn's river, giving it his own name. He af- cended this river in his boat as far as what has finccbeen called Aurania or Albany. In 1613, the Dutch Welt India company lent fome pcrion^ to this river, co trade with the Indians ; and as early as 1623, the Dutch had a hading ho:e annexed to a defcription of the State. Conception Bay, on. the iiland of Newfoundland, was fettled in the year 1610, by about forty planters under Governor John Guy, to whom King James had given a pa- tent of incorporation. Chaplain, a Frenchman, had begun a fettlemcnt at Quebec 1608. St. Croix, Mount Manfel, and Port Royal were fettled about the fame time. Thcfe lettlements remained undiltuvbi-d till 1613, when the Virginians, hearing that the French had fettled within their limits, lent Capt. Argal to dillodge them. For this purpofe he failed to Sagada- hok, took their forts at Mount Manfel, St. Croix, and Port Royal, with their v<- ordnance, cattle and provilions, and carried them to James Town in Virginia. Quebec was left in poflcffion of the French. 1614.] Ihis year Capt. John Smith, with two fhips and forty-five men and boys, made a voyage to Nortb Virginia, to make experiments upon a gold and copper mine. His orders were, to fifh and trade with the natives, if he fhould fail in his expectations with regard to the mine. To facilitate this bufinefs, he took with him Tantum, an In- dian, perhaps one that Capt. Weymouth carried to England in 1605. In April he reached the iiland Monahigan in latitude 43 30'. Here Capt. Smith was directed to it ay and keep porTeffion with ten men, for the purpole of making a trial of the whaling bufineis, but being difappointed in this, he built leven boats, in which thirty-feven men made a very fuccefsful fifhing voyage. In the mean time the Captain h-imfelf with eight men only, in a fmall boat, coafted from Penobfcot to Sagadahok, Acocifeo, PalTataquack, Tragabizanda, now called Cape Ann, thence to Acornac, where lie ikirmtfhed with fome Indians ; thence to Cape Cod, wliere he let his Indian, Tantum, afhore, and left him, and returned to Monahigan. In this voyage he found two French {hips in the Bay of Maffachufetts, who had come there iix weeks before, and during that time had been tradi ng very advantageoufly with the Indians. It was conjectured that there were, at this time, three thoufand Indians upon the Maflachufetts iflands. In July, Capt. Smith embarked for England in one of the veffels, leaving the other tinder the command of Capt. Thomas Hunt, to equip for a voyage to Spain. After Capt. Smith's departure, Hunt perfidioufly allured twenty Indians (one of whom was Squffnto, afterwards fo fcrviceable to the Englifh) to come on board his fhip at Patuxit. and fevcn more at Naufit, and carried them to the iiland of Malaga, where he fold them for twenty pounds each, to be flavcs for life. This conduct, which fixes an in- delible fligma upon the character of Hunt, excited in the breafls of the Indians fuch an inveterate haired of the Englifh, as that, for many years after, all commercial inter- courfe with them was rendered exceedingly dangerous. Capt. Smith arrived at London the laft of Auguft, where he drew a map of the coun- try, and called it NEW ENGLAND. From this time North Virginia afTumed the name of New England, and the name Virginia was confined to the fouthern colony. Between the years 1614 and 1620, feveral attempts were made by the Plymouth Company to fettle New England, but by various means they were all rendered inef- fcclual. During this time, however, an advantageous trade was carried on with the natives. 1617.] In the year 1617, Mr. Robinfon and his congregation, influenced by feve- ral weighty rcafons, meditated a removal to America, Various difficulties inter - a vened SETTLEMENT OF NORTH AMERICA. 93 1620.] vencd to prevent the fuccefs of their defigns until the year 1620, when a part of Mr. Robinlbn's congregation came over and fettled at Plymouth. At this time commenced the fcttlement of New England. The particulars relating to the firli emigrations to this northern part of America, the progrefs of its fettlement, &c. will be given 'in the hiftory of New England, to which the reader is referred. In order to preferve the chronological order in which the levcral colonies, now grown into independent frates, were firfl fettled, it will be necefTary that I 1621.] Ihould jufi mention, that the next year after the fettlement of Plymouth, Cap- tain John Mafon obtained of the Plymouth Council a grant of a part of the 1623.] prelent State of New Ilampfhirc. Two years after, under the authority of this grant, a fmall colony fixed down near the mouth of Pifcataqua river. From this period we may date the fettlcmrnt of NEW HAMPSHIRE. 1627.1 In 1627, a colony of Swedes and Finns came over and landed at Cape Henlopen ; and afterwards purchafcd of the Indians the land from Cape Henlopen to the Falls of Delaware, on both fides the river, which they called New Swedeland Stream. On this river they built fevcral forts, and made fettlements. 1628.] On the rQth of March, 162,8, the Council for New England fold to Sir Henry Rofwcll, and five others, a large tra6t of land lying round Maffachufetts Bay. The June following, Capt.Jnhn Erdirot, with his wife and company, came over and fettled at Naumkeag, now called Salem.* This was the firft Erglifh fettle- iiynt which was made in MASSACHUSETTS BAY. Plymouth, indeed, which is now in- cluded in the commonwealth of MaiTachufetts, was fettled eight years before, but at this time it was a feparate colony, under a diftin6t government ; and continued fo, until the fecond charter of Maffaclmfetts was granted by William and Mary in 1691 ; by which, Plymouth, the province of Main and Sagadahok, were annexed to Maifa- chufetts. June 13, 1633.] In the reign of Charles the Firfi, Lord Baltimore, a Roman Catho- lic, applied for. and obtained a grant of a tra539 141,885 387,787 96,540 68,825 340,120 184,139 434,373 59>94 747,610 73,677 249,073 82,548 Kingilon, Detroit, Niagara Quebec, Montreal Sidney, Louiiburgh Fredericktown Halifax Charlottetown Placentia, St. John's Windtbr, Rutland Portfmouth, Concord Bofton, Salem, Newbury Port Portland, liallo^ell Newport, Providence New Haven, Hartford New York, Albany Trenton, Burlington, Brunfwiek Philadelphia, Lancafter Dover, Wilmington, Ne\vcaftle Annapolis, Baltimore Richmond, Peteriburgh, Norfolk. Lexington Newbern, Edenton, Halifax Charlefton, Columbia Savannah, Augulta Abingdon Marietta Span. Belong- ing to = r (i R E E N I, A. N D. Countries, Provinces^ and States. Eaft Florida V\ eft Florida Louisiana Ne\v Mexico California Mexico, or New Spain m Augu ft ir.e Pcnfacola Ne\v Orleans St. Fee St. Juan Me. GR-EENLAND. THIS cxtenfive country properly belongs to neither of the two continents; urilefs, as fecms probable, it be united to America to the northward' of Davis' Straits. As it has commonly been tlefc.ribcd as belonging to Europe, we fhall give Outline's account of it in our dcfcription of that quarter of the Globe. From its contiguity to, and probable union with the American continent, however, it appears moft proper to rank it among the countries of the weftern continent ; and we have accordingly given it a place in the table of divisions of N. America, and fliall here give a new dcicription of it from thebeft authorities extant. BOUNDARIES AND EXTENT.] Greenland is bounded by Davis' Straits, which divide it from America, on the weft ; to the northward, it is not limited, except by fome unknown ocean, or by the North pole ; eaft, it has the Icy lea, and a ftrait which fepurates it from Iceland; fouth-caft, it is wafhed by the Atlantic ocean; fouth, it ter- minates in a point called Gipe Farewell, in latitude 59 degrees north. From Cape Farewell, north-eafterly. along the fouth-eaft fhore, the coafthas been difcovered as far as 80 degrees north, and along the weftern ihore, up Davis' Straits, as far as the 7 8th degree. Whether Greenland be an ifland, has not yet been decided, as no fhip has yet penetrated higher than the 78th degree, on account of the ice. That it is not an illand, but a part of the American continent, is rendered probable; ill. Becaufe Davis' Straits,* or rather Baffin's Bay, grows narrower and narrower towards the jSth degree north, ad. Becaufe the coait, which in other places is very high towards the grows lower and lower northward. 3d. The tide, which at Cape Farewell, and as far up as Cockin's Sound, in latitude 65, rifes 18 feet at the new and full moon, dccrcaies to the northward of Dilko, Ib that in latitude 70 it rifes little more than 8 feet, and probably continues to diminifh, till there is no tide at all.-f- To the above may be added the relation of the Greenlanders, (which however cannot be much depended on) viz. that the ftrait contracts itfelf fo narrow at laft, that they can go on * Thefe ftraits were'firft difcovered by John Davis, an Englifliman, in 1585, in his attempt to firfd a north-weft paffage to the Eaft Indies. t See " Ellis' Voyage to Hudfon'sBay for the Difcovery of the N. W. Paflage." p. 50 to 54.' From the reatbns above, the Englifh Capt. Baffin gave up all hope of finding a paflage into the bouth Sea, through Davis' Straits, and confequently concludes that Greenland joins America. O 2, the xoo GREENLAND. the ice fo near to the other fide as to be able to call to the inhabitant?; and that they can ftrike a fifh on both fides at once ; but that there runs fuch a ftrong current from the north into the flrait, that they cannot pafs it. FACE OF THE COUNTRY.] The weftern coaft, which is waihed by Davis" Straits, is high, rocky, barren land, which rears its head, in mod places cloie to the lea, in lofty mountains and inaceeffible cliffs, and meets the mariner's eye 40 leagues at lea. All tliclc, except the exccflively ileep and llippery rocks, are constantly covered with ice and fnow, which has alfo, in length of time, filled all the elevated plains, and many valleys, and probably increases yearly. Thole rocks and cliffs, which are bare of fnow, look, at a difrance, of a dark brown, and quite naked as to any kind of orowth ; but by a nearer infpection, they are found to be interfperfed with many veins of variegated colours of ftone, here and there fpread over with a little earth and turf. POPULATION.] Mofl of the Greenlanders live to the fouthward of the 62d degree of N. latitude, or as the inhabitants are wont to fay, in the fouth ;. but no Europeans live there, fo that thefe parts are but little known. The European colonies have fixed themfelves to the northward of latitude 62. Formerly the weftern part of Greenland was inhabited by forne thoufands of Indians; but the fmall pox, in 1733, almoil depopulated this country, which is the finefl part of Greenland. A fadlor, who lived many years in the country, and whofe accuracy, as far as the fubjecl will admit, may be depended on, found, in the compafs of 40 leagues, which was the circle of his dealings, 957 fouls, conflant residents, betides occalional vifitors. This part of Greenland is the moll populous, except Diiko Bay, (which is the bell place for trade) and the fouthern parts. In other places, a perfon may travel 60 miles and not meet with a fingle perfon. Suppofe, however, that the country is inhabited for thefpace of 400 leagues, and that there are 1000 fouls for every 40 leagues, the amount would be 10,000. The above-mentioned faclor thinks that there are not more than 7000, becaufe there are fa many defert places. He afierts, indeed, that the native Green-landers, in 1730, amounted to 30^000 ; and when he made his firft calcu- lation in 1 746, there were flill 20,0.00. Confequently lince that time their number has diminifhed at leail one half. CURIOSITIES.] The aftornihing mountains of ice in this country may well be reck- oned among its greateft curioiities. Twelve leagues from the colony at Good Hope, lies the famous Ice-glance, called in fbme charts Eis-blink. It is a large high field of ice, whofe glance in the air may be feen for many leagues at fea, refembling the Aurora Borealis. The mouth of an. inlet, four leagues north of the colony, is blocked up in fuch a manner, by many large pieces of ice driven out by the ebb, that it forms a phenomenon like an arched ice bridge, ftretching from land to land, eight leagues in length, and two in breadth.. The openings or arches of it are computed to be from 14 to 40 yards high. People might pafs through them in boats, if they were not afraid . of the broken fragments of ice that often fall from the top and fides of the arches*, Places are found here where Greenland houfcs once flood, which proves that the mouth of this harbour was once open. Nothing can exhibit a more dreadful, and at the fame time a more dazzling appearance, than thofe prodigious mafles of ice that furround the whole coaft in various forms, reflecting a multitude of colours from the fun beams, and calling 1 to mind the enchanting fcenes of romance. Such profpecls they yield in calm weather, but when the wind begins to blow, and the waves to rife in vafl billows, the violent fhocks of thofe pieces of ice dalhing againft one another fill the mind with horror. a The GREENLAND. IQZ The ice mountains are pieces of ice floating in the fea, of an amazing fize, and of very curious forms : fome have the appearance of a church or caftle, with fquare or pointed turrets ; others, of a fhip under fail ; and people have often given thcmfelves fruitless toil to go on board and pilot the imaginary fhip into harbour ; others look like large iflands, with plains, vallies, and hills, which often rear their heads 200 yards above the level of the fea. In Diiko Bay, on a ground which the whale n*fhers fay is 300 fathoms deep, feveral fuch ice mountains have flood faft for many years, one or which they call the city Harlem, and another Amfterdam. This ice for the moft part. Is very hard, clear, and transparent as glals, of a pale green colour, and fome pieces fky blue but if you melt it and let it freeze again it becomes white. TIDES, SPRINGS, AND RIVERS.] The tide flows from ibuth to north, and riles irt common three fathoms in the foutn ; two, at Good Hope, and one at Diiko, and con- tinues to decreafe as you proceed north. It is remarkable that the wells and fprings in the country rife and fall, in cxacl conformity to the waxing and waning of the moon, or the ebbing and flowing of the tides. In winter, efpecially, when all is covered over with ice and mow, new and brifk fountains of water riie at fpring tides, and difappear again in places where there is commonly no water, and which are elevated far above the level of the fea. This country, in general, is not fo well fupplicd with water as the hilly countries in warmer regions. Moft of the fprings which afford clear and wholefbme water have no other fupply than the melted and imbibed fnow water. In the vallies, large por;ds are thinly interfperfcd, \vhich are fed by the ice and fnow di (tilling from the mountains. The little ftreams from the hills, called falmon elves, are not fo confiderable as the hill waters in more fouthern latitudes. The country does not admit of large rivers. The vallies are not long, for the moun- tains prefently fhoot up aloft, and are covered with perpetual ice, which melts very little, and of courfe affords the fprings but a fcanty fupply. Many rprmgs are therefore dry in rummer, and in the winter are arrefted by the froft. Men and beafts would then die of thirft, if a wife Providence had not ordered, that in the hardeft winter, rains and thaws fometimes happen, \vhen the filtrated Ihow water gathers in pools under the ice, and is thence taken by the inhabitants. AIR AND SEASONS.] As this country is covered, in moft places, with cvcrlafting ice and fnow, it is eafy to imagine that it muft be extremely cold. In tliofe places where the inhabitants enjoy the viflts of the fun for an hour or two in a day in winter, the cold is tolerable, though even then ftrong liquors will freeze, when out of the warm rooms. But where the fun entirely forfakes the horizon, while people are drinking tea, the emptied cup will freeze on the table. Mr. Paul Edge, in his Journal' of January yth, 1738, records the following effects of cold at Difko : " The ice and hoar froft reaches through the chimney to the ftove's mouth, without being thawed by the flre in the day time. Over the chimney is an arch of froft with fmall holes, through which the fmoke difcharges itfelf. The door and walls are as if they were plaftcred over with froft, and, which is fcarcely credible, beds are often frozen to the bedftead. The linen is frozen to the drawers. The upper eider-down-bed and the pillaws are quite ftiff with froft an inch thick, from the breath. The flefh barrels muft be hewn in pieces to get out the meat." The moft fevere cold commences in January, and is fo piercing in February and March, that the ftones fplit, and the fea reeks like an oven, efpecially in the 'bays. "\Vhcn this froft fmoke, as it is called, is wafted into the colder atmofphere, it freezes into ion G R E E N L A N D. into little iey particles which are driven by the wind, and create fuch a keen cold on the land, that one can feareely leave the houfe without being frozen. We inu) fix the limits of their fummer from the beginning of May to the end of September; tor during thefe five months the natives encamp in tents. The ground however is not thawed till June, and then only on the furface, and till then, it does not entirely leave off fno\\ ing. In Auguft it begins to lho\v again, but the permanent, ftiows do not fall till Oclol>cr. In the long fumnier days the weather is fo hot as to oblige the inhabitants to throw off" their warm garments. The heat, in a clear fun-' ; >n the open fea, has been known to be l > great, as lo melt the pitch on the \\<\<*> of a fhip. In fummer there is no night in this country. Beyond the 66th degree, in the longcll . the fun docs not fet ; and at Good Hope, in latitude 6ar, the fun does not let till 10 minutes after 10 o'clock, and riles again 50 minute* after one o'clock. The winter days are proportional)] y fhort. PRODUCTIONS, /(range and abrupt ccfTation of all trade and intercourfe has been attributed to various caufcs ; but the moll probable, is the following: the colony, from itsfirft fettle- ment, had been harrafTed by the natives, a barbarous and favage people, agreeing in t uftoms, garb, and appearance, with the Esquimaux found about Hudtbn's Bay. This nation, called Sckrellhigs, at length prevailed againft the Iceland fettlers who in- habited ilie write rn diiiridi, and exterminated them in the I4th century: infomuch, that when their brethren of the caftcrn diftrict came to their afiiftance, they found nothing alive but fome cattle and iiocks of fhcep running wild about the country. Perhaps they themfclves afterwards experienced the fame fate, and were totally de- li ro)cd by thefe Schrcllings, whole descendants liill inhabit the weflern parts of Greenland] and from tradition confirm this conjecture. They affirm that the houfes and villages, whole ruins ftill appear, were inhabited by a nation of ft rangers, whom their anccftors deftroycd. There are reafons, however, for believing that there may be ilill fome defcendants of the ancient Iceland colony remaining in the eaftern dif- trict, though they cannot be vifited by land, on account of the itupendous moun- tains, perpetually covered with fno'w, which divide the two parts of Greenland ; while they have been rendered inacceflible by lea, by the vaft quantity of ice driven from Spitzbcrgen, or E aft Greenland. One \vould imagine that there muft have been fome conliderable alteration in the northern parts of the world fincc the i5th century, fo that the coaft of Greenland is now become almoft totally inaccefiible, though formerly vifited with very little difficulty. It is alfo natural to afk, by what means the people of the eaftern colony furmounted the above-mentioned obstacles when they went to the afiiftance x>f their weftern friends ; how they returned to their own country ; and in what manner hiftorians learned the fuccels of their expedition ? Concerning all this we have very little Satisfactory information. All that can be learned from the mofl authentic records is, that Greenland was divided into two diftricts, called IVeft Bygd and Eajl Bygd; that the weftem division contained four parifhcs and 100 villages: that the eaftern diftrict was ftill more flourifhing, as being nearer to Iceland, fooncr fettled, and more frequented by fhipping from Norway. There arc alfo many ac- counts, though moft of them romantic and flightly attcftcd, which render it probable that part of the eaftern colony ftill fubfifts, who, at fome time or other, may have given the imperfect relation above mentioned. This colony, in ancient times, cer- tainly comprehended twelve extcnfive parifhcs, one hundred and ninety villages, a biihop's fee, and two monafteries. The prefent inhabitants of the wcltcrn district are entirely ignorant of this part, from which they are entirely divided by rocks, moun- tains, and deferts, and ftill more frequently by their apprchenfion : for they believe the caftcrn Qreenlan/iers to be a cruel, barbarous nation, that deftroy and cat all ftrangers who fall into their bands. About a century after all intercourse between Norway and Greenland had ceaSed, Several fhips were fent fucceffively by the kings of Denmark, in order to difcover the caftcrn diitrict ; but all of them mifcarried. Among thcfe ad- venturers, Mogens Heinfon, after having furmounted many difficulties and dangers, got fight of the land, which, however, he could not approach. At his return, he pretended GREENLAND. 105 pretended that the fhip was arreftcd in the middle of her courfe, by certain rocks of loadJlonc at tlie bottom of the fea. The fame year, 1576, in which this attempt was made, has been rendered remarkable by the voyage of Captain Marjin Frobifher, lent upon the lame errand by Queen Elizabeth. He likewife defcribed the land; but could not reach it, and therefore returned to England ; yet not before lie had failed iixty leagues in the ftrait, which It ill retains his name, and landed on feveral iflands, where he had fome communication with the natives. He had likewife taken pofleffion of the country in the name of Queen Elizabeth; and brought away fome pieces of heavy black itonc, from which the refiners of London extracted a certain proportion of gold. In the enfuing fpring, he undertook a fecond voyage at the head of a linall lijuadron, equipped at the expence of the public; entered the ilraits a fecond time ; iliic overed upon an ifland a gold and filver mine ; bellowed names on different bays, illunds, and headlands ; and brought away a lading of ore, together with two natives, a male and a female, whom the Eriglifh kidnapped. Such was the fuccefs of ihis voyage, that another armament was fitted out under the aulpiccs of Admiral Frobilher, confifting of fifteen fail, including a confiderable number of tbldiers, miners, fmelters, carpenters, and bakers, to remain all winter near the mines in a wooden fort, the different pieces of which they carried out in their tranfports. They met with boifterous weather, impenetrable fogs, and violent cur- rents, upon the coaft of Greenland, which retarded their operations until the feafon was far advanced. Part of their wooden fort was loft at fea; and they had neither provision nor fuel fufricicnt for the winter. The admiral therefore determined to return with as much ore as he could procure : of this they obtained large quantities out of a new mine, to which they gave the name of the Countefs of Suflex. They likewife built an houfe of it one and lime, provided with ovens ; and here, with a view to conciliate the affections of the natives, they left a quantity of fmall morrice- bells, knives, beads, looking-glaffes, leaden pictures, and other toys, together with feveral loaves of bread. They buried the timber of the fort where it could be eafily found next year ; and lowed corn, peas, and other grain, by way of experiment, to know what the country would produce. Having taken thefe precautions, they failed from thence in the beginning of September ; and after a month's ilormy paffage, ar- rived in England : but this noble deiign was never profecuted. Chriftian IV. King of Denmark, being defirous of difcovering the old Greenland fcttlcment, lent three fhips thither, under the command of Captain Godlke Linde- now ; who is laid to have reached the eaft coaft of Greenland, where he traded with the lavage inhabitants, Inch as they are Hill foundjn the weftern diltricl, but law no jigns of a civilized people. Had he actually landed in the eaitern divilion, he mult have perceived fome remains of the ancient colony, even in the ruins of tlieir con- vents and villages. Lindcnow kidnapped two of the natives, who were conveyed to Copenhagen ; and the fame cruel fraud* was praclifed by two other fhips which failed * Nothing can be more inhuman and repugnant to the dictates of common juftice, than this practice of tearing away poor creatures from their country, their families, and connections, unlefs we fuppofe them al- together deftitute of natural affection ; and that this was not the cafe with thofe poor Greenlanders, fome of whom were brought alive to Copenhagen, appears from the whole tenor of their conduct, upon their firft capture, and during their confinement in Denmark. When firfl captivated, they rent the air with their cries and lamentations : they eren leaped into the fea ; and, when taken on board, for fome time refufed all fuf- tenance. Their eyes were continually turned towards their dear country, and their faces always bathed in tears. Even the countenance of his Danifli majefty, and the careffes of the court and people, could not alle-. viate their grief. One of them was perceived to ftied tears always when he faw an infant in the mother's arms io6 GREENLAND. failed into Davis's Straits, where they difcovercd divers fine harbours and delightful meadows covered with verdure. In fomc places they arc laid to have found a con- fiderable quantity' of ore, every hundred pounds of which yielded twcnty-lix ounce* of iilvcr. The tame Admiral Lindenow made another voyage to the coaft of Green- land in the year 1606, directing his courie to the weft -ward of Cape Farewell. He coaited along the il raits of Davis; and having made fome obfcrvations on the face of the country, ihe harbours, and if lands, returned to Denmark. Carllen Richards, being detached with two fhips on the fame difcovery, defcricd the high land on the caltern fide of Greenland; but was hindered by the ice from approaching the fhore. Other expeditions of the fame nature have been planned and executed with the fame bad fnccefs, under the aufpices of a Danifh company of merchants. Two fhipg returned from the weftern part of Greenland loaded with a kind of yellow fand, fup- pofed to contain a large proportion of gold. This being affayed by the goldfmiths of Copenhagen, \va> condemned as ufelefs, and thrown overboard: but from a fmall quantity of this fand, which was referved as a curiofity, an expert chcmift afterwards extracted a quantity of pure gold. The captain, who brought home this adventure, was to chagrined at his difappointment, that he died of grief, without having left any directions concerning the place where the fand had been difcovered. In the year 1654, Henry Moller, a rich Dane, equipped a vefTel under the command of David do Nelles, who failed to the weft coaft of Greenland, from which he carried off three women of the country. Other efforts have been made, under the efforts of the Danifh king, for the difcovery and recovery of the old Iceland colony in Greenland : but all of them mifcarried, and people began to look upon fuch expeditions as wild and chimerical. At length the Greenland company at Bergen in Norway tranfported a colony to the weftern coaft, about the 64th degree of latitude, and thefe Norwegians failed in the year 1712, accompanied by the Reverend Hans Egede, to whofe care, ability 7 , and precifion, we owe the beft and moft authentic account of modern Green- land. This gentleman endeavoured to reach the eaftern diftrict, by coafting fouth- wards, and advanced as far as the States Promontory: but the feafon of the year, and continual ftorms, obliged him to return ; and as he could not even find the Strait of Frobifher, he concluded that no fuch place ever exifted. In the year 1724, a fhip, being equipped by the company, failed on this difcovery, with a view to land on the ea ft fide oppolite x to Iceland; but the vaft fhoals of ice, which barricadoed that part of the coaft, rendered this fcheme impracticable. His Danifh majefty, in the year 1728, cau fed horfes to be tranfported to Greenland, in hopes that the fcttlers might, by their means, travel over land to the eaftern diftrict: ; but the icy mountains were found impafTable. Finally, Lieutenant Richards, in a fhip which had wintered near the new Danifh coloirf , attempted, in his return to Denmark, to land- on the eaftern fhore, but all his endeavours proved abortive. Mr. Egede is of opinion, that the only prax^icable method of reaching that part of the country, will be to coaft north-about in fmall veflels, between the great flakes of arms; a circumftance from whence it was naturally concluded, that he had left his wife with a young child in Greenland. Two of them went to fea in their' little canoes in hope of reaching Greenland; but one of them was retaken. Other two made the fame attempt, but were driven by a ftorm OB the coaft of Schonen, where they were apprehended by the peafants, and reconveyed to Copenhagen. One of them afterwards died of a fever, caught in fiftiing pearl, during the winter, for the governor of Kolding. The reft l.ved fome years in Denmark ; but at length, feeing no profpedt of being able to revifit their native country, they funk into a kind of melancholy dilbrder, and expired. 2 ice BRITISH AMERICA. 107 ice and the fliore ; as the Greenlandcrs have declared, that the currents continually ilTuing from the bays and inlets, and running fouth-weftwards along the fhore, hinder the ice from adhering to the land ; Ib that there is always a channel open, through \\hiehveiielsof final i burden "might pals, especially if lodges were built at iuilable diftances on the ihore, for the convenience and direction of the adventurers. BRITISH AMERICA. SITUATION AND EXTENT, T TNDER the general name of Britifh America, we comprehend the vaft and un- *-' known extent of country, bounded fouth, by the United States of America, and the Atlantic ocean ; eaft, by the fame ocean and Davis's Straits, which divide it from Greenland; extending north to the northern limits of the Hudfon's Bay charter; and weftward to an unknown extent lying between 42 30' and 7 north latitude; and between 50 and 105 weft long, from Greenwich ; and between 25 eaft and 30 weft long, from Philadelphia. DIVISIONS.] Britifh America is divided into four provinces, viz. I. Upper Canada; 2. Lower Canada, to which are annexed New Britain, or the country lying round Hudfon's Bay, and the Ifland of Cape Breton; 3. New Brunfwick; 4. Nova Scotia, to which is annexed the Ifland of St. John's. Befides thefe there is the Ifland of New- foundland, which is governed by the admiral for the time being, and two lieutenant governors, who refide at Placentia and St. John's. The troops ftationed at New- foundland, however, are fubject to the orders of the Governor-general of the four Britifh Provinces. NEW BRITAIN. THE country bring round Hudfon's Bay, or the country of the Efquiroaux, com- prehending Labrador, New North and South Wales, has obtained the general name of NEW BRITAIN, and is attached to the government of Lower Canada. A fupcrintendant of trade, appointed by the Governor-general of the four Britifh Pro- vinces, and refponfible to him, refidcs at Labrador. RIVERS.] The principal rivers which water this -country, are the Wager, Monk, iSeal, Pockerekeiko, Churchill, Nelfon, Hayes, New Severn, Albany, and Moofe rivers, all which empty into Hudfon?s and James Bay from the weft. The mouths of all the rivers are filled with fhoals, except Churchill's, in which the largeft fhips may lie; but ten miles higher the channel is obftrucled by fand banks. All the rivers as. far as they have been explored, are full of rapids and cataracts, from ten to fixty feet per- .pendicular. Down thefe rivers the Indian traders find a quick paiTagc; but their return is a labour of many months. P 2 FACE io8 N E W BRIT A I X. FACE OP THE COUNTRY, SOIL, &c.] As far inland as the Huclfon Bay Company have fettlemcnts, which is 600 miles to the well of Fort Churchill, at a place called Hudfon Houfe, lat. 53, Ion. 106 27' W. from London, is flat country: nor is it known how far to the caitward the great chain (ecu by navigators from the Pacific Ocean branches olf. From Moote River, or the bottom of the hay, to Cape Churchill, the land is flat, marfhy, and wooded with pines, birch, larch, and willows. From Cape Clmrchill, to Wager's River, the coafb are high and rocky to the very fea, and woodlefs, except the mouths of Pockerekciko and Seal rivers. The hills on their back are naked, nor are there any trees for a great diftance inland, The eaftern coaft is barren, paft the efforts of cultivation. The furface is every where uneven, and covered with maifes of ftone of an amazing fixe. It is a country of fmitlefs and frightful mountains, fome of an aitonifhing height. The vallies are full of lakes, formed not from fprings, but rain and ihow, fo chilly as to be productive of a few fmall trout only. The mountains have here and there a blighted fhrub, or a. little mofs. The vallies are full of crooked, ftunted trees, pines, fir, birch, and cedars, or rather a fpecics of the juniper. In latitude 60, on this coaft, vegetatiQii ceafes. The whole ihore^ like that on the weft, is faced with iflands at fome diftance from land. INHABITANTS, CUSTOMS, &c.] The inhabitants among the mountains are Indians j along the coafts, Efquimaux. The dogs of the former are very fmall ; of the latter, large, and headed like a fox. Notwithftanding they have rein deer, they never train them for the fledge, but apply their dogs to that ufe. Walrufes vifit a place called Nuchvunk, .in latitude 60, during winter ; from thence the natives purchafe the teeth with which they head their darts. The laudable zeal of the Moravian clergy induced them, in the year 1752, to fend miffionaries from Greenland to this country. They fixed on Nefbit's harbour for their fettlement ; but of the firft party, fome of them were killed, and the others driven away. In 1764, under the protection of the Britifh government, another attempt was made. The miflionaries were well received by the Efquimaux, and the million goes on with fuccefs. CLIMATE.]. The climate, even about Haye's river, in only lat. 57, is, during winter, cxcefTively cold. The fnows begin to fall in October, and continue falling by intervals the whole winter ; and, when the froft is molt rigorous, in form of the fifieft falid. The ice on the rivers is eight feet thick. Port wine freezes into a folid mafs ; brandy coagulates. The very breath falls on the blankets of the beds in the form of a hoar froft, and the bed cloaths often arc found frozen to the wall. The fun riles, in the fhorteft day, five minutes paft nine, and fets five minutes before three. In the longcft day the fun rifes at three, and fets about nine. The ice begins to difappear in May, and hot weather commences about the middle of June, which at times is fo violent as to fcorch the faces of the hunters. Thunder is not frequent, but very violent. But there muft be a great difference of heat and cold in this vaft extent, which reaches from lat. 50. 40, to lat. 63 north. During winter the firmament is not without its beauties. Mock funs, halos are not unfrequent ; they are very bright, and richly tinged with all the colours of the rainbow. The fun riles and fets with a large cone of yellowifh light. The night is enlivened with the Aurora Borealis, which fpreads a thoufand different lights and colours over the whole concave of the Iky, not to be defaced even by the fpleiidour of the full moon ; and the ftars are of a fiery rednefs. ANIMALS.] NEW BRIT A I N. 109 ANIMALS.] The animals of thefc countries are, the moole deer, flags, rein deer, bears, tyger?, buffaloes, wolves, foxes, beavers, otters, lynxes, martins, fquirrels, ermines, wild cats, and hares. The rein deer pals in vail herds towards the nortji in October, lecking the extreme cold. The male polar bears rove out at lea, on the floating ice, molt of the winter, and till June ; the females lie concealed in the woods, or beneath the banks of rivers, till March, when they come abroad with their twin cubs,- and bend their eourfe to the feain fearch of their conforts. Several are killed in their paffage ; and thofe that are wounded fliow vaft fury, roar hideoufly, and bite and throw up in the air even their own progeny. The females and the young, when not interrupted, continue their way to the fea. In June the males return to fhore, and by Auguft are joined by their contorts, with their cubs, by that time of a conliderable iize. The feathered kinds are, geefe, buftards, ducks, growfe, and all manner of wild fowls. Indeed multitudes of birds retire to this remote country, to Labrador and Newfoundland, from places more remotely fouth, perhaps from the Antilles ; and fome even of the moll delicate little fpecies. Moll of them, with numbers of aquatic fowls, are feen returning fouthward with their young broods to more favourable climates. The favages in fome relpecls regulate their months by the appearance of birds ; and have their goofe month, from the vernal appearance of gecfe, from the fouth. All the growfe kind, ravens, cinereous crows, titmoufe, and Lapland finch, brave the fevereli winter; and feveral of the falcons and owls feek fhelter in the woods. Of filh, there are whales, modes, feals, codfifh, and a white fifh, preferable to herrings ; and in their rivers and frefh waters, pike, perch, carp, and trout. All the quadrupeds of thefe countries are clothed with a clofe, foft, warm fur. In fummer there is here, as in other places, a variety in the colours of the feveral animals ; when that lea foil is over, which holds only for three months, they all afTuinethe livery of winter, and every fort of beafls, and moil of their fowls, are of the colour of the fhow ; every thing animate and inanimate is white. This is a furprifing phenomenon. But what is yet more furprifing, and what is indeed one of the moil finking things, that draw the moil inattentive to an admiration of the wifdom and goodneis of Pro- vidence, is, that the dogs and cats from Britain that have been carried into Hudfon's Bay, on the approach of winter, have entirely changed their appearance, and acquired a much longer, fofter, and thicker coat of hair than they had originally. DISCOVERY AND COMMERCE.] The knowledge of thefe northern feas and countries was owing to a project ilarted in England for the difcovery of a north-weft paflagc to China and the Eaft Indies, as early as the year 1576. Since then it has been frequently dropped and as often revived, but never yet completed ; and from the late voyages of difcovery it feems probable, that no practicable paflagc ever can be found. Frobilher difcovered the Main of New Britain, or Terra dc Labrador, and thofe ftraits to which he has given his name. In '15 85, John Davis failed from Portfmouth, and viewed that and the more northern coails, but he feems never to have entered the bay. Hud- fon made three voyages on the fame adventure, the lirli in 1607, the fecond in 1608, and his third and laft in 1610. This bold and judicious navigator entered the ftraits that lead into the bay known by his name, coailed a great part of it. and penetrated to eighty degrees and a half, into the heart of the frozen zone. His ardour for the dif- covcry not being abated by the difficulties he ftruggled with in this empire of winter, and world of frolt and fnow, he flayed here until the enfuing fpring, and prepared, in the beginning of 1611, to purfue his difcoveries, but his crew, who fuffered equal hardfhips, without the fame ipirit to fupport them, mutinied, feized upon him and leven of thofe who were moil faithful to him, and committed them to the fury of the 4 "N E W B R I T A I N. icy fea- in an open boat. Hudfon and his companions were cither fwallowed up by the or gaining the inhofpitablc eoa ft, were deitroyed by the favages ; but the fliip and the rcit of the men returned home. Other attempts towards a diioovcry were made in 1612 and 1667 ; and a patent for plantin* the country, with a charter for a company, was obtained in the year 1670. ,*.. r* .1 * 1 - 1 11. " * i y""i . additional liiiht on this matter, by affording what maybe called demonitration, how much farther North, at lea ft in fome parts of their voyage, fhips muft go, before they can pals from one fide of America to the other. The northern Indians, who came down to the Company's factories to trade, had brought to their knowledge a river, which, on account of much copper being found near it, had obtained the name of the Copper Mine river. The Company being delirous of examining into this matter with prccinon, directed Mr. Hearnc, a young gentleman in their fervicc, and who having been brought up for the navy, and ferved in it the war before laft, was extremely well qualified for the purpole, to proceed over land, under the convoy of thofe' Indians, for that river ; which he had orders to furvey, if poffible, quite down to its exit into the fea; to make obfervations for fixing the latitudes and longitudes; and to bring home maps and drawings, both of it and the countries through which he iliould pafs. Accordingly Mr. Hearnc let out from Prince of Wales's Fort, n Churchill river, latitude 58 47 |' North, and longitude 94 7*' Weft from Greenwich, on the 7th of Pcceml:>er, 1770. Mr. Hearne on the i3th of July reached the Copper Mine river, and found it -all the way, even to its exit into the fea, incumlxn*ed with ihoals and falls, and emptying itfelf into it over a dry flat of the fhore, the tide being then out, which feemcd, by the edges of the ice, to rife about 12, or 14 feet. This rife, on account of {he falls, will carry it but a very final! way within the river's mouth, fo that the water in it has not the leaii brackifh taile. Mr. Hearne is, nevertheless, fure of the place it ^emptied itfelf into being the fea, or a branch of it, by the quantity of whale bone and fea! 1kins which the Efquimaux had at their tents ; and a lib by the number of leals which he favv upon the ice. The fea, at the river's mouth, was full of iflands and ihoals, as far -as he could fee, by the affiftance of a pocket telefcope ; and the ice was not yet (July i7th) broke up, but thawed away only for about three quarters of a mile from the fhore, and for a little way round the ifland and fhoals which lay off the river's mouth. But he had the moil extenfive view of the fea when he was about eight miles up the river, from which ilatlon the extreme parts of it bore N. W. by W. and N. E. By the time Mr. Hearne had finifhed his furvey of the river, which was about one .o'clock in the morning on the i8th, there came on a very thick fog and drizzling rain ; and as he had found the river and fea, in every refpeel unlikely to be of any utility, he thought it unneceffary to wait for fair weather, to determine the latitude more exaclly by observation ; but by the extraordinary care he took in obferving the courfes and diftances, walking from Congccathawkacbaga> where he had two very good obfervations, he thinks the latitude maybe depended on within 10' at the utmolt. It appears from the map which Mr. Hearnc conftru6ted of this fingujar journey, that the mouth of the Copper Mine river lies in latitude 72 N. and longitude 25 W. from Churchill river; that is, about 119 W, of Greenwich. Mr. Hearne's journey back from the Copper * See page 73. Mine UPPER AND LOWER CANADA. in Mine river to Churchill billed till June 3oth 1772 ; fo that he was abfent almofl a year and levcn months. The unparalleled hardfhips he fuffered, and the eifcntial fervicc he performed, have nu;t with a fuitable reward from his mailers. Ho has been fev r i) years governor of Prince of Wales' s Fort on Churchill river, where he was taken tier by the French in 1782. Though the adventurers failed in the original purpofc for which they navigated thn bay, their project, even in its fail ure, has been of great advantage to England. The v.'ii. countries which furround Hudlbn's Bay, as we have already obferved, alxnmd with animals, whole fur and fkins are excellent. In 1 670, a (-barter was granted to- il company, which does not confift of above nine or ten pcrfons, for the exclufive trade to this bay, and they have acted under it ever lince with great benefit to the private men who compote the company, though comparatively with little advantage to Great Britain. The fur and peltry trade might be carried on to a much greater extent, were it not entirely in the hands of this exclufive company, whofe intercltcd,- not to fay iniquitous fpirit, has been the fiibjcct of long and juft complaint. The company employ four fhips, and I3ofeamen. They have feveral forts, viz. Prince of Walcs's fort, Churchill river, Nelfon, New Severn, and Albany, which ftand on the weft fide of the bay, and are garrifoned by 186 men. The French, in May 1782, took and dcfrroyed thefe forts, and the fettlemcnts, &c. faid to amount to the value of 500,000!. They export commodities to the value of 16,000!. and carry home returns 5 to the value of 29,340!* which yield to the revenue 3,734!. This includes the fifhery in Hudfon's Bay. This commerce, fmall as it is, affords immenfe profits to the com- pany, and even fome advantages to Great Britain in general ; for the commodities exchanged with the Indians for their fkins and furs, are all manufactured in Britain ; and as the Indians are not very nice in their choice, fuch things are fent of which there is the greatcft plenty, and which, in the- mercantile phrafe, are drugs. Though the workmanfhip too happens to be in many refpects fo deficient, that no civilized people would take it, it may be admired among the Indians. On the other hand, the Ikins and furs brought from Hudfon's Bay arc manufactured, and afrbrd articles for trading with many nations of Europe, to great advantage. Thefc circumstances prove the immenfe benefit that would redound to Britain, by throwing open the trade to Hudfon's Bay, fincc even in its prefent reftrained ftate it is fo advantageous. The only attempt made to trade with Labrador, has been directed towards the fifhery. Great Britain has no fettlement here. The annual produce of the fifhery amounts to upwards of 49,000!* UPPER AND LOWER CANADA. THE Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, conflituted by act of Parliament in 1791, comprehend the territory heretofore called Canada, or the Province of Quebec, SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Degrees. t , , r6i and 81 W. Ion. from London, or *! ' I between \ 14 E. and 6 W. from Philadelphia. Breadth 550] \ and w BOUNDARIES ! . , TJ P P E K A N D L O W E R C A N A D A. BOUN-DAUII..-, AND DIVISIONS.] Bounded north, by New Britain; eaft, by the Gulf of St. Laurence, and part of the Province of New Brunf\vick ; fouth-eaft and fouth, by the- Ditinrt of Main, New llampihire, Vermont, New York and the lakes; the \\Vlicm boundan is undefined. The Province of Upper Canada is the lame as what is commonly called the Upper Country. It lies north of the great lakes, between the latitudes of 42 30' and 50, and is feparated from New York by the river St. Law- rence, here called the Cataraqui, and the Lakes Ontario and Eric. Lower Canada lies on both fides the river St. Lawrence, between 61 and 71 W. Ion. from London ; and 45 and 52 N. lat. and is bounded ibuth by New Brunfwick, Maine, New I lamplhiiv, Vermont, and New York ; and welt by Upper Canada. The line which divide- l T ppe'' from Lower Canada commences at a Hone boundary, on the north bank of the lake St. lYancis, at the cove welt of Point e an Boudet, in the limit between the tcm nlhip of Lancaltcr and the Seignenrie of New Longnevil, running along the faid limit in the direction of north thirty-four degrees \veft, to the wefternmoli angle of the laid Seigneurie of New Longuevil; thence along the north-weftern boun- dary oi' the Seigneurie of Yandreuil, running north, twenty-five degrees eaft, until it firikes the Ottawas river; to all-end the faid river into the lake Tomifcanning ; and from the head of the laid lake by a line drawn due north, until it flrikes the boundary- line of JIudkm's Bay or New Britain. Upper Canada, to include all the territory to the wefi \\ard and fouthwar.d of the faid line, to the utmoft extent of the country known by the name of Canada- KIVKKS.) The river St. Lawrence is one of the largefl rivers in North America. It iifues from Lake Ontario, forming the outlet of the long chain of great lakes, which frparate Upper Canada from the United States. It takes its courfe north-call ; waihes the ifland of Montreal, which it embofoms ; juft above which it receives Ottawas from the wefi, and forms many fertile iflands. Continuing the fame courfe, it meets the tide upwards of 400 miles from the fea, and is fo far navigable for large verfels. Below Quebec it becomes broad and of fufficient depth for -mips of war. Having received in its courfe, befides Ottawas, St. John's, Seguina, Defpraires, Trois Rivieres, and innumerable other finaller ftreams, it falls into the ocean at Cape Rofieres, by a mouth 90 miles broad. In its courfe it forms a great variety of bays, harbours and iflands, many of them fruitful and extremely plealant. A river lias been lately furveyed, by the deputy Surveyor -General of Canada, from Us. entrance into the Bay of Kenty, near Cadaraqui, to its fource of Lake St. die; from which there is an eafy and fhort portage acrofs N. W. to the N. E. angle of Lake Huron ; and another that is neither long nor difficult, to the fouthward, to the old fcttlemcnt of Toronto. This is a ihort rout from Fort Frontinac to Michillimak- kinak. CLIMVII:.] Winter continues -with fuch feverity from December to April, as that ihc largeft rivers arc frozen over, and the fnow lies commonly from four to fix feet deep during the winter. But the air is fo ferene and clear, and. the inhabitants fo well ended Wjnft the cold, that this feafon is neither unhealthy nor unpleafknt. The Ipnngs open luddcnly, and vegetation is furprizingly rapid. The fummer is delightful, pt that a part .of it is extremely hot. :>n. AXD PROD'UCK.] Though the climate be cold, and the winter long and .is, the foil is in general very good, and in many parts both plealant and fertile, vhcat, barley, rye, with many other forts of grain, fruits, and vegetables ; ) particular, thrives well, and is much cultivated. The ifle of Orleans, near UPPER VXD LOWER CANADA. 113 near Quebec, and the lands upon the river St. Lawrence and other rivers are remark - ahle for the riehncfs of the foil. The meadow grounds in Canada, which are well wa- teivd, yield excellent Aral's, and feed great numbers of great and fmall cattle. ANIMALS. J See this article under the head of the United Stat'-s. PRINCIPAL TOWNS.] Quebec is the capital, not only of Lower Canada, but of all Britifh America, and is fituated at the continence of the rivers St. Lawrence and St. Charles, or the Little River, about 320 miles from the fea. It is built on a rock, partly of marble, and partly of flate. The town is divided into an upper and !o\ver. The houfcs in. both are of ftone, and built in a tolerable manner. The fortifications arc itrong, though not regular. The town is covered with a regular and beautiful ci! in which the governor rclides. The number of inhabitants is computed at about i ;,ooo. The river, which from the lea hither is four or live leagues broad, narrow.; all of a luddrn to about a mile wide. The haven, which lies oppoiite the town, is fiife and commodious, and about five fathoms deep. The harbour is flanked by two lions, that arc raited 25 feet from, the ground, wjiich is about the height of the tides at the time of the equinox. From Quebec to Montreal, which is about 170 milr-s, in failing up the river St. Lawrence, the eye is entertained with beautiful lancl-i apes, the banks being in many places very bold and Itcep, and fhaded with lofty trees. The farms lie pretty clofe all the v. av, feveral gentlemen'-; Imuie-;, neatly built, fhew thcmfelves at intervals, and then: is all the appearance of a tiouriihing colony ; but there are few towns or villages. It is pretty much like the well lettlcd parts of Virginia and Maryland, where the planters arc wholly within thcmfelves. Many beautiful illands are intorfpcrfed in the channel of the river, which have an agreeable crlcvt upon the eye. After pairing the Riche- lieu iflands, the air becomes fo mild and temperate, that the traveller thinks himfclf tranfported to another climate ; but this is to be undcriiood only in thefummer. months. The town called Trois Rivieres, or the Three Rivers, is about half way between Quebec and- Montreal, and has its name from three rivers which join their currents here-, and fall into the river St. Lawrence* It is much relbrted to by feveral nations of Indians, who, by means of thefe rivers, come hither and trade with the inhabitants in various kinds of furs and ikins. The country is pica fan t, and fertile in corn, fruit, &c. and great numbers of handsome houfes ftancl on both fides the river. Montreal frauds on an ifland in the river St. Lawrence, which is ten leagues in length, and four in breadth, at the foot of a mountain which gives name to it, about half a league from the ibuth fhore. While the French had poffeffion of Canada, both the city and ifland of Montreal belonged to private proprietors, who had improved them fo well, that the whole illand had become a mofl delightful fpot, and produced every- thing that could adminifter to the convcnicncies of life. The city form- an oblong fquaro, divided by regular and well-formed iirects ; and when taken by the Englifh the houfes were built in a very handfome manner ; and every houfe might be feen at one view from the harbour, or from the fouthcrnmoil fide of the river, as the hiU on the fide of Avhich the town frauds falls gradually to the water. This place is furrounded by a wall and a dry ditch ; and its fortifications have l>een much improved by the Englifh. Mon- treal is nearly as large as Quebec, but fince it fell into the hands of the Englifh it has iufferedmuch by firc^. : The principal towns in Upper Canada are Kingfron, on Lake Ontari^ Niagara, .between Lake 'Ontario and Lake Erie, and Detroit, ntuated on flic weitcfn bank of Q Detroit ii 4 UPPER AND LOWER CANADA. Detroit river, behveoj; Lake Eric and Lake- Huron, and nine miles below Lake Stv .] By the Quebec, aet. pafled by the parliament of Great Britain in the 1791, to mue:i ot" the ad of the 141!) of George III. palled in the year i 774, as relates to tin ;iment oi" a council lor the government ot" the province of Quebec, and it : J that there ihall be within each of the provinces of Upper . da, Icgiflativc council, and an atiembly, who, with the, content of the ' j pointed by the King, ihall have pemcr to make laws. Tlie Govcr- \vithhold his M.ijeih's intent to bills pr.Hed In the legislative council ami them forhi/Majeliy's pleafuiv. Bills relcrved are to have no till hi> iMajefh's allent is ligniriVd by the Governor, which, to be valid, mult be hin 'two year.- from the time the bill is prciented to the Governor. The -riior mult tranfniit to the Secretary of State copies of Inch bills as have bccnaflen- t( d to, which his Majefty in council may declare his difallowance of within two years from the receipt. The Legislative Council is to confift of not fewer than feven members for Upper, and fifteen for Lower Canada, to be Summoned by the Governor, who mult be authorized by the King. Such members are to hold their feats for life ; unlefs forfeited by four years continual abicnce, or by fwearing allegiance to fome foreign power. The Houle of Artcmblyis to conliSt of not lets thaniixteen members from Upper, and not Ids than fifty from Lower Canada, cholen by the freeholders in the leveral towns and dillricts. The council and aflembly are to be called together at lealt once in every year, and every allcmbly is to continue four years, unlefs fooner diSfolved by the Go- vernor. All queft ions are to be decided by a majority of votes of the members prefent. His M.ijefty may authorize the Governor to fix the time and place of holding the elec- tions, (iubjeCt, however, to fuch provilions as may hereafter be made by the Legislature") and to Six the times and places of holding the feSIions of the aflembly, and to prorogue and dirlolve the fame whenever he fhall judge it neceflary. The Governor, together with fuch of the executive council as fhall be appointed by the King, for the affairs of each province, are to be a court of civil jurifdicTtion for hear- ing and determining appeals, lubject, however, to fuch appeals from their judgement as heretofore exilied. All lands in Upper Canada are to be granted hereafter in free and :ommon ibccage ; and alfo in Lower Canada, when the grantee mall deli re it, iubject thelefs to alterations by an acTt of the Legislature. Britilh America is luperintended by an officer failed Governor General of the four Britilh provinces in North America, who, beSides other powers, is commander in chief '1 the Britilh troops in the four provinces and the governments attached to them and Newfoundland. Each of the provinces have a Lieutenant Governor, who, in the abfence of the Governor General, has all the powers requisite to a chief magistrate. POPULATION.] Upper Canada, though an infant fettlement, is faid by fome to con- tain 40.000, by others, only 20,000 inhabitants. The truth probably is between them. Lower Canada, in 1784, contained 113,012 fouls. Both provinces may now contain about 150,000 fouls, which number is multiplying both by natural increafe and by emigrations. * Niagaiffcnd Detroit, though nmu in pofleffion of the EritiSh government, contrary to treaty of peace, are fcotb within the limitf of the United Staus. RELIGION THE ISLAND OF CAPE BRETON. . RELIGION.^ A* many as about nine tenths of the inhabitants of thefc provinces are "Roman Catholics, who enjoy under the prefent government, the fame proviiion, rights^ and privileges, as were granted them in 1774, by the act of I4th of George III. The reli of the people are Episcopalians, Prefbyterians, and a few of almoft all the different leets of Chriftians. Agreeably to constitution, his Majcfty may authorise the Governor to make allot- ments of land-, for the fupport of a Protcitant clergy in each province, out of the crown lands already granted ; and to the fame purpofc is to be appropriated the amount of one feventh of the value of all future grants of lands. His Majefty may authorize the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, to erecl parfonages, according to the cftablifhment of the church of England, within every townlhip, or pariili already, formed, or which" may hereafter be formed; and to endow them with fo much of the lands appropriated, as aforefaid, as they fhall judge to be expedient ; and alfo to prefent to every Inch paiionagc, a minifter of the church of England, duly ordained, who is to hold and enjoy in the lame manner, and upon the fame conditions, as incumbents in England. But prcfentations to parfonages, and the enjoyment of them, are to be fub- icct to the ccclefiaftical jurifdietion granted to the biihop of Nova Scotia. TRADE.] The amount of the exports from the province of Quebec, in the year 1786, was 343 , -26 2 : 19 : 6. The amount- of imports in the fame year was 325,1 i 6. The exports conlifted of wheat, flour, bifcuit, rlaxfced, lumber of various kinds, fiih, pot- afh, oil, ginfeng and other medicinal roots, but principally of furs and peltries, to the amount of 285,977. The imports coniifled of rum, brandy, molaifcs, coffee, fugar, wines, tobacco, fait, chocolate, provifions for the troops, and dry goods. HISTORY.] This country was difcovered by the Englifh as early as about 1497, anc ^ fettled by the French in 1608, who kept poflefTion of it till 1760,, when it was taken by thcBritifh arms, and at the treaty of Paris, in 1763, was ceded, by France, to the crown of England, to whom it has ever fi nee belonged. For the bell hiftory of this country the reader is referred to Charlevoix's hiftory of it ; to the Encyclopedia Britannica ; articles, Canada, Quebec, and America, No. 200, and 207. THR ISLAND OF CAPE BRETON. Annexed to the Province of LOWER CANADA. THE ifland, or rather collection of iflands, called by the French Lss Ifles dc Madame t which lie fo contiguous as that they are commonly called but one, and compre- hended under the name of the Ifland of Cape Breton, lies between lat. 45 and 47 N. and between 59'' and 60, W. long, from London, or 14 and 15 E. long, from Phi- ladelphia, and about 4^ leagues to the ea ft ward of Halifax. It is about 100 miles in length, and 50 in breadth ; and is fepa rated from Nova Scotia by a narrow ftrait, call- ed the Gut of Canfo, which is the communication between. the Atlantic Ocean ard the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It i>s fuiTonnded with little fharp-pointed rocks, feparated from each other by the waves, above which fomc of their tops are vifible. All its harbours are open to the caft, tum- Q 2 !U Il6 THE TSJ.AXD OF CAPE BRETON. ing towards ijhc fou'.h. On the other parts of the coafl there are but a fe-.v anchoring nail veiieK in creeks or between illets. Hie harbour of St. Peters, ,: oi ilio iiland, is a very commodious place lor carrying on the FACE OF THE COI-NTRY, CLIMATE, SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.] Except in the hilly rountrv ha- but little iblidity, bein'n; cverv where covered with Sight mof - and with water. The dampnefs of the foil is e> haled in fogs, Without ren- dering the air umvholelbme. In other rclpeets, the climate is very cold, owing either to thc^prodigious quantity of lakes, which cover above half the ifland, and remain fro- -/en a long time ; or to the number of forefts, that totally intercept the rays of the fun ; thectfcet'of which isbclidcs decreased by perpetual clouds. The inhabitants never applied themtelvds to agriculture, the foil being unfit for it* They often lowed corn, but it feldom came to maturity ; and when it did thrive fo much as to be worth reaping, it had degenerated fo confiderably, that it was not fit for lecd for the next harvefh They have only continued to plant a few potherbs that are tolerablv well tailed, but muft be renewed every year from abroad. 'Die poorncfs and fcarcity of pafturcs has likcwife prevented the increafe of cattle. In a word, the foil of Cape Breton iecms calculated to invite none but fifhermen and foldiers. Though the ifland was entirely covered with forefts before it was inhabited, its wood has fcarce ever been an object of trade. A great quantity, however, of loft wood, was found there, tit for firing, andlbmc that might be ufed tor timber ; but the oak has al- ways been icarce, and the fir never yielding much rcfin. POPULATION, CHIEF TOWNS, &c.] On this ifland there are aborrt 1000 inhabitants, AN ho have a lieutenant governor relident among them, appointed by the king. The principal towns are Sidney, the capital, and Louifburg, which has the belt harbour in the ifland. This ifland may be confidered as trie key to Canada, and the very valuable fifKery, in its neighbourhood, depends for its protection on the poffefTion of this ifland ; as no nation can carry it on without fome convenient harbour of ftrength to fupply and pro- tect it ; and Louilburg is the principal one for thefe purpofes. TRADE.] The peltry trade was a. very inconfiderable object. It confirmed only in the {kins of a few lynxes, elks, mufk-rats, wild cats, bears, otters, and foxes, both of a red, filver, and grey colour. Some of thefe were procured from a colony of Micmac Indians, who had fettled on the ifland with the French, and never could raife more than 60 men able to bear arms. The reft came from St. John's or the neighbouring continent. Greater advantages might poffibly have been derived from the coal mines which abound in this ifland. They lie in a horizontal direction ; and being no more than fix or eight feet below the furfacc, may be worked without digging deep, or drain- ing off the waters. Notwithstanding the prodigious demand for this coal from Ne\v England, from the year 1745 to 1749, thefe mines would probably have been forfa- ken, had not the fra'ps, which were fcnt out to the French iflands, wanted ballaft. In one of thefe mines, a fire has been kindled which could never yet be extinguished. The people of Cape Breton did not fend all their fifh to Europe. They lent part of it to the French fouthcrn iflands, on board 20 or 25 fhips from 70 to f 40 tons burden. Bcfides the cod, which make at lealt half their cargo, they exported to the other colo- timber, planks, thin oak boards, falted falmon and mackerel, train oil, and fea-coal. Thefe were paid for, fome in fugar and coffee, but chiefly in rum and molarles. The 2 ifland THE ISLAND OF CAPE BRETON. 117 ifland could not confumc all thefe commodities. Canada took off but a fmall part of (he overplus; it was chiefly bought by the people of New England, who gave in ex- change, fruits, vegetables, wood, bricks, and cattle. This trade of exchange was al- lowed, but a firmggling trade was added to it, carried on in flour, and fait iifh. In 1743, while this iiland belonged to the French, they caught 1,149,000 quintal- 1 of dry fifh, and 3,500,000 do. of mud- fifh, the value of both which, including 3.1 16| tons of train oil, drawn from the blubber, amounted to 926.577 : 10. Itcrling, accor* ding to the prime coft of the fifh at Newfoundland. The whole value of this trade, an- nually, at that period, amounted to a million llerling. J^o lets than 564 fhips, befides fhallops, and 27.000 feamen, were employed in this trade. Charlcvoix, in his Hiftory of France, fays, " This fifhery is a more valuable Iburce of wealth and power to France, than even the mines of Peru and Mexico would be." HISTORY.] Though fomc fiihermen had long refortcd to this iiland every fummer, not more than 20 or 30 had ever fixed there. The French, who took pofTeilion of it in Auguft 1/13, were properly the firil inhabitants. They changed its name into that of IJle Royak, and fixed upon Fort Dauphin for their principal fettlement. This har- bour was two leagues in circumference. The fhips came to the very ihore, and were fhcltercd from the winds. Forcfls, affording oak. fufficient to fortify and build a large rit}-, were near at hand ; the ground appeared lefs barren than in other parts^ and the filliery was more plentiful. This harbour might have been rendered impregnable at a trifling cxpcnce ; but the difficulty of approaching it (a circumfhince that had at firll made a ftronger imprcffion than the advantages refulting from it) occafioned it to be abandoned, after great labour had been beftowed upon the undertaking. They then turned their views to Louiiburg, the accefs to which was eafier ; and convenience was thus preferred to fecurity : the fortification of Louiiburg, however, was not begun till 1720. In the year 1714, fome fifhermcn, who till tlien had lived in Newfoundland, fettled in this ifland. It was expected that their number would foon have been increafed by tlie Acadians, who were at liberty, from the treaties that had been granted them, to remove with all their efFecls, and even to difpofe of their cflatcs ; but thefe hopes were difappointcd. The Acadians chofe rather to retain their poffeffions under the domi- nion of Britain, than to give them up for any precarious advantage they might derive from their attachment to France. Their place was fupplied by fome diftreffed adven- turers from Europe, who came over from time to time to Cape Breton, and the number of inhabitants gradually increafed to 4000. They were fettled at Louiiburg, Fort Dauphin, Port Toulouie, Neruka, and on all the coafts where they found a proper beach for drying the cod. This iiland remained in pofTeflion of the French till 1745, when it was captured for the crown of Great Britain, by a body of troops from New England, under the command of Lieutenant General William Pcpperell. For the authentic particulars of this important, fingular, and fuccefsful expedition, fee " The American Apollo." Part I. Vol. I. containing the publications of the Hiflorical Society, inBofton. Alfo Ency- clopedia Britannica, article Breton. NOVA [ II* ] NOVA SCOTIA. tic Princes of NEW BRUNSWICK and NOVA SCOTIA. I!()l NDARIES AND EXTENT. Miles. th 400 i Jth 300 J Degrees. {43 30 and 49 north latitude. 60 and 67 eaft longitude from London. 8 and 15 caft longitude from Philadelphia. T> OUNDED on the north, 'by the River St. Lawrence ; eaft, by M DARII-S.J J} t | R , Q U J ( - ot - St> L awrencej (which wafhcs its coaft no leagues in extent, from the Gut of Canlb, at its (entrance into the gulf, to Cape Rozier, which forms the fourth part of the .River St. Lawrence) and by the Gut of Canfo, which divides it from Cape Breton ; fouth, it is wafhed by the Atlantic Ocean, having a lea ronft of 90 leagues, from Cape Canfo, eaft, to Cape Sables, weft, which forms OIK; part of the entrance into the Bay of Fundy, -which allb forms a 'part of its Ibuthern boundary ; weft, by a part of Lower Canada, and the District of Maine. The traclx)f country within thcfe limits, known by the name of Nova Scotia, or New Scotland, was, in 1784, divided into two provinces* viz. New Brunfwick on the north-weft, and Nova Scotia on the fouth-eaft. The former comprehends that part of the old province of Nova Scotia, which lies to the northward and westward of a line drawn from the mouth of the River St. Croix, through the center of the Bay of Fundy to Bay Verte, and thence into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, including all lands within 6 leagues of the coaft. The reft is the province of Nova Scotia, to which 1 is annexed, the iiland of St. John's, which lies north of it, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. DIVISIONS.] In 1783, were the following counties in Nova Scotia, viz. Counties. I'own/Jjips. Syivhom fettled. Rivers. HANTS, -on the river Avon. HALIFAX. Eaftern part of Nova Sco- lia. Windfor Falmouth Newport Halifax London Dec. Truro Onflow Colchefter Lawrence Southampton ( info j Tinmouth Avon or Pigiguit"^ All empt) ing St. Croix I into the Avon, Kenetcoot [and except the J laft navigable. ~\ Navig. 40 m.- for 1 veil", of 60 tons. ! Cocmiguen Cacaguet J Cobeguit Irim & Scotch Shcbbenaccadie. Boatal)l<^, "Pitcoudiac Mcmremeoot ' KINGS, N OVA S C O T I A. 119 C ^tulles. By whom fettled. Rivers. KINGS, Cornwallis r ; on the Bafon Y )j Miner, Horton i j Wilmot ") fett. from Ire. J and New Eng. ido. afinetown- ANNAPOLIS, iliip 30 miles on Annapolis Granvillc in leng. on the river. Annapolis Bay of Fundy. Clare 1 40 families of X- ltll Vy J Acadians. - Moncton J-x ? 1 Cumberland CUMBER- LAND, Sackville, -i fettled from N. jEng.&Yorkfh. at the head of , Amherft, ] fettled from N. Bay of Fundy. Hilllboro' >of Ire. N. Eng. .Hope we 11 J and Yorklhirc } > Conway m SlTNBURY, Gage Town on the river. Burton St. John's, ^Sunbury north fhore of Bay of St. Ann's Willmot ^ fettled from iMaffachufetts, Fundy. Newton fConnec'ticut, ^ Maugerville J &C. ^ Argyle Scots & Acad. - QUEENS, 1 Yarmouth New England. fmall I lahitant, navig. for vcfT. 0^40 tons a fmall diftanrc. Canaid, nav. for vefl'. of 160 tons 3 or 4 miles. CormvaUis, navig. for veif. of 100 tons 5 m. for v. of 50 tons 10 m. Salmon river.* Annapolis, navigable for fhips of any burthen 10 miles of 100 tons 15 miles ; tide flows 30 miles, paf- fable in boats to within 20 miles of Horton. An Lac ^ which are nav. 3 or 4. Marcquefh L miles for vefTels of 5 La Planche J tons. Napan 1 ^ ,, . T\/r i inoal rivers. ^ Macon vMemrem 1 Pctcoudia > navigable 4 or 5 miles. Chepodic J Herbert i navigable by boats to L .11*1 UV_i L i*j1 l "i tits head 12 miles. St. John's, defcribed under the head of rivers. fouth fide of fBarrington Bay of Fundy. (Sable 111.) - Liverpool 1 New Dublin LUNENBURG, \ on Mahone S-Lunenburg Bay. I Cheiter J Blandford -i Quakers from ^ None j Nantucket. New England.- - Irifli formerly, j now Germans. Germans }None, New. England. 3 families only. * There are fettlements of Acadians on all thefe rivers, whofe banks are good land. RIVERS, , :o NO V A S C O T I A. RIVERS, BAYS, LAKKS, and CAPES.] Moll of the rivers which water this country have a! ready been mentioned. The rivers Rifgonche and Njpifiguit, run from well to rail into Cluleur and Nipilijniit Hays which communicate with the Gulph of St. Lawrence-. The river St. Croix, (which is the true St. Croix, is yet' undetermined) emptier ii.:o PaU'amaquoddv Bay, and forms a part of the boundary between New Brunhsuk and Main. St. John's is the large ft river in the province. It empties into the north fide of the bay of Fundy, and is navigable for vcilels of 50 tons, 60 mile-, .,,,,} t;,,- ' -ward-; of 200 miles. This is a common rout to Quebec. The banks Ilia viver, enriched by the annual frcfhcts, are excellent land. About 30 miles from the, mouth of this river commences a fine level country, covered wit h large tree.-, O f timl. :-ious kind-;. Malts from 20 to 30 inches in diameter, have been cut on this traH. The tide flows, in this river, 80 or 90 miles. It furnimes the inha- bitants with falmon, bats, and liurgeon. Near fort Howe, the river fucMenly narrows, and oc.cafiotis a fall at certain times of tide, like that at London Bridge. The coafi of thefe provinces is indented with numerous bays, and commodious har- bours. The principal, as you dciceml foutherly from the mouth of St. Lawrence river, arc G.ifpee, Chaleur, Yerte, which is fcparated from the bay of Fundy by a narrow ilthmus of about 18 miles wide; cape and harbour of Canfo, 40 leagues eaftward of Halifax. Chcdabucto Bay is about 10 leagues N. W. of Canfo. Chebuclo Bay, on which Hands the town of Halifax. In the bay of Fundy, which extends 50 leagues into the country, the ebb and flow of the tide is from 45 to 60 feet. Chenigto Bay is at the head of Fundy Bay. Pafiarnaquoddy Bay borders on the DiltricT: of Main, and receives the waters of St. Croix river. At the entrance of this bay is an iiland, granted to feveral gentlemen in Liverpool, in Lancafhire, who named it Campobcllo. At a very confiderable cxpencc, they attempted 10 form a fettlcmcnt here, but failed. On feveral other ifiands in this bay there are fettlements made by people from Mafiaehufetts. Among the lakes in thefc provinces, which are very numerous, and as yet without names, is Grand Lake, in the province of New Brunfwick, near St. John's river, about 30 miles long and 8 or 10 broad, and in fome places 40 fathoms deep. The principal capes are Cape Canfo, on the weft fide of the entrance into Chcda- \;udo Bay, and Cape Sables, on the eaft fide of the entrance into the bay of Fundy. PRINCIPAL TOWNS.] Halifax is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia. It - frauds on Chebu6lo Bay, commodioufly fituatcd for the fifhery, and has a communi- cation with other parts of this province and New Brunfwick, by land and water carriage. It has a good harbour, where a finall fquadron of mips of war lies during the winter, and in the fummer protects the fifhery. The town has an entrenchment, and is flrcngthencd with forts of timber. It is faid to contain 15 or 16,000 inhabitants. Shelburne (Nova Scotia) on Port Rofeway, near Cape Sables, was fuppofed, in 1783, to 600 families. Since that time it has become lets populous. Guyiborough, (Nova Scotia) formerly called Manchcficr, fituatcd on Chcdabucto Bay, about 10 lea -ucs N. W. of Cape Canfo, contained, in 1783, about 250 families. Ilawdon (Nova Scotia) 40 miles from Halifax, has about 60 houfes. Annapolis (Nova Scotia) on^ the cart fide of Fundy Bay, has one of the fined harbours in the world. In other refpccls it is a poor, inconiiderable place. Fredricktown, about 90 miles up St. John's River, is the 'capital of the province of New Brunfwick. CLIMATE, NOVA SCOTIA. 111 CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] During a great part of the year, the atmof- pherc is clouded with thick fog, which renders it unhealthy for the inhabitants ; and four or five months it is intcnfely cold. A great part of this country lies in foreft, and the foil, in many parts, is thin and ban-en. On the banks of the rivers, however, nnd fome other parts, the foil is very good, producing large crops of Engliih grafe, hemp, and flax : many of the bays, and fait water rivers, and form; parts of the fea coair, are bordered with fine tratts of fait marfh. The inhabitants do not raife provi- lions enough for home confumption, Fours.] Thcfe are Fort Edward at Windfor, capable of containing 200 men ; Annapolis, in its prefent Hate, 100; Cumberland, 300; Fort Howe, on St. John's River, 100; bolides which there are barracks, inclofcd in a ftockade at Cornwallis, for about 50 men. INDIANS.] Thcfe are the Micmacks, and the tribe called the Marechites. The former inhabit the caltern fhore, between Halifax and Cape Breton ; between Cum- berland county and the north-eafl coaft of the province, towards Chaleur Bay ; about the heads of the rivers which run through the counties of Hants and King's County ; and between Cape Sable and Annapolis Royal. This tribe is fuppotbd to have about 300 fighting men. The Marechites inhabit the river St. John, and around PafTama- quoddy Bay; arc cftimatcd at 140 fighting men; they are much fuperior in all refpeU to the Micmacks. ANIMALS.] The fame as in the United States, though much lefs numerous. TRADE.] The exports from Great Britain to this country confift chiefly of linen nnd woollen cloths, and other neccfTaries for wear, of fifhing tackle, and rigging for fhips. The amount of exports, at an average of three years, before the new lettlcments, was about 26,500!. The only articles obtained in exchange are, timber and the produce of the fifhery, which, at a like average, amounted to 38,000!, But from the late increase of inhabitants, it is fuppofed that they will now erccl faw mills, and endeavour to fupply the Weft India iflands with lumber of every kind, as well as the produce of the fifhery, which will be a profitable article to both countries. The whole population of Nova Scotia and the iflands adjoining, is cftimatcd at 50,000. This cflimate it is fuppofed is confiderably too large. Recent accounts of thefe fettlements rcprcfent them as in a declining Hate, having great numbers of the houfes built in the new towns uninhabited, and confiderably reduced in value. HISTORY.] Notwithstanding the forbidding appearance of this country, it was here that fome of the firfl European fettlements were made. The firft grant of lands in it was given by James I. to his fecretary, Sir William Alexander, from whom it had the name of Nova Scotia, or New Scotland. Since then it has frequently changed hands, from one private proprietor to another, and from the French to the Englifh nation backward and forward. It was not confirmed to the Englifh, till the peace of Utrecht, and their deiign in acquiring it docs not feem to have ar lien fo much from any profpecl: of direct profit to to obtained by it, as from an apprehenfion that the French, by pof- fefling this province, might have had it in their power to annoy the other Britiih fettlements. Upon this .principle, 3000 families were transported in 1749, at the charge of the government, into this country, who built and fettled the town of Halifax. R ISLAND ISLAND OF ST. JOHN. THIS iflaml lies in tin- iiulf of St. Lawrence, near the northern coait of the pro- vince of N otia. and is about 60 miles long, and 30 or 40 broad. It has A line rive; i foil, and is plcalantly iituated. Charlotte-town i. its principal .:, and i, the relidenre of the lieutenant-governor, who is the chief oiriccr on the illaiul. The number of inhabitants arc cftimatcd at about 5000. Upon the reduction of Cape Br< ton, in 1745, the inhabitants of this ifland, amounting to about 4000, fubmittcd quietly to the Britifh arms. -While the French poflcflcd this ifland, they iinproved it to to much advantage, that it was called the granary of Canada, which it mrmilu-d \vith great plenty of corn, as well us beef and pork. It is attached to the uf Nova Scotia. NEWFOUNDLAND ISLAND. \TEWFOUNDLAND is fituated to the eaft of the gulf of St. Lawrence, between ^ 46 and 52 degrees of north latitude, and between 53 and 59 degrees weft long. icparated from Labrador, or New Britain, by the ftraits of Belleiile ; and from Canada, by the bay of St. Lawrence ; being 550 miles long and 200 broad. The coafts are mcly fubjecl to fogs, attended with almoft continual ftorms of fnow and fleet, the Iky being ufually overcaft. From the foil of this ifland the Britifh reap no great advantage, for the cold is long continued and fcvere ; and the fummer heat, though violent, warms it not enough to produce any thing valuable ; for the foil, at leaft in thofc parts of the ifland which have been explored, is rocky and barren. However, it i- watered by feveral good rivers, and has many large and good harbours. This ifland, whenever the continent fhall come to fail of timber, convenient to navigation (which on the fea coaft perhaps will be at no very remote period,) it is faid, will afford a large fupply for mafts, yards, and all forts of lumber for the Weft India trade. But what at prefent it is chiefly valuable for, is the great fifhery of cod carried on upon thofc fhoals, which are called the Banks of Newfoundland. Great Britain and North America, at the loweft computation, annually employ 3000 fail of fmall craft in this filhcry ; oil board of which, and on fhore to cure anci pack the fifh, are upwards of 100,000 hands ; fo that this fifhery is not only a very valuable branch of trade to the merchant, but a fource of livelihood to fo many thoufands of poor people, and a moft excellent nurfery to the royal navy. This fifhcry is computed to increafe the national flock 300,000!. a year in gold and filver, remitted for the cod fold in the North, in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the Levant. The plenty of cod, both on the great bank and the lefier ones, which lie to the eaft and fouth-eaft of this ifland, is inconceivable; and not only cod, but feveral other fpecies of fifh, are caught there in abundance ; all of which are nearly in an equal plenty along the fhores of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New England, and the ifle of Cape Breton ; and very profitable fifheries are carried on upon all their coafts. This ifland, after various difputes about the property, was entirely ceded to England by tkc treaty of Utrecht, in 1713 ; but the French were left at liberty to dry their nets 3 on. THE UNITED STATES. northern fhores of the iiland; and by the treaty of 1763, they were permitted to iilh iu the gulf of St. Lawrence, hut with this limitation, that they fhould not approach within three leagues of any of the coafts belonging to England. The nnall illands of St. Pierre and Miquclon, iituatedto the foutlrward of Newfoundland, were alfo ceded to the French,, who Stipulated to erect no fortifications on thefe iilands, nor to keep in >re than 50 foldicns to enforce the police. By the laft treaty of peace, the French arc to '."irjoy the fifheries on the north and on the weft coafts of the iiland ; and the inhabitants of the United States are allowed the fame privileges in frilling as before their independence. The chief towns in Newfoundland are, Placentia, Bonavifta, and St. John's : but not above 1000 families remain here in winter. A finall iquadrou 01 nx'ii of war are fent out every ipring to protect the fifheries and inhabitants, the admiral of which, for the time being, is governor of the ifland, beiidcs whom there an-, two lieutenant governors, one at Placentia, and the other at St. John's. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Degrees. T ., r 31 and 46 North latitude. ;] between J 8 E. and 24 W. longitude from Philadelphia. Breadth 1040 / \ ^ ^ ^ ^ longitl f dc from London . -, TJOUNDED north and eafi by Britilh America, or the provinces JL> of Upper and Lower Canada, and New Bruntwick ; fouth- caft, by the Atlantic Ocean ; fouth, by Eaft and Welt Florida ; weft, by the river MifliiTippi. In the treaty of peace, concluded in 1783, the limits of tlie American United States are more particularly defined in the words following : " And that all difputes which might arilein future ou the Subject of the boundaries of the laid United States may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declared, that the following are and fhall be their boundaries, viz. From the north-weft angle of Nova Scotia, viz. that angle which is formed by a line 4 r ^wn due north from the fource of St. Croix River to the High- lands, along the faid Highlands, which divide thoic rivers that empty themfclves into ihe river St. Lawrence, from thofe which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the north- -wefternmoft heajd of Connecticut river ; thence down along the middle of that river to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude; from thence by a line due well on faid latitude, iintil it ftrikes the river Iroquois or Cataraqui ; thence along the middle of the faid river into Lake Ontario ; through the middle of laid lake, until it ftrikes the commu- nication by \vater between that lake and Lake Erie ; thence along the middle of laid communication into Lake Erie, through the middle of faid lake, until it arrives at tlu\ water communication between that lake and Lake Huron ; thence through the middk of laid lake to the water communication between that lake and Lake Superior ; thence through Lake Superior, northward of the Illes Royal and Phillipcaux, to the Long Lake ; thence through the middle of faid Long Lake, and the water communication Ix'twrt-n it and the Lake of the Woo4-s, to the faid Lake of the Woods ; thence thro' the faid lake to the molt nurih-\veltern point thereof, and from thencf, on a .due w-elt R 2 v oourfe. X24 THE UNITED STATES, v-ovrfe, to the River Mifiifiippi :. thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of faid r Miflifiippi, until it fliall interfea tlie northernmoft part of tho thirty-fail degree of north latitude. ' Sou M>, by a line to be drawn due caft from the determination of the line laft- mcntioned. in the latitude of thirty-one degrees north of the equator, to the middle of the River Apnl.Khichola, or Catahouehe~; thence along the middle^ thereof to its junction wrth the Flint River ; thence ftrait to the head of St. Mary's River; and thciwe down along the middle of St. Mary's River to the Atlantic Obean. " Ea-fr, hy a line to be drawn along the middle of the River St. Crobc, from its mouth, in thw Bay of Knndy, to its fourcc, and from its fource directly north, to the aforelUid Highlands whieh 'divide the rivers that fall into tlie Atlantic Oceaiv, from fhofe wliich 1'aH into the River St. Lawrence ; comprehending all iflands within twenty leagues of any part of the ihores of the United States and lying between lines to be drawn due ea'ft from the points where the aforcfaid boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and Eaft Florida on .the , other, fhall respectively touch the Bay of Funcly and tho Atlantic Ocean, excepting luch iflands as now are, or heretofore have been, within the limits of the laid province of Nova Scotia." The territory of the United States, according to 3fr. Hutchini, contains, by compu- tation, a million of fquare miles, in which are 640.000,000 acres Deduct for water 51,000,000 Acres of land in the United States 589,000,000 That part of tlie United States comprehended between the weft boundary line of" Pcnnfylvania, on the call ; the boundary line between Great Britain and the United S extending from the River St. Croix to the north-weft extremity of the Lake of the Woods, on the north ; the River Miiliffipp^, to the mouth of the Ohio, on the weft ; and the River Ohio on the fouth, to the aforementioned bounds of Pcnnlyl- vunia, contains, by computation, about 411,000 fquare miles, in which are 2-63,040,000 acres. Deduct for water 43,040,000 To be difnofcd of by order of Congrefs, T 1 - 22 J when purchafed of the Indians - The whofe of this immenfe extent of unappropriated weftern territory, containing, ; >ove ftated, 220,000,000 of acres, and fcveral large tracts fouth of the Ohio,* have been, by the cefTion of" fome of the original thirteen ftates, and by the treaty of peace, transferred' to the federal government, and are pledged as a fund for finking the < onimumcation between the ports of Georgia and New Hamp- ftiirc foi more expeditious And .ieable, than between thole of Provence and * s~* . i * * ^ i A r> * i * _ _/"*_ 1 1 ! ,1 ^"t ._ A _ VaU.uetaniv and Elizabeth rivers, in Virgin* hanmri'. NN ill open a communication from the Carolinas to the weftern counties of ania mid Nr York. The improvements of the Potomak will give a pafiage iilu-rn ftates to the wciiern parts of Virginia, Maryland, Pennfylvania, and .even to the lake-. 1 roin Detroit to Alexandria, on the Potomak, lix hundred and ,cn miles, arc but t\\o carrying places, which together do not exceed the diftance of v mile<. The canals of "Delaware and Chefapeak will open the communication from South Carolina to New Jerfey, Delaware, the moft populous parts of Penn- i\ Ivania, and the midland counties of New York. Were thefe and the propofed canal ween Aihley and Cooper-rivers in South Carolina, the canals in the northern parts of the ftate of New York, and thofe of Mafia chufetts-and New Hampfhirc all opened, North America, would thereby be converted into a clufter of large, and fertile iiiands, communicating with each other with cafe and little- expence, and in many inftances \\ ithout the uncertainty or danger of the feas. There is nothing in other parts of the globe, which refembles-thc prodigious chain of lakes in this part of the world. They may properly be termed inland leas of frefh itiT : and even thofe of~thc fecond r third clais in magnitude are of larger circuit than the greateft lake in the eaftern- continent. Some of the moft northern lakes belonging to the United States, have-never been furveyed, or even vifited by the white people; of'courfe we have no defcription of them which can be relied on as accurate. Others have been partially furveyed, and their relative iituation determined. The bell account of them which we have been able to procure is as follows : The Lake of the Woods, the moft northern in the United States, is fo called from the large quantities of wood growing on its banks; fuch as oaks, pincs^ firs, fpruce, &c. This lake lies nearly eaft of the fouth end of Lake Winnepeek, and is fuppofed to be the fource or conductor of one branch of the river Bourbon, if there be.fach a river. Its length from eaft to weft is faid to be about fcventy miles, and in fome places it is forty miles wi$e. The Killiftinoe Indians encamp on its borders to fifli and hunt. This lake is the communication between the Lakes Winnepeek and Bour- bon, and Lake 1 Superior. Rainy, or Long Lake, lies eaft of the Lake of the Woods, and is faid to be nearly an hundred miles long, and in no part more than twenty miles wide. Eaftward of this lake lie feveral fmall ones, which extend in a firing to the great carrying place, and thence into Lake Superior. Between thefe little lakes are fevcral carrying places, which render the trade to the north-weft difficult, and exceedingly tedious, as it takes two years to make one voyage from Michillimakkinak to thefe parts. Lake Superior, formerly termed the Upper Lake, from its northern iituation, is fo called from its magnitude, it being the largeft on the continent- It may juftly be termed the Cafpian of America, and is fuppofed to he the larger! body of frefh water on the globe. According to the French charts, it is 1500 miles in circumference. A great part of the coail is bounded by rocks and uneven ground. The water is pure iranfparent, and appears generally throughout the Jake, to lie upon a bed of huge rocks. It has been remarked, in regard to the waters .of this lake, with how much ?mth I pretend not-to fay, that although their furface, during the heat of the rummer, is THE UNITED STATES. 127 is impregnated with no fmall degree of warmth, yet on letting down a cup to the deptli of about a fathom, the water drawn from thence is cool and refrelhing. The iituation of this lake, from the moil accurate ohfervations which have come to our knowledge, lies between forty-fix and fifty degrees of north latitude, and between nine and eighteen degrees of weft longitude from the meridian of Philadelphia. There are many iflands in this lake, two of them have each land enough, if proper for cultivation, to form a conlidcrable province; efpecially lile Royal, which is not lefs than an hundred miles long, and in many places forty broad. The natives fup- pofe thefe i Hands are the relidencc of the Great Spirit. Two large rivers empty themfelves into this lake, on the north and north-eaft fide ; one is called the Nipegon, which leads to a tribe of the Chipcways, who inhabit a lake of the fame name, and the other is the Michipicooton river, the fource of which is towards James Bay, from whence there is faid to be but a fhort portage to another river, which empties itfelf into that bay. Not far from the Nipegon is a fmall river, that, juit before it enters the lake, has a perpendicular fall from the top of a mountain, of more than a hundred feet. It is very narrow, and appears at a diitance like a white garter fufpended in the air. There are upwards of thirty other rivers, which empty into this lake, fome of which are of confiderable fize. On the fouth lide of it is a remarkable point or cape of about lixty miles in length, called Point Chegomegan. About an hundred miles weft of this cape, a coniiderable river falls into the lake, the head of which is compofed of a great afTemblage of fmall ft reams. This river is remarkable for the abundance of virgin copper that is found on and near its banks. Many imall iflands, particu- larly on the caliern fhores, abound with copper ore lying in beds, with the appearance of copperas. This metal might be ealily made a very advantageous article of com- merce. This lake abounds with fiih, particularly trout and llurgeon ; the former weigh from twelve to fifty pounds, and are caught almoil any feafon of the year in great plenty. Storms affect this lake as much as they do the Atlantic Ocean ; the waves run as high, and the navigation is equally dangerous. It difchargcs its waters from the fouth-eaft corner, through the Straits of St. Marie, which are about forty miles long. Near the upper end of thefe ftraits is a rapid, whirh, though it is impof- fible for canoes to aft end, yet, when conducted by careful pilots, may be dcfcended without danger. Though Lake Superior is fupplied by near forty rivers, many of which are large, yet it does not appear that one tenth part of the waters which are conveyed into it by thefe rivers, is difcharged by the above-mentioned ft rait. Such a fupcrabundance of water can be difpofed of only by evaporation.* The entrance into this lake from the * That fuch a fuperabundance of water mould be difpofed of by evaporation is no fingular circumftance. " There are fome leas" fays an ingenious correfpondent, who has not obliged me with his name, " in which there is a pretty juft balance between the waters received from rivers, brooks, &c. and the wafte by evapo- ration. Of this the Cafpian Sea, in Afia, affords an inftance ; which, though it receives feveral large river?, has no outlet. There are others, (to fpeak in borrowed language) whofe expence exceeds their income; and thefe would foon become bankrupt, were it not for the fupplies which they conftantly receive from larger collections of water, with which they are connected ; fuch are the Black and Mediterranean feas ; into the former of which there is a conftant current from the Mediterranean, through the Bofphorus of Thrace ; and into the latter, from the Atlantic, through the Straits of Gibraltar. Others again derive more from their tributary ftreams than they lofe by evaporation. Thefe give rife to large rivers. Of this kind are the Dambea in Africa, the Winipifeogee in New Hampihire, Lake Superior, and other waters in North America; and the quantity they difcharge is only the difference between the influx and the evaporation. It is obferveabk, Ia8 THE UNITED STATES. the Straits of St. Marie affords one of the moil pleafing profpecls in the world. On the left may he feen many beautiful little iflands that extend a confiderable way be- lake is frequently troubled. Lake Huron, into which you enter through the Straits of St. Mane, is next in magni- tude' to Lake Superior. It lies between 43- 30' and 46 30' of north latitude, and Ijetween lix and eight degrees weft longitude. Its circumference is about one thouiand miles. On the north iide of this lake is an iiland called Manataulin, fignifying a place of fpirits, and as coniidcrcd as facred by the Indians. On the Couth-weft part of this lake is Saganaum Bay, about eighty miles in length, and about eighteen or twenty miles broad. Thunder Bay, fo called from the thunder that is frequently heard here, lies about half way between Saganaum Bay and the north-weft corner of the lake. It is about nine miles acrofs either way. The fifh are the fame as in Lake Superior. At the north-weft corner this lake communicates with Lake Michigan, by the Straits of Michillimakkinak. The Cliipeway Indians live fcattcrcd around this lake ; particularly near Saganaum Bay. On its banks are found amazing quantities of fand cherries. Michigan Lake lies between latitude 42 10' and 46* 30' north; and between 1 1 arid 13 weft long, from Philadelphia. Its computed length is 2,80 miles from north to fouth; its breadth from fixty to feventy miles. It is navigable for fhipping of any burthen ; and at the north-eaftern part communicates with Lake Huron, by a ftrait lix miles broad, on the fouth fide of which Hands fort Michillimakkinak, which is the name of the ftrait. In this lake arc feveral kinds of fiih, particularly trout of an. excellent quality, weighing from twenty to fixty pounds, and fome have been taken in the Straits of Michillimakkinak, of ninety pounds. Weftward of this lake are large meadows, faid to extend to the Miffiffippi. It receives a number of rivers from 4 he weft and caft, among which is the river St. Jofeph, very rapid and full of iflands ; it fprings from a number of fmall lakes, a little to the north-weft of the Miami village, and runs north-weft into the fouth-eaft part of the lake. On the north iide of this river is fort St. Jofeph, from which there is a road, bearing north of eaft, to Detroit. The Powtcwatamie Indians, who have about 200 fighting men, inhabit this river op- polite fort St. Jofeph. Between Lake Michigan on the weft, and Lakes Huron, St. Clair, and the weft cwd of Krie on the eaft, is a fine tract of country, peninfulated, more than 250 miles iu length, and from 150 to 200 in breadth. The banks of the lakes, for a few miles inland, are fandy and barren, producing a few pines, fhrub oaks, and cedars. Back of this, from cither lake, the timber js heavy and good, and the foil luxuriant. Lake St. Clair lies about half way between Lake Huron arid Lake Erie, and is about ninety miles in circumference. It receives the waters of the three great lakes, Superior, Michigan, and Huron, and difchargcs them through the river or itrait, call- t-d Detroit, (which is in French, the ftrait) into Lake Erie. This lake is of an oval obfervcnble, that on the fliores the evaporation is much greater than at a diftanee Irom them on the ocean. The remarkable clufter of lakes in the middle of North America, of which Lake Superior is one, was k>ubtlefs defigned, by a \vife Providence, to furnifh the interior parts of the country with that iup/ly of va- pour?, without which, like the interior parts of Africa, they muft have been a mere dele'rt. Jt rmy be thought equally furprizing that there fhould be any water at all difcharged from them, as that the quantity {houJd bear ie lame name, about nine miles below Lake St. Clair. The ictt'lemen- I extended on both rides of the ftrait or river for many miles to- .Tds Lake Erie, and ibme few above the fort. Lake Erie is iituated between forty-one and forty-three degrees of north latitirl<\ and lx*tween 3 40' and 8 degrees weft longitude. *t is nearly three hundred miles long 1'rom eaii 10 weft, and about forty in its broadcft part. A point of land pro- nortli fide into this lake, fcveral mile*, towards the fouth-eafr, called Long. Point. The iiiancls and banks towards the weft end of the lake are fo in''. :o lender it dangerous to land on them. The lake is eovered near tile banks of the i (lands with the large pond lily, the leaves of whieh lie on the liirface ot' the water fo thick In a half pint tumbler of this water has been found a fediment of one inch of impalpable marle-like fob* . It is, notwithftandmg, extremely wholefome and well tailed, and veiy cool in the hottclt feaibns of ;tu- year ; the rowers, who are there employed, drink of it when they are in the nrelr. perfpiration, and never any bad effcds from it. The inhabitants of New Orleans iife no other water than thai of the river, by being kept in jars, becomes perfectly clear. a The THE UNITED STATES. 13 i The direction of the channel is fo crooked, that from New Orleans to the mouth of the Ohio, a difiance which docs not exceed four hundred and fixty miles in a ftrait line, is about eight hundred and fifty-fix by \vatcr. It may he fhortencd at leaft two hun- dred and fifty miles by cutting acrofs eight or ten necks of land, fome of which are not thirty yards wide. Charlevuix relates that in the year 1722, at Point Coupee, or Cut Point, the river made a great turn, and fome Canadians, by deepening the channel of a fmall brook, diverted the waters of the river into it. The impetuoiity of the ftrcam was fo violent, and the foil of fo rich and loofe a quality, that in a lliort time the point was entirely cut through, and travellers faved fourteen leagues of their voyage. The old bed has no water in it, the times of the periodical overflowings only exceptcd. The new channel has been lince founded with a line of thirty fathoms, without finding bot- tom. Several other points, of great extent, have, in like manner, been fince cut off^ and the river diverted into new channels. In the fpring floods the Mifiiilippi is very high, and the current fo ftrong that it is with difficulty it can be afccnded ; but this difadvantagc is remedied in fome meafuFe by eddies or counter currents, which are generally found in the bends clofe to the banks of the river, and aifiil the afcending boats. The current at this feafon defcends at the rate of about five miles an hour. In autumn, when the waters are low, it does not run fifter than two miles, but it is rapid in fuch parts of the river as have clufters of iflands, fhoals, -and land banks. The circumference of many of thefe fhoals being feveral miles, the voyage is longer and in fome parts more dangerous than in the fpring. The mer- chandize ncccffary for the commerce of the upper fcttlements on or near the Mifliflippi, is conveyed in the fpring and autumn in batteaux, rowed by eighteen or twenty men, and carrying about forty tons. From New Orleans to the Illinois, the voyage is com- monly performed in eight or ten weeks. A prodigious number of iflands, fome of which are of great extent, intcrfpcrfe that mighty river. Its waters, after overflowing its banks below the river Ibberville on the caft, and the river Rouge on the weft, never return within them again, there being many outlets orftreams, by which they are con- ducted into the bay of Mexico, more efpecially on the weft fide of the Mifliflippi, di- viding the country into numerous iflands. Thefe fingularities diftinguifh it from every other known river in the world. Below the Ibberville, the land begins to be very low on both fides of the river, acrofs the country, and gradually declines as it approaches nearer to the fea. The iiland of New Orleans, and the lands oppofite, are to all ap- pearance of no long date ; for in digging ever fo little below the furface, you find water and great quantities of trees. The many beeches and breakers, as well as inlets, which have arifen out of the channel within the laft half century, at the feveral mouths of the river, are convincing proofs that this peninfula was wholly formed in the fame manner. And it is certain that when La Salle failed down the Mifliflippi to the fea, the opening of that river was very different from what it i=; at prefent. The nearer you approach to the fea, this truth becomes more ftriking. The bars that crofs nioft of thefe fmall channels, opened by the current, have been multiplied iby means of the trees carried down with the ftreams ; one of which, flopped by its roots or branches in a fhallow part, is fufficicnt to obftruct the paflage of thoufands more, and to fix them at the fame place. Aftonifhing collections of trees are daily feen in pafling between the Balize and the Miflburi. No human force is fufficient to remove them, and the mud carried down by the river ferves to bind and cement them together. They are gradually covered, and every inundation not only extends their length and breadth, but adds another layer to their height. In left than ten years time, S 2 canesj , 32 THE UNITED STATES. mes, f :]ly {hi ft the bed of the river. .1 with certainty, respecting the length of this river- Its fotirce is not kii'.nvu. but luppofed to be upwards of three thoufand miles from the tea as the riser runs. U'c only know, that from St. Antony's falls in hit. 45, it glides with a r current, and receives many large and very extcnfive tributary ftreams Ion \\ith the Miliouri, without greatly incrcaiing the breadth of the .'u-v do its depth and rapidity. 1 ; ie muddy waters of the MirTouri past of the river, till it empties i;:;o tin 1 Bay of Mexico. The Mif- , broader, and deeper river than the Miffiflippi, and affords a more lion ; it is, in tact, the principal river, contributing more to the common m than does the MiflitHppi. It has been afcended by French traders about twelve or thirteen hundred miles, and from the depth of water, and breadth of the river at that diftance, it appeared to be navigable many miles further. >m the Miilburi river, to nearly oppoiite the Ohio, the weftcrn bank of the Mif- fiilippi, is, fome few places excepted, higher than the eaftern. From Mine au fer, to the Ib;->crville, the eaitern bank is higher than the wefteni, on which there is not a fingle difcernible riling or eminence, the diftance of feven hundred and iifty miles, u the Ibberville to the fea, there are no eminences on either fide, though the eaf- tern bank appears rather the'higheft of the two, as far as the Englifh turn. Thence !>anks gfadualiy diminifh in height to the mouths of the river, where they are but a few feet higher than the common liirface of the water. The flime which the annual floods of the river Mifliffippi leaves on the furface of the adjacent fhorcs, may be compared with that of the Nile, which depoiits a iimilar ma- nure, and for many centuries paft has infured the fertility of Egypt. When its baliks lhall have been cultivated, as the excellency of its foil and temperature of the climate i ts population will equal that of any other part of the world. The trade, wealth, and power of America, may, at fome future period, depend, and perhaps center upon the MiflifFippi. This alfo refembles the Nile in the number of its mouths, all iffuing into a fea that may be compared to the Mediterranean, which is bounded on the north and fouth by the two continents of Europe arid Africa, as the Mexican bay is by North ,and South America. The fmaller mouths of this river might be ealily flopped up, by means of thofe floating trees with which the river, during tTie floods, is always covered. The whole force of the channel being united, the only opening then left would proba- bly grow deep, and the bar be removed. \\hoever for a moment will caft his eye over a map of the town of New Orleans, and the immenfe country around it, and view its advantageous iituation, mufl be con- vinced that it, or fome place near it, mufl, in procefs of time, become one of the grerU- eft marts in the world. The falls of St. Anthony, in about latitude 45, received their name from Father is Hennipin, a French miflionary, who travelled into thefe parts about the year 1680, and was the firft European ever feen by the natives. The whole river, which ore than 250 yards wide, falls perpendicularly about thirty feet, and forms a molt .ing cataract. The rapids below, in the fpace of three hundred yards, render the nt confiderably greater; ib that when viewed at a diftance, they appear to be. much higher than they really are. In the middle of the foils is a fmali ifiand, about fort}- fert broad, and fomewhat longer, on which grow a few cra^ged hemlock and fpruce trees ; and about half way between this ifland and the eaftern fhore is a rock, lying at the very edge of the fall, in an oblique poiition, five or fix feet broad, and 4 . thirty THE UNITED STATES. 133 thirty or forty long. Thcfe falls arc peculiarly lituated, as they are approachable with- out the lead obftruclion from any intervening hill or precipice, which cannot be faid of any other considerable faJ\\ perhaps in the world. The country around is exceed- ingly beautiful. It is not an uninterrupted plain, where the eye finds no relief, but compofed of many gentle afcents, which in the fpring and fummer are covered with verdure, and interfperfcd with little groves, that give a pleafmg variety to the profpccL A little diftance below the falls is a fmall ifland of about an acre and an half,, on which grow a great number of oak trees, almoft all the branches of which, able to bear the weight, are, in the proper leafon of the year, loaded with eagle's nelts. Their in- ftincTtive wifdom has taught them to choofe this place, as it is fecure, on account of the rapids above, from the attacks of either man or beaft. From the beft accounts that can be obtained from the Indians, we learn that the four moft capital livers on the continent of North America, viz. the St. Lawrence, the Miffifrippi, the River Bourbon, and the Oregon, or the river of the Weft, have their fources in the fame neighbourhood. The waters of thethree former are faid to be within thirty miles of each other ; the latter is rather farther weft. This fhews that thcfe parts are the higheft lands in North America ; and it is an iii- ftance not to be paralleled in the other three quarters of the globe, that four rivers oi fuch magnitude ihould take their rile together, and each, after running feparate cour- fes, difc.harge their waters into different oceans, at the diftance of more than two thou- fand miles from their fources. For in their pafiage from this fpotto the bay of St. Law- rence, eaft ; to the bay of Mexico, fouth ; to Hudibn's Bay, north ; and to the bay at the ftraits of Annian, weft ; where the river Oregon is fuppofed to empty, each of them traverfes upwards of two thoufand miles. The Ohio is a moft beautiful river. Its current gentle, waters clear, and bofom fmooth and unbroken by rocks and rapid^, a iingle initance only exccpted. It is one quarter of a mile wide at Fort Pitt ; five hundred yards at the mouth of the Great Kan- haway ; 1200 yards at Louifville ; and the rapids, half a mile, in fome few places be- low Louifville : but its general breadth does not exceed 600 yards. In fome places its width is not 400, and in one place particularly, far below the rapids, it is lefs than 300. Its breadth in no one place exceeds 1200 yards, and at its junction with the Mif- iilrippi, neither river is more than 900 yards wide.* Its length, as meafured according to its meanders by Capt. Hutchins, is as fol- io \vs. From Fort Pitt Miles. Miles. To Log's Town 18 | To Hockhocking 16 Big Beaver Creek 10 | Great Kanhaway- 82 f Little Beaver Creek 13! Guiandot 43! Yellow Creek ii| Sandy Creek 14$ Two Creek; 21 ,| Sioto ' 48 f Long Reach 53! To Little Miami 126$ End Long Reach 16 f Licking Creek 8 Mulkingum 2.6 | Great Miami 2.6 | Little Kanhaway 12 | Big Bones 32. * The alterations in the clefcription of this rivfr were received by the Author from Col. George Morgan ef New Jeriey, a gentleman of accurate obfervation, and who has repeatedly pa fed this river from Pittiburg U> its junction with the MifiiifiDJpi. To i 34 T H K UNITED STATES. To KVntui-U 44 l - To Big Cave Rapids ' 7/1 j.Shawnee River Low Country 155 I Cherokee River Butlalo River 64 \ Malfac \\ "abalh 97 i MilfiiTippi 1188 In .common \\ intrr and fpiing floods, it affords 30 or 40 feet \vater to Louifvilic, 25 or : L;i i'artc's rapids, forty miles above the mouth of the great K; r.haway, irnry at all times for light hatteaux and canoes to Fort Pitt. The rapids in latitude 38 C 8'. The inundations of this river begin about the lall of Ma: h, and fublide in July', although they frequently happen in other months, fo that boats which rarry 300 barrels of flour, from the Monongahela, or Youhiogany, above Pittiburg, liavc feldoin long to wait for water only. During thefe floods a firft rate man of war may be carried from Louifville to New Orleans, if the fudden turns of the river and the ftrrugth of its current will admit a late flcerage ; and it is the opinion of Coi. Morgan, who has had all the means of information, that a vcflel properly built for the lea, to draw 12 feet water, when loaded, and carrying from 12 to 1600 barrels of flour, may be more eafily, cheaply, and fa fcly navigated from Pittfburg to the lea, than thole now in ule ; and that this matter only requires one man of capacity and enterprize to afcertain it. He obfervcs, that a vellel intended to be rigged as a brigantine, fhow, or fliip, fhould be double decked, take her mails on deck, and be rowed to the Ibbcrville, be- iow which arc no iflands, or to New Orleans, with 20 men, fo as to afford reliefs of 10 and 10 in the night. Such a veflel, without the ufe of oars, he fays, would float to New Orleans, from Pittlburg, 20 times in 24 hours. If this be fo, what agreeable profpects are prefented to our brethren and fellow citizens in the weftern country. The rapids at Louifville defccnd about 10 feet in a length of a mile and a half. The bed of the river there is a folid rock, and is divided by an ifland into two branches, the ibuthern of which is about two hundred yards wide, but impafTablc in dry feafons. The bed of the northern branch is worn into channels by the conftant courfe of the water, and attrition of the pebble Hones carried on with that, fo as to be paffable for battcaux through the greater part of the year. Yet it is thought that the Ibuthern arm may be moil eaiily opened for conftant navigation. The rife of the waters in thefe rapid j does not exceed 20 or 25 feet. We have a fort, fltuated at the head of the falls. The ground on the fouth lidc riles very gradually. At Eort Pitt the river Ohio lofes its name, branching into the Monongahela and Allegany. The Monongahela is four hundred yards wide at its mouth. From thence is twelve or fifteen miles to the mouth of Yohogany, where it is three hundred yards wide. Thence -to Halftone by water is fifty mHes, by land thirty. Then to the mouth of Cheat river, by water forty miles, by land twenty-eight, the width continuinc; at three hundred yards, and the navigation good for boats! Thence ihe width is about two hundred yards to *hc weflern fork, fifty miles higher, and the navigation frequently interrupted by ra- pids ; which, however, with a Iwcll of two or three feet, become very paffable for bo its. It then admits light boats, except in dry feafons, fixty-fivc miles further, to the head of Tygart's valley, prclcnting only fomc fmall rapids and falls of one or two tect perpendicular, and leflening in its width to twenty yards. The Weftern fork h :>a ridable in the winter ten or fifteen miles towards the northern of the Little Kanhuway, and THE UNITED STATES. 135 will admit a good waggon road to it. The Yohogany is the principal branch of this river. It paifcs through the Laurel mountain, about thirty miles from its mouth ; is., fo Jar, from three hundred to one hundred and fifty yards wide, and the navigation much obltructed in dry weather by rapids and Ihoals. In its paflagc through the moun- tain it makes very great falls, admitting no navigation for ten miles, to the Turkey foot. Thence to the Great Croffing, about twenty miles, it is again navigable, except in dry feafons, and at this place is two hundred yards wide. The fources of this river are di- vided frnm thole of the Patomak by the Allegany mountain. From the falls, where it inierfects the Laurel mountain, to Fort Cumberland, the head of the navigation on the Patomak, is forty miles of very mountainous road. Will's creek, at trie mouth of which was Fort Cumberland, is thirty or forty yards wide, but affords no navigation as yet. Cheat river, another confiderable branch of the Monongahcla, is two hundred yards wide at its mouth, and one hundred yards at the Dunkard's (ettlement, fifty miles higher. It is navigable for boats, except in dry fcafon*. The boundary between Vir- ginia and Pennfylvania crolTes it about three or four miles above its mouth. The Allegany river afford* navigation at all feaibns for light batteaux to Venango, at the mouth of French creek, where it is two hundred yards wide ; and it is pra&iied even to Le Boeuf, from whence there is a portage of fifteen miles and a half to Pre6jn Ifle on Lake Erie. The country watered by the Miffiffippi and its eaftern branches conltitutes five-eighths of the United States ; two of which five-eighths arc occupied by the Ohio and its w*aters: the rciiduary it reams, which run into the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic, and the St. Lawrence, water the remaining three-eighths. Before we quit the fubject of the wcilcrn waters, we will take a view of their prin- cipal connections with the Atlantic. Thefe are four, the Hudlbn's river, the Patomak, St. Lawrence, and Miffiffippi. Down the laft will pafs all the heavy commodities. But the navigation through the Gulf of Mexico is fo dangerous, and that up the Miffiffippi fo difficult and tedious, that it is thought probable that European merchandize will not be conveyed through that channel. It is moft likely that flour, timber, and other heavy articles will be floated on rafts, which will themfelves be an article for fale as well as their loading, the navigators returning by land, as at prefent. There will therefore be a competition between the Hudibn, the Patomak, and the St. Lawrence riveis, for the reiidue of the commerce of all the country weftward of Lake Erie, on the waters of the lakes of the Ohio, and upper parts of Miffiffippi. To go to New York, that part of the trade which comes from the lakes or their waters, muit firft be brought into Lake Krir. Between Lake Superior and its waters, and Huron, are the rapids of St. Marie, which will permit boats to pafs, but not larger veiTels. Lakes Huron and Michigan afford communication with Lake Erie by vcflels of eight feet draught. That part of Ihe trade which comes from the waters of the Miffiffippi, mull pals from the mthrough ionic portage into the waters of the lakes. The portage from the Illinois river into a water of Michigan, is of one mile only. From the Wabafh, Miami, Muikingum, or Allegany, are portages into the waters of Lake Erie, of from one to fifteen miles. When the commodities are brought into and have paiYed through Lake Erie, there is between that and Ontario an interruption by the falls of Niagara, where the portage is ot eight miles ; and between Ontario and the Hudlbn's river are portages of the falls of Onondago, a little above Ofwego, of a quarter of a mile ; from Wood creek to the Mo- hawks river, two miles ; at the little falls of the Mohawks river, half a mile, and from Scheneetady to Albany, fixteen miles. Befides the increafe of expence occafioncd by frequent change of carriage, there is an incrcafcd riik of pillage produced by committing merchandize 136 THE UNITED STATES. of hands fucceflivcly. TiuvPaiomak offers itfclf* For the trade of i i their \va f ers wefr-: ward of ihall have entered that lake, nr its fouthern v lliorc 'Hint of the nu;> oi" it- harbours : the noniiern, though jhort- ; ng fow harbours, and thef<> unfafe. Having reached Cayahoga, to pro-^ reed on to Nc\v York, it v.ill b /lit hundred suftd twenty-five miles and five portage-;; whereas it is hut four lumdred and twenty-rive miles to Alexandria, its emporium on the I'uio nak, if it turns into the Cayahoga, and paries through -that, Big- >r, Ohio, Yohogany, (or Munongalia and Chc:u) and Patomak, and there are but two portages ; the iirfr of which, between Cayahoga and Beaver, may be removed I \ uniting the fources of thefe waters, which an; lakes in the neighbourhood of each other, and in a champaign country; the other, from the waters oi" Ohio to Patomak, will be from fifteen to fort-, according to the trouble which ihall be taken to approach the two navigations. For the trade of the Ohio, or that which Ihall come into it from it* own waters or the Miffirlippi, it is nearer through the Patomak to Alexandria than New-York, by five hundred and eighty miles, and is -interrupted by one portage only. There is another circumitancc of difference too. The lakes them-- felves never freeze, but the communications between them freeze, and the Hudlbn's river is itfrlf fhut up by the ice three months in the year ; whereas the channel to the k leads directly into a warmer climate. The fouthern parts of it very rarely freeze at all, and \vheneverthe northern do, it is fo near the fources of the rivers, that the frequent floods, to which they are there liable, break up the ice immediately, ib that vcltcls may pafs through the whole winter, fubjcct only to accidental and inort delays. Add to all this, tlxat in cafe of a war with our neighbours of Canada, or the Indians, the rout to New York becomes a frontier through almoft its whole length, and all commerce through it 'ceafes from that moment. But the channel to New York is already .known to practice; whereas, -the upper waters of the Ohio and the Patomak, and the great falls of the latter, are yet to be cleared of their fixed ob- ilrjictions. The rout by St. Lawrence is well known to be attended with many advantages, and with fome difadvantages. But there is a fifth rout, which the enlightened and cnterprizingPennfylvaniaus contemplate, which, if effected, will be theealiefi, cheapeft, and furcfi: pafTage from the lakes, and Ohio river, by means of the Sulquehanna, and a canal from thence to Philadelphia. The latter part of this plan, viz. the canal be- tween Sulquehanna and the Schuylkill rivers is now actually in execution. Should they accomplifh their whole fcheme, and they appear confident of fucccls, Philadel- phia in all probability will become, in fome future period, the largeii city that has ever yet exiitrd. Particular defcriptions of the other riverjs in the United States are referred to be ;i in the geographical account of lliofe ftates through which they refpectively flow. -One general oblervation reflecting the rivers will, 'however, be naturally in- troduccd here, and that is, that the entrance .into almoft all the rivers, inlets, and bays,- from New Hampfhire to Georgia, are from fouth-eaft !o north-weft. BAYS. I The coaft of the United States is indented with numerous bays, fome of which are equal in fize to any in the known world. -Beginning at the north-eaiterly part oi the continent, and proceeeding fouth-weflerly, you firtt'find the bay or gulf of St. Lawrence, which receives the waters of the river of the fame name. Next are Jhedabukto and Chebukto Bays, in Nova Scotia, the latter diitin-mimed by the lofs fleet in a former. war between France and Great Bnouj. The Bay of Funcly, THE UNITED STATES: i 37 Fundy, between Nova Scotia and New Brunfwick, is remarkable for its tides, which rife to the height of fifty or lixty feet, and flow fo rapidly as to overtake animals which feed upon the fhorc. PafTamaquoddy, Penohfcot, Broad and Cairo Bays, lie alon the coall of the diftrict of Maine. Mairachufetts Bay fprcads eaftvvard of Bof- ton, and is comprehended between Cape Ann oil the north, and Cape Cod on the ibuth. The points of Boffon Harbour arc Nahant and Alderton Points. Faffing by Narraganfct and other bays in the flate of Rhode Ifland, you enter Long Ifland: Sound, between Montauk Point and the Main. This Sound, as it is called, is a kind of inland lea, from three to twenty-five miles broad, and about one hundred and forty miles long, extending the whole length of the ifland, and dividing it from Con- sent. It communicates with the ocean at both ends of Long Ifland, and affords a very fafe and convenient inland navigation. The celebrated itrait, called Hell-Gate, is near the weft end of this found, about eight miles eaflward of New York dity, and is remarkable for its whirlpools, which make a tremendous roaring at certain times of tide. Thcle whirlpools are occafioned by the narrownefs and crookednefs of the pafs, and a bed of rocks which extend quite acrofs it ; and not by the meeting of the tides from call to well, as has been conjec- tured, becaufe they meet at Frogs' Point, leveral miles above. A fkilful pilot may with fafety conduct a ihip of any burden through this limit with the tide, or, at fall water, with a fair wind *, Delaware Bay is fixty miles long, from the cape to the entrance of the river Dela- ware at Bombay Hook; and fo wide in fome parts, as that a ihip, in the middle of it, cannot be feen from the land. It opens into the Atlantic north-weft and fouth-eaif, between Cape Henlopen on the right, and Cape May on the left. Thefe capes are eighteen or twenty miles apart. * The following ingenious geological remarks of Dr. Mitchell's, on certain maritime parts of the flate of New York, deferve a place in this connection : " From the furvey of the foffils in thefe parts of the American coaft one becomes convinced, that the principal {hare of them is GRANITICAL, compofcd of the fame forts of materials with t/M higbeft Alps, Pyrenees^ Cancafus, and Andes, and like them deftttutt of metals and petrifactions. The occurrence of no horizontal ftrata, and the frequency of vertical layers, lead us further to fuppofe that iLefe are not fecondary coUeftions of minerals, but are certainly in a Jiate of primeval arrangement. The Steatites, Amianthus, Shoerl, FeLlfpath, Mica, Garnet, Jafpar, Shiftus, Ajbeftos, aud Quartz, mufl all be confidered V& primitive foffili 9 and by no tycans of an alluvial nature* What inference remains now to be drawn from this ftatement of facls, but that the fafhionable opinion of confidering thefe maritime parts of our country as flats, hove up from the deeps by the fea, or brought down from the heights by the rivers, ftarvds unfupported by rcafon, and contradicted by experience ? A more probable opinion is, that Long Ifland, and the adjacent continent, were in former days continuous, or onlyfeparated by a final! river, and that the flrait which now divides them, was formed by fucceflive in- roads of the fea from the eaftvvard and weftward in the courfe of ages. This conjecture is fupporfed by the fab which follow, to wit: i. The foflil bodies on both (bores have a near refemblance. 2. The rocks and iflands lying between are formed of fimilar materials. 3. In feveral places, particularly at White-Stone and Hell-Gate, the diftance from land to land is very fmall. 4. Wherever the fhore is not compofed of folid rock, there the water continues to make great ineroachments, and to caufe the high banks to tumble down, as K true, not only here, but at Monc~ton, Newton, and elfewhere, at this very day. 5. The rooky piles in the Sound, called Executions, and Stepping-Stones, and thofe named Hurtleberry Ifland, 1'ea Ifland, Heart I-flaud, and many more that lie up and down, are ftrong circumftances in favour of this opinion ; for from feveral of them all the earthy matter, as far as the higheft tides can reach, has long fince been carried away, and from the reft, the fand and gravel continue to be removed by daily attrition ; as is true alfo of the Brothers, Rykers, Bkckwell's, and other iflands. 6. There is a tradition among that race of men, who, previous to ihe Europeans, pofTeiled this tracT: of country, that at fome .diftant period, in former times, their anceftors could ftep from rock to rock, and crofs this arm of the fea on foot at Hell-Gate." T The THE UNITED STATES. T 1 m-ek is one of the largeft buys in the known world. Its entrance * - x"* f\ 1 1 . _ I.* _ i_ O _ - ' . ] f^ , . broad, and generally as much as nine fathoms deep; affording many commodious har- bours, and a late and ealV navigation. It rc'eivcslK- waters of the Sufquehaimah, ratonV.k. KappahannoL York and James rivers* which are all large and navigable. CE OF THE coi-NTKr.] The tract oi' country b =g to the United $ -ariegated \xith plains and mountains, hills and vallies. Some parts are rocky, lilarly New England, the nortli parts of New York, and New Jerfey, and a MI. -hiding the ibvcral ridges of the long range of mountains which run lout! .ird through Pennfylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, and part of Georgia, .ing the waters which flow into the Atlantic from thole which fall into the Miflif- lippi. ^In the parts caii of the Allegany mountains, in the fouthem flares, the coun- il hundred miles in length, and fixty or feventy, and fometimes more, in breadth, i- le\el and entirely free from Itonc. It has been a queflion agitated by the curious, whether the extenfive tra<5t of low flat' country, which fronts the leveral s fouth of New Y'ork, and extends back to the hills, has remained in its prcfent f.nn and fituation ever fince the flood : or whether it has been made by the particles of earth which have been wafhed down from the adjacent mountains, and by the : mulatto n of foil from the decay of vegetable fubftances ; or by earth wafhed out of the bay of Mexico by the Gulf Stream, and lodged on the coafl ; or by the re- cefs of the ocean, occafioned by a change in fome other parts of the earth. Several phenomena deferve consideration in forming an opinion on this queftion. 1. It is a facl, well known to every perfon of oofervation who has lived in, or tra-. veiled through, the fouthern flates, that marine fhells and other fubftances which are .liar to the fea fiiorc, are almoft invariably found by digging eighteen or twenty feet below the furface of the earth. A gentleman' of veracity told me, that in linking a -well many miles from the fea, he found, at the depth of twenty feet, every appear- ance of a fait marfh, that is, marih grafs, marfh mad, and brackifh water. In all this, flat country, until you come to the hilly land, wherever you dig a well, you find the water, at a certain depth, frefh and tolerable good ; but if you exceed that depth two or three feet, you come to a faltifh or brackifh water that is fcarcely drinkable, and the earth dug up reiembles, in appearance and fmell, that which is dug up on the edges of the fait marfhes. 2. On and near the margin of the rivers are frequently found fand hills, which ap- pear to have been drifted into ridges by the force of water. At the bottom of fome of. the banks in the rivers, fifteen or twenty feet below the furface of the earth, are walhed out from the folid ground, logs, branches, and leaves of trees ; and the whole bank, from bottom to top, appears ilrcaked with layers of logs, leaves, and Hind. Thefe ap- pearances are feen far up the rivers, from eighty to an hundred miles from the lea, where, when the rivers are low, the banks are from fifteen to twenty feet high. As you proceed down the rivers towards the fea, the banks decreafe in height, but ftill are formed of layers of fand, leaves, and logs, fome of which are entirely /ound, and appear to have been fuddenly covered to a considerable depth. 3. It has been obferved, that the rivers in the fouthern ftates frequently vary their channels ; that the fwamps and low grounds are conftantly filling up, and that the land, in many places, annually infringes upon the ocean. It is an authenticated facl:, that THE UNITED STATES. r 39 that no longer ago than 1771, at Cape Lookout, on the coaft of North Carolina, in about latitude 34 50^, there was an excellent harbour, eapacious enough to receive an hundred fail of fhipping at a time, in a good depth of water : it is now entirely filled up, and is folid ground. Inllanees of this kind are frequent along the coaft. It is obfervable, likewife, that there is a gradual defcent of about eight hundred feet, by mcafurement, from the foot of the mountains to the fea board. This defcent con- tinues, as is demonilrated by foundings, far into the fea. 4. It is worthy of obfervation, that the foil oa the banks of the rivers is propor- tionably coarfe or fine according to its diitance from the mountains. When you firfr. leave the mountains, and for a confiderable diitance, it is obfervable, that the foil is- ,coarfe, with a large mixture of fand and ihining heavy particles. As you proceed to- ward the fea, the foil is lefs coarie, and fo on ; in proportion as you advance, the foil is finer and finer, until, finally, is deposited a foil fo fine, that it confolidates into perfect clay ; but a clay of a peculiar quality, for a great part of it has intermixed with it reddifh itreaks and veins, like a fpecies of ochre, brought probably from the red-lands which lie up towards the mountains. This clay, when dug up and expofed to the weather, will diffolve into a fine mould, without the leaft mixture of fand or any gritty fubilance whatever. Now we know that running waters, when turbid, will depoiit, iirft, the coarie ft. and heaviell: particles, mediately, thole of the feveral inter- mediate degrees of finenefs,. and ultimately, thole which are the moil light and fubtle ; and fuch in fa 61 is the general quality of the foil on the banks of the foutheru rivers. 5. It is a well-known fact, that on the banks of Savannah river, about ninety miles from the fea in a direct line, and one hundred and fifty or two hundred, as the river runs, there is a very remarkable collection of oyfter fhells of an uncommon fize. They run in a north-eaft and Ibuth-weft diredlion, nearly parallel to the lea coaft, in three diliinct ridges, which together occupy a fpace of feven miles in breadth. , The ridges commence at Savannah river, and have been traced as far fouth as the northern branches of the Alatamaha river. They are found in fuch quantities, as that the in- digo planters carry them away in large boat loads, for the purpofe of making lime water, to be ufed in the manufacture of indigo.- There are thoufands and thoufands of tons Hill remaining.* The queftion is, how came they here? It cannot be-fup- pofed that they were carried by land. Neither is it probable that they w r erc conveyed in canoes, or boats, to fuch a diftance from the place where oyilers are now found. The uncivilized natives, agreeably to their roving manner of living, would rather have removed to the lea fhore, than have been at fuch immcnie labour in procuring oyfters. Belidcs, the difficulties of convening them would have been infurmountable. They * " On the Georgia fide of the river, about 15 miles below Silver Bluff, the high road crofles a ridge of high-five! ling hills of uncommon elevation, and perhaps 70 feet higher than the furface of the river. Thefe hills are from three feet below the common vegetative furface, to the depth of 20 or 30 feet, cotnpofed en- tirely of foflil oyfter fhells, internally of the colour and confiftency of clear white marble: they are of an incredible magnitude, generally 15 or 20 inches in length; from 6 to 8 wide, and from 2 to 4 in thick- oefs, and their hollows fufficient to receive an ordinary man's foot. They appear all to have been opened before the period of petrifaction ; a tranfmutation they feem evidently to have fuffered. They are un- doubtedly very ancient, or perhaps antediluvian. The adjacent inhabitants burn them to lime for building, for which purpofe they ferve very well ; and would undoubtedly afford an excellent manure, when their 1 ir.ds require it, thele hills now being remarkably fertile. The heaps of fhells lie upon ijlratum of yellowifh find mould, of feveral feet in depth, upon a foundation of foft white rocks, that has the outward appearance of free-ftcne, but on ftridt examination is really a feftaceous concrete, or compofition of fnml and pulverikd fea fliells. In fhort, this teftaceous rock approaches near in quality and appearance to the Bahama or Bermu- dian White Rock." Bartram's Travels, p. 318. T 2 would I40 iir, UN I TED ST ATES. ni in the river againil tl^m, nn obflaclc whirh - hythc Indians who have ever had a p-,vat averiion paita'*< x " " _ .......vi ... j- uc i, ; , t ,;-, o-nvit a dif- ni the fea, can 1>c rationally accounted for in A fuppoHng that the lea ihore was formerly near this hed of fliclls and that the ocean has fmrr, hy the. operation of certain caufes not yet fully invcftWted, ' Thefe phenomena, it is prdimicd, will authorize this ronch;- lion," tliat v niv;it part of the flat country which fpreads eafterly of the Allegany mountains, had, in fmne palt period, a fuj)erincumbent lea; or rather, that the con- it ant accretion of foil from the various caufes before hinted at, has forced it to re- > \iNS.~l The tracV of country caft of Hudfon's river, comprehending part of the State of New York, the four New England States, and Vermont, is rough, hilly, and in fome pnrts mountainous. Thefe mountains will be more particularly dcfcrihcd under New England. In a/1 parts of the world, and particularly on this '\voltcrn continent, it is obfervablc. that as you depart from the ocean, or from a river, the land gradually riles ; and the height of land, in common, is about equally diftant from the water on either fide. The Andes, in South America, form the height of land between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The high lands between the diftricr. of Maine and the province of Lower Canada, divide the rivers which fall into the St. Lawrence, north, and into the Atlantic, Ibutli. The Green Mountains, in Vermont, divide the waters which flow eafterly into Connecticut river from thole which fall wefterly into Lake Champlain, Lake George, and Hudfon's River. Between the Atlantic, the Mifh'flippi, and the lakes, runs a long range of mountain?, made up of a great number of ridges. Thefe mountains extend north-ea fieri y and fouth-wcfierly, nearly parallel to the fea coaft, about nine hundred miles in length, and from fixty to one hundred and fifty and two hundred miles in breadth. Mr. Evans obferves, with refpect to that part of thefe mountains which he travelled over, viz. in the back part of Pennfylvania, that fcarcely one acre in ten is capable of cul- ture. This, however, is not the cafe in all parts of this range. Numerous tracts of fine arable and grazing land intervene between the ridges. The different ridges -which compofe this immenfe range of mountains, have different names in different . llates, As you advance from the Atlantic, the firfl ridge in Pennfylvania, Virginia, a'nti North Carolina, is the Blue Ridge, or South Mountain, which is from one hundred and thirty fo two hundred miles from the fea. Between this and the North Moun- tain fpreads a large fertile vale ; next lies the Allegany ridge ; next beyond this is the Long Ridge, called the Laurel Mountains, in a fpur of which, about latitude 36", is a fpring of water fifty feet deep, very cold, and it is faid, as blue as indigo. From ihclr feveral ridges proceed innumerable namelefs branches or fpurs. The Kittatinny mountains run through the northern parts of New Jerfey and Pennfylvania. All thefe ridges, except the Allegany, are fcparated by rivers, which appear to have forced their pa ffages through folid rocks. The principal ridge is the Alk-gany, Avhich has been defcriptivcly called the back-lone of the United States. The general name for thefe mountains, taken collectively, is not yet to have been determined. Mr. Evans calls them the Endlefs Maintains : others have called them the Appalachian Mountains, from a tribe of Indians who live en THE UNITED STATES. on a river v, hich proceeds from this mountain, called the Appalachicola. But the moil common name is the Allrgany Mountains, fo called, cither frOin the principal ridge of the range, or from their running nearly parallel to the Allegany or Ohio river ; which, from its head waters, till it empties into the Mifiiffippi, is known and called by the name of Allegany River, by the Seneca and otlicr -tribes of the Si>: Nations, who once inhabited it Thefe mountains are not conkiiedly fcattercd and broken, riling here and there into high peaks, overtopping each other, 4>ut frretca along in uniform ridges, fcarcely half a mile high. They tpread as you proceed ibutli, and Ibine of them terminate in high perpendicular bluffs. Others gradually fubiidc into a level country, giving rile to the rivers which run foutherly into the Gulf of Mexico, They afford many curious phenomena, from which naturalills have deduced many theories of the earth. Some of them have been whimlical enough; Mr. Evans fup- poles that the moll obvious of the theories which have been formed of the earth is, that it was originally made out of the ruins of another. " Bones and Ihells which ofcapcd the fate of fofter animal fubllanccs, we find mixed with the old materials, and elegantly prefcrvcd in the loofc iiones and rocky bales of the higheft of thefe hills." With deference, however, to Mr. Evans's opinion, thefe appearances have been much more rationally accounted for by fuppoling the reality of the flood, of which Mofes' has given us an account. Mr. Evans thinks this too great a miracle to obtain belief. But whether is it a greater miracle for the Creator to alter a globe of earth by a deluge, when made, or to create one new from the ruins of another ? The former certainly is not lefs credible than the latter. " Thefe mountains," fay oxir author, " exifted in their prefent elevated height before the deluge, but not fo bare of foil as now." How Mr. Evans came to be fo circumltantially acquainted with thefe pretended facts, is difficult to determine, unlefs we fuppofe him to have been an Antediluvian, and to have furvcyed them accurately before the convullions of the de- luge ; and until \ve can be fully allured of this, we mufl be exculed in not a/lent ing to his opinion, and in adhering to the old philofophy of Mofes and his advocates. ~\\ < have every reafon to believe that the primitive ftate of the earth was totally meta* morphofed by the firlt convullion of nature at the time of the deluge ; that the faun*- tarns of the great deep were indeed broken up, and that the various ftrata of the earth were (liffevered, and thrown into every poffible degree of confulion anchdilbrder. Hence thole valt piles of mountains which lift their craggy cliffs to the clouds, were proba- bly thrown' together from the floating ruins of the earth: and this conjecture is re- markably confirmed by the valt number of fofTils and other marine exuvite which are found imbeded on the tops of mountains, in the interior parts of continents remote from the lea, in all parts of the world hitherto explored. The various circumftances 'attending thefe marine bodies leave us to conclude, that they were aclually generated, lived, and died in the very beds wherein they were found, and therefore thefe beds Tim It have originally been at the bottom of the ocean, though now in many inltances elevated feveral miles above its furfacc. Hence it appears that mountains and conti- nents were not primary productions of nature, but of a very diftant period of time from the creation of the world ; a time long enough for the fir at a to have acquired their greateft degree of cohelion and hardnefs ; and for the teftaceous matter of marine fhells to become changed to a ftony fubitance ; for in the lifTures of the limc-ftone and other ftrata, fragments of the fame iliell have been frequently found adhering to each fide of the cleft, in the very ftate in -which they were originally broken; fo that if the Several parts were brought together, they would apparently tally with each other i cxaclly. , 44 THE UNITED STATES. exactly. A vm conliderahle time therefore miiii liave clapfed between the chaotic fiate of the earth and the deluge, which agrees with the account of Mofes, uho- makes it a little upwards of iixtecn hundred years. Thefe obfervations are intended 1o lhc\v, in one in fiance out of many others,' the agreement between revelation and Tcaloll> count which Mofes gives us of the creation and deluge, and the i>.\ lent appearances of nature. Thole who wifli to have this agreement mor6 ,- f^\ i / _ j 1 MA XV k * M .A^ 4-rf-k -WT^*^- 1 /^iT'ti>^/"t i i/~i 11^ rr^i 1 1 /M i '^ /**/?*// VM . f foil that the tarth affords. In one part of them or another, they produce !:e various kinds of fruits, grain, pulfe, and hortuline plants and roots, which are found in Europe, and have been thence tranfplanted to America. Befides thefe, . ariety of native !c productions. The natural hiftory of "the American States, particularly of New England, is yet in its infancy. Several ingenious foreigners, ikilled in botany, have vifited the Ibuthcrn, and fome of the middle Hates, and Canada, and thefe ftates have allb had. ingenious botJmills of their own, who have made confiderable progrefs in defcribing the productions of thofe parts of America which they have viiited; but New England U not to have engaged the attention either of foreign or American botanifts. There never an attempt to defcribe botanically, the vegetable productions of the eaftern ftates, till the Rev. Dr. Cutler, of Ipfwich, turned his attention to the fubject. The refult of his firfr. inquiries was publifhed in the fiiil volume of the " Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences." Since that period, the Doctor has paid particular attention to this his favourite ftudy ; and the public may fhortly expect 1o be gratified and improved by his botanical defcriptions and difcoveries.* To his liberal and generous communications, I am principally indebted for the following ac- count of the vegetable productions o/ the eaftern and middle flates. N. B. The following catalogues are all incomplete, and deiigned only to give general ideas. They contain, however, more correct information concerning the Na- ,:1 Hiftory ,of New England, than has yet been publifhed. GRAIN CULTIVATED IN THE EASTERN AND MIDDLE STATES.] Indian corn (Zea mays) a native grain of North America. The varieties of this grain, occalioned by a difference in foil, cultivation, and climate, are almoit eiidlefs.-f- Winter and fum- mcr rye (fecale cereale, hybernum et vernum,) the only fpecies cultivated by our farmers. .The winter rye fucceeds beft in ground -newly cleared, but fummer'rye is principally to the produftions of ihe New Engla Dr. Barton, of ] nladelphia, I am informed, is collecting materials for a work or a fimilar nature, nprehend the middle and louthcrn ftates: fo that both together will form .a complete Natural Hiftory of the American States. f Of all the different kinds-of Indian corn, botanifts have been able to find but one -/fecies. The < ! iffer- : mihtganuat plants is probably accidental, owing to the above-mentioned caufes. It is poffiblc, how- ing thefe wrictiK, fpcclfic charafters may yet be found. What is called the Cpik f d Indian com, iy a witty. The plant commonly known in the foiuhern ftates by the name of Guinea cor^ is of the family ot gralle;, r.s are rye, \vneat, barley, oats, $c. frequently THE UNITED STATES. 143 frequently Town in old towns, where the land has been long under cultivation. The winter and furnmer rye an: the fame fpccies, forming two varieties ; but the winter and fuminer wheat are two cliiiiiu-l fpecics. Several fpeeies of barley are euliivated, the molt common is the fix ranked (Hordeum hexaftichon,) and the two ranked (Hordeum difiichon.) The wheat principally eultivated are the winter and fummer (Tritieum hybernuiu et aeltivnm.) Oats (Arena fativa.) Buck-wheat (Polygonum fagopirurn.) In the ibuthern States, as far north as Virginia, where the lands are fuitable, beiides the grain already mentioned, they cultivate rice. This grain was brought into Caro- lina firft by Sir Nathaniel Jolmlbn, in 1688; and afterwards more and of a different kind, probably a variety, was imported by a ihip from Madagafcar, in 1696; till which time it was not much eultivated. It fuccccds well-allb on the Ohio river, where it is planted both on the h;gh and low grounds, and in the fame fields with Indian corn other grain. A gentleman who had plained it feveral years in his garden, informed Dr. Cutler that it yielded at the rate of 80 bulhels an acre. At Marietta, it lias anfwered the moft fanguine expectations of the inhabitants, producing equal to any other grain, without being at any time overflowed with water. The Doctor himfelf; law it growing in a very flourishing It ate, on high land, but it had not, at the feafon he law it, began to bloom, it was laid not to be of the fame fpecies of Carolina rice. It is probably the wild rice, which I have been informed grows in plenty, , in fome of the interior parts of North America, and is the moft valuable of all the fpontaneous productions of the country. In Pennfylvania grows a fort of grain called, by the Germans, Spelts, which refembles wheat; and is a very valuable grain. CULTIVATED GRASSES IN THE EASTERN AND MIDDLE STATES.] All the graffes, cultivated in the middle and New England States, are found growing indigenous. It is not improbable, however, that fome of them may be naturalized exotics. The following are the principal graffes fown in our cultivated ground, or in any way pro- pagated for feed and hay: Herd's Grafs or Fox Tail, (Alopccurus pratenfis,) this is reckoned the beft grafs we have, is a native, and fuppofed to be peculiar to this country. Blue Grafs (Alopecurus geniculatus.) Many Ipeeies of Bent (Agroftis,) particularly the Rhode Ifland Bent (Agroftis interrupta.) The linall and great Englifh grafs (Poa trivialis et pratenfis.) Wire grafs (Poa compreffa.) Fowl Meadow grafs (Poa aviaria, fpiculis fubbifloris.)* Red and white clover (Trifolium pratenfe et repens.) The graffes of Virginia, according to Mr. Jefferfon, are Lucerne, St. Foin, Burnet, Timothy, Ray, and Orchard grafs, red, white, and yellow clover; Greenfwerd, Blue grafs and Crab grafs. South of Virginia very little attention is paid to the cultivation of gralles. The winters are fo mild, that the cattle find a tolerable fupply of food in the woods. NATIVE; GRASSES IN NEW ENGLAND.] Beiides the cultivated graffes, the States of New England abound with a great variety which are found growing in their native foils and iituations, many of which have not been defcribed by any botanical writers. The fmall experiments which have been made, fufficiently evince that feveral of them make excellent hay. They might be greatly improved by cultivation, and are highly worthy the attention of our fanners. Thofe which are found moft common are the following, viz. * " The Fowl meadows, on Neponfit river, between Dedhatn and Stoughton, are confidered by fome a curiofity. A large traft of land is there cleared and fowed with an excellent kind of grafs, without the affifhnce of man." Dr. Fijber. The THE UNITED STATES, (Phlcum (Acroftis (Briza) feveral ipcc ie> C ock's foot grafs (Dactylis glomerata) Millet (Milium effufum} Ft-ll-ue sraf- (Fcituco) many ipccics Oat grafs (Avena ipicata) Reed ( -\rundo) fevaal fpecics Brome grafs (Bromus fquarrofus) Lime grals (Elymus ; X )_ Bark-} i lordeum pratcnfe) Dog's or couch grafs (Triticum repen?) 3VI an y ij., Mis (Junru.O/ Numerous fpecics of Car ex, in frefli and lalt, marfhv ground. Several fpcck-s of Beard grals (Andropogon) Soft grais, (HoK us lanatiisct odoratus) Befides thcie, there are many valuable graifcs which, at prcfent, non-defcripts. WILD FRUITS IN NEW ENGLAND.] Black CuiTant (Ribes mgrnm) Goofeberty 'oifularia) Prickly Goofeberry (Ribes cynolbati) Two fpecies of Grapes- Black Grape (Vitis labrufca,) and Fox Grape (Vitis vulpina.) Of thcfe two fpcrics we liave many varieties, differing only in fize, colour, and taitc. An excellent \vinc, and in largo quantities, lias lately been made by the French people, at their new Icttlcmcnt on the Ohio river, from the native grapes, without any kind of cultivation. They collected the grapes promifcuoufly from all the varieties growing in that country. By feparating them, wines of different, and no doubt fome of them, of a much better quality, might have been made. The native grape is propagated with great cafe ; its growth is luxuriant, ovcrfpreading the higheit trees in the forefts, and by proper attention would afford an ample fupply of wines, in the northern as well as louthern States. The principal difficulty fecms to be the want of a proper knowledge of the proccts in making wine, and preparing it for nfe. Barberry bnfh (Berberis vulgaris) Whortleberry (Vaccinium liguitrinum) Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbofum) White Whortleberry (Vacci nium album) Indian Goofeberry (Vaccinium frondofum) Long- leaved Whortleberry (Vaccinium ftamineum) Craneberry (Vaccinium. oxycouos) Yellow Plum (Prunus americana) Beach Plum (Prunus maratima) Large black ry (Prunus nigra) Purple Cherry (Prunus virginiana) Wild red Cherry (Prunus rubra) Dwarf or Chonk Cherry (Prunus canadeniis) Mountain Cherry (Prunus montana) Service-tree (Mefpihis canadcnlis) Brambleberry (Rubus occidental is) Sawteat Blackberry or Bumblekites (Rubus fruticofus) Briar Blackberry (Rubus mohucanus) Dewberry (Rubus hiipidus) Common Rafpl>erry (Rubus idcEus) Smooth-ftalked Ralpberry (Rubus canadenfis) Superb Rafpberry (Rubus odoratus) Strawberry (Fragaria velca.) The native itrawbeny is much imp-oved by culti- vation, and produces a larger and better-flavoured fruit, tha*i the exotic. Mulberry (Morus nigra.) For information on this article, refpecling the Southern States, the reader may confult what Catelby, Cla\1on, Jcfferfon, and Bartram have written upon it. NUT Fiu IT.] White Oak (Quercus alba) Red Oak (Qucrcus rubra) andfcveral other fpecics \\ ith fmaller fruit.- Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) White Walnut, Butternut, or Oilnut (Juglans cathartica) W r hite, or round nut Hicrory (Juglans alba) Shag-bark Hiccory (Juglans cineria.)* Chelnut (Fagus caftanen) Chin- quipin, or dwarf Chefnut (Fagna pumila) Beech nut (Fagus 1\ Ivatica,) Hazlenut (Cor)-lus avallana) Filbert (Corylus cornuta.) We may here mention the Paccan or Illinois nut (Juglans alba, foliolis lajiccolatis, tcximinatis, ierratis, tomcntofis, frudu minorc, ovato, comprelfo, TIX inlxrulpto, dulci,, T1ie fame, probably, as Clayton's Scaly bark hiccory of Virginia, (Juglans alba, cortice fquamofo.) putamine^ THE UNITED STATES. put a mine, tencrrimo. Jefferfon.) This nut is about the lize of a large, long acorn, and of ii\} oval form, the fhell is ealily cracked, and the kernel ihaped like that of a walnut. The trees which bear this fruit grow, naturally, on the Mifliflippi and its branches, fouth of forty degrees north latitude. They .gro\v well when planted in tl,ie Southern Atlantic States. MEDICINAL PLANTS IN NEW ENGLAND.] Among the native and uncultivated plants of New England, the following have been employed for medicinal purpofes. Water Horehound (Lycopus virgimca) Blue Flag (Iris virginica) Skunk Cabbage (Arum Americanum. Catelb. and Dracontium foetidum. Linn.) Partridge-berry (Mitchclla repcns) Great, and Marfh Plantain (Plantago major et maritima) Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginica) Hounds tongue (CynoglofTum officinale)- Comfrcy (Symphytum ofticin.) Bear's ear Sanicle (Cortula gmelini) Appleperu (Datura Itrammonium) Bitterfweet (Solanuni dulca-mare) Tivertwig, or American Mazerion (Celaftrus fcandens) Elm* (Ulmus americana) Great Laferwort, and Wild Angelica (Lafcrpitium trilolnim, et latifolium) Angelica, or American Mafterwort (Angelica lucida) Water Elder (Virburmim opulus) Elder (Sambucus nigra) Chickweed (Allina media) Pcttimorrel, or Life of man (Aralia racemofa) Sariaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis ?) Marfh Rofemary. (Statice limonium) Sundew (Drofera rotundifolia) Solomon's Seal (Convallaria Itellata ?) Adder's Tongue (Convallaria bifolia) Unicorn (Aletris farinofa) Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus)-^-Several fpccies of Dock (Rumex) Biltort (Polygonum biftorta) Spice wood, or Feverbufh (Laurus benzoin) Saflafras (Laurus Ikfiafras) Confumption Root (Pyrola rotundifolia) Rheumatifhi Weed (Pyrola minor) Moule Ear (Ceraftinm vifcofum) Gargit, or Skoke (Phyto* lacca dccandria) WildHyfibp (Ly thrum hyfopis) Agrimony (Agrimonia cupatoria) Common Aven?, or Herb Bennet (Geum Virg.) Water Avens, or Throat Root {Geum rivale) Blood Root, or Puccoon (Sanguinario canadenfis) Celandine (CheHdottium majus) Yellow Water Lily (Nymphoea lutea) Pond Lily (Nymphoea alba) Golden Thread, or Mouth Root (Nigclla ?) Liverwort (Anemone hepatica) Crowsfoot (Ranunculus Pennfylv.) Germander (Teucrum Virg.) Catmint, or Catnip (Nepetacataria) Head Betony (Betonica officinalis) Horfemint, Spearmint, Watermint, and Penniroyal (Mentha fpicata, viridis, aquatica, et pulegrum) Ground Ivy, or Gill go over the ground (Glecoma hederacea) Hedge Nettle (Stachys fylvatica) Horehound (Marrnbium vulgare) Motherwort (Leonorus eardiac.a) Wild Mar- iorum (Origanum vulgare) Wild Lavender (Trichoftema ?) Wood Betony (Pidi- cularis canadenfis) Shepherd's Purfe or Pouch (Thkpfpi burfa pailoris) -Water Crefles (Sifymbrium nafturtium) Cranesbill (Geraniuin macrorhizum) Marfh Mai low (Althaea officin.) Mallow (Malva rotundifolia) Succory (Crepis barbata) Burdock (Act him lappa) Devil's Bit (Serratula amara) The root refembles the Euro- pean Devil's Bit (Scabivfa fuccifa) from which circumftance the Englifh name IKI :; probably been applied to this pla!it. Tanfey (Tanacetiim vulgare) Wormwood (Artemifia abfinthiani) -Life cverlafting (Gnaphalium odoratiflimum ?) Colts Foot {Tuffilago farfara) Golden-rod (Solidago canad.) Elecampane (Inula helenium) Mayweed ( Anthcmis cotula) Yarrow (Achillea miliefolia) American Pride (Lobelia rardinalis) Three other fpccies of Lobelia (Lobelia dortmanna, kalmii, ct fpfiilitica) Dragon Root (Arum Virg.) Stinging Nettle (Urtica urens) White Walnut, Butter Nut, or Oilnut (Juglans cathartica) Swamp Willow (Salix cinerca ?) Sweet Gale < v Myrica gale) Whlfce Hellebore, or Pokeroot (Veratrum album) -r-Moonwort (Of- * The bark of the fvrect Elm, is a moft excellent muci!ag, U munda 14.6 THE UNITED STATES, munda lunaria) Female Fern- (Ptcri? caudata) Hearts Tongue (AfpTeniUm fcato- p'Midriutn) Splcemvort ( \iplemuin lalidfolmm) Black Maidenhair (Afplenum adi- antuin.) To fee abov6 we may add, \rfmart (Pohgonum Sugitatum. Linn.) iona -.Treat variety of other medicinal pi.: i'ic ibiithern and middle States are Pink Root ( ) an excellent N e.-n. il'ugc --Senna (Caflia iiguftrma)- Clivers or Goofc-grafs (Galium fpurium)- Palma Clinfti (Rieinus) from which tlie relied Several Ipeeies of 'Mallow-Indian Phyfic (Spiraea trifoliaia) 'lorVral Ipecacuanha Fleurify Root (Afclepias decumbens)- Virginia Snake Root ;>entaria) Black Snake Root ( ; inofa) Seneca Rattk-ihake Root (roljgaL -Valerian (Valeriana lo'-ufta radiata) Ginfeng (Panax quinqueiolium) Angelica (Angelica fylveftris) Cafiava (Jatropha urens.) FLOWERING TREES AND SHRUBS IN. TITE UNITED STATES.] Globe Flower (Ce- plialantlius occidcntalis) Pigeonberry (Cifius iieyoides) Virginian Dogwood (Conms florida) Conel (Cornus canadeniis) Red-liowered Honeytuekle (Azalea nudiflora) \\ hite American Hbneyfuckle (Azalea, vifcoia) American Tea (Ceanothus anv:ri- canus)- CbciTy Honey tuekle (Lonicera diervilla) Virginia fcarlet Honeyfuckle (Lo- nieera virginiana) Dwarf Cherry Honey tackle (Lonicera canadeniis) Evergreen Spindle Tree (Euonymus fempervirens) Virginian Itea (Itea virginica) Stag's-hom. Sumach (Rhus typhinum) Black Haw '(Viburnum prunifolium^ Blackl3erried Elder (Sambucus nigra) Redberricd Elder (Sambucus canadeniis) Scarlet-flowered Horfe Chefnut (yF-1eulus pavia) Judas Tree (Cercis canadeniis) Great Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) -Dwarf Laurel (Kalmia anguftifolia) ^Thyme-leaved Marfh Ciftus (Leduni Thymifolium) American Senna (Rhodora canadeniis) Rofe Bay Tree (Rhodo- dendrum maximum) White Pepper Bulh (Andromeda arborea) Red-bud Andro- meda (Andromeda racemofa) Bog Evergreen (Andromeda calyculata) Carolina Red-bud (Andromeda nitida) Carolina Iron-wood Tree (Andromeda plumata) Carolinian Syrianga (Philadelphus inodorus) Sorbus Tree (Sorbus aucuparia) Mountain Am (Sorbue americana) Service Tree (Mefpilus canadeniis) -Medlar Tree (Mefpilus nivea) Sweet-fcented Crab Apple-tree (Pyrus coronaria) Meadow Sweet (S])ira:a falicifolia) Queeji of the Meadows (Spiraea tomentofa) Canadian Spiraea (Spiraea hypericifolia) Wild Rofe (Rofa Carolina) Pcnnfylvanian Swamp Role (Rofapaluflris) Superb Rafpberry (Rubus odoratus) Carolian Fothergilla (Fother- gilla gardeni) Tulip Tree (Liriodendrum tulipifera) Evergreen Tulip Tree (Mag- /nolia grandiflora) Climbing Trumpet Flower (Bignonia radicans) Virginian Stew- artia (Stewartia malacodendron) Franklin Tree' (Franklinia alatamaha) Locuft Tree (Robinia pfeud acacia> Rofeflowered Locuft Tree (Robinia rofea) Swamp Willow (Salix eincria ?) Rcdflowercd Maple (Acer rubrum.) N. B. The above catalogue is rar from being complete^ but may fervc to give a tolerable idea of this elafs of Ihrubs, in the United States. FOREST TREES.] Were we poffelTed of accurate materials' for the purpote, it would far. exceed the limits of a work embracing fueh a variety of fubjects, to give a., j>lete catalogue of our trees. From the foregoing catalogues the reader necelfarily conclude that they are very numerous. And it ought to be obferved that alrnoft all of them, for fome purpofe or other, have been ufcd as timber. Some of the mod ufef.il fpeeies of trees, however, mufl not be omitted, and are the following .1 (Ulmus americana) Of this tree there is but one fpeeies* of which there arc * Query. Is not what is called the Sweet Elm, the bark of which is ufed medicinally, and highly efteeraed, 4 different Ipccits Irom the Ulmus Americana ? 4. . two THE UNITED STATES. two varieties, the white and the red. WILD CHERRY ; many fpecics, highly valued for cabinet work. LOCUST (Robinia pfeudo-acacia) of quick growth, good for fuel, and excel lent for pofts to fet in the ground, and trunnels for fhips. BIRCH; feveral fptx-ies, i. White (Betula alba) 2. Black (Betula nigra) 3. Red or Yellow (Betula Jenta) OAK; feveral fpecies, i. Black (Quercus niger) 2. Red (Quercus mbra) three varieties. 3. White (Quercus alba) 4. Shrub or Ground Oak (Quercus pumila) 5. Chcfnut. Oak (Qiicrcus prinus) 6. Live Oak (Quercus fempervirens Quercus Virginiana, Millar.) 7. Black Jack Oak (Quercus aquatica, Clayton) The two laft are peculiar to the fouthcrn States. CHESNUT (Fagus caftanea) chiefly ufed for fencing. 1'i.ACH (Fagus fylvatica) three varieties. PIKE (Pinus) feven fpecies. i. White {Pinus ilrobus) the prince of the American forclts, in fize, age, and majefry of appear- ance. It is found in the greateit abundance in Maine, New Hampihire, and Ver- mont Excellent for mafts, bowfprits and yards for Ihips. 2. Yellow (Pinus pinea) its plank and boards arc ufod for the floors of houfes and the decks of Ihips 3. Black or Pitch Pine (Pinus t;x^da) when burnt in kilns it makes the beft of charcoal ; its knots and roots being full of the tercbinthine oil, when kindled, afford a brighter light than candles ; its foot is collected and ufed for lampblack. It grows fparfely in the New England and middle States, but in the greateft plenty in the fouthern States, between the iba-coaft and the mountains. From it they make tar in large quantities. 4. The Larch (Pinus larix) Its turpentine is faid to be the fame with the Burgundy pitch. Beiides thefe, naturalilts reckon the Fir (Pinus balfamea) Spruce (Pinus canadcnfis Hemlock (Pinus abies) ARBOR VIT/E (Thuya occidentalis) the fame as what is called WHITE CEDAR. JUNIPER or RED CEDAR (Juniperus virginica) It produces the Juniperberry. WHITE CEDAR, of the fouthern States (CuprefTus Thyoidcs) different from the white cedar of the northern States. CYPRESS (CuprefTus difticha) Found only in the~ fouthern States Ufed for fhingles and other purpofes. Grows in fwamps, very large. WHITE WILLOW (Salix alba) The bark of its root is an excellent fubilitute for the Peruvian bark. ASH (Fraxinus americana) two fpecies, Black, or Swamp Afh, and White Afh. MAPLE, three fpecies; i. White (Acer ncgundo) much ufed in cabinet work. 2. Red (Acer rubrum) 3. Black Rock or Sugar Maple (Acer faccharinum) Its fap has a faccharine quality ; and when refined HIK? hardened by boiling and baking, makes a well-tafted and wholefome fugar, the manufacture of which has greatly increafedin the eaftern and middle States, within a fr.w rears paft. There is in the United States, an infinitude of trees of lefs note, and many probably -equal lv noticeable with thole enumerated, for a catalogue and defcriptions of which, I vnuft refer the reader, (till a more perfect catalogue be furnifhed by Dr. Cutler and Dr. Barton, to Cateiby's Natural Hiitory Dr. Clayton's Flora Virginica Mr. Jefferfon's Notes on Virginia Mr. Bart ram's Travels through North and South Carolina, &c. Dr. Cutler's paper in the Memoirs of the American Academy. and Dr. Belknap's Hill or v of Nc\v r Hampfhirc, Vol. III. EXOTIC FRUIIS.] Of thefe, Apples are the moft common in the United States. They grow in the greateft plenty and variety in the eaftern and middle States ; and 4he cyder which is expreffed from them, affords the mo n; common and wholefome liquor that is drank by the inhabitants. The Crab Apple (Pyrus coronaria) though not an exotic, on account of its being a genuine, but diftincr. fpecies of the Apple, ought to be mentioned in this connection. It grows in all parts of North America, which have been explored, from the Atlantic as far weft as the Miffiilippi. Its bloiToms ;ire remarkably fragrant; its fruit fmall, pofTeffing, perhaps, of all vegetables, the U 2 ' keeneil i 4 8 THE UNITED STATES. krericft acid. The cyder made of this fruit is admired by connoiffeurs : it makes excellent vinegar. The European Crab Apple is very different from ours. The other exotic fruits arc pears peaches, quinces, mulberries, plums, cherries, currants,, barberries, of all which, except quinces and barberries, we have many fpecies and' :, -''. v. itli a tew apricots and nectarines, flourfm in the eaftern States, and are in p< i in the middle Stat< fruits of the lout hern itatc?, l>cfides thofe already mentioned, are figs, oranges, and lemons. AND HORTULINE PLANTS AVD ROOTS.] Befldcs thofe tranfplantcd from v'.nerka, of which we have all the various kinds that Europe produces, the JUjJlo\\ingan of this country, Potatoes, (Solanum tuberofum) Ground Nuts, a probably a fpecies, highly relifhed by fome people ; Tobacco (Nico- .., Pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) Cymlings (Cucurbita verrucola) Squafhes- urbito mclopcpo) Cantelope melons, Beans, Peas, Hops. Probably others. xi.MALs?.] America contains, at leaft, one half, and the territory of the United States about one fourth of the quadrupeds of the known world. Some of them are common to North America, and to the European and Aliatic parts of the Eaftern Con- tinent ; others are peculiar to this country. All thofe that are common to both conti- nents, are found in the northern parts of them, and are fuch as may be fuppofed to have migrated from one continent to the other. Comparing individuals of the fame fj)ecie<, inhabiting the different continents, fome are perfectly limilar ; between others, tiiere is fome difference in lize, colour, or other circumitances ; in fome few inflances the European animal is larger than the American ; in others, the reverie is true. A jimilar variety, ariling from the temperature of the climate, quantity of food furnifhed hi the parts they inhabit, degree of lafcty,-f~ &c, takes place between individuals of the lame fpecies, in different parts of this continent. But our information on this fubjecl is not fuiricient to authorize many obfervations. very probable that fome of our quadrupeds are utterly unknown ; others are known only by common report, from hunters and others, and therefore could not be fcienti- lically deferibed ; and with refpe& to many others, the multiplying and mifapplying names has produced great uncertainty and confulion. The Rev. Dr. Cutler has obliged mewith the following Catalogue of our Animals > with their Lirmsean names annexed. Seal Phoca vitulina. Wolf - Canis lupus Red Fox - - ' Canis alopex 1 Grey Fox Canis. Wild cat - Felis lynx. Skunk - Viverra putorius. Otter - Muftella lutra ? Martin Muftela. ^Veail-1 - Muftela martes ? * In regard to tree fruit" (fays Dr. Tenny of Exeter, in New Hampfhire, in a letter to Dr. Belknap) ;v sre in too northern a climate to have it of the firft quality, without particular attention. New York, Ne* fey and Pennfylvama, have it in perfeftion. As you depart from that traft, either foiithward or northward i degenerates, i believe, however, that good fruit might be produced even in N 7 ew Hampfhire, with fuit- Bilknaf* Hlft. N. H. Vol: IH. p. 140. f Animals in America which have been hunted for their ffcfh or fur, fuch as the rcoofe, deer, beaver, &eu bnvc become lefs in foe fince the arrival of the Europeans. Ermine Ermine Bear Racoon Wolverine Wood chuck Mole Shrew moufe Ground moufe Field moufc Porcupine Hare Rabbit Beaver Mufquafh. Mink Black rat Black iquirrel Grey ditto Red ditto Striped ditto Flying ditto Mooie Deer Bat THE UNITED StATES. Muftela erminea. Urfus ar6tos. Urfus lotor. Urfus lufcus. (Urfi vel muftelac fpecics'.) Talpa europea. Sorex criilatus. Sorex murinus. Sorex araneus. Hyflrix dorfata. Lepus timidus ? Lepus cuniculus. Caftor fiber. Caftor zibethicus* Mus Sciurus niger. Sciurus cinereus. Sciurus flavus. . Sciurus ftriatus. Sciurus volans. Cervus tarandus*. Cervus dama. 149 Mamillary biped Veipertilio murinus.. The importance of this part of our natural hiftory has induced me to pay the moil: affiduous attention to it, and to feek information from every authority on the fubjecl. With the liberal and generous affiftance of an ingenious friend,* I have been enabled to form the following catalogue of the Quadruped animals within the United States, and to add the defcriptions of them which fucceed. Mammouth Hippotamus -j~ * Bifon * Moofe * Margay * Kincajou * Weafel * Ermine * Martin * Mink * Otter * Filher *.Skrunk Caribou * Red Deer *Fallow Deer * Opoffum * Woodchuck Urchin. *Hare * Racoon * Fox Squirrel * Grey Squirrel * Red Squirrel * Striped Squirrel Bear * Wolverene *Wolf *Fox * Flying Squirrel Bat * Field moufe * Wood Rat * Shrew Moufe * Purple Mole * Black Mole * Watej Rat * Beaver * Catamount * Cougar * Mountain Cat * Lynx * Mufqualh. * Morfe *Seal Maniti Sapajou Sagoin. N. B. Thofe Animals to which an ailerifm * is prefixed, arc fur animals ; whofe fkihs are fometirnes dreffed in allum, with tlie hair on, and worn in drels ; or whole fur or loft hair is ufed for various manufactural purpofcs. * Dr. Fiflier of Beverly. f This animal is added upon the authority of Dr, Mitchill, Prof, Nat. Hift, &c. Columbia College, N,. Vorlc. The 15 o THE UNITED STATES. The Wolf, Fox, Wcafcl, Ermine, Otter, Flying Squirrel, Bat, and Water Rat, are c i i he irun-j fpecics with the European animals of the lame name. The Fallow Deer, Grey Fox, Martin, Otter, Opolium, Woodchurk, Hare, fome of theie Squirrels, and the Beaver, have been tamed. Probably moft of thefe, and ibme otlicrs, might be perfectly doraeftieated. It has been oblerved of our \vild ani- inals, in general, that they are not of fo lavagc a nature as tliofe in Europe. Of the animals fuppoledto be larger in America than in Europe, are the following, viz. Moofe or Elk, Fallow Deer, Bear, Wcufcl, Otter, and Beaver. Of thole that a iv It fs, arc the Hare, Red Squirrel, and Shrew Monk-. MAMMOTH.] This name has been given to an unknown animal, whofe bones arc found in the northern parts of both the old and new world. From the form of their teeth, they are fuppofed.to have been carnivorous. Like the elephant they were armed with tnfks of ivory ; but they obvioufly diuered from the elephant in lize ; their bones prove them to have been 5 or 6 times as large. Thcfe enormous bones are found in leveral parts of North America, * particularly about the fait licks or iprings, near the -Ohio river. Thefc licks were formerly frequented by a valt number of graminivorous animals, on account of the fait, of which they are excefllvely fond. From the appear- ance of thefe bones, fome of which are entirely above ground, others wholly buried, it is probable that the animals died at different periods, fome perhaps as lately as the iirft fettlcment of this country by the Europeans. Mr. Jerlerfon informs us, that a late governor of Virginia, having afked fome dele- gates of the Dclawares, what they knew or had heard relpecting this animal, the chief fpeaker * Col. G. Morgan, in a note to the Author, fays they are found " only at the fait licks on the Ohio ; fome few fcattered grinders, have indeed been found in other places ; but it has been fuppofed thefe have been brought from the above-mentioned depofit, by Indian warriors and others who have paffed it ; as we know many have been fpread in this manner. When I firft vifited this fait lick, fays the Col. in 1 766, I met here a large party of the Iroquois and Wyandot Indians, who were then on a war expedition againil the Chicafaw tribe. The head chief was a very old man to be engaged in war ; he told me he was 84 years old ; he was probably as much as 80. 1 fixed on this venerable chief, as a perfon from whom fome knowledge might be obtained. After making him fome fmall acceptable prefents of tobacco, paint, ammunition, &c. and complimenting him upon the wifdom of his nation, their prownefs in war and prudence in peace, intimated to him my igno- rance reflecting the great bones before us, which nothing but his fuperior knowledge could remove ; and ac- cordingly requefted him to inform me what he knew concerning them. Agreeably to the cuftoms of his nation, he anfwered me in fubftance, as follows. -" Whilft 1 was yet a boy I pafled this roack, feveral times, to war ngainft the Catawbas ; and the wife old chiefs, among whom was my grandfather, then gave me the tradition, handed down to us, reflecting thefe bones, the like to which arc found in no other part of the country. " It is as follows : After the Great Spirit firil formed the world, he made the various birds and beafts, which now inhabit it. He alfo made man ; but having formed him white, and very imperfect and ill-tempered, he placed him on one fide of it where he now inhabits, and from whence he has lately found a pallage acrofs the great water to be a " plague to us. As the Great Spirit was not pleafed with this his work, he took of black clay, and made what you call a Negro, with a woolly head. This black man was much better than the white man, but ftill he did not anfwer the wiih of the Great Spirit, that is, he was imperfect ; at laft, the Great Spirit having procured a piece ot pure,- -fine red clay, formed from it, the Red Man, perfectly to his mind ; and he was fo well pleafed with him, that he placed him on this great ifland, feparate from the white and black men ; and gave him rules for his conduct, promifing happineis m proportion as they mould be obferved. He increafed exceedingly, and was perfectly happy for ages ; but the foolifti young people, at length forgetting his rules, became exceed- ingly ill-tempered and wicked. In confequence of this, the Great Spirit created the great buftaloe, the bones of which you now fee before us ; thefe made war upon the human fpecies alone, and deft roved all but a few, who repented and promifed the Great Spirit to iive*according to his laws, if he would reftrain the devouring en.my : whereupon he fent lightning and thunder and cleftroyed the whole race, in this ipot, two excepted, a male and a female, which he fhut up in yonder mountain, ready to let looie again, mould occafion require." Col. Morgan adds, I have every material bone of the anatomy of this animal, with feveral jaw bones in -which the grinders .are entire j and fev.eral of the greattufes, one of which is lixet long" He adds, " and twenty THE UNITED STATES. 151 fpcaker immediately put himfelf into an oratorial attitude, and with a pomp luited to the firppo&d elevation of his fubjec'r, informed him that it was a tradition handed tlown from their fathers, " That in ancient times a herd of them came to the Big-bone licks, and h'-gan an univerful de&ruclion of the bears, deer, elks, buffaloes, and other animals which had been created for the ufeof the Indians : that the Great Man above, looking down and feeing this, was fo enraged that he feized his lightning, defcended to the earth, leated himfelf upon a neighbouring mountain, on a rock, on which his feat and the print of his feet are frill to be feen, and hurled his bolts among them till hole were- Slaughtered, exccipt the big bull, who, preferring his forehead to the '-ook them off as they fell ; but at length milling one, it wounded him in the creon, fpringiilg round, he bounded over the Ohio, the Wabafh, the Illinois, . over the great lakes, where he is living at this day *." UTAMUS.] That this animal ever exifted in America was not fuppofed till z The ingenious Dr. Mitchill, in a letter to- the author, fays, " That i 1-1788, fome tveth were dug up in Long Ifland, which, from their fhape, 1i/ yond a doubt, belong to the HIPPOPOTAMUS. Some of them, whiv ontcd tv) me, I forwarded to Mr. Peale of Philadelphia. They agree exactly v of the fame animal, which I faw in the Afhmolean Mufeum at Oxford, and in the Leverian Collection at London. They moreover correfpond, pre- cifely, with \ d defcription of that animal's ikull and jaws, as given by Dr. Grew, in Muf'eo j Sotietatis; and printed at London in folio, 1681. He is, there- fore, worthy of a plan- in our hiflory as well as the Mammoth." Biso.v.] This animal has generally been called the Buffalo, but very improperly, as this name has been appropriated to another animal. He is of the fame fpecies with our common neat cattle, their difference being the effect of domeltication. Compared with the neat cattle, the Bifon is conliderably larger, efpecially about the fore parts of his body. On his moulders arife:> a large flefhy or grifly fubftance, which extends along the back. The hair an his head, neck, and fhoulders, is long and woolly, and all of it is fit to be fpun or wrought into hats. Calves from the domeftic cow and wild bulls are fometimes railed ; but when they grow up, they become fo wild that no common fence will confine them. Is found in the middle flatcs.. Thefe animals were once exceedingly numerous in the weflern parts- of Virginia and Penniylvania ; and fo late as the year 1766, herds of 400 were frequently feen in Kentucky, and from thence to the Miffiffippi. The American forefts abound with various animals of the deer kind : naturalifts have arranged them differently. I have followed M. de Buffon, who has reduced them all to the feveral fpecies known in Europe. MOOSE.] Of thefe there are two kinds, the black and the grey. The black are laid to have been from 8 to 12 feet high; at prefent they are very rarely feen. The grey Moofe are generally as tall as a horfe-, and fome arc much taller ; both have fpreading twenty in circumference." But fuppofing fome miftake, and that probably the word inches ought to have been added to the twenty, I have not ventured to add it or to alter it. Salt works, of confiderable importance, have been eftablifhed at the lick, where thefe bones are found. * It has been faid by Mr. Jefferfon, that the grinders of the Mammoth are five or fix times as large a- thofe of the elephant. Col. Morgan fays not; " I have feen," he obferves, " the grinder of an elephant as large and as heavy as the largeft of the Mammoth. They are indeed thinner^ deeper rooted, and dif- ferently fliaped, denoting a graminivorou : animal; whereas the grinders of the Mammoth referable ttwfe of a wolf or clog, and ihew them to have been carnivorous." palmatect. i 5 : THE UNITED STATES. : 30 to 40 poumb. Thefe arc fhcd annually, in the m )i- hut trot \vith amazing fpced. In fummcr they ; . and ("ii - of the moil mucilaginous ihrubs. In winter they '.!!s, by moving conftantly in a frnall circle, t!i--/ I the fmnv hard, and form wh:it is called a pen. While the fnow is deep and v.-iii iv >t hour them, they are confined within tins pen, and eat all the hark and twigs within their reach. They are confidered 'as of the lame fpecies with the Elk Ci rn continent. They arc found in New-England. CARIBOU.] This animal is cliftinguifhcd by its branching palmatcd horns/wkh brow antlers. H<- is probably the rein deer of the northern parts of Europe. From the tendon- of this animal, as well as of the Moofe, the aboriginal natives made very to- In his habits and manners he refembles the reft of the family. He is found in the fouthern States, and there called the Tyger. MOUNTAIN CAT.] (Pardalis, Linn. Ocelot, de Buffon.) The length of his body is from 3 1 to four feet ; his tail about 2 feet. His colour is a fallow ground, with black fpots and ftripes. The male has a black lift along his back, and is the moft beautiful animal of the cat kind. He is exceedingly fierce, but will feldom attack a man. Found in the fouthern States. LYNX.] We have three kinds of the Lynx, each probably forming a diftinc~t fpecies. The j?r/2, (Lupus Cervarius, Linn. 3d edit.) is called by the French and Eriglifh Ameri- sj Lonp Cervier.* He is from 2| to three feet in length ; his tail is about 5 inches. * Pronounced Loocervee. X Hi* ,- 54 THE UNITED STATES. I-ILs hair i> long, of a light grey colour, forming, in forne places, fmall, irregular, dark {hades; the end of his tail is "black. His fur is fine and thick. He is the Lynx of Siberia, and foinc of the northern parts of Europe. A few may be found in the north- eal'ern parts of the diftrict of Main ; but in the higher latitudes they arc more, numerous. The/Ygy to muik, ambergris, civet, X 2 am * I5 6 THE UNITED STATES. Another Stinkard, called the Squaflj, is laid by Buffon, to be found in fome of the- fouthrrn States. He is of a chcfnut colour; climbs trees, and kills poultry. OPOSSUM.] This animal is about a foot and a half long; has a long pointed nofe, furniihed with long iHff hairs ; ears thin and naked ; tail naked, nearly as long as the bodv, and capable of holding the animal fulpended ; legs fhort ; feet fmall and naked. He ufes his forepaws like a monkey. His body is \vcll covered with a woolly fur, white at the root-, and black at the ends. His hair is long, thin, and coarfc ; its colour black and white, funning a grey of various fhados ; and thefe different fhadcs ..ten lu intermixed as to give a fpotted or variegated appearance. But the moil !ar part of this animal is a kind of falfe belly or pouch, with which the female is furnifhed ; it is formed by a duplicature of the Ikin ; i? lu placed as to include her teats, and has an aperture which fhe can open and fhiit at pleafure. She brings forth her young from four to lix at a time, while they are not bigger than a bean ; inclofes theni in this pouch, and they, from a principle of inltinc't, affix themfclves to her teats: here they remain and are nouriihed till they are able to run about, and are after- wards taken in occalionally, particularly in time of danger. The Opolium feeds on vegetables, particularly fruit. He likcwife kills poultry, fucks their blood, and cats 4 their eggs. His fat is ufed inftead of lard or butter. Found in the fouthern and middle States. WOODCHUCK.] (Monax, de BufFon.) His body is about fixteen inches long, and nearly the fame in circumference ; his tail is moderately long, and full of hair. His colour is a mixture of fallow and grey. He digs a burrow in, or near, lome culti- vated field, and feeds on pulfe, the tops of cultivated clover, &c. He is generally fat, excepting in the fpring. The young arc good meat; the old are rather rank and difagreeable. In the beginning of October they retire to their burrows, and live in a toq:>id ftatc about fix months. In many rcfpecls he agrees with the Mar/not of the Alps ; in others he differs, and on the whole is probably not the fame. An animal refembling the Woodchuck is found in the fouthern States, which is fup pofcd to form another fpecies. URCHIN.] The Urchin, or Urfon, is about two feet in length, and, when fat, the fame in circumference. He is commonly called Hedge-hog or Porcupine, but differs from both thofe anima\s in every characleriftic mark, excepting his being armed with quills on his back and tides. Thefe quills are nearly as large as a wheat ftraw, from three to four inches long, and, unlefs creeled, nearly covered by the animal's hair. Their points are very hard, and rilled with innumerable very fmall barbs or fcales, whole points are railed from the body of the quill. When the Urchin is attacked by a dog, wolf, or other bealt of prey, he throws himfelf into a pefture of defence, by fhortening his body, elevating his back, and creeling his quills. The aflailant foon finds fome of thofe weapons ftuck into his mouth, or other part of his body, and every effort which he makes to free himfelf. caufes them to penetrate the farther; they have been known to bury thcmfelves entirely in a few minutes. Sometimes they prove fatal ; at other times they make their way out again through the Ikin from various and caftor, I am ftrongly inclined to think it might be with advantage ranked among the antifpafmdla of the Afateria Medico, or clajffd -Mith drugs in thejbofs of perfumers, A fimilar fubftance, although not Co abundant and fragrant, I have likewife found in bags of the fame kind, when I dirtied the common weafel, (Mujlela vulgaris} which, in all probability, will be found to pofleis virtues not much differing from the i/o/rW, or liquor of the Fiverra, or the American Ikunk. The Mulquafh (Caftor mujlbatus) which I have aJfo diflecled, has no facks of this kind, and therefore I am forcibly led to iufpeft that its odour refides in the cuticular exhalants, and perlpired matter." 4 parts THE UNITED STATES. 157 parts of the body. If not molefted, the Urchin is an inoffenfive animal. He finds a hole or hollow which he makes his refidence, and feeds on the bark and roots of vegetables. His flefh, in the opinion of hunters, is equal to that of a fucking pig. Is found in the northern States. HAKE.] Of this animal we have two kinds, which appear to be different fpecies : the one is commonly called the White Rabbit, or Coney; the other limply the Rabbit; but from the proportional length of their hinder legs, and other fpecific marks, they both belong to the family of the hare. The former has a covering of coarfe white hair, which comes on before winter, and falls off the cnfuing Spring. He is about half the iize of a large European hare, and twice as large as the other kind. The latter burrows in the ground like a rabbit. They are both found in the fame tract ot country, but have not been known to afTociate. The former is found in the northern States, and appears to be the fame as the hare of the northern part of Europe; the latter is found in all the States, and is probably a fpecies peculiar to America. RACCOON.-] The Raccoon, in the form and rize of his body, refembles the fox ; his legs are larger and fhorter. His toes are long, and armed with fharp claws. His body is grey ; his tail annulated with alternate rings of black and brown. In his manners he refembles the fquirrel ; like him he lives on trees, feeds on Indian corn, acorns, &c. and ierves himfelf with his fore paws. His flefh is good meat, and his fur is valued by the hatters, He is found in all the climates of the temperate zone in North America. The Fox SQUIRREL.] Of this animal there are feveral varieties, black, red, and grey. It is nearly twice as large as the common grey fquirrel, and is found in the fouthern States, and is peculiar to this continent. The GREY SQUIRREL of America does not agree exactly with that of Europe, but is generally conlidered as of the fame fpecies. Its name indicates its general colour ; but ibmc arc black, and others black on the back, and grey on the fides-. They make a neft of mofs in a hollow tree, and here they depolit their provifion of nuts and acorns ; this is the place of their refidence during the winter, and here they bring forth their young. Their fummer houfe, which is built of iticks and leaves, is placed near the top of the tree. They fometimes migrate in considerable numbers. If ir* their courfe they meet with a river, each of them, takes a fhingle, piece of bark, or the like, and carries it to the water. Thus equipped, they embark, and erect their tail> to the gentle breeze, which foon wafts them over in lafety ; but a fudden flaw of wind fometimes produces a dcftru&ive fhipwreek. The greater part of the males of this fpecies is found caflrated. A Grey Squirrel is found in Virginia, nearly twice as large as this. Whether it be the fame, or a different fpecies. is uncertain. The RED SQUIRREL is lets than the grey fquirrel. It has a red lift along its back, grey on its fides, and white under the belly. It differs in fomc refpects from the com- mon European fquirrel ; but M. de Burfbn conlklers it as the fame fpecies. Its food is the fame as that of the grey fquirrel, except that it fometimes feeds on the feeds of the pine and other evergreens ; hence it is fometimes called the pine fquirrel, and is found farther to the northward than the grey fquirrel. It fpends part of its time on trees in quefl of food; but conliders its hole, under fome rock or log, as its home. The STRIPED SQUIRREL is ftill lefs than the laft mentioned. Its colour is red. It has a narrow ftripe of black along its back : at the diltance of about half an inch, on each fide, is a ftripe of white, bordered with very narrow ftripes of black. Its belly T n K U X I T E D S T A T E S. Ullyis white, in (lie males, the colours arc brighter and better defined than in the '. It i< Ibmctime- railed ;i moviib fquirrcl, and ground fquirrcl, from its forming a burrow in loofe ground. LiiiiKrus confounds it with a ftripcd moufe fquirrel, found in the north of Alia -, but that animal is reprefentcd as in fome meafurc rcfcnibling the moulr; whcrca* our's i- a genuine fquirrel. In the fummcr it foeds on apples, peaches, and various kinds of fruit and feed-; ; and tor its winter it ore lays up nuts, acorns, and grain. It fometimcs afccncls trees in qucitof food, hut always defrends on the ap- .nee of danger ; nor docs it feel fccure but in its hole, a fione wall,, or ionic covert place. .Found in the northern and middle States. i i VINO SQUIRREL, j This is the leail and mo.it fingular of the clafs of fquirrcl?. A duplicature of the Ikin connects the fore and hinder legs together: by extending this membrane, it is able to leap much farther, and to alight with more fafety than other fquirrcls. It lives in the holes of trees, and feeds on feeds. Is found' in all the Statt <. BAT.] The Bat is lb common and fo iingular a creature that a particular defcription of it is unneceHary. l ? ound both in America and Europe. FIKLI> Moi .-):.] This fpecics in England is called the fhort-tailed field mouie. It ha- a general rcfcmblance to the common honfe monfe ; but both its body and tail are larger and his hair has a flight rcddiili tint. Its food depends very much on its litnation. In gardens it often deftroys young fruit trees by eating their bark : in fields and meadows it feeds on the roots of grafs, Ibmetimes leaving a groove in the fwarcl,. v.hich appears a> if it had been cut out with a gonge. In woods, they are faid to li-ed on acorns, and to lay up a large ftore of them in their burrows. Woou RAT.] " This is a very curious animal; not half the fize of the domeilic rat; of a dark brown or black colour; their tails flcnder and fhort in proportion, and covered thinly with fhort hair. They arc fingular with rcfpccl to their ingenuity and great labour in conftructing their habitations, winch are conical pyramids, about three or four feet high, conftructcd with dry branches, which they collect with great labour and pcrlcvcrancc, and pile up without any apparent order ; yet they are fo interwoven with one another, that it would take a bear or wild cat fomc time to pull one of thefe caftles to pieces, and allow the animals iufficient time to retreat with their young. There is likcw ife a ground rat, twice as large as the common rat, which burrows in the ground." Bar tram s Travels. SHRKW MOISK.] This is the fmalleft of quadrupeds, and holds nearly the fame place among them as the humming bird docs among the feathered race. Some of the European fhrcw mice are three inches long : we have fcen but two or three of the American^ and thofc dried; but fhould not judge that thofe ever exceeded two Their head, which conftitutcs about one third o/ their whole length, has fome rclcmhlance to that of a mole ; the ears are wanting ; their eyes fcarcely vifible ; the very long, pointed, and fiirniihcd with long hairs. In other refpects thefe refern- oininon moule. They live in woods, and are fuppofed to feed on grain and inlvvts. Found in Xew England. MOLK.] The Purple Mole is found in Virginia; the Black Mole in'NewEng- he lives in and about the water: they differ from one another, and both from the European. The WATER RAT is about the fize of the common rat; brown on the back and e under the belly ; feeds on aquatic animals. The Beaver is an amphibious animal, which cannot live for any length water; and can cxift without it, provided he lias the convenience of * Ibmetimes THE UNITED STATES. ,, 9 Sometimes bathing himfclf. The largeft beavers, formerly, were four feet in length, and weighed fifty or iixty pounds. At prefent they arc not more than three feet in length, and may weigh from twenty-five to thirty pounds. The head of this animal i* large, and his mrs fhort and round. Their fore teeth arc prominent, long, broad, Itrong, and grooved or hollowed like a gouge. Their fore legs are fhort, with toes feparate ; their hinder lees are long, with toes webbed. The tail is large, broad, and fealy, refembting the body of a fifh. Their eolour is generally a dark brown, but varies according to the climate they inhabit. Their hair is long and coarlc ; the fur Tery thick, fine, and highly valued. The caflor uled in medicine is found in facks formed behind the kidneys. Their houtes are always fituated in the water ; Sometimes they make ufe of a natu- ral pond, but generally they choofe to form one by building a dam arrois fome brook or rivulet. For this purpofe they felccl a number of fapplings of foft wood, gencraMy of lefs than fix inches diameter, but fometimcs of fixtecn or eighteen inches ; thele they fell and divide into proper lengths, and place them in the water, Ib that the- }ength of the fticks make the width of the dam. Thcfe Iricks tlrcy lay in mud or ctav, their tails ferving them for trowels, as their teeth did for axes. Thefe dams are fix or eififlvt feet thick at bottom, fl oping on the fide oppofed to the frream-, and are about a quarter as broad at top as at bottom. Near the top of the dam they leave one or more wafte ways, or Hiding places, to carry off the furplus water. The formation of their cabins is no lefs remarkable. They confifl of two florics, one under, the other above water. They are ihapcd like the oval beehive; and. of a. iize proportioned to the number of inhabitants. The walls of the lower apartments are two or three feet thick, formed like their dams ; thofc of the upper ftory arc- thinner, and the whole, on the iniide, plaiftcred with mud. Each family conitniets and inhabits its own cabin. The upper apartments are curioufly ftrewcd with leaves, and rendered neat, clean, and comfortable. The winter never furprizes thcie animals, before their bufinefs is completed ; for their houfes are generally finkhcd by the laft of vSeptember, and their Irock of provisions laid in, which confilts of fmaH pieces- of wood depofited in the lower apartments. Before a florm, all hands arc employed in repairing or ftrengthening their dams. They retain this induftrious habit even after they are donicfticated. In fummcr they roam abroad and feed on leaves, twigs, and food of that kind. Thele beavers are confidered as the fame fpecics as thole in Europe,, but are vaftly iuperior to. them in every relpec.1.. There is likewife a race of beavers, called terriers, who dig holes and live a folitary nnfocial life. Thefe are probably favages, who have never formed themfelves into fo- eieties, and confequcntly have not made thofc improvements, which are to be acquired- enly in a focial ftate. Found in all the States. The MUSCAT ASH or MUSK RAT is about fifteen inches in length, and a foot in cir- eumfcrencc. His tail is nearly a foot long, his hair very fhort ; the colour on his back, dark ; on his- fides, generally reddifh ; his head and tail very much refemblc thofe of a rat. This animal is furniilied with glands, which feparate a fubiiancc that has the iiiiell of mulk. In his mode of living, he is a cliitant imitator of the beaver ; builds a rude cabin in lliallow water, and feeds on vegetables. Found in the northern and middle States. The MORSE or SEA Cow, more properly called the Sea Elephant, has two large ivory tulks, which fhoot from the upper jaw : its head allb is formed like that of the elephant, and would entirely refemblc it in that part, if it had a trunk ; but the morfe is deprived of that mftrument which ferves the elephant in place of an arm and THE UNITED STATES. ,-,.} ,mns. Thefe members, like thofc of the Teal, are fhut up within the ikin, fo that nothing appears outwardly but its bunds and feet. Its body is long ..... gi eat _ .... much larger and llronger, (be morle being commonly from twelve to lixteen feet in length, and eight or nine in circumference ; whereas the largcil feals are no more than vcu or eight tcct long. The niorfcs and teals frequent the lame places. TJicy have the fame habits in every refpcct, except, that there are fewer varieties of the mode than of the teal; they are likewife more attached to one particular ci/matc, and are rarely found, except in the northern feas. The SKAL, of which there are fcveral fpecies, is an amphibious animal, living the ier part of the time in the lea, and feeds on marine plants. Thcfe animals formerly ur northern ihyrcs ; but at prefent have nearly forfaken them. MAN ATI.] This animal forms the connecting link between beails and fifhes. It . .cannot be called a quadruped; nor can it entirely be termed a fim ; it partakes of the nature of the fim by its two feet or hands ; but the hinder legs, which are almoft wholly concealed in the bodies of the feal and jnorle, are entirely wanting in the manati. I nit cad of two fhort feet, and a tmall, narrow tail, which is placed in a horizontal direction in the morfe, tlic manati has only a thick tail, fpread out broad like a fan. It is a very clumfy mifhapen animal, with a head thicker than that of an ox ; eyes fmall ; and the two feet are placed near the head, for the purpofe of fwimming. It is of fufficicnt fize to form a load for two oxen. Its flefh, which is more like beef than fifli, is laid to be excellent for eating. They are about 15 feet long, and 6 broad. As this animal has only fore feet, it has obtained the name of Manati, i. e. " an animal with both hands." The female has brcafts placed forward like thofe of a woman, and me generally brings forth two young ones at a time, which fhe fuckles. It is not properly iimphibious ; it only raifes its head out of the water to feed on the herbage by the fea- iide. This animal is very common in South America, and fome, it is faid, have been found in the fouthern States. SAPAJOU. SAGOIN,.] There are various fpecies of animals faid to inhabit the country on the lower part of the Miffiffippi, called Sapajous and Sagoins. The former are capable of fufpcnding themfelves by their tails ; the latter are not. They have a general refemblance to monkeys ; but are not furTiciently known, to be particularly dcfcribed. BIRDS.] Several catalogues of the birds in the fouthern and middle States have "been pnblifhed by different authors ; and one, of thofe in New Hampfhire, by Dr. Bclknap ; but no general catalogue of the birds in the American States has yet appeared. The following catalogue, which claims to be the molt full and complete of any yet publifhed, though far from perfection, has been carefully fele6ted from Bartram's Travels, JefFcrfon's Notes on Virginia, Bclknap's Hiftory of New Hamp- ihirc, and a Manufcript furnifhed by Dr. Cutler. Bartram's catalogue, as far as it extends, appears to be the moft accurate and complete, and his mode of arrangement the moft natural and intelligible ; I have therefore adopted it, and inferted his notes and references.* Popular : The birds to whofe names in this catalogue, thefe marks [ * f .* l| f ] are prefixed, are land birds, which, according to Bartram, are feen in Pennfylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, from the fea-coaft weftward to the Appalachian mountains, viz. * Thefe THE UNITED STATES. 161 Popular Names. The OWL. -f- Great White Owl ^| Great Hornc-il Owl f Great Horned White Owl ^ Horned Owl ^f Whooting O\vl -\- Sharp Winged or Speckled Owl ^[ Little Screech Owl ^ Barn Owl The VULTURE. Turkey Buzzard || White Tailed Vulture Jj Black Vulture, or Carrion Crow EAGLE and HAWK. ^| Great Grey Eagle f Bald Eagle Fifhing Er?gle Great Eagle Hawk Hen Hawk Chicken Hawk Pigeon Hawk Black Hawk Marfh Hawk Sparrow Hawk, or leafl Hawk Brown Eagle I I * If Large Brown Ha\\k Pigeon Hawk Fifli Hawk Bird Hawk KITE HAWK.* Forked Tail Hawk, or Kite Sharp Winged Hav/k, of a pale, iKy-^ blue colour, the tip of the wings L Falco glaucus. black J Sharp Winged Hawk, of a dark or duiky blue colour Bartram's Dcfignation. STRIX. Strix arclicus, corpore toto niveo. Strix pythaules, corpore rufo. Strix maximus, corpore niveo. Strix bubo ? Peck. Strix acclamator, corpore grifeo. f Strix perigrinator, corpore verficolore. 1 Strix aluco. Cutler. Belknap. Strix alio, corpore ferruginio. Strix pafferi. Cutler. Belknap. VULTUR* Vultur aura. Vultur facra. Vultur atratus. FALCO. Falco regal is. Falco leucoccphalus. Falco pifcatorius. Falco Aquilinus, cauda ferruginio. Falco gallinarius. Falco pularius. Falco columbarius. Falco niger. Falco ranivorus. Falco fparvenius. Falco fulvus. Belknap. Falco hudfonius ? Belknap. Falco fubbuteo. Peck. Falco haliaetus. Peck. Lanius Canadeniis. Belknap. Cutler. MILVUS. Falco furcatus. Falco fubceruleus. (*) Thefe arrive in Pennfylvania in the fpring, from the fouth ; and after building their nefts and rearing their young, return fouthward in autumn. (f ) Thefc arrive in Pennfylvania in autumn, from the north, where fome of them continue during the winter, others continue their journey as far fouth as Florida. They return northward in the fpring, probably to breed and rear their young. (t) Thefe arrive in the fpring, in Carolina and Florida, from the fouth ; breed and rear their young, and return again to the fouth at the approach of winter. Thefe never migrate fo far north as Pennfylvania. ( |I) Thefe are natives of Carolina, Georgia and Florida ; where they breed and continue the year round. (^[) Thefe breed and continue the year round in Pennfylvania. ( ) Thefe are found in New-England. * Kite hawks are characterized by having long (harp-pointed wings; being of fvvift flight; failing without flapping their wings ; having long, light bodies, and feeding out of their claws on the wing. Y 11 Parrot THE UNITED STATES. Popular Names. || Parrot of Carolina, or Parrakcct The CRO\V kind. * The Raven || Great Sea-fide Crow or Rook ^[ Common Crow ^ Roy rum Crow f Blue Jay Little Jay of Florida - ^] Purple Jackdaw or Crow Blackbird * Lefler Purple Jackdaw * Cuckow of Carolina Whet Saw WOODPECKERS* || Greateft Crefted Woodpecker, a white back J * Great Red Crefted, Black Woodpecker * Red Headed Woodpecker * Gold Winged Woodpecker Red Bellied Woodpecker Leaft Spotted Woodpecker Hair) 7 , Speckled and Crefted Wood- 1 pecker J Yetlow Bellied Woodpecker Swallow Woodpecker Speckled Woodpecker Small Nuthatch Little, Brown variegated Creeper * Pine Creeper * Blue and White, pied Creeper * Great Crefted King Fifher * Humming Bird * Little Grey Butcher Bird of Pennfylvania * Little Black Capped Butcher * King Bird * Pewit, or Black Cap Fly Catcher * Great Crefted, Yellow Bellied Flyl Catcher J * Leffer Pewit, or Brown and Greenifh "I Fly Catcher J * Little Olive-coloured Fly Catcher * Little Domeftic Fly Catcher, or Green "1 Wren ] * 'Red Eyed Fly Catcher * Turtle Dove of Carolina j] Ground Dove f Wild Pigeon Bartram's Df/tgmtim, Pfitticus Carolinrenfls. CORVUS. Con*us carnivorus. Corvus maritimua. Corvus frugivorus. Corvus cornix. Cutler. Corvus criftatvrs, pica glandaria. Corvus Floridanus, pica glandaria minor*. Gracula quifcula, Gracula purpurea. Cuculus Carolinienfis. C uculus Carver, Pious, Picus principalis. Picus pileatus. Picus eiythrocephalus; Picus auratirs. Picus Carolinus. Picus pubcfcens^ Picus villofus.. Picus varius. Picus hirundinaceus. Cutler- Picus maculofus. Cutler. Sitta capite nigro. Catefby^ Sitta capite fufco. Catefby> Certhia rufa. Certhia pinus. Certhia picla. Alcedo alcyon. Trochylus colubris. Lanius grifeus. Lanius garrulus. Lanius tyrannus. Mufcicapa nunciolai. Mufcicapa criftata. Mufcicapa rapax. Mufcicapa fubviridis,. Mufcicapa cantacrix^ Mufcicapa fylvicola. Coluraba Carolinienlis. Columba pafferina. Colxnuba migratoria. THE UNITED STATES. 163 Popular Names. * Great Meadow Lark f Sky Lark *\- Little Brown Lark Red Winged Starling-Marih Black Bird, or Red Winged Black Bird f Robin Red Brcaft. Field Fare. * Fox coloured Thrufh. * Mocking Bird * Wood Thrufh * Leal! Golden Crown Tlimili j CrolsBill $ Cherry Bird * Baltimore Bird, or Hang Nefl * Goldfinch, or Icterus Minor * Sand Hill Red Bird of Carolina * Summer Red Bird * Yellow Breafted Chat * Cat Bird, or Chicken Bird ^f Crown Bird, or Cedar Bird Bartrams Dvjignation. Alauda magna. Alauda campeftris, gutture flavo. Alauda migratoria, corpore toto ferruginio. Sturnus nigcr alis fuperne rubentibus. Catefby. Turdus migratorius. Turdus ruf'us. Turdus polyglottos. Turdus melodes. Turdus minimus, vertice aurio. Loxia curvi roftra ? Belknap. Ampelis garrulus. Cutler.* Oriolus Baltimore. Oriolus fpurius. Merula flammula. Merula Marilandica. Garrulus auftralis. r Lucar lividus, apice nigra. 1 Mufcicapa vertice nigro. Catefby, Ampelis garrulus. GRANIVOROUS TRIBES. If f f Wild Turkey Pheafant of Pennsylvania, or Par- i tridge of New England. Mountain Cock, or Grous Ptarmigan. ^ (Mitchill) J Quail or Partridge Red Bird. Virginia Nightingale Crofs Beak Blue Crois Beak Rice Bird. * Boblincoln Blue or Slate coloured Rice Bird Pied Rice Bird * Painted Finch, or Nonpareil Red Linnet Blue Linnet Goldfinch. Yellow Bird (Cutler.) or Lettuce Bird Leffer Goldfinch Lealt Finch Towhe Bird, Pewee, Cheeweeh r Melcagris Americanus. 1 Gallopavo lylveflris. Catefby, Tetrao tympanus. Tctrao lagopus. Tetrao minor, f. coturnix, Loxia cardinalis. Loxia roftro foriicato. Loxia caerulea. Emberiza oryzivorar, Emberiza livida. Emberiza varia. Linaria ciris. Tanagra rubra. Linaria cyanea. f Carduelus Americanus, 1 Fringilla triiiis. Linn. Carduelus pinus. Carduelus pufilus. r Fringilla erythrophtlialma. { Pafler nigris oculis rubris. CateAy. * The rice bird and pied rice bird are generally fuppofed to be male and female of the fame fpecies ; t 1 - j -pied rice bird the male, and the other, the female. - Called iij New fcnglaitfl boblino>in, conquedle ; and I , Old EaglauJ blackbird, If 2 -f Purpls THE UNITED STATES. '\- -j- Popular Barnes. Purple Finch Spring Bird Hemp Bird "U inter, Sparrow Red, Fox-coloured, Ground or Hedge 1 Sparrow * Large, Bro\vn, White-throated Sparrow Little Houfe Sparrow, or Chipping Bird * Rccd Sparrow * Little Field Sparrow -J- Snow Bird * May Bird * Red-winged Starling, or Corn Thief * Cowpen Bird * Blue Bird * Water Wagtail * Houfe Wren f * Marfli Wren * Great Wren of Carolina Body darlo brown, throat and bread, pale clay r colour J Grape Bird * Little Bluifh Grey Wren f- Golden Crown Wren f- Ruby Crown Wren (Edwards) Olive-coloured, Yellow-throated Wren RedStart Yellow-hooded Titmoufe Bluifli Grey Crefted Titmoufe Black Cap Titmoufe Summer Yellow Bird Yellow Rump TomTeet Various coloured Little Finch Creeper Little Chocolate Breaft Titmoufe Yellow Red Poll Green Black-throated Fly Catcher Golden winged Fly Catcher Blue-winged Yellow Bird Yellow-throated Creeper Houfe Swallow, or Cnimney Swallow Great Purple Martin Bank Martin or Swallow. White-bellied Martin Bartram's Dcjtgnatlou. Fringilla purpurea. Fringilla. Cutler. Fringilla canabina. Fringilla grilea. Cutler. Fringilla rufa. Fringilla fufca. PafTer domcfticus Paflcr paluftris. PafTer agreftis. Pafler nivalis. Calandra pratenfis. Sturnus predatorius. f Sturnus ftercorarius. I Paffer fr.lcus. Catefby. rMotacilla iialis. t Rubicula Americana caerulea. Catefby. Motacilla fluviatilis. Motacilla domeitica (regulus rufus.) Motacilla palaltris (regulus minor.) Motacilla Caroliniana (regulus magnus.) Motacilla icterocephala. Cutler. Regulus grifeus. Regulus criftatus. r Regulus criftatus, Alter vertice nibini" 1 colons. Regulus peregrinus, gutture jSavo. Ruticilla Americana. Lufcinia, f. philomela Americana. Par us criftatus. Parus Europeus. Parus luteus. Parus cedrus, uropygio fiavo. Parus atricaplllus. Cutler. Parus varius. Parus peregrinus. Parus aureus,. vertice rubro. Parus viridis, gutture nigro. Parus alis aureis. Parus aureus alis caeruleis. Parus griccus gutture luteo. Hirundo pelafgia, cauda aculeata. Hirundo purpurea. Hirundo riparia, vertice purpurea. Hirundo Barn THE UNITED STATES. Popular Names. Barn Swallow Great Bat, or Chuck wills widow, ori Goat Sucker Bart ram's Defignation. Hirundo fubis, Cutler. Caprimulgus lucifugus. r Caprimulgus minor Americanus.Catefby. . 1 Caprimulgus Europeus. Cutler. Caprimulgus Amcricanus. Cutler. * Whip-poor-will * * Night Hawk AMPHIBIOUS or AQUATIC BIRDS, or fuch as obtain their food from, and refide in the water. . The CRANE. Great Whooping Crane 9 Great Savanna Crane The HERON. Great Bluifh Grey Crefted Heron Great White River Heron Crane Little White Heron Stork Little Crefted Purple, or Blue Heron Grey, White Crefted, Heron * * Marfh Bittern, or Indian Hen * Quaw Bird, or Frog Catcher Little Brownifh fpotted Bittern Creftcd Blue Bittern, called Poor Job Green Bittern. Poke. Skouk. LefTer Green Bittern Leaft Brown and Striped Bittern Spoon Bill ; fcen as far north as the "1 river Alatamaha J The WOOD PELICAN. Wood Pelican J White Curlew ;; Bulky and White Curlew Crying Bird, beautifully fpecklcd Ganet, perhaps little different from"I the Ibis White Godwit Great rcd-breafted Godwit' The greater Godwit Red Shark, or Pool Stripe [ Great fea-coaft Curlew * Lelfer field Curlew GRUS. | Grus clamator, vertice papiTlofb, corpora niveo, remigibus nigris. i f Grus^ pratenlis, corpore cinereo, vertice 1 papillofo. ARDEA. Ardea Herodias. Ardea immaculata. Ardea Canadenlis. Cutler. Ardea alba minor. Ardea ciconia. Cutler. Ardea purpurea cjiflata. Ardea varra criftata. Ardea maculata criilata. f Ardea migitans. 1 Ardea flellaris Americana. Catefby* Ardea clamator,- corpore fubceruleo. Ardea fubfufca flillata. Ardea violacca. f Ardea virefcens. 1 Ardea virefcens minor. Ardea parva. Patalea ajaja. TANTALUS. Tantalus loculator. Tantalus alber. Tantalus fufcus. Tantalus piclus, (Ephoufkyka. Indian.) Tantalus Ichthyophagus. Numenius, alba varia. Numenius peclore nifo. Numeuius Americana. Numenius fluvialis. Numenius magnus rufug. Numenius muiot campeftris. * Bartram confiders the whip-poor-will and the night-hawk as the lame bird (Caprimulgns Amcricanus) but they are well known to be different birds, Sea-fide 1 66 THE UNITED STATES. Top'tltir lc Idler Curlew *' Great red Woodcock Wood Snipe * Meadow Snipe * Red coot-footed Tring * White-throated, coot-footed Tring * Black Cap, coot-footed Tring ^f Spotted Tring. Rock bird Little pond Snipe Little brown pool Snipe * ' Little Tring&of the lea fhore. "Sand birds Ox Eye Humility * Turntionc or Dotrill Wild Swan Canadian Goofe Bl ue-wingcd Goofe Laughing Goofe White Brant Goofe - Great parti-coloured Brant or Grey Goofe ~j~ Great Wild Duck.' Duck and Mallard ^- Great Black Duck - Bull Neck or Buffaloe Head Quiridar h Blue Bill Black White- faced Duck Wood Duck Sprigtail Duck Little Brown and White Duck Various coloured Duck, his breaft and-* neck as though ornamented with I chains of beads J f Little Black and White Duck, called 1 Butter Back J Sea Duck Sea Pigeon $ Old Wife J- Blue-winged Shoveller Dipper TKAL. * Summer Duck '[ Blue-winged Teal -f" Leaft Green-winged Teal * Whittling Duck f- Great Fiihing Duck f- Round-crefted Duci 1 Bartram's Defignatlon. Numcnius cinereus. Soolapax Americana rufa. Scolapax fetloa. Cutler. Scolapax minor an r enlis. Trin^ra rufa. Tringa cincrea, gutture albo, Tringa vert ice nigro. Tringa maculata. Tringa grifeus. Tringa fufca. Tringa parva, . Tringa fulicaria ? Cutler. Tringa interpres ? Cutler. Morinella Americana. Cygmis ferns. Anier Canadenlis. Anfer aleis caeruleis. Anfer fufcus maculatns. Anfer branta, corpore albo 3 remigibusnigris. Anfer branta, grifea maculata. r Anas fera torquata major, caput ct collum, < viridi fplendentis, dorfum grifeo fufcum, L peclore rufefcente, fpeculum violacruni, Anas nigra maxima. Acas bucepala. Anas fubcerulea. Anas leucocephalfu Anas arborea. Anas caudacuta. Anas ruftica. Anas principals, maculata. Anas minor picla. Anas molliilima. Cutler. Anas hiilrionica ? Cutler. {Anas Hyemalis. Peck. Anas ilrepera ? Cutler. Anas Americanus lato roftro. Catefby. Anas albeola. Cutler. Anas fponfa. Anas difcors. Anas migratoria. Anas iiftulofa. Mergus major peel ore rufo. Mergns cucultatus. * Eel THE UNITED STATES. 167 Popular Names. * Eel Crow || Great Black Cormorant of Florida, "I having a read beak J || Snake Bird of Florida ^[ Great Black and White Pied Diver or 1 Loon Large Spotted Loon, or -f~ Great Speckled Diver [ Little-eared Brown Dobchick Little-crefled Brown Dobchick Dobchick or Notail Cream-coloured Sheldrake Red-bellied Sheldrake Pyed Sheldrake Penguin Water I lea MUIT Petteril Tropic Bird Great White Gull Great Grey Gull Little White, River Gull Mackarcl Gull 4 Fifliing Gull ^ Sea Swallow or Noddy Sea Sucker Pintado Bird Thornback [[ Shear Water or Razor Bill f Frigate or Man of War Bird J Booby ^ Shag- Pelican of the MiffifTippr, whofe pouch \ holds 2, or 3 quarts J |j American Sea Pelican The PLOVER KIND-. * Kildee or Chattering Plover * Great Spotted Plover * Little Sea-lide Ring-necked Plover * Will Wilier, or Oyfter Catcher || Great Blue or Slate-coloured Coot ^ White Head Coot Brown Coot * Sorec. Brown Rail. Widgeon J Little dark Blue Water Rail * Greater Brown Rail ji- Bine or Slate-coloured Water Rail of \ Florida Bar tram's Defignatlon, Colymbus migratorius. Colymbus Floridanus Colymbus colubrinus, cauda elongata. Colymbus muncus. Colymbus Glacialis. Peck, Colyrribus anSticus. Colymbus auritus et cornutus, Colymbus minor fufcus. Colymbus podiceps. Peck. Mergus merganfer ? Cutler, Mergus ferrator ? Cutler. Mergus caftor B Cutler. Alea impcnnis. Cutler. Alea ardtica ? Cutler. Alea torda. Peck. Procellaria pclagica. Peck- Phaacton aetherius. Larus alber. Larus gi*ifeus. Larus alha minor. Lams ridibundus. Cutlerv Sterna minuta. Cutler. Sterna flolida. Petromyzon marinus. Peck^ Petrella pintado. Raja fullonica ? Peck, Rynchops niger. Pelicanus aquilus. Pelicanus fula. Pelicanus graculus. Cutler. Pelicanus. Onocratalus Americanus. CHARADTIIUS, Charadrius vociferus. Cliaradrius maculatus. Charadrius minor. Hematopus ortrealegus. Fulrca Floriclana. Anas rpe6tabii'^. Cutler. Anas fufca. Cutler. Rallus Virginianus. Rallus aquaticus minor^ Rallus nifus. Rallus major fubceruleus. : 63 THE UNITED STATES. .vi/r Names. Bertrams Deftgnation. & p cc p Rallus Carolinus. Cutler. * Flamingo ; teen about the point of Flo-*j rida ; rarely as far North as St. An- ? Phoenicopterus ruber, guftine ' Bcfidcs thefe, the following have not heen defcribed or clafTed, unlcfs, under diffe- rent names, they are contained in the above catalogue. vShrldrach, or .Canvas Buck Mow Bird Ball Coot Blue Peter \Vatcr Witch Water Wagtail Water Pheafunt Wakon Bird. The Birds of America, fays Cateiby, generally exceed thofe of Europe in the beauty of their plumage, but are much inferior to them in the melody of their notes. The middle States, including Virginia, appear to be the climates, in North America, where the greateft number and variety or' birds of pafTage celebrate their nuptials and rear their offspring, with which they annually return to more fouthern regions. Moil of our bir.ds are birds of paffage from the fouthward. The eagle, the pheafant, grous, and partridge of Pennfylvania, feveral fpecies of woodpeckers, the crow, blue jay, robin, marfh wren, feveral fpecies of fparrows or fnow birds, and the fwallow, are perhaps nearly all the land birds that continue the year round to the northward of Virginia. Very few tribes of birds build or rear their young in the fouth or maritime parts of Virginia, in Carolina, Georgia, and Florida; yet all thofe numerous tribes, particularly of the foft-billed kind, which breed in Pennfylvania, pals, in the fpring feafon, through thefe regions in a few weeks time, making but very fhort itagcs by the way ; and again, but few of them winter there on their return fouthwardly. It is not known how far to the fouth they continue their rout, during their abfence from the northern and middle States. "The SWAN (Cygnus ferus) is the largeft of the aquatic tribe of birds which isfeen in this country. One of them has been known to weigh 36 Ib. and to be 6 feet in length, from the bill to the feet, when ftrctched. It makes a found refembling that of a trum- pet, both when in the water and on the wing." (Belknap.) The CANADIAN GOOSE (Anfer Canadenfts) is a bird of pafTage, and gregarious. The offspring of the Canadian and common goofe are mongrels, and reckoned more valua- ble than either of them fingly, but do not propagate. The PTARMIGAN (Tetrao lagopm} ordinarily inhabits the colder climates ;iboutHud- fon's Bay, but is fometimes driven, through want of food, to the more fwuthern lati- tudes. In the winter of 1788 thefe birds were taken plentifully about Quebec. When- ever the winter of the Arctic region fets in with rain, Ib as to cover the branches and leave? of trees with a glaze of ice, they are deprived of their food, and obliged to fly to the fouth, to a milder climate, where it can be procured. Hence they frequently vint the United States. Their feathers are moftly white, covered with down quite to the nails, and their flem black, and of an exquilite relifh. Probably this is a different bird from Bartram's Mountain Cock or Grous, though both have the fame Linnaean name. The QUAIL or PARTRIDGE (Tetrao minor, f. coturnix) This bird is the Quail of New England, and the Partridge of the fouthern States ; but is properly neither. It is a bird peculiar THE UNI T E D S T A T E S. rf* peculiar to America. The Partridge of New England (Tetrad tynipanus) is the Phafant of Pcnnfylvania, but is mifcallcd in both plans. It is a fpccics of the Grotts. Neither the Phccilbnt, Partridge, or Quail, arefcmnd in America. CUCKQW (Cuculus Carolinienfts.} Thefe birds arc laid not to pair, like the reft of the feathered tribes. When the female appears on the wing fhe is often attended by two or three males. Unlike all other birds, i'he does not build a nefi of her own, but tak-^s the opportunity, while the Hedge Sparrow (probably they make- life of other nells) is laying her eggs, to depofite IUT egg among the reft, leaving the future care of it en- tirely to the hedge fparrow. The euckow's egg requires no longer incubation than he- own. When the hedge fp arrow has fat her ulual time, and difengagcd the young cuc- kow and fome of her own offspring troni their Ihells, the young cuckow, adom'iliii'.g a* it may feem, immediately lets about clearing the ncli of the young fparrows, and the remaining unhatched eggs, and with furprizingcxpcrtncfs foon accomplifhes the bufi- ncis, and remains fole polfeilbr of the nell, and the only object of the iparrow's future care.* The WAKON BIRD, which probably is of the fame fpecies with the bird of Paradife, receives its name from the ideas the Indians have of its fupcrior excellence ; the Wakon Bird being in their language the bird of the Great Spirit. It is nearly the lize of a fw al- low, of a brown colour, ihaded about the neck with a bright green. The wing.--, nre of >i darker brown than the lx)dy. Its tail is compofed of four or five feathers, which arc three times as long as its body, and which arc beautifully ihaded with green and purple. It carries this fine length of plumage in the fame manner as the peacock doco his, but it is not known whether, like him, it ever raitcs it to an erect portion. The WHETSAW is of the cuckow kind, being, like that, a folitary bird, and fcarcely ever feen. In the fummer months it is heard in the groves, where it makes a noilc like the filing of a faw, from which circumftance it lias received its name. Carver. The HUMMING BIRD {Trocbilus colubris] is the fmalled of all the feathered inhabitants of the air. Its plumage furpafles description. On its head is a fmall tuft of jetty black ; its bread is red ; its belly white ; its back, wings, and tail of the fined pale green ; fmall fpecks of gold are fcattercd over it with inexprcflible grace : and to crown the whole, an almod imperceptible down foftcns the feveral colour*, and produces the mod plea- iing fhades. AMPHIBIOUS REPTILES.] Among thefe arc the mud tortoife or turtle (ejlu'c ; in lha:>e ilioy refcmblc the lizard. The head of a full-grown alligator is about feet long, and the mouth opens nearly the fame length. The eyes are compara- . final 1, and the whole head, in the water, appears at a diitance like a piece of ro't- lloating The upper jaw only moves, and this they raiie fo as to form a 1 ith the lower one. They open their mouths while they lie balking in on ilic banks of rivers and creeks, and when filled with flies, mufketoes, and . they fuddenly let fall their upper jaw with furpiiang noife, and thus fe- thcir pr-..-y. I hey have two large, ftrong, conical tuiks, as white as ivory, which. -vered v\ ith any (kin or lips, and which give the animal a frightful appearance, ing, which is their leafon for breeding, they make a moft hideous and terri- fying roar, rcfembling the found of dill ant thunder. The alligator is an evaporous animal ; their neits, which are commonly built on the margin of ibme creek or river, c din a nee of 15 or 20 yards from the water, are in the form of an obtufe cone,. :t 4 feet high, and 4 or 5 in diameter at their balis. They are conftrudted with a fort of mortar, made of a mixture of mud, grafs, and herbage. Firlt they lay a floor of this rumpofition, on which they depofit a layer of eggs ; and upon this a Itratum of their mortar, 7 or 8 inches thick ; and then another layer of eggs, and in this manner, one nm upon another, nearly to the top of the neft. They lay from one to two hun- dred ^ggs in a ncft. Thefe are hatched, it is fuppofed, by the heat of the fun> affifted, perhaps, by the fermentation of the vegetable mortar in which they are depofited. The female, it is faid, carefully watches her own neft of eggs till they are all hatched ; fhe then takes her brood under her care, and leads them about the Ihores like as a hen does UT chickens, and is equally courageous in defending them in time of danger.- When ihc lies balking upon warm banks with her brood around her, the young ones may be ining and barking like young puppies. The old feed on tlie young alligators, they get fo large as that they cannot make a prey of them ; fo that' happily but few of a brood iurvivc the age of a year. They are fond of the flefh of dogs and hoes, which; they devour whenever they have an opportunity. Their principal food is fi-fli.. In Ca- rolina and Georgia they retire into their. dens, which they form by burrowing far un- der ground, commencing under water and working upwards, and there remain in a. torpid ftate during the winter. Further fouth, in warmer climates, they are more nu- merous, and more fierce and ravenous, and will boldly attack a man. In South Ame- rica, the carrion vulture is the inftrument of Providence to deftroy multitudes of young alligators, which would otherwite render the country uninhabitable. Befides the alligator, we have of this fpecics of amphibious reptiles, the brown lizard (Lacena pun5lata.)\vift. (Lacerta fufdata ?) -Green lizard, or little green camelcon of Carolina, about 6 or 7 inches long; it has a large red gill under its throat, and, like the THE UNITED STATES. 171- cameleon, has the faculty of changing its colour. The ftriped lizard or fcorpion. Blue-bellied, fquamous lizards., leveral varieties. Large copper-coloured lizard. Swift, (lender, blue lizard, with a long {lender tail, as brittle as that of the glafs fnake. The tsvo laft are rarely fjen, but are fometimes found about old log buildings in the fou- thern States. AMPHIBIOUS SERPENTS.] The characters by which amphibious ferpcnts are diirin- gui fried arc thefe, the belly is furniihed wkh fcuta, and the tail has both fcuta and fcalcj. Of thefe reptiles, the following are found iii the United States : Rattle Snake Yellow Rattle Snake Small Rattle Snake Batlard Rattle Snake Moccaiin Snake Grey-fpotted Moccaiin Snake of Caro- lina Water Viper, with a {harp thorn tail Black Viper Brown Viper White-bodied, Brown-eyed Snake Black Snake with linear rings A Snake with 152 fcutae and 135 feutellas Bluifh-green Snake, with a ilretched out j triangular fnout, or Hognofe Snake J Copper-bellied Snake Black Snake White Neck Black Snake Small Brown Adder Houfe Adder Water Adder Brown Snake Little Brown Bead Snake Coach Whip Snake Corn Snake Green Snake Wampum Snake Ribbon Snake Pine, Horn, or Bull Snake, with a hor-1 ny (pear in his tail Joint Snake Garter Snake Striped Snake Chicken Snake <51afs Snake Browniih-fpotted Snake Yellowifh- white Snake Hiffing Snake Ring Snake Two headed Snake Z Crotalus horridu*. Crotali fpecies. Coluber- Coluber punctatus* Coluber preiler. Coluber luridus. Coluber atropos. Coluber leberis. Coluber difpas. Coluber mycterizans. Coluber er^hrogaiter. Coluber conrtrictor. Coluber Coluber ftriahilus. Coluber pun tnc laTgvft icrpcnt yet known to exifl in Thcv arc from four to upwards of iix feet in length, and from four to fix r. Formerly, it i> laid, they were much larger. Their rattles confiil arthulated, cr.uth'ceous, or rather horny b;igs, forming their tails, \\hich, move, make a rattling nolle, warning people of their approach. It is faid,, attack a perfon uiijefc prcvionfly provoked. When molefted or irritated, icir rattles, and by intervals give the warning alarm. _ If purfued and over-. itiy throw themfelvcs into the fpiral coil; their whole body 1 wells. re, continually riling and falling like a bellows; their beautiful parii- b-romeH fpeekled and rough by dilatation ; their head and neck are fiat-- - : \vnllen, and their lip* conitriclcd, difeovering their fatal fangs, ' 'liming coals, and their brandiimng forked tongues of tl*e colour -. menace a horrid death. They never ftrike unlels fare of their 1 llippofcd to have the power of fafcination in an eminent degree ; lieved that they charm bird*, rabbits, fquirrels, and other animals,,. li a manr r a, that they lofethe power of reii fiance, and flutter and move floxvly, but rclui -;antly, towards the yawning jaws of their dcvourcrs, and either creep into their mouths,' or lie down and fufler thcmfelves to be taken and fwallowed. This- dreaded reptile is ealily killed. One well-diredled ftroke on the head or acrofe the back with a ftiek not larger than a man's thumb, is iiiihcicnt to kill the larger!; and, they are fu flow of motion that, they cannot make their cfcape, nov do they attempt it v.hen attacked. Many different remedies for 'the bite of a rattle- inaks liave. been prefcribcd and ufcd with different fucccfs ; the following, received from- good "autho- rity, is recommended 'as a cure for the bite of all venomous makes : " Bind a ligature tif'ht round the leg or thigh, above the part bitten, fo as to interrupt the circulation ; then open or fearify the won; i a lancet, knife, or flint, and fuck the wound or let a friend do it, then rub it with . -r T uiidtuous matter, eithcr-arumal or vegetable; or if that cannot be procured, mak; fait. Take care takcep tUe bov/els open and . y drinking fvvect oil and milk or cr^am. If pure honey be at hand apply.it to on ml,, after opening and lucking it* in preference to any other thing, and cat ;i fully of honey and milk." The batfard rattle-fnake, i of the nature of the afp or adder. cf- the eaftcrn- conti- . in form and colour they referable the rattle-fhake; are eight or ten inches long, . and very fpitd'al and venomous. Lxke the rattle-ihake they throw themfelves into a coil, f.vell and flatten their bodies, continually darting out their heads, and fcem capa- ble of fpringing beyond their length,- Found in the fouthern States. The moccafm fnake is from three to five. feet in length, and as thick as a man's leg. When Jiihirbed by an enemy tliJey throw themillves into a coil, and then gradually r.iife their upper jaw till it falls back, nearly touching the neck, at the fame time vi- bt atffi^; t!u-ir long purple forked tongue, and directing their crooked poifonous-fangs\ tow:u!> I heir enemy. In this attitude the creature has a moil terrifying appearance. . It is laid their bite is incurable ; .but the probability is, that it is not. Like the rattle- - f'mke they are flow in their inotion, and never bite a perfon unlefs provoked. Found , in abunclaoce in the fwn.mps ami lo\v, gi'ounds in the fouthern States. Tlie other moccafm fnakc is .about live or iix feet long, and as thick as .a man's- arm, of a pale grey Iky-coloured gwund, with- brown undulatory ringle-ts. They are faid not to be venomous, have no poifonous fangs, are very fwift and adtive, and flee ; irorja an enemy, Found in the fouthern States," and fuppofed to be a fpecies of the wampunv. THE UNITED STATES. 173 wampum Inakc of Pennsylvania, if not the lame fnakc, though larger and deeper coloured. The black fhakc is of various lengths from three to fix feet, all over of a filming- black; it is not venomous; is ufcful in deftroying rats, and parfues its prey with wonderful agility. It is laid that it will deftroy the rattle-fnake by twilling round it and whipping it to death. It lias been reported alib that they have fometimes twined thcmfelves round the bodies of children, fqueczing thsrn till they die. They arc found in all the States. The coach-whip fhake is of various and beautiful colours, fome parts brown, or chocolate, others black and others white ; it is lix or {even feet long, and very llcndcr and active ; it runs fwiftly, and is quite inoffcnlive ; but the Indians imagine that it is able to cut a man in two with a jerk of its tail. Like the black fnake, it will run upon its tail, with its head and body ere6t. The pvne or bull fnake, called a her the horn fnake, is the largeft of the ferpcnt kind known in North America, except the rattle-lhake, and perhaps exceeds him in length. They are pied; black and white; are inoffenfive with rclpedl to mankind, but devour fquirrds, rabbits, and every other creature they can take as food:' Their tails terminate witfi a hard horny fpur, which they vibrate very quick when difturbcd,; but they never attempt to ftrike with it. They have dens in the earth to which they retreat in time of danger. The glafs fnake has a very fmall head ; the upper part of its body is- of a colour blended brown and green, moft regularly and elegantly fpotted with yellow. Its lkirc ; is very fmooth -and fhining, with frnall fcales, more clofely connected than thofc of other ferpents, and of a different rlruclure. A fmall blow with a flick will feparate the body, not only at the place ftruck, but, at two or three other places, the mufcles being articulated in a lingular manner quite through -to the vertebra.. They appear earlier in the fpring than any other ferpent, and aro numerous in the fandy woods of the Carolinas and Georgia, and harmlefs. The joint fnake, if we may credit Carver's account of it, is a-great curiofity. Its fkin is as hard as parchment, and as fmooth as-glafs. It is beautifully flreaked with black and white. It is fo ftiff, and has fo few joints, and thofe fo unyielding, that it' can hardly bend itlMf into the form of a hoop. When it is ftruck it breaks like a pipe Item ; and you may, with a whip, break it from the tail to the bowels into pieces not an inch . long, and not produce the leali tincture of blood. It is not ' venomous. The two headed friake has generally been coniulcred as a monftrous productton. I am difpofcd to believe, however, that it is a diftincr, fpecies of ferpents. I have fecir one, and received accounts of three others, found in different parts of the United States. One of thefe was about eight inches long, and both heads, as to every out- ward appearance, were equally perfect, . and branching out from the neck at an acute angle. The fnak'es are not fo numerous nor fo venomous in the northern as in the fouthern States. In the latter, however, the inhabitants are furnifhed with a much greater variety of plants and herbs, which afford immediate relief to perfons bitten by thefe- venomous creatures. It is an obfervation worthy of perpetual and grateful remem- brance, that, wherever venomous animals are found, the God of nature has kindly ; provided fufficient antidotes again ft their poifon. .F.ISHLS.J Fifhcs form the fourth clals of animals in the Linnaean fyftern; Mr. Pennant j in his Britifh Zoology, diftributes fifh into three diviiions, comprehending* *"* f fix i;4 THE UNITED STATES. ji\ . His divifions are, into Cetaceous, Garttlaginovs, and Sony. We arc -not fumVienlly informed on this part .of our natural hiitory, to arrange the following ca- talogue oi' our lillics agreeably to Mr. Pennant's judicious divifioiis : The Whale Lamp: v Ska Shark Dog-rii"h Sturgeon Eel Snake fifh Haddock Cod Froir fifli Pollock Small Pollock Hake Sculpion Plaice Flounder Hollybut Dab Ked Perch White Perch Yellow Perch Sea Perch Whiting Sea Baf; Stiiped Bafs Shiner Chub Stickleback Dolphin CETACEOUS FISH. Porpefie Grampus CARTILAGINOUS FISH. Beluga. Brown-fpotted Giir fifh Lump fiih. Pipe 'fiih Golden Bream or Sun fifh BONY FISH.* Conger eel Skipjack Pcait Horfe Mackarel Blue Mackarel Speckled Mackar-el Salmon Salmon Trout Trout Smelt Pike or Pickerel Atherine Mullet Herring Carp Pond fifli Toad fifh Roach Shad Hardhead Alewife Bret Sucker Red-bellied Bream Silver or White Bream Yellow Bream Black or Blue Bream. Catfifli Minow Week fifli King fiiii Sole Mummychog White fifli Tide black filli Rock black fiih Blue fiih (Begallo) Sheeps head Red drum JBlack drum Branded drum Sheeps-head drum Mofsbonkcr Shadine Porfie Dace Anchovy Flying fiih. The WHALE (Bal*na myjlicetus) is the largeft of all animals. In the northern fea$ fomeare found ninety feet in length; and in the torrid zone, where they are un- Jfted, whales have been feen 160 feet in length. The head is greatly difpropor- to the fize of the body. In the middle of the head are two orifices, through they fpout water to a great height. The eyes are not larger than thofe of an >x and are placed towards the back of the head, for the convenience of feeing both They are guarded by eyelids as in quadrupeds ; and they appear harp fighted, and quick of hearing. What is called whalebone adheres to formed of thin parallel lamina ; fome of the longeft are twelve thU * vificD of the We are not feet THE UNITED STATES. , 75 in kngtli : of thefe there are from 350 to 500 on each fide, according to the age of the whale. The tail, which alone it ufes to advance itfelf in the water, is broad and femilunar, and when the fifh lies on one fide, its blow is tremendous. In copulation the male and female join, it is afferted, more bumano ; and once in two years feel the accefTes of deiire. Their fidelity to each other is remarkable. An inftance of it is related by Mr. Anderfon, as follows " Some fifhers having ftruck one of two whales, a male and a female, in company, the wounded fifh made a long and terrible rcfi fiance ; it ftruck down a boat, with two men in it, with a fingle blow of its tail, by which all went to the bottom. The other ftill attended its companion and lent it every afliftanee, till, at laft, the fifh that was ftruck, funk under the number of its wounds, while its faithful aflbciate, difdaining to furvivc the lofs, with great bel- lowing flretched itfelf upon the dead fiih. and fhared its fate," The whale goes with young nine or ten months, and generally produces one young one,- never above two, which arc black and about ten feet long. The teats of the female are placed in the lower part of the belly. When flie fuckles her young fhe throws hcrfclf on one fide, on the furface of the water, and the young ones attach themfelvcs to the teat^. Nothing can exceed the tendernefs and care of the female for her young. The whale loufc, fv/ord fifh, and threfhcr (a fpccies of fqualus) are mortal enemies to- the whale, who itfelf is an inoftenfive animal. Formerly whales were found in plenty upon the coafts of the United States ; at prefent they are fcarcc. The principal branch of the whale fifhery, in the United States, is carried on from Nantuckct. The enterprize of the Nantuckct whalemen is remarkable. Not fatisficd with the icope which the Atlantic Ocean affords them, they have lately proceeded round Cape Horn, and penetrated the great Weftern Ocean, in purfuit of whales. Capt. "Worth has lately returned from a very fuccefsful voyage, of which he gives the following account, viz. that he went to the fouthwa-d frori Nantucket, doubled Cape Horn, and then purfued a north weftwardly courfe, till he arrived at the ifland of Juan Fernandes. That here, where a harpoon was fcarccly ever thrown, the whales Iwini in fhoals, and that it is quite a matter of choice which of the company they fhall fall upon. That along the coaft of Chili, for a confiderable diftance at lea, no rain falls to incommode the frying of blubber, as happens to the great difadvantage of the whaling bufinefs in Hudfon's Bay and Davis's Straits; fo that they can carry on their bufinefs without any of the interruptions common in other places, in confcquence of which they can make more advantageous voyages. A cargo worth 6ocol. fterling, it is laid, has been procured in a fifteen months voyage to this ocean. For the manner of taking the whales, fee Part II. The BELUGA (Delpk'mus beluga) is the 4th and la ft fpecies of the Dolphin gcnr.s. The head is fhort, note blunt, eyes and mouth fmall, in each fide of each j iw are nine teeth, fhort and rather blunt ; thole of the upper jaw are bent and hollowed, fitted to receive the teeth of the under jaw when the mouth is clofed; it has pectoral fins, nearly of an oval form ; beneath the fkin may be felt the bones of five fingers, which terminate at the edge of the fin, in five very fcnfible projections. This brings it into/ the next rank, in the order of beings, with the Manatl t which we have already dc- fcribed under the head of animals. Found in the northern- parts of the American coafts, particularly in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Hudfon's Bay. The Lamprey frequents moft of the rivers in the New England States, efpecinlly where the pailage is not interrupted by dams. That part of the lamprey which is below the air holes is failed and dried for food. After the fpawning fcafon is over, and the young fry have gone down to the fea,, the old fifhcs attach thcmiclvcs to the L roots TIIK UMTED STATES. .1 limbs of trees, which have fallen or run into the water, and there pcvifii. ion Infills at the tail, and proceeds upward to the vital parr. Fiih ot* this ecn found at Plymouth, in JNew Hampfhirc, in different ilages of putre- The amphibious lobfior is found in the fmall brooks and fwamps in the back parts ua. In its head is found the eye- ft one. Is- Hewing catalogues of infects and vermesj except fomc fmall ad- ditions and the an: cxed defcriptions, aic taken from Dr. Bclknap's Iliftory of Hawplhirc, vol. Hi. \\ 180 i8j. I lorncd Carolina Beetle Dunghill Beetle Apple Beetle Golden Beetle Stag Beetle Fluted Beetle Water Flea Fetid Beetle Lady Fly Wheat Fly Weevil Snouted WceviJ Goat Chaffer ! ire Fly Sk-ippcr Glow Worm Cantharidcs Water Beetle Beetle Scarabflcus iimfoH. ScarabcC-ns Carol inn-. :Searabacus ftercorariu^. ScarabcTiis horticola ? :Scarabseu6 lariigcrus. ^Several new fpecies, and other? tfcat not been arranged. Lucanus corvus. Lucanus intcrruptus. Dcnneflc's lardariu^. Dermeftes typographus. Gyrinus natator. Silpha vefpillo. Coccinella a puftulata. Several fpecies. Chryfomela many fpeelas, Bruchus pifi. {Curculio quercus. Many fpecies. Cerambyx coriarius. Many fpecies. Lampyris lucida. Several fpecies. .Elater oculatus. Many fpecies. Cicindela Carolina. .One or two other fpecies, Buprcftris mariana. Two or three other fpecies, Dytifcus piceus. Dytifcus marginalia. Dytifcus flriatus. Several other fpecies. Carabus Amcricanus, Numerous fpecies. * Belknap's Hift. Xcw Hampihire, vol. iii.p. i;6.. BlofTom THE UN 7 [TED STATES. Bloflbm Eater Cockroach Grafshopper Cricket Locuft Mole Cricket Froghopper Balm Cricket Large and Small Water Fly Boat Fly Bug Louie, on cabbage? Loufc, on leaves of trees and plants Bug, on plants and trees Butterfly Night Fluttercr Owl Moth Moth, or Miller Apple Moth, or Canker Worm Dragon Fly Adder Fly Oak Apple Fly Saw Fly .Walp ' Hornet Bumble Bee Wild Bee Ant Black Fly Brown Fly Horfe Fly Mofquito, or Mulketoe Stinging Fly Snow Flea Father Long Legs Spider Crab Loblter Shrimp Hermit Crab Slender Crab } } } } Meloe nigra. Staphylinus maxillofus. Forficula. Two fpecies. Blatta Americana, (non indigenus.) Grillus. Numerous fpecies. Grillus gryllotalpa. Cicada. Many fpecies. Notanecla. Several fpecies. Cinex. Numerous fpecies. Aphis brafiicae. Aphis. Numerous fpecies. Chermes. Many fpecies. Papilio I Numerous fpecies, and fevetal 1 non-defcripts. Sphinx. Many new fpecies. Palama. Numerous fpecies. Phalaena wauaria ? Libellula. Several fpecies. Hemerobius pectinicornis. Several fpecies. Cynips. Several fpecies. Tenthredo betulae. Vefpa. Many fpecies. Afpis. Several fpecies. Formica. Several fpecies. Mufca. Numerous fpecies. Tabanus. Several fpecies. Culex pipiens. Conops calcitrans. Podura nivalis. Phalangium. Several Ipecies. Aranea. Many fpecies. 1 } Cancer. Many fpecies, Aa King King Crab, or Horfe Shoe Cray Fifli. Amphibious Lobftcr.- THE UNITED STATES. Monoculus polyphemus. Monoculus pifcinus. Sea Clam Squid Sea Lungs Star Fifh, or Finger Fifh Sea Egg Barnacle Hog Clam Razor Shell Clam Long Shell Clam Oyfter Mufcle Cockle Limpets and Shell Clam Sea Anemone Monoculus pulex. Monoculus quadricorniis. V E R M E S. Holothuria phantaphus. Sepia media. Sepia loligo. Medufa pilearis. Afterias. Three or four fpecies. Echinus. Several fpecies. Lepas anatifera. Mya arenaria. Solen eniis, Solen radiatis. Oflrea . Mytilus edulis. Nerita littoralis ? Patella fufca. Sabella granulata. Anemone marina (locomotiva.) The Wheat Fly, commonly, but improperly, called the Heffian Fly, which has, of. late years, proved fo deflructive to the wheat in various parts of the United States, has generally been fbppofed to have been imported from Europe. This opinion, however, feems not to be wbll founded. Count Ginnanni of Ravenna, in a late learned Trea- tife on the Difeafes of Wheat in its growing State between Seed Time and Harveit,. has given an account of more than fifty different infects that infeft the Italian wheat, and yet our wheat fly is not delineated nor defcribed. There is reafon, therefore, to doubt its exiftcnre in the fouth of Europe. Sir Jofeph Banks faid it did not exiil in England ; nor could he collect any account of it in Germany. This dbftructive in- feft is probably a nun-defiript, and peculiar to the United States.* The * The following interefting information refpefting this infeft, communicated to the prefiderit of the Phi- ladelphia Society for promoting Agriculture, deferVes to be made as public as poffible, for the benefit of our 'farmers whofe fields are or may hereafter' be liable to the ravages of this devouring fly. Profpeft Hill, June 12, 1792. *tate of Delaware.] Dear Sir, As the wheat fields in this neighbourhood are now fuffering from the ravages of the Heflian fly, I have had an opportunity of obferving fome fads relating to this definitive infeft, which, perhaps, if publicly made known, may ferve to obviate, or at lead to diminifh, its pernicious effefts. This fly made its firft appearance in this neighbourhood about the iijth of laft September. They arrived in prodigious clouds, and immediately depofited their eggs in the wheat, which at that time afforded them a fuitable nidus. I difcovered, by accurate obfervation, that the plants, which had then precifely two blades, -were felecled for this purpofe. In the junftion of thefe two blades, immediately) at the root of the plant, the eggs were laid, amounting, in fome inftances, to a dozen and more. As thefe eggs continued to Ivveli, the com- jrreffion upon the tender capillary veffels of the plant became more violent, until, ar length, all circulation was THE UNITED STATES. i] 9 The Ink or Cuttle fifh is a curiofity. It is furnifhed with a cyft of black liquor, which is a tolerable fubilitute for ink. This it emits, when purfued by its enemies. The moment this liquor is emitted, the water becomes like a thick black cloud in the eyes of its purfuer, and it improves this opportunity to make its efcape. This cyft of liquor appears deligned by Providence folely for the purpofe of perfonal defence, and is certainly a moft apt and curious contrivance. The whalemen call thefe fifh, Squids, and lay that they are eaten in abundance by ibme fpecies of whales. POPULATION.] According to the cenfus, taken by order of Congrefs, in 1790, the number of inhabitants in the United States of America, was three millions nine hun- dred thirty thoufand, nearly. In this number, none of the inhabitants of the territory N. W. of the River Ohio, are included. Thefe added, would undoubtedly have in- creafed the number to 3,950,000, at the period the cenfus was taken. The increafe iiii'-. .-, on fuppolition that the inhabitants of the United States double once in twenty years, has been about 200,000: fo that now, 1792-? there are, probably, 4,150,000 . fouls in the American United States. This number is rapidly multiplying by emigrations from Europe, as well as by na? tural increafe. The American republic is compofed of almoft all nations, languages, characters, and religions, which Europe ran furnifh ; the greater part, however, are de- fcendcd from the Englifh ; and all may, perhaps, be diftinguifhingly denominated FEDERAL AMERICANS. was intercepted, and thefe blades were deftroyed. Where the foil was thin, I obferved, that, with thefe blades, the plant alfo perifhed ; but in rich ground, frefli fhoots were made from the root of the plant jufl below the junction of the original blades, and became flourifliing plants in the/all, or early in the fpring. As the laft fall was very dry and mild, many of thefe eggs were hatched before winter; but I do not imagine the grubs could have arrived at the fly ftate before the frofts ; fo that, in all probability, they were deilroyed be- fore the fpring. Very early, however, in May, the fly appeared in great numbers, which rruift have been hatched at the clofe of the winter, or have come from a diftance to us. They depofited their eggs imme- diately in the fpring wheat, and that which had been fown late in the fall ; and, according to the quality of the foil, their effect has been precifely the fame. A piece of yellow-bearded wheat, which I foived in No- vember, is the only field that 1 have examined in which there is no appearance of this inieft ; and I am in- formed by my neighbours, that this is the cafe wherever this fpecies of wheat has beea lb\va. I own that I am at a lofs to account for this quality in the bearded wheat; the two firft blades of which, it mould feem, are equally tender as thofe of any other kind. Its power of refiftance may polTibly arife chiefly from its being lets debilitated by the winter froft, aod cpnfequently from being fooner out of the way of the -fly early in the fpring. At any rate, it certainly admits of being fown later than any other, and thus effectually efcapes the fall ravages of the infect. It follows, from what has been obferved^ that late lowing of the yellow- bearded wheat upon rich land, is the only certain method of preventing the ravages of the fly. If the feed, moreover, be fteeped in ftrong brine, or a decoction of elders, or other naufeous herbs, the farmer's hopes may ftill be enhanced, and his apprehenllons diminiflied ; nay, perhaps, by attending to thefe particulars, the appearance of this fly among us, fo far from injuring, may promote very materially the preieut ftate of our agriculture. The predilection to largf^ inilead of rich iiclds of wheat, will be gradually done away; the fizes of farms will be diminiflied but the number of farmers vrijl be increafed, and our country brought much fooner into that ftate of cultivation, from which human !a: -our \vi!i reap the moil ample fruits of its exertions. So that, if the prosperity of a country confifts principally in the greater returns that the foil can make to human induitry, why may not this i;.K-ct be directed, by ki'nd Providence, to lead us to, this point of national opulence? P. S. Since writing the above, I have renewed my fearcrum: r 'cd wheat ib\vn i;i November, and cannot find in it any ligns of the fly. Pieces of fpring-whent, of oats, anc! or rye, lying very near ;t, arc a 1 ! ijafed ted ; and fome common wheat,, which is contiguous to it, is nearly deftroyed. , r the //ir'v^ ravages of the infect, which ha-/;; '.-e r -lv felt by other kir,. \ iov.;i even on November. So that on a very rich ioil, have not as yet reached this fpecies of wh, at. if other communications to the fcciety- mould efta- blifli the immunity of this wheat from the definition of this infcci, tl ..e the fpirits of tie defponding farmers in this quarter. 7 6 3 7>937 182,742 31,818 114,926 161,822, 86,667 217,736 23,926 107,254 227,071 32,211 H7-494 B L E. Females. 70,160 190,582 32,652 117,448 27,147 16,548 83,287 206,263 22,384 IOI >395 215,046 28,922 140,710 66,880 2 5>739 Exccf?. 4,258 f 777 7,840 834 2,522 9>5 2 3.380 JI >373 1,540 12,025 3,289 6,784 6,418 1,408 Males. do. Females, do. do. Males, do. do, do. do. do. do. do. d x do. do. It is remarkable, that the excels in all the States is on the fide of males, except in Maffachutetts, Rhode Illand, and Connecticut. In thefe States the females are con- fiderably the moft numerous. This difference is obvioufly to -e a fe rilled to the large migrations from all thefe States to Vermont, the northern weilern parts of New- York, the territory N. W. of Ohio, Kentucky, Pennfrlvania. d f/me to almofl all the fouthern States. A great proportion of thefe migrants were males ; and while they have ferved to increafe the proportion of males in the States wLere they have fettled, - as is ftrikingly the cafe in Vermont and Kentucky, to which th migrations have been moft numerous, and where the males are to the females nearly as ten to nine, they have ieived to lerien the proportion of males in the States from whe ice they emigrated. The number of flaves, in 1790, in all the States, was 697,697. The increafe of this number iince, owing to faiutary laws, in feveral of the States, and the humane exer- . * Mr. Bruce, in his Travels, ns we fliall, in the fecond part of this work more part icularly Yelate, affirms, th. t i'l that tract of country fron^the Ilthmus of Suez to the Straits of Babelraandel, which contains the three Arabia?, the proportion is fully four women to one man. f In the columns of the cenfus, in which are noted all other free perfons and Jlaves, the males an 1 fe- nces are not uiftingirihed, ami are therefore not regarded in this table. | The males and females are not diftinguifhed in the dlftnft of Main, in the late cenfus* tions THE UNITED STATES. ,8, Hons which have been made in favour of their emancipation, has happily been fmall, and probably will be lets in future. CHARACTER AND MANNERS.] Federal Americans, collected together from various countries, of different habits, formed under different governments, have yet to form their national character, or we may rather lay, it is in a forming Hate. They have not yet exificd as a nation long enough for us to form an idea of \rhat will be, in its ma- turity, its prominent features. Judging, however, from its prefcnt promiiing infancy, we are encouraged to hope, that, at fome future period, not far diftant, it will, in every point of view, be refpectable. Until the revolution, which was accomplifhcd in 1783, Europeans were ftrangely ignorant of America and its inhabitants. They concluded, that the new world miijl be inferior to the old. The Count de Buffon fuppofcd, that the animals in this coun- try were uniformly lefs than in Europe, and thence concluded, that, " on this lidc the Atlantic, there is a- tendency in nature to belittle her produ6Hons." The Abbe Ray- nal, in a former edition of his works, fuppofed this belittling tendency, or influence, had its effects on the race of whites tranfplanted from Europe, and thence had the pre- fumption to aficrt, that " America had not yet produced one good poet, one ' able mathematician, one man of genius in a lingle art or fciencc." Had the Abbe been juftly informed respecting Americans, we prefumc he would not have made an after- lion to ungenerous and injurious to their genius and literary character. This affertion drew from Mr. Jeffcrfon the following reply : " When we fliall have exifled as a people as long as the Greeks did before they produced a Homer, the Romans a Virgil, the French a Racine and Voltaire, the Eng- lish a Shakcfpeare and Milton, Ihould this reproach be Hill true, we will inquire from what unfriendly caufes it has proceeded, that the other countries of Europe and quar- ters of the earth, ihall not have infcribed any name in the roll of poets. In war we have produced a WASHINGTON, whofe memory will be adored while liberty Ihall have votaries, whofe name will triumph over time, and will in future ages affume its juil Itation among the mod celebrated worthies of the world, when that wretched philofo- phy fhall be forgotten, which would arrange him among the degeneracies of nature. In phyncs we have produced a FRANKLIN, than whom no one of the prefent age has made more important difcoveries, nor has enriched philofophy with more, or more in- genious folutions of the phenomena of nature 1 . We have fuppofed Mr. RITTENHOUST. iecond to no aftronomer living : that in genius he muft be the firft, becaufe he is fclf-taught. As an artifr, he has exhibited as great proofs of mechanical genius as the world has ever produced. He has not indeed nude a world ; but he has, by imitation, approached nearer its Maker than any man who has lived from the creation to this' day. As in philofophy and war, fo in government, in oratory, in painting, in the plaftic art, we might ihew that America, though but a child of yeflerday, has already given hopeful proofs of genius, as well of the nobler kinds, which aroufe the bell feel- ings of man, which call him into action, which fubitantiate his freedom, and conduct \\\*\ to happinefs, as of the fubordinate, which ferve to amufe him only. We there- fore fappofe, that this reproach is as unjuft as it is unkind; and that, of the geniuks which adorn the prefent age, America contributes its full fhare. For comparing it with thofe countries, where genius is moil cultivated, where are the mofl excellent models for art, and fcaffoldings for the attainment of fciencc, as France and England, for initance, we calculate thus : the United States contain three miHions of inhabi- tants France twenty millions, and the Britiih iflandsten. We produce aWafhington, a Franklin, a Rittenhoufe. France then ihould have half a dozen in each of thclc hues, ,8i THE UNITED STATES. and Great Britain half that number, equally eminent. It may be true that France has ; \ve are but juit becoming acquainted with her, and our acquaintance fo far gives us high ideas of the genius of her inhabitants. It would be injuring too many of them to name particularly a Voltaire, a Buffon, the conft.cllation of Encyclopedias, the Abbe Raynal himfelf, &c. &c. We therefore have rcaibn to believe Hie can pro- duce her full quota of genius." The two late important revolutions in America, which have been fcarcely exceeded time the memory of man, I mean that of the declaration and eilabliihment of inde- pendence, and that of the adoption of a new form of government without bloodied, have called to hiltoric fame many noble and diflinguifhed characters who might otherwile have flept in oblivion. But while we exhibit the fair fide of the character of Federal Americans, we would not be thought blind to their faults. An European writer has juftly obferved, that " if there be an object truly ridiculous in nature, it is an American patriot, figning resolutions of independency with one hand, and with the other brandiming a whip over his affrighted flaves." Much has been written to fhew the injuftice and iniquity of enflaving the Africans ; fo much, as to render it unneceflary here to fay any thing on that part of the fubject. AVe cannot, however, forbear introducing a few obfervations relpe6Vmg the influence of flavery upon policy, morals, and manners. From calculations on the fubject, it has been found, that the expence of maintaining a flave, efpecially if the purchafe money be included, is irmch greater than that of maintaining a free man : this, however, .is difputed by fomc ; but fuppofe the expence in both cafes be equal, it is certain that the labour of the freeman, influenced by the powerful motive of gain, is, at leafr, twice as profitable to the employer as that of the flave. Beftdes, flavery is the bane of induftry. It renders labour, among the whites, not only unfafhionable, but dif- reputable. Induflry is "the offspring of neceflity rather than of choice. Slavery pre- cludes this neceffity ; and indolence, which flrikes at the root of all focial and political happinefs, is the unhappy confequence. Thefe obfervations., without adding any thing upon the injuftice of the practice, fhew that flavery is impolitic. Its influence on manners and morals is equally pernicious. The negro wenches, in many infiances, are nurfes to their miflreffes children. The infant babe, as foon as it is born, is delivered to its black nurfe, and perhaps feldom or never taftes a drop of its mother's milk. The children, by being brought up, and conflantly affociating with the negroes, too often imbibe their low ideas, and vitiated manners and morals, and contract a negroifo kind of accent and dialect, which they often carry with them. through life. To theie I fhall add the obfervations of a native * of a ftate which contains a greater number of flaves than any of the others. Although his obfervations upon the in- fluence of flavery were intended for a particular ftate, they will apply equally well to all places where this pernicious practice in any conliderable degree prevails. " There inuft doubtlefs," lie obferves, " be an unhappy influence on the manner* of our people, produced by the exiitcnce of flavery among us. The whole commerce be- tween mailer and Have is a perpetual exercile of the moft boillerous pairions, tbe moft unremitting defpotifm on the one part, and degrading fubmiilions on the othfcr. Our children lee this, -and learn to imitate it ; for in a a is an imitative animal, Tnis qua- lity is the germ of ail education in him. From his cradle to his grave, he is learning to * Mr.Jefferfon. 3 do THE UNITED STATES. 183 do what he fees others do. If a parent could find no motive either in his philanthropy or his felf-love, for retraining the intemperance of paffion towards his flave, it fhould always be a fufficient one that his child is prefent. But generally it is not fufficient. The parent ftorms, the child looks \>n, catches the lineaments of wrath, puts on the fame airs in the circle of imaller flaves, gives a loole to his worft of paflions, and thus nurfed, educated, and daily exerciied in tyranny, cannot but be ftamped by it with odious peculiarities. The man muft be a prodigy who can retain his manners and mo- rals undepraved by fuch circumftances. And with what execration fh.rald the ftatef- man be loaded, who, permitting one half of the citizens thus to trample on the rights of the other, transforms thofe into defpots, and thefe into enemies : deftroys the morals of the one part, and the amor patri* of the other. For if a flave can have a country in this world, it muft be any other in preference to that in which he is born to live and la- bour for another : in which he mult lock up the faculties of his nature, contribute as far as depends on his individual endeavours to the evanifhment of the human race, or entail his own miferable condition on the endlefs generations proceeding from him. With the morals of the people, their induftry alfo is deftroyed. For in a warm climate^ no man will labour for himlelf who can make another labour for him. This is fo true, that of the proprietors of flaves a very fmall proportion indeed are ever feen to labour. And can the liberties of a nation be thought fecure when we have removed their only firm bails, a conviction in the minds of the people that thefe liberties are the gift of God ? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath ? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is juft : that his juttice cannot fleep for ever : that considering numbers, nature, and natural means only, a revolution of the wheel of fortune, an ex- change of iituation, is among poflible events : that it may become probable by fuper- natural interference ! The Almighty has no attribute which can take fide with us in fuch a conteft. But it is impoflible to be temperate and to purfue this Uibject through th e various confiderations of policy, of morals, ofhiftory, natural and civil. We muft be contented to hope they will force their way into every one's mind. I think a change already perceptible, fince the origin of the prefent revolution. The fpirit of the mafter is abating, that of the flave riling from the duft, his condition mollifying, the way I hope preparing, under the aufpices of heaven, for a total emancipation, and that this is difpofed, in the order of events, to be with the content of their maiters, rather than by their extirpation. Under the Federal government, from the meafures already adopted, we have reafon to believe that all flaves in the United State-;, will in time be emancipated, in a man- ner molt coniiltent with their own happinefs, and the true intereft of their proprietors. Whether this will be effected by tranlporting them back to Africa ; or by colonizing them in fome part of our own territory, and extending to them our alliance and protec- tion. ; until they (hall have acquired itrength fufficient for their own defence ; or by in- corporation with the whites; or in fome other way, remains to be determined. In the middle and northern States, there are comparatively but few flaves ; and of courle there is lefs difficulty in giving them their freedom. In Maffachuletts alone, and we mention it to their diftinguifhed honour, there are NONE. Societies for the nia- numiilion of flaves have been mftituted in Philadelphia and New York, and other places, and laws have been enacted, and other meafures taken, in the New England States^ to accomplifh the lame purpofc. The FRIENDS, (commonly called Quakers) have evinced the propriety of their name, by their goodnefs in originating, and their vigorous exertions in executing, this truly humane and benevolent defign. The T S THE- UNITED STATES. Enaliih Laiiiir. *n in the United States and in it bufmefs ^ tranfacted. and the records are kept, h is fpoken with great purity, and pronoun- .1 with propriety in inland, by perfons of education ; and, excepting fome co:Tiiptio:i> in pronunciation, by all ranks of people. In the middle and ibu them States, where they have had a irreat in'hV.x. of foreigners, the language, in many inftanocs, is corrupt t ially in "pronunciation. Attempts are making to introduce an unifor- mity ol -:ti'on throughout the States, which tor political, as well as other rea- Ib.is, it i hoped will meet the approbation and encouragement of all literary and in- itial rliara< Intermingled with the Americans, arc the Dutch, Scotch, Irifh, French, Germans, S cd : all thefe, except the Scotch and Irifh. retain, in a greater or lefs . -ir'native language, in which they perform their public worfhip, convcrfe and Iranian their biriincls with each otlicr. The time, however, is anticipated, when all improper diftinctions fhall be abolifhed ; and when the language, manners, cuftoms, political and religious lentiments of the mixed mats of jx*.ople who inhabit the United States, fhall have become fo ai'Iimilated, that all nominal diilinctions fhall be loll in the general and honourable name of AMERICANS. .VERXMEXT.] Until the fourth of July, 1776, the prefent United States \vere Bri- tifh colonies. On that memorable day, the Representatives of the United States of America, in Congrcfs arlembled, made a folemn declaration, in which they affigned their reafons for withdrawing their allegiance from the King of Great Britain. Appeal- ing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of their intentions, they did, in the name and by the authority of the good people of the colonies, Iblemnly publifh. and declare, That thcfe United Colonies were, and of right ought to be, FREE and I.VDEPEXDKNT States ; that they were ablblved from all allegiance to the Britiih crown, and that all political connection between them and Great Britain was, .and ought to be, totally diilblved ; and that as Free and Independent States, they had full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, eltablifh commerce, and do all other acts and things which Independent States may of right do. For the iupport of this decla- ration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, the delegates then in Congrefs, fifty-rive in number, mutually pledged to each other their lives, their for- tunes, and their facrcd honour. At the fame time they publifhed articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union be- n tlve States, in which they took the ftyle of " THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/* and agreed, that each State fhould retain its fovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurifdiction, and right not expret sly delegated to Congrefs by the con- federation. By thefe articles, the thirteen United States ieverally entered into a firm league of fricndfhip with each other for their common defence, the fecurity of their li- bcrtus, and their mutual and general welfare, and bound themfclves to afiift each other, all force offered to, or attacks that might be made upon all, or any of them, on account ot religion, fovereignty, commerce, or any other pretence whatever. But for the more convenient management of the general interefts of the United States, it determined, that Delegates fhould be annually appointed, in fuch manner as the Legislature of each State fhould direct, to meet in Congrefs the firft Monday in No- >er of every year, with a power referred to each State to recall its delegates, or any them, at any time within the year, and to lend others in their ftead for the rcmain- T of the ; Xo State was to be reprefented in Congrcls by lets than two, or more jnan ic vcn members ; and no pcrfon could be a delegate for more than three years, in any UNITED STATES, 183 ly perfon, being a delegate, capable of holding any office lich he, or any other for his benefit, fhould receive any ing queilions in Congrefs, each > abide by the determinations of by the confederation. The ar- every State, and the Union to er to be made in any of the ar- .nd be afterwards confirmed by tiorj were ratified by Congrefs, e to the purpofes of a federal ere chofen in each of the Uni- ts. They accordingly met in agreed to propole the follow- n order to form a more perfect ide for the common defence, 3rty to ourfelves and our poi- nted States of America, ted fhall be veiled in a Con- :e and Houfe of Reprelen- d of members chofen every ors in each State fhall have s branch of the State legif- tained to the age of twcn- itates, and who fhall not, I be chofen. g the feveral States which tive numbers, which fhall s, including thofe bound i, three fifths of all other years after the firil meet- equent term of ten years, representatives fhall not at leaft one rcprefenta- f New Hampfhire fhall and Providence Planta- 'ennfylvania eight, De- 2, South Carolina five, the executive autho- v .her officers ; and fhall two fenators from each fenator fhall have one Immediately THE- UNITED STATES. The Englilh Language i> univerfallv r>okrn in the United Staff is tranlaeted. and the records ar< -' ft is fpoken with great p ( <\1 \vith propriety in New Eii .iv. corruptions in pronunciation, b to where they have had a great ir corrupted, elpecially in prum mity of pronunciation throng! ! will meet th tial < lurar: Intermingled with the Am Jews ; all thde ^-..* degree, their native lan^, ing to the Supreme Jud in the name and by the ..* ^. and declare, That thefe I v p E P KX DENT States ; 1 and that all political c be, totally duTolved ; a levy war, conclude pe; and things which Ind ration, with a firm re' in Congrds, fifty-five tunes, and their facrc At the fame time n the States, in and agreed, that ea and every power, ji '** federation. By tin league of fricndmi . bertit-s, and their n iigainli all force oi on account of reli for tiie more con^ r determined, I^ctriilature of a f-* vcmber of everv Of them, atanyr*^^^ d-'i- of the veijr. NoSta!eTWa-^ * ' ' ore en members; and no peifoncoinirnraraciv,-^^ any THE UNITED STATES, any term of fix years, 'nor was any perfon, being a delegate, capable of holding any office under the United States, for which he, or any other for his benefit, ihould receive any falary, fees, or emolument of any kind. In determining queltions in Congrefs, each State was to have one vote. Every State was bound to abide by the determinations of Congrefs in all queftions which were fubmitted to them by the confederation. The ar- ticles of confederation were to be invariably obferved by every State, and the Union to be perpetual : nor was any alteration at any time hereafter to be made in any of the ar- ticles, unlefs fuch alterations be agreed to in Congrefs, and be afterwards confirmed by the legillatures of every Slate. The articles of confederation were ratified by Congrefs, >/K9th, 1778. Thefe articles of confederation being found inadequate to the pnrpofes of a federal government, for reafons hereafter mentioned, delegates were chofen in each of the Uni- ted States, to meet and fix upon the neceffary amendments. They accordingly met in convention at Philadelphia, in the fummer of 1787, and agreed to propofe the follow- ing conftitution for the confideration of their conftituents : CONSTITUTION.] WE, THE PEOPLE of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, eftablifh jultice, infure domeftic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and lecure the blcflings of liberty to ourfelves and our pol- tcrity, do ordain and eftablifh this Conftitution for the United States of America. ARTICLE L Seft. i. ALL legiflative powers herein granted fhall be vefted in a Con- grefs of the United States, which fhall coniift of a Senate and Houfe of Keprcfen- tatives. Seft. fc. The Houfe of Reprefentatives fhall be compofed of members chofen every fecondyear by the people of the feveral States, and the electors in each State fhall have the qualifications requifite for electors of the moil numerous branch of the State legif- lature. No perfon fhall be a representative who fhall not have attained to the age of twen- ty-five years, and been feven years a citizen of the United States, and who fhall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he fhall be chofen. Reprefentatives and direct taxes fhall be apportioned among the feveral States which may be included within this Union, according to their refpe^tive numbers, which Ihall be determined by adding to the whole number of free perfons, including thofe bound to fervice for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other perfons. The actual enumeration fhall be made within three years after the firfl meet- ing of the Congrefs of the United States, and within every fubfequent term of ten years, in fuch manner as they fhall by law clire6l. The number of reprefentatives fhall not exceed one for every thirty thoufand, but each State fhall have at leaft one reprefenta- tive ; and, until fuch enumeration fhall be made, the State of New Hampfhire fhall be entitled to choofe three, Maflachufetts eight, Rhode Ifland and Providence Planta- tions one, Connecticut five, New York fix. New Jeriy four, Pennfylvania eight, De- laware one, Maryland fix, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three. When vacancies happen in the reprefentation from any State, the executive autho- rity thereof fhall iflue writs of election to fill fuch vacancies. 'The Houfe of Reprefentatives fhall choofe their Speaker and other officers ; and fhall have the ible power of impeachment. Sett. 3. The Senate of the United States fhall be compofed of two fenators from each State, chofen by the legiflature thereof, for fix years ; and each fenator fhall have one vote, B b Immediately ,36 THE UNITED STATE Immediately after they fhall be atfembled, in confequcnce of the firft cleftion, they fhall be d'rvtdcd as equally as may be into three claries. The feats of the fcnators of the firft clafs fhall be vacated at the expiration of the fecond year ; of the fecond daft at the expiration of the fourth year; and of the third dais at the expiration of the fixth \car, fo that one third may be chofen every fecond year ; and :f vacancies happen bv'reiio-nation, or otherwise, during the reccls of the legiflature of any. State, i\)c executive thereof may make t.-mporary appointments until the next meeting of the Ic-nilature, which ihall then fill Inch vacancies. , perfon Ihall be a fcnator who ihall not have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine year* a citizen of the United States, and who fhall not, when elecled, . be an inhabitant of that State for which he fliall be chofen. The Yice-Prcfident of the United States fhall. be Prefident of the Senate, but fliall - no vote, unlds they be equally divided. The Senate fhaU choofe their other officers, and alib a Prefident pro tempore in the abil-ncc of the Vice-Prefident, or when he Ihall exercile the office of Prefident of the United Str.t The Senate mall have the fole power to try all impeachments. When fitting for that ptiqjofr, they fhall be on oath or affirmation. When the Prefident of the United States is tried, the chief juftice frrall prelide : and no perfon fhall be convicted :without the concurrence of two thirds of the members prefent. Judgement in cafes of impeachment fhall not extend further than to removal from office, and difqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honour, truft, or profit, under the United States ; but the party convicted fhall neverthelcfs be liable and fubjeci to indictment, trial, judgement, and punifhment, according ta law. Seel. 4. The times, places, and manner of holding elections for fenators and repre- fentatives, fhall be prefcribed in each State by the legiflature thereof ; but the Congrcfs may at any time by law make or alter fuch regulations, except as to the places of chilli ng fenators. The Congrefs fhalV arTembie atleaft once in every year, and fuch meeting fhall be on the firfl Monday in December, unlefs they fhall by law appoint a different day. Sel. 5. Each houfe fhall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each ihall constitute a quorum to do buli net's ; but a fmaller number may adjourn from day to day, and. may be authorifed to compel the attendance of abfent members, in fuch a. manner, and under fuch penalties as each houfe may provide. Each houfe may determine tire rules of its proceedings, purrifh its members for diforderly behaviour, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member. Each houfe Ihall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publifh the fame, excepting fuch parts as may. in their judgement require fecrecy ; and the yeas and nays of the members of either houfe on teyi qMeftioa fhall, at the delire of 'orre fifth of thofe prefent, be entered on the journal.. Neither houfe, during the feffion of Congrefs, fhall, without the confcnt of tlie ether, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two houfes fhall be fitting. :?. 6. The Senators and Representatives fhall receive a compenfation for their fen-ices, to be afcertained by law, and paid out of the treafury of the United States. They fhall, in all cafes, except treafon, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arreft during their attendance at the feffion of their refpective houfcs, and in going to. THE UNITED STATES. |8? to :md returning from the fume; and for any fpecch or debate in either houfe, they fliall not he queftioned in any other place. No fenator or wprctcntativc fhall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, \\ hidi fhall have been created, or the emoluments whereof fhall have been incrcalcd during fuch time; and no pcrlbn holding any office under the United States fhall be a mcml>er of cither Houfe during his continuance in office. Sstf. 7. All hills for railing revenue fhtdl originate in the Hunk 1 of Representatives; but the Senate may propofe or concur with amendments, as on .other bills. Every bill which lhall have pafled the Houfe of Reprcfentatives and the Senate, {hall, before k becomes a law, be presented to the Prefident of the United States; if lie approve, he fhall lign it, but if not, he fhall return it, with his objections, to that houle in which itiha'il iiavc originated, who fliall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to re-confider it. If, alter fucli re-conlideration, two thirds of that houfe fhall agree to pal* the bill, it fliail be lent, together with ihe objections, to the 'other houfe, by which it fhail likcw ife be re-conlidercd, and if approved by two third* of that houfe, it fliall become a law. But in all fuch cales the votes of both houfes fliall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the perfons voting for arnd againft the bill fhall be entered on the journal of each houfe refpectivcly. If any bill fhall not be returned by the Prefident within ten days, (Sundays -exceptcd) after it fliall have been prefentcd to him, tlic fame fliall be a law, in like manner as if he had iigned it, unlcfs the Congrels, by their .adjournment, prevent its return, in which cale irt lhall not be a law. Every order, refolution, or vote, to which the concurrence of the Senate and Houfe of Reprefentatives may be ncccfTary (except on a quciiion of adjournment) fliall be prefcnted to the Prefident of the United States ; and before the fame fliall take erTecl, ihall be approved by him, or, being difapproved by him, fliall be rc-paffed by two thirds of the Senate and Houfe of Reprefentatives, according to the rules and Jiniitatious prefcribod in the cafe of a bill. Sett. 8. The Congrcfs fliall have power To lay and collecl: taxes, duties, imports, and excifes ; to-pay the delfts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States ; but all duties, impofls, and excifes fliall be uniform throughout the United States ; To borrow money on the credit of the United States ; To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the fevcral States, and with the Indian tribes ; To ellablifli an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniforfn laws on the fubjecl of bankruptcies throughout the United States-; To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and -fix the ftandard of weights and meafures ; To provide for the punifhment of counterfeiting the fecuiities and.cuiTcnt coin .of the United States ; To eftablifh pofl offices and poft roads ; To promote the progrefs of -fcience and -nfeful arts, by. fecuring for limited times, to authors and inventors, the excluli\*e right to their refpectivc wnitings and dit- To conftitutc tribunals inferior to the fupremc court ; To define and punifh piracies and felonies committed on the -hi^'h fcas, and offences law of nations j B b 2 To ,8T8 THE UNITED STATES. To declare war, grant letters of marque and repri&l, and make rules concerning: raptures on land and water; To raife and lupport armies, but no appropriation of money to that ufe fhall be for a longer tenn than two yea To provide and maintain a navy ; To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces ; To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, fupprefs- inuirrections, and repel invalions ; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and for governing fuch part of them as may be employed in the fervicc of the United States, referring to the States refpeclively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the difcipline prefcribed by Congrefs ; To exercife exclufive legiflation in all cafes whatibever, over fuch diftrit (not vding ten miks fquare) as may by cefllon of particular States, and the acceptance of Congrefs, become the feat of government of the United States ; and to exercife like authority over all places purchafed by the confent of the legiflature of the State in which the fame fhall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arfenals, dock-yards, and other needful buildings : And To make all laws which fhall be neceflary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers veiled by this constitution in. the govern- ment of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof. Sect. 9. The migration or importation of fuch perfons as any of the States now exift- ing fhall think proper to admit, fhall not be prohibited by the Congrefs prior to the year one thoufand eight hundred and eighty but a tax or duty may be impofed on fuch, importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each perfon. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus fhall not be fufpended, unlefs when in; tafcs of rebellion or invafion the public fafety may require it. No bill of attainder or ex pott facto law fhall be pafled. No capitation, or other direct tax, fhall be laid, unlefs in proportion to the cenfus or enumeration herein before directed to be taken. No tax or duty fhall be laid on articles exported from any State. No preference fhall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one State over thole of another : nor fhall vcflels bound to or from one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties in another. No money fhall be drawn from the treafury, but in confequence of appropriations made by law ; and a regular ftatement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public money ihall be publifhed from time to time. No title of nobility fhall be granted by the United States. And no perfon holding any office of profit or trull under them, fhall, without the confent of Congrefs, accept of any prefent, emolument, office, or title of any kind whateveryfrom any king, prince, or foreign ftate. Seft. 10. No State fhall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation ; grant letters of marque and rcprifal ; coin money ; emit bills of credit ; make any thing but gold and filver coin a tender in payment of debts ; pafs any bill of attainder, ex polt facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility. No State fhall, without the confent %f the Congrefs, lay any imports or duties on imports or exports, except what may be abfolutely neceflary for executing its infpection laws ; and the net produce of all duties and impofts, laid by any State on imports or exports, THE UNITED STATES. i* 9 exports, fKali be for the life of fhe Treafury of the United States ; and all fuch laws flia.ll be fubject to the reviiion and controul of the Congrefs. No State fhall, without the confent of Congrefs, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops, or fhips of war, in time of peace, enter into-- any agreement or compact with another State, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unlefs actually invaded, or in fuch imminent danger as will not admit of delay.- ART. II. Seci, i. The executive power fhall be vefted in a Prefident of the United States of America. He fhall hold his office during the term of four years, and, together with the Vice-Prelidcnt, chofen for the fame term, be eledted as follows : Each State fhall appoint, in fuch manner as the legiflature thereof may direct, a. number of electors, equal to the whole number of ienators and reprefentatives to \vhich the State may be intitlcd in the Congrefs : but no fenator or reprefentative, or perfon holding an office of truft or profit under the United States, fhall be appointed an elector. The electors fhall meet in their refpective States, and vote by ballot for two perfon?, f whom one at leafl fhall not be an inhabitant of the fame State with themfelves. And they fhall make a lift of all the perfons voted for, and of the number of votes for each ; which lift they fhall fign and certify, and tranfmit, feakd, to the feat of the government of the United States, directed to the Prefident of the Senate. The Pre- fident of the Senate fhall, in the prefencc of the Senate and Houfe of Reprefentatives, open all the certificates, and the votes fhall then be counted. The perfon having the greatefl number of votes fhall be the Prefident, if fuch number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed ; and if there be more than one who have fuch majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the Houfe of Reprefentatives fhall immedi- ately choofe by ballot one of them for Prefidcnt ; and if no perlbn have a majority,- then from the rive highefl on the lilt, the faid houfe fhall in like manner choofe the Prefident. But in choofing the Prefident, the votes fhall be taken by States, the reprefentations from each State having one vote ; a quorum for this purpofe fhall confift of a member or members from two thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States fhall be neceffary to a choice. In every cafe, after the choice of the Prefident, the perfon having the greatefl number of votes of the electors fhall be the Vice- Prefident. But if there Ihould remain two or more who have equal votes, the Senate fhaH choofe from them by ballot the Viee-Prefident. The Congrefs may determine the time of choofing the electors, and- the day en which they fhall give their votes ; which day fhall be the fame throughout the United States. No perfon, except a natural-born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this conftitution, fhall; be eligible to the office of Prefident ; neither ihall any perfon be eligible to that office who ihall not have attained' to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a rclident within the United- States. In cafe of the removal f the Prefident from office, or of his death, refignation, or inability to difcharge the powers and duties of the laid office, the fame fhall devolve on the Vice-Prefident, and the Congrefs may by law provide for the caie of removal, death, refignation, or inability, both of the Prefidcnt and Vice-Prefident, declaring what officer fhall then act as Prefident. and fuch officer fhall act accordingly, until the difabiliry be removed, or a Prefident fhall be elected. i The t 9 o THE UNITED STATES. The Prefident mail, at ft a ted times ivi.-'ive for his tervicr.s a com pen fa lion, fhall neither he iiurcafed ordiminiihed daring the period for which he fliall liave been ed, and lie lhall not reeeive within that period any other emolument from the .ed States, or any of them. Before lie enters on the execution of his office, he fliall take the following oath or affirmation : I do folemnly fwcar (or atfirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of Prc- " fident of the United States, and will, to the bell of my ability, preferve, protect, a rxl -" defend the -con frit ut ion of the United States." Setl. 2. The Prefident mall be commander in chief of the army and navy of the I : ted States, and of the militia of the fevcrai States, when called into the actual lervice of the United States ; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any lubjeet relating to the duties of their rclpective offices, and he ihall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences againft the United States, except in cafes of impeachment. He fhalliiavc power, by and with the advice and content of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the, ienators prefent concur; and he fhall nominate, and by and with the advice and -content of the Senate fhall appoint ambaffadors, other public mwuftcrs, and confuls, judges of the fupreme court, and all other officers of the United States, whole appointments are -not herein otherwise provided for, and which ihall be eftablifhed by law. But the Congrcfs may by law vert the appoint- ment of fuch inferior officers, as they think proper, in thePrendent alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments. The Prclident fhall ha-ve power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the rccefs of the ienatc, by granting commifiions which fhall expire at the end of their next feffion. Seft. 3. He fliall from time to time give to tlie Congrefs information of the ft ate of the union, and recommend to their confideration fuch meafures as he fhall judge jicccffary and expedient ; he ma) , on extraordinary occafions, convene both houfes, or either of them, and in cafe -of difagreemeiit between tliem, with refpcci to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to fuch time a& he fhall think proper ; he fhall receive ajnbaffadors and other public minifters ; he fhall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and ihall commifnon all the ofhcers of the United States. Seft. 4. The Prefident, Vice-prefident, and all civil officers of the United States, fhall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, .treafon, bribery, or other high crimes and mifdemeanors. ART. III. Seft. i. The judicial power of the United States fhall be vefted in one fupreme court, and in fuch inferior courts as the Congrefs may from time to time ordain and cftablifh. The judges, both of the fupreme and inferior courts, fhall hold their offices during good behaviour, and fhall, at ftated times, receive for their fcr- viccs, a compcn fat ion, which fhall not be dimJmfhed during their continuance ia .office. 3ecl. 2. The judicial power fliall extend to all cafes, in law and equity, arifing under this constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which Ihall be made., under their authority ; to all cafes affecting ambaiiadors, other public miniltens, and confuls : to all cafes of admiralty and maritime jurifdiclion ; to con- troverfics to which the United States fhall be a party ; to controverfies between two or more States, between a State and citizens of another State, between citizens of dif- ferent States, between .citizens of the fame State claiming lands under grants of -dif- ferent THE UN FT ED STATES. 191 ft rent States, and between a. State, or the citizens thereof, and foreign ftatcs, citizens,. or fubjecls. In ail cafes affecting ambaffadors, other public minifters, and confuls, and thofc in which a State fhall be party, the fupreme court fhall have original jurifdiction. In all the other cafes before mentioned, the fupreme court fhall have appellate jurifdic- tion, both as to law and fact, with fuch exceptions, and under fuch regulations as the Congrefs fhall make. The trial of all crimes, except in cafes of impeachment, fhall be by jury; and fuch trial fhall be held in the State where the faid crime fhall have been committed ; but when not committed" within any State, the trial lliall be at fuch place or places as the Congrefs may by law have directed. Seft. 3. Treafon againft the United States fliall coniifronly in levying war againft them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No perfon fhall be convicted of treafon unlefs on the teitimony of two witnefTes to the fame overt ar, or on confeilion in open court. The Congrefs fhall have power to declare the punifhment of treafon, but no attain- der of treafon fhall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture, except during the life of the perfon attainted: ART. IV. SeR. i . Full faith and credit fhall be given- in each State to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other State. And the Congrefs may by general laws prefcribe the manner in which fuch acts, records, and proceedings ihall be proved, and the effect thereof. & to be removed to the State having jurifdiction of the crime. No perfon. held to fervicc or labour in one State, under the laws thereof, efcaping into another, fhall, in confequence of any law or regulation therein, be difchargect from fuch fcrvice or labour, but ihall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom iuch fcrvice or labour may be due. Sett. 3. New States may be admitted by the Congrcfs into this union, but no new State fhall be formed or erected within the jurifdiction of any other State ; nor any State be formed by the junction of two or more States, or parts of States, without the content of the legillatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congrefs. The Congrefs ihall have power to diipofe of and make all needful rules and regu- lations reflecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States ; and nothing in this conflitution fhalF be fo conflrncd" as to prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any particular State. Seft. 4. The United States fhall guarantee to every State in this union a republican form of government, and fhall protect each of them againft invalion; and on appli- cation of the legiflaturc; or of the executive (when the Icgiflature cannot be convened) againil dome ft ic violence. ART. V. The Congrefs, wRenevcr two thirds of both houfes fhall deem it neccf- fiiry, ihall propofe amendments to this conftitution, or, on the application of the le- giilatures of two thirds of the feveral States, fhall call a convention for propoting amendments, which, in either cafe, ihall be valid to all intents and purpofi^. as part o this conflitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the ieveral THE UNITED STATES. States, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may he propofed by the Congrefs: provided, that no amendment which may be mad'.: prior to the year one thoutand eight hundred and eight, fhall in any manner affect the firll and fourth clauies in the ninth fection of tke firft article; and that no State, without its content, mall be deprived of its equal fuffrage in the Senate. ART. VI. All debts contracted, and engagements entered into before the adoption of this ronftitutioii, mail be as valid agaiiift the United States under this constitution, a-; under the confederation. This court itution, and the laws of the United States which fcH be made in pur- fuaiue thereof; and all treaties made, or which fhall be made, under tlie authority of the United States, fhall be the fupreme law of the land ; and fcfce judges in every State lhall be bound thereby, any thing in the constitution or laws of -any State to the con- trary notwithstanding. The Senators and Reprefentatives before mentioned, and fhe Members of the feveral State Legiilatures, and all Executive and Judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the feveral States, lhall be bound by oath or affirmation to fupport this conftitution ; but no religious tefl fhall ever be required as a, qualification to any office or public trult under the United States. ART. VII. The ratification of the conventions of nine States fhall be fufri- cient for the efiablLmment of this conftituion between the States fo ratifying the fame. DONE in Convention, by the unanimous confetti of tie States prefent, tie feventeentb day of September, in the year of our Lord One fhoufand Seven Hundred and Eighty -f even, and of tbe Independence of the United States of America tbe Twelfth. In Witnefs whereof 9 we have hereunto fubfcribtd our names. GEORGE WASHINGTON, Preftdent. Signed alfo by all the Delegate* which were prefent from twelve States. Attefl. WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary. In. CONTENTION, Monday, September 17, 1787. PRESENT, f7j infants, to indigence and wrctchednefs, but for this charitable inftittition ; to fuccour the father! cf-j : to refcue the female orphan frorn definition ; and to enable the fon to- emulate the virtues of the father. " Let us then," they conclude, " profecMe with ardor what we have inftituted in fincerity; let Heaven and our own confciences approve our conduct ; let our actions be our bcft comment on our wordri ; a-nd let u k-ave a leifon to pollerity, THAT THE GLORY OF SOLDIERS CANNOT BE COMPLETED, WITHOUT ACTING WELL- THE PART OP ClTlZENS." The focicty have an order, (viz.) a Bald Eagle of gold, bearing on its breaft the emblems defcribed as follows The principal figure is CINCINNATI'S ; three fenators prcfcnting him with a fword and other military enfigss : on a field in the back ground, his wife Itanding at the door of their cottage ; near it a plough and other inftrumeftts of hufbandry. Round the' whole, omma reliquit fervare rempMcam. On the reverie, the fnn riiiBg, a city witl* open gates, and vcfTcls entering the port ; fame crowning Cincinnatus with a wreath, iufcribed, virtulis premium. Below, hands joining, fupporting a heart ; with the motto, efo perpetua. Round the whole, focietas Cincinnatoriim, injtituia, A. D. ^7^3. AGRICULTURE, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTURES.] The three important objects- of attention in the United States are agriculture, commerce, and manufactures. The richnefs of the foil, which amply rewards the induftrions hufbandman ; the tempe- rature of the climate, winch admits of fteady labour ; the cheapnefs of land, whick tempts the foreigner from his native home, lead ns to fix on agriculture as the prcfent great leading intereft of this country. This furnifhes outward cargoes not only for alt our own. fhips, but for thofe alfo which foreign nations fend to our ports ; or in other words, it pays for all pur importations ; it fupplies a great part of the clothing of the inhabitants, and food for them and their cattle. What is confumed at home,, including the materials for manufacturing, is four or five times the value of what is exported. The number of people employed in agriculture, is at leaft three parts in four of the inhabitants of the United States ; fome fay more. It follows of courfe that they form the body of the militia, who are the bulwark of the nation* The value of their pro- perty occupied by agriculture, is many times greater than the property employed in every other way. The iettlement of wafte lands, the fubdlvifion of farms, and the numerous improvements in hufbandry, annually incrcafe the pre-eminence of the agri- cultural intereft. The refources we derive from it, are at all times certain and indif- ]K-nfably neceffary : belides, the rural life promotes health, by its active nature ; and morality, by keeping people from the luxuries and vices of the populous towns. In ihort, agriculture is th/^pring of our commerce, and the parent of our manufactures. The vaft extent of fea-coaft, which fpreads before thefe confederated States ; the number of excellent harbours and fea-port towns ; the numerous creeks and immenle hays, which indent the coaft ; and the rivers, lakes, and canals, which pcninfulate the whole country -, atided to its agricultural advantages and improvements, give this part of the world Ibpenor advantages for trade. Our commerce, including our exports, 2 imports, THE UNITED SPATES. , 9; imports, fhipping, manufactures, and fiflicrics, may properly be confidrred as forming one intereft. This has been coiifidered as the great object, and the moll important interefl of the New England States. Since commerce has ever becr> considered as the handmaid of agriculture, particularly in this country, where the agricultural intercft fo greatly predominates ; and fince neither can flourifh without the (rther, policy and intercft point out the neccllity of fuch a fyilem of commercial and agricultural regulations, as will originate and ciicc- tuailv prefer vc a proper connection and balance between thc-n. Tne confumption of fifh, oil, whale-bone, and other articles obtained through the fiihcrics, in the towns and counties that are convenient for navigation, has become much greater than is generally fuppofed. ft is computed that no lefs than five thou- fand barrels of mackaref, falmon and pickled codfifh arc vended annually in the city of Philadelphia : add to them the dried rifh, oil, fpermaceti candles, whale-bone, &c. and it will be found that a little j rlc^t of Hoops and fchooncrs are employed in the bufmefs. The demand for the foremcntioned articles is proporfionably great in the other parts of the union, (efpecially in Bofton and the large commercial towns that lie' along the coaft north-eaftward, which enter largely into the fifhing trade) and the veflels em- ployed in transporting them proportionally numerous. The increafe of our towns and manufactures will increafe the demand for thcfe articles, and of courfe the number of coafting veflels. In the prefent flate of our navigation, we can be in no doubt of procuring thefe fupplies by means of our own veflels. This will afford encouragement to thebufinefs of Ihip-building, and increafe the number of our learnen, who mult hereafter form an important part of the defence of our country. Add to thcfe, our profpe&s from the fur trade of Canada. The vaft fettlemcnts which are making at irittlburg, GcnefTc, and in other parts in the neighbourhood of Canada ; the advan- tages of our inland navigation, by means of the lakes, the northern, branches of the Ohio, the Patomak, the Sufquchannah and the Hudfon, with many other circum- fiances depending not only on the lituation, but likewife on the climate, proximity, &c. muft, in a few years, put a large fhare of this fur trade into our hands, and pro- cure us, at leaft, our proportionable fhare of the large profits thence ariling, which- Canada, fince the year 1763, has enjoyed almoll exclufively. Thefe advantages, however, are itill but in profpecl ; and mult remain fo until the Britiflt, agreeably to treaty, fhall have evacuated the forts at Niagara, the large iettlcments of the Heights, and that of Michillimakinak. Although the Britifh, by the treaty of peace, are to enjoy with us the portages of the navigation of the lakes, yet, fhould a ditpute arife, it will not be convenient for ^them to contend with us ; for the northern- and north- caftcrn parts of the continent, included in the Britilh limits, are much colder, more mountainous and poorer than the United States, and have no rivers, but luch as arf tlie commercial relburccs and profpecls of tins country. But for various reafons, the advantages for trade wliich nature has To liberally given us, have never, till fince the cftablilhrnent of the prclent government, been properly improved. Before the revolution, Great Britain claimed an exclufive right to the trade of her American colonies. This right, which ihe inflexibly maintained, enabled her to fix her own price, as well on the articles which fhe purchafed from us, as upon thofo of her own manufactures exported lor our contumption. The carrying trade, too, was prcfrrved a 1 molt excluiively in lier own hands, which afforded a temptation to the carriers, that was .often too powerful to be withtfood, to exat exorbitant commiffions and freights. Although we will not even hazard a conjecture how much Great Britain enriched hcrfelf by this exclufive trade with her colonies, yet this we may fay, that by denying us the privilege of carrying our produce to foreign markets, fhe deprived us of the opportunity of .realizing, in .their full .extent, the advantages for trade wliich nature lias given us. The late war, which brought about our feparation from Great Britain, threw our commercial affairs into great confution. The powers of the old confederation were unequal to the complete execution of any meatures, -calculated effectually to recover them from their deranged iituation. Through want of power in the old Congrels to collect a revenue for the difeharge of our foreign and domeftic debt, our credit was deli roved, and trade of confequence greatly embaraffed. Each State, in her delultory regulations of trade, regarded her own intereit, while that of the union was neglected. And fo different were the interefts of the tcvcral States, that their laws refpecting trade often clafhcd with each other, and were productive of unhappy confequences. The large commercial States had it in their power to opprefs their neighbours ; and hi fome inftances this power was directly or indirectly exercifed, Thele impolitic and. unjuftiiiable regulations, formed on the impreffion of the moment, and proceeding from no uniform or permanent principles, excited unhappy jealoulies between the dafhing States, and occalioncd frequent ftagnatious in their trade, and in fome initances, a -fecrccy in their commercial policy. But the wife mcafurcs which have been adopted by Congrefe, under our prefent efficient government, liave extricated us almoft entirely from tbcfe embarraffments, and put a new and pieafmg face upon our public affairs. Inverted with the adequate powers, Congrefs have formed a fyftem of commercial regulations, which -enable us to meet the oppofcrs of our trade upon their own ground; a fyilem which has placed our commerce on a refpectable, uniform, and intelligible footing, adapted to promote the general interefts of the union, with the fmalleft injury to the individual States. The following tables, taken from authenticated copies, will give the bcft idea of the prefent fuite of cormnerce in the United States, ABSTRACT THE UNITED STATES. o o c 'w .U 3 r ^ -CO xv, co -i- <-\ _, C J vr, s O O O "I co O cnoc O OsO CO OO O O cl CO >-n ro * o i^- ro co M G 0.2 wo o H e O bC -/) ~ C I... O ' &-- lillS ^ -' v C c i. C . < 3 oo o O !>O O CO c^ 0^0 M , , CO >-t i < . i i i i i i CO O' CO Cocoooco OOO CO C/3 (4 h < H OG CO r^.fO'*- rOCO \O w O COO O " OCO \) sO ~^ O OOOOOCO 9^0 *~ -" - -C O CO v< CO ^ "i|* ^ O J rj- v-, r^ CO o a CO "t -rivO r^ o O O CO vD > ^ e ^q^xy-,r-^ co so -T -^ C5 O \-nro 1 - 1 v O "" O O co <-n c coo ^ co vn ^ rj- r '-^NviSvO fOfOcoOO -t cr- c<-, r^M^^ooc^-, O OvO' CO 05 ffi OH 2 ii .. B c rl 'tC o c w ~ s ^ 5n C I- H o , CN 5i t^. ; co " O ^.^O -i- o f^vO ^ ro e5 ^ O"-. -tCCt^'vC L^OO fO-CO -O f< - .w-i vO O - -1-CO 'H- o ** CO ""* '"^ " GO rt- CO O O (M e* cow i-i TJ- M n oc x6 o o "8 t rt sO i ~ I co . '- co O / /^coO v " CP w~iO-*OC KJ _, ^ r>. rl- co o*>* .*... . -+ rl-CO i CO I ^ 1 ^ ^sO O "i^OCQ O sO "^co co O * *t O t^. -h -^j- co co O l o o co t^^C CO VCVNO O CM CO /) rl-CO -- I i ' fl I s * -4- vn co co 00 CO i ro t^. i v b, rf-OO CC NO vCO-OOO O CO COCO vOo O O g vTo" oco l> "*" CO t^^O O vC l ^ CO c^"*- co \o i*^^o co ^r iC. o'sd" " C w UJ UJ- ^ tCC -t-rt toO't'-' 'tvO O r CO OCfc> ^CO 1^ COO CO COCO NO 00 .- v/-> -i n O O <+ rr-, rf I'V O I ^- o oo 'i- co t^ o L^ " r^. rr. O o co t r- -J-O OO ~ i^ rr-, H rr-.^ ro O O Th O 3 PI ^3 ' ' ' ' , , .5 S "5 **-* "^3 ^ * *Tt O ^ G ^i Lj r* 1 **? . P O . C * GENERAL 100 THE UNITED STATES. A 14 O o H c4 O PH STATES oo cr ~ O O "- -o CO O "> O NO NO vn a >- GO ON *Ji w> co O* vn O O ON w^vOOOr . \O vr> vn co CO co ON co ON vn w NO - -. i CO *. CO 1C co fN> O *t- NO co ~ O O o o M M M O ON ' w CO 6 CO 4- CO - Q -i \O w \ 11 4- * ~ ' \o ' 4- ' co ' l 09 M CD vO O> | a M <^ ei M eCO so ^*- t O O Q O O 'to i^OO O ON v^ vn MM O tl OO ct O OvO 5-0 sp - . o y H C O 2 H < t- o h MER AUE o H X erf S i-. ID fi STATES. O o ONs5 N W ^ O CO i -^ao t^. O t^-CO -* O OCO co -< O - N \O =*" O~> t^ "> CO O CO vooo VA O ->- ". O ON rti ON + r<-iCO ^O v^t^-r^'-i rl-eOCO COO CO -i-i-i n\o r^coi^i^O >-J^ O O O "tOO NO -^-00 O OO NO O COCO , O CO ON t^ ON CO -< O\O O NO .500 O - ON M O^CO CO M CJN C>NO CO "8 vn o '*- coo ** o o NO "to i^-eo o ON r*.\o M CO + (4 COCO ON ^f- vA vn ON ON NO t> < OO NO eo ei '"*''' cd co * NO CO ON -^t- J oo O s NO w% . ill i , ^> ON CO . * * CO * W DM ' ' c> * 1^4- ' ON O *- ABSTRACT THE UNITED STATES. ABSTRACT of GOODS, WARES, and MERCHANDIZE, exported from tie United States, from the \Ji of Oclober, 1790, to tJ;e $?tb of September, 1791. SPECIES OF MERCHANDISE EXPORTED. ASHES, Pot A flies, Pearl Apples Bricks - Boats - Bellows for fmiths Beer, Ale, and Porter Ditto, bottled Boots Boot-legs Brimflone Blacking or Lampblack Bayberries Cider - Ditto bottled Chalk - Cotton Coffee - Cocoa Chocolate - - Candles, MyrtlaWax Wax Tallow Cables and Cordage" Copper Ore Pig Sheet Manufactured Coals - Craneberries Corks Corn-fans Caries and Walking-flicks Cotton and Wool-cards CARRIAGES. Coaches, Chariots., Phaetons, &c. Waggons and Carts Duck American Raffia DRUGS and MEDICINES. Glauber Salts Pink, China and Snake Root, &c. SafTafras Bark SaJTafras Wood or Root D Quantity. 3>83-r tons 3,197^ ditto 12,352 barrels 737,764 number 99 4 44,526 gallons 719 dozens 482 pairs 17 ditto 3,280 pounds 8,5 1 8 ditto 1 8 bufhels 1,694 barrels 310 dozens i o tons pounds ditto ditto boxes ditto ditto ditto per ii2lb. ditto ditto ditto pounds bufhels ditto grofs number ditto dozens OT 85 number 25 ditto 478 bolts 235 ditto 1,580 pounds 14,900 ditto 341 tons 341 ditto d Carried forward Dollars 308,362 431,676 - 12,352 2,582 A 2,970 - 1 20 m 8,905. 29 2,892 - 34 98 2,850 9 2,541 310 1 80 - 47.3^9 144,446. 55 832. 20 3*832 2,088 - 1,665 - 27*264 300 - 493- 33 758 360 45 16 '53 * 2,35 12.300 1,280 4,780 2,350 158 3,000 - i> 39 685 059,006. 28 THE UNITED STATES. EARTHEN and STONE WARE. Stone Yellow or Queen's Flaxfced Flax Feathers - Flints FRAMES of VefiHs Sno\vs Boats J loules Windows and Doors - FURNITURE HOUSE. Tables ~ \j -.ii toads DHks Bureaus - Sophas and Settees - Clocks - Clock-ca&s Chefts Chairs, Winclfor Chairs, Rufh FISHERIES. Fifli dried Eifh pickled Oil, Whale Oil, Spermaceti - . ~ Candles, ditto Whalebone - Genlang Grinditoncs - Glafs Ware Ditto for Windows GROCERIES. Caflia and Cinnamon Cloves - Pimento Pepper - Browu Sugar Loaf Sugar Other Sugars Raifiris GRAJN and PULSE. Wheat - Rye Barley Indian Corn Oats Buck Wheat Peas .and Beans Horns and Horntips Hides, raw Brought fonvard, dollars 1,059,006. 28 55 dozens IOO '57* crates - 1,884 58,492 calks 327,555. 5| 18,600 pounds 1,488 " 900 ditto 420 40,000 number 200 i - 400 6 - 300 10 - - I 5 195 - 9>75 3 l 46 75 . 750 1 8 _ 180 78 - .1,560 21 - 294 59 - 834 8 - 640 3 - 90 785 - 14,10 5^34 - 5*'34 738 !- 224 383,237 quin. per H2lb. 958,092.50 57,424 barrels 172,272 447*323 gallons 89,464. 60 '134,595 ditto 53*838 4,5 6o boxes - 0, 54,7 20 124,829 pounds 24.965. 80 29,208 ditto 7,682. 80 125 number 187.50 21 crates 84 9 2 boxes 920 *-*778 pounds 3*389 900 ditto 1,150 141,701 ditto 22,672 492 ditto 246 73*304 ditto 5,864. 32 I >*S7 ditto 231-33 1,200 ditto 1 32 400 ditto 64 1,018,339 bufhels 1,018,339 3 6 *737 ditto 19,470. 61 35 ditto 33- 33 ditto 856,620. 50 116,634 ditto 23,326. 80 i4;499 ditto 4,784. 67 165,273 ditto 123*954- 75 119,776 number 1,348 704 - 1,408 Carried forzvard 4,857,667.32 THE UNITED STATES. 203 Hats Honey Hops - Hemp Hay IRON WROUGHT. Axes - Hoes - Drawing Knives Scythes - Locks and Bolts Shovels Skimmers and Ladles Anchors Grapnals Muikets CutlaiTes , Knives and Forks Cliefts of Carpenters' Tools- IRON CASTINGS. Waggon Boxes Pots, Kettles, and other Callings Cannon , Swivels Shot for Cannon. , IRON, the ton Pig Bar Nail Rods Hoops _ ' Indigo (fee note A.) Leather, tanned and drefled Lime LEAD, Sheet Pig Shot LIVE STOCK. 'Horned Cattle Hories Mules Sheep - Deer Hogs Poultry Merchandife or dry Goods, foreign Molafles- Millitoncs Mullard Madder Nails - Negro Slaves Brought forward, dollars 4,857,667. 32 435 *>3$- ' 1,740 gallons 1,044 650 pounds 200 1,544 ditto - 103 2,006 tons - 2 5,75 number pair number 979 99.96 4 48 600 13- 5 5 244 800 144 10 200 5 *pairs 3 808 number 600 37 . 1,1 IO 8 - 24 1,000 - 150 4,1781 -tons 108,647. 50 349i ditto 27,960 8 ditto 800 i6| ditto 1,980 497,720 " -Ibs. and fundry cafks 570,234 ' 5*424 pounds 1,356 1,320 buihels 198 45 1 Sheets 1,650 tons 1,848 6 >473 pounds 388.38 4,627 number 84,442.^67 6,975 - 279,000 444 - . 17,760 10,377 - 17,640. 90 4 - 16 16,803 45,368. 10 10,217 dozens 15.325-5 Dd2 packages, eftimated at 120,000 gallons ~ - 2,540. 20 number - 200 pounds - 390 ditto - 2 5 ditto - 19,5^3. 05 number 3,808 Carried forward - 6,: THE UNITED S T A T K S. Nankeens Nuts - NAVAL STORES, (fee note Pilch Tar Roiin Turpentine - w Spirits of Turpentine Oil, Linfecd Porcelain or China Ware Powder, Gun Powder, Hair Pomatum Paints - Pipes - Printing PrefTes Plaiiter of Paris PROVISIONS. Rice (fee note A.)- Flour - Ship Stuff - * Rye Meal Indian Meal Buckwheat Meal Oat Meal Bread - Beef Pork Crackers - Hams and Bacon Venilbn and Mutton Hams Cheefe Lard Butter Saufages FrefhBcef Frefh Pork Carcafcs of Mutton Neats Tongues Oyfters Pickled Potatoes - Onions - Other Vegetables Reeds * A.) Brought forward, doh. 7,070 pieces 1,240 bufhels Rum, American Rum, Weft India Brandy Brandy. Peach J Gin Ditto Ditto Cordials SPIHITS. 3,818 barrels 51,044 ditto 228 ditto 58,107 ditto 1,172 gallons 90 ditto i boxes 25,854 pounds 1,276 ditto 45 ditto 1,520 ditto i box 4 number 4 tons 93.3 2 9 tierces 119,681 barrels 6,484 ditto 24,062 ditto 7.339 ditto 422 ditto 6 ditto 100,279 ditto 62,371 ditto 26,635 ditto 1 5,346 kegs 295,647 pounds 600 ditto 120,901 ditto ^522,715 ditto 16,670 firkins 250 pounds 162,269 ditto 29,334 ditto 5 6i number 160 barrels 1,228 kegs 22,263 bufhels 42,420 ditto fundrics 15,450 - 5 ^3.^34 gallons 4,742 ditto '58 ditto 753 ditto 10,252 ditto 3,817 cafes 3.39 jugs 69 cafes 6,217,330. 48 10,605 1,240 6,68 1. 50 76,566 " 5/o 116,214 586 45 24 1,405.60 3 1 9 fl2. 50 34 * a 200 3,408,245. 50 12,968 60,155 140,678 1,603. 6 16 y7- 5 374,226 266,350 6,138.40 26,590. 23 120 8,463. 7 41,817. 20 91,685 2 5 3,690. 76 1,760. 4 2,805 1,200 2,45 6 5^5 6 5- 75 21,210 1,000 77.50 205,293. 60 3.793- 6 158 753 8,201. 60 509- 75 207 Carried forward 1 2,5 34,474. 6 8 f HE UNITED STATES. SADLERY. Saddles, Men's Bridles Coach and other Carriage Harnefs Waggon and Cart Goers Shoes, Mens and Womenaf Soap - Sago - Starch Snuff - Steel Silk, Raw Silver, Old Salt Spruce, EfTence of SEEDS. Garden Muftard Hay Cotton SKINS Morocco Calf in Hair Deer and Moofe Seals Bear, Wolf, and Tyger Otter Deer Skins Skins 2nd Furs unknown Tobacco [fee note A.] Ditto manufactured Types Tallow Twine Towcloth Toys for Children Titi Ditto manufactured - TEAS Bohea Souchong Green Hyfbn Vinegar Vamifh Wntss. Madeira Other Wines Bottled WAX, Bees Myrtle i - Whips Brought forward 205 * 2,534,474. 68 414 number 4,968 402 - 45 74 fets 1,740 8 - 5 7,046 pairs 6,341.40 691 boxes - 2,764 2,382 pounds 382.82 i6o ditto 90. 60 15,689 ditto 3^37- 80 i,375 bundles 7,333- 33 '53 pounds 425- 34 103 ounces 103 4,208 bufhels 94 cafes *5'7 i, 060 pounds * i, 060 660 - ' 88 60 - 8 109 bufhels 104. 99 132 number of 264 404 ditto 321. 60 1,063 ditto 5 6 3 2,672 ditto 37 ditto ' 56.57 100 ditto 166. 67 49,011 pounds 2 4,555-5 889 calks and packets 132,000 101,272 hogfheads 3,469,448 81,122 pounds 12,168. 60 3 boxes 300 3^,195 pounds 28,547- 55 19$ per ii2lb. 441. 80 1,850 yards V-33 II2f dozens 225 9 boxes 1 20 dozens 80 1 H chefls 1,750 492 ditto 24,600 i 7 8 s ditto 5,34o ditto 1 45 132-3. 75 2,248 gallons 562 60 ditto 20 76,466 ditto 99,405/80 32,336 ditto 24,252 6 dozens 42 224,538 pounds 533*9- * 2,272 ditto 272. 64 146 number 26 Can led forward 16,602.1425. 206 WOOD. Staves and Heading Shingles Shook. Calks Cafks Lut! is Hoops Hoop-poles Malts Bowlprits Booms Spars - Hand Spikes Pumps Boxes and Brakes - Blocks Oars Oar Rafters Tnmnels Cedar and Oak Knees Bread Hooks Carlings .Anchor Stocks Cedar Ports Oak Boards and Plank , - Pine Boards and Plank Other Boards and Plank Scantling ^ rOak, Pine, &c. 1 J Ditto, ditto \j^ I Mahogany Lignum Vitae Logwood and Nicaragua , Mahogany, Logwood, 2cc. Oak, Pine, &c. Cords of Oak, Pine, Hickory, Ditto of Oak Bark Oak Bark, Ground + Maft Hoops Axe Helves Trufs Hoops - ,< Yokes and Bowes for Oxen Lock Stocks Worm Tubs Wheel Barrows Waggon and Cart Wheels Spokes and Fellies Spinning Wheels Tubs, Pails, &c. Bowls,. Dimes, Platters, &c. THE UNITED STATES. Brought forward, dols. &c. 29,061,590 number 74,205,97 6 . - 42,032 - 297 1,422,155 - 3,422 - 405 - 42 - 74 - 4,9 8 3 - 3 6 >7 I 4 - 80 - 56 - 7,040 - 28,456^ - 13,080 - 1,067 - 5 - 809 - 1 o,45 3 - 963,822 feet 27,288,928 ditto 3,463,673 ditto 6,237,496 ditto i 2,180,137 ditto 13,775 tons 5 ditto i, 1 80 per 1 1 2lb 105! ditto 3,251 pieces 38,680 ditto 499 eords 57 ditto 1,040 hhds. 148 dozens 149 ditto 15 fets J 97 ditto 4,000 number 6 ditto 6 ditto 25 pairs 12,972 number i? ditto 34 dozens 170 ditto 16,602,425.62- 369,663 29,422. 40 297 20. 40 14,221.55 37. 60 7I 420 148 7.474- 50 M 2 9 75 I2O 14 2,OOO 5,691. 2,6l6 I37- 746.90 IOO 13 404. 50 297. 50 9,638. 22, ^3,733- 5 6 34,636.73 31,187.48 21,801.3.7 41,325 2,2 354 105. 50 2,879. 86 18,000 748. 50 114 6,240 1 1 1 74- 5' 37-5 295. 50 60 3 9. oo 300 1,621. 50 5 1 15 340 * Total dollars, 17, 571, 551. 45 (A.) Returns for two quarters from Charlefton, and from feveral fmalJ ports, are deficient, THE UNITED STATES. 207 SUMMARY OF EXPORTS. A SUMMARY of the VALUE and DESTINATION of the EXPORTS of the UNITED STATES agreeably to the foregoing abftracl. Dols. Cts. To the dominions of Rufiia - - 3>57 To the dominions of Sweden - - - 21,866. a To the dominions of Denmark - 277,273. 53 To the dominions of the United Netherlands 1,634,82;. 6 To the dominions of Great Britain 7,953,418. 21 To the Imperial ports of the Aullrian Netherlands and Germany 362,010. 21 To Hamburg, Bremen, and other Hanfe towns 64,259. 25 To the dominions of France 4,298,762. 26 To the dominions" of Spain 1,301,286. 9; To the dominions of Portugal - 1,039,696. 4*7 T> the Italian Ports - -. 31,726.90 To Morocco - - - 3,660. 50 To the Eaft Indies, generally 318,628. 46 To Africa, generally - - 168,477. 9 Z To the Weft Indies, generally - * 59,434. 36 To the North Weft Coaft of America - , 3,380 " To Europe and the Weft Indies for a market 29,274, . 5 Total Dollars , *7>57 I 9$Si' 45 The exports of the year ending September 31, 1792, amounted in! , value to J Treafury Department, March 28/, 1792. TENCH COXE, Afijl. Sec. The foregoing tables will ferve to give the reader an accurate view of the ftate of our commerce with foreign nations ; of the articles, and the quantity exported of each-, and of the amount of duties ariiing from our imports and tonnage. In this connection it may be uleful to notice the principal rcftrictions, impolitiom, and prohibitions fuftained by the United States, in their trade with the Britiih domi- nions, in contraft with thole lultained by Great Britain in her trade with the United States ; and this is the more neceiiary, as there are not wanting perfons who affirm, that the balance of favour is given to the United States, and that Great Britain is to far injured by our deportment, as to juftify a retaliation. The principal facts, relative to the queltion of reciprocity of commercial regula- lations, between Great Britain and the United States of America, have, by a gentle- man who had arccfs to every necefTary information for the ptirpoie, been thrown into the form of a table, as follows : GREAT BRITAIN THE UNITED ST.YTES Prohibits American vcflcls from enter- Admit Britifh vefTels into all their pod.-, ina* into the ports of fevcral parts ot her fubject to a tonnage duty of 44 cents, or dominions, viz. the Well Indies, Canada, 24 ftcrling pence, more than American, Nova Srotia r New Brunfv.ick, Newfound- veiTcls, and an addition of oi'e tenth to land, Cape Breton, Hudlbn's Bay, Hon- the amount of the iirrpoft accruing on dura* Bay, and her Eaft India . Ipice- their cargoes, market . * Slw THE UNITED STATES. GREAT BRITAIN. She impolVs double light money on American tfel&lsin moil ol* her ports. She prohibits the navigating iid libitum, of AmovicHii veilels, by native or other vn. She prohibits the employment of Amc- iii built fhips by her own citizens, in many brandies of trade, upon any terms. She charges a duty on American fail cloth, made up in the United States for BritiJh ihips. She prohibits the importation of goods from fcveral parts of her dominions into others, in American veiTels, upon any terms. She prohibits the importation of goods into Great Britain, by American vefTels, from any other country than the United States. Slie prohibits the importation into Great Britain from the United States, by Ameri- can vefTel?, of all goods not produced by the United States. She prohibits the importation of any goods previoufly brought into the United States, from the faid States into Great Bri- tain, evea in Britifh veflels. She prohibits the exportation of Several articles from Great Britain to the United Sta; She lays duties of various rates upon the < \portation of many articles to the United States. Sh prohibits the importation of all ma- nufactures from the United States, into her European dominions, and her colonies, iinlclls it be fome very fimple preparations and dccoclions, requilitc to her navy, fhipping, and manufactures. She impoics very confiderable duties up- on fome of the agricultural productions of the United States, and excludes others by duties equal to their value. THE UNITED STATES. They do not impole extra light money on Britifh velfcls in any of their ports. They admit the navigating of Britifh veflels by native or other teamen, adlibitit/n. They admit the employment of Britifh built Jhips by their own citizens, in every branch of trade, upon the terras of 44 cents- extra per ton, and one tenth cxira on the impoit arinng from their cargoes. They do not charge a duty on Britifh fail cloth, made up ill Great Britain ibr American fhips. They admit the importation of goods from any part of their dominions into ano- ther, in Britifk veflels, on the terms of 44 cents per ton extra on the veffel. They admit the importation of goods into the United States, in Britifh veflcls-, from every country whatever. They do not prohibit the importation into the United States from Great Britain, by Britifh velfelsy of any goods not pro- duced by Great Britain. They do not prohibit the importation of any goods previoufiy brought into Great Britain, from that kingdom into the United States, in either Britifh or American bottoms. They do not prohibit the exportation of any article from the United States to Great Britain. They do not lay & duty on the exporta- tion of any article whatever to Great Bri- tain. They do not prohibit the importation of any manufacture whatever fronx Great Britain.. They impoie moderate duties (lower than any other foreign nation by 2, 3, and 4 for one) on the produce and manufactures of Great Britain,, except in a very few in- fiances, and exclude fcarcely any articles by duties equal to tliek value. She THE UNITED STATES. GREAT BRITAIN. She prohibits, for considerable terms of time, fome of the principal agricultural pro- ductions of the United States, and others at all times. It is underflood that by treaty fhe grants fome favours, which are not extended to the United States. She proliibits the importation of fome American article's, in American fhips, or any but Britifh fhips, into her European dominions. She does not permit an American citi- zen to import goods into fome of her do- minions, and to fell them there, even in Britifh veflels. In other parts of her do- minioiks, fhe lays an extra tax on him, or his fales. She impofes heavy duties on certain ar- ticles of the produce of the Amercian fifh- eries, and infupportable duties on others, in fome parts of her dominions : and in other parts, fhe prohibits their importa- tion. She prohibits the confumption of fome American articles, of which fhe permits the importation. She prohibits the importation of Ame- rican articles from foreign countries into the Britifh dominions, even in her own fhips. THE UNITED STATES, They prohibit none of the agricultural productions of Great Britain or her domi- nions. They treat Great Britain as favourably as any nation whatever, as to fhips, im- ports, and exports, and in all other rcf- pecls. They do not prohibit the importation of any Britilh article in Britifh veflels, or any but American veflels. They permit a Britifh citizen to import goods into all their ports, in any veilels, and to fell them there without any extra tax on him, or his fales. They impofe only five per cent, on the produce of the Britifh fisheries (which duty is drawn t>ack on exportation) and admit every article derived from them. They do not prohibit the confumption of any Britifh article whatever. They do not prohibit the importation of Britifh articles from foreign countries in any fhips. Befides, these is no country that contributes fo much to the fupport of the navy of Great Britain as the United States, by the employment they give tp her fhips. From Auguft 1789, to Auguft 1790, no lefs than 230,000 tons of Britifh veflels cleared from thcfe States ; which much exceed the quantity of veflels they employed the fame vear in the Ruffian trade. The whole Baltic trade of Great Britain, with all the coun- tries of the various powers that lie within the Sound, important as it is to her, does not fill more. Their trade with Holland, France, Spain, and Portugal, does not altoge- ther employ as many veflels. Their whole fifheries, American colonial trade, and Weft India trade, do not employ and load more. And how, it may be aiked, are the) United States requited for thus ftrengthening the acknowledged bulwark of Great Britain, by annually giving a complete lading to the unequalled quantity of 230,000 tonsoflier private veflels ? The whole of the American veflels, which have arrived in our ports in the fame year, from all the countries and places fubjecl to the Britifh crown, amovmi to no more than 43,580 ton>. Our allies and friends, the French, have been more liberal in their polity. In Uio arrct, pajTcd in council, December ,29, 1787, for encouraging the commerce ul.I'Vaiur, ii c -with 210 THE I/NITED STATES. T/itli the United States of America, it is ordained, That whale oil and fpermaceti, trie produce oft he rifherics of the United States, brought directly into France in French or American bottoms, fhall be h ibjcrt to a duty only of ieven livres ten fols (equal to fix Shillings and three pence tlrrling) the barrel of five hundred and twenty weight; and whale tins Ihall be fubject to a duty of only fix livre-; thirteen ibis and four deniers (equal to live fhfllins and fix pence halfpenny) the quintal, with ten Ibis per livre on each of the laid duties ; which ten fols per livre was to ccafe on the latf day of Decem- ber 1790. The oilier fifli oils ami dry failed fiih, produced and imported as aforelaidy are not to pay any other or greater duties, than the molt favoured nations are, or ftialf be fubject to in the fame caie. Corn, wheat, rye, rice, peas, beans, lentils, flax-feed, and other feeds, flour, trees and fhrubs, pot and pearl afhes, ikins, and fur of beaver, raw hides, furs and peltry, and timber carried from the United States to France in French or American bottoms, arc fubjcel: to a duty of one eighth per cent, on their value. Veflels, proved to have been built in the United States, and fold in France, or purchafed by Frenchmen, arc exempted from duties. Turpentine, tar and pitch, are liable fo a duty of two and a half per cent, on their value. Arms may be imported into the United States, in French^ or American vefiels, on paying a duty of one eighth per cent^on their value ; and gun- powder duty free, by giving a cautionary bond. Books and papers of all forts, impor- ted as aforefaid, are to be exempted froin.all duties, aad entitled to a reftitution of the fabrication duties on paper and pafte board. Pcrmiflion is given to ftore all produc- tions and merchandize of the United States, for lix months, in all the ports of France open to the commerce of her colonies, fubjecl to a duty only of one eighth per cent. His majefty referves to himfelf the power of granting encouragement to favour the exporta- tion of arms, hard ware, jewelry, bonetiry, wool, cotton, coarfe wollens, fmall drape- ries, and fluffs of cotton of all forts, and other merchandize of fabric, which may be fent to the United States. As to other merchandizes-not enumerated -in this ao^t, imported and exported in French^ or American veflcls, and with rcfpectte all commercial conventions whatever, his ma- jefty ordained, ' That the citizens of the United States enjoy in France, the fame rights, privileges, and exemptions^ with the fubje6ts of his majefly ; faving what is provided in the ninth article hereof.* ' His Jatemajefty granted to the citizens and inhabitants of the United States all the ad- vantages which are enjoyed, or which may be hereafter enjoyed^ by the rnoft favoured nations in his colonies of America: and moreover his majefty enfured to the faid citizens and inhabitants of the United States, all the privileges and advantages which his own fubject s of France enjoy or fliall enjoy in Alia; tnd in the feas leading thereto, provi- ded always, that their vefiels fhallccn already done. It is certain that fcvcral important branches have grown up and rlourifhed, with a rapidity which fur- prizcii ; attbrding an encouraging afliirancc of fucccfs in future attempts. Of theft the following are the moft confiderable, viz. Of Skins Tanned and tawed leathers, -d ikins, Ihoes, boots, and flippers, harnets and faddlery of all kinds, portman- teaus and trunks, leather breeches, gloves, muffs and tippets, parchment and glue. Qf i ro n Bar and Iheet iron, fteel, nail rods and nails, implements of hutbandry, jtov . and other houfehold utenfils, the (leel and iron work of carriage? and for ihip buildinir, anchors, fcale beams and weights, and various tools of artificers, arms of dirjcrent kinds. Of Wood Ships, cabinet wares, and turnery, wool and cotton fards, and other machinery for manufactures and hulbandry, mathematical inltru- ments, coopers wares of every kind. Of Flux and Hemp Cables, fail cloth, cordage, twine and packthread. Of Clay Bricks and coarle tiles, and potters wares. Ardent fpirits and malt liquors. Writing and printing paper, fheathing and wrapping paper, paite boards, fullers or prefs papers, and paper hangings. Hats of fur and wool, and mixtures of both. Womens ftuff and filk fhoes. Refined fugars. Chocolate. Oil of animals and feeds, foap, fpermaceti and tallow candles Copper and brafs wares, particularly utenfils for diftillers, fugar refiners and brewers, hand irons and other arti- cles for houfehold ufe clocks, philofophical apparatus- Tin wares of almoft all kinds for ordinary ufe Carriages of all kinds Snuff, chewing and fmoking tobacco Starch and hair powder Lampblack and other painters colours Gunpowder. Befides the manufacture of thefe articles, which are carried on as regular trades, and have attained to a confidcrablc degree of maturity, there is a vaft fcene of houli> hold manufacturing, which contributes very largely to the fupply of the community. Thefe domcftic manufactures are profecuted as w r ell in the fouthern, as in the middle and northern States ; great quantities of coarfe cloths, coatings, ferges and flannels, linfey woolfeys, hbficry of wool, cotton and thread, coarfe ruffians, jeans and muflins, checked and ilriped cotton and linen goods, bedticks, coverlets, and counterpanes,- tow linens, coaric fhirtings, fheetings, towelling and table linen, and various mix- tures of wool and cotton, and of cotton and flax, are made in the houfehold way, and in many inftances, to an extent not only fufficient for the fupply of the families in which they arc made, but for fale, and even in fome cafes for exportation. It is computed in a number of diftricts, that two thirds, three fourths, four fifths, and in fomc places even a greater proportion, of all the cloathing of the inhabitants is made by trumfelves. In a moral and political view thefe facts are highly plwifing and inte- rcitmg. The above enumeration docs not comprehend all the articles that are manufactured .i> regular trades. The following articles, though manufactured in a lefs exteniive degree, and fome of them in lets perfection, ought to be added Gold, filver, pewter, lead, glatsand iionc wares of many kinds, books in various languages, printing types and preflcs, bells, combs, buttons, corn fans, ploughs and all other implements of huibandry. Some of thefe arc lull in their infancy, as arc others not enumerated, put which fire attended with favourable appearances. There are other articles alfo of very THE UNITED STATES. 2I5 importance, which, though ftrktly fpcaking manufactures, arc omitted, as being immediately conpectcd with hulbandry ; fuch are flour and rncal of all kinds, pot and pearl allies, pitch, tar, turpentine, map!/, fugar, wine, and the like. Having pointed out the advantages of encouraging manufactures in the United States, and enumerated the articles manufactured, it remain's that we fpccify Ibmc of file articles which merit or require encouragement. In making the Iclection of object?, rive circumfuii.es are entitled to particular attention : tlie capacity of the country to turn i ill the raw material the degree in which tin; nature of the manufacture admits of a fubftitutt: for manual labour in machinery the faculty of execution the exten- sive-nets of the ufes to which the article can be applied its fubferviency to other in- f ere its, particularly the great one of national defence. And of tins defcription, none are more effential in their kinds, or more cxtenhve in their ufes, than the manufac- tures 01 iron, ilccl, copper, brats, lead, coal, wood, fkins, grain, fiax and hemp^ cotton, wool, iilk, glafs, gunpowder, paper, printed books, refined lugars, choco- latey wines, and maple fu-gar. Thcle are the moll important of the feverai kinds of manufactures, which appear to require, and at the fame time to be the moft proper for public encouragement, either by bounties on the articles manufactured* duties on imported articles of the fame kind, or drawbacks of the duties upon the imported raw materials, according to the nature of the cafe. We have mentioned the manufactures of wine a-nd maple fugar, as objects worthy of legiilative attention and encouragement in the United States. As to the fTrft, fuc- .celsful experiments have already been made, by fome new fettlers of French people, on the fiver Ohio,* which evince the practicability of the manufacture of wines of an excel lent quality : and as grapes are the fpontancous production of all the United States^ and, by culture, might be raifed in any deferable quantity, and in great per- fection, this manufacture, with proper legiilative encouragement, might be carried pn to fuch an extent, as greatly to di'mimfh, and in time, perhaps, wholly to preclude foreign importations. The manufacture of maple fugar, though it has for many years been carried an, in the fmall way, in the eaflern States, has but very lately become an object of public attention. The eaftern and middle States furnifh a furficient number of maple trees to fupply the United States with the article of fugar ; and, it is afTerted, of a quality " equal, in the opinion of competent judges, to the beft fugars imported from the Weft India Iflands." A perlbn, whofe judgement on this fubjeet is much to be relied on, as well from his experience in the burinefs, as his eftablifhed character for candor and integrity, has given it as his opinion, " That four active and induftrious men,, well provided with materials and conveniences proper for carrying on the bufinefs, may make, in a common feafon, which lafts from four to lix weeks, 4ooolbs. of fugar, that is locclbs. to each man." If fuch be the amazing product of "fix weeks labour of a a individual, what may be expected from the labours of the many thoufands of people who now inhabit, and may hereafter inhabit, the cxtcniive tracts of country which abound with the fugar maple tree ? This manufacture is fo important and in- i.?refting, that it refpects the wealth and profperity of our country, and the caufe of humanity, that it deferves the countenance of every good citizen, and even national encouragement. No lefs than 18 millions of pounds of Weft India fugars, manu- factured by the hands of Jlaves, is annually imported into and confumed in the United States. In proportion as this quantity can be lefTened by our own manufacturers, by * Sec page 144.- %i6 THE UNITED ST AT E S. by the hands of freemen, the \vcalth ot' the United States will be incrcaicd, and r the caule of humanity promoted, MILITARY STRENGTH.] Standing armies arc deemed inronfiiu-nt with a republican go\ eminent ; \ve of courie have none.* Our military ftrength lies in a weU-dilciplined militia. According to the lateccnlus, there are in the United States, 814,000 men of 16 years old and upwards, whites. Suppole that the luperanmiatcd, the officers of go- vernment, and the other dalles of people \\ho arc excnfed from military duty, amount i i 1 14,000^ there will remain a militia of 700,000 men. Of thefe a great proportion are \\i-ll-difriplincd, veteran troops. No nation or kingdom in Europe can bring into the field an army of equal numbers, more formidable than can be raifcd in the United States, 1'iN'ANCEs.] The Revenue of the United States is railed from duties on the tonnage of vellels entered in the United States, and on imported goods, wares, and merchandize, and from an excile on various articles of confumption. The amount of the duties ari- ling on the tonnage of veflels, for the year commencing October lit, 1790, and ending September joth, 1 791 , amounted to 145,347 dollars. The duties ariiing on goods, wares, and merchandize, for the fame year, amounted to 3,006,722 dollars. The \\hole amount of the revenue from the excile is not accurately known. In MafTachufctts it amounts annually to 200,000 dollars. The old Congrefs, in their lait rcquilitions, coniidered Mailachuletts as a Jixtb part. If this proportion be accurate, the wholcv amount of the excile will be 1,200,000 dollars. This revenue is appropriated to the purpofes of Supporting the civil and military efla- blifhments, to the payment of the lutereil, and the diminution of the principal of the Public Debt. In the year following, Oclober ift, 1789, the expenfes and revenue of government were as follows, Expenfes. Revenue. Do/s. Cts. Dols. Ctf. Civil lift 299,276.53 Duties on Imports 1,903,790.48 Additional expenfe 50,756. 7 Duties on Tonnage 165,465.93 War Department 390,199.54 Total 740,232, 14 Total 2,069,175. 47 From a report of the Secretary of the Treafurypof the 2.$d of January 1/92, it ap^ pears that the whole amount of the dome/lie debt of the United States, principal and in- terefr, which has been fubfcribed to the loan propofed concerning that debt, by the act intituled, " An a& making provifion for the debt of the United States," is Dollars 31,797,481. 22 which, purfuant to the terms of that ael, has been converted into llock bearing an immediate intereft of 6 per cent. 14, ( 77,4^0. 43 Stock bearing the like intereft from Jan. i, 1801 - 7,088,727.79 block bearing an immediate intereft of 3 per cent. i>53 1 >33- * Upwards of 5000 men have lately been raiftV, for// \cars, for the defence of the frontiers of the -.I burcs. Making together Dollars 31,797,481.22 the Of THE UNITED STATES. 'Of which there {lands to the credit of the Truftees of the finking fund, in con- fequence of purchafes of the public debt made under their direction, the fum of Dollars 1,131,364. 76 The unfubfcribcd refidue of thcfaid debt amounts to 10,616,604. 65 The debts of the refpective States collectively are eftimatcd to amount to 25,403,36* of which, 21,500,000 dollars have been afTumcd, and I7,o72,334-ro feverely felt, had a part of it been raifed' by import and rxrife. Their Anns, raifed for the war, by the free exertions of the peo- ple, obviate all luch abjections as ivvTert that the: United States are poor : at the fame time they evince that their Jituation is eligible and profpcrous, by fhewing how larsro a proportion oi their earnings, the people, in general, can apply to their private urpufcs. B'AXK OP THE UNITED STATES.] This Bank was incorporated by act of Congrefs", rc'uuary 25th, 1791, by the name and iiile of TbePrefident, Directors, and Company of the. R&nk of the United States* The amount of the capital ftock is 10 million dollars, one fourth of which is in gold and filler ; the other three fourth s> in that part of. the pub- lic debt of the United States, which, at the time of payment, bears an. accruing intcreft of 6 per cent, per annum. Two millions of this capital ftock of 10 millions, is fub- fcribcd by tlic Prefidcnt, in behalf of the United States. The Stockholders are to con- tinue a corporate body by the act, until- the 4th day of March 181 1 ; and. are capable,, in law, of hoi ding property to an amount not exceeding, in the whole,. 15 million dol . lars, including the aforefaid 10 million dollars, capital ftock.. The corporation may not at any time owe, whether by bond, bill or note, or other contract, more than ia million dollars, over and above the monies then actually, depofited in. the Bank for fafe keeping, unlcfs the contracting of any greater debt fhall have been previously autho- rifed by a law of the United States. The corporation is not at liberty to receive more than 6 per cent, per annum for or upon its loans or. difcounts ; nor to pur-chafe any- public debt whatever, or to deal or trade, directly or indirectly,, in. any thing, except' bills of exchange, gold or filver bullion, or in the fale of goods really and truly pledged: for money lent, and not redeemed in due time, or of goods which fhall be the produce of its. bonds ;. they may fell any part of the public debt of which its ftock fhall be com pofed; Loans, not exceeding i 00,000 dollars, maybe made to the United States, and\ to particular States, ofafum not exceeding 50,000 dollars. Officers for the purpofes of difcount and depolitonly, may be eftablifhed within tho- United States, upon the fame terms, and in the fame manner, as fhall be practifed at the Bank. Four of thefe offices, called Branch Banks, have been already eftablifhed,, vi7. atBbfton, New York,. Baltimore, and Charlefton. The faith of the United States- is pledged that no other bank fhall be eftablifhed by any future law of the United States,, during the continuance of the above Corporation. The great benefits of this Bank, as it refpeets public credit and commerce, have already been experienced. RELIGION.] The conftitution of the United States provides againft the making of. any law refpecling an efiablifhment of religion, or prohibiting the free cxercife of it.. And in the conftitution* of the refpcetive States religious liberty is a fundamental prin- ciple. In this important article, our government is' diftinguifhed, from, that ofeveiy other nation, if we except France. Religion here is placed on its proper bafts ; with- out the feeble and unwarranted aid of the civil power, it is left to be lupported by its* own evidence, by the lives of its profefTors, and the Almighty care of its Divine Author.. All being thus left at liberty to choofe their own. religion, the people, as might ea- fily be fnppofed, have varied in their choice. The bulk of the people would denomi- nate thcmfelves Chriftians ; a fmall proportion of them are Jews ; fome plead the fuffi- ciency of natural religion, and reject revelation as unnecefiary and fabulous ; and i many,. THE UNITED STATES. 219 many, we have reafon to believe, liave yet their religion to choofe. Clmftians profels their religion under various forms, and with different ideas of its doctrines, ordinances, and precepts., The following denominations of Chriftians are more or lefs numerous in the United States, viz. -Congrcgationalifrs, Prcibyterians, Dutch Reformed Church, Epifcopalians, Baptiils, Quakers or Friends, Methodifrs, Roman Catholics, German Lutherans, German Calvinifts or Preib) -tcrians, Moravians, Tunkers, Mennonifb, Univerfalifts, and -Shakers. Of thcfe the CONOR EGATIONALISTS are the molt numerous. In New England alone, betides thofe which are fcattered through the middle and Ibflfficrn States, there are not lefs than 1000 congregations of this denomination, viz. In 'New Hampfhire - -. 200 Malfachufetts - 44.0 'Rhode Tfland - 13 Connecticut 107 Vermont (fay) 150 Total i ooo It is difficult to fay what is the prefent eccleliaftical conllitution of the Congrega- tional churches. Formerly their ecclelialtical proceedings were regulated, in Maifa- -chufctts, by the Cambridge Platform of church difcipline, cftablifliofl by the fynod, in 164.8; and in Connecticut, by the Saybrook Platform of difcipline; but tince there- volution, lefs regard has been paid to thcfe contfitutions, and in many inllances they -are wholly difulixl. Congregationalifts are pretty generally agreed -in this opinion, that " Every church or -particular congregation of viiiblc faints, in gofpel order, being furnifhcd with a Pallor or Bifhop, and walking together in truth and peace, 'has re- ceived from the Lord Jefus fall power and authority, eccluiiaflical within itfelf, re- gularly to adminiflcr all the ordinances of Chrilt, and is not under any other eccleli- .aftical jurifdiotion whatfoever." Their churches, with fomc exceptions, difclaim the -word Independent, as applicable to them, and claim -a. fifterly relation to each other. From the anlwer of the ciders, and other meflengers of the churches aflem-bled at .Bo ft on, in the year 1662, to the questions pvopofcd to them by order of the General "Court, it appears that the churches, at that period, profclfcd to hokl communion with teach other in the following acls, viz. i. " In hearty care and prayer one for another. 2. In affording -relief, by com- Tnunicating of their gifts in temporal or fpiritual neceflities. 3. In maintaining unity afid peace, by giving account one 'to another of their public actions, when it is pro- perly delired; to ftrengthen one another in their regular adminiftrations; in particular by a concurrent teftimony againlt perfons juftly ccnfured. 4. To leek and accept help from, and. afford help to each other, in cafe of divilions and contentions, w r hcreby the .peace of any church is difturbed ; in matters of more than ordinary importance, as the ordination, inltallution, removal, and depofition of paftors or bifliops; in -doubtful and difficult queftions and controvcrfies, doctrinal or practical, that may arife; tind for the rectifying of mal-adminiltration, and healing of errors an-d fcandals that arc not healed among themfelvcs. 5. In taking notice, with a fpirit of love and faith- fulnefs, of the/ troubles and diificulties, errors and fcandals of another church, and to adminifter help (when the cafe manifeltly calls for it) though they fhould ib neglei'-.i their o\vn good and duty, as not to feek it. 6. In admonifhing one another, why admitting delegates from their respective bodies ?to ; lit in each other's general -meetings. Dilcunuected with the -churches of which -we have been fpeaking, there are four fmall jMvJbytcries in New England, who have a Similar form of cccleiiallical govern- .ment and dUcipline, and profeis the fame doctrines. BeSides thcfe, tiierc is the " ASfociatc Preibytery of Pennsylvania." having a fcpa- rate ecclefiattical jurisdiction .in America, and belonging to the ASfociate Synod oi .Edinburgh, \vhidi they declare is the only ccd<\SiaSlical body, either in Britain or Ame- rica, with which they are agreed concerning the doctrine. and order of the church of .Chriir, and corxeniing the Nc\v York - 2004 Maryland 11017 - Total 43 265 Since this cftimate of their numbers was taken, ibme few Scattering focieties have been collected in different parts of the New England States,, and their numbers- inrreafed in other parts ; fo that in 1790, the whole connedtion amounted to 57,621.. To iuperintend the methodift connection in America, they had, in. 1788, two Biihops, 30 Elders, and 50 Deacons. In Great Britain and Ireland, the whole number of perfons in full connection with; the Methodift Kpifcopal church, amounted, in 1790, to 71,568. The whole number of ROMAN CATHOLICS in the United States is effimated at about 50,000 ; one half of which are in the State of Maryland. Their peculiar and leading doctrines and tenets are too generally known to need a recital here.. They have a Bifhop, who refides in Baltimore, and many of their congregations are large and refpcclable. The German inhabitants in thefe ftates, who principally belong to Pennfylvania and New York, are divided into a variety of feels ; the principal of which are,. Lutherans, Calvinifts or Prefbyterians, Moravians, Tunkers, and; Mennonilis. Of thefe the German Lutherans are the moil numerous. Of this denomination, and the German Prefbyterians or Calviniits, who are next to them in numbers, there are upwards of 60 minifters in Pennfylvania and the former have 12, and the latter 6 churches in the flate of New York. Many of their churches are large and fplendid,. and in fome inftances furnifhed with organs.. Theie two denominations live together in the greateft harmony, often preaching in each other's churches, and fometirnes uniting in the eredtion of a church, in which they alternately worfhip. The MORAVIANS are a refpectable body of Chriitians in thefe States.. Of this deno- mination, there were, in 1788, about 1300 fouls in Pennfylvania; viz. at Bethlehem.,, between 5 and 600, which number has fince increafed : at Nazareth, 450 at Litiz, upwards of 300. Their other fettlements, in the United States, are at Hope, in New Jerfey, about 100 fouls ; at Wachovia, on Yadkin river, North Carolina, contain- ing 6 churches. Befides thefe regular fettlements,. formed by fuch only as are mem- bers of the brethren's church, and live together in good order and harmony, there are indifferent parts of Pennfylvania, Maryland, and New Jerfey, and in the cities of Newport, ( Rhode Ifland) New York, Philadelphia,. Lancaiter, York- town, &c. congre- gations of the brethren, who have their own church and minifter, and hold the fame principles, and doctrinal tenets, and church rites and ceremonies as the former,, though their local ntuation does not admit of fuch particular regulations, as are pe- culiar to the regular fettlements. They call themfelves, " The United Brethren of the Proteflant Epifcopal Church."* They are called Moravians, becaufe the nrft fettlers in the Englifh dominions were chiefly emigrants from Moravia. Thefe were the remnant and genuine defcendents- of the church of the antient United Brethren, eftablifhed in Bohemia and" Moravia, as early as the year 1456. About the middle of the laft century, they left their native country to avoid persecution, and to enjoy liberty of conscience, and the true exercife of the religion ot their forefathers. They were received in Saxony, and other Pro- le ft ant dominions, and were encouraged to fettle among them, and were joined by many THE UNITED STATES. 229 many ferlous people of other dominions. They adhere to the Auguftin Confeftion of Faith, which was drawn up by Proteftant divines at the time of the reformation in Germany, in the year 1530, and prefented at the diet of the empire at Aulburg; and which, at that time, contained the doctrinal lyftem of all the eflablilhed Pro- teftant churches. They retain the discipline of their ancient church, and make ufe of Epifcopal ordination, which has been handed down to them in a direct line of fucccf- fion for more than three hundred years.* They profefs to live in Uriel: obedience to the ordinances of Chrift, fuch as the- obfervation of the Sabbath, Infant Bajkifm, and the Lord's Supper ; and in addition* to thefe, they practife the foot wafhing, the kifs of love, and the ufe of the lot. They were introduced into America by Count ZinzendorE, and fettled at Bethle- hem, which is their principal fettlement in America, as early as 1741. Regularity,, ind.ifiry, ingenuity, and oeconomy, are characteriftics of thefe people. The TUNKERS are fo called in deriiion, from the word tunken, to put a morcel infauce*. The Englifh word that conveys the proper meaning of Tunkers is Sops or Dippers. They are alfo called Tumblers, from the manner in which they perform baptifm, r which is by putting the perfon, while kneeling, head foil underwater, fo as to re- femble the motion of the body in the action of tumbling. The Germans found the letters t and b like d and p ; hence the words Tunkers and Tumblers, have been, cor- ruptly written Dunkers and Dumplers. The firfl appearing of thefe people in America was in the fall of the year 1719, when about twenty families landed in Philadelphia, and difperfed themfelves in various parts of Pcnnfylvania. They are what are called General Baptifts, and hold to gene- ral redemption and general falvatioiu They ufe great plainnefs of drefs and language, and will neither fwear, nor fight, nor go to law, nor take intereft for the money they lend. They commonly wear their beards keep the firfl day Sabbath, except one congregation have the Lord's Supper with its ancient* attendants of Love-fearls,, with warning of feet, kifs of charity, and right hand of fellowihip. They anoint the fick with oil for their recovery, and ufe the trine immeriion, with laying on of hands and prayer, even while the peribn baptifcd. is in the water. Their church government and difcipline are the fame with thofe of the Englifh Baptifts, except that every brother is allowed to ipeak in the congregation ; and their belt fpeaker is ufually ordained to be their minifter. They have deacons, deaconeifes (from among their ancient widows)! and cxhorters, who are all licenfed to ufe their gifts ftatedly. On the whole, notwhh-r- ftanding their peculiarities, they appear to be humble, well-meaning Chriitians, and. have acquired the character of the harmlefs Tunkers^ Their principal fettlement is at Ephrata, fometimes called Tunkers- own,' in Lan- eafier county, iixty miles we ft ward of Philadelphia. It conlifls of about forty buildings, of which three are places of worfhip :. one is called Sharon,, and adjoins the filter's apartment as a chapel ; another, belonging to the brothers' apartment, is called, Bethany. To thefe the brethren and filters refort r feparately, to woriliip morning and. evening, arid fometimes in the night. The 'third is a common church, called Zion,. where all in the fettlement meet once a week for public worfhip.. The brethren. have * See David Crantz' Hift. of 'The ancient and modern United Brethren's Church., tranflated from.- the German, by the Rev. Benjamin La Trohe.' London, 1780.. Thofe who vvifti to obtain a thorough and adopted! i7o THE UNITED STATES. +J adopted the \Yhite Friars' dreis, with fomc alterations; the fitters that of the nuns; and both like them have taken the vow of celibacy. All, however, do not keep the vow. n thcv many, tlwy leave their cells and go among the married people. They fubfii: by cultivating their lands, by attending a printing office, a grift mill, a paper mill, an oil mill, &c. and the fifters by fpinning, weaving, fewing, &c. They at firnV ilcpt on board conches, hut now on beds, and have otherwife abated much of their former feverity. This congregation keep the fevcnth day Sabbath. Their fmging is charming, owing to the pleafantnefs of their voices, the variety of parts, and the devout manner of performance. Befides this congregation at Ephrata, there were, in 1770, fourteen others -in various other parts of Pennfylvania, and fome in Maryland. The- whole, excluiive o-f thofe in Maryland, amounted to upwards of 2000 fouls. The MEXNONISTS derive their name from Menno Simon, a native of Witmars in Germain-, a maH of learning, born in the year 1505, in the time of the reformation by Luther and Calvin. He was a famous Roman Catholic preacher, till about the year 1531, when hcl>ccame a Baptifh Some of his followers came into Pennfylvania from New York and fettled at German-town, as early as 1692. This is at prefent their principal congregation, and the mother of the reft. Their whole number, in 1770, in Pennlvlvania, was upwards of 4000, divided into thirteen churches, and forty-two congregations, under the care of fifteen ordained minifters, and fifty-three licenfed preachers. The Mennonifts do not, lite the Tunkers, hold the doctrine of general falvation ; yet like them, they will neither fwear nor fight, nor bear any civil office, nor go to law, nor take intereft for the money they lend, though many break this lafl rule. "Some of them wear their beards ; warn each others feet, &c. and all ufe plain- ncfs of fpeech and drefs. Some have been expelled their fociety for wearing buckles in their fhoes, and having pocket holes in their coats. Their church government is democratical. They call themfelves the Harmlefs Chriftians, Revengelefs Chriftians, and Weaponlefs Chriftians. They are Baptifts rather in name than in fact ; for they do not ufe immerfion. Their common mode of baptifm is this : the perfon to be baptized kneels ; the minifter holds his hands over him, into which the deacon pours water, which runs through upon the head of the perfon kneeling. After this, follow impoiition of hands and prayer. The denomination ftiled Um VERBALISTS, though their fchemes are very various, may properly enough be divided into two clafles, viz. Thofe who embrace the fcheme of Dr. Chauncey, exhibited in his book entitled " The Salvation of all Men;" and the difciples of Mr. Winchefter and Mr. John Murray. A judicious fummary of Dr. Chauncey's fentiments has been given,* as follows : That the fcheme of revelation has the happinefs of all mankind lying at bottom, as its great and ultimate end ; that it gradually tends to this end ; and will not fail of its accomplishment, when fully completed. .Some, in confequence of its operation, as conducted by the Son of God, will be difpofed and enabled, in this prefent ftate, to make fuch improvements in virtue, the only rational preparative for happinefs, as that they fhall enter upon the enjoyment of it in the next ftate. Others, who have proved incurable, under the means which have been ufed with them in this ftate, inflead of being happy in the next, .will be awfully miferable; not to -continue fo finally, but that they may be convinced of their folly, and recovered to a virtuous frame of mind : * In H. Adams's View of Religions," article Univerfalifis, where the reader may find alfo a fummary of the arguments for and againft his fcheme. and THE UNITED STATES. 23I and this will be the effect of the future torments upon many ; the confequence whereof will be their falvation, they being thus fitted for it. And there maybe yet other ftate^ before the fchemc of God may be perfected, and mankind univcrfally cured of their moral ditbrders, and in this way qualified for, and finally inflated in, eternal happineis. But however many ftates fome of the individuals of the human fpecies may pafs through, and of however long continuance they may be, the whole is intended to fubferve the grand defign of univerfal happinefs, and will finally terminate in it ; info- much, that the Son of God and Saviour of men will not deliver up his truft into the hands of the Father, who committecTit to him, till he has difcharged his obligations in virtue of it; having finally fixed all men in heaven, when God will be All in All. The number of this denomination is not known. The open advocates of this fcheme are few ; though the number is larger, who embrace the doctrine of the falvation of all men, upon principles fimilar, but varioufly differing from thofe on which the above- mentioned fcheme is grounded. The latter clais of Univerfalifts have a new fcheme, differing cflentially from that of the former, which they reject as inconfiftent and abfurd : and they cannot conceive how they who embrace it, can, " with any degree of propriety, be called Univerfalifts, on Apoftolic principles, as it does not appear that they have any idea of being faved by, or in the Lord, with an everlafting, or with any falvation." Hence they call them " Pharifaical Univerfalifts, who are willing tojuftify themfelves" * It is difficult to fay what is the prefent fcheme of the denomination of which we are now fpeaking ; for they differ not only from all other Univerfalifts, and from each other, but even from themfelves at different periods. The reader, however, may form' an idea of fome of their tenets from what follows, collected from the letter referred to- rn the note. This letter, written lately, by the head of the denomination, and pro- feffing to rectify miftakes refpeeting doctrines propagated under the Chriftian name to give the character of a Confident Univerfalijl -and to acquaint the world with their real fentiments, we have reafon to conclude, gives as true an account of their icheme as can be obtained. From this letter it appears, that they believe " that Religion of fome fort or other, is a public benefit ;" and that every perfon is at liberty, and is bound, to fupport what he conceives to be the true Religion That public worfhip on every firft day of the week, is an incumbent duty on all real lovers of divine truth that prayer, as it indi- cates truft in, and dependence on God, is part of his worfhip They believe that the Deceiver, who beguiled Eve, and not our firft parents themfelves, did the deed which brought ruin and death on all the human race That there are two claifes of fallen fin- ners the Angels who kept not their firft eftate, and the human nature, deceived by the- former, and apparently deftroyed confequent thereon that sijitft God, in the law given by Mofes, has denounced death and the curfe on every one who continue th not in all things y written in the book of the law to do them but that the fame God was manifefted in the fiefh as the head of every man, made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law,. being made a curfe for them that he tajled death for every man, being a Saviour, not of a few only, but of all men and that the declaration of this is the Gofpel. They bdfievc that when God denounces on the human race, woes, wrath, tribulation, death, damna- tion, &c. in the Scriptures, he fpeaks in his legiflative capacity,, as the juft God who- will by no means clear the guilty that when he fpeaks of mercy, grace, peace, -of life as the gift of God, and falvation in whole or in, part, he fpeaks in the character of the * See Mr. Murray's " Letter to a Friend," page 40, 41. printed in Bofton, 1791-. juft 2 , a THE UN'IT ED STATES. that the former is the language of the law ; the latter is the ;ic ^* .:tciH Repentant, and (applications for mercy and forgivcnefs, make no part of their >>r worlr r lhev believe that the Prince of Peace came to favethe human nature from the power and do'mitiion (-file Devil, and his works that he came to deft roy the latter, that he That " Sin is the work of the Devil that he is the Wotter and ]:>ocr of what! os offence" That Jefus, as the Saviour of the world, ilia II irate from --'Jin, br>th the evil Worker and his evil works ; the evil Worker, in the character or' ^uis the evil works in the character of tares. They fuppofe that XN ], at ; . 1 in mankind, is reprdrnted by the evil feed town by the evil One in human nature, and that " when the Sower of the evil feed, and all the evil feed town, fhall ora the feed which God lowed, then the feed which is properly God's -.\ .ill he like him who fowed it, pure and My." They confuler all ordinances as Merely Jhadows ; yet they celebrate the Lord's Supper, l)y earn)?; and drinking wine and fome of them fuppofe that every time they eat bread and drink wiw, they comply with our Lord's injunction, " Do this in remembrance O f me ." Various other opinions prevail among them rcfpecling this ordinance, and that of baptifm. They " admit of but one baptifm, the baptizer Jefus Chrift ; the elements made uie of, the Holy Gholl and fire" yet they are willing, in order to avoid contention, " to become all things to all men," and to baptize infants by fprink- ling, or adults by immcriion or to omit thefe iigns altogether, according as the opinions of parents may vary upon this fubject Some think it proper to dedicate their children to the Lord, by putting them into the arms of the miniller, to be by him preferred to Chrift, to be baptized with his baptifm, in the name of the Trinity, the mini ft er at the fame time to blefs them in the words in which God commanded Aaron and his fons to blefs the children of Ifrael " The Lord blefs thee, &c." It appears, in fhort, that their notions refpecling thefe ordinances are various, vague, and unfettled. They believe in a judgement pajt and a judgement to come that the pajl judgement is either that in which the world was judged in the fecond Adam, according to the word of the Saviour, " Now is the judgement of this world now is the Prince of this world cajl out and judgement executed on them and on the whole human nature, according to the righteous judgement of God or that which every man is to exereife upon himfelf, according to the words " judge yourfelves and ye Jhall not be judged" " The judgement to come is that in which all who have not judged themfelves all unbelievers of the human race, and all the fallen angels, fhall be judged by the Saviour but thefe two characters, viz. unbelievers of the human race, and the fallen angels, fhall be placed, the former on the right, the latter on the left hand of their Judge ; the one under tii deno- mination ofjheep, for whofe falvation the Saviour laid down his life the other under the denomination of geats, who are the accurfed, whofe nature he paffed by " The human nature" (i. e. the Jheep or unbelievers of the human race) " as the offspring of the everlafVmg Father, and the r an fome d of the Lord ihallbe brought, by divine power, into the kingdom prepared for them, btjore the foundation of the world the other nature, (i. e. the goats, or fallen angels) " will he fent into the fre prepared for them.'"* From which * The reader will doubtlefc notice that the plural prono\m them, is feveral times ufed to express the fingular noun human nature, and Prince of this 'world, as the human nature ', &c. lhall be brought into me kingdom prepared for thcntj the other nature will be lent into the fire prepared for them the Print f of tb'u luorttl ihaU fee THE UNITED STATES. 2 , which it appears, that it is tncir opinion, that unbelievers of the hitman race, orjheep, and the fallen angels, OT goats, will be the only dalles of creatures concerned in the award.4 of th-e la ft judgement and that the righteous, or believers in Chrill, will not then he judged, having previoufly judged thcmfelvcs* " But the reft of mankind," fay they, " will be the fubjects of this judgement, when our Saviour Jhall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that knozu not God, and obey not the gofpel', and they foa/l then be punifoed with everlajling dcjlruft'wn from the prcfence of the Lord and the glory of his pozver." Their inference from, and exposition of this paffage, are peculiar, and xvili ferve to give the reader an idea of their manner of explaining other parallel palfages of Scripture. From this awful revelation of the Saviour, to take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gofpel, they infer this conlequence, they Ihall then he made to know God, and obey the gofpel." The everlafting de fi.ru c- tion, from the prefence of the Lord and the glory of his power, with which they Jhall be punifhcd, they fuppofe is fuffered by unbelievers, in confequence ot the revelation of the everlafting deftruction, previous to this awful period and that they will furfer no punifhment after it for " it is not faid," they fay, " that they fhall be everlajiingly punifhed with deflmcfion." They explain their idea of everlajling punijlment and ytfftring the * 'iiiof eternal fire, thus, " Were it poffible to find a culinary fire that never \\-o\\ \ be cxtinguifhed, but in the ftricteft fenfe of the word, was everlajlinr or eten> ' - -ihould any member of the body pals through that burning flame, thoughbut a ;; ,/ .->// of time had been thus fpent in patting through ; yet even in that moment, it would fuffer the pain of eternal fire." But whether they believe it poffible that there fhould be fuch a fire, or that unbelievers fhall be doomed to furfer the puni/Jjment of eternal fire by thus palling through it, they do not declare. They do not fuppofe that " all mankind will be on a level in the article of death, but that they who die in unbelief, will lie down in farrow, and rife to the. rcfurrcclion of damnation, or condemnation ; and when the books fhall be opened, and the dead, lx)th fmall and great, fhall be judged out of the things written in the books every mouth fhall be flopped, and all the world become guilty before God ; and while con- fcious of guilt, but ignorant of a Saviour they fhall call on the rocks and mountains to fall on them to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb But that in this judgement the judge is the Saviour they will be judged by their ozvn head -," and as the head of every man is Chrifl all of courle muft be acquitted and laved. Although they believe that the Devil is the doer or worker of every thing that gives offence ; yet they affert that " all men at all times are finners, and come fnort of the glory of God" but they believe that what Chrill luffered, " was considered by the Great Lazvgiver, as done and fuffered by every man in his own pcrfbn ; and that every man is as much intcrcfted in what Chrifl, the fecond Adam did, as they were in what the firft Adam did" thus believing they conlider God as jult iu being their Saviour, as he would have been in their eternal damnation. The Confifttnt Univerfalijl, " does not conlider himfelf under the law any more than a woman coniiders herfelf under the direction or dominion of a hufband that is dead and buried nor is he afraid of death, being affurcd that Jefus hath abolifhcd deathj and left nothing of it but the JJjadow" be caft out, and judgement be executed on them. This is a phrafeology peculiar to this denomination, for the grammatical propriety of which, the compiler does not hold himfelf refponfible. * In the following paflage, the contrary feems to be afTerted. Speaking of the laft judgement it is faid, " Here, inftead of head and members being judged together, by the bead, Cbrifl, the divine nature, the mem- bers are conlidered in their diftindl characters, as good and evil, or btlitvtr and unbeliever* as children of tight, and children of darknefs and judged by their own head. Letter; p. 33 H h The UNITED- STATES. The Univerfalifts of this denomination, in common \vith other Chriftians, profefe themfelves to be the advocates of piety, religion, and morality. They affert the duty of doing right as men as members of civil fociety and as Chriftians. " As mere men" tlicv hold, that " they muft Jollow nature, or they will fink beneath the level of th * Notwithfhmting her predictions and aflertions to the contrary, flie died in 1784 ; and was fucceeded by one James Whitaker, who aHb died in r 78 7, Jofeph Meacham, wl)o has attained the reputadon of a prophet among them, is at prefent their Leader. The THE UNITED STATES. The difcipline of this denomination is founded on the fuppofcd perfe&ion of their leaders. The Mother, or the Elect Lady, it is faid, obeys God through Chrift. European elders ohey her. American labourers, and common people obey thera ; while confeflion is made of every ferret thing, from the oldeft to the youngeft. The people are made to believe that they are ieen through and through in the gofpel glafs of per- fection, by their teachers, who behold the flate of the dead, and innumerable worlds of fpirits good and bad. Thefe people are generally inftrucled to be very^indufhious, and to bring in ac- rording to their ability, to keep up the meeting. They vary in their exercifes. Their heavy dancing, as it is called, is performed by a perpetual fpringing from the houfe floor, about four inches up and down, both in the men's and women's apartment, moving about with extraordinary tranfport, finging fometimes one at a time, fomc- times more, making a perfect charm. This elevation affedts the nerves, fo that they have intervals of fhuddering, as if they were in a ftrong fit of the ague. They fometimes clap hands and leap fo as to iirike the joifts above their heads. They throw off their outfide garments in thefe exercifes, and fpend their flrength very cheerfully this way. Their chief fpeaker often calls for attention ; when they all flop and hear fome harangue, and then fall to dancing again. They afTert that their dancing is the token of the great joy and hap- pincfs of the new Jentfalemjlate, and denotes the victory over fin. One of the pof- tures, which increaies among them, is turning round very fwift for an hour or two. This, they fay, is to fhow the great power of God. They fometimes fall on their knees and make" -a found like the roaring of many waters, in groans and cries to God, as they fay, for the wicked world who perfecute them.* The JEWS are not numerous in the United States. They have fynagogues at Sa- vannah, Charlefton, (South Carolina) Philadelphia, New York, and Newport. Bciides thofe who refide at thefe places, there are others fcattered in different towns in the United States. The Jews in Charleflon, among other peculiarities in burying their dead, have thefe : After the funeral dirge is fung, and juit before the corpfe is deposited in the grave, the coffin is opened, and a fmall bag of earth, taken from the grave, is carefully put under the head of the deceafed ; then fome powder, faid to be earth broxight from Jerufalem, and carefully kept for this purpofe, is taken and put upon the eyes of the corpfe, in token of their remembrance of the holy land, and of their expectations of returning thither in God's appointed time. Whether this cuflom is univerfal among the Jews, is not known.-f- They generally expect a glorious return to the Holy Land, when they fhall be ex- alted above all the nations of the earth. And they Matter themfelvcs that the period of their return will fpeedily arrive, though they do not venture to fix the ptecife time. The whole number of perfons who profefs the Jewifh religion, in all parts of the tvorld, is fuppofed to be about three millions , who, as their phrafe is, are witneffes of 'the unity of God in all the nations in the world. Bcfides the religious feels enumerated, there are a few of the German inhabitants in Pennfylvania, who are ftylcd SWIN^EILDIA.NS, and, in Maryland, a fmall number * H. Adams's " View of Religions." Article Makers. f For the articles of their faith, &c. fee H. Adams's " View of Religions," Article Jew*, page 290. Hh 2 called 236 T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S. called NICOLITES or NEW QUAKERS ; but with the diftinguilliing fentimcnts of thcfo feels I am not acquainted. HISTORY.] In addition to what we have already faid of the difcovery and fettle- ment of North America, we ihall here give a brief hiftory of the late war with Great Britain, with a ikctrh of the events which preceded and prepared the way for the re- volution. This general view of the hiflory of the United States will ferve as a fuit- able introduction to the particular hiftorics of the feveral States, which will be given in their proper places. America was originally peopled by uncivilized nations, who lived moflly by hunt- ing and iilhing. The Europeans, who firft vifited thefe fhores, treating the natives as wild bcafts of the foreit, which have no property in the woods where they roam, .planted tbe ftandard of their relpeclive mailers, where they firil landed, and in their names claimed the country by right of difcovery * Prior to any fettlement in North America, numerous titles of this kind were acquired by the Englifh, French, Spaniih. and Dutch navigators, who came hither for the purpofes of fiihing and trading with the natives. Slight as luch titles were, they were afterwards the caufes of contention be- tween the European nations. The fubjecls of different princes often laid claim to the fame tracl of country, becaufe both had difcovered the fame river or promontory; or beeaufe the extent of their refpective claims was undetermined. While the fettlements in this vail uncultivated eountiy were inconsiderable and fcattered, and the trade of it confined to the bartering of a few trinkets for furs, a trade carried on by a few adventurers, the interfering of claims produced no important controverty among the fettlers or the nations of Europe. But in proportion to the progrefs of population, and the growth of the American trade, the jealouiies of the nations, which had made early difeoveries and fettlements on this coalt, were alarmed ; ancient claims were revived ; and each power took meafures to extend and fecure its own poffeffions at the expence of a rival. By the treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the Engliih claimed a right of cutting logwood in the Bay of Campeachy, in South America. In the exercife of this right, the Engliih merchants had frequent opportunities of carrying on a contraband trade with the Spanifh fettlements on the continent. To remedy this evil, the Spaniards refolved to annihilate a claim, which, though often acknowledged, had never been clearly aicer- tained. To errecl this defign they captured the Engliln vcffels, which they found along the Spaniih Main, and many of the Britifli iubjeets were doomed to work in the mines of Potofi. Repeated feverities of this kind at length (1739) produced a war between England and Spain. Porto Bello was taken from the Spaniards by Admiral Vernon. Com- modore Anfon, with a fquadron of fhips, failed to the South Seas, difrre fifed the Spanifh fettlements on the weitern fhore of America, and took a galleon laden with immenle riches. But in 1741, a formidable armament, deilined to attack Carthagena, under the command of Lord Cathcart, returned unfucccfsful, with the lofs of upwards of twelve thoufand Britiin foldiers and teamen; and the defeat of the expedition raifcd a clamour againit the minifter, Sir Robert Walpole, which produced a change in the adminiitration. This change removed the fcene of war to Europe, ib that America was not immediately affected by the fubfequent tranfactions, except that * As well may the New ZeaUnders, who have not yet difcovered Europe, fit out a fiiip, land on the coaft f England or France, and, finding no inhabitants but poor fifliermea and^pcafants, claim the whole country by right ofJij\-Q-verj % Louiiburgh ? THE UNITED STATES. * r ./ * Louifburgh, the principal fortrefs of Cape Breton, was taken from the French hy Gene ral Pcpperell, aflifted by Commodore Warren and a body ot New England troops.* This war was ended in 1748, by the treaty of peace iigncd at Aix la Chapclle, by \\hich refutation was made, on both fides, of all places during the war. Peace however was of fhort duration. The French poffeffed Canada, and had made confiderable fettlements in Florida, claiming the country on both fides of the Miiliilippi, by right of diicovery. To fecure and extend their claims, they eftablifhcd a line of forts from Canada to Florida. They had fecured the important pafs at Nia- gara, and erected a fort at the junction of the Allcgany and Monongahela rivers, called Fort Du Quefne. They took pains to fecure the friendfhip and afliftance of the natives ; encroachments were made upon the Englifh poffeflions, and mutual injuries fucceeded. The difputcs among the fettlers in America, and the mealures taken by the French to command all the trade of the St. Lawrence river on the north, and of the Mifliiiippi on the Ibuth, excited a jcaloiify in the Englifh nation, which foon broke forth in open war. The next year three other expeditions were undertaken in America againft the French. One was conduced by General Monckton, who had orders to drive the French from their encroachments on the province of Nova Scotia. This expedition was attended with fuccefs. General Johntbn was ordered with a body of troops to take poffeflion of Crown Point, but he did not fucceed. General Shirley commanded an expedition againlt the fort at Niagara, but loft the feafon by delay. In 1755, General Braddock marched againll fort Du Quefne, but in penetrating through the wildernefs, he incautioufly fell into an ambufcadc, and fuffered a total defeat. General Braddock was killed, but the enemy not purfuing the vanquifhed acrofs the river, being eager in plundering the baggage of the dead, a part of his troops were faved by flight under the conduel of General Wafhington, at that time a colonel, who then began to exhibit proofs of thofe military talents, by which he after- wards conducted the armies of Ajncrica to victory, and his country to indepen- dence. The ill fucccfs of thcfe expeditions left the Englifh iettlemcnts in America cxpofed to the depredations of both the French and Indians. But the xvar now raged in Europe and the Eaft Indies,, and engaged the attention of both nations in thole quarters. It was not until the campaign in 1758, that affairs af fumed a more favourable afj in America. But upon a change of administration, Mr. Pitt was appointed prime minitler, and the operations of war became more vigorous and fucccfsful. General Amherft was fcnt,to take poffcffion of Cape Breton; and after arwarm liege, the gar- riibn of Louiiburgh furrendered by capitulation. General Forbes was fucccfsful in taking poffeffion of Fort Du Quefne, which the French thought fit to abandon. But General Abercrombie. who commanded the troops deftined to act againlt the French at Crown Point and Ticonderoga, attacked the lines at Ticondcroga, and was defeated with a terrible flaughter of his troops. After his defeat, he returned to his camp at Lake George. The next year, more effectual weafures were taken to fubdue the French in Ame- rica. General Pridcaux and Sir "William Jolmlbn began the operations of the cam- paign by taking the French fort near Niagara .-f~ General' A inherit took }x>ffeflion ci the forts at Crown Point and Ticonderoga, which the French had abandoned. * See page 117. f General Prideaux was killed by the biufting of a morUr before the furrender of the French. But * 3 $ THE UNITED S T A T E S. But the dccifive blow which proved fatal to the French interefls in America, \vns the- defeat of the French array, and the taking of Quebec, by the brave General Wolfe. This hero was ilain in the beginning of the action on the plains of Abram, and Mon- fieur Montcalm, the French commander, likewife loft his life. The lofs of Quebec was foon followed by the capture of Montreal, by General Amherft, and Canada has remained ever iince in poffcilion of the English. Colonel Grant, in 1761, defeated the Cherokces in Carolina, and obliged them to fuc for peace. The next war Martinico was taken by Admiral Rodney and General Monckton; and allo the ifland of Grenada, St. Vincents, and others. The capture of thcfe was foon followed by the furrcnder of the Havannah, the capital of the ifland of Cuba, In 1763, a definitive treaty of peace was concluded at Paris, between Great Britain, France, and Spain ; by which the Engliih ceded to the French fcveral iflands which *hey had taken from them in the Weft Indies, but were confirmed in the poflcffioil of all North America onvthis fide the Miffiffippi, except the ifland of Orleans. But this war, however brilliant the fucceffes and glorious the event, proved the caufe of great and unexpected misfortunes to Great Britain. Engaged with the combined powers of France and Spain, during feveral years, her exertions were luprifing and her cxpenfc immenfe. To difcharge the debts of the nation, the parliament was obliged to have recourfe to new expedients for railing money. Previous to the laft treaty in 1763, the parliament had been fatisfied to raife a revenue from the American colonies by a monopoly of their trade. It will be proper here to obferve, that there were, four kinds of government eftab- lifhcd in the Britifh American Colonies. The firft was a charter government, by which the powers of legiilation were vcfted in a governor, council, and afTembly, chofen by the people. Of this kind were the governments of Connecticut and Rhode Ifland. The fecond was a proprietary government, in which the proprietor of the province was governor ; although he generally relided abroad, and adminiftered the govern- ment by a deputy of his own appointment; the afTembly only being ehofen by the people. Such were the governments of Pcnnfylvania and Maryland ; and originally of New Jerfey and Carolina. The third kind was that of royal government, where the governor and council were appointed by the crown, and the affembly by the people. Of this kind were the governments of New Hampfhire, New York, New Jerley, (after the year 1702) Virginia, the Carolinas, after the resignation of the pro- prietors, in 1728, and Georgia. The fourth kind was that of Maflachufetts., which differed from all the reft. The governor was appointed by the king ; fo far it was a royal government ; but the members of the council were elected by the reprefcntatives of the people. The governor, however, had a right to negative a certain number, but not to fill up vacancies thus occafioncd. This variety of governments created different degrees of dependence on the crown. In the royal government, to render a law valid, it was conftitutionally required that it fhould be ratified by the king ; but the charter governments were empowered to enact laws and no ratification by the king was iieceflary. It was only required that fnch laws fhould not be contrary to the laws of England. The charter of Connecticut is exprcfs to this purpofe. At the beginning of the laft war with France, commiflioners from many of the colonies had affembled at Albany, and propofed that a great council fhould be formed by deputies from the feveral colonies, which, with a general governor to be appointed "by the crown, fhould be empowered to take meafures for the common fafety, and to ?aife money for the execution of their defigns. This propofal was not relilhed by the i Britifh THE UNI TEI> STATES. 239= Britilli ministry ; but in place of this plan, it was propofed, that the governors of the colonies, with the affiftance of one or two of their council, fhould afTemble and concert meafures for the general defence ; creel: forts, levy troops, and draw on the treafury of England for monies that fhould be wanted ; but the treafury to be reimburfed by a tax on the colonies, to be laid by the Englifh parliament. To this plan, which would imply an avowal of the right of parliament to tax the colonies, the provincial affemblics objected with unmaken iirmnefs. It leems therefore that the Britifh parliament, before the war, had it in contemplation to exercife the right they claimed of taxing the colo- nies at pleafurc, without permitting them to be reprefented. Indeed it is obvious that they laid hold of the alarming fituatuan of the colonies, about the year 1754 and 1755', to force them into an acknowledgement of the right, or to the adoption of meafures that might afterwards be drawn into precedent. The colonies, however, with an uncommon foresight and firmncfs, defeated all their attempts. The war was carried on by requifitions on the colonies for fupplies of men and money> or by voluntary contributions. But no looner was peace concluded, than the Englifh parliament refumed the plan of taxing the colonies ; and to jufHry their attempts, faid, that the money to be railed, was to be appropriated to defray the expenfe of defending them in the late war. The firft attempt to raile a revenue in America appeared in the memorable ftamp aft, parted March 2,2, 1765 ; by which it was enacted that certain inttruments of writing,, as bills, bonds, See. fhould not be valid in law, unlcfs drawn on ftamped paper, on which a duty was laid. When this bill was brought in, Mr. Charles Towniend con- cluded a fpeech in its favour, with words to the following efFecl:, " And now, will thefe Americans, children planted by our care, nouriihcd up by our indulgence, till they are grown to a degree of flrength and opulence, and protected by our arms, will they grudge to contribute their mite to relieve us from the heavy weight of that burden which we lie under :" To which Colonel Barre replied. "They planted by your care ! No, your oppreflions planted them in America. They fled from tyranny to ar then uncultivated and unhofpitable country, where they cxpofed themfelves to almorl all the hardfhips to which human nature is liable ; and among others to the cruelty of a favage foe, the mofl fubtle, and I will take upon me to fay, the mofl formidable of any people upon the face of God's earth ; and yet, actuated by principles of true Englifh liberty, they met all hardfhips with pleafure, compared with thofe who fuffered in their pwn country, from the hands of thofe who fhould have been their friends. They nourifhcd up by your indulgence ! They grew by your neglect of them. As foon as- you began to care about them, that care was exercifed in lending perfons to rule them in one department and another, who were perhaps the deputies of deputies to fome members of this houle, fent to fpy out their liberties, to mifreprefcnt their aclions and to prey upon them. Men whole behaviour, on many occalions, has eauled the blood of thofe ions of liberty to recoil within them. Men promoted to the higheft feats of ju/tice, fome, who to my knowledge were glad, by going to a foreign country, to- efcapc being brought to the bar of a court of jufiicc in their own. They protected by your arms ! They have nobly, taken up arms in your defence, have exerted a valour amidft their conftant and laborious induftry, for the defence of a country whole frontier was drenched in blood, while its interior parts yielded all its little favings to your emo- lument ; and believe me, remember I this day told you fo, that the fame fpirit of freedom which actuated that people at firlt, will accompany them It ill : but prudence forbids me to explain mytclf farther. God knows, I do not .at this time ipeak from any motives of party heat ; what I deliver are the genuine fentimerits of my heart. However J4Q T H i: U X I T E D STATES. However fupcrior to me in general knowledge and experience, the refpectable body of this houfc maybe, yet I claim to know more of America than moft of you, having teen and been converiant in that country. The people I believe arc as truly loyal as any fubjtvls the king has, but a people jealous of their liberties, and who will vindicate Q, if cu:r they Ihould be violated : but the fubject is too delicate I will fay no mon-.'' looncr was this act published in America, than it railed a general alarm. The people were filled with apprehcniions at an act which they fuppofed to be an attack on their conitilutional rights. The colonies petitioned the king and parliament for a rcdrcfs of the grievance, and formed arlbciations for the purpofe of preventing the importation and ute of Britifh manufactures, until the act fhould be repealed. This fpiritcd and unanimous oppofttion of the Americans produced the delircd effect ; and on the 1 8th of March, 1766, the It amp act was repealed. The news of the repeal was received in the colonies with univerfal joy, and the trade between them and Great Britain was renewed on the moft liberal footing. The parliament, by repealing this act fo obnoxious to their American brethren, did not intend to lay aiide the fcheme of railing a revenue in the colonies, but merely to change the mode. Accordingly the next year, they pafled an act, laying a certain duty on glafs, tea, paper, and painters colours ; articles which were much wanted, and not manufactured in America. This act kindled the refentment of the Americans, and excited a general oppofition to the meafure ; fo that parliament thought proper, in 1770, to take offthefe duties, except three-pence a pound on tea. Yet this duty, however trifling, kept alive the jcaloufy of the colonifts, and their oppo- fition to parliamentary taxation continued and increased. But it muft be remembered that the inconvenience of paying the duty was not the fole, nor principal caufe of the oppolition ; it was the principle, which, once admitted, would have Subjected the colonies to unlimited parliamentary taxation, without the privilege of being reprefentcd. The rigkt, abstractly confidered, was denied ; and the fmalleft attempt to eftablifh the claim by precedent, was uniformly rcfifted. The Americans could not be deceived as to the views of parliament ; for the repeal of the flamp act was accompanied with an unequivocal declaration, ' that the parliament had a right to make laws of fufficient validity, to bind the colonies in all cafes what- foever.' The colonies therefore entered into meafures to encourage their own manufactures, and home productions, and to retrench the ufe of foreign fuperfluities ; while the importation of tea was prohibited. In the royal and proprietary governments, and in Maffachufetts, the governors and people were in a flatc of continual warfare. Aflem- blies were repeatedly called, and fuddenly diflblved. While fitting, the aflcmblics employed the time in ftating grievances and framing rcmonftrances. To inflame thele difcontentfi, an a not to aid the miniiiry in enflaving their American fubjecls ; and in the latter, they endeavoured to confirm the people in a fpirited and unanimous determination to defend their conltitutional rights,. In the mean time every thing in MafTachufetts wore the appearance of oppofition by force. A new council for the governor had been appointed by the crown. New Judges were appointed and attempted to proceed in the execution of their office ; but the juries refuted to be fvvorn under them. In fome counties, the people affembled to* prevent the courts from proceeding to bufinefs ; and in Berkfhire they fucceeded, totting an example of reiiftance that has fince been followed, in violation of the law* of the State. In this lituation of affairs, the day for the annual mufter of the militia approached. General Gage, apprehenlive of fome violence, had the precaution tofeize the magazines of anTBiunition and ftores at Cambridge and Charleitown, and lodged them in Bofton. This meat lire, with the fortifying of the neck of land which joins Bofton to the main land at Roxbury, caufcd an univerfal alarm and ferment. On this occaiion, an aflembly of delegates from all the towns in Suffolk county was called ; and fcvcral fpirited rclblutions were agreed to. Thefe refolutions were prefaced with a declaration of allegiance ; but they breathed a tpirit of freedom, that docs honour to the delegates. They declared that the late acls ot parliament, and the proceedings of General Gage, were glaring infractions of their rights and liberties, which their duty called them to defend by all lawful means. This aflfembly rcmonftrated agaiuft the fortification of Boiton Neck, and againff the Quebec Bill ; and refolved upon a fafpenfion of commerce, an encouragement of arts and manufactures, the holding of a provincial congreis, and a fubmiflion to the mea- wliirh ihould be recommended by the continental congrefs. They recommended that the collectors of taxes fhould not pay any money into thetreafury without further orders ; they alfo recommended peace and good order, as they meant to act merely upon the defcnlive. In anfwer to their rcmonftrance, General Gage allured them that he had no intention to prevent the free egrefs and regrefs of the inhabitants to and from the town of Bofton, and that he would not fuffer any perfon under his command to injure the perfon oc property of any of his Majefty's iubjects. Previous to this, .a general affembly had been fummoned by the governor to meet at Salem ; and notwithstanding the writs had been countermanded by the governor's proclamation, on account of the violence of the times, and the resignation of feveral of the new counfellors, yet in defiance of the proclamation, 90 of the newly-elecled mem- bers met at the time and -place appointed ; and foon after refolved themfelves into a i Provincial THE UNITED STATES. 245 Provincial Congrefs and adjourned to Concord, 19 miles from Bofton, and after choo- iing Mr. Hancock president, proceeded to buiinefs. The congrcfs addrelfed the governor with a rchearfal of their diftreffes, and took the necelfary ftcps for defending their rights. They regulated the militia, made provi- iion for fupplying the treafury, and furnifhing the people with arms ; and fueh was the enthuiiafsii and union of the people, tliat the recommendations of the provincial con- grefs had the force of laws. . General Gage was incenfed at thefemcafures. He declared in his anfwcr to the ad- drefs, that Britain could never harbour the black deiign of enflaving her fubjects, and .publifhctl a proclamation, in which he inlinnated that ftich proceedings amounted to rebellion. He alfo ordered barracks to be creeled for the foldiers ; but he found diffi- culty in procuring labourers, either in Bofton or New York. In the beginning of 1775, the fifhery bills were puffed in parliament, by which the colonies were prohibited to trade with Great Britain, Ireland, or the Weft Indies, or to take fifh on the banks of Newfoundland. In the diftreffes to which thefe acts of parliament reduced the town of Bofton, the unanimity of the colonies was remarkable, in the large fupplies of proviiion furnilhed by the inhabitants of different towns from New Hampfhire to Georgia, and fhipped to the relief of the fufferers. Preparations began to be made, to oppofe by force the execution of thefe acls of parliament. The militia of the country were trained to the ufe of arms great encou- ragement was given for the manufacture of gunpowder, and meafures were taken to obtain all kinds or military ftorcs. In February, Colonel Leflie was fent with a detachment of troops from Bofton, to take poffeffion of fomc cannon at Salem. But the people had intelligence of the deiign took up the draw-bridge in that town, and prevented the troops from palling, until the cannon were leaned ; fo that the expedition failed- Proviiions and military ftores were alfo collected and ftorcd in different places, par- ticularly at Concord. General Gage, though zealous for his royal mafter's intcreft, difcovcred a prevailing delire after a peaceable accommodation. He wifhed to prevent hoftilities by deprivmg tlie inhabitants of the means neceflary for carrying them on. With this view,* he determined to deftroy the ftores which he knew were collected for the fnpport of a provincial army ; and wifhing to accomplifh this without bloodfhed, he took every precaution to erFecl: it by furpriie, and without alarming the country. At eleven o'clock at night 800 grenadiers and light infantry, the flower of the royal army, embarked at the common, landed at Leechmore's Point and inarched for Concord, under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Smith. Neither the fecrecy with which this expe- dition \vas planned the privacy with which the troops marched out, nor an order that no inhabitant mould leave Bofton, were fufficient to prevent intelligence from being lent to the country militia of what was going on. About two in the morning, 130 of the Lexington militia had alTembled to oppofe them, but the air being chilly, and in- telligence refpccting the regulars uncertain, they were difmilTed, with orders to appear again at the beat of drum. They collected a fecond time, to the number of 70, between 4 and 5 o'clock in the morning, and the Britilh regulars loon after made fchcir appear- ance. Maior Pitcairn, who led the advanced corps, rode up to them and called out, " Difperfe, you rebels; throw down your arms and dilperie." They ft ill continued iu a * It is believed that another object of this expedition was, to feize on the perfons of Meffrs. Hancock and S. Adams, \vho by their fpirited exertions had rendered shemfelves obnoxious to General Gage. body, 24* THE UNITED STATE S body, on which lie advanced -difcharged his piftol and ordered his foldiors to fin*. A difperlion of the militia wa> the conlequcncc, but the tiring of the regulars was neverthcld'> continued. Individuals finding they were fired upon, though difper- iing, returned the fire. Three or four of the militia were killed on the green. A few more were mot after they had begun to difperle. The royal detachment proceeded on Concord, and executed their commiflion. They difablcd two 24 pounders threw 50olh. of ball into rivers and wells, and broke in pieces about 60 barrels of flour. Mr. John Butcrick, major of a minute regiment,, not knowing what had palled at Lexington, ordered his men not to give the firii fire, that they might not be the aggreflbrs. Upon his approaching near the regulars, they fired, and killed Captain Ifaac Davis, and one private of the provincial minute men. The fire was returned, and a fkirmifh enfued. The kind's troops having done their bufinefs, began their retreat towards Boilon. This was conducted with expedition, for the adjacent inhabitants had arTcmbled in arms and began to attack them in every direction. In their return to Lexington they were ex- ceedingly annoyed, both by thofe who prefled on their rear, and others who poured in from a.41 fides, firing from behind ftone walls, and fuch like coverts, which fupplied the place of lines .and redoubts. At Lexington the regular* were joined by a detach- ment of 900 men under Lord Picrcy, which had been lent out by General Gage to fup- port Lieutenant-colonel Smith. This' reinforcement, having two pieces of cannon, awed the provincials, and kept tjjem at a greater diftancc ; but they continued a conltant, though irregular and fcattering fire, which did great execution. The clofe firing from behind the walls by good markfmcn, put the regular troops in no fmall confufion, but they nevcrthelefs kept up a brilk retreating fire on the militia and minute men. A lit- tle after funfet the regulars reached Bunker's-hill, worn down with exceflive fatigue, having marched that day between thirty and forty miles. On the next day they eroifed Charleftown ferry, to Bofton. There never were more than 400 provincials engaged at one time, and often not fo many. As fome tired and gave out, others came up and took their places. There was fcarcely any difciplinc obferved among them. Officers and privates fired when they were ready and law a royal uniform, without waiting for the word of command. Their knowledge of the country enabled them to gain opportunities, by crofting fields and fences, and to acl as flanking parties againfl the king's troops, who kept to the main road. The regulars had 65 killed, 174 wounded, and 24 made priibnersu Of the provin- .cials 49 were killed, and .39 wounded and milling. Here was fpilt \\\cfirft blood in the late war ; a war which fevered America from the Britifh empire. Lexington opened the firft fcene to this great drama, which, in its pro- grefs, exhibited the moil illuftrious characters and events, and clofcd wkh a revolution, equally glorious for the actors, and important in its confequences to mankind. This battle roufcd all America. The Provincial Congrefs of MafTachufctts being at this time in feflion, voted that " An army of 30,000 men be immediately raifed ; that 13,600 be of their own province, and that a letter and delegate be lent to the feveral colonies of New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Ifland." The militia collected from all quarters, and Bofton, in a few days, was befieged by twenty thoufand men. A Hop was put to all intercourfe between the town and country, and the inhabitants . were reduced to great want of provilions. -General Gage promifed to let the people depart, if they would deliver up their arms. The people complied ; but when the ge- iieral had obtained their amis, lie refilled to let the people go. TMs THE UNITED STATES. 247 This breach of faith, and the confequences that attended it ; were juftly and greatly complained of ; and although many, at different times, were permitted to leave the town, they were obliged to leave all their effects behind : fo that many who had been ufcd to live in cafe and affluence, were at once reduced to extreme indigence and mifery. A circumftancc peculiarly and wantonly aggravating, and which was the ground of the bittereil complaints of congrefs, was, that paffports were granted and retained in fuch a manner, as that families were broken, and the dearer! connections feparated ; part being compelled to quit the town, and part cruelly retained againft their inclination. About the latter end of May a great part of the reinforcements ordered from Great Britain arrived at Boflon. Three Britilh Generals, Howe, Burgoyne,' and Clinton, whole behaviour in the preceding war had gained them great reputation, alib arrived about the fame time. General Gage, thus reinforced, prepared for acting with more decifion ; but before he proceeded to extremities, he conceived it due to ancient forms to iffue a proclamation, holding forth to the inhabitants the alternative of peace or war. He therefore offered pardon in the king's name, to all who mould forthwith lay down their arms, and return to their rcfpective occupations and peaceable duties, excepting only from the benefit of that pardon " Samuel Adams and John Hancock," whole offences were laid to be " of too flagitious a nature to admit of any other confederation than that of condign punifhmcnt." He allb proclaimed, that not only the perfons above named and excepted, but alfo all their adherents, allbciates, and correfpondents fhould be deemed guilty of treafon and rebellion, and treated accordingly. By this proclama- tion it was allb declared, " that as the courts of judicature were fruit, martial law fhould. take place, till a due courfe of jufticc fhould be re-eftablifhed." It was fuppofed that this proclamation was a prelude to hoftilities, and preparations were accordingly made by the Americans. The heights of Charleflown were fo fituated as to make the poffeC- iion of them a matter of great confequencc to either of the contending parties. Orders were therefore iffued, June i6th, by the provincial commanders, that a. detachment of a thousand men fhould intrench upon Breed's-hilL* Here the Americans, between midnight and morning, with uncommon expedition and filence, threw up a fmall re- doubt, which the Britifh did not difcover till the morning of the lyth, when they began an inceffant firing and continued it till afternoon. With the intrepidity of veteran ibl- diers the Americans bore this fire, and proceeded to finifh their redoubt, and to throw up a breafl-work, extending cafhvard of it to the bottom of the hill. About noon Ge- neral Gage detached Major-general Howe and Brigadier-general Pigot, with the flower of his army, in two detachments, amounting in the whole to nearly 3000 men. They landed at a point about 150 or 200 rods S. E. of the redoubt, and deliberately prepared for the attack. While the troops, who firlt landed, were waiting for a reinforcement, the Americans on the left wing, towards My flic river, for their lecurity, pulled up fome adjoining pofl and rail fence, and fet it down in two parallel lines> near each other, and filled the fpace between with liay, which the day before was mowed and remained in the adjacent field. The Britilh troops, in the mean time formed in two lines, and about 3 o'clock advanced flowly towards the Americans. The hills and ftceples iu Bofton, and the circumjacent country, were crowded with anxious fpectators of the dubious conflict. While fome felt for the honour of the Britilh troops, multitudes, with a keener fenlibility, felt for the liberties of a great and growing country. The attack commenced on the part of the Britifh troops. The Americans had the precaution to * Hiftorians, through millake, have called the hill where the battle was fought, Buaker's~biU y which is a quarter of a mi ie north cf Breed's-hill, where the battle was fought. relerve THE UNITED STATES. ivic-rvc their fire, till (heir r.n^mu-.-, had approached within 10 or 12 rods of their works, v thru l> fidence on the part of the public j for want of fuccefs is apt to lead to the adoption of pernicious counlels, through the levity of the people, or the ambition of their demagogues. Shortly after this period, fprang up the only cabal that ever exifted during his public life, to rob him or" his reputation and command. It proved as }- Prefidcnt and Mrs. Walhington were both born in the faOf year. Kk 250 THE UNITED STATES. ginia, to the chief command of the American army. This gentleman had been a d\f- tinguilhed and fuccefsful officer in the preceding war, and feem deftinedby heaven ta be the faviour of his country. He accepted the appointment with a diffidence which was a proof of his modefly, his prudence, and his greatnefs ; and by his matchlcts ikill, fortitude, and perfcverance, conducted America through indefcribable difficul- ties to independence and peace. General Washington, with other officers appointed by Congrefs, arrived at Cam- bridge, and took command of the American army in July. From this time, the affairs of America began to afTumc the appearance of a regular and general oppofition to the forces of Great Britain. In autumn, a body of troops, unc'er the command of General Montgomery, be- iiegecl and took the garrilbn at St. John's, which commands the entrance into Canada. The priibncrs amounted to about feven hundred. General Montgomery purfued his fucccfs, and took Montreal ; and deiigned to puih his victories to Quebec. A body of troops, commanded by General Arnold, was ordered to march to Canada by the river Kennebek, and through the wildernefs. After fuffering every hardfhip, and the molt diflreffing hunger, they arrived in Canada, and were joined by General Montgomery, before Quebec. This citVj which was commanded by Governor Carle- ton, was immediately belieged : but there being little hope of taking the town by a liege, it was determined to ftorm it. The garrifon of Quebec, at this time, confined of about 1520 men, of which 800 were militia. The American army coniifted of 800 men. General Montgomery having divided his little army into four detachments, ordered two feints to be made againi! the upper town, one by Colonel Livingfton, at the head of the Canadians,, againft St. John's Gate ; the other by Major Brown againft Cape Diamond ; referring to himfelf and Colonel Arnold, the two principal attacks againft the lower town. At as impotent in effect, as it was audacious in defign. In the three fucceeding years the germ of difcipline im- folded; and the fources of America having been called into co-operation with the land and naval armies of* France, produced the glorious campaign in 1781. From this time the gloom began to difappear from our political horizon, and the aft airs or the Union proceeded in a meliorating train, till a peace was moft ably negociated by our ambaflhdors in Europe in 1783. No perfon, who ha'd not the advantage of being prefent when General Wafhington received the intelligence of peace, and who did not accompany him to his domeftic retirement, can defcribe the relief which that joyful event brought to his" labouring mind, or the fupreme fatisfaclion with which he withdrew to private life. Trom his triumph?! entry into New York, \ipon the evacuation of that city by the Britifh army, to his arrival at Mount Vernon, after the refignation of his commiffion to Congrefs, feliive crowds impeded his paflage through all the populous towns ; the devotion of a whole people purfued him with prayers to Heaven for hlefiings on his head, while their gratitude fought the moft expreflive language of manifefting itfelf to him, as their common father and benefactor. When he became a private citizen, he had the unufual felicity to find, that his native State was among the moft zealous in doing juftice tohij merits ; and that ftronger demonftra- tions of affectionate efteem (if pofiible) were givea by the citizens of nis neighbourhood, than by any other, defcription of: icn on the continent. But he has conftantly declined accepting any compenfation for his lec- vjces, or provifion for tbe/augme-ited expences whicn have been incurred by him in coniequence of his public employment, although prppoials have been made ia the moil delicate manner, efpecially by. the States of Vir* ginia aud Pennfvlvama. Thehappineis of private life he did not long enjoy. In 1789, by the unanimous voice of his countrymen, he was called to the dignified office of Chief Magiftrate of the United States of America; which office. he has ever lince jfuftained ; and with how much dignity, prudence, and ability, the general applaufe of his confti- tuents amply, teftify.. The hiftory of the life, and the delineation of the character of this truly great man, are fcibjefts which will occupy many of the rnofl entertaining and instructive pages of the future impartial hif- turies of America. While true merit is efteemed, or virtue honoured, mankind will never ceafe to revere the memory of this Hero; and while gratitude remu'ms ia the .human breaft, the praifes of WASHINGTON fhall dweli.on every Americaa tongue, 2 five THE UNITED STATES. 251 five o'clock in the morning General Montgomery advanced againft the lower town : lie paifed the firit barrier, and was juft opening to attack the fc.eond, when, he was killed, together with his Aid-dc-camp, Captain M'Phcribn. This lo difpirited the men, that Colonel Campbell, on whom the command devolved, thought proper to draw them oft*. In the mean time Colonel Arnold, with 350 men, made aluccefsful attack on another part of the town. In the attack of the firft battery, Colonel Arnold was wounded, and was obliged to be carried off the field of battle. His party, how- ever, commanded by Captain Morgan of Virginia, proceeded, and entered the town ; but not being joined by the other parties, was obliged to furrcnder to lupcrior force. The lofs of the Americans in killed and wounded, was about 100, and 300 were taken prifoners. Hiftorians will do juftice to the bravery of the Provincial troops on this occafion. After the defeat, Colonel Arnold, who now commanded the troops, continued forne months before Quebec, although his troops were reduced in numbers, and fuffered incredibly from cold and iicknefs. The death of General Montgomery was greatly and fmcerely regretted on both fides. (f His many amiable qualities had procured him an uncommon ihare of private affec- tion, and his great abilities, an equal proportion of public efteem. His name was mentioned in parliament with iingular refpe6t : the Minifrer himfelf acknowledged his worth, while he reprobated the caufe in which he fell. He concluded an involuntary panegyric, by faying, " Curfeon his virtues, they have undone his country"'* About this time, the large and flourilhing town of Norfolk in Virginia w r as burnt l>y order of Lord Dunmore, the then governor of that province. General Gage went to England in September, and was fucceeded in the command by General Howe. Falmouth, a confiderable town in the province of Main, in Maffachufetts, fhared the fate of Norfolk ; being laid in aflies by order of the Britifh admiral. The Britifh government entered into treaties with fome of the German princes for about fourteen thoufand men, who w r ere to be fent to America the next year, to affift in fubduing the colonies. The parliament alfo paffed an ac"r, forbidding all intercourfe with America ; and while they repealed the Bofton port and fifhery bills, they declared all American property on the high feas, forfeited to the captors. Meafures were taken to annoy the enemy in Bofton : for this purpofe, batteries were opened on feveral hills, from- whence fhot and bombs were thrown into the town. But the batteries which were opened on Dorchefter point had the befl effect, and foon obliged General Howe to abandon the town. In March 1776 the Britifh troops embarked for Halifax, and General Waihington entered Boflon in triumph. In the enfuing fummer, a fmall fquadron of fhips commanded hy Sir Peter Parker, and a body of troops under the Generals Clinton and Cornwallis, attempted to take Charleiton, the capital of South Carolina. The fhips made a violent attack upon the * General Montgomery defcended from arefpec~table family in the North of Ireland, and was born in the year 1737. His attachment to liberty was innate, and matured by a fine education and an excellent under- Handing. Having married a wife, and purchafed an eftate in New York, he was, from thefe circumftances, as well as from his natural love of freedom, and from a conviction of the juftnefs of her caufe, induced to eonfider himfelf as an American. From principle, he early embarked in her caufe, and quitted the f\veets of eafy fortune, the enjoyment of a loved and philofophical rural life, with the higheft domeftic felicity, to take an active (hare in all the hardfhips and dangers that attend the foldier's Life. Before he came over to America, he had been an officer in\the fervice of England, and had fuccefsfully fought her battles with the immortal Wolfe at Quebec, in the war of 1756, on the very fpot, where, when fighting under the ftanciard of freedom, he was dodmed to fall in arms againft her. K k 2 fort 252 THE UNITED STATES. fort on Sullivan's Iflancl, but were repulfed with great lofs, and the expedition was abandoned. In July, Congrefs publifhcd their declaration of independence, which feparated America from (rtvat Britain. This great event took place two hundred and eighty- four years after the dikovcry of America by Columbus one hundred and fixty-lix from the firft effectual fettlement in Virginin, and one hundred and fifty-fix from the firft fettlement of Plymouth in Maifachufetts, which were the eailielt Engliih fettle- ment s in America. Juft after this declaration, General Howe, with a powerful force, arrived near New- York, and landed his troops on Staten Ifland. General Wafhington was in New York with about thirteen thoufand men, who were encamped either in the city or the neighbouring fortifications. The operations of the Britiih began by the action on Long Ifland in the month of Auguft. The American Generals Sullivan and Lord Sterling, with a large body of men, were made prifoners. The night after the engagement, a retreat was ordered end executed with fuch filence, that the Americans left the iiland without alarming their enemies, and without lot's. In September, the city of New York was abandoned by the American army, and taken by the Britifh. In November, Fort Washington on York Ifland was taken, and more than two thoufand Americans made prifoners. Fort Lee, oppofite to Fort Wafhington, on the Jeriey fhore, was foon after taken, but the garrifon efcapcd. About the fame time^ General Clinton was fent with a body of troops to take pof- feffton of Rhode Ifland, and fucceeded. In addition to all thefe loifes and defeats, the American army fufFered by defertion, and more by ficknefs, which was epidemic, and very mortal. The northern army at Ticonderoga was in a difagreeable fit nation, particularly after the battle on Lake Champlain, in which the American force, confining of a few light vcffel-;, under the command of Generals Arnold and Waterbury, was totally difperfed. But General Carleton, inftead of purfuing his victory, landed at Crown Point, rccon- noitered our pofts at Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, and returned to winter quarters in Canada. The American army might now be faid to be no more. All that now remained of an army, which, at the opening of the campaign, amounted to at leall twenty-five thoufand men, did not now exceed three thoufand. The term of their engagements being expired, they returned in large bodies to their families and friends ; the few, who, from perfonal attachment, local circumftances, or fuperior perfeverance and bravery, continued with the Generals Wafhington and Lee, were too inconfiderable to appear formidable in the view of a powerful and victorious enemy. In this alarming and critical fituation of affairs, General Lee, through an imprudent ^"elefThefs, which ill became a man in his important tlation, was captured by a party of Britifh light horfe, commanded by Colonel Harcourt. This unfortunate circum- ftance gave a fevere fhock to the remaining hopes of the little army, and rendered their fituation truly diftreffing. While thefe things were traniacting in New Jerfey, General Wafhington, far from being difcouraged by the lofs of General Lee, and always ready to improve every ad- vantage to raife the drooping fpirits of his handful of men, had made a ftand on the Pcnnfylvania fide of the Delaware. He collected his fcattered forces, called in the aififtance of the Pemifylvania militia ; and on the night of the 25th of December, 1 776, when THE UNITED STATES. 253 when the enemy were lulled into fecurity by the idea of his weakncfs, anil by the in- clemency of the night, which was remarkably boifterous, as well as by the fumes of a Chriitmas eve, he crofled the river, and, at the breaking of day, marched down to Trenton, and fo completely furprifed them, that the greater part of the detachment, which were ftationed at this place, furrendered after a fhort rcliitance. The horfemen and a few others made their cfcape at the oppofite end of the town. Upwards of nine hundred Heffians were taken prilbriers at this time. The adclrefs in planning and executing this enterprize reflected the higheft honour on the commander, and the fucccfs revived the dcfponding hopes of America. The lofs of General Mercer, a gallant o 'freer, at Princeton, was the principal circumftance that allayed the joys of victory. The following year, 1777, was diftinguifhed by very memorable events in favour of America. On the opening of the campaign, Governor Tryon was fent with a body of troops to deftroy the ftores at Danbury in Connecticut. This plan was executed, and the town moftly burnt. The enemy fuffered in their retreat, and the Americans loft General Woofter, a brave and experienced officer. General Prefcot was taken from his quarters on Rhode Ifland, by the addrefs and enterprise of Colonel Barton, and conveyed prifoner to the continent. General Burgoyne, who commanded the northern Britifh army, took poflfeffion of Ticonderoga, which had been abandoned by the Americans. He pufhed his fuccefles, crofTed Lake George, and encamped upon the banks of the Hudfon, near Saratoga, His progress, however, was checked by the defeat of Colonel Baum, near Bennington, in which the undifciplinc-d militia, under General Stark, difplayed unexampled bra- very, and captured almoft the whole detachment. The militia aftembled from all parts of New England to It op theprogrefs of General Burgoyne. Thefe, with tire regular troops, formed a refpectable army, commanded by General Gates. After two levere actions, in which the Generals Lincoln and Arnold behaved with uncommon gallantry, and were w r ounded, General Burgoyne found himfelf en- clofed with brave troops, and was forced to furrender his whole army, amounting to five thoufand feven hundred and fifty-two men, into the hands of the Americans.* This memorable event happened on the 1 7th of October, 1777 ; and diffufed an uni- verfal joy over America, and laid a foundation for the treaty with France. But before thefe transactions, the main body of the Britifh forces had embarked at ! ,c\v York, failed up the Chefapeak, and landed at the head of Elk river. The army foon began their march for Philadelphia. General Washington had determined to oppofe them, and for this purpofe made a ftand, firfl at Red Clay Creek, and then upon the heights near Brandy wine Creek. Here the armies engaged, and the Ame- ricans w r ere overpowered, and Suffered great lofs. The enemy foon purfued their march, and took pofFeilion of Philadelphia towards the clofe of September. Not long after, the two armies were again ei.-gaged at Germantown, and in the beginning of the action, the Americans had the advantage; but" by fome unlucky accident, the fortune of the day was turned in favour of the Britifh. Both fides fuf- fered conliderable lorTes ; on the lide of the Americans was General Nafh. In an attack upon the forts at Mud Ifland and Red Bank, the Heffians were unfuc- cefsful, and their commander, Colonel Donop, killed. The Britifh. alfo loft the Augufta, a fhip of the line. But the forts were afterwards taken, and the navigation * When General Burgoyne left Canada, his army con Mfted of 10,000 men, together with one of the moft complete and grand trains o f artillery that was ever fent from Great Britain, Of T II E U N I T E D S T A T E S. of the Delaware opened. General VVafhington was reinforced, with a part of the troops which had computed the northern army, under General Gates ; and both ar- mies retired to winter quarters. In Oclober, the fame month in which General Burgoyne was taken at Saratoga, General Vaughan, with a fmall fleet, failed up Hudfon's river, and burnt Kingfton, a beautiful Dutch fettlement, on the weft fide of the river. The beginning of the next year, 1778, was diftinguiihed by a treaty of alliance bc-iv. cen France and America ; by which we obtained a powerful and generous ally. When the Englifh miniftry were informed that this treaty was on foot, they diipatched commiffioners to America to attempt a reconciliation. But America would not now .accept their offers. Early in the fpring, Count d'Eftaing, with a fleet of fifteen fail of the line, was fent by the court of France to afliit America. General Howe .left the army, and returned to England ; the command then de- volved upon Sir Henry Clinton. In June the Britifh army left Philadelphia, and marched for New York : on their march they were annoyed by the Americans ; and at Monmouth a very regular adtion took place between part of the armies; the enemy were repulfed with great lofs. General Lee, for his mifconduct that day, was fufpended, and was never afterwards permitted to join the army. General Lee's conduct, at feveral times before this, had been very fufpicious. In December, 1776, he lay at Chatham, about eleven miles from Elizabeth Town, with a brigade of troops, when a great quantity of baggage was flored at Elizabeth Town, under a guard of only five hundred Heflians. General Lee was apprifed of this, and might have furprifed the guard and taken the baggage ; but he neglected the opportu- nity, and after feveral marches and counter-marches batween Troy, Chatham, and Morris Town, he took up his quarters at, or near White's tavern, where he was fur- prifed and taken prifoner by a party of the Britifh horfe. He was heard to fay, re- peatedly, that General Wafhington would ruin a fine army. It was fufpected that he had deiigns to fupplant the General, and his friends attempted to place him at the head of the army. General Washington's prudent delays and cautious movements afforded General Lee's friends many opportunities to fpread reports unfavourable to his cha- racter. It was infinuated, with fome fuccefs, that General Wafhington wanted courage and abilities. Reports of this kind, at one time, rendered General Lee very popular, and, it is fuppofed, he wifhed to fruftrate General W~afhington's plans, in order to increafe the fufpicions already entertained of his generalfhip, and turn the public clamour in his own favour. His conduct at Monmouth was, by fome, fuppofed to have proceeded from fuch a defign ; for he commanded the flower of the American army, and was not deftitute of courage. In Auguft, General Sullivan, with a large body of troops, attempted to take po- feflion of Rhode Ifland, but did not fucceed. Soon after, the itores and flapping at Bedford, in Maflachufetts, were burnt by a party of the Britifh troops. The fame year, Savannah, the capital of Georgia, was taken by the Britifh, under the command of Colonel Campbell. In the following year, 1779, General Lincoln was appointed to the command of the fouthern army. Governor Tryon and Sir George Collier made an incurfion into Connecticut, and burnt the towns of Fairfield and Norwalk. But the American arms were crowned with fuccefs in a bold attack upon Stoney Point, which was furprized and taken by the brave THE UNI TED STATES. 255 brave General Wayne, in the night of the I5th of July. Five hundred men wcrefc made priibners, with little lofs on either lide. A party of Britifh forces attempted this fummer to build a fort on Penobfcot river, for the purpofe of cutting timber in the neighbouring foreft. A plan was laid in Mal- iarhufetts to diflodge them, and a considerable fleet collected for the purpofe : but the plan failed of fuccefs, and the whole marine force fell into the hands of the Britifh, except fome veflels which were burnt by the Americans themfelves. In October, General Lincoln and Count d'Eftaing made an aflfault upon Savannah; but they were repulfed with considerable lofs. In this action, the celebrated Polilh Count Pulafki, who had acquired the reputation of a brave foldier, was mortally wounded. In this fummer General Sullivan marched with a body of troops into the Indian country, in the weftern part of the New York State, and burnt and deftroyed all their proviiions and lettlements that fell in their way. On the opening of the campaign the next year, 1780, the Britifh troops left Rhode Ifland. An expedition, under General Clinton and Lord Cornwallis, was undertaken againit Charlefton, South Carolina, where General Lincoln commanded. This town, after a clofe liege of about fix weeks, was furrendered to the Britifh com- mander; and General Lincoln, and the whole American garrifon, were made priibners. General Gates was appointed to the command in the fouthern department, and another army collected. In Auguft, Lord Cornwallis attacked the American troops at Camden, in South Carolina, and routed them with coniiderable lofs. He afterwards marched through the fouthern States, and fuppofed them entirely fubdued. The fame fummer, the Britifh. troops made frequent incurlions from New York into the Jerfeys, ravaging and plundering the country. In July, a French fleet, under Monneur de Ternay, with a body of land forces, commanded by Count de Rochambeau, arrived at Rhode Ifland, to the great joy of the Americans. This year was alfb diftinguilhed by the treachery of General Arnold. Ge- neral Wafhington having fome bulinefs to tranfact at Weathersficld in Connecticut, left Arnold to command the important poft of Weft Point, which guards a pafs in Hudfon's river, about lixty miles from New York. Arnold's conduct in the city of Philadelphia, the preceding winter, had been cenfured; and the treatment he received in confcquencc, had given him offence. He determined to take revenge," and for this purpolc, he entered into a negotiation with Sir Henry Clinton to deliver Weft Point, and the army, into the hands of the Britifh. While General Walhington was abient, he difmounted the cannon in fome of the forts, and took other fteps to render the taking of the poll cafy for uw> enemy. But by a providential difcovery the whole plan was defeated. Major Andre, Adju- tant-general in the Britifh army, aid-du-camp to General Clinton, a brave officer, who had been fent up the river as a ipy, to concert the plan of operations with Arnold, was taken, condemned by a court-martial, and executed. Arnold made his eft-ape, by getting on board the Vulture, a Britifh vefTel which lay in the jiver. General Wafhington arrived in camp juft after Arnold made liis efcape, and re- ftored order in the garrifon. After the defeat of General Gates, in Carolina, General Greene was appointed to command 256 THEUNITEDSTATES. command in the fouthern department.* From this period, things in that quarter wore a more favourable afpect. Colonel Tarleton, the a6Vive commander of the Britilh legion, was defeated by General Morgan, the intrepid commander of the riflemen. Alter a variety of movements the two armies met at Guilford, in Carolina. Here was one of the beft fought actions during the war. General Greene and Lord Corn- \vallis exerted themfelves at the head of their refpective armies; and although the Americans were obliged to retire from the field, yet the Britifh army fuffered an immenfe lots, and could not purfue the victory. The action happened on the i5th March, 1781. In the fpring, General Arnold, who was made a brigadier-general in the Britifh fcivice, with a ihiall number of troops failed for Virginia, and plundered the country. This called the attention of the French fleet to that quarter, and a naval engagement took place between the Englifh and French, in which ibme of the Englifh fhips were much damaged, and one entirely difabled. After the battle of Guilford, General Greene moved towards South Carolina, to drive the Britiih from their pofls in tlmt State. Here Lord Rawdon obtained an in- confiderable advantage over the Americans, near Camden. But General Greene more than recovered this difadvantage, by the brilliant and fuccefsful aclion at the Eutaw Springs ; where General Marian diiiinguilhed himfelf, and the brave Col. Waihington was wounded and taken prifoner. Lord Cornwallis, finding General Greene fuccefsful in Carolina, marched to Vir- ginia, collected his forces, and fortified himfelf in York Town. In the mean time Arnold made an incurfion into Connecticut, burnt a part of New London, took Fort Grifwold by ftorm, and put the garrifon to the fword. The garrifon confifted chiefly of men collected from the little town of Groton, which, by the favage cruelly of the Britifh officer who commanded the attack, loft, in one hour, almolt all its heads of families. The brave Colonel Ledyard, who commanded the fort, was flam with his own fword after he had furrendered. The Marquis de la Fayette,-j~ the brave and generous nobleman, whofe ferviccs command the gratitude of every American, had been difpatched with about two thou- fancl * General -Greene was born at Warwick, in the State of Rhode Ifland, about the year 1741, of reputable parents, "belonging to the fociety of Friends. He was endowed with an uncommon degree of judgement and penetration ; his difpofition was benevolent, and his manners affable. At an early period of life he was chofen a member of the Aflembly, and hedifcharged his truft to the entire fatisfaclion of his conftituents. After the battle of Lexington, three regiments of troops were raifed in Rhode Ifland, and the command of them given to Mr. Greene, who was nominated a brigadier-general. His merit and abilities, both in council and in the field, were foon noticed by General Wafliington, and in Auguft 1776 he was appointed Major- general. His aftion with the Britifh troops at Eutaw 'Springs was one of the beft conduced, and moft fuc- cefsful engagements that took place during the war. For this General Greene was honoured by Congrefs with a Britifh ftandard and a gold medal. As a reward for his particular ferviccs in the fouthern department, ihe State of Georgia prefented him with a large and valuable traft of land on an ifland near Savannah. After the war he returned to his native State. The contentions and bad policy of that State induced him to leave it and retire to his eftate in Georgia. He removed his family in October 1785 ; but in June the next fummer, the extreme heat, and the fatigue of a walk, brought on a diforder that put a period to his life, on the i9th of the fame month. He lived uni- verially loved and reflected, and his death was univerfally lamented. His body was interred tn Savannah, and the funeral proceffion attended by the Cincinnati. f The Marquis de la Fayette was born about the year 1757. At the age of nineteen he efpoufed the caufe of America, with all ihe ardour which the moil generous philanthropy could infpire. At a very early period of THE UNITED STATES. 257 fund light infantry from the main army, to watrh the motions of Lord Cornwallis in Virginia. He prolecuted this expedition with the greateft military ability. Although liis rbrnc was much inferior to that of the enemy, he obliged them to leave Richmond and Wflliamflbtirgh, and to leek protection uttaer their flipping. About the hilt of Angnft, Count de Grafle arrived in the Chcfapeek and blocked up the Britifh troops at York-town. Admiral Greaves, with a Britifh fleet, appeared off the Capes, and an action fucceeded; but it wasjiiot decifive. General Washington had before this time moved the main body of his army, to- gether with the French troops, to the louthward; and as foon as he heard of the arrival of the French fleet in the Cheiapeek, he made rapid marches to the head of Elk,- where embarking, the troops foon arrived at York-town. A cloie liege immediately commenced, and was carried on with fucli vigour, by th~ combined forces of America and "France, that Lord Cornwallis was obliged to fur- render. This glorious event, which took place on the I9th of October, 1781, decided the contefl in favour of America; and laid the foundation of a general peace. A few months after the furrcndcr of Cornwallis, the Britifh evacuated all their pofls in South Carolina and Georgia, and retired to the 'main army in New York. The next fpring, 1782, Sir Guy Carleton arrived in New York, and took the com- mand of the Britifh army in America : immediately on his arrival, he acquainted General Wafhington and Congrefs, that negociations for peace had commenced at Paris. On the 3oth of November, 1782, the provifional articles of peace and reconci- Jiation, between Great Britain and the American States, were ligned at Paris ; by of the war he determined to embark from his r.ntive country' for the United States : before he could complete his intention, intelligence arrived in Europe, that the American infurgents, reduced to two thoufand men, were flying through Jerfey before a Britifh force of thirty thoufand regulars. The news fo effectually extin- guifhed the little credit which America had In Europe, in the beginning of the year 1777, that the Cominif- iioners of Congrefs at Paris, though they had previoufly encouraged his project, could not procure a vefleJ to forward his intentions. Under thefe circumftances, they thought it but honeft to difluade him from thepre- fent profecution of his perilous enterprife. It was in vain they acted fo candid a part. The flame which America had kindled in his breaft, could not be extinguished by her misfortunes. ' Hitherto,' faid he, in the true ipiiit of patriotifm, ' I have only cherifhed your caufe now I am going to ferve it. The lower it is in the opinion of the people, the greater will be the effect of rny departure ; and iince you cannot .get a veflel, I A\&\\ purchafe -and fit out one to carry your difpatches to Congrefs and myfelf to America.' Whilft this veflel was preparing he vifited England, was introduced to the King's minifter and many of the nobility and -firft characters of the nation. By this means he was enabled to form a good judgement of men and things there. He embarked and arrived in Charlefton erly in the year 1777. Congrefs foon conferred on him the .rank, of major-general: he accepted the appointment, but not without exacting two conditions, which dif- .played the elevation of his fpirit ; the one, that he ihould fervcon his own expence; the other, that he fliotild begin his fervices as a volunteer. He was foon appointed to command an expedition to Canada. The plan was to-crofs the lakes on the ice; .the object, to feize Montre*al and St. John's. He was.now at the age of twenty, and jnuft have keenly ex- perienced the allurements of independent command ; but his cool judgement, and honeft heart, reftrained him from indulging a paflion for .military fame, under circumftances which might have injured the caufe which he had fo zealoully efpoufed. He found that, in cafe of hii proceeding, the army under his command would be in danger of experiencing a fate fimilar to that of the unfortunate Burgoyne. With a boklnefs of judgement that .would have done honour to the nioft experienced general, and without advancing beyond Albany, he relinquilhed the expedition. Soon after he received the thanks of Congreis for his prudence. In the four campaigns which fucceeded the arrival of the Marquis de la Fayette in America, he gave re- peated proofs of his military talents in the middle and eaftern States ; but the events that took place under his command in.Yirginia, contributed moft to his military glory. Some time after the capture of Cornwallis, the Marquis de la Fayette went to France, where he ufed his .endeavours to promote the .commercial and political intenefts of thefe States, and to effect a revolution in his native country in favour of liberty. It remains for future ages to pcurtrny the virtues and exploits of this truly great man thisfr;end to human nature rthis feccnd WASHINGTON. L 1 which 158 THE UNITED STATED. which Great Britain acknowledged the independence and fovcreignty of tne United* States of America. Thefe articles were ratified by a definitive treaty, September 3d, 1783. This peace was negotiated on the part of Great Britain by Mr. Ofwald, and the definitive treaty was ligued by Mr. Hartley; and on the part ot the United States l;y Tc!.:. Atlams, John Jay,* and Benjamin Frankiin/f- Efqiures. Thus- * Johnjny, Efq. i? a defcendent of one of the French Proteftant Emigrants, who came to America, in confeciucnce of the Revolution of the Edict of Nantz, in 1685. It is remarkable that among the dependents ot" thefe emigrants, fome of whom fettled in New York, and fome in Bofton, there have been the following eminent characters James Eo\vdoin, Efq. who had been Governor of the Commonwealth of Matfachufetts, and at his death was Prefident of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences ; Henry Laurens,-Efq. who has been Prefident of Congrefs, and Ambaflador to a foreign court ; Elias Boudinot, Efq. who has been Prefident of Congrefs, and is now a Reprefentative ; and John Jay, Efq. who has been Prefident of Congrefs, Ambaf- fador to a foreign Court, and is now Chief Juftice of the American States. f Dr. Franklin was born in Bofton, January 6th, 1706, O. S. He was educated to the bufinefs of printing. In the firft twenty-four years of his life he paired through an uncommon variety of fcenes, which he improved to valuable purpofes. He early diicovered a ftrongaud diitingui{hing,mind,and a fertile inventive genius. About the age of 24 he married Mils Read of Philadelphia, where he had eftablifhed himfelf as a printer. In 1736 he was chofen Clerk of the General Aflembly of Pennfylvania ; aiul the year following was appointed Poft. inaftcr in Philadelphia. In 1744, he broached the idea of the American Philolbphical Society, and had the plealure to find it meet with all the fuccefs he could uefire. He \vas the principal in liniment alfo in planning, and eftablifbing the Academy of Philadelphia, from which have fprung the College and Univerfity of that city. In 1747, and for twenty years after, fucceffively, he was chofen a reprefentative to the Aflembly for the city of Philadelphia ; in which fituation he was highly refpected and fmgularly ufeful. He was appointed joint Pofi-mafter General wilh Mr. William Hunter in 1753. He was greatly inftrumentaJ in carrying into effect Dr. Bond's plan for an hofpital in Philadelphia, the advantages of which have been extenfively ex- perienced. By this time his character as a philofopher was known in Europe as well as America, and he re- ceived the honorary degree of Matter of Arts from Yale and Harvard Colleges. In 1754, he was appointed one of the Commiuioners from Pennfylvania to attend the celebrated Albany Cengrefs, in order to devife a plan for defending the country againit the French. Here he drew up his " Albany Plan of Union," which %vas unanimouily agreed to by Congrefs, but, though wifely adapted to pre- ferve the harmony between Great Britain and her Colonies, was ultimately rejected. In 1757, the Aflembly of Pennfylvania, indignant at the obllinacy of the governors, who were fhackie< with inftru&ions not to aflent to any tax bill,, that did not exempt the eftates of the proprietors from contri- buting to the public fervice, determined to fend an agent to London, to petition the King for redrefs. Mr. Franklin was appointed for this purpofe, and ably negociated the bufinefs ; for which, on his return to Phila- delphia, he received the thanks of the General Aflembly. His, diftinguifhed literary reputation procured him r while in England, the honorary title of Doctor of Laws from Edinburgh and Oxford Univerfities. Some time after this, he wss again fent to England, .by the Aflembly of Peanfylvania, with a petition to have a new form of government eilablifhed r and to be taken under the royal protection. Before his return to Ame-- rica, he travelled, in 1766, into Germany, and in I'/bjr into France ; and wherever he appeared, he was received vtfith the higheft refpect and veneration. His endeavours to prevent the enaction of the Jlamp at y the ability with which he fuftained his examination at the bar of the Houfe of Commons, his obtaining and forwarding to Bofton the infidious letters of Governor Hutchinfon, procured for him, on his return to America,, the moft unbounded applaufe of bis countrymen. He was foon elected a member of Congrefs ; and in 1776, was chofen with John Adams and Edward Rutledge, Efquires, a Committee of Congrefs to wait on Lord.' Howe r and to inquire into the extent of his powers to treat of the reftoration of peace. Lord Howe having cxprelied his concern at being obliged to diftrefs thofe whom he fo much regarded, Dr. Franklin affured him,, that the Americans,, out of reciprocal regard, would endeavour to leflen, as much as poffible, the pain he might feel on their account, by taking the utmoft care of themfelves. In 1776, a convention wns called, inPennfylvania, to eftablifli a new form of government. Dr. Franklin, was appointed Prefident. The latter end of the fame year he was fent to France, where, with the afliftance of- Mr. Silas Dean, he negociated a treaty with France,- Feb. 1778. We have already mentioned his being one cf the three Commiflioners who negociated the peace of 1783.- He returned to America in 1785, and was chofen Prefident of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennfyl- vania, and in 1787, was appointed a delegate from that State to the auguft body which formed the prefent. frame of government of the United States.. THE UNITED STATES, 2 ^ Thus ended a long and arduous conflict, in which Great Britain expended near an hundred millions of money, with an hundred thoufand lives, and won nothing. America endured ever}- cruelty and difrrefs from her enemies; loft many lives and murh trcafure ; hut delivered herfelf from a foreign dominion, and gained a rank anv>ng the nations of the earth. Holland acknowledged the independence of the United States on the ipth of Aprif, 1782; Sweden, February 5th, 1783; Denmark, the 2 5th of February; Spain, in March, and Ruffia, in July 1783. No fooner was peace reflored by the definitive treaty, and the Britifh troops with- drawn from the country, than the United States began to experience the defects of their general government. While an enemy was in the country, fear, which had firfl im- pelled the colonies to allbciate in mutual defence, continued to operate as a band of political union. It gave to the refolutions and recommendations of Congrefs the force of laws, and generally commanded a ready acquicfccnce on the part of the State legislatures. Articles of confederation and perpetual union had been framed in Con- grefs, and fubmitted to the confideration of the States, in th year 1778. Some of the States immediately acceded to them; but others, which had not unappropriated lands, hefitated to fubfcribe a compact, which would give an advantage to tlie States which poflcfled large tracts of unlocated lands, and were thus capable of a great fuperiority in wealth and population. All objections however had been overcome, and by the acceflion of Maryland in March 1781, the articles of confederation were ratified, as the frame of government for the United States. Tliefc articles, however, were framed during the rage of war, when a principle of common fafety (Implied the place of a coercive power in government, by men who could have had no experience in the art of governing an extenfive country, and under circumltances the moft critical and embarraffing. To have offered to the people, at that time, a fyfrem of government armed with the powers neceiTary to regulate and control the contending intercfts of thirteen States, and the pofieffions of millions of people, might have raifed a jealoufy between the States or in the minds of the people at large, that would have weakened the operations of war, and perhaps have rendered an union impracticable. Hence the numerous defects of the confederation. On the concluiion of peace, thefe defects began to be felt. Each State affumed the right of difputing the propriety of the refolutions of Congrefs, and the intereft of an individual State was placed in oppofition to the common intereft of the union. In On the 1 7th of April, 1790, after a long and painful illnefs, he refigned a life which had been fingulariy devoted to the welfare of his country and the good of mankind. Among the many teftimonies of reipect paid to his memory, the Congrei's of the United States, and th National Aflembly of France, went into mourning on his death. Dr. Franklin poilerTed an original genius. The faculties of his mind qualified him to penetrate into every fcience ; and his fingular and unremitting diligence left no field of knowledge unexplored. He was eminently diftinguifhed as a politician, and a fcholar, and if poflible more fo as a man and a citizen. He was great in common things, and his life was xifeful beyond moft men that have lived. The whole tenor of his lire was a perpetual le&ure againft the idle, the extravagant, and the proud. It was his principal aim to infpire mankind with a love of induftry, temperance, and frugality. By a judicious divifion of time, he acquired the art of doing every thing to advantage. In whatever -foliation he was placed, by chance or defign, he extracted fomething ufet'ul for himfelf or others. His manners were eafy and accommodating, and his addrefs winning and refpeclful. All who knew him fpeak of him as an agreeable man ; and all who ha-ve heard of him, applaud him as a very ufeful one. A maa fo wife and fo amiable, could oot but have many admirers and many friends. * * American MufeuriJj Vol. VHJ. LI 2 addition 2 6o T II E U N I T E D S T A T E S ^ addition to- this fource of divifion, a jealoufy of the powers of Congrefs began to bcr excited in the minds of people. This jealouly of the privileges of freemen had been roufed by the oppreffive acl of the Briliih parliament ; and no Iboncr had the danger from this quarter ceafed, than the fears of people changed their object, and. were turned againit their own rulers. In this fitnal ion, there were not wanting men of incluflry and talents, who had been enemies to the revolution, and who embraced the opportunity to multiply the apprehenfions of people and increafe the popular difcpntcnts. A remarkable inftance of this happened in Connecticut. As loon as the tumults of war had fubfided, an attempt was made to convince the people, that the act of Congrcls palled in 1778,. granting to the officers of the army, half-pay for life, was highly unjuil and tyran- nical ; and that it was but the fir ft ilep towards the cttablilhment of penfions and an uncontrolablc defpotifm. The act of Congrcf% palled in. 1783, commuting half-pay for life, for five years full pay, was defigncd to appeafc the apprehensions of people^, and to convince them that this gratuity was intended merely to indemnify the officers for their lofTes by the depreciating of the paper currency, and not to eliablifh. a pre- cedent for the granting of peniions. This act Itowevcr did not fatisfy the people, who fuppofed that the officers had been generally indemnified for the lots of their pay by the grants made them from time to time by the legiflatur.es of the feveral States. Befides, the act, while it gave five years full pay to the officers, allowed but one year's pay to the privates ; a diitinclion which had great influence in exciting and conti- nuing the popular ferment, arid one.. that turued a large fhare of the public rage againfl the officers themfelves.. Tiie moment an alarm was railed refpecting this act of Congrefs, the enemies of our independence became active in. blowing up the flame, by fprcading reports un- favourable to the general government, and tending to. create public diilenfions.. Newt- papers, in fonie parts of the country, were filled with inflammatory publications; while falfe reports and groundlcfs infinuations were induftrioully circulated to the prejudice of Congrefs and the officers of the late army. Among a people feelingly alive to every thing tliat could. afFecl the rights for which they had been contending, the to reports could not fail of having a powerful effect ; the clamour foon, became general ; the officers of the army, it was believed, had attempted to raife their fortunes on the diitrenes of their fellow citizens, and Congrefs become the tyrants of their country. Connecticut was the {eat of this uneafinefs ; although other States were much- agitated on the occafion. But the inhabitants of that State, accuftomed to 'order and a due fuborclination to the laws, did not proceed to outrages ; they took their ufuai mode of collecting the fenfc of the State aflembled in town meetings appointed committees to meet in convention, and confult what meafurcs ihould be adopted to procure a redrefs of their grievances. In this convention, which, was held at Middle- town, fome nugatory refolves wore patted, exprelfing the difapprobation of the half- pay acl, and the fubfequent commutation of the grant for five years whole pay. The fame fpirit alfo dilcovcrcd itfelf in the afiembly at their October fellion 1/8.3. A re- monftrance againft the acts in favour of tlie officers was framed in the Houle of Re- prcfentatives, and not withftanding the Upper Houfc refuted to concur in the meafurc, it was fent to Congrefs. During this fituation of affairs, the public odium againit: the officers was augment- ed by another circumftance. The officers, jult before the dilbanding of the army,, had THE UNITED STATES. 261 fiad formed a focicty., (&lled by the name of the Cincinnati, after the Roman Di&ator, Cincinnatus. Whatever were the real views of the framers of this inflitution, its defign was generally underftood to be harm-Ids and honourable. The oftenfible views of the focicty could not however fcreen it from popular jealotify. A fpirited pamphlet ap- peared in South Carolina, the avowed produ6tion of Mr. Burke, one of the judges of the fupreme court in that State, in which the author attempted to prove that the prin- ciples, on which the fociety was formed, would, in procefs of time, originate and eftablifh an order of nobility in this country, which would be repugnant to the genius of our republican governments, and dangerous to liberty. This pamphlet appeared in Connecticut, during the commotions raifed by the half-pay and commutation acls, and contributed not a little to fpread the flame of opposition. Notwithstanding the difcontents of the people were general, ,and ready to burft forth in fedition, yet men of information, viz. the officers of government, the clergy, and perfons of liberal education, were moftly oppofed to the unconflitutional ileps taken by the committees and convention at Middlctown. The*y fupported the propriety of the meafurcs of Congrefs, both by converiation and writing, proved that fuch grants to the army were neceifary to keep the troops together, and that the expenfe would not be enormous nor opprcffive. During the clofc of the year 1 783, every poflible exertion was made to enlighten the people, and fuch was the effect of the arguments ufed by the minority, that in the beginning of the following year, the oppofition fublided, the committees were difmifled, and tranquillity reflored to the State. In May, the legif- lature were able to carry feveral meal u res which had before been extremely unpopular. An a6l was paflcd granting the impo4l of five per cent, to Congrefs ; another giving great encouragement to commerce ; and feveral towns were incorporated with extenlive privileges, for the purpofe of regulating the exports of the State, and facilitating the collection of debts. The oppofition to the congreffional acls in favour of the officers, and to the order of the Cincinnati, did not rife to the fame pitch in the other States as in Connecticut ; yet it produced much difturbance in Maflachufetts, and fome others. Jealoufy of power had been univerfally fpread among the people of the United States. The defrnic'tion of the old forms of governments, and the licentioufnels of war, had, in a great meafure, feroken their habits of obedience ; their pailions had been inflamed by the cry of defpotifm ; and like centinels, who have been fuddenly furprifed by the approach of an enemy, the ruftling of a leaf was fufHcient to give them an alarm. This fpirit of jealouly operated with other can fes to relax the energy of federal operations.. During the war, vafl fums of paper currency had been emitted by Congrefs, and' large quantities- of fpecie had been introduced, towards the clofe of the war T by the French army, and the Spanifh trade. This plenty of money enabled the States to comply wit! i the firft requiiitions of Congrefs ; fo that during two or three years, the federal treafury was, in fome meafnre, fupplied. But when the danger of war had ceaied, and the vaft importations of foreign goods had lefYenccl the quantity of cirra- lating fpecie, the States began to be very remifs in furnilhing their proportion oi monies. The annihilation of the credit of the paper bills had. totally flopped their Nation, and the fpecie was leaving the country in cargoes for remittances to Great Britain ; flill the luxurious habits of the people, contracted during the war, called for new fupplies of goods, and private gratification feconded the narrow policy of fui^s intcrcft in defeating the operations of the" general government Thus 2 mul brokers in the fouthern States, appTehenfive uf the approaching late of the currency, pufhcd immcnfe quantities of it fuddenly into New England ni.ulc vail purchuii-s of goods in Bofton and inftantly the bills vani fhcd fron\ circulation. The whole hiilory of this continental paper is a hiflory of public and private franc!-. Old fpecie debts vert: often paid in a dr.pivoiatcd currcHcy and even new contracts fora lew week> or days were often difcharged with a linall part of the value received. I'Yom this plenty and fluctuating ftate of the medium fprung hofts of fpeculators and itinerant traders, who left their honeft occupations for the proipecl: of immcnfe gains, in a fraudulent biriinefs, that depended on no fixed principles, and the profits of which could be reduced -to no certain calculations. To incrcafe thefe evils, a project: was formed to fix the prices of articles, and reftram perfons from giving or receiving more for any commodity than the price flated by authority. Thefe regulating acts were reprobated by every man acquainted with com- merce and finance ; as they were intended to prevent an effect without removing the raufe. To attempt to fix the value of money, while lireams of bills were inceffantly flowing from the treafury of the United States, was as ridiculous as an attempt to reftrain the riling of water in rivers amidil fhowcrs of rain. Nohvithftanding all opposition, fomc States framed and attempted to enforce thefe regulating acts. The effect was, a~ momentary apparent fiand in the price of articles ; innumerable acts of collufion and evafion among the difhonefl ; numberlefs injuries done to the honeit ; and finally a total difregard of all fuch regulations, and the con- fequential contempt of laws and the authority of the magifrrate. During thefe fluctuations of bufinefs, occafioned by the variable value of money, people loft fight, in fome meafure, of the fteady principles which had before governed their intercourse with each other. Speculation followed and relaxed the rigour of com- mereial obligations. Induftry likcwite had fuffered by the flood of money which had deluged the States. The prices of produce hadrifen in proportion to the quantity of money in circulation, and the demand for the commodities of the country. This made the acquifition of mopcy eafy, and indolence and luxury, with their train of defolating confequences, fpread themfelves among all defcriptions of people. But as foon as hojftilities between Great Britain and America were fufpended, the fcene was changed. The bills emitted by Congrefs had for fome time before ceafed to circulate ; and the fpecie of the country was foon drained off to pay for foreign goods, the importations of which exceeded all calculation. Within two years from the clofe of the war, a fear city of money was the general cry. The merchants found it impoffible to colle<5l their debts, and make punctual remittances to their creditors in Great Britain ; and the confumers were driven to the neceffity of retrenching their furperfluities in living, and of returning to their ancient habits of indullry and oeconomy. This change .was however progrefiive and flow. In many of the States which fufFered by the numerous debts they had contracted, and by the diflrefles of war, the people called aloud for cmiffions of paper bills to iupply the deficiency of a medium. The depreciation of the continental biljs was a recent example of the ill effects of fuch an expedient, and the impoffibility of fupporting the credit of paper was urged by the .oppofers of the meafure as a fubflantiai argument againft -adopting it. But nothing wo.uld filence the popular clamor ; and many men of the firft talents and eminence .united their voices with that of the populace. Paper money had formerly maintained its .credit THE UNITED STATES. credit, and been of fingular utility : and part experience, notwitMMWing a change of circumftances, was an argument in its favor that bore down all opposition. Pennfyivania, although one of the richeft States in the union, was the firfl to emit bills of credit, as a fubftitute for fpecie. But the revolution bad removed the necefTity of it, at the fame time that it had destroyed the means by which its former credit had been fupported. Lands, at the clofe of the war, were not riling in value bills on London could not fo readily be purchafed, as while the province was dependent on Great Britain the State was fplit Into parties, one of which attempted io defeat the mearures moft popular with the other and the depreciation of continental bills, with the injuries which it had done to individuals, inlpired a general dillruft of all public promifes. Notwithstanding a part of the money was loaned on good landed lecurity, and the faith of that wealthy State pledged for the redemption of the whole at its nominal value, yet the- advantages of fpecie as a medium of commerce, cfpecial'y as an article of remittance to London, foon made a difference of ten per cent, between the bills of credit and fpecie. This difference may be conlidered rather as an appreciation of gold and filver, than a depreciation of paper ; but its effects, in a commercial ftate, mufl be highly prejudicial. It opens the door to frauds of all kinds, and frauds are ufually praclifed on the honefl and uniufpe&ing, efpecially upon all claries of labourers. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, had recourfe to the fame wretched expedient to fupply thcmfelves with money; not reflecting that induflry, frugality, and good commercial laws are the only means of turning the balance of trade in favour -of a country, and that this balance is the only permanent fource of folid wealth and ready money. But the bills they emitted fhared a worfe fate than thofe of Pcmifylvania; they expelled almofr. all the circulating caih from the States ; they loft a great part of their nominal value, they impoverifhed the merchants, and embarraffed the planters. The State of Virginia tolerated a bale practice among the inhabitants of cutting dollars and finaller pieces of lilver, in order to prevent it from leaving the State. This pernicious practice prevailed alfo in Georgia.* Maryland efcaped the calamity of a pa per currency. The houfe of delegates brought forward a bill for the emiffion of bills of credit to a large amount ; but the lenate firmly and fucccfsfully refifred the pernicious fcheme. The opposition between the two houfes was violent and tumultuous ; it threatened the State with anarchy ; but the queflion was carried to the people, and the good fenfe of the fenate finally prevailed. New Jerfey is fituatcd between two of the largell commercial towns in America, arid .-confequently -drained of fpecie. This State alfo emitted a large fum in bills of credit, wliich forved to pay the inter-eft of the public debt ; but the currency depreciated, as in other States. Rhode liland exhibited a melancholy proof of that licentioufnefs and anarchy which always follows a relaxation of the moral principles. In a rage for fupplying the State Avith money, and filling every man's pocket without obliging him to earn it by his diligence, the legiflature paffed -an acl for making one hundred thoufand pounds in bilk ; a fum much more than fufficicnt for a medium of trade in that State, even without any fpecie. The merchants in Newport and Providence oppofed the acl with firmnefs; and their oppofition added frefh vigor to the refolution of the affembly, and induced them to enforce the fcheme by a legal tender of a mofl extraordinary nature. They * A dollar was ufually cut in five pieces, and each pafled by toll for a quarter; fo that the man who cut it gaind a quarter, or rather a rifth. M m paffcd THE UNITED STATES. an ac~t ordafoing that if any creditor ihonld rcfnfe to take their bills, for any debt whatever. UK- debtor might lodge thfe Turn due, with a juftice of tlie peace, who ihonld give notice of it in the public papers ; and if the creditor did not appear and receive the r ithin fix months from the firit notice, his debt fhould be forfeited. This act aftonilhcd all honcl'f men ; and even the promoters of paper money-making- in other States, and other principles, reprobated this a6t of Rhode Ifland, as wicked and opnrcilivc. But the State was governed by faction. During the cry for paper inon<:\. a number of boifteroas, ignorant men were elected into the Icgiflaturc, from the rrnaller towns in the State. Finding themfelves united with a majority in. opinion, they (brined and executed aay plan their inclination fuggefted' ; they oppofed every meafure that was agreeable to the mercantile intereft ; they not only made bad laws to- fait their own wicked purpofes, but appointed their own corrupt creatures to fill the iudicial and executive departments. Their money depreciated fufficiently to anfwcr all their vile pirpofes in the difcharge of debts bufinefs almoft totally ceafed, all con- fidence was loft, the State was thrown into confufion at home and was execrated" abroad. Maffachufetts Bay had the good fortune, arnidft her political calamities, to prevent an emiflion of bills of credit. New Hampshire made no paper ; but in the diftrefles which followed her lofs of bufinefs after the war, the legifla-ture made horfes, lumber, and moft articles of produce, a legal tender in the fulfilment of contrails. It is doubtlefs unjuft to oblige a creditor to receive any thing for his debt, which he had' not in contemplation at the time of the contract. But as the commodities which were to be a tender by law, in New Hampshire, were of an intrinfic value, bearing fome proportion to the amount of the debt, the injuftice of the law was lefs flagrant than that which enforced the tender of paper in Rhode Ifland. Indeed a fimilar law pre- v ailed for fome time in Maffachufetts ; and in Connecticut it is optional with the creditor, either to imprifonthe debtor or take land on execution at a price to be fixed by three indifferent freeholders-; provided no other means of payment, fhall appear to fatisfy the demand. It mufl not, however, be omitted, that while the molt flourishing commercial States introduced' a paper medium, to the great injury of honeftmcn a a bill for an emiflion of paper in Connecticut, where there is very little fpecie, could never command more than one eighth of the votes of the legiflature. The movers of the bill have hardly efcaped ridicule ; fo generally is the meafure reprobated as a fource of frauds and public mifchief. The legiflature of New York, a State that had the leaft neceflity and apology for making paper money, as her commercial advantages always furnifh her with fpecie lufficient for a medium, iffued a large fum in bills of credit, which fupported their value better than the currency of any other State. Still the paper raifed the value of fpecie, which is always in demand for exportation, and this difference of exchange between paper and fpecie ever expofes commerce to moft of the inconveniencies refulting from a depreciated medium. Such is the hiftory of paper money thus far ; a miferable fubftitute for real coin, in a country where the reins of government are too weak to compel the fulfilment of public engagements, and where all confidence in public faith is totally deftroyed. While the States were thus endeavouring to repair the lofs of fpecie by empty pro- mifes, and to fupport their bufinefs by fhadows, rather than by reality, the Britifh miniilry formed fome commercial regulations that deprived them of the profits of their trade -to the Weft Indies and Great Britain. Heavy duties were laid upon fuch articles as were remitted to the London merchants for their goods, and fuch were the duties upon THE UNITED STATES. 2 6 7 upon American bottoms, that the States were almoft wholly deprrflH of the carrying trade. A prohibition was laid upon the produce of the United States, fhippcd to the Englifh Weft India lilands in American built veffels, and in thole manned by Ame- rican Teamen. Thefe reftriclions fell heavy upon the eaflern States, which depended much upon fhip-building for the fupport of their trade; and they materially injured the bulinefs of the other States. Without a union that was able to form and execute a general fyftem of commercial regulations, fome of the States attempted to impofe restraints upon the Britilh trade that ihould indemnify the merchant for the IcrfTes he had fuffered, or induce the Britifk . miniftry to enter into a commercial treaty, and relax the rigour of their navigation laws. Thefe meafures however produced nothing but mifchief. The States did not acl: in concert, and the -reftraints laid on the trade of one State operated to throw the bufinefs into the hands of its neighbour. Maffachufetts, in her zeal to counteract the effect of the Englifh navigation laws, laid enormous duties upon Britifh goods im- ported into that State ; but the other States did not adopt a limilar meafure ; and the lofs of bufinefs foon obliged that State to repeal or fufpendthe law-. Thus when Penn- fylvania laid heavy duties on Britifh goods, Delaware and New Jerfey made a number of free ports to encourage the landing of goods within the limits of thole States ; and the duties in Pennfylvania ferved no purpofe but to create fmuggling. Thus divided, the States began to feel their weaknefs : moft of the legiflatures had neglected to comply with the requifitions of -Congrefs for furnifhing the federal trea- fury ; the rcfolves of Congreft w-ere disregarded ; the proportion for a general iinpoft to be laid and collected by Congrefs was negatived, firft by Rhode Ifland, and after- wards by New York. The Britifh troops continued, under pretence of a breach of treaty on the part of America, to hold poffeffion of the forts on the frontiers of the States. Many of the States individually were infefted with popular commotions or iniquitous tender laws, while they were opprcfled with public debts ; the certificates or public notes had loft moft of their value, and circulated merely as the obje6ls of fpeculation ; Congrefs loft their refpe&ability, and the United States their credit and importance. In the midft of thcfe calamities, a proportion was made in 1785, in the Houfe o Delegates in Virginia, to appoint Commiffioners to meet luch as might be appointed in the other States, who fhould form a fyftem of commercial regulations for the United States, and recommend it to the feveral legiflatures for adoption. Commiffioners were accordingly appointed, and a requeft was made to the legiflatures of the other States to accede to the proportion. Accordingly, feveral of the States appointed Commil- iioners, who met at Annapolis in the ilimmer of 1786, to conlult what meafures fhould be taken to unite the States in fomc general and efficient commercial fyftem. But as the States were not all reprefented, and the powers of the Commiffioners were, in their opinion, too limited to propofe a fyftem of regulations adequate to the purpoies of government, they agreed to recommend a general convention to be held at Philadelphia the next year, with powers to frame a general plan of government for the United States. This meafure appeared to the Commiffioners abfolutely neceffary. The old confederation was efientiaily defective : it was deftitute of almoft every principle neceffary to give efiecl to legiflation. It was defective in the article of icgiflating over States, inftead of individuals. All hiftory teftifiesthat recommendations will not operate as laws, and compullion cannot be exerciled over States without violence, war, and anarchy. The confederation was alfo deftitute of a fanction to its laws. When refolutions were patted in Congrefs, M m i there 268 THE UNITED STATED, there was no power to compel obedience by fine, by fufpenfion of privileges, or ofher means : it was alfo deflitute of a guarantee for the State governments. Had one State- l>een invaded by its neighbour, the Union was not conititutionaMy bound to affirt in repelling tlie invniion, and lupporting the corrftitution o the invaded State. The con- federation was further denVteiii in the principle of apportion kig the quotas of money to be furnifhed Ivy carh State; m a want of power to form- commercial- laws, and to raiCV troops for the deience and lecurity of the Union ;. in the equal fu-ffrage of the States, which placed Rhode Illand on a fooling in Congrefs with Virginia ; and to crown all the defecls, we may add tlie want of a judiciary power, to define the laws of thc- Union, and to reconcile the contradictory decilions of a number of independent judi- catories. Thele and many inferior defects were obvious to the Commiflioners, and therefore they urged a general convention, with powers to form, and offer to the conlideratiou of the States, a fyftem of general government that fliould be leis exceptionable : ac- cordingly, in May, 1787, delegates from all the States, except Rhode Ifland, arTembled at Philadelphia, and cho-fe General Wafhington for their Prefident. After four months deliberation, in which the clafhing interefts of the feveral States appeared in all their force, the convention agreed to recommend the plan of federal government, which we- have already recited. As foon as the plan of the federal constitution was fubmitted to the legislatures of the feveral States, they proceeded to take meafures for collecting the fenfe of the peo- ple upon the propriety of adopting it. In the finall State of Delaware, a convention was called in November, which, after a few days deliberation, ratified the conftitution without a diftenting voice. In the convention of Pennsylvania, held the fame month, there was a Spirited oppo- lition to the new form of government. The debates were long and interefting. Great abilities and firmnefs were difplaycd on both fides ; but, on the i3.th of December, the conftitution was received by two-thirds of the members. The minority were dif- fatisfied, and, with an- obftinacy that ill became the reprefentatives of a free people, publiihed their reafons of diflent, which were calculated to inflame a party already violent, and which, in fact, produced fome difturbances in the weflern part of the State. In New Jerfey, the convention which, met in December,, were unanimous in adopt- ing the conftitution ; as was likewife that of Georgia. In Connecticut, there was fome oppolition ; but the conftitution was, on the gih of January, 178$, ratified by three-fourths of the votes in convention, and the minority peaceably acquiefced in the decision* In MafTachufetts, the oppofition was large and refpectable. The convention, con- lifting of more than three hundred delegates, were affembled in January, and conti- nued their debates, with great candour and liberality, about five weeks. At length the queftion was carried for the conftitution by a fmall majority ; and the minority, with that manly condefcenfton which becomes great minds, fubmitted to the meafure, and united to fupport the government. In New Hampfhire, the federal caufe was for fome time doubtful. The greateft number of the delegates in convention were, at,firft r on the fide of the oppofition ; and fome, who might have had their objections removed by the difcuffion of the fubjecl, were inftrucled to rejecl the conftitution. Although the inftruclions of con- fiituents cannot, on the true principles of reprefentation, be ^binding upon a deputy, in any legiflative afTembiy, becaufe his conftituents are but a part of the State, and have THE UNITED STATES, 269 have not heard the arguments and objections of the whole ; whereas his ac~t is to afFecl the whole State, and therefore is to be directed by the fenfe or wifdom of the whole, collected in the legislative aflembly ; yet the delegates in the New Hampfhire conven- tion conceived very erroneously, that the fenfe of the freemen in the towns, thofe little difiricls, where no adrt of legifiation can be performed, impofed a reftraint upon their own wills.* An adjournment was therefore moved and carried. This gave the people opportunity to gain a farther knowledge of the merits of the conftitution ; and at the fecond meeting of the convention it was ratified by a refpeclable majority. In Maryland, feveral men of abilities appeared in the oppolition, and were unre- mitted in their endeavours to perfuade the people, that the propofed plan of govern- ment was artfully calculated to deprive them of their deareft rights ;. yet in convention it appeared, that five-Sixths of the voices were in favour of it. In South Carolina, the oppofition was reipeclable ; but two-thirds of the convention appeared to advocate and vote for the conftitution. In Virginia, many of the principal characters oppofed the ratification of the confti- tution with great abilities and induftry ; but, after a full difcuflion of the fubjecl, a fniall majority, of a numerous convention, appeared for its adoption. In New York, two-thirds of the delegates in convention were, at their firft meeting y determined to reject the conftitution. Here, therefore, the debates were the moft in- terefting, and the event extremely doubtful. The argument was managed with un- common addrefs and abilities on both fides of the queftion. But during the feflion, the ninth and tenth States had acceded to the propofed plan, fo tliat by the conftitu- tion, Congrefs were empowered to iflue an ordinance for organizing the new govern- ment. This event placed the oppofition on new ground ; and the expediency of uniting with the other States the generous motives of conciliating all differences, and the danger of a rejection, influenced a refpectable nurn&er, who were originally oppofed to the conftitution, to join the federal intereft. The conftitution was accord- ingly ratified by a fmall majority ; but the ratification was accompanied here, as in Virginia, with a bill of rights, declaratory of the fenfe of the convention as to certain' great principles, and with a catalogue of amendments, which were to be recommended to the conftderation of the new Congrefs, and the feveral State Legiflatures. North Carolina met in convention in July, to deliberate on the new conftitution. After a fhort feflion, they rejected it by a majority of one hundred and feventy-fix. againft feventy-fix. In November, 1789, however, this State again, met in conven- tion, and ratified the conftitution by a large majority. Rhode Ifland was doomed to be tire fport of a blind- and Singular policy. The" legislature, in confiftency with the meafures which- had been before purfued, did not call a convention to collect the fenfe of the State upon the propofed eonftitution ; but m an unconstitutional and abfurd manner, fubmitted the plan of government to the consideration of the people. Accordingly, it was brought before town-meetings, and in moft of them rejected. In fome of the large towns, particularly in Newport and Providence, the people collected and refolved with- great propriety, that they could Hot take up the fubject ; and that the proportion for embracing or rejecting the federal ronftitution could come before no tribunal but that of the State in convention or legislature. On the 24th of May, 179:0, a convention of this State met at Newport,, and on the 29th, adopted the conftitution by a majority of tivo only. * This pernicious opinion has prevailed in all the States, and done infinite mifchief.- 170 THE UNITED STATES. Vermont, in convention at Bcnnington, January loth, 1791} ratified the confuta- tion ot" the United States by a great majority.* From the moment the proceedings of the general convention at Philadelphia tran- fpired, the public mind was exceedingly agitated, and fufpcnded between hope and tear, until nine States had ratified their plan of a federal government. Indeed the anxiety continued until Virginia and New York had acceded to the fyilem. But this did not prevent the demonflrations of their joy on the acceilion of each State. On the ratification in MafTachufetts, the citizens of Bollon, in the elevation of their joy, formed a proceflion in honour of the happy event, which was novel,, fplendid, and magnificent. This example was afterwards followed, and in fome inilances im- proved .upon, in Baltimore, Chaiicfton, Philadelphia, Newhaven, Portfmouth, and New York, fucccrliveiy. Nothing could ec^ual the beauty and grandeur of thefe exhi- bitions. A mip was mounted upon wheels., and drawn through theftreets ; mechanics creeled flages, and exhibited fpecimens of .labour in their feveral occupations as they moved along the road ; flags with emblems, defcriptive of all the arts and of the federal union, were invented and displayed in honour of the ^government ; multitudes of aH ranks in life aifcmbled to view the fplendid fcenes ; while fobriety, joy, and harmony, marked the brilliant exhibitions, by which the Americans .celebrated the cftablifhment of their Empire. On the 3d of March, 1789, the delegates from the eleven States, which at that time had ratified the conilitution, afiembled at New York, where a convenient and elegant building had been prepared for their accommodation. On opening and counting the votes for prefidcnt, it was found that " trace in his features the moft unequivocal marks of probity and candour. He unites to that gravity, which is fuitable to the dignity of his ftation, an affability which prejudices you in his favour. Although ot a fiient turn, as is common to mtn \vvo engage in important affairs, yet he has a natural eloquence for the difcuffion of important lubjects, and for the recommending and enforcing the meafures and fy Items which are dictated by found policy. He has neither the corrupted nor corrupting principles of Lord Chefterfield, but the plain and virtuous demeanour of Sir William Temple. Like him alfo he is fimple in negotiation, where he nnda candour in thole who treat with him ; otherwife he has the feverify of a true republican, his high idea of virtue giving him a rigidnefs which makes it difficult for him to accommodate himfeif to thofc intrigues which European politics have introduced into negociation." mariner GRAND DIVISIONS OF THL UNITED STATES. manner in which he bowed to kifs the facred volume thefe circumftances, together with that of his being chofen to the mod dignified office in America, and perhaps in the world, by the unanimous voice of more than tfiree millions of enlightened freemen, all ronfpired to place this among the mofl auguft and interesting fcencs which have ever been exhibited on this globe.* Hitherto the deliberations of the legislature of the Union liave been marked with wifdorn, and the meafures they have adopted have been productive of great national profpcrity. The wile appointments to office, which, in general, have been made . the cftablifhment of a revenue and judiciary fydem, and of a national bank the af- iumptioii of the debts of the individual States, and the encouragement that has been ^.ivcn to manufactures, commerce, literature, and to uleful inventions, open the faireii prolpecl of the peace, union, and incrcafing relpeclability of the American States. GRAND DIVISIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC, of whicfj we have given a general account, confifts of' three grand tijpwftons, denominate/Lithe Northern, or more properly Eaftern, Middle., .and Southern States. ,\ * The firfi ftivJgjion, ^the Normern or Eaftern States) comprehends VERMONT, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW RAMPS-KIR^-' RHODE DISTRICT of MA'INE, (belonging -CONNECTICUT. " to Maffacfiufetts) Thcfe are called the New Englandfttates, and comprehend that jpjtf of America, which, fince the year 1614, has t^*Fkno\vnJby tne name of"N<6%3fo Tiie^o^-divili^fti^the Middle States) comprehends NEW^Y'ORK, DELAWARE, T NEW^JERSEY, 'TERRITOTIY^ N. W. of OHIO. ;-The tbird divilion (the Southern States) comprehends MARYLAND, TERRITORY S. of OHIO, ViRGi|B^ SOUTH CAROLINA., KENTUCKY, this dileafe permitted to be communicated generally by inoculation, in auv of the United States, except New York, New Jerfey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and South Carolina. In populous towns, the prevalent difcafes are more numerous and complicated, owino- to want of frefh air and exercifc, and to luxurious and fafhionablc living. A fate writer * has obferved that " in other countries, men are divided according to their wealth or indigence, into three claries ; the opulent, the middling, and the poor; the idlenefs, luxuries, and debaucheries of the fiiTr, and the milery and too frequent intemperance of the laft, deftroy the greater proportion of thefe Hvo. The inter- mediate clafs is below thofe indulgencies which prove fatal to the rich, and above thole fufferings to which the unfortunate poor fall victims : this is therefore the hap- piefl division of the three. Of the rich and poor, the American Republic furni flies a much fmallcr proportion than any other difirict of the known world. In Connec- ticut particularly, the distribution of wealth and its concomitants is more equal than chewhere, and therefore, as far as exccfs or want of wealth may prove deitruclive or falutary to life, the inhabitants of this State may plead exemption from difeafes. 1 ' What this writer fays of Connecticut in particular, will, with very few exceptions, apply to New England at large. FACE OF THE COUNTRY, MOUNTAINS, &c.] New England is a high, hilly, and in forne parts a mountainous countiy, formed by nature to be inhabited by a hardy race of free, independent republicans. The mountains are comparatively fmall, running nearly north and fouth in ridges parallel to each other. Between thefe ridges flow the great rivers in majeftic meanders, receiving the innumerable rivulets and larger irreams which proceed from the mountains on each fide. To a fpeclator on the top of a neighbouring mountain, the vales between the ridges, while in a Itate of nature, ex- hibit a romantic appearance. They fcern an ocean of woods, iwelled and dcprefledin its furface like that of the great ocean ilfelf. A richer, though lets romantic view is prcfented, when the valleys, by induitrious hufbandrnen, have been cleared of their natural growth; and the fruit of their labour appears in loaded orchards, extenfive meadows, covered with large herds of Iheep and neat cattle, and rich fields of flax, corn, antfthe various kind of grain. Thefe valleys are of various breadths, from two to twenty miles ; and by the annual inundations of the rivers and fmall llreams which flow through them, there is fre- quently an accumulation of rich, fat foil, left upon their furface when the waters r.-tire. There arc three principal ranges of mountains, parting nearly from fouth-weft to north-eafl, through New England. Thefe conn* ft of a multitude of parallel ridges, each having many fpurs, deviating from the courfe of the general range ; which fpurs are again broken into irregular, hilly land. The main ridges commence in high bluff * Dr. Foulke, in a dUcowfe which he lately read before the American Philofophical Society. heads N E W ENGLAND. 2?5 heads near the Tea coait ; arid fomctimcs by a gradual afcent in the interior part of tho country. One of the main ranges runs 'between Connecticut and Hudfon's rivers. This range branches, and bounds the vales through which flows the Houfatonick river. In Lyme, on the call fide of the mouth of Connecticut river, another range of mountains commences, forming the eaficrn boundary of Connecticut vale. This range runs northerly, at the diltancc, generally, of about ten or twelve miles caft from the river, and paries through Mattachufeits, from where the range takes the name of Chicabec Mountains; thence crofting into New Hampshire, at the diiiance of about twenty miles from the Maflachufetts line, it runs up into a very high peak, called Monadnock, which terminates this ridge of the range. A weftern ridge continues, and in about latitude 43 20', runs up into Sunapee mountains. About 50 miles further, in the fame ridge, is Moofe-belock mountain. A third range begins near Stonington in Connecticut. It takes its courfe north- eafterly, and is Ibmttimcs broken and difcontinued ; it then riles again, and ranges in the fame direction into New Hampfhire. Thefe ranges of mountains are full of fprings of water, that give rife to numbcrlefs dreams of various fixes, which, interlocking each other in every direction, and falling over the rocks in romantic cafcadcs, flow meandering into the rivers below. No countrr on the globe is better watered than New England. On the lea coaft the land is low, and in many parts level and fandy. In the valleys, between the fore-mentioned ranges of mountains, the land is generally broken, and in many places rocky, but of a firoug rich foil, capable of being cultivated to good advantage, which alfo is the cafe with many fpots even on the tops of the mountains. RIVERS.] The principal rivers in New England arc Penobfcot, Kennebeck, An- drofcoign or Amerifcoggin, Saco, (pronounced Stmro) Merrimack, Connecticut, Hou- fatonick, and Onion rivers, bcfidcs many fmaller ones. FLOWERING SHRUBS AND PLANTS.] Dr. Cutler has furnilried the following cata- logue of flowering fhrubs and plants in New England, which, from the attention he has paid to natural hiltory, we have reafon to rely upon as accurate. Blue Flag (Iris virgmica) Globe Flower (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Pigeonbcrry (Ciifus licyoides) Cornel (Cornus Cnnadenlis) American Honcyfuckle (Azalea vilcofa) American Tea (Ceanothus Amcricanus) Cherry Honeyfucklc (Loniccra diervilla) Great Convolvulus (Convolvulus arvenfis) Stag's horn Sumach (Rhus typhinum) Mcaltrce (Viburnum lantana) White flowered Elder (Sambucus nigra) Red berried Elder (Sambucus Canadeniis.) Meadow Blue-bells (Gcntiana ciliata) Lilies, feveral fpccies (Lilium) Bethlcm Star (Ornithogulum luteum) American Senna (Rhodora Canadenfis) Great Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Dwarf Laurel (Kalmia anguftifolia) White Pepper Bufla (Andromeda arborea) Bog Evergreen (Andromeda calyculata) Sweet Pepper Bufh (Clethra alnifolia) Mountain Laurel, or Sjorbus- trec (Sorbus aucupora ?) Meadow Sweet (Spiraea falici folia) Queen of the Mcailows (Spiraea tormentofa) ^Service Tree (Mcfpilus Canadeniis) Wild Role (Rolli Carolina) Superb Rafpberry (Rubus odoratus) BanebetTy (Actea ipicata) Side-faddle Flower (Sarracena purpurea) Red Columbine (Aquilcgia Canadenfis) .Anemone, feveral fpccies (Anemone hepatiea, fylveftris et nemorofa) Traveller's Joy (Clematis Virginica) Dragon's Head (DracoccphalumVirguiicum) Snap Dragon ( Antirrhinum Canadeniis) American Cardamine (Cardaminc Virginica) Lupin (Lupinus angufti- folia) Loculr (Robinia ])feud-acacia) Beach Pea (Pifum maritimum) Pied Pea {Pifum ochrns) Wood Pea (Orobus fylvaticus) V;iriegated Pea (Lathyrus hctcro- us) Meadow Sunflower ( Ageratum ciliarc) American Anwrariihu? (Gnaphaliun\ N n 2 heliafi a7 6 NEW ENGLAND. helian themifolium) New England After (After Nova Angllcum) Smooth-leaved Golden-rod (Solidago altiflima) New England Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) American Pride (Lobelia cardinalis) Ladies Plume (Orchis pycodes) Ladies Slipper (Cypripedium calccolus) Blue-eye (Sifyrinchium Bermudiauna) Swamp Willow, or Dog-wood (Salix cincrea ?) Red-flowered Maple (Aceriibmm). PRODUCTIONS PROM CULTURE.] New England, generally fpeaking, is better adapted for grazing than for grain, though a fufficient quantity of the latter is raifed for home eonfumption, if we except wheat, which is imported in confidcrable quantities from the middle and fouthern States. Indian corn, rye, oats, barley, buck wheat, flax and hemp, generally fucceed very well. Wheat is cultivated to advantage in many parts of the interior country, but on the fea coaft it is fubjecl to blaft. This has been at- tributed to various caufes, but the true one probably is, the fudden, cold, eafterly winds, after a hot day, which caufe a ftagnation and extravafation of the juices of the fral!:. Apples are common, and in general plenty in New England, and cyder confli- tutes the principal drink of the inhabitants. Peaches do not thrive as well as formerly, The other common fruits are more or lefs cultivated in different parts. New England is a fine grazing country; the valleys, between the hills, are generally interfected with brooks of water, the banks of which arc lined with a tracl of rich meadow or intervale land. The high and rocky ground is, in many parts, covered with clover, and generally affords the fmeit of pafture. It will not be a matter of wonder, therefore, that New England boafts of railing fome of the fineft cattle in the world ; nor will fhe be envied, when the labour of railing them is taken into view. Two months of the hottcft feafon in the year, the farmers are employed in procuring food for their cattle, and the cold winter is ipcnt in dealing it out to them. The plea- fare and profit of doing this is, however, a fatisfying compenfation to the honeft and induftrious farmer. Butter and cheeie are made for exportation. Coniidcrable at- tention has lately been paid to the railing of Iheep. POPULATION, CHARACTER, AND DIVERSION'S.] New England is the molt populous part of the^ United States. It contains, according to the cenfus of 1790, 1,009,522 ibuK The great body of thefe are landholders and cultivators of the foil. As they polfefs, in fee limple, the farms which they cultivate, they are naturally all attached to their country ; the cultivation of the foil makes them robuit and healthy, and enables them to defend it. New England may with propriety be called a nurfery of men, whence are annually tranfplanted, info 'other parts of the United States, thoulands of its natives. Vail' tunnbfr* of them,' iincc the war, have emigrated into the northern parts of New York, into Kentucky, and the Weft cm Territory, and into Georgia ; and fome are Scattered into every State, and every town of note in the Union. The inhabitants of New England are almoil univerlally of Englifh defcent ; and it is owing to this circnmflance, .and to the great and general attention that has been paid to education, that the Englilh language has been prefcrved among them fo free of corruption. The New Engenders are generally tall, flout, and well built. Their education, and fituation, ferve to infpire them .with high notions of liberty. Their jealoufy is awakened at the firtl motion towards an invasion of their rights. They are indcec} en. jealous to excels ; a cireimittance which j^ a fruitful fource of imaginary uriev- anees, and of groundless fufpicions and complaints againft government!" But^'thcfe ebullitions 61 .;fy, though ccnfurable, and productive of fome political evils, IhcX the effefcce of true liberty exiiis in -New England ; for jealouly "is a. guardian of liberty, .N E W E N G L A N D- 2?7 liberty, and a chara&eriftic of free republicans. A chief foundation of liberty and equa- lity in the New England States is a law bywhich inteftate eftates defcend to all the children, or other heirs, in equal proportions, except to the eldeft fon, who has two fhares. In 1789 Maffachufetts abolifhed this exception. In confcquence of thefe laws, the people of New England enjoy an equality of condition unknown in any other part of the world : and it is in this way that the people have preicrved that happy medio- crity among themfelves, which, by inducing economy and indufhy, removes from them temptations to luxury, and forms them to habits of fobriety and temperance. At the fame time, their induftry and frugality exempt them from want, and from the neceffity of fubmitting to any encroachments on their liberties. In New England, learning is more generally diffufed among all ranks of people than in any other part of the globe ; ariling from the excellent eitablifhment of fchools in almoft every townfhip. In thefe fchools, which are generally fupported by a public tax, and under the direc- tion of a fchool committee, are taught the elements of reading, writing, and arithme- tic, and in the more wealthy towns, they are beginning to introduce the higher branches of grammar, geography, &c. A very valuable Iburce of information to the people is the newfpapers, of which not lefs than thirty thoufand are printed every week in New England, and circulate in al- moft every town and village in the country.* A perfon of mature age, who cannot both read and write, is rarely to be found. By means of this general cftabliihment of fchools, the extenfive circulation of Newfpapers, and the confequent fpread of learning, every townfhip throughout the country is fur- nifhed with men capable of conducting the affairs of their town with judgement and dif- cretion. Thefe men are the channels of political information to the lower clafs of peo- ple ; if nich a clafs may be laid to exift in New England, where every man thinks him- felfat leaf! as good as his neighbour, and believes that all mankind are, or ought to be, equal. The people, from their childhood, form habits of canvaffing public affairs, and commence politicians. This naturally leads them to be very inquiiitive. It is with knowledge as with riches, the more a man has, the more he wifhes to obtain ; his de- fire has no bound. This deiire after knowledge, in a greater or lefs degree, prevails throughout all claffes of people in New England ; and from their various modes of exprdfing it, fome of which are blunt and familiar, bordering on impertinence, ftran- jrcrs have been induced to mention impertinent inquifitivenefs as a diftinguifhing characlc- riltic of New England people. But this is true only with regard to that clafs of "people "who have confined themfelves to domcltic life, and have not had opportunity of min- gling with the world ; and fuch people are not peculiar to New England; they corn- pole a great part of the citizens of every ftate and country. Before the late war, which introduced into New England a flood of corruptions, with many -improvements, the fabbuth was obferved with great ftrictneis ; no unneceffary travclling, no fecular bufinefs, no viiiting, no clivcrlions were permitted on that la - crcd day. They confiderecl it as conic-crated to divine worihip, and were generally punctual and lerious in their attendance upon it. Their laws were-ftriet in guarding the fabbi'.ih againft every innovation. The fisppofed feverity 'with which thefe lavvs were compofed and executed, together with fome other traits in their religious eharac- * According to an accurate eflimate lately made, it appears that no lefs than 77.000, newfpapcrs rrre printed weekly, in the American States, which, in a year, would amount to upwards of four million?, and at 4 ccr.is each would make 160,000 dollars. s tcr, r. 7 8 N E \V ENGLAND. tor, have acquired for Ihe New Englanders, the name of a lupcrflitious, blggottcd poo- pic. But lii perdition and bigotry arc lo indefinite in their fignifications, and ib vari- oufly applied by pcrfons of different principles and educations, that it is not cafy to determine whether they ever defervcd that diaraetcT. leaving every perfon to enjoy his own opinion in regard to this matter, \ve \vill only obiervc, that, fin ce the war, a catholic tolerant fpirit, occafioncd by a more enlarged intercourle with mankind, has greatly increafcd, and is becoming univerfal ; and if they do not l)reak the proper hound, and Liberalize awav all true religion, of which there is very great danger, they will counteract that itrong propcnfity in human nature, which leads men to vibrate from one extreme to its oppofitc. There is one diliitiguifhing characteristic in the religious character of this people, which we mult not omit to mention ; and that is, the cultom of annually celebrating Fail* and Thankigivings. In the fpring, the governors of the feveral New England States, except Rhode lilaiul, ift'uc their proclamations, appointing a day to be religioufh olv- lerved in falling, humiliation, and prayer throughout their rcfpeciivc States, in which the predominating vices, that particularly call for humiliation, are enumerated. la autumn, alter harveft, that gladfome era in the hufbandman's life, the governors again iiiiie their proclamations, appointing a day of public thankfgiving, enumerating the public blefhngs received in the conrfe of the foregoing year. This pious cuftom originated with their venerable anceitors, the firft fettlers of New England ; and has been handed down as tacred, through the fuccellive generations of their pofterity. A cuftomfo rational, and ib happily calculated to cherifh in the minds of the people a fente of their dependence on the GRKAT BENEFACTOR of the world for iill tli^ir bleiHngs, it is hoped will ever he facredly preferved. The people of New England generally obtain their eltatcs by hard and perfevering labour : they of confequcnee know their value, and fpend with frugality. Yet in no country do the indigent and unfortunate fare better. Their laws oblige every town to provide a competent maintenance for their poor, and the neceilitous ilranger is pro- tected, and relieved by their humane institutions. It may in truth be faid, that in no part of the world are the people happier, better furnifhed with the neccfTaries and con- veniencies of life, or more independent, than the farmers in New England. As the great body of the people are hardy, independent freeholders, their manners are, as they ought to be, congenial to their employment, plain, fimple, and unpolifhcd. Strangers are received and entertained among them with a great deal of artlefs iincerity, and friendly, un formal hofpitality. Their children, thole imitative creatures, to whole education particular attention is paid, early imbibe the manners and habits of thole around them ; and the ft ranger, with plcafure, notices the honcil and decent reipedt that is paid him by the children as he paries through the country, As the people, by reprefentation, make their own laws and appoint their own offi- cers, they cannot be oppreflcd ; and living under governments which have few lucra- tive places, they have few motives to bribery, corrupt canvallings, or intrigue. Real abilities and a moral character unblemifhcd are the qualifications requiliu- in the view tit molt people, for officers of public truit. The expreffion of a wifh to be promoted, is, in fome parts of New England, the direct way to be difappointecl. The inhabitants, in fome parts of New England, arc generally fond of the arts and f lenc.es, and have cultivated them with great fuccefs. Their colleges have fhmrilhcd. The ill Lift rious characters they have produced, who have diftinguiilied thcinielvcs in politics, law, divinity, the mathematics, and philolbphy, natural and civil hiiiory, and in the fine arts, particularly poetry, evince the truth' of thefe obicrvations. Many NEW ENGLAND. Many of the women in New England arc Imnclibmc. They generally have fair, frcfh, and healthful countenances, mingled with much female fottncfs and delicacv. Thcfe who have had the advantages of a good education (and they are numerous) are genteel. eafy, and agreeable in their manners, and are fprightly and fenlible in converfatioii. They are er.rlv taught to manage domeltic concerns with neatncfs and economy. l,a- dies of the hill rank and fortune make it a part of their daily bulmefs to luperintenJ the affairs of the family. Employment at the needle, in cookery, and at the ipinnin^ \\heel, \vitli them is honourable. Idlcnels, even in thole of independent fortunes, is itniverfallv difrepntable. The women ifi country towns, manufacture the greater! part of the cloathing of their families. Their linen and woollen cloths are ftrong and decent. Their butter and cheefe is not inferior to any in the world. Dancing is the principal and favourite amulement in New England ; and of this the young people of both fexe> are extremely fond. Gaming is prac tiled by none but thofe \vho cannot, or rather will not, find a reputable employment. The gamelter, the horfe jockey, and the knave, are equally defpiied, and their company is avoided by all who would fultain fair and irreproachable characters. The athletic and healthy divcrlions of cricket, football, quoits, wrcftling, jumping, hopping, footraces, and prifon bats, are imiveriallyprac'tilcd in the country, andlbme of them in the moll populous places, and by people of almoll all ranks. HISTORY.] New England owes its fir ft fettlemcnt to religious perfecution. Soon after the commencement of the reformation * in England, which was not until the year i ^34, the Proteftants were divided into two .parties, one the followers of Luther, and the other of Calvin. The former hud choien gradually, and almoil imperceptibly, to recede from the church of Rome ; while the latter, more zealous, and convinced of the importance of a thorough reformation, and at the lame time porTeffing much firm- nefs and high notions of religions liberty, was for effecting a thorough change at once. Their confequmt endeavours to expunge from the church all the inventions which had been brought into it lince thcriayt of the Apoftles, and to introduce the " Scripture pu- rity," derived for them the name of PURITANS. From thcfe the inhabitants of New England defcended. The firfl company that came to New England planted themfelves at Plymouth, They were a part of the Rev. Mr. Robinfon'sfeongregation, which for 12 years before had lived in Holland, for the lake of enjoying liberty of confcience. They came over in the year 1620. * The reformation was begun by Martin Luther, a native of Saxony, born in the year 14^3- He was catecl \n the Roman Catholic religion, and was an Auguftin Friar, when, in 15 17, having wriiten ninety-five Theics againit the Pope's indulgencies, he exhibited them to public view on the church door at Wirtenburg* in Saxony, and thus began the reformation in Germany. In 1528, the reformed religion was introduced into Switzerland by Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, and others. The year following, the Diet of the German Empire afiembled at Spire, and hTued-a decree agaJnft the re- formation. Againft this decree, the Elector of Saxony, George, Marquis of Brandenburg, Erneft, and Fran- cis, Duke of Lunenburg, the Landgrave of Hefs, and the Count of Anhalt, who were joined by feveral of the cities, publicly read their Protefl, and in this way, acquired for themfelves and their lucceirors down to the prefent time, the name of Proteftants. &/<:'/, another celebrated reformer, was born at Xoyon, in France, in the year 1509. He improved upon Luther's plan expunged many of theRomifh ceremonies which he had indulged entertained different ideas concerning fome of the great doctrines of Chriih'anity, and fet the Proteftants at a greater remove from the Roman C:V.holic religion. The follower* of Luther have been diftinguifhed by the name of Lutheran* ; and the followers of Calvin by the name of Calvinijts. Such wasthe rapid growth of the Proteftant intereft, that in 1 563, only 46 ycafs^after the commencement of Ae reformation by Luther, there were in France 2 1 50 afiemblies of Prottliants. ,*8o N B V/ ENGLAND. It was their intention t > have ieUied at the mouth of Hudtbn's river ; but the Dutch, intending to pi art t a colony there of their own, privately hired the mailer of the fhi;> are to many proofs of the peaceful and benevolent difpofition of Ihe Plymouth fcUiers ; forbad they been otlierwife di1pok;d, they never could have intro- duced and maintained a friendly inlcreourfe with the natives. On the loth of September this year, the king granted to Sir William Alexander a patent of all the tract of country bounded by a line drawn from Cape Sables to the Bay of St. Mary ; thence to the river St. Croix ; thence north to Canada river ; down the? river to Gachepe ; thcrxc fonth-eaft to Cape Breton ifland and Cape Breton ; thence round to Cape Sables ; with all feas and iflands within lix leagues of the wettern and caftcrn parts^ and within forty leagues fouthward of Cape Breton and Cape Sables ; to be called Nova Scotia. The firft duel in New England was fought with fword and dagger between two fer- vants : neither of them was killed, but both were wounded. For this difgracefnl of- fence, they were formally tried before the whole company, and fentenced to have * their heads and feet tied together, and fo to be twenty-four hours without meat or drink/ This year, 1622, died Sqaanto, the friend of the Englifh, who merits to have his name perpetuated in hiftory. Squarito was one of the twenty Indians whom Hunt pcrfidioufly carried to Spain;* whence he came to London, and afterwards to his native country with the Plymouth colony. Forgetting the perfidy of thole who made Jiim a captive, he became a warm friend to the Englilh, and continued fo to the day of his death. A few days before he died, he delired the Governor to pray that he might go to the Englifhman's God in heaven. In March, 1624, Mr. Winflow, agent for the colony, arrived, and, together with a good fupply of cloathing. brought a bull and three beifers, which were the firft cattle of the kind in this part of America. From thefe, and others that were afterwards brought over from England, fprangthe prefent multitude of cattle in the northern States. NOHC ot the domeltie animals were found in America by the firft European iettlers. At the cloie of this year, 162,4, the plantation at New Plymouth coniiiled of 180 perfons, who lived in thirty-two dwelling houfes. Their Itock was a few cattle and goats, and a plenty of twine and poultry. Their town was impaled about half a mile in compafs. On a high mount in the town they had creeled a fort of wood, lime, and .ftone, and a handfome watch tower. The year i 625 is diftinguiihed by the death of the Rev. Mr. Robinfon : he died at Leyden, in March, in the 5oth year of his age. He was truly a great and good man, and lived in great love and harmony with his people : he was held in high eltimatioii by all his acquaintance, for his learning, piety, moderation, and excellent accom- plifhments. His death was lamented as a public lofs, and felt by none more than by his beloved and far diftant people at Plymouth. H^s fon Ifaaccame over to Plymouth, where he lived to the age of 90 years. His descendants ftill live in Barnftable county, in MafFachufetts. After the death of Mr. Robinfon, the remaining part of his 'congregation were ex- tremely defirous of coming over to their friends at Plymouth, and meaiures were taken for the purpofe ; yet it -was not until the year 1629 that they effected their defign. * See page 92. From NEW ENGLAND. 2 g, From this time New England began to flourifli. Sir Henry Rofwell and others had received a patent of Maifachufetts irora the council of New England. Settlements were fucceisfully cntcrprized at Salem, Charlciton, Bofton, Dorcheftcr, and other places, fo that in forty years from this time, 1629, 120 towns were fettled, and forty churches were gathered. The Laudian perfecution was conducted with unrelenting feverity ; and while it caufed the deftru&ion of thoufands in England, proved to be a principle of life and vigour to the infant fettlements in America. Several men of eminence in England, who were the friends and prelectors of the Puritans, entertained a defign of fettling in New England, if they fhould fail in the meaiures they were purfuing for the cftablifhment of the liberty, and the reformation of the religion of their own country. They folicited and obtained grants in New England, and were at great pains in fettling them. Among thefe patentees were the Lords Brook, Say and Seal, the Pelhams, the Hampdens, and the Pyms ; names which afterwards appeared with great eclat. Sir Matthew Boynion, Sir William Conftable, Sir Arthur Haflerig, and Oliver Cromwell, were actually upon the point of embarking for New England, when Archbiihop Laud, unwilling that fo many objects of his hatred fhould be removed out of the reach of his power, applied for, and obtained, an order from the court to put a Hop to thefe tranfportations. However, he was not able to prevail fo far as to hinder New England from receiving vaft additions, as well of the clergy, who were filenced and deprived of their living for non-conformity, as of the luity who adhered to their opinions. The colony of Plymouth remained without a charter, until they were incorporated with Maffachufetts in 1691 or 1692. Notwithstanding this, it was an government^ fo3o, and coniidered as fuch by King Charles in his letters and orders, which were fent them at various times previous to their incorporation with Mailachufetts. It was in the fpring of 1630, that the GREAT CONSPIRACY was entered into by the Indians in all parts, from the Narraganfets round to the eaftward, to extirpate the Englifh. The colony at Plymouth was the principal object of this confpirary : they well knew that if they could effect the deilruction of Plymouth, the infant fcttlement at Maffachufetts would fall an eafy faerifice. They laid their plan with much art. Under colour of having fome diverlion at Plymouth, they intended to have fallen upon the inhabitants, and thus to have effected their defign. But their plot was difclofed to the people at Charlcfton, by John Sagamore, an Indian, who had always been a great friend to the Englifh. This treacherous defign of the Indians alarmed the Englifh, and induced them to erect forts and maintain guards, to prevent any fuch fatal furprize in future. Thefe preparations, and the firing of the great guns^ fo terri- fied the Indians, that they difpcrfed, relinquilhed their defign, and declared tliemfelves the friends of the Englifh. Such was the vaft increafe of inhabitants in New England by natural population, and particularly by emigrations from Great Britain, that in a few years, betides the fettlcments in Plymouth and MafYachufetts, very flourifhing colonies were planted iri Rhode Ifland, Connecticut, New Haven and New Hampihire. The dangers to which thefe colonies were expofed from the unrounding Indians, a.3 'well as from the Dutch, who, although very friendly to the infant colony at Plymouth, were now likely to prove troublcfome neighbours, firfr induced them to think of an alliance and con- federacy for their mutual defence. Accordingly in 1643, the four colonies of Ply- youth, MafTachufetts, Connecticut, and New Haven, agreed upon articles of confederation, whereby a congrels was formed, conlifting of two commiflioners trom each colony, who \vcre chofcn annually, and when met, were coniidered as the repre- O o 2 &fttativcs NEW ENGLAND: tentative! of " The United Colonies of New England." The powers delegated to the oommifiioners were much the lame as thofe vefted in Controls by the articles of confe- deration, agreed upon by the United Stales in -1778. The colony of Rhode Ifland would gladly have joined in this confederacy, but Maflachuietts. for particular reafons, rcfufcd to admit their commiflioners. This union fubfifted, with fomc few alterations, until the year 1686, when all the charters, except that of Connecticut, were, in effect, vacated by a commifiion from James II. The reader will obtain the heft knowledge of the hiftory of New England, by con- fulting Hutchinlbn's Hiftory of MaHachutetts Hazard's Hiftorical Collections, 4to. 2, vofa. the zd vol. not yet publifhcd, but ready for the prefs Belknap's Hiftory of Iscxv Hampfhire Tlie firft letter in Dr. Gordon's Hiftory of the American Revolution Governor Winthrop's Journal Chalmer's Political Annals and Gookins' Hifto- rical Collections of the Indians in New England, publiihed in Bofton by the Hiftorical .Society, in the American Apollo, 1792. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 1501 , U2o 44' and 450 N. Lat. Breadth 70 I 1 1 35' and 3 30' E. Long, from Phil. * -iTJOUNDED north, by Lower Canada; call, by Connecticut River, JJD which divides it from New Hamplhire ; fouth, by Maflachufetts ; weft, by New York. DIVISIONS.] Vermont is naturally divided by the Green Mountain, which runs from fouth to north, and divides the State nearly in the middle. Its civil divitions are as follows : Counties, Towns, Counties, Toivns. I f BENNINGTON, BENNINGTON, s i RUTLAND, RUTLAND, j ADDISON, ADDISON, ., i ^ii-'i/As\-'j.>, JL^ u u * o*+jn f I ^CHITTENDON, COLCHESTER, ["ORANGE, NEWBURY, s J WINDSOR, WINDSOR, * 1 ^ r fNEWFANE, *S WlNDHAM, 1 r, PUTNEY. Thefe counties are divided into upwards of 2,00 townfhips, which are generally ii* miles fquarc. In every townfhip is a referve of two rights of land, of 350 acres each, one to be appropriated for the fupport of public fchools ; the other to be given in fee to the firfl minifter who fettles in the townfhip. A part of the townfhips were granted by the governor of New Hamplhire, and the other part by that of Vermont. In thole townfhips granted by the former, a right of land is referved for the fupport of the gofpel in foreign parts ; in thofe granted by the latter, a college right, and a right for the fupport of county grammar fchools, arc referved. In thefc reservations, liberal provi- f on is made for the fupport of the gofpel, and for the promotion of common and col- legiate education. RIVERS.] The principal rivers in this State are, Michifcoui, Lamoille, Onion, an4 Otter Creek rivers, which run from eaft to weft into Lake Champlain ; Weft, Sexton's, Black, Water que.ch.ee, White, Ornpompanoofuck, Weld's, Wait's, Paffumficky and fevcral VERMONT. 285 feveral fmaller rivers, which run from weft to ca.fi, into Connecticut river. Orer the river Lamoille is a natural ftone bridge feven or eight rods in length. Otter Creek i* navigable for boats 50 miles : its banks are excellent land, being annually overflowed and enriched. White river takes its name from the peculiar whitenefs of its water, can fed by the clear white {tones and gravel which conilitute the bed of this river quite to its fource. This peculiarity deceives people in regard to its depth. It rifes in the center of the State, flows through a rich tract of country free from fwarrrps, and empties into the Connecticut four miles below Dartmouth College, and is from 100 to 150 yards wide, fome diflance from its mouth. Ompompanoofuck is a fhort, furious river, not more than 40 or 50 yards wide, emptying into the Conne6ticut at Norwich. Weld's is alfo a fhort and rapid river, 40 yards acrofs. Paffumiick is 100 yards wide, and noted for the quantity and quality of the falmon it produces. On this river, which is fettled 2,0 miles up, are fome of the beft townfhips in the State. LAKES AND SPRINGS.] Memphremagog is the largeft lake in this State. It is the refervoir of three confiderable ftreams, Black, Barton, and Clyde rivers. One of theie rifes in Willoughby Lake, and forms a communication between that and lake St. / Peter's, in the river St. Lawrence. IfTuing from Willoughby's Lake, it empties into Memphremagog, and thence, by the name of St. Francis, empties into the St. Peter. This river is not all the way navigable ; otherwife it would afford a communication of very great importance to the northern part of this State, as the fettlers might tranfport their produce with great cafe to Montreal or Quebec. Willoughby's Lake furnifhes- flm reiembling bafs, of an excellent flavour, weighing from 10 to 30 pounds. They form a mo ft delicious feafl for the new iettlers : people travel 20 miles to this lake to procure a winter's flock of this fifh. Lake Bombazon, in the county of Rutland, gives rife to a branch of Poultney River, on which iron works have been creeled in the townfhip of Fair Haven. In fome low lands, over againft the great Ox Bow, a remarkable fpring was dif- covered, about 20 years fince, which dries up once in two or three years,, and burfts out in another place. It has a ftrong fmell of fulphur, and throws up continually a peculiar kind of white fand. A thick yellow fcum riles upon the water when fettled. Ponds, and other collections of water in this State, are remarkably clear and tranfpa- rent, and afford abundance of trout and perch. MOUNTAINS. 3 The principal mountain in this State is the one we have already mentioned, which divides the State nearly in the center, between Connecticut River and Lake Champlain. The afcent from the eaft to the top of this mountain is much eafier than from the weft, till you get to Onion River, where the mountain terminates. The height of land is generally from 20 to 30 miles from the river, and about the fame' diftance from the New York line. The natural growth upon this mountain is hemlock, pine, fpruce, and other evergreens ; hence it has always a green appearance, and on; this account has obtained the defcriptive name of Ver Alons, Green Mountain. On fome' high parts of this mountain fnow lies till May, and fometimes till June. This chain of mountains paffes through Maflachufetts and Connecticut, and terminates in New Haven. The other noted mountain is Afchutney, bordering on Connecticut River, in the townfhips of Windfor and Weathersfield, and Upper Great Monadnock, quite in the K. E. corner of the State. It is remarkable, that the hills and mountains are generally covered on the eaft fides \vith what is called hard wood, fuch as birch, beech, maple, afh, elm,, and butternut ; the wcit fide is generally covered with evergreens. CLIMATE. 2 t - 1 -> V E R M O N T. CLIMATE.] During the winter feafon, which commonly lafls from the beginning of November to the middle of April, the inhabitants enjoy a ferene iky, and a keen cold ,air. Snow begins to fill, commonly, by the firft of November ; but the permanent fnows do not fall till about the; joth of December, -which prevent the ground freezing to any coiifidcrablc depth. In April the fnow is gradually diffolved by the warm influences of the fun, which moiftens and enriches the earth, and vegetation advances with furprifing rapidity. FACE OF THE COUNTKY, SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, &c.] Tliis State, generally {peaking, i- billy but not rocky. Weil of the mountain, from the county of Rutland northward to the Canada line, is a flat country well adapted for tillage. The State at large is well watered, and affords the bell of pafturage for cattle. Some of the fineft beef rattle in the world are driven from this State. Horfes alfo are raifed for exportation. The natural growth upon the rivers, is white pines of feveral kinds, intermingled with low intervales of beech, elm, and white oak. Back from the rivers, the land is thickly timbered with birch, fugar maple, afh, butternut, and white oak of an excellent quality. The foil is natural for wheat, rye, barley, oats, flax, hemp, &c. Indian xorn, back from the river, is frequently injured by the froft ; but on the river it is raifed in as great perfection as in any part of New England, owing in a great meafurc to the fogs ariling from the river, which either prevent or extract the froft. Thefe fogs begin as foon as -the corn is in danger fromfrofts, and la ft till cold weather commences. Fruit trees, in the northern counties, do not profper. TRADE AND MANUFACTURES.] The inhabitants of this State trade principally with Bofton, New York, and Hartford. The articles of export are pot and pearl aihes, chiefly beef, horfes, grain, fome butter and cheefe, lumber, &c. The inhabitants generally manufacture their own clothing, in the family way. Grain has been raifed in fuch plenty within a few years paft, that the inhabitants have been induced to attempt the manufacture of corn fpirits. For this purpofe lix or feven ftills have already been erected, which yield a fufficicnt fupply for the people, and a profit to the owners. Vaft quantities of pot and pearl allies are made in every part of the State. But one of the moft important manufactures in this State is that of maple fugar. It has been eftimated by a competent judge, that the average quantity made for every family back of Connecticut River, is aoolbs. a year. One man, with but ordinary advantages, in one month, made 550! bs. of a quality equal to imported brown fugar. In two towns, in Orange county, containing no more than 40 families, i3,ooolbs. of fngar were made in the year 1 791. The probability is, that in a few years maple fugar will become an article of export. In fome parts of the State, the inhabitants are beginning to line the roads with maple trees ; and it would certainly be a wite meafure if this practice ihould become general throughout the States. Orchards of thcfe trees, planted on doping hills, fo as to render it eafy to collect the juice, might be attended .with peculiar advantages to the owners. POPULATION, RELIGION, AND CHARACTER.] In 1790, according to the cenfus then taken, this ftate contained 85,539 inhabitants, confifting chiefly of emigrants from Connecticut and MavTachufetts, and their defcendants. Two townfhips in Orange comity arc lettled principally by Scotch people. The body of the people are Congre- giitionalifts. The oth^r denominations are Prefbyterians/Baptifts, and Epifcopalians. This State is rapidly peopling. Five years ago, the townihip of Danville, in the county of Orange, was a wildernets, without fo much as a fingle family. Now they have two conliderable companies of militia ; bdidcs a company of light infantry, dreflcd hi uniform. The VERMONT. , , 287 The, Inhabitants of this State are an aflfemblage of people from various places, of different fentiments, manners, and habits. They have not lived together Jo,}"- enon-Ji to alHinilate and form a general character. Affemble together in imagination, a mimber individuals of different nations conlider them as living together amicably, andaiiiii- ing each other through the toils and difficulties of life ; ai^d yet rigoroufly oppofcd in particular religious and political tenets; jealous of their rulers, and tenacious of their liberties-- difpoiitions \vliich originate naturally from the dread of experienced opprefiion,. and the habit of living under a free government and you have a pretty juft idea of the character of the people of Vermont. Indolence is never a charactenftical feature of the fettlers of a new country. Emigrants in general arc active and indultrious. The oppotrte chara6ters have neither fpirit nor inclination to quit their native fpot. The in- ference is, tliat Vermont is peopled with an active, induitrious, hardy, frugal race ; as is really the cafe. And as it is a maxim that the inhabitants of all new countries grow virtuous before they degenerate, it will moll probably be fo in Vermont. MILITARY STRENGTH.] In 1788, there were upwards of 1-7,000 men upon the militia rolls of this State. Thefe confifted of two divilions, one on the weft, the other on the call 1ide of the mountain. In thefe two divilions were 7 brigades, confifting of 22 regiments. The bravery of the Vermonteers, or Green Mountain-boys, is pro- verbial. LITERATURE AND IMPROVEMENTS.] Much cannot be faid in favour of the prelent it ate of literature in this State ; but their profpecls in this regard are good. In every charter of a town, as we have mentioned, proviiion is made for fehools, by refervirig a certain quantity of land folely for their fupport. The afTembly of this State, in their October leilion in 1 791, paiTed an act for the eftablifhment of a college in the town of Burlington, on Lake Champlain, on the fouth lide of Onion river, and appointed ten- Truftees. General Ira Allen, one of the Truftees, on certain conditions, offers lands, &c. to the amount of 4000!. towards this eftablifhment. The expediency of opening a communication between the waters of Lake Champlain and Hudfon's River ; and of rendering the navigation of Connecticut River more eafy and advantageous, has been difcuffed by the legiflature of this State ; and meafures have been adopted to effecl: the latter, by incorporating a company for the purpofe of locking Bellows' falls, who are to complete the work within four years from the palling, of the act, and to receive a toll for all boats that pafs ; the toll to be a fubjecl: of regu- lation. The works are already begun, and when completed will be of great advantage to the State, by facilitating the exportation of their produce. The other propofed canal between Lake Champlain and Hudfon's River would alfo be important, but it is doubtful whether it will, at prefent, be accomplifhed. CHIEF TOWNS.] In a new and interior country, large, populous towns are not to be expected. Bennington, lituafed near the fouth-welt corner bf the State, is one of the largelt. It contains about 2400 inhabitants, a number of handfome houfes, a con- gre^ational church, a court houfe and gaol. A famous battle was fought in or near this town, during the late war, in 1777, between Brigadier-general Starke, at the head of 800 undilciplined militia, and a detachment of General Burgoyne's army, commanded by Colonel Baum. In this action and the one that fucceeded it in the fame place, and on the fame day, between a reinforcement of the Britilh, under Colonel. Breymen, and General Starke, who was reinforced by Colonel Warner, with a conti- nental regiment, ivere taken, 4 brafs field pieces, and other military ftores, and 700 prifoners. The overthrow of thefe detachments was the firft link in a grand chain of caufes, which finally proved the ruin of the royal army. This is one of the oldelt towns iSS V E R M O NT. towns iii (he Slate, being fir ft fettled about the} car 1/64, and is a thriving town, and Las been, till lately, tneiea.t of gpvermnent. Windfor and Rutland, by a late act of the legiflature, are alternately to be the feat of government for 8 years. The former is fttuated on Connecticut River, and contains about 1600 inhabitants; the latter lies upon Otter Creek, and contains upwards of 1400 inhabitants. Both are fiourifhing town*. Guilford, Brattleborough, Putney, \Yelhninllcr, Wcathersfield, Hartland, Norwich, and Newbury, are considerable towns, lying from fouth to north, on Connecticut River. Nevvbury is the fhire town f Orange county, which comprehends about three eighths of the whole State, and contains about 900 inhabitants.* It has a court houfe, and a very elegant meeting houfe for congregationalifts \\ith a ftceple, the firft erected in the State. The cele- brated Coos meadows or intervales commence about 9 miles below this town. New- bury court houfe* fiands on the high lands back from the river, and commands a fine view of what is called the great Ox Bow., which is formed by a curious bend in the river. It is one of the molt beautiful and fertile meadows in New England. The circumference of this bow is about 4^ miles; its greateft depth is feven-cighths of a mile, containing about 450 acres. At the feafon when nature is dreifed in her green attire, a view of this meadow from the high lands is truly luxuriant. Shaftibury, Pownal, Manchefter, Clarendon, Poultney, Pawlet, Danby and Char- lotte, are eonfiderable and rlourifhing towns, weft of the mountain. In the town of Orwell is Mount Independence, at the fouthern extremity of Lake Champlain, oppofite to which is Ticonderoga, in the State of New York. CCJIIOSITIES.] There is a very remarkable ledge of rocks in the town of Bradford, in the county of Orange. It lies on the welt bank of Connc6ticut River, and is as much as 200 feet high. It appears to hang over and threaten the traveller as he paifes. The fpace between this ledge, and the river is fcarcely wide enough for a road.-f~ In the townfhip of Tinmouth, on the fide of a fmall hill, is a very curious cave.. The chafm at its entrance is about four feet in circumference. Entering this you defcend 104 feet, and then opens a ipacious room, 20 feet in breadth, and 100 feet in length. The angle of defcent is about 45 degrees. The roof of this cavern is of rockj through which the water is continually percolating. The italactites which hang from the roof appear like icicles on the eves of houfes, and are continually increafing in number and magnitude. The bottom and fides are daily incrufting with fpar and other mineral fubttances. On the fides of this fubterraneous hall are tables, chairs, benches, &c. which appear to have been artificially carved. This richly ornamented room, when illuminated with the candles of the guides, has an enchanting effect upon the eye of the fpeclator. If we might be indulged in alfigning the general caule of diefe aftoniihing appearances, we fhall conclude from the various circumftances accompanying them, that they arife from water filtrating flowly through the incumbent * General Bayley and Col. Thomas Johnfon, enterprized the firfl fettlements into this part of the country, about the year 1762. At this period there was no road nor human inhabitant for 70 miles down the river, nor for as many miles eaftward. It is now thickly inhabited by thriving farmers. j- Though out of place, the information not being received early enough to be inferted under its proper head, I cannot refrain from communicating the following curious and ufeful information. The river St. Lawrence, at Montreal, is about 3 miles wide. There is an ifland near the middle of the river, oppofite the city, at the lower end of which is a mill, with 8 pair of ftones, all kept in motion at the fame time, with one xvheel. The works are faid to have coft 12,0001. fterling. A large mound of ftone, &c. built cut into the river, Hops a fufficiency of water to keep the mill in perpetual motion. And what is very" curioi's, at the end of this mound or dam, veflels pafs againft the ftream, while the mill is in motion. Perhaps ifeere \s not a.ioiber mill of the kind in the world, Jlrata ; VERMONT. fratci ; and taking up in its pnfTage a variety of mineral fubrtance*, and becoming thus fattirated with metallic particles, gradually exfuding on the furface of the caverns and iiifures, in a quiefccnt ftate, the aqueous particles evaporate, and leave the mineral fubftances to unite according to their affinities. At the end of this cave is a circular hole, 15 feet deep, apparently hewn out in a conical form, enlarging gradually as you dcilend, in the form of a fligar loaf. At the bottom is a fpring of freih water in continual motion, like the boiling of a pot. Its depth has never been founded. CONSTITUTION.] The inhabitants of Vermont, by their reprefentatives in conven<- tion, at Windfor, on the 25th of December, 1777, declared that the territory called Vermont was, and of right ought to be, a free and independent State ; and for the purpofe of maintaining regular government in the fame, they made a folemn decla- ration of their rights, and ratified a conititution, of which the following is an abitracl ; Their declaration, which makes a part of their conftitution, arTerts that all men arc born equally free with equal rights, and ought to enjoy liberty of conlcience {&< dom of the prefs trial by jury power to form new States in vacant countries, and to regulate their own internal police that all elections ought to be free that all power is originally in the people that government ought to be inftituted for the common benefit of the community and that the community have a right to reform or aboliftt government that every member of fociety h'ath a right to protection of life, liberty, and property and in return is bound to contribute his proportion of the expertfe o that protection, and yield his perfonal fervice when neceilary that he fhall not ho obliged to give evidence a gain ft himlelf that the people have a right to bear amis but no {landing armies fhall be maintained in time of peace that the people have a right to hold themfelves, their houfes, papers, and poifeflions, free from fearch or icizure and therefore warrants without oaths firilmade, affording fufficicnt foundation for them, are contrary to that right, and ought not to be granted that no perfon malt be liable to be tranfported out of this State for trial for any offence committed within this State, &c. By the frame of government, the fupreme legislative power is vefted in a houfe of representatives of the freemen of the State of Vermont, to be chofcn annually by the freemen on the firft Tuefday in September, and to meet the fecond Thurfday of the Succeeding October .This body is veiled with all the powers neceflary for the legif- lature of a free ftate Two thirds of the whole number of reprefentatives elected make a quorum. Each inhabited town throughout the State has a right to fend one reprcfentative to the ailembly. The firpreme executive power is veiled in a governor, lieutenant-governor, and twelve counfellors, to be chofcn annually in the fame manner, and veiled with the fame powers as in Conneclicut. Every perfon of the age of 21 years, who had refided in the State one whole year next before the elcclion of reprelcnta lives, and is of a quiet, peaceable bchavjour, and will bind himfelf by his oath, to do what lie fhall in conference judge to be moil con- ducive to the beft good of the State, fhaii be imitled to all the privileges of a freeman of this State. Each member of the Houfc of Reprefentatives, before' he takes his feat, muft declare Jiis belief in one God in future rewards and punilhmr-nts., and iiitr-e divinity of the .Scriptures of the Old and New Teftarnent, and.mufi prcfeis the proteftant religion. Courts of juftice are to be cftabliijhcdin every county ikrovi&hout Hie State. P p The 2 9 o V E R M O N T: The fuprenjc court; and the fevcr^'l 'courts of common picas of this State, bcfiJc? the ; powers utwzilly excivifcd !/v tut S; ( ourl.-, liavo tlie powers of a court of chancery, fo far. iatcs to pcrpetuatiiiir tc1ii;nony, obtaining evidence from places not within the Stale, and the care of the pcrfoiH and eltates of thole, who -are ;; after thcrir fitting to alter the conftitution the propofed alterations to be publifhed at lea ft lix months before the election of delegates to^fuch convention. HISTORY.] The tracl: of country called Vermont, before the late war, was claimed both by New York and New Hampfhire ; and thefe interfering claims have been the* occafion of much warm altercation, the particulars of which it would be neither enter- taining nor uieful to detail. They were not finally adjuited till lince the peace. When Ijoflilities commenced between Great Britain and her colonies, the inhabitants of thi.-> diftricl, confidering themfelves as in a ftatc of nature, and not within the jurildictioH' cither of New York or New Hampfhire, affociated and formed for themti ! a > the con - 'ftitution, (jf which we have given an abftracl. Under this conltitutio;i they have continued to exercife all the powers of an independent ftate, and have been prolpered, . On the foiu'th of March, 1791, agreeably to act of Congrefs of December 6th, 1/90, . this State became one of the: United States, and conftitutes the fourteenth, and not the. leaft refpcctablc pillar in the American Union.. ' N E W H A M P'S H I R E. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length i68| between r4^4i' and 45 n' N. Latitude. Breadth 60 J | 4 30' and 6 17' E. Longitude. -> "I^OUNDED north, by the Province of Lower Canada ; eaft, 13 by the Dillria of Main and the Atlantic Ocean ; fouth, by Mafiachuletts ; \vcft, by the wcftern bank of Connecticut River; containing 9,491 fquarc NEW HAMPSHIRE. 291 ftjuare miles; or 6,074,240 acres ; of which at lea ft 100,000 acres are water. The fhape nf New Hamplhire rcfnnhlrs an open fan ; Connecticut river makes the curve, the ibuthcrn line the fhorteft, the cailern line the longclr iidc. CIVIL DIVISIONS.] This State is divided into 5 countries, whi< townfhips, moll of which arc about 6 miles Iquare. rhich are fubdivided into Counties. Rockingham Stratford Hilllborough Cheshire Grafton 46 24 and 3 locations 37 and 3 locations 34 Inhabitants. 43> l6 9 23,601 28,772 50 and 17 locutions 13,472 Chief Tonuns, rPortlrnouth, Lat. 43 T 993 55* 625 214 See New England. 141,885 Total CLIMATE.] FACE OF THK COUNTRY.] This State has but about 1 8 miles of lea coall , a-t its fouth- eall corner. In this diftanee there are feveral coves for filhing veiiels ; but the only harbour-foe fliips is the entrance of Pi fcataqua river, the Ihores of which arc rocky. The ihore is moftly a fandy beach, adjoining which are lalt marllies, interfected by creeks. From the lea no remarkable high lands in New Hampshire appear, nearer than 20 or 30 miles. The firlt ridge, by the name of the Blue Hills, pafTes through Rocherter, Barrington, and Nottingham, and the feveral fummits are diflinguillied by difFercnt names. Beyond thefe are feveral higher, detached mountains. Farther back, .the mountains rile full higher, and among this third range, Chocorua, OfTapy, and Kyar- fargc, are the principal. Beyond thete is the lofty ridge which divides the branches of Connecticut and Mcrrimack rivers, denominated The Height of Land. In this ridge is the celebrated Monarlnock mountain. Thirty miles north of which is Sunapce, and 48 miles further, in the llnne direction, is Moofehillock mountain. The ridge is then continued northerly, dividing the waters of the river Connedticut from thole of Saco, and Amcrilcoggin. Here the mountains rife much higher, and the raoft: elevated fum- mits in this range are the White Mountains. The lands weft of this lalt mentioned range of mountains, bordering on Connecticut "river, are interfpcrfed with cxteniive meadows or intervales, rich and well watered. MOUNTAINS. ] \Vc have already named the moft confidcrahlc mountains in this State. Several of them require a particular defcription. We begin with the Monadnock, which Iks 10 miles north of the ibuthcrn boundary of the State, and 12 miles cart of Con nee-, ticut river. The elevation of this mountain above the level of the lea, as-mcaliired by James VVinthrop, Efq. 1780, is 3254 feet. The bale of this mountain is about ri\:e miles in diameter from north to fouth, and three from caft to weft. Its fummitis a bald roek : and on the fides art; tome appearances of the explolion of fubterraneous fires. In Weil River mountain, adjoining Connecticut river,, in the townihip of Chelterfield, appearances of a ilmilar nature are more vifiblc. About the year 1730, the g.rrrifon, of Fort Diunmer, four miles diftant, was alarmed with frequent exploiions of rire and e emitted from the mountain. The like appearances have been obfcrved lince. P P 2 Oiiupy 9 2 . fcEW HAMPSHIRE, O/Trip/m-oiinram lies adjoining the town of Moultonborough, on the north eafl. In this town it is obicrved, that in a N. K. iiorni the wind tails over the mountain, like water over a dam: and with fuel i force, as fn:qwntiy to unroof liout Moofehillock mountain i* the highclt oi' this chain, the White Mountains exeepted. It takes its name from the rijruinfhuvjc of its being a remarkable range for Moofe. This mountain id about 70 miles wcftward of the White mountains. From its N. \V. fide flows Baker's river, a branch of Pemigewafiet. On this mountain fnow has been lV-cn, irom the town of Newbury, on the 301!! of June and 3 1 it of Augull ; and on the mountains intervening, called Franconia and Lincoln mountains, fnow, it is laid, lies through the year. People who live near thefe mountains, by noticing the various movements of attrac- ted vapours, can form a pretty accurate judgement of the weather ; and they hence ftyle thefe mountains their Almanack. If a cloud is attracted by a mountain, and hover* on its top, they predict rain ; and if after rain the mountain continues capped, they expect a repetition of fhowers. A ftorm is preceded for feveral hours by a roaring of the mountain, which may be heard 10 or 12 miles. But the White Mountains are by far the moft ftupendous of any in this State or In* New England, and perhaps are the moft remarkable of any within the United States ; they therefore merit particular notice. The Rev. Dr. Belknap elegantly defcribes thera as follows : " They are undoubtedly the higheft land in New England, and in clear weather, are difoovcred before any other land, by veflels coming in to the eaftern coaft : but by jeafon of their white appearance, are frequently miltaken for clouds. They are viiible. on the land at the diftance of eighty miles, on the ibuth and fouth-eafl fides ; they ap- pear higher when viewed from the north-eaft, and it is faid, they are feen from the neigh- bourhood of Chamble and Quebec. The Indians gave them the name of Agiocochook i They had a very ancient tradition that their country was once drowned, with all its in- habitants, except one Powaw and his wife, who, forefeeing the flood, fled to thefe mountains, where they were preferved, and that from them the country was re-peo- pled.* They had a fuperftitious veneration for the lummit, as the habitation of inviri- ble beings ; they never venture to afeend it, and always endeavour to diifuade every one from the attempt. From them, and the captives, whom they fometimes led to Canada, through the paffes of thefe mountains, many fictions have been propagated, which have given rife to marvellous and incredible ftories ; particularly, it has been re- ported, that at immenfe and inacceffible heights there have been feen carbuncles, which are fnppofed to appear luminous in the night. Some writers, who have attempted to give an account of thefe mountains, have afcribed the whitenefs of them to fhining rocks, or a kind of white mots ; and the higher! fummit has been deemed inacceilible on account of the extreme cold, which threatens to freeze the traveller in the midlt of lurnmer, Nat ure has, indeed, in that region, formed her work son a large fcale, andprefented to view many objects which do not ordinarily occur. A perfon who is unacquainted A.ith a mountainous country, cannot, upon his firft coming into it, make an adequate judgement of height and diftances ; he will imagine every thing to* be nearer and lefs than it really is, until, by experience, he learns to correct his apprehenlions, and ac- commodate his eye to the magnitude and fituaiion of the objects around him. When amazement is excited by the grandeur and fublimity of the fccncs prciented to view, it 2 is * Joffelyn's Voyage to New England, p. 13$. NKW HAMPSHIRE. is ncceflary to curb the imagination, and exereife judgement with mathematical pre- ciiion; or the temptation to romance will he invincible. Tiie White Mountains are the moil elevated part of a ridge, which extends N. E. and S. W. to an immenfe diltance. The area of their bate is an irregular figure, the whole circuit of which is not lets than iixty miles. The number of fummits within this- area cannot at prefent be afcertaincd, the country round them being a thick wil- derncfs. The greateft number which can be feen at once, is at Dartmouth, on the N. W. fide, where feven fummits appear at one view, of which four are bald. Of tlide the three higheft are the moll diiiant, being on the eaftern fide of the cluftcr ; one of thefe is the mountain which makes fo maieitie an appearance all along the fhore of the eaftern counties of Maffachufetts : It has lately been diitinguifhed by the nanui of MOUVT WASHINGTON. To arrive at the foot of this mountain, there is a continual afeent of twelve miles,, from the plain of Pigwackef, which brings the traveller to the height of land between- , Saco and Amerifcoggin rivers. At this height there is a level of about a mile fquare, part of which is a meadow, formerly a beaver pond, with a darn at each end. Here,. though elevated more than three thoutand feet above the level- of the fea, the traveller finds himfelf in a deep valley. On the eaft is a ftccp mountain, out of which iiTue fevera-1 fprings, one of which is the fountain of Ellis River, a branch of Saco, which runs fouth ; another of Peabody river, a branch of Amerifcoggin, which; runs north. From this meadow towards the weft, there is an uninterrupted afeent on a riclge between two deep gullies, to the fummit of Mount Wafhington. The lower part of the mountain is fhaded by a thick growth of fpruce and fir. The furface is compofed of rocks, covered with very long green mofs, which extends from one rock to another, and is, in many places, fo thick and ftrong as to bear a man's weight. This immenfe bed of mofs ferves as a fponge to retain the moifture brought by the clouds and vapours, which are frequently rifing and gathering round the mountains; the thick growth of wood prevents the rays of the fun from pene- trating to exhale it; fo that there is a conftant fupply of water deposited in the crevices of the rocks, and ifluing in the form of fprings from every part of the mountain. The rocks which compoie the furface of the mountain, are, in fome parts, flate, ill- others flint ; fome fpecimcns of rock chryftal have been found, but of no great value. No lime ftone has yet been difcovered, though the molt likely rocks have lx:en tried with aqua fortis. There is one precipice on the eaftern fide, not only completely perpendicular, but compofed of fquare ftones, as regular as a piece of mafonry; it is about five feet high, and from fifteen to twenty in length. The up- permoft rocks of the mountain are the common quartz, of a dark grey colour ; when- broken, they fhew very ftnall tinning fpecks, but there is no fuch appearance on the exterior part. The eaftern fide of the mountain rifes in an angle of 45 degrees, and' requires iix or feven hours of hard labour to afcend it. Many of the precipices are fo- fteep as to oblige the traveller to ufe his hands, as well as his feet, and to hold- bythe trees, which diminifh in fize, till they degenerate into fhrubs and bufhes. ' Above thcfe are low vines, fome bearing red, and others blue berries, and the uppermoft vegetation is a fpecies of grafs, called winter-grafs, mixed with the mofs of 1 the rocks. Having furmounted the upper and fteepeft precipice, there is a large area, called the plain. It is a dry heath, compofed of roeks covered with mois, and bearing the appearance of a pailure in the beginning of the winter feafon. In fome openings, between 7 n N E W H A M PS fj I R I- between the rocks, there arc fprings of water, in others, dry gravel. IT* -re the or heath bird retorts, and is generally out of danger. The lijgar loaf, \\hic h tunvls on Ibis plain, is a p\ramidal heap of grey rocks, -which, in fonie places, arc t'ormed lib- winding itcps. This pinnacle has been afcendcd in a hour and a half. T]K; traveller IKIY'H'-J; gained the funimit, is recompenfed for his toil, if the iky ho ii-renc. with a molt noble and extenlive profpect. On the S. E. iide, there is a view of the Atlantic Ocean, rearcli part of which is iixty-fivc miles in a direct lifte, On (lie W. avd N. the profpcrt is bounded by the high lands, which feparate the v.alers of Connecticut and ,in rivers from thole of Lake Champlain and i3t. Lawrence. On thc.lbuth,, ids to the fonthernmoft mountains of New Hainplhjre, coin prel lending u view of the Lake. Wmipileogee. On every Iide of thefe mountains urc long winding gullies, berfinninjr at the precipice below the plain, and deepening in the defcent. In winter, the fnow lodges in thefe gullies; and being driven, by the N. W. and N. E. wind, from the top, is dcepeit in thofe which are lituatcd on the tbutherly fide. It is obfcrved to lie longer in the fpring on the fouth, than on the N. W. iide.. which is the cafe with many other hills in New Hampfhirc. During the period of nine or ten months,. the mountains exhibit more or lefs of that bright appearance, from which they are denominated white. In the fpring, when the IHOW is partly .difTolvcd, they appear of a pale blue, ilrcakcd with white; and after it is wholly gone, at the diftance of 60 miles, they are altogether of the fame pale blue, nearly approaching a Iky colour ; while at the lame tijpe, viewed at the diitance of .eight' miles or lets, they appear of the proper colour ot\the rock. Thefe changes are obferved by people who li-ve within conitant view of them: and from thefe facts and obfervations, it may with certainty be concluded, that the whitenefs of them is wholly caufed by the Jhow, and not by any other .white fubftance, for in fact there is none. A company of gentlemen .vifitcd thefe mountains in July 1784, with a view to make particular obfervations on the feveral phenomena which might occur. It happened unfortunately, that thick clouds covered the mountains almoti the whole time, fo that fome of the instruments, which, with much labour, they had carried up, were rendered ufelefs. Tlie height '..of the mountain was computed, In round numbers, at five thoufand lire hundred 'feet above the meadow, in the valley below, and nearly ten thoufand feet above the level of the fea.* Thefe vait and irregular heights, being copioufly replenifhcd with water, exhibit a great variety of beautiful cafcades ; fome of which fall in a perpendicular ihcet or fpout, others are winding and Hoping, others fpread and form a baton in the rock, and then gum in a cataract over its edge. A poetic fancy may rind full gratification amidii : thefe wild and rugged fecncs, if its ardour be not checked by the fatigue of the ap- proach. Almofv everything in nature, which can be fuppofcd capable of inspiring ideas of the fublime and beautiful, is here realized. Aged mountains, ftupendou-; elevations, rolling clouds, impending rocks, verdant woods, chryltal ft reams, the gentle rill, and the roaring torrent, all confpire to amaze, to ibothe, and to en- . rapture. * Tills computation was made by the Rev. Dr. Cutler. Subfequent obfervations and calculations have induced the author to believe the computation of his ingenious friend too moderate, and he is pcrfuaded, tiuit \vhenever the mountain can be meafured with the requisite precifion, it will be found to exceed ten thoufand feet of perpendicular altitude above the level of the ocean. Oa N E W II A M P S H I R E, On the w^'icru part of thefe mountjiins i* a pa ft, commonly called the Notch-, which, in the narrow eft part, meafures but t \\er.fy-two feet, between t\vo perpendicular roc ks. MI the bright above it, a brook delecnds, and meanders through a meadow-, formerly ;v Leaver ptuL It is furrounded by rocks, which on one fide arc perpendicular, and on the others- rite in a a angle of forty-five degrees a ftrikingly picturcfque feenc-! This defile was known to the Indians, who formerly led their captives through it to Canada; but it had been 'forgotten or neglected, till the year 1771, when two hunters palled through it, and from their report, the proprietors of lands, on the northern parts of ConneciH ut river, formed the plan of a road through it to the Upper Coos, from which it is difrant twenty-live miles. Along the ca Item, fide of the meadow, under the perpendicular rock, is a caufeway of large logs, funk into the mud by rocks blown with gunpowder from the nwmiain. On this foundation is- con ft rue'- ted a road which palfes through the narrow deiile at the fouth end of the meadow, leaving a pafTage for the rivulet, which glides along the weftern lide. This rivulet is the head of the river Saeo; arid on the north fide of the meadow, at a little diftance, i& .another brook, which is the head of Amonootlick, a large branch of Connecticut rivti7 ' The latitude of this place is 44 12' N. The rivulet, which gives rife to Saco, dcfcends towards the fouth ; and at a little di fiance from the defile, its waters are augmented by two fireams from the left, one of which delccnds in a trench of two feet wide, and is called the flume, from the near rcfemblancc which it bears to an artificial flume. Over thefe are thrown iirong bridges; and the whole conftruction of this road is firm and durable ; much labour has been, expended upon it, and the neat proceeds of a confiscated eitate were applied to defray the cxpcnfe. In the defcent the pafs widens, and the ftream increafes ; but for eight or ten miles from the notch, the mountains on each lide are lo near, as to leave room only for the river and its intervales ; which are not more than half a mile wide.; In the courfe of this defcent, feveral curious objects prefcnt themfelves to view. On the fide of one mountain is a project ion refembling a ihelf, on which Hands four large fquare rocks, in a form relembling as many- huge folio volumes. In two or three places, at immenfe heights,, and perfectly inacccflible, appear rocks of a white and red htiej the furiace of which is polifhed like a mirror by the confiant trickling of water over them. Tbcie being expofed to the well and fouth, arc capable, in the night, of reflecting the moon and liar beams to the wondering traveller in the deep, dark valley below, and by the help of imagination, are fufficient 4o give rife to the fiction of car- buncles. To encompafs thefe mountains, as the roads are laid out through the eaficni and weftern .palfcs, and round the northern fide of the whole clutter, it is necclfary to travel more than Icvcntv miles an d to ford eight confiderable rivers, befide.s many fmaller ft reams. The diitance between the h^fcds of rivers, which purfue fuch different courfes, from this immenle elevation, and which fail into the lea, fo many hundred miles afunder, is fo finall, that a traveller may, in the courfe of one day, drink the waters of Saeo, Amerifcoggin, and Connecticut rivers. Thefe waters are all perfectly limpid and fweet, excepting one brook, on the eaitern fide of Mount Wafhington, . vhich has a faponaceous tafie, and is covered with a very thick and iirong froth. It is faid, that there is a part of the mountain where the magnetic needle refufes to traverfe; this is probably caufed by a body of iron ore. It is alfo faid that a mineral, fnppofed to ; be, lead, has been difcovcred near the eaftcrn pafs ; but that the fpot cannot no\v be found. What ftores the bowels of thefe mountains contain, time mufl unfold ; all icarches lor fubterraneous treasures having hitherto proved fruitleik The molt certain 3 riches NEW HAMPSHIRE. riches which they yield, are the frefhets which bring down the -foil to the intervales In-low, and form a' fine mould, producing, by the aid of cultivation, corn and herbage in the molt luxuriant plenty.* RIVERS.! Five of the largeft ftreams in New England receive more or lefs of their waters from this State. Thefe are Connecticut, Amcrifcoggin, Saco, Merrimack, and Pifcaiaqiia riv. Connecticut river riles in the Highlands which feparate the United States from the Britifh province of Lower Canada. It has been furveyed about twenty-five miles bevond the 4$th degree of latitude, to the head fpring of its north-weftern branch. It i> iettlcd all the way nearly to its fource. Its general courfe is about S. S. W. It ex- tend^ along The -we item fide of New Hamplhire about 170 miles, and then patios into Maflachufetts. The rivers which it receives from Vermont, on the weltern lidc, have been already mentioned. Bdides fmaller ftreams, it receives from New Hamp~ Ihiiv, Upper Amonoofuck, which paifes through excellent meadows, Ifrael river, a romantic ili'eam, bordered with line land, as is John's river, a deep, muddy flream, t wen ty-fTve or thirty yards wide, lix miles Ixilow Ifvael river. This country is called Upper Cooa. Juft above the town of Haverhill, in Lower Coos, falls in Great or Lower Ainonoofuck, 100 yards wide; and which, two miles from its mouth, receives *\\~ild \monoouiek, forty yards wide, from Franconia and Lincoln mountains. Two Or three hours heavy rain raifes the water in this river ieveral feet, and occafions a current fo furious, as to put in motion fiones of a foot in diameter ; but its violence foon fubfides. As you proceed fouth to the Mafiachufetts line you pafs Sugar, Cold, and Alhuelot rivers. Connecticut river, in its courfe between New Hampfhire and Vermont, has two oonfidcrable falls; the firft are called Fifteen Mile Falls, between Upper and Lower Coos the river is rapid for twenty miles. At Walpole is a fecond remarkable fall, formerly known by the name of the Great Fall, now denominated Bellows' Falls. The breadth of the river above them is, in fome places, twenty-two, in others not above fixteen rods. The depth of the channel is about twenty-five feet, and com- monly runs full of water. In September 1792, however, owing to the fevere draught, the water of the river, it is faid, " pafled within the fpace of twelve feet wide and 2f feet deep." A large rock divides the ftream into two channels, each about ninety feet wide. When the water is low, the eaftern channel is dry, being crofTed by a bar of /olid rock, and the whole ftream falls into the weftern channel, where it is contracted to the breadth of fixteen feet, and flows with aftoniihing rapidity. The perpendicular iicight of this fall has not been afcertained, nor the depth of the water below it. There are ieveral pitches one above another, in the length of half a mile, the largeft .of which is that where the rock divides the ftream. Notwithstanding the velocity of Jthc current, the falmon pafs up the fall, and are taken many miles above ; but the fhati proceed no farther. This is the famous fall which is fo extravagantly and ludicrouily described in an anonymous publication, filled with fuch extravagant falfe- hoods, commonly known by the title of" Peters' Hiftory of Connecticut." On the ftcep fides of the ifland rock hang feverai arm chairs, fattened to ladders, and fecured by a counterpoile, in which rifhermen let to catch falmon with dip- ping nets. In i 784, a bridge of timber, constructed by Colonel Hale, was projected over this fall, 365 feet long, and fupported in the mid'dle by the great rock, under iucU the hi^heft floods pals without detriment. This is the firft and only bridge that A. * Gse Dr, Belknap's Hi&ory of New Hannpfliire, VoL HI. p. 39. has NEW HAMPSHIRE. been efe&ed upon this river, but it is in contemplation to ereel another, thirty miles alcove, at the middle bar of Agar Falls, where the pan* age for the \vator between the rocks is al)out 100 feet Avide. This plate is in the townfhip of Lebanon, two miles below Dartmouth College. This beaniful river, in its whole length, is lined oji each fide, with a great number of tbe molt flcmrifhing and pleafant towns in the United States. In its \vhole courfe it prefervcs a dillance of from 80 to 100 miles from the fea coil. Merrimack river is formed by tbe confluence of PemigewafTet and Winnipifcogee rivers ; the former is a very rapid river, and fprings from a white mountain, we it of the noted mountains of that name; and before its junction with the Winnipifeogt e branrh, it u-ceives from, tbe weir, Baker's river, a pleafant fiream, forty miles in length,, nnd feveral fmaller itreams. The Winnipifeogee branch rifes from the lake of the fame name. The ftream which ifTucs from the lake is final 1, and in its courfe paiTes through a bay twelve miles long, and from three to five broad. A few miles from its entrance into the Pemigcwaflet, is a place called the Wares, remarkable for the number of falmon and fhad which are here caught. The river is wide, and fo fballow that the fifhermen turn the courfe of the river in a ihort time, or eomprcfs it into a, narrow channel, where they fix their gill nets, and take the fifh as they pafs up the ilrcam. After the PemigewalFet receives the waters of Winnipifeogee, it takes tbe name of Merrimaek ; and after a courfe of about ninety miles, firlt in a foutherly, and then in an eafterly direction, and pafling over Hookfct, Amufkeag, and Pantuckct Falls, empties into the fea at Newburyport. From the weft it receives, Blackwatcr, Contoocook, Pifcataquoag, Souhegan, Naflnm, and Concord rivers; from the eail, Bowcook, Suncook, Cohas, Beaver, Spicket, and Powow rivers. Contoocook heads near Menadnocik mountain, is very rapid, and ten or twelve miles from its mouth is 100 yards wide. Jult before its entrance into tbe Merrimack it branches and forms a beautiful ifland of five or iix acres. This ifland is remarkable, as being the fpot where a Mrs. Dunftan performed an extraordinary exploit. This woman had been taken by a party of Indians from Haverhill in Maifachufetts, and carried to tbis ifland. The Indians, eight or ten in number, fatigued, and thinking themfelves fecure, fell aflecp. She improved this importunity to make her efcape, and that fhe might effect it without danger of being purfued, fhe, -with one df their tomahawks killed them all, and fcalped them, and took their canoe, and returned down the river to Haverhill, and carried the fculps to Boften, where fhe was generoufly rewarded. Abridge has lately been projected over Amufkeag Falls, 556 feet in length, and 80 feet wide, fupported by five piers, and an abutment on each tide ; the top of the bridge is thirty feet from the bottom of the river. In the confrru6tian f the wood work 2,000 tons of timber were ufed ; and what is remarkable, this bridge was rendered paifable, for travellers in fifty-feven days after it was begun. Two other bridges are building over tins river in MafTachufctts. " The Pifcataqua is the only large river wbofe whole courfe is in New Hampfhire. Its head is a pond in the N. E. corner of the town of Wakefield, and its general eourfe thence, to the fea, is S. S. E. about forty miles. It divides New Hampihire from York County, in the diftricl: of Main, and is called Salmon-tall river, from its head to the lower falls at Berwick, where it afTumes the name of Newichawannock, which it bears till it meets with Cochecho river, which comes from Dover, when ^both ^ run together in one channel to Hilton's Point, where the weftern branch meets it. ^ From tliis junction to the fea, 'the river is fo rapid that it never freezes ; the diftance is feven miles, and the eourfe generally from S. to S. E. The weftern branch is formed by Q vSwamfeoi 398 NEW HAMPSHIRE. Swamfcot river, -which comes from Exeter. Winnicot river, which comes througfr Greenland, and Lamprey river, which divides Newmarket from Durham ; thefe empty into a bay, four miles wide, called the Great Bay. The water in its further progrefs is contracted into a lefier bay, and then it receives Oyfter river, which runs through Durham and Back river, which comes from JDover, and at length meets with the main ftream at Hilton's Point. The tide rifes into all thefe bays, and branches as far as the lower falls in each river, and forms a moft rapid current, efpecially at the feafon of the frefhets, when the ebb continues about two hours longer than the flood; and were it not for the numerous eddies, formed by the indentings of the fhore, the ferries would then be impafiable. At the lower falls in the feveral branches of the river, are landing places, whence lumber and other country produce is tranfported, and veifels or boats from below dif- charge their lading : fo that in each river there is a convenient trading-place, not more than twelve or fifteen miles diitant from Portfmouth, with which there is conflant communication by every tide. Thus the river, from its form and the fituation. of its branches, is extremely favourable to the purpofes of navigation and commerce. At Dover is a high neck of land, between the main branch of Pafcaiaqua and Back river, about t\vo miles long, and half a mile wide, riling gently along a fine road, and declining on each fide like a fhip's deck. It commands an extenfive ana yariegated profpect of the rivers, bays, adjacent fhores, and diitant mountains'. It has often been admired by travellers, as an elegant fituation for a city, and by military . gentlemen, for a fortrefs. The firft fettlers pitched here, but the trade has long fince been removed to Cochecho Falls, about four miles farther up ; and this beautiful fpot is almofi. deferted of inhabitants."* Amarifcoggin and Saco rivers are principally in the diilrict of Main, and will be defcribed under that head. LAKES.] Winnipifeogee lake, is the largeft collection of water in New Hamp- ftiire. It is about 24 miles in length, from S. E. to N. W. and of very unequal breadth, from 3 to 12 miles. It is full of iflands, and is fupplied with numerous rivulets from the furrounding mountains. This lake is frozen about three months in a year, and many fleighs and teams from the circumjacent towns crofs it on the ice. In fummer it is navigable its whole length. The landing on the S. K fide of the lake is 26 miles from Dover landing, where the tide flows. The other confiderable lakes are> Umbagog, in the N. E. corner of the State, and partly in the diftrict of Main, Squam, Sunnapee, and Great Oifapee. SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.] Of thefe there is a great variety in this State. The intervale lands upon the margin of the large rivers are the moft valuable, becaufe they are overflowed and enriched every year by the water from the uplands, which brings down a fat flime or fediment. There are generally two ftrata of intervale lands on the borders of the large rivers, one is overflowed every year ; the other, which is con- iiderably higher, only in very high frelhets. Thefe intervale lands are of various breadth, according to the near or remote fituation of the hills. On Connecticut river, they are from a quarter of a mile to a mile and a half on each fide ; and it is obferv- able, that they yield wheat in greater abundance and perfection than the fame kind of foil eaft of the height of land. Thefe lands, in every part of the State, yield all the other kinds of grain in the greateft perfection ; but are not fo good for pafture as the uplands of a proper quality. The wide-fpreading hills are generally much efteemed as warm and rich; rocky, moift land is accounted good for pafture; drained (\vamps have a deep mellow foil ; and the valleys between hills are generally very productive. A; * Belknap's Hift. vol. iiK page aoi. NEW HAMPSHIRE. Apples and pears are the moft common, and the principal fruits cultivated in this State. -No good hufbandman thinks his farm complete without an orchard. Agriculture is the chief bufinefs of the inhabitants of this State. Beef, pork, mutton, poultry, wheat, rye, Indian corn, barley, pulfe, butter, checfe, flax, hemp, hops, efculcnt plants and roots, artieles which will always find a market, may be pro- duced in almoii any quantity in New Hampfhire. TRADE AND MAtfUFACTUkss.j The inhabitants in the fouth-wefiern quarter of this State generally carry their produce to Boflori. In the middle and northern part, as far as the Lower Coos, they trade at Portfmouth. Above the Lower Coos there are yet no convenient roads direcTJy to the fea-coaft. The people on the upper branches of Saco river find their neareft market at Portland, in the diftri& of Main; and thither the inhabitants of Upper Coos have generally carried their produce ; fome have gone in the other direction to Ne\v York market. But from a furvey made in 1782, it was found that a road from the upper Amonoofuck, which empties into Con- necticut river, to the head of navigation in Kenncbeck river, is very practicable : thediftance 80 or 90 miles ; and for a third part of that diitance from Kennebeck, there ^re already roads and fcttlcments. The articles and the quantity of each, exported and imported into the port of Paf- cataqua, in two years following O6tober ift, 1789, will appear from the following tables taken from Dr. Belknap's Hiflory. TABLE of EXPORTATION from the Port of PASCATAQJTA, from Oaober r, to October i, 1791. Ar tides cxporttd. To Europe* W.HKlies* N.Scot&. Jfr'uu. i coo feet of Pine Boards 6247 11,62* 96 69 18,034 Ditto, feet of oak plank - 378 26 44 Ditto, flaves and heading 1317 1608 44 2069 Ditto, clapboards -- 2 19 21 Ditto, fhingles - 268 2689 Pitto, hoops - - 79$ 7 8(S C Feet of oar rafters - - 47,000 950 r 47j95 Tons of pine timber - 88 f 86 174* Ditto, oak timber - , - 251 ao *- -p- 2-71 Frames of houfes - ia 12 Pine mails - 41 4 45 Spruce fpars - J 37 2 "85 Shook hogfheads - 2079; 2079 Waggons .... 2 Pairs of cart wheels - 14 ' 14 Sets of yokes and bows - - 28 28 Boats - - 30 jo Handfpikes - 80 80 'Quintals of dry fim - 250 26,207 26,457 Barrels of pickled fifh - 501 5 01 Ditto, whale oil - 120 I2 Ditto, tar - - - 1613 60 1673 Qq a Cafki 300 Articles exported Cafks of flax-iced Barrels of beef Ditto, pork Ditto, rice Bufhels of Indian corn Oxen and cow s Horfes Sheep Gallons of N. E. rum Ditto, Madeira wine Thoulands of bricks Tons of pot afh Ditto, pearl afh. Boxes of candles NEW HAMPSHIRE. To Europe. I 79 8 W. India , N.Scotia. 2775 2. I 33 2 229 1 5 'Africa, Total. 1798: , 2777 I Oft 2: 2 2000 2391 610 209; 490 1-449* 1599 129. 88f ~ 28 "candles - - 28 Total value of exportation for two years - 296,839 dollars 5 \ cents* TABLE, of IMPORTATION into the Port of PASCATAQUA, from Odober 1789, to October i, 1791- Articles importedfrom Ga-Hons of rum Do. ' gin Do. molafTes Dov. wine 1 from Madeira J Do. porter Ibs. of unrefined fugar Do. loaf iugar Do. coffee Do. cotton Do. cocoa Do. cheefe - Do. tea Do. twine Do. nails r Hundreds of cordage Do. hemp Bufhels of fait Do. fea coal Ibs. of Heel unwrought - Do. bar and fheet lead Grindflones urofe. Weft Indies. N.Stotia. Total.. 138,911 270,785' 138,9 1 r 22 270,785, 4.22 1 457 546,648 1056 2696 2204 16,890 *7>i>r 940-- (part} 457 546,648 77 77 68,633 86 27,944 1056 2782 2204 16,890- (part) 94o- - 433 6 . 16,527 (a few not ascertained.) N. B. " What comes coafi-ways from< any of the United States cannot be afcer- tained ; as no regular entries are made where only the produce of the United States is on board : except accompanied with more than two hundred dollars value of foreign articles. The value of imported articles is generally governed- by the Bofloa market.'* TABLE NEW HAMPSHIRE: TABLE of CLEARANCES, at the Port of PASCATAQ^A,. from. October i, 17857, to October i, 1791. t/1 o ^^ .- bfi Q" ? ^ 4*< CJJ o J2 G 4W C CO t/a u- O' o 6 < o ^^ ty c rt C G a? SH O i -s- 3- O Efl .* ct O -s 1 i < 45 O 1 o G 'C *-> C O j3 O CO CO CO e fi pq . H 17 70 39 10 156 1.66 1 6 264 16880 8 I 9 428 34 462 16 25 i 1 42 6725 441 7166 4 4 616 616 i 3 4 666 666 8 3 4 r 16 3 J 34 3I34- 12- 12 502 504. i 1 1:62. 162. 2T 2 2 33 2 3$ I I no no . 40 10 5 1166 1166 43 10* 105 22 2 77 2656*0 298 4077 162 31097: France- French Weft Indies St. Peter's and Miquelon England Scotland - Ireland - Britifh Weft Indies Nova Scotia Portugal Portuguese Iflands Holland and Plantations Denmark and Fflands Africa Coaftiug and cod fifhery Total STATEMENT of the- FISHERIES at PASCATA^UA and its neighbourhood,. / I 20 ^employed in tlie Cod and Scale 630 \ Filhery annually. Schooners Boats Tonnage Seamen The Schooners, Boats, and. Seamen, belonging to the Ifl.es of Shoals arc not- included! MI the above estimations Producl of the Fifhery in the year 1791. r Merchantable fifh 5 1 70 Quintals made -(Jamaica ditto 1-4217 i ^ I Scale ditto ditto ' 6463 25850 The fifh made at tlic IlTes of Shoals are incllided'in this ftatement 5 . The fuccefs of the fifhery in this fealbn was uncommonly good. The flaple commodities of New Hampfhire are fhips, lumber), proTi'fions, fiffr, horfes, pot and pearl afhes, and flax feed. Ships are built in all the towns contiguous 3oi N E W H A M P S H I R E. to the river Pafcataqua and its branches. The number of mips, built in 1790, was 8 ; in 1791, 20. The number of fhips and other veficls belonging 'to the port of Pafcataqua, in 1791, was as follows: above 100 tons, 33 ; under 100 tons, 50 in all 83. The people in the country generally manufacture their own clothing ; and confide- rablc quantities of tow cloth tor exportation. The other manufactures are pot and pearl afhes, ma.ple fugar, bricks and pottery, and feme iron, not fufficient, however, for home confumption, though rt might be made an article of exportation. BANK.] By act of ailembly, of January, 1792, a bank, by the name of "The Bank of New Hampfhire," was eftabliflied. to continue fifty years, under the manage- ment of a prefident and feven directors. The capital ftock is 60,000 dollars ; and the ilockholders have liberty to increafe rt to 200,000 dollars fpecie, .and 100,000 dollars in any other eltate. POPULATION AND CHARACTER.] The number of inhabitants in 1790, has been mentioned in the preceding table of divisions. In 1767 they were eftimated at 52,700. The mean increaling ratio pei* annum fince, Dr. Belknap' reckons at^3883 According to this m_ode of computation, the number -of people in New Hampfhire has actually doubled in lefs than 19 years; 7 of thofe 19 were years of war. Dr. Bclknap mentions a number of inflaiices of remarkable longevity in this State. In Barrington, 14 of thefirft fettlers were living in 1785, who were between 80 and 90 years of age. In Londonderry, the firft planters lived on an average, to 80 years, and fome to 104. One Robert Macklin, a native of Scotland, died at Wakeiield, in 1787, aged 115. He frequently walked from Portfmouthio Bofton, 66 miles, in one day, and returned -the next. He performed this journey the lafl time, when he was .80 years old. The inhabitants of New Hampfhire, like the fettlcrs in all new countries, are in general, a hardy, robuft, active, brave people. The advantages of early education have not been ifo generally enjoyed, as good men have wifhed ; in confequence of which there has been a deficiency of perfons properly qualified to fill the various departments of government. But fince the revolution, the means of information and- improvement have been increafed and extended, and this political evil in a great meafure remedied. 1 The free indulgence of fpirituous liquors has been, and as now, one of the greatefl faults of many of the people of New- Hampfhire ; Specialty in the neighbourhood of the river Pafcataqua and its branches, and wherever the buiinefs of getting lumber forms the principal employment of the people. In travelling up the country it affords pleafure to obicrve the various articles of produce and manufacture coming to market j but in travelling down the country it is equally difgiiftful to meet the fame teams returning, loaded with, calks of rum> along with fifh, lalt, and other neceffary articles. Among hufbandmen, cyder is their common drink. Malt liquor is not fo frequently ufed as its wholefomonefs defervcs. But after all, there arc no perfons more robuft and healthy, than thole, -whole only or principal drink is the fimple element, with which nature has univerfally and bountifully fupplied this happy land."* COLLEGE, ACADEMIES, &c.l -The only college in this State is in the townfhip of Hanover, fituated on a beautiful plain about half a mile eaft of Connecticut river, in latitude 43 33'. It was named Dartmouth College, after the Right Honourable William Earl of Dartmouth, who was one of its principal benefactors. It was founded by the late pious and benevolent Dr. Eleazer Whtekck, who, in 1.769, obtained a royal charter, whereia * -Dr. Belknap. NEW HAMPSHIRE. 3 o 3 wherein ample privileges were granted, and Suitable provision made for the education a-nd in (Inaction of youth of the Indian tribes, in reading, writing, and all parts of learning which Should appear neceSfary and expedient for civilizing and christianizing the children of Pagans, as well as in all liberal arts and fciences, and alfo of English youths and any others. The very humane and laudable attempts which have been made to chriftianize and educate the Indians, have not, through their native untradta- blenels, been crowned with that fuccefs which was hoped and expected. Its Situation in a frontier country expofed it during the late war to many inco-nveniencres, which impeded its profperity. It flourished, however, amidft all its embarrafTments,- and is now one of themoft growing Seminaries in the United States. The funds of this college confiSl chiefly in lands, amounting to about 80,000 acres, \vhich are increasing in value, in proportion to the growth of the country. Twelve hundred acres lie contiguous to the college, and are capable of the beft improvement. Twelve thoufand acres lie in Vermont. A tract of 8 miles fquare was granted by the aSTembly of New Hampshire in 1 789. The revenue of the college, arifing from the lands, amounts annually to 140!. By contracts already made, it will amount in four years to 450! ; and in twelve years to 650!. The income from tuition is about 6ooL per annum. The number of under graduates, in 1790, was about 150 ; they have Since increafed. A grammar fchool of about 50 or 60 Scholars is annexed to the college^ The Students are under the immediate government and instruction of a prelident, who is alib profeflbr of hiStory ; a profeflbr of mathematics and natural philofophy, a profeSTor of languages, and two tutors. In the za years Since the college was founded, 479 ftudents have received degrees, 140 of whom are, or have been r ministers of the gofpel, and 448 are now living. The college is furnifhed with a handfome library, and a philofophical apparatus tolerably complete. A new college building, of wood, 150 by 50 feet, and three llories high, was creeled in 1786, andfmce finifned, containing 36 rooms for Students.. Its fituation is elevated, healthful,' and pleafant, commanding an extenSive proSpect to the well. There are three other public buildings belonging to the college. There are a number of academies in this State ; the principal of which is at Exeter, founded and endowed by the Hon. John Phillips, L. L. D. of Exeter, and incorporated by act of aflembly in 1781, by the name of " Phillips's Exeter Academy." It is a very refpectable and uSeful institution, under the inspection of a board of trustees, and the immediate government and instruction of a preceptor and an aSIiStant. It has a fund of nearly io,oool, one fifth of which is in lands not yet productive. The prefent annual income is 480!. It has commonly between 50 and 60 fludents. An Academy at New Ipfwich was incorporated in 1 789 ; and has a fund of about i cool, and generally from 40 to 50 fcholars. There is another academy at Atkinfon, founded by the Hon. Nathaniel Peabody, who has endowed it with a donation of 1000 acres of land. It was incorporated in 1790. At AmherSt, an academy was incorporated in 1791, by the name of the " Aurean Academy" Similar institutions are forming at Charleftown, Concord, and other places* which, with the peculiar attention which has lately been paid to fchools by the legi- lature, and the establishment of focial libraries in feveral towns, aiford a plealing profpect of the increafe of literature and uieful knowledge in this State. CHIEF TOWNS.] Portfmouth is the largefl town in this State. Its longitude is 70 40' from the obfeirvatory at Greenwich, It is about two miles from the fea, on the i fcuth NEW II AM PS HI RE. fou th fide of Pafcntaqua river. It contains about 640 dwelling houfcs, and nearly as .many other buildings, bclidcs thofe for public ulbs, which are three congregational *:huirhe>. one cphcopul, one imiverfalilt, a ilaie houie, market houfe, -four fchooi Jiouics, and a work honfe. Its harbour is one of the finer! -on the continent, having a fuffioient depth of water 3or vcilels.of any burthen. It is defended againft ftorms by the adjacent land, in fuch .a manner, as fliat iliips may feourdy ride therein any feafon of the year. 'Befides, :the harbour is lo well fortified by nature that very little art \vill be neceHary to render ,U .impregnable. Its vicinity fo the 4ea renders it very convenient for naval trade. A light houle, with a fingle light, Hands at the entrance of the harbour. Ships of war .have been built here; among others, the America, of 74 guns, launched Nov. 1782, aiuUprcfcDted >to>the King of France by -the Congrels of the United States. Exeter is i5 y miles S. W. from Portfmonth, fituated at the head of navigation, upon .Swamfcot, or -Exeter river. The tide riles here 1 1 leet, it is well fituated for a manu- -.fae luring town, and has already a duck manufactory, an its infancy 6 faw mills, a iulling mill, fkittig mill, paper mi-11, ihurV mill, two clroeolate and TO grift mills, jrun works, and a printing office. The public buildings are two congregational churches, an academy, a new and handfome court houfe and a gaol. The public offices of the State are kept here. Formerly this town was famous for fhip building, l>ut this buiincfs has not flourifhed finceits interruption fay the war. Conoord is a plcafant, flourifhing, inland town, lituated on the weft bank of Merri- jjnack rrver, 54 miles W. N. W. from Portfmouth. The general court, of late, have commonly held their leflions here ; and from its central iituation, and a thriving back country, it will probably foDJi become the permanent feat of government. Much of the trade of the upper country 'Centers in this town. Dover, Amherit, Keen, Charleftown, Plymouth, and Haverhill, are the other moft confiderable towns in this State. Haverill is a new, thriving town, on the call fide of Connecticut river, in Lower Coos. It is the molt Considerable town in the county ofGrafton, and has a wcll-conftructcd court houfe and a congregational church. In it is a bed of iron ore, which has yielded fome profit to the proprietor alfo a quarry of free flone, from which the people are fupplied with chimney pieces, 'hearth Hones, &c. It Jbias .alfo a fulling mill and an oil mill, and many other excellent mill feats. CURIOSITIES AND CANAJ,.] Jn the townfhip of Ciiefter is a circular eminence, half a mile in diameter, and 400 feet high, -called Rattlcfnake Hill. -On the fouth fide, 10 yards from its bafe, is the entrance of a cave .called the Devil's Den, in which is a room 15 or 20 feet fquare and 4 feet high, floored and circled by a regular rock, from the upper part of which are dependent many -excrefeenccs, nearly in the form and ilze of a. pear, and when approached .by .a torch throw out a fparkling luftre of almoit every hue. Many frightful liories have been told of this cave by thole who delight in the marvellous. It is a cold, dreary, gloomy place. Inthe town of Durham is a rock, computed to weigh 60 or 70 tons. It lies fo exactly poifed on another rock , a* io be eaiily moved >with one finger. It is on the top of a hill, und appears to be natural. In .the townfhip of Atkindbn, in a large meadow, there is a finall iiland of 6 or 7 acres, which was formerly loaded with valuable pine timber, and ether forctr wood- When the meadow i overflowed, by means of an artificial dam, this iflahd rifes with the water, which is fometimes 6 feet. Near the middle of the inland is a fmall pond, which has been gradually leflening ever fihce it was known, and &s .now almoft covered with verdure, In this place a pole 50 feet long has difappeared, - without NEW HAMPSHIRE. 305 without finding bottom. In the water of th.it pond, there have been fifh 5n plenty, which, when the meadow has been ovcrllowcd, have appeared there, and when the water has been drawn oft", have been left on the meadow, at which time the ifland fettles to its ufual place. In the year 1791, a canal was cut through the marihes, which opens an inland navigation, from Hampton, through Saliibury, into Merrimack River, for about 8 miles. By this pafVagc, loaded boats may be conducted with the utniofl eafe and fafety. RELIGION.] The principal denominations of ChrilHans in this State are Congrega- tionalills, Presbyterians, Epifcopalians, Baptifls, and Quakers. There is a fmall fociety of Sandemanians, and another of Univerfalifts, in Portfmputh. For the diftin- uifliing charatteriftics of thefe feveral fects, fee the general account of the Unite4 States, article RELIGION. 66 The people in general throughout the State are profeflbrs of the Chriftian religion in fome form or other. There is, however, a fort of wife men, who pretend to reject it ; but they have not yet been able to fubiiitutc a better in its place." * CONSTITUTION.] The citizens of this State have lately formed for themfelves a con- ftitution of government upon the fame general principles with their former one* which is not yet publifhed. HISTORY.] The mil difcovcry made by the Englifh of any part of New Hampflure, was in 1614, by Captain John Smith, who ranged the fhore from Penobfcot to Cape Cod; and in this rout, discovered the river Pafcataqna. On his return to England, he publifhed a defqription of tlie country, with a map of thccoaft, which he prefentcdto Prince Charles, who gave it the name of NEW ENGLAND. The firft fettlement was made in 1623. New Hampfhire was for many years under the jnrifdiclion of the Governor of MafFa- chufetts, yet they had a feparate legiflatwrc. They ever bore a proportionable fhare of the expences and levies in all entcrprifes, expeditions, and military exertions, whether planned by the colony or the crown. In ev/cry flage of the oppofition that was made to the incroachments of the Britifh parliament, the people, who ever had a high fenfe of liberty, cheerfully bore their part. At the commencement of hollilities, indeed, while their council was appointed by royal mandamus, their patriotic ardour was checked by thefe crown officers. But when freed from this reftraint, they flew eagerly to the American llandard, when the voice of their country declared for war, and their troopef had a large fhare of the hazard and fatigue, as well as of the glory of accomplifhing the late revolution. As the befl and only hiftory of this State, the reader is referred to the Rev. Dn Belknap's, publifhed complete, in 3 vols. 8vo. in 1792, written in a pure, neat, hiftoric flyle The two firJft volumes contain the hiflory of New Hampfhire ; the third contains " A geographical delcription of the State, with fketches of its natural hiftory, productions and improvements, laws ancj government," and is replete with curious and ufeful information, and intcrfperfed with many ingenious and philofophical remarks. From this volume much alliftance has been derived, iu> making the foregoing -compilation. Dr. Bclknap; R r DISTRICT (Belonging to SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Scj. miles. '70 1 bchvccn { <* $^ Longitude. , Breadth 125.1 143 and 48 N. Latitude. J ft 1 TJOUNDED north, by Lower Canada, from which it is feparatcd BOUNDARIES.] _[) ^ thc high laii j s . caflj [>y thc riyci . gt (jroix,* and a line drawn due north from its fource to thc fa id highlands, winch divides it from the Province of New Brunfwick ; fonth, hy thc Atlantic Ocean ; wcii, by New Hampshire. The Old Province of Main (included in the. above limits) is bounded on the weft by New Hampfliire ; fouthbythe Atlantic Ocean, and north and north-call by the lancl, called in fome maps Sagadahock. It was fuppofed at the time of its being made .a province, to have been 120 miles fquare ; but by a fettlement of the line, in 1737, on the part, or fide adjoining New Hampfhirc, the form of the land was reduced from a fquare to that of a diamond. The Province of 'Main contains, according to Douglas, about 9,600 fquare miles. DIVISIONS.] The Diftrict of Main is divided into five counties, viz. Counties. No. Inhabitants. Chief Towns. Inhabitants. York 28,821 York 2^900 Cumberland 25,450 Portland Lat. 43 43' 2,240 f Pownalborough 0,05 5 Lincoln 29,962 { Hallowell 1*194 (^Waldoborough 1,^10 Hancock 9?549 Penobfcot 1,048 Wafriingtori 2,758 Machias 81$ Total 96,540 FACE OF THE COUNTRY, SOIL, AND CLIMATE.] The difrricl: of Main, though a a elevated tract of -country, cannot be called mountainous. A great proportion of the lands are arable and exceedingly fertile, particularly between Penobfcot 'and Kenebccfc * What river is referred to under the name of St. Croix, ii> the treaty of 1783, is at prefenr a fubjeft of difpute between Great Britain and the United States* The French, according to their mode of taking pof- itffion, always fixed a crofs in every river they came to. Almoft every river on the coaft they diicovered r ha& hi turn been called La Riviere de St. Croix. " There are three rivers that empty ttemfelves into 'the Bay of Faflamaquaddy, the. crifterrunofl always- called by the native Indians and French, St. Croix, and the middle one Schoodiac. ' Before the commencement of the late war. Governor Barnard fent Mr. Mitchell, afmvt-yor, and feveral others, to explore the Bay of Paflam-quaddy, to examine thc natives, and to find out which was the true river St. Croix. They did accord- ingly, and reported it to be the eafternmoft river, and returned correfpondent plans of their iurvey. At the forming or the treaty of peace, the commifizoners had Mitchell's maps ; and in fixing the boundary between that part of Nova Scotia, now called New Brunfwick, and the Commonwealth of Maffachufetts, 'they con- fulered it to be the river laid down by him. After the peace, the Britim fubjeds of Nova Scotia took poflef- fion of all the lan(is between St. Croix and Schoodiac rivers, which tract is faid to be nearly as large as the State of New Hampfliire, and now hold pofleffion of the fame, averting that Schoodiac is the true St. Croix j- they alfo claim all the i'.lands in the Bay of I'affiymquaddy, although fcveral of them lie fevcral miles weft of tte r'ucr v.l:ich they call the boundary." livers* DISTRICT OF MAIN. 307 rivers. On fume parts of the lea co-ill: the lands are but indifferent ; but this delect might eaiily be remedied, bymanuring.it with a marine vegetable, called rock weed, which grows on the rocks between high and low water mark, all along the mores. It makes a molt excellent manure, and the fupply is immenfe. It generally grows in this diftrict on all the mores that are wafhed by'thefea ; and the breadth of the border is in proportion to the height the tide riles, which, in the eaiiern part of the diftrict, is nearly 30 feet. It is eftimated that there are 4000 acres of this rock weed on this coaft, and that each acre will produce annually 20 loads, making in the whole 80,000 loads of the beft manure, 10 loads of which Ipread upon an acre are reckoned lufricient for three years. The country has a large proportion of dead iwamns and lunkcu lands, which are caiily drained, and leave a rich, fat foil. The interior country is univerfally reprefented as being of an excellent foil, well adapted both for tillage and paflurc. The lands in general are ealily cleared, having but little under brufli. The diluicl of Main may naturally be conudered in three divilions T\\c ji-rjl com- prehending the tract lying call of Pcnobfcot river, of about 4,500,000 acres The fecond, and beft tract, of about 4,000,000 acres, lying between Penobfcot and Kennebeck jrivcrs The third> firil fettled and molt populous at prelcnt, weft of Kennebeck river, containing allb about 4,000,000 acres. The climate does not materially differ from the reft of New England. The weather is more regular in the winter, which ufually Lilts, with feverity, from the middle of December to the lait of March ; during this time the .ponds and frefh water rivers are paffable on the ice, and flcighing continues uninterrupted by thaws, which are common in the three fouthern New England States. Although vegetation in the fpring com- mences earlier in thctb States than in the diftrict of Main, yet in the latter it is much more rapid. The elevation of the lands in general the purity of the air, which is rendered fwect and falubrious by the balfamic qualities of many of the foreft trees the limpid ftreams, both large and fmall, which abundantly watej this country, and the regularity of the weather, all unite to render this one of the healthieft countries in the world. RIVERS, LAKES, &c.] This diftrict has a feaft coaft of about 240 miles, in which diftance there is an abundance of fafc and commodious harbours ; befides which there is a fecurity given to navigation, on fome part of the coaft, by what is called the inland $affage- Almoft the whole coaft is lined with iftands, among which veflels may gene- rally anchor with fafety. The country of which we are fpeaking, i watered by many large and fmall rivers. The principal are the following, as you proceed from eaft to weft. St. Croix, a fhort river, in 7 u ing from a large pond in the vicinity of St. John's river, remarkable only for its forming a part of the eaiiern boundary of the United States. Next is Paflainaquaddy river, which, with the Schoodiac from the weft, falls by one mouth into PafTamaquaddy Bay. Oppolite Mount Deicrt Illand, which is about 15 miles long and 12 broad, Union river empties into a large bay. A fhort diftance weft is the noble Penobfcot, which riles in two branches from the highlands. Between the fourcc of the weft fork, and its junction with the cult, is Moofehcaci Lake, 3001* 40 miles long and 15 wide. The caftern branch .pafles through feveral fmaller lakes. From "The Forks, as they arc called, the Penobfcot Indians pals to Canada, up either branch, principally the weft, the fource of which they fay is not more than 20 miles from the waters that empty into the river St. Lawrence.- At the Forks is a remarkable high mountain. From the Forks down to Indian Old Town, iituatcd. ou an ifland, iu this river, is about 60 miles, 40 of which tlie water flows in a Itill, fniooth ftreani, and in the whole diftance there are no falls to interrupt the palling of boats, In this diitancc, R r 2 the I S T R I C T O F M A I tf. the river widen?, and embraces a large number of fmall iiland.s ; and about half way receives two considerable tributary fl reams, one from tbe eaft and the other from the weft, whole mouths are nearly oppolite each olhcr. About 60 rods bclo\v Indian Old Town arc the Great Falls, where is a carrying-place of about 20 rods ; thence, 12, miles to the head of the tide, there are no falls to obftrucl boats. Veflcls of 30 tons, come within a mile of the head of the tide. Thence, 35 miles to the head of the bay, to the fnc of Old Fort Pownal, the river is remarkably ftraight, and cafily navigated. Faffing by Majabagadufe on the call, 7 miles, and Owl's Head, 20 miles further, on the wed, you enter the ocean. Proceeding weftward, over fevcral fmall creeks, you come to Kennebeck, one of the fineil rivers in this country. One branch of it riles in the highlands, a fhort diftance from a branch of the Chandierc, which empties into the St. Lawrence ; another branch riles in Mooie Head Lake. In its courfc, it receives Sandy river from the well, and Scbafticook and ieveral others from the eaft, and paiTcs to the fca by Cape Small Point. It is navigable for veilels of 150 tons upwards of 40 miles from the fea. Sheepfcut river is navigable 20 or 30 miles, and empties into the ocean a little to> the eaft of Kennebeck. On this river is the important port of WifeafTet, in the town- Ihip of Pownalborough. Amerifcoggin, now more generally called Androfcoggin, properly fpeaking, is but the main weftern branch of the Kennebeck. Its fources are north of Lake L T mbagog Its courfe is fouthwardly, till it approaches near the White Mountains, from which it receives Moofe and Peabody rivers, and then turns to the eaft, and then fouth-caft, in which courfe it paifes within two miles of the fea-coaft, and turning north runs over Pejcpfkaeg, falls into Merry Meeting Bay, where it forms a junction with the Kennebeck, 20 miles from the fea. Formerly, from this bay to the fea, the confluent ftream was called Saggadahock. The lands on this river are very good. Steven's river heads within a mile of Merry Meeting Bay. A canal, uniting thefe waters,, lias lately been opened. Cuflen's river is between Freeport and North Yarmouth, Royal's river empties itfelf into the fea in North Yarmouth. Prefnmfcut is fed by Sebacook Lake, and meets the fea at Falmouth. Nonefuch river paffes to fea through Scarborough. It receives its name from its extraordinary frefhets. Saco river is one of the three largeft rivers in this diftricl. The principal part of its waterfalls from the White Mountains. Its courfe, fome. diftance from its Iburce, is fouthwardly ; it then fuddenly bends to the eafr. and croffes into the diftrift of Main, and then makes a large bend to the north-eaft, eaft, and fouth-weft, em- bracing the fine townfhip of Fryebmg, in the county of York. Its general courfe thence to the lea is S. E. Great and Little OfTapce rivers fall into it from the weft, This river is navigable for fhips to Saco Falls, about lix miles from the lea. Here the* river is broken by Indian liland, over which is the Poft-road. A bridge is thrown over each of the branches. A number of mills are erected here, to which logs are floated from 40 or 50 miles above ; and vefTels can come quite to the mills to take in the lumber. Four million feet of pine boards were annually fawed at thefe mills before the war. Eiddeford and Pepper ill-borough lie on cither iide of the mouth of this river. Moufom, York, and Cape Neddock rivers, hi the county of York, are ftiort and inconfidcrable ftreams. We have already mentioned the moft confiderable lakes, which are known in this Lake Sebacook, 18 miles N. W. of Portland, in extent is equal to two large 2, DISTRICT OF MAIN: townfhips, and is connected with Long Pond, on the N. W. by Sungo river: The whole extent of theie w.iU-rs is nearly 30 miles N. W. and ; S. E. BAYS AND CAPES.] The principal bays are, Paiiamaquaddy, Mnchias. PrnoM-ot, -Cafco, and Wells. Of theie, Penabfcot and Cateo arc the moil remarkable. Both full of iflands, fomc of which are large enough for townfhips. Long liland, in the center of Penobfcot Bay, is 15 miles in length, and from 2 to 3 in breadth, and forms an incorporated tcwnfhip, by the name of Ifleiborough, containing about 400 inhabitants. On a fine peninlula on the call fide of t-lie bay the Britifh built a fort and made a fctllemcnt, which is now the fhire town in the county of Hancock. The points of Cafco Bay are. Cape Small Point on the eaft, and Cape Elizabeth on the weft. This bay is about 25 miles wide, and 14 deep, forming a mo ft excellent harbour for vcifels of any burden, and interfperfed with a multitude of iflands, fome of which arc nearly large enough for townfhips. Wells' Bay lies between Cape Porpoiie and Cape Neddock, PRODUCTIONS.] The foil of this country in general, where it is properly fitted to- receive the feed, appears to be very friendly to the growth of wheat, rye, barley, oats, peas, hemp, ilax, as well as for the production of alrnoft all kinds of culinary roots and plants, and for Englifh grafs ; and alfo for Indian corn, provided the feed be pro- cured from a more northern climate. Hops are the fpontaneous growth of this country. It is yet problematical, whether apple and other fruit-trees will flourifh in the northern and cailern parts of this diltricl. It is ihid, however, that a; century ago, there were good orchards within the county of Washington, about the Bay of Pafla- maquaddy, which were deftroyed after Colonel Church broke up the French fertle- ments at that place. From fome experiments of the prcient inhabitants, the prc- fumption is rather againft the growth of fruit-trees. In the comities of York and Cumberland, fruit is as plenty as in New Hampshire. This country is equally good for grazing as for tillage, and large flocks of neat cattle may be fed both fummer and winter. The natural growth of this country conilfts of white pine and fpruce trees in large quantities, fuitable for mafts, boards, and fhingles : the white pine is, perhaps, of all others, the molt ufeful and important ; no wood will fupply its place in building. Maple, beech, white and grey oak, and yellow birch, are the growth of this country. The birch is a large lightly tree, and is ufed for cabinet-work, and receives a polifh little inferior to mahogany. The outer bark, which coniiits of a great number of layers, when feparatcd, is as imooth and foft as the bcit writing-paper, and in fome caies is a tolerable fubilitute for it. The low lands produce fir. This tree is fit neither for timber nor fuel ; but it yields a baliam that is highly prized. This balfam is contained in linall protuberances like blifters, under the fmooth bark of the tree. The fir is an evergreen, refembling the fpruce, but very tapering, and neither tall nor large. Under this article the following remarks of General Lincoln merit a place : " From the different rivers, in this eairern country, waters may be drawn for mill?; and all water work ; beiides, many are the advantages which arife to a country, through which fireams of water are ib liberally interfperfed, as they are in this ; and efpeckillv when they abound, as many of thcfe do, with fiih of different kinds ; among them are the falmon, mad, alewive, and others, which feek the quiet waters of the lakes, as the only places in which they can with fafety lodge their fpawin. From this fourcc, the inland country may draw a fupply of filli, equal to all theii de- mands, (if they are not interrupted in their parlh^e,) which are rendered peculiarly valuable, 3 io DISTRICT OF MAIN. valuable, as their annual return is at a fcafon of the year when moft needed, and when they can be cured with a very little fait ; Ib that a long and free ufe of them will not be injurious to the health of the inhabitants. The certainty of the fupply adds to its value. Thcic tifli, as is iuppofed, and of which there cannot, I think, be a doubt, return to the fame waters yearly, in which they were fpawned, utitefs fonie natural obiiruclioii be thrown in their way. Whilll the people inland may be fup- plied with thefe filh, the inhabitants of the fea-coaft maybe fupplied with the cod and other ground filh, which are allured quite into their harbours, in purfuit of the river filh, and may be taken with the greatell eafe, as no other craft is neceffary in many places than a common ranoe. Great advantages arife alto to thole who live on the fca-coail, from the ihell-rifh, viz. tlic lobfter, the fcollop, and the clam. To thefe advantages may be added, thotb which arife .from the foreits being filled with the moofe and deer, and the waters being covered with wild fowls of different kinds." COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES.] From the firft fettlement of Main, until the year 1774 or 1775,' the inhabitants generally followed the lumber trade to the neglr of agriculture. This afforded an immediate profit. Large quantities of corn and other grain were annually imported from Bofton and other places, without which it was fuppofed the inhabitants could not have lubfiited. But the late war, by render- ing thefe reiburces precarious, put the inhabitants upon their true intereft, i. e. the cultivation of their lands. The inhabitants now raife a iufficient quantity for their own conlumption ; though too many, are ilill more fond of the axe than of the plough. Their wool and flax are very good ; -hemp lias lately been tried with great luccels. Almoft every family manufacture wool and fiax into cloth, and make husbandry uten- fils of every kind for their own ufc. EXPORTS.] This country abounds with lumber of various kinds, fuch as marts, which of late, however, have become fcarcc ; white pine boards, fhip timber, and every fpecics of fplit lumber manufactured from pine and oak ; thefe are exported from the different ports in immenie quantities. Dried fifh furnifhes a capital article of -export. MINERALS.] Mountain and bog iron ore are found in fome parts, and works have been creeled for its manufacture. There is a fpecies of Hone in Lebanon, in the county of York, which yields cop- fcras and fulphur. STATE OF LITERATURE.] The erection of a college near Cafco Bay is contem- -plated, and the legillature have proceeded fo far in the bufinefs, as to determine on the principles of fuch an eitabliihment. Academies in Hallo-well, Berwick, Frycburg-, .and Maehias, have been incorporated by the legiilature, and endowed with handfome p - ants of the public lands. And it is but juft to obfervc, that town-ichools arc very generally maintained in moft of the towns that are able to defray the expence, and a fpirit of improvement is increafing. CHIEF TOWNS.] Portland is "the capital of the diiiricl: of Main. It is lituated on a promontory in Caico Bay, and was formerly a part of Fa] mouth. In July 1786, this part of the town being the moft populous and mercantile, and iituated on the harbour, together with the iilands which belong to Falmouth, was incorporated by the name of Portland. It has a moft excellent, fate, and capacious harbour, which is leldom or never completely frozen over. It is near the Main Ocean, and is eaiy of accefs. The inhabitants carry on a considerable foreign trade, build ihips, and arc largely concerned in the fifhery. It is one of the molt thriving commercial towns in ic commonwealth of Maflkhufctts. Alt:;o;igli three fourths 'of it was laic] in allies by DISTRICT OF MAIN. 31 1 by the Britiih fleet in 1775, it has fince been entirely rebuilt, and contain?; nbout 2300 inhabitants. Among its public buildings arc three rhurehcs, two fur Congrcgalioiuiliits, and one for Epifcopalians ; and a hanifomc court-houfe. A light-houfe has lately been eroded on a point of land called Portland Head, at the entrance of the harbour. It is a flone edifice, 72 fcct high, cxcluiive of the lanthorn. York is 74 miles N. E. from Bofton, and 9 from Portfmouth. It is divided into two parifhes of Congregationalifls. York River, which is navigable for vettels of 250 tons 6 or 7 miles from the fea, pafics through the town. Over this river, about a mile from the fea, a wooden bridge was built in 1761, 270 feet long, exclufive of the wharves at each end, which rcacli to the channel, and 25 feet wide. The bridge Hands on thirteen piers ; and was planned and conducted by Major Samuel Sewall, an ingenious mechanic, and a native of the town. The model of Charles river bridge \vas taken from this, and was built under the fuperintendance of the fame gentleman. It has allb ferved as the model of Maiden and Beverly bridges, and has been imitated, even in Europe, by thofe ingenious American artifts, Mellieurs Coxe and Thompfon. This town was let tied as early as 1630, and was then called Agamenticus, from a remarkable high hill in it of that name, a ;iotcd land mark for mariner*. It is lit lat. 43 16'. About the year 1640, a great part of this town was incorporated by Sir Ferdinanoo Gorges, by the name of Georgiana. lie appointed a Mayor and Aldermen, and made- it a free port. In 1652, when it fell under the jurifdietion of MarTachuletts, it affumcd the name of York, which it has lince retained. Hallowell is a very ftouriihing town, iituated in latitude 44^40', at the head of the tide waters on Kennebeck river. Pownalborough, Pcnobicot, and Macbias, are allb towns of conliderable and increaiing importance. Bangor, Iituated at the head of the tide waters on Pcnobicot river, latitude 45, it is thought will in a few years become a place of very conliderable trade. The other towns of consideration are, Kittery, Wells, Biddeford, Berwick, North Yarmouth, and Waldoborough. POPULATION, CHARACTER, AXD RELIGION.] For the lirlr of thefe articles, fee the table of divilions. There are no peculiar features in the character of the people of this diitrict, to diltinguiih them from their neighbours in New Hampfhire and Ver- mont. Placed as they are in like circumir.anc.es, they are like them, a brave y Iwardy, enterpriliug, industrious, hospitable people. The prevailing religious deno- minations are Congrcgationalills and Baptifts ; there are a few Epifcopalians and Ro- man Catholics. INDIANS.] The remains of the Penoblcot tribe arc the only Indians who take up their residence in this diftricr. They con lift of about 100 families, and live together in re- gular focicty at Indian Old Town, which is Iituated on an ifland of about 206 acres-, in Penoblcot river, juft above the Great Falls. They arc Roman Catholics,, and IKIVC a pricft, who relides among them, and adminiirers the ordinances. They have a c*rcent houfe for public worlhip, with a bell, and another building, where they meet to -traniacr. the public bulinefs of their tribe. In their aliemblies all things are managed with the greateil order and decorum. The Sachems form the legislative and executive authority of the tribe; though the heads of all the families are invited to be p relent at their periodical public meetings. The tribe is increaiing, in con- fequcnce of an obligation laid, by the Sachems, oa the young people, to many esrlv. 3 :s DISTRICT OF MAIN. In a former war, tiris tribe loft their lands ; but, at tbc commencement of the laft war, the Provincial G< cl them all tlie lands from the head of the tide in Penobfcot river, included in lines drawn fix miles from the river on each fide, i. e, a tiv. ivc miles wide, i'.itcrfo ted in the middle by the river. They, however, confider that they have a right to hunt and fifk as far as the mouth of the bay of 1'cnobfcot extends. This \viis their original right, iu oppofition to any other tribe, and the}' now occupy it. CONSTITUTION.] The fame as MafTachufctts, HISTORY.] The nrit attempt to fettle this country was made in 1607, on the weft fide of Kenncbcck, near the fca. No permanent fcttlcmcnt, however, was at this time *.ed. It does not appear that any further attempts were made until between the years 1620 and 1630. The Dutch formerly had a fcttlemcnt at the place, which is now called Newcaftlc, which was under the jurifdiction of the governor of New York, then called Manliadoes. The town was built on a beautiful neck of land, where rows of old cellars are now to be fecn. In 163;, Sir Fcrdinanclo Gorges obtained a grant from the Council of Plymouth, of the tra6t of country between the rivers Pafcataqua and Saggadahock, or Kcnnebeck ; and up Kcnnebeck fo far as to form a. fquare of 1 20 miles. It is fuppofed that Sir Fer- dinand -firli inftituted government in this province. In 1639, Gorges obtained from the Crown a charter of the foil and jurifdiction, containing as ample powers, perhaps, as the King of England ever granted to any iiibject. In the fame year be appointed a governor and council, and they adminiirered juftice to the fcttlers until about the year 1647, when hearing of the death of Gorges, they fuppofed their authority ceafed ; and the people on the fpot univerfally com- bined and agreed to be under civil government, and to elecl their officers annually. Government was adminiftered in this form until 1652, when the inhabitants ful>* mittcd to the MafTachufetts, who, by a new conftrucHon of their charter, which was given to Roflwell and others in 1628, claimed the foil and jurifdiclion of the province of Main, as far as the middle of Cafco Bay. Main then firil took the name of York- 4hire ; and county courts were held in the manner they were in MafTachufettsy and the towns had liberty to fend their deputies to the general court at Bofton. In 1691, by charter from William and Mary, the province of Main, and the large territory eaftward, extending to Nova Scotia, was incorporated with the MarTachufctts Bay ; fince which it has been governed, and courts held as in other parts of the Maftachufetts. The reparation of this diftricl: from Mafiachufctts, and its ereclion into an inde- pendent State, have been fuhjects difcufled by the inhabitants in town meeting, by the appointment of the legiflaturc. Such is the rapid fettlement and growth of -tliis country, that the period when this contemplated feparation will take place is probably not far difumt. For the belt hiftorical account of this diftricl, the reader is referred to " Memoirs of Sir Ferdinando Gorges," by the Rev. Dr. Belknap, publifhed in the Columbian Magazine for 1788 and to Hutchinfon's Hiflory of Mafiachuietts. MASSACHUSETTS. ( 3'3 ) MASSACHUSETTS. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Sq. Miles. Length i2_$i u r i so' and i 40' E. Long, i , Breadth 50 1 b = twecn { 4 , 30' and 43 N. Lat j 62 5 BOUNDARIES iHQOtTNDED north, by Vermont and New Hampshire ; eaft, by the '-'Xj Atlantic Ocean ; fouth, by the Atlantic, Rhode Ifland and Con- necticut ; weft, by New York. DIVISIONS."] This part of MafTachufetts is divided into the following counties : - CcuntifS. Suffolk. Eflex No. 2,2, No.Hou. 6 355 7644 No. Fam. 8038 10883 Middlefex - 41 Hampfbire Plymouth Briftol Barnftable Duke's Nantuckct Worcester Berkshire 60 15 15 10 49 26 No. Inba. 44875 579 ! 3 4^737 59681 29535 31709 17354 3*65 46.0 56807 330291 No. Ink. 18038 7921 4837 I 59 1628 - ^574 Cb, Towns. BOSTON f Salem 1 Newbury Port f Charleftown i Concord {Northampton Springfield Plymouth Taunton Barnftable Edgartown Sherburne Worcefter f Stockbridge I Great Barrington 1373 3804 2610 !35a 4620 2095 Eleven counties 265 54377 65779 Population for every fquare mile 60. CLIMATE.] See New England. RIVERS.] Houfatonick river rifes from feveral fources in the weftern parts of this State, and flows foutherly through Connecticut into Long Ifland Sound. Deerfield river falls into Connecticut river, from the weft, between Deerfield and Greenfield. A moft excellent and beautiful tracl of meadow lies on its banks. Weftfield river empties into the Conrieclicut at Weft Springfield. Connecticut river paffes through this State, and interfects the county of Hamplhire: in its courfe it runs overfalls above Deerfield, and between Northampton and Springfield. A company, by the name of " The Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on Connecticut river," was incorporated by the General Court in 1792, for the purpofe of rendering Connecticut river paflable for boats and other things, from Chicapee river northward to New Hamplhire. Miller's and Chicapee rivers fall into Connecticut on the eaft fide ; the former at Northfield, the latter at Springfield. In the eaftern part of the State is Merrimack, which we have already in part de- icribed, It is navigable for veliels of burden about twenty miles from its mouth, where Sf it 3I4 MASSACHUSETTS. it is oMtrnctrd by the firft falls, or rapids, called Mitchell's Edd between Bradford and Haverbill. Vaft quantities of Ihip timber, ranging timber, plank, deals, clap- boards, fhingle?, fuves, and other lumber, are brought down in rafts, ib conftrucled, as- to pafs all the falls in the river except tliofe of Amulkacg arid Pairrucket. In the fpring and llimmer conliderable quantities of falmon, fhad, and alewives are caught, which are either uled as bait in the cod fifhcry, or pickled and fhipped to the Weft Indies. There arc twelve ferries acrofs this river in the county of Eifex.. The bar acrofs the mouth of this river is a very great incumbrance to the navigation, and is efpecially ter- rible to itrangcrs. There are 16 feet water upon it at common tides. In 1787 the general court granted a fum of money for the erection of two fufficient light houfes,, and made the maintenance of them a public charge. The 'loufes arc of wood, and contrived to be removed at pleafure, fo as to be always conformed to the Uniting of the bar ; and thus the lingle rule of bringing them in. a line will be the only riecef fary direction for veffels approaching the harbour, and by this direc^on they may-foil with fafety, until they are abreail of the lights, where is a bold ihore and good an- choring ground. The bridges over this river will be mentioned under that head. Nafhua, Concord, and Shawfheen rivers, rife in this State, and run a north-ealterly courfe into the Mcrrirriack. Parker's river takes its rife in Rowley, and, after a courfer of a. few miles, palTes into the Sound Which feparates Plumb Illand from the main land. It is navigable about two miles from its mouth. Ipfwich and Chebacco rivers pafs through the town of Ipfwich into Ipfwich Bay. Miltick river falls into -Boiton Harbour, call of the peninfula of Charleftovv'n : it is navigable three miles to Medford. Charles river is a coniiderable ftream, the principal branch of yyiiich rife* from a pond bordering on Hopkinton : it pafTes through Holliilon and Bellingham, and di vides Medway from Medfield, Wrentham and Franklin, and thence into' Dedham, where, by a curious bend, it forms a peninfula of 900 acres of land. And what is very fingular, a ftream called Mother Brook, runs out of this river, in this town, and falls into Neponfet river, which anfwers to a canal uniting the two rivers, and affords a- num- ber of excellent mill feats. From Dedham the courfe of the river is northerly through Newton, palling over romantic falls it 'then bends to the north-call and call, through Watertown and Cambridge, and palTes into Bofton harbour, between Charleftown and Boilon : it is navigable for boats to Watertown feven miles. Neponfet river originates chiefly from Muddy and Punkapog Ponds, in Stoughton r and Malhapog Pond in Sharon, and after palling over falls mfficient to carry mills,. \miteswith other fmall ftreams, and forms a very conftant lupply of water for the many mills lituated on the river below, until it meets the tide in Milton, from whence it i navigable for veffels of 1 50 tons burthen to the bay, diltant about four miles. Neponfet river, from Milton to the Bay, forms a regular and beautiful ferpentine, interfperfed with hillocks of wood fo regularly placed, that from Milton Hill it affords one of the fineft profpe&s in the world. Palling Fore and Back rivers in Weymouth, you come 1 to North river, which rifes in Indian Head Pond in Pembroke, and running in a ferpen- tine courfe between Scituate and Marlhfield pafles to the fea. This river for its fize is remarkable for hs great depth of water, it being, in fome places, hot more than 40 or 50 feet wide, and yet vefTels of 300 tons are built at Pembroke, 18 miles (as the river runs) from its mouth. This river is navigable for boats to the fine fall, rive miles from, its fource in Indian Head Pond ; thence to the neareft waters which run into Taunton? river is only three miles. A canal to connect the waters of thefe two rivers, which communicate with Narraganfet and Maflachufetts Bays, wmild be of great utility, as it would lave a long and dangerous navigation round Cape Cod. Taunton MASSACHUSETTS. Taunton river W made up of feveral ftreams which unite in or near the town of Bridg water. Its courfe is from N. E. to S. W. till it falls into Narraganfet Bay at Trvciton, oppolite the north end of Rhode Illand. It receives a confiderable tributary ft ream at Taunton from the north- weft. The head waters of Pautucket and Providence rivers, in Rhode liland, and of Quinnabaug and Shetuckct rivers, in Connecticut, are in this State. CAPES, BAYS, ISLANDS, &c.] The only Capes of note, on the coaft of this State* are Cape Ann on the north fide of MafTachufetts Bay, and Cape Cod on the foiith. Cape Cod, fo called probably irom the multitudes of cod fifh which are found on its coaft, is the ibuth-eaitcrly part of the Commonwealth of Maflachufctts : in fhape it -referable a man's arm.wheu bended, with the hand turned inward towards the body. The Cape -comprehends .the county of Bamitable, and is between 70 and 80 miles in length. Province Town is the hook of the Cape, and is generally narrow, the wideft place not being more than three miles in extent. The harbour, which is one of the beft in the State, opens to the fouthward, and has depth of water for any fhips. // was tbefirft port entered by our forefathers when they came to fettle in this country, in 1620. This place has been in a itate of thriving and decaying many times ; it is now riling. It contains -about ninety families, whofc wliolc dependence is upon the fea for their fupport: they employ about twenty fail of vcrTels, great and fmull, in the cod fifuery : they have been remarkably fucccfsful .of late. Ten of their vefTels, employed in 1790 upon the Grand Bank, took eleven thoufand quintals of cod filh. They have not loft a veflel, or a man, in the bufineis, fincc the war. The houfes ftand upon the inner fide of the hook of the Cape, fronting fouth-eaft, imd looking Into the harbour : they are frnall, one ftory high, and fet up on blocks or piles, that the driving lands may pals under them, otherwife they would be buried in land. The houfes ftand in one range upon the beach; the flakes on which they diy their fifh are round them. The velfels run in upon the ihore, which is a foft fand, throw their fiJh over, where they are wafhed from the fait, and carried up to the flakes on hand-barrows. They raife nothing from their lands, but are wholly dependent upon Bofton market, and'Gther places, for every kind of vegetable production. There are but two horfes, and two yoke of oxen, kept in the town : they have about iifty cows, which feed in the fpiing upon beach grafs, which grows here and there upon the fhore ; and in iumrncr they feed in the funkcn ponds and marlhy places, that arc found between the fand hills. Here the cows are feen wading, and even fwimming, plunging their heads into the water up to their horns, picking a fcanty fubfiftence from the roots and herbs produced in the water. They are fed in the winter on fcdge cut upon the flats. Except a border of loofe land, which runs round the whole place, it is very broken and hilly. Thefe hills are white fand, and their produce is whortleberry bufnes, and imall pitch pine fhrubs. The pines, next the village, have been much cut off for fire- wood. Cutting away the wood expofes the hills to be torn away by the violence of the winds, and, in fome inftances, pcrfons have been obliged to remove their houfes to pre- vent being covered up. Thefe hills and fand heaps are conftantly fhifting ; and when torn away in one place, are piled up on another: it is not unfrequent to have their fiili ilakes covered with banks of fand like fnow. Immediately in ftepping from any houfe, 4he foot finks in fand to the depth of the fhoe. The moft foutherly point of this place, ""- J Wood End, is five ra^es fouth-weft from the village. What is called Race S f a. Point, 3I 6 MASSACHUSETTS. Point, known to all teamen, is the north-wefterly extremity of the (5pe, and lies north- wcH from tlie village, dillant three miles. A traveller, in palling from the village over to Race Point, about mid-way, travels fome diftance through a pine wood, the trees about twenty feet in height ; at length, he finds the path obfiru&ed with a mound of fand, almoft perpendicular, riling among the trees to their tops : his horfe with difficulty mounts this precipice^ his feet linking almofl to the knees in the land. This volume of land is gradually rolling into the woods with the winds, and as it covers the trees to the tops, they die. As foon as a traveller mounts this bank, a curious fpeclacle prefents to view, a defert of white land, five miles in length, parallel with thefea, and one mile and an half in breadth. The tops of the trees appear above the fand, but they are all dead : where they have been lately covered, tire bark and twigs are Itill remaining, from' others they are fallen off; fome have been fo long whipped and worn out with the fand and winds, that there is nothing remaining but the hearts and knots of the trees. But over the greater part of this defert the trees have long lince difapperred. After crolling this wildernefs, where the horfe links te his fetlocks at every Hep, you tirrivc at Race Point. Here are a number of huts erected by the perfons who come over from the village to fifh in boats : here they keep their nib ing apparatus and lodge. At the difiance of fifteen rods from the Point, the water is thirty fathoms in depth, and cod r haddock, and other kinds of filh, are taken in plenty, whenever the weather will per- mit. They take many kinds of filh with ferns, fuch as pollock, mackard, and her- rings : the two latter are often taken in their harbour in great abundance; At this place, Race Point, are feen, at fome times, hundreds of fharks lying on the fhorc, which have been caught by the boats when filhing for cod : they weigh from three to fix hundred weight : their livers, which produce oil, are the only parts of thenr of which any ule is made. They are taken by a large hook baited with a cod filh, and fattened to an iron chain with a fwiyel, to prevent them from biting or twilling it off. When the lhark has leized the hoolt they drag him up to the ftern of the boat, and being too large to take on board the boats there made ule of, they row afhore with him, drag hkn up on the beach,, rip him open, take out his liver, and the carcafe- is left to periftu. Filhing, either at fea in veffels, or round the Ihore in boats, is the whole employment of all the inhabitants. There is no employment but this to which they can turn their attention : and the boys, as Ibou as they have ftrengthto pull a codfilh, are put on board a boat or a velfeh As this harbour is of Ib much confcquencej often affording a Shelter from Itorms to veffels both inward and outward bound, it is of importance that there Ihould always be a fettlement here. The Province formerly afforded them fome encouragement, be- fides exempting them from taxation. That encouragement is now withholden, and a poll- tax has been required,, whether with good policy, has been doubted by many : the inhabitants complain of it, as an unrealbnable burthen. Their employment is a great public benefit,, and what they acquire is through many perils and the hardeft labour. The extent of Cape Cod, on the outer Ihore, beginning at Wood End, round to Buzzard's Bay, or to the line between Sandwich and Wareham, is about one hundred ai d thirty miles- The inner Ihore on Maffachufetts Bay is about fevcnty-five miles. The road that is commonly travelled on to the Cape is on the inner fide, and meafured by this, the extent of the Cape \vrll be as firlt mentioned. Cape Cod, in general, is a thin, barren foil, by far the molt fo of any part of New England : but the lea air im- pregnates all vegetables with a quality which renders them far more nutritive to cattle, than the fame quantity far inland ; it being an undoubted fact, that cattle will do well iu MASSACHUSETTS. in liich paftures, as far up in the country would ftarvc them at once. Their fait hay, which is almoft their only forage, affords a manure which is allb far fnperior to that which is made at a diftance from the lea : this greatly aflifts their crops of corn and rye, beyond what the land promifes in its appearance. The lands of Cape Cod could never fupport its inhabitants, which are nearly 17,000. A great part of the men and boys are conifantly employed at fea. In this bufinefs they fupport themfelves and families ; and it is obferved, that the young people form family connections earlier in life than in any other part of the country ; which, perhaps, is one evidence that the means of fub- iiftence are eafily obtainable. Cape Cod is a nurfery for feamen, and, in that view, one of the moft important places in the State, or in America. If the cultivation of the fea is a bleffing to any nation, we may confider the inhabitants of the Cape as the moft valuable among our countrymen. The Cape abounds with clear frefn ponds, generally flocked with fifli : there is little funken land : the wood oil the Cape is generally pitch pine : there are few or no ftones below Barnftable : the cellars are walled with brick, in a circular form, to prevent the loofe fand from caving in : the wells are fecured in the fame manner, and they are obliged to keep them covered to prevent the fand from blowing in and fpoih^g the water. Formerly, the inhabitants took many whales- round the Capes, chiefly in Maf- fachufetts Bay ; but that bu-finefs is almoil at an end. Tlie manner of taking black filh is fomev/hat lingular : they are a fifh of die whale kind, of about five tons weight, and produce oil in the fame manner as a whale. When a moal of them is difrovered, which fometimes confifts of feveral hundreds, the inhabitants put off in boats, get without them, and drive them like fo many cattle on to the Ihore and flats, where they are left by the tide and fall an eafy prey. The fhore of the Cape is, in many places, covered with the huge bones of thele fifh and of whales, which remain unc i- fumed for many years. Many perfons conjecture, that the Cape is graduall) wearing away, and that it will finally tall a facrifice to the ravages of the winds and the (cas,. and many circumftances favour fuch an opinion. At Province Town harbour ftuTops of trees are icen, which the fea now covers in common tides. When the Englifh firft fettled upon the Cape, there was an ifland off Chatham, at three leap ics diftance,. called Webb' 's Ijtind, containing twenty acres, covered with red ccda or favin : the inhabitants of Nantucket ufed to carry wood from it. This ifh.nd ^as been v worn away for almoft a century. A large rock that was upon the ifland, ana wnich fettled as the earth wafhed away, now marks the place ; it rifes as muel above tlic bottom of the fea, as it ufed to rife above the furface of the ground : the water is fix fathoms deep on this fpot : and in many places on the Cape the fea appears to ije en- croaching on the land. The Cape is fo expofed to winds in every direction, that fruit trnes du not thrive : there are few orchards of any confequcnce below Barnltable : there is not a cyder mill in the county. In many places, their foreft trees have more the appearance of a prim hedge than of timber. The Cape is an healthy fituation, except for thofe conftitutkms- which are too deli- cate for the piercing winds that come from the tea. The inhabitants in general live as long as in the other parts of the northern States. The winds, in every direction, come from the fea ; and invalids, by vifiting the Cape, fometimes experience the fame benefit as from going to lea.* The principal bays on the coaft of Maffachufetts are, Iplwich, Bofton, Plymouth,. Cape Cod or Barnftable, and Buzzard's Bays. Many iflands are fcattered along the coaft, * See Maflachufetts Magazuie for March, 3 i8 MASSACHUSETTS. coaft, the TYiofl noted of which are Plumb Ifland, which is about nine miles in length, extending from Mcrrimack river on the north, to the entrance of Ipfwich river on the fouth, and is fcparated from the main land by a narrow found, called Plumb Ifland river, fordable in fevcral places at low water. It confifts principally of fand, blown into curious heaps, and crowned with bufhes bearing the beach plumb. There is, however, a valuable property of lalt marfh, and at the fouth end of the ifland are two or three good farms : on the north end are the light-houfes before-mentioned : on the fea fhore of this ifland, and on Salifbury beach, the Marine Society, and other Gen- tlemen of NeWbury Port, have humanely erected feveral fmall houfes, furniihed with fuel and other conveniences for the relief of mariners who may be fhipwrecked on this coaft. Nantucket Ifland lies fouth of Cape Cod: it contains, according to Douglas, 23,000 acres, including the beach. No mention is made of the difcovery and lettlement of this ifland, under its prefent name, by any of our historians. It is more than probable that this is the ifland which is ufually called Nautican by ancient voyagers. As the ifland is low and fandy it is calculated only for thofe people who are willing to depend almoll entirely on the watery element for fubfiitence. The ifland of itfelf conftitutes one county by the name of Nantucket. It has but one town, called Sherburne, containing 4620 inhabitants, and fends one reprefentative to the General Afembly. The inhabitants formerly carried on the moft confiderablc whale fifhery on the coaft, but the war almoft ruined this bufinefs. They have fince, however, revived it again, and purfue the whales, even into the Great Pacific Ocean. There is not a fingle tree on the ifland of natural growth ; they have a place called the Woods, but it has been deftitute of trees for thefe 60 years paft. The ifland was formerly well wooded. The people, efpecially the females, are fondly attached to the ifland, and few wilh to migrate to a more defirable fituation. The inhabitants of this ifland are principally Quakers ; there is one fociety of Con- gregationalifts. Forty years ago there were three congregations of Indians, each of which tad a houfe for worfhip and a teacher : their laft Indian paftor died o years lince, and was a worthy, refpectable character. Martha's Vineyard, which lies a little to the weftward of Nantucket, is about $wenty-one miles in length and four in breadth : it contains three focieties of Congre- g:\tionalifts at Edgarton, Tifbury, and Chilmark, two of Baptifts, without minifters, and three congregations of Indians, one of which is fupplied by an ordained Indian minifter, and to the others, the Rev. Mr. Mayhew preaches in rotation, and fuperin- tends the whole. This, and the neighbouring ifland, conftitute Duke's county, con- taining 3265 inhabitants, between 400 and 500 of which are Indians and Mulattoes, fubfifting by agriculture and fifhing. Edgarton, which includes the fertile ifland of Chabaquidick, three miles long and one and a half broad, is the- fliire town. This little ifland joins to the har- bour and renders it very fecure. Gayhead, the wefternmoft part of the ifland, containing about 2400 acres, is very good tillage land, and is wholly occupied by Indians, but not well cultivated. One-third of this tracl is the property of the Englifh fociety for propagating the gofpel in New England. The principal productions of the ifland are corn, rye, and oats. They raife Iheep and cattle in considerable numbers. There are four mill ftreams in Tift>ury. The inhabitants of this county fend three reprefentatives, and, in conjunction with Nantucket, one fenator to the General Court. TJtie other iflands of confidejation are in Maifachufetts Bay, which is agreeably MASSACHUSETTS, 319 eJiverfifiecf by about forty of various fizes r fcven of them only are within the jurifiliction- of the town of Bofton, and taxed with it. Caftle Ifland is about three miles from Bofton, and contains about 1 8 acres of land. The buildings are, the Governor's houfc, a magazine', gaol, barracks, and workshops. In June, 1792., there were con- fined on this ifland 77 convicls, who are employed in the manufacture of nails, and guarded by a company of between 60 and 70 foldiers. The fort on this ifland com- mands the entrance of the harbour: here are mounted 50 pieces of cannon, and 44 others lie dismounted, LIGHT HOUSES,} Within this State are the following light-houfes : on Plumb Ifland, near Newbury, are two, which we have already mentioned : on Thatcher's Ifland, off Cape Ann, two lights of equal height ; another ftands on a rock on the north fide of the entrance of Bofton harbour, with one fmgle light : on ther north point of Plymouth harbour are two lights : on a point at the entrance of the harbour on the ifland of Nantucket, is one with a fingle light ; this light may be feen as far as Nan- tucket fhoals extend - 9 the ifUn-'. being low, the light appears over it, FACE OP THE COUNTRY.] See. New England. By an admeafurement made by the barometer at Princetown, in this State, about 45 miles N. W. from Bofton, and at Cambridge, in 1777, it appears that Princetown is 1332 feet higher than the level of the fra..The top of Wachurft mountain in Princetown was found to be 2989 feet above the levc! of the lea. A hill of this height, in a clear horizon, may be feen 67 miles. SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.] In MaflTachufetts are to be found all the varieties of foil, from very ood to very bad, capable of yielding ail the different productions common to the climate, fuch as Indian corn, rye, wheat, barley, oats, hemp, flax, hops, po- tatoes, field beans and peas apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, &c. It has been obferved, that the effects of the eafi winds extend farther inland than formerly, end injure the tender fruits, particularly the peach, and even the more hardy apple, The average produce of the good lands, well cultivated, has been cftimated as follows r 40 bufhels of corn on an acre 30 of barley zo of wheat 30 of .rye 100 of potatoes. The ftaple commodities of this State are fifh, beef, and lumber. COMMERCE.] The following abftract of goods, wares, and merchandize, exported from this State, from the firft of Oclober 1790, to the 3ift of September 1791, will give the reader the befl idea of their articles of export, and the quantity of each* EXPORTS from MASSACHUSETTS, from Oftober i, 1790, to September 31, I 79' r - Afh, Pot tons , Pearl Apples bbls. Bricks num. Smiths' Bellows do. Boats do. Beer, Ale, and Porter, gal. Boots pairs BrimfBne Ibs, Blacking or Lampblack, kegs Cider bbls, doz. Chalk tons Cotton Ibs. 783.20 1,159.50 33> 2 5 2 75 339 3,280 ' 158 310 10 '3J37 1 Coffee Cocoa Chocolate Candles Myrtle- Wax Tallow Cables and Cordage do. do. boxes do. do. do. tons cwt. coils Copper Ore cwt. Manufactured^ do. Coals bufh. Cranberries do. Canes and Walking-iticks 68,044 ,804 348 169 1,106 16 so 1,480 1,548 688 96 Cards 310 MASSACHUSETTS. EXPORTS from MASSACHUSETTS continued Cards, cotton & \fool doz. 25 Iron-wrought Axes num. 662 Coaches, Chaifcs, Phaetons 16 Sc\thes do. 48 Carts and Waggons 4 Locks and Bolts do. 2,000 Duck, American bolts 288 Shovels do. 247 Drugs "Glauber Salts Ibs. , 1,220 Skimmers Sc Ladles pr. 15 Sallafras Root tons 1 7 Anchors num. 66 Earthen ware--Ye\\. or Queen's, crates 92 Mulkcts do. 60 Stone doz. 25 Cutlafles do. 7* Flaxfeed hhds. 6,056 Knives and Forks do. 240 Flax Ibs. 2,700 Chefts of Carpenter's Tools 4 Feathers do. i oo Iron-caJl'PQts, Kettles, &c. do. 702 Flints num. 40^000 Cannon do. 2 5 Frames of Boats do. 10 Shot for Cannon do. 1,000 Houfes do. 1 80 Iron the ton Fig tons il-il Windows & Doors do, 30 Bar do. 36.18 Houfekold Furniture Nail Rods do. i Tables do. 3 7 Hoops do. i Delks 23 Indigo Ibs. 1,238 Bureaus 1 6 Leather, tann'd & drefs'd do. 1,240 Sophas c _____ __ "firlps T O L y Chefts 705 Lime bulh. 45 6 Windfor & Rufh Chairs 34 Shot Ibs. a 553 Fi/ker'm Fiih dried c\vt. 326,560 Live Stock Ditto pickled bbls. 20,177 Horned Cattle num. 652 Oil Whale gal. 270,810 Horfes do. 3 2 4 Oil Spermaceti do. 70,266 Sheep do. 5^40 Sperma .Candles boxes 2,927 Hoffs do. 619 Whalebone Ibs. 85,161 o Poultry doz. 999 Genfang Ibs. 3,096 Merchandize foreign packages 179 Grindftones num. 104 MolafTes gal. 11,421 GUifs Ware crates 2 r MHlftones num. Window boxes 13 Muftard Ibs. 780 Groceries Caflia & Cinnam. Ibs. i , 1 7 8 Madder do. ij34 Pimento do. 5,551 Nails do. 20,000 Pepper do. 92 Nankeens num. of pieces 3*594 Brown Sugar do. 3,904 Nuts bufli. 692 Raifms do. IXDO Naval Stores Pitch bbls. 55 a Grain and Pulfe Tar do. 4,824 . Wheat hufli. * 2 Turpentine do. 4,266 1 T5 i ye do. 2,350 Rofin do. 33 Barley do. 32 Oil, Liri'feed gal. 9 Indian Corn do, 60,064. ^"\ t * ~^~ ^ fj Powder, Gun Ibs. I3> 8l 4 Uats do. 447 166 Peas and Beans do. 3,746 Pomatum do. 45 Horns and Horntips num. 71,281 Paints do. 840 Hats do. 256 TT 11 J * Provifions Rice tierces 810 Hops Ibs, 650 T T *^ Flour Ibs. 21,236 Hay tons 63 Ship Stuff do. 214 . EXPORTS MASSACHUSETTS. EXPORTS from MASSACHUSETTS continued. Indian Meal bibs. Rye ditto do. Bread do. Beef do. Pork do. Crackers kegs Hams and Bacon Ibs. Venifon & Mutton Hams do. Cheefe do. Lard . do. Butter firkin Saufages bibs. Frefh Beef do. Pork do. Carcafes of Mutton num. Neats Tongues Ibs. Oyfters, Pickled kegs Potatoes bulh. Onions do. Spirits Rum, American gal. , Weil India do. Brandy do. Gin cafes Cordials do. Sadkry Saddles & Bridles num. Carnage Harnefs fets Shoes pairs Soap boxes Snuff* Ibs. Steel bundles Spruce, EfTcnce of cafes Salt bufli. Seeds, Hay Ibs. Skins and Furs Morocco num. Calf in Hair do. Deer and Mdofe do. Bears, &c. do. 7,000 252 2,285 3,499 3, 74 i, 812 36,946 200 4^860 3,873 250 92,269 561 '54 214 ,808 ,497 ,357 ,734 188 69 70 14 Deer & other Skins unknown, hhds. calks, and packages 479 ^939 27 3 r 3,647 60 132 290 962 24 56 ,190 ,108 Toys for Children Tin manufactured Teas Bohea Souchong Green Hyfon Vinegar Wines Madeira Other Wines Bottled Wax Bees Myrtle Whips doz. doz. chefts do. do. do. gal. do. do. doz. Ibs. do. io8| 178 628! 2,098 4,622 3,940 6 10,254 1,946 num. 1 44 Wood Stav. & Head. num. 5,456,041 Shingles do. 12,325,600 Shocks & Cafks do. 29,895 Laths do. 15,500 Hoops & Hop-poles do. 5 1 1 ,764 Mails 219 Bowfprits 42 Booms 74 Spars 3,243 Handfpikes 1 3 , 1 2 6 Pumps 23 Boxes and Brakes 56 Blocks 5,162 Oars and Rafters 33,920 Trunnels 35,95 Cedar and Oak Knees 1,05 1 Carvings 1 3 Anchor Stocks 375 Oak Boards & Planks, feet 568,565 PineBoards&Planksdo. 2 1,136,101 Other ditto do. 3,448,369 Scantling 516,681 Oak and Pine Timber 68,238 Oak & Pine ditto tons 13,366 Oak Pine pieces 6,436 Oak, Pine, & Hic'ry cords 494 Oak Bark do. 13 Oak ditto ground hhds. 6 Mail Hoops doz. no Yokes for Oxen 96 Betides a variety of fmalkr articles. Tobacco hhds. Ditto, manufactured Ibs. 71 Tallow do. 275,641 Twine cwt. i ,900 Tow Cloth yards 4,548 Value of Goods, Wares, and Mcrchandife, exported from MaiTachufetts in the above- mentioned year, Dolls. Ct. M45>975- 53 Tt x It 322 MASSACHUSETTS. It mu ft be noted, that the foregoing abftract comprehends thofe articles only which were exported to foreign ports; the domeltic trade is not taken iato the account. Shoes, cards, hats, faddlery, and various other manufactures, and feveral articles of the produce of the country, to a great amount, were the fame year exported to, the fouthern States. This State owns more than three times as many tons of fhipping as any other of the States, and more than one third part of the whole that belongs to the United States.* Upwards of 29.000 tons are employed in carrying on the fifheries ; 46,000 in the coaiting bufinefs, and 96,564 in trading with almoit all parts of the world. Pot and pearl alh, ftaves, flax-feed, bees-wax, &c. are carried' chiefly to Great Britain, in re- mittance for their manufactures; mails and provifions 'to the Eaft Indies; fifh, oil, beef, pork, lumber, candles, &c. are carried to the Weil Indies, for their produce, and the two firrt articles, fifh and oil, to France, Spain, and Portugal; roots, vegetables,, fruits, and fmall meats, to Nova Scotia and New Brunfwick ; hats, faddlery, cabinet- work, men's and women's fhoes, nails, tow-cloth, barley, hops, butter, checfe, &c. to the fouthern States. The Negro trade was prohibited by law in 1778, and there is not a fipglejZffvif belonging to the Commonwealth. MANUFACTURES.] If we except printing types, flone wares, pitch, tar and turpen- tine, and wine, moil if not all the other articles enumerated in pages 204 and 205, arc manufactured in a greater or lefs degree in this State. There is a duck manufactory at Bofton, from which 1700 bolts, of 40 yards each, faid to be the befl duck ever before teen in America, have been fold in one year. Manufactories of this kind have been begun in Salem, Haverhill, and Springfield, and are faid to be in a promifing way. Manufactories of cotton goods have been eftablifhed at Beverley and Worcefter ; and much credit is due to the patriotic gentlemen who began them ; although by their perfevering exertions, they have not been able to fiirmount the various obftacles in the way of fuccefs. At Taunton, Bridgewater, Middlcborough, and fome other places, riails have been made in fuch quantities as to prevent, in a great meafure, the impor- tation of them from Great Britain. In this State there are thirteen paper mills, five on Neponfet river, five on Charles river, one at Andover, on Shawiheen river,, one at Springfield, and the other at Sutton, in ; Worcefler county. Ten of thefe mills have two vats each, and when in action, employ ten men, and as many girls and boys, and produce at the rate of 60,000 reams of writing, printing, and wrapping paper, annu- ally. It is eftimated that twenty thoufand pounds worth of paper is yearly made by thefe mills ; and the quantity is annually and rapidly increafing. The principal card manufactory is in Boflon, and belongs to Mr. Giles Richards, and Co. in which are made yearly about 7000 dozen of cotton and wool cards, of the various kinds or numbers, which confume about a hundred calks of wire, averaged at 30!. a caikj and about 20,000 tanned calf, fheep, and Iamb fkins, at 25. each. The flicking of thefe cards employs not lefs than 1000 people, chiefly children, and about fixty men are fully occupied in manufacturing card boards,, card tacks, and fmifhing the cards. It is estimated that about 2000 dozen cards arc made at the other manufac- tories in different parts of the State. The feat of the Jhoe matiufafture is at Lynn, eight miles to the northward of Bofton, in the County of EflTex. It is not eafy to fix the number of fhoes annually made by the induftrious inhabitants of this town, but it has been eftimated by thofe mofl com- petent to form an accurate judgement, that, beiides the home confumption, and the large numbers fent every week to Bofton and other places, feveral hundred thoufand * See page 200, M A S S A C H USE T T S. pair arc fhipped to the different parts of the United States. One man, Mr. B. Johnfon, from his own \vorkfhop, in the courfe of feven months, fhipped 20,600 pair of fhoes, valued at 4,979!. 6s. exclufivc of large numbcrvS fold in the vicinity. Silk and thread lace, of an elegant texture, are manufactured by women and chil- dren, in large quantities, in the town of Ipfwich, in Effex County, and fold for ufe and exportation in Bollon, and other mercantile towns. This manufacture, improperly regulated and encouraged, might be productive of great and extenfive advantages. In the year 1790, no Icfs than 4 J ?979 yards were made in this town; and the quantity, it is fuppofed, has fince been considerably increafed. A wire manufactory has lately been erected at a ronfiderable expence in Dedham, In Suffolk County, for the purpofe of drawing wire for the ufe of the nfh-hook and card manufacturers in Bollon. The effays which have already been made promife fuccefs. There are feveral fnufF, oil, chocolate, and powder mills in different parts of the State; and a number of iron works and flitting mills, belides other mills, in common ufe, in great abundance, for fawing lumber, grinding grain, and fulling cloth. There are 62 diftillcries in this State, employed in diftilling from foreign materials. In thefe diflilleries are 158 lulls, which together contain 102,173 gallons. Befides. thefc, there are twelve country ftills employed in diftilling domeftic materials ; but thefe arc final 1, and the moft of them very lately erected, and fome have never yet been worked. One million nine hundred thoufand gallons have been difliiled in one year, which, at a duty of eleven cents a gallon, yields a revenue to the government of 209,000 dollars. A brick pyramidical glafs-houfe was erected in Boflon by a company of gentlemen in 1789; but for want of workmen ikilled in the bufinefs, their w r orks were not put in operation effectually till November 1792; and although feveral of the firfl effays or meltings proved unfuccefsful, later effays gives the fullelt ground to believe that this very important manufacture may be profecuted to the advantage of the proprietors, as well as to the great benefit of the public. From the fpecimens of glafs exhibited, it appears to be of the bcft quality for clearnefs and goodnefs ; and as there is an abun- dance of the material for this manufacture at command, there can be little doubt of its being carried to fuch an extent, in the courfe of a few years, as to preclude foreign importations, which will make a vafl faving to our country. Every friend to his country muft wifh. that the patriotic company which have eflablifhed this manufacture, might meet with fuch fuccefs as to have their expenfes reimbursed, which have already exceeded the fum of 16,000 -dollars. BRIDGES AND CAXALS.! The bridges that merit notice in this State are the follow- ing, viz. Charles river bridge, built in 1786-7, 1503 feet long, and connecting Boflon and Charleflown. It is built on 75 piers, with a convenient draw in the middle, for the paffage of veffels. Each pier is compofed of feven flicks of oak timber, united by a cap piece, flrong braces and girts, and afterwards driven into the bed of the river, and firmly fecured by a fingle pile on each fide, driven obliquely to a fblid bottom. The piers are connected to each other by large firing pieces, which are covered with four inch plank. The bridge is 43 feet in width, and on each fide is accommodated with a paffage fix feet wide, railed in for the fafety of people on foot. The bridge has a gradual rife from each end, fo as to be two feet higher in the middle than at the extremities. Forty elegant lamps are erected, at a ruitable diftance from each other, to illuminate it when neccflary. There are four flrong flone wharves connected with three piers each, funk in various parts of the river. The machinery of the draw is Tt 2 fimple, 324 MASSACHUSETTS, fimple, and requires but two men to raife it. At the higheft tides the water rifcs twelve or fourteen feet ; the floor of the bridge is then about tour feet above the water. The depth of the water .in the channel at low tide is twenty-fcvcn feet. This bridge was completed in thirteen months ; and while it exhibits the grcatcft effect of private cnterprizc of this kind in the United States, it being the firit bridge of confiderable magnitude that has been erected, prefents a moil pleating proof, how certainly objects of magnitude may be attained by Ipiritcd exertions. The fuccefs which attended this experiment led others to engage in fimilar works of entcrprize. Maiden bridge acrofs Myitic river, connecting Charleftown with Maiden,, was begun in April 1787, and was opened for pafiengers the September following. This bridge, including the abutments, is 2420 feet long, and 32 feet wide, it has a draw 30 feet wide. The decpeft water at full tide is 23 fcet. The expenfc of this bridge was cftimated at 5300!. EfTex bridge, upwards of 1 500 feet in length, with a well-contrived -draw, was erected in 1789, and connects Salem with Beverly. The expenfe of this bridge is faid not to have exceeded one third part of that of Charles river bridge, yet it is efteemed quite equal in ftrength, and is thought by travellers to be fuperior in, point of beauty. In Rowley, on the poft road between Bofton and Newburyport, is a bridge acrofs- Parker's river 870 feet long, and 26 feet wide, connTting of nine iblid piers and eight wooden arches. This bridge was built in the year 1758. A bridge over Merrimack river, in the county of Effex, about two miles above Newburyport, is nearly completed. At the place where the bridge is erected, an ifland divides the river into two branches. An arch of 160 feet diameter and 40 feet above the level of high water, connects this ifland with the main on one lide ; the channel on the other fide is wider, but the center arch is but 1 40 feet diameter. Greater ingenuity is difcovered in the conftruction of this bridge, than in any that have hitherto been built ; and it is one among the vaft number of ftupendous and ufefuJ works which owe their origin to that confidence between man and man, which has been created or reftored by the meafures of the general government. Another ingenioufly constructed bridge has lately been completed over this river at Pautucket Falls, between Chelmsford and Dracut, in the county of Middlefex,. Thefe bridges are all fupported by a toll. Several other bridges are contemplated in different parts of the State, and one is actually begun, which, when completed, will connect the weft part of Bolt-on- with- Cambridge, over Charles river, and will be more than twice as long, and attended with, nearly twice the expenie of any other that has yet been built in tliis or in any of the United States. The legiflature, in February 1792, were petitioned by a company for liberty to build: a bridge over Connecticut river, at Montague ; \vhich was granted. The only canals of importance which have been contemplated in this common* wealth, are one between Barnftable and Buzzard's Bay, and thofe neeefiarv to render, Connecticut river navigable, both of which we have mentioned, and one which fhall open a communication between the town of Bofton and fome part of Connecticut river, for which purpofe General Kiiox and others were incorporated in 1792, by the name- of " The Proprietors of the MaifachufotU Canal." CURIOSITIES.] In the north part of the townfhip of Adams, in Berkfh.ire county, not half a mile from Stamford, in Vermont, is a natural curiofity which merits a de- fcription. A pretty mill ftream, called Hudibn's Brook, which .rifcs in Vermont, and i MASSACHUSETTS. 325 falls into the north branch of Hoofuck river, has, for thirty or forty rods, formed a very deep channel through a quarry of white marble. The hill, gradually defending towards the fonth, terminates in a ficep precipice, down which probably the waler once tumbled. But finding in fomc places a natural chafm in the rocks, and in others wearing them away, as is evident from their appearance, it has formed a channel which in fomc places is more than fixty feet deep. Over this channel, where deeper!, fome of the rocks remain, and form a natural bridge. From the top of this bridge to the water it is lixty-itwo feet > its length is about twelve or fifteen, and its breadth about ten. Partly under this bridge, and about ten or twelve feet below it, is another, which is wider but not fb long; for at the eaft end they form one body of rock, twelve or fourteen feet thick, and under this the water flows. It is evident, from the appearance of the rocks, that the water in fomc places formerly flowed forty or fifty feet above its prcfent bed. Many cavities, of different figures and dimcnfions, but generally circu- lar, are worn out in the rocks. One of thefe, in the folid rock, is about four feet in dia- meter, and. four or five feet deep; the rock is on one fide worn through at the bottom. A little above the bridge, on the wefi fide of the chafm, is a cave or little room, which lias a convenient entrance at the north, and a paffage out at the eaft. From the well fide of this cave a chafm extends into the hill, but foon becomes too narrow to pafs^ The rocks here, which are moftly white, though in fome places clouded or ftreaked with other colours, appear to be of that fpecies of coarfe white marble which is common at Lanefborough, and in other towns in Berkfhirc county. In the town of Wrentham, about two miles S. E. of the meeting houfe, is a curious cavern called Wamponfs Rock, from an Indian family of that name who refided in it for a number of years. It is fituated on the fouth fide of a hill, and is furrounded by a number of broken rocks. It is nearly fquare, each fide meafuring about nine feet. The height is about eight feet in front, but from the center it kflens to about four feet. At prefent it ferves only as a fhelter for cattle and fheep, as do one or two other rocks or caves in the town, formerly inhabited by Indians. Under this article we mention the falls of Powow river, which rifes in New Hamp- fhire, and falls into the Merrimack between Salifbury and Ameibury, in the county or Eflex. At thcfe falls, the dcfcent of the water, in the diftance of fifty rods, is joo feet, and in its paffage carries one bloomery, five faw mills, feven grifl mills, two linfeed oil mills, one fulling mill, and one fnuff mill, befides feveral wheels, auxiliary to different labours. The rapid fall of tire water the dams at very fkort diftances croffing the river the various wheels and mills arifing almoft immediately one over another-t-and the very irregular and grotefque fituation of the houfes and other build- ings on the adjoining grounds, gives this place a romantic appearance, and afford in, the whole, one of the mofr. fingular views to be found in this country. Lynn beach may be reckoned a curiofity. It is one mile in length, and connects the peninfiila, called Nahant, with the main land. This is a place of much refort for parties of pleafure from Bofio-n, Charleflown, Salem, and Marblehead, in the fummer feaibn. The beach is ufed as a race ground, for which it is well calculated, being level,, imooth, and hard. MINERALS, FOSSILS, AND MINERAL SPRINGS.] Iron ore in immenfe quantities is found in various parts of this State, particularly in the old colony of Plymouth, in the- towns of Middleborough, Britfgewater, Taunton, Attleborough, Stoughton, and the towns ii> that neighbourhood, which has in confluence, 'become the feat of the iron; manufactures. The flitting mills in this district, it is faid, annually flit 600 tons of" iron; and one company .has lately been formed, which, will .annually manufacture into, nails, 3 i6 MASSACHUSETTS. nails, of a quality equal to thofc imported, 500 tons of iron. The number of fpikes and nails made in this State is iijppofed now to be twice as large as that made in 1788, and is ftiil increaiing, and will probably ibon preclude all foreign importations, and from the abundance of the raw material may become an article of export. Copper ore is found at Leverett, in the county of Hampshire, and at Attleborough, in the county of Briflol. Several mines of black lead have been difcovered in Brimfield, in Hampshire county ; and white pipe clay, and yellow and red ochre, at Martha's Vineyard. Allum flate, or It one, has been found in fome parts; and allb ruddle or a red earth, which has been ufcd as a ground colour for priming, inftead of Spanifh. brown. In a quarry of lime-ltonc, in the parifh of Byefield, in the county of Elfex, is found the A/beJlos, or incombuftible cotton, as it has been called. Marble has been found in the fame vicinity, and it is conjectured that there are considerable beds of it. The fpecimens of it already exhibited have been beautifully variegated in colour, and admit an admirable poliih. A marble quarry at Lanefborough affords very good marble. Several mineral fprings have been found in different parts of the State, particularly at Lynn, Wrentham, Menotomy Pariih in Cambridge, &c. but none are celebrated as places of refort for invalids. LITERARY, HUMANE, and other SOCIETIES.] Thefe institutions in MafTachufctts exhibit a fair trait in the character of the inhabitants. Among the firfl literary inllitu- tions in this State is the AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, incorporated May 4th, 1780. It is declared in the act, that the end and dcfign of theinflitution is to promote and encourage the knowledge of the antiquities of America, and of the na- tural hiftory of the country, and to determine the ufcs to which the various natural pro- ductions of the country may be applied ; alfo to promote and encourage medical difco- veries, mathematical difquifitions, philofophicai inquiries and experiments ; agrono- mical, -meteorological, and geographical observations ; improvements in agriculture, arts, manufacture, commerce, and the cultivation of every fcience that may tend to advance a free, independent, and virtuous people. There are never to be more than two hun- dred members, nor lefs than forty. This fociety has four Hated annual meetings. The MASSACHUSETTS CHARITABLE SOCIETY, incorporated December i6th, 1779, * s intended for the mutual aid of themfelves and families, who may be diftreffed by any of the advcrfe accidents of life, and for the comforting and relieving of widows and or- phans of their deceafed members. The members of this fociety meet annually, and are not to exceed an hundred in number. The BOSTON EPISCOPAL CHARITABLE SOCIETY, firfl inftituted in 1724, and incorpo- rated February 12, 1784, has for its object, charity to fuch as are of the epifcopal church, and to fuch others as the fociety fhall think fit ; but more efpecially the relief of thofe who are members of, and benefactors to, the fociety, and afterwards become fuit- able objects of its charity. The members of this fociety meet annually, and are not to exceed one hundred in number. The MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SOCIETY was incorporated November lit, 1781. The defign of this inftitution is, to promote medical and furgical knowledge, inquiries into -the animal economy, and the properties and effects of medicine, by encouraging a free intercourfe with the gentlemen of the faculty throughout the United States of America, and a friendly correfpondence with the eminent in thofe profeffions throughout the world. The number of Fellows who are inhabitants .of the State, cannot exceed fe- vcnty. The prefent number is fixty one, and thirteen have died iince its elrablifhmcnt The powers veftedin the fociety are To cboofe their officers, and enact any laws for their MASSACHUSETTS. 327 their own government which is not repugnant to the laws of the Commonwealth To ufe a common leal To fue and be fued To hold real eftate of the annual income of 200, and perfonal eftate of the annual income of 600 To elect, fufpend, expel or disfranchik: any fellows of the fociety To defcribe and point out, from time to time, Aich a mode of medical inftrudion or education as they fhall judge requifite for candi- dates for the practice of phyfic and furgery To examine all candidates who fhall offer thernfelves for examination, refpecling their Ikill in the profeffion And to give letters testimonial of their approbation to allfuch as may be duly qualified to praclife.* Committees arc appointed in each county to receive communications from, and to- correfpond with their medical brethren who are not fellows of the fociety ; and this has led to the formation of feveral medical afTociations, whofe views are to aid the lauda- ble defigns of this important inftitution. Further to evidence their humanity and benevolence, a number of the medical and other gentlemen, in the town of Bofton, 1111785, formed a fociety, by the name of the HUMANE SOCIETY, for the purpofe of recovering perfons apparently dead, from drown- ing, fuffocation, ftrangling, and other accidents. This fociety, which was incorpo- rated in 1 79 1 , have eredcd feven huts, furnifhed with wood, ftraw, cabbins, tinder boxes, blankets, &c. two on Level's Ifland, one on Calf Ifland in Bofton harbour, two on Nantafket beach, and another on Scituate beach near Marfhfield, for the comfort of fhipwrecked feamen. Huts of the fame kind are creeled on Plum Ifland, near New- bury, by the marine fociety of that place, already mentioned ; and there are alfb fome contiguous to Hampton and Salilbury Beach. At their femi-annual meetings, a public difcourfe is delivered by fbme perfon appointed by the tru flees for that purpofe, on fome medical fubj.ec!: connected with the principal objecl: of the fociety ; and as a flimulus to inveftigation, and a reward of merit, a me- dal is adjudged annually by the prefident and tru flees, to the perfon who exhibits the mofl approved diflertation. The SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL among the Indians and others in 1 North America, was incorporated November 19, 1787. They are enabled to receive fubfcriptions of charitably difpofed perfons, and may take any perfonal eftate in fuccef- lion. All donations to the fociety, either by fubfcriptions, legacy or otherwife, except- ing fuch as may be differently appropriated by the donors, to make a part of, or be put into the capital flock of the fociety, which is to be put out on intereft on good fecu- rity, or otherwife improved to the beft advantage, and the income and profits are to be applied to the purpofes aforefaid, in fuch manner as the fociety fhall judge moft condu- cive to anfwer the defign of their inftitution. For feveral years paft miffionaries have been appointed and fupported by the fociety to vifit the eaftern parts of the Diftricl of Main, where the people are generally deftitute of the means of religious inftru6lion, and to fpend the fummer months with them. The fuccefs of thefe miflions have been highly fatisfa&ory to the fociety. Several thoufand books of different kinds, fuited ta the ftate of the people, have been purchafed by the fbciety's funds, and diftributed among them and the Oneida Indians. A part of this fociety are a board of commiffioners from the Scot's fociety for promo- ting Chriftian knowledge among the Indians in America. The MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE was incorporated in- 1792, in confequence of which the agricultural committee of the Academy is diflolved. * The qualifications required of candidates for examination, and the books recommended by the fociety, are publifhed in Fleet's Maflachufetts Regifter, A. D, i79.tv At 3^3 MASSACHUSETTS. At a Lite nicotine: of this fociety, in Bo ft on, a very confiderablc fum of money was fub- frribed, for cftablilhing a fund to defray the expenfe of premiums and bounties, which may be voted by the fociety. A focicty wa< cflablifhcd in this State in 1791, called the HISTORICAL SOCIETY, the profefled dcfign of which is to collect, prefcrve, and communicate materials for a com- plete hiflory of this country from the beginning of its fettlement. Next to Pennfylvania, this State ha? the greatefl number of focieties for the promo- tion of ufcful knowledge and human happinefs ; and as they are founded on the broad bafis of benevolence, patriotifm, and charity, they cannot fail to profper. Thefc inftitu- tions, which are fa/I increafing in almoil every State in the Union, are fo many evidences of the advanced and advancing flatc of civilization and improvement in this country, and of the excellence of our national government. They prove likewife that a free republican government, like ours, is the molt happily calculated to promote a general diffusion of ufeful knowledge, and the moil favourable to the benevolent and humarte feelings of the human heart. LITERATURE, COLLEGES, ACADEMIES, &c.J According to the laws of this com- monwealth, every town having fifty houfeholdcrs or upwards, is to be provided with one**r more fchool-mafters to teach children and youth to read and write, and inltru6t them in the Englifh language, arithmetic, orthography, and decent behaviour ; and where any town has twcThundred families, there is alfo to be a grammar fchool fet up therein, and fome difcreet perfon, well inftrucled in the Latin, Greek and Englifh languages, procured to keep the fame, and be fuitably paid by the inhabitants. The penalty for neglect of fchools in towns of fifty families is icl. thofe of one hundred families 20!. of one hundred and fifty, 30!. Thefe laws refpecling fchools are not fo well regarded in many parts of the State, as the wife purpofes which they were intended to anfwer, and the happinefs of the people require. In Boflon there are fcven public fchools, fupported wholly at the expenfe of the town, and in which the children of etoeiy clafs of citizens freely aifociate. In the Latin grammar fchool the rudiments of the Latin and Greek languages are taught, and boys qualified for the univerlities ; into this fchool none are admitted till ten years of age, having been previoufly well inflrucled in Englifh grammar. In the three Englifh grammar fchools, the children of both fexes, from feven to fourteen years of age, are inftructed in fpelling, accenting and reading the Englifh language both profe and verfe, with propriety, alfo in Englifh grammar and compofition, together with the rudiments of geography; in the -other three the fame children are taught writing and arithmetic. Theie fchools are attended alternately, and each of them is furnifhed with an ufher or affiftant. The mafters of thefe fchools have each a falary of 666i dollars per annum, payable quarterly. They are all under the immediate care of a committee of twenty-one gentlemen, for the time being, chofen annually, whofe duty it is " to vifit the fchools at leait once in ihree months, to examine tfce fcholars in the various branches in which they are taught, to .devife the beft methods for the inftriiclion and government of the fchools, to give iuch advice to the mafters as thev fhall think expedient, and by all proper methods to .excite in children a laudable ambition to excel in a virtuous, amiable deportment, and in every branch of ufeful knowledge," At the annual vifitatfon in July 1792, there were prefent 470 girls and 720 boys. Befides thefe there are feveral private fchools, for inftruclion in the Englifh, Latin, and French languages in writing, arithmetic, .and the higher branches pf the mathematics and alfo in mufic and dancing. Perhaps there MASSACHUSETTS. 329 there is not a town in the world, the youth of which more fully enjoy the benefits of fchool education, than Bofton. And when we confider how infeparably the happinefs and profperity of our country, and the exigence of our prefent happy government, are connected with the education of children, too much credit cannot be given to the enlightened citizens of this town, for the attention they have paid to this important bufmefs, and the worthy example they have exhibited for the imitation of others. Next in importance to the grammar fchools are the Academies, in which, as well as in ihe grammar fchools, young gentlemen are fitted for admiffion to the imiverfity. DUMMER ACADEMY, at Newbury, was founded as early as 1756, by meshis of a liberal donation from the Honourable William Dummer, formerly Lieutenant-governor, and a worthy man, whole name it has ever lince retained. It was opened in 1763* and incorporated by an aft of the general court, in 1782. By the act the number of truftees is not to exceed fifteen, who arc to manage the funds 'for the fupport of the inftructors. This academy is at prefent in a flourishing ftate. PHILLIPS ACADEMY, in Andover, was founded and handibmely endowed April 21. 1778, by the Honourable Samuel Phillips, Efq. of Andover, in the county of Eflex] and commonwealth of Maffachufetts, lately deceafed, and his brother the Honourable John Phillips, L. L. D. of Exeter, in the State of New Hampfhire. It was incorporated October 4, 1 7 80. It is under the diredtion of thirteen truftees of refpeciable charadters, and the immediate care of a principal, (who is one of the truftees ex qfficio) an affiftant, and a writing mailer. They are accommodated with a large and elegant building, erected at the expenfe of the founders, and their brother, the Honourable William Phillips, Efq. of Bofton. It is fituated on a delightful eminence, near the manlion houfe of the Honourable Samuel Phillips, Efq. its diitinguiihed patron, andfon of the deceafed founder is encompaflfed with a falubrious air, and commands an exteniive profpect. The lower ftory contains a large fchool-room, with ample accommodations for an hundred ftudents, and two other apartments for a library, and other purpoies : the upper ilory coniifts of a fpacious hall, iixty-four feet in length, and thirty-three feet in breadth, deligned for exhibitions and other public occafions. The delign of this foundation, according to its conftitution, is, " The promotion of true piety and virtue, the inftruction of youth in the Englifh, Latin, and Greek lan- guages ; together with writing, arithmetic, practical geometry, muiic and oratory, logic and geography ; and fuch other of the liberal arts and fcienccs, or languages, as opportunity and ability may hereafter admit, and the truftees fhall direct." LEICESTER ACADEMY, in the townihip of Leicefter, and county of Worcefter, was incorporated in 1784. For the encouragement of this inftitution, Ebenezer Crafts and Jacob Davis, Efquires., generoufly gave a large and commodious manlion houfe, lands and appurtenances, in Leicefter. In Williamftown, in Berkihire county, is another Academy. Col. Ephraim Wil- liams laid the foundation of it by a handfome donation in lands. In 1790, partly by lottery and partly by the liberal donation of gentlemen in the town, a brick edifice was erected, 82 feet by 42, and four ftories high, containing twenty-four rooms for ftudents, a large fchool room, a dining hall, and a room for public fpeaking. It lias a preceptor, an ulher, and a mailer of the Engliih fchool. The number of ftudents is at prefent between fifty and iixty, beiides the fcholars of the free fchool. The lan- guages and fciences ufually taught in the American colleges are taught here. Board, -tuition, and other cxpenfes of education are very low ; and from its iituation, and other cLrcumftances, it is likely, in a fhort time, to become an inilitution of connderable utility and importance. Uu An 33 o MASSACHUSETTS. An Academy at Taunton was incorporated in 1792. At Hingham is a well endowed fchool, which, in honour of its principal donor and founder, is called DERBY SCHOOL. Thcfe Academies are defigned to diffeminate virtue and true piety, to promote the education of youth in the Englifh, Latin, Greek, and French languages, in writing, arithmetic, oratory, geography, practical geometry; logic, philofophy, and fuch other of the liberal arts and Iciences, or languages, as may be thought expedient. HARVARD UNIVERSITY takes its date from the year 1638. Two years before, the general court gave four hundred pounds for the fupport of a public fchool at Newtown, which has iince been called Cambridge. This year (1638) the Rev. Mr. John Har- vard, a worthy miniller reiiding in Charleftown, died, and left a donation 0^779!. for the ufe of the forementioned public fchool. In honour to the memory of fo liberal a benefactor, the general court, the fame year, ordered that the fchool ihould take the name of HARVARD COLLEGE. In 1642, the College was put upon a more refpectable footing, and the governor, deputy governor, and magistrates, and the minifters of the fix next adjacent towns, with the preiident, were erected into a corporation for the ordering and managing its concerns. It received its firft charter in 1650. Cambridge, in which the univerfity is fituated, is a pleafant village, four miles weft- ward from Bofton, containing a number of gentlemen's feats which are neat and well built. The univerlity conlifts of four elegant brick edifices, handlbmely enclofed. They Hand on a beautiful green which fpreads to the north- weft, and exhibit a pleafing view. The names of the feveral buildings are, Harvard Hall, Maflachufetts Hall, Hollis Hall and Holden Chapel. Harvard Hall is divided into fix apartments ; one of which is appropriated for the library, one for the mufeum, two for the philolbphical appa- ratus ; one is ufed for a chapel, and the other for a dining hall. The library, in 1791, conlifted of upwards of 13,000 volumes ; and will be continually increafmg from the intereft of permanent funds, as well as from cafual benefactions. The philofophical apparatus belonging to this univeriity, coft between 1400!. and 1500!. lawful money, and is the mofl elegant and complete of any in America. Agreeable to the prelent conftitution of MafTachufetts, his excellency the governor, lieutenant-governor, the council and fenate, the president of the university, and the minifters of the congregational churches in the towns of Bofton, Charleftown, Cam- bridge, Watertown, Roxbury, and Dorchefter, are, ex ojficiis, overfeers of the Univerlity. The corporation is a diftinct body, conlifKng of leven members, in whom is veiled the property of the univerlity. Harvard univerlity has a Preli dent, Emeritus Profeflbr of Divinity Hollrfian Pro/fcfTor of Divinity Hancock ProfefTor of Hebrew and other Oriental languages Hollis Pro- fefTor of Mathematics and Natural Philofophy Herley Profeflbr of Anatomy and Sur- gery Herfey ProfefTor of the theory and practice of Phyfic Erving Profeffor of Chymiftry and Materia Medira four tutors, who teach the Greek and Latin languages,, logic, metaphyfics, and ethics, geography, and the elements of geometry, natural philo- fophy, aftronomy, and hiftory; and a preceptor of the French language. This univerlity, as to its library, philofophical apparatus and profefTorlhips, is at prelent the firft literary inftitution on this continent. Since its firft eftablifhment, upwards of 3,300 ftudents have received honorary degrees from its lucceffive officers ; i about MASSACHUSETTS. 33I about one third of whom have been ordained to the work of the gofpel miniltry. It has generally from 130 to 160 ftudents. This univerlity is liberally endowed, and is frequently receiving donations for the eftablilhmeni of new profeflbrihips. Formerly there was an annual grant made by the legislature, to the preiident and profefibrs, of from four to five hundred pounds, which for fcveral years paft has been difcontinued. BANKS.] There are four incorporated Banks in this Commonwealth, of which the Branch Bank in Bollon, which is a part of the National Bank, is one. The Mafia- chufetts Bank in Bofton was incorporated in 1784. It was defigned as a public benefit, and more particularly to accommodate the mercantile intereft. "its prefent capital con- lilts of 800 fhares of 500 dollars each, making in all 400,000 dollars. It is kept open every day in the year, except public days. The annual meeting for the 1 choice of nine directors is on the firft Wednefday in January. EfTex Bank, at Salem, was incorporated 1792, and is under the management of a preiident and lix directors. Union Bank, in Bofton, was alfo incorporated in 1792, and has a prefident and eleven directors. Its capital confifts of 100,000 fhares of eight dollars each, fo that when the payment of the fhares fhall be completed, the whole ilock will amount to 800,000 dollars. CHIEF TOWNS.] BOSTON is the capital, not only of MalTachufetts, but of New England, and lies in lat. 42 23' N. It is built on a peninfula of an irregular form, at the bottom of Maftachufetts Bay. The neck or iflhmus which joins the peninfula to the continent, is at the fouth end of the town, and leads to Roxbury. The length of the town itfelf is not quite two miles ; its breadth is various. At the entrance from. Roxbury it is narrow. The greatett breadth is one mile and 139 yards. The buildings in the town cover about 1000 acres. It contains nearly 2000 dwelling houies and about 20,000 inhabitants. In this town there arc feventy-nine ftreets, thirty-eight lanes, and twenty-one alleys, excluiive of fquares and courts; and about eighty wharfs and quays very convenient for veffels. The principal wharf extends 600 yards into the fea, and is covered on the north fide with large and convenient it ores. It far exceeds any other wharf in the United States, In Bofton are 17 houies for public worfhip ; of which nine are for Congregationalifts, three for Epifcopalians, two for Baptiils, one for the Friends, one for Univerfalifls, and one for Roman Catholics. The other public buildings arc the flare houfe, court houfe, gaol, Faneuil Hall, an alms houfe, a work houie, a bridewell, and powder magazine. That building which was formerly the governor's houfe, is now occupied in its leveral apartments, by the council, the treafurer, and the fecretary ; the two latter hold their offices in it. Moil of the public buildings are handfome, and fome of them are elegant. The town is irregularly built, but, as it lies in a circular form around the harbour, it exhibits a very handfome view as you approach it from the fea. On the weft iide of the town is the mall, a very beautiful public walk, adorned with rows of trees, and in view of the common, which is always open to refreihing breezes. Beacon hill, on which; a hand- fome monument, commemorative of fome of the molt important events of the late war, has lately been creeled, overlooks the town from the weft, and affords a fine variegated profpect. The harbour of Bofton is fafe, and large enough to contain 500 fhips at anchor, in a good depth of water ; while the entrance is fo narrow as fcarcely to admit two fhips abreaft. It is diveriified, as we have already obferved, with 40 illands,- which afford Uu a rich M A S S A C H U S E T T S. rich pafturing, hay, and grain. Abovit three miles from the town is the caftle, which commands the entrance of the harbour. The market in this to\vn is fupplied with an ahundanrcof beef, pork, mutton, lamb, veal, and poultry, and of a quality equal to any in the world ; and alto with meal, butter, clieelc, roots, vegetables, and fruits of various kinds, in great plenty. The filh market is alto excellent, and not only furniihes the tables of the rich with fome of the greateft dainties, but is alfo a iingular blefling to the poor. At an annual meeting in March, feven felecTt men are chofen for the more immediate government of the town : at the fame time are elected a town clerk, a town treafurer, 12 overlecrs of the poor, 12 firewards, 12, clerks of the market, 12. fcavengers, and 12 conftables, belidcs a number of other officers. Attempts have been made to change the government of the town from its prefent form to that of a city, but the propofed form not being confonant to the democratic fpirit of the body of the people, it has been rejected. Bofton was fettled as early as the year 1630, from Charleftown. The peninfula was called, by the natives, Shawmut ; but the inhabitants of Charleftown, from the Yiew they had of three hills, called it *Trimountain. The new inhabitants, however, named it Bofton, out of refpecl: to the Rev. Mr. Cotton, formerly a minifter of Bofton, in England, who was expected to come over to New England. He was afterwards minifter of the firjl church. It has been computed, that during the liege in 1775, as many houfes were deftroyed in Boilon by the Britifh troops, as were burnt in Charleftown. Since the peace a fpirit of repairs and improvement has diffufed itfelf among the inhabitants. The ftreets of late have been lighted with lamps at the expenfe of the town ; and fome final 1 beginnings have been made towards improving the ftreets by new paving them, which it is hoped will ftimulate to like improvements through the town. The principal ma- nufactures here are, rum, beer, paper hangings, of which 24,000 pieces are annually made, loaf fugar, cordage, cards, fail cloth, fpermaceti and tallow candles, glafs there are thirty diftilleries, two breweries, eight fugar houfes, and eleven rope walks. A few years may render the metropolis of Malfachufetts as famed for arts, manu- factures, and commerce, as any city in the United States. Salem, thefecond town for fize in the Commonwealth, containing 928 houfes and 7921 inhabitants, and except Plymouth, the oldeft, was fettled in 1628, by Governor Endicot, and was called by the Indians, Naumkeag. Here are a meeting of Quakers, an epifcopal church and five congregational focieties. The town is fituated on a penin- fula, formed by two fmall inlets of the lea, called North and South rivers. The former of thefc palfes into Beverly Harbour, and has a draw-bridge acrofs it, built many years ago at private expenfe. At this place fome part of the Ihipping of the town is fitted out ; but the principal harbour and place for bufmefs is on the other fide of the town, at South river, if that may properly be called a river, which depends on the flowing of the fea for the water it contains. So fhoal is this harbour that velfels which draw more than ten or twelve feet of water, muft be laden and unladen at a diitance from the wharfs by the affiftance of lighters. This inconvenience, notwithftanding, more navi- gation is owned, and more trade carried on in Salem than in any port in the Common- wealth, Bofton excepted. The fifhery, the trade to the Welt Indies, to Europe, to the coaft of Africa, to the Eaft Indies, and the freighting bufmefs from the fouthei n States, are here all purfued with energy and fpirit. The enterprize of the merchants of this place is equalled by nothing but their indefatigable induftry and fevere economy. This latter virtue forms a diftinguilliing feature in the character of the people of this town. MASSACHUSETTS. 333 town. Some perfons of rank, in former times, having carried it to an unbecoming length, pave a character to the people in general of a difgraceful parfimony. But, whether this reproach was ever jultly applied in fo exteniive a meafure or not, nothino 1 ran be more injurious than to continue it at the prefent time ; for it may jullly be faid of the inhabitants of Salem at this day, that, with a laudable attention to the acquifi- tion of property, they exhibit a public fpirit and hofpitality, alike honourable to them- fclves and their country. A general plainnefs and neatneis in drefs, buildings and equipage, and a certain ftillnefs and gravity of manner, perhaps in fome degree peculiar to commercial people, diftinguifh them from the citizens of the metropolis. It is indeed to be wiftied that the fober induftry here fo univerfally practifed, may become more exte nil ve through the union, and form the national character of federal Americans. A court honfe, built in 1786, at the joint expenfe of the county and town, forms a principal ornament, and is executed in a ftyle of architecture that would add to the elegance of any city in the union. The Supreme Judicial Court holds a term here the fecond Tuefday of November, the courts of Common Pleas- and Seffions, the fecond Tuefday of March and September. A maim factory of duck and fail cloth was lately inftituted here, and is profecuted with much fpirit. The melancholy delufion of 1692 originated in this town, in the family of the Rev. Mr. Paris, the then minificr, and here was the principal theatre of the bloody bufinefs. At the upper end of the town, at a place called, from the number of executions which took place there, Gallows-hill, the graves of the unhappy fufferers may yet be traced. Though this unfortunate and difgraceful bulinefs was chiefly transacted here, it is well known that the leading people, both of church and -Hate, in the colony^ took an active part in it. Unjuft therefore and highly abfurd it is to fix a peculiar odium on the town of Salem for what was the general weaknefs or crime of the country. While the farcaftic fmile is excited among the vain and unthinking, or the infulting abufe of illiberal prejudice is unjuftly thrown on this fhocking tragedy, the ferious cannot but lament to find the human mind fubject to fo grois deceptions, and the man of candour will haften to drop the curtain on the difmal fcene. South-eaft from Salem, and at four miles diftance from it, lies Marblehead, con- taining one epifcopal and two congregational churches, betides a fmall fociety of fepa- ratiils. The chief attention of this town is devoted to the bank filhery, and more is done in that line than in any port in the government. The late war putting a total ftop to this bulinefs, and vaft numbers of the men before employed in it being loft by land and water, the peace found thofe who furvived in circurrrilances of great diftrefs. Great exertions were made to revive the former courfeof bulinefs, and it is lamented by every friend to induflry and the profperity of the country, that thefe exertions have not been crowned with more fuccefs ; every thing here has more and more the lymptoms of' decay. The great number of widows and orphans caufed by the war, and left at the ciofe of it to the charge of the town, are a melancholy burthen which nothing* lels than governmental aid can relieve. A lottery has been granted by the legiflature for the double purpofe of leffening the weight of this burden, and repairing the fea wall, which protects the harbour, and which was in imminent danger of giving way, to the great detriment, if not utter ruin of the port. A peculiarity obfcrvable in our fifhing town may be worthy mentioning. The fpring, fummer, and autumn, being entirely occupied in the laborious purfuit of their employ- ment, leaves no time for amufements. In winter, every thing is different. There are MASSACHUSETTS. few calls to labour, and all are devoted to mirth and jollity. A continual round of -aiety and diflipation occupy the fifherman's time, until returning fpring calls him to returning labour, \\ Inch he now purfues as eagerly as he did juSt before his amuSement, Newbury Port, originally part of Newbiuy, from which its incorporation detached it in 1764, and by which and Mcrrimaek river it is wholly encircled, is perhaps the molt limited in its extent of. land, of any townShip in the Commonwealth, containing but about 640 acres. Here are four hpufcs for public worfhip, viz. one Episcopalian, one Preibyterian, and two Congregational. It was formerly remarkable for the number of veflels annually built here* but iince the commencement of the late \var, this bufincSs has in a great degree failed, and no manufacture of conSequence has yet Sup- plied its place. The continental frigates, Bofton and Hancock, were built here, befkles many large private armed fhips, during the .war. The trade to the Weft Indies is carried on here with, much Spirit and to a great amount. Large quantities of rum are diStilled, which is principally exported to the Southern States. Some vcfTels are em- ployed in the freighting bufmefs, and a few in the fifhery. In November, 1790, there were owned in this port iix ihips, 45 brjgantines, 39 fcooners, and 2,8 floops, making in the whole 1 1 ,870 tons. A term of the courts of Common Pleas and General Seilions is held here on the laft Tuefday in September. Ipfwich, by the Indians called Agawam, in the county of EfTex, is 32 miles N. N. E, from Bofton, is divided into five parifhes, and contains 4562 inhabitants. An excellent flone bridge, acrofs Ipfwich river, compoSed of two arches, with one Solid pier in the bed of the river, connects the two parts of the town, and was executed under the direction of the late Honourable Judge Choate, in a ftyle of Strength and neatneSs hitherto unequalled in this country. This was heretofore a place of much more conii- deration 4han at prefent. Its decline is attributed to a barred harbour and fhoal rivers. Its natural Situation is veiy pleaSant, and on all accounts excellently well calculated to fee a large manufacturing town. The fupreme Judicial Court, the courts of Common Pleas and Seffion?, are held here once in a year ; and from its central tituation, appears to be the moil convenient place for all the courts and public offices of the county. CharlcStown, called by the aboriginal inhabitants, Miflmwum, lies north of Bofton, with which it is connected by Charles river bridge, and is the principal town in Mid- dlefex county. The town, properly So called, is built on a pcniniula, formed by MyStic river, on the earl, and a bay, letting up from Charles river on the weft. It is very advantageoufly Situated for health,* navigation, trade, and manufactures of almoft all the various kinds. A dam acrofs the mouth of the bay, which Sets up Srom Charles river, weft of the town, would afford a great number of mill Seats Sor manufactures. Bunker, Breed's, and Cobble, now Barrel's, hills, are celebrated in the hiftory of the American Revolution ; and no lefs So for the elegant and delightful profpects which they afford of Bofton, and its charmingly variegated harbour of Cambridge and its Colleges, and of an extensive tract of highly cultivated country. The destruction of this town by the BritiSh, in 1775, we have mentioned in the hiftorical (ketch we have given of the war. Before its deilruction, Several branches of manufactures were carried on to great advantage, Some of which have been fince revived ; particularly the manufacture of pot and pearl aSh, rum, fhips, leather in all its branches, lilver, tin, brais, and pewter. * In three years, ending 1 791* eighty perfons died, nineteen of whom were upwards of 60 years old ; ten were upwards of 70; four upwards of 80, and one gp. Cambridge MASSACHUSETTS. 335 Cambridge and Concord are the moft considerable inland to\vns in the county of Middlefex, the former is four miles from Bofton, and is a pleafant town, and the feat of the univerfity. The latter is nineteen miles N. W. of Bofton, and is alfo a pleafant, healthy, thriving town-. The Provincial Congrefs fat in Concord m 1774, and the general court have frequently held their icflions here when contagious difeafes have prevailed in the capital. This town is rendered famous in hiftory by 1 its being the place where the iirft oppofition was made to the Britifh troops, on the memorable i9th of April 1775. The public buildings are, a congregational church, a fpacious ftone gaol, the beft in New England, and a county court houfe. The town is accommodated with three handfome bridges, one of which is 208 feet long and 18 feet wide, fupported by twelve piers, built after the manner of Charles river bridge. In 1791, there were 1590 inhabitants, in this town, eighty of whom were upwards 70 years old. For thirteen years pall the average number of deaths has been feventeen, one in four of whom were 70 years old and upwards. Plymouth, the principal town in the county of the fame name, and the capital of the old colony, to called, is 42 miles S. E. of Button, and contains about 300 houfes. Before the war, the inhabitants of this town employed ninety fail of veflels, chiefly in the filhing bulinefs. But in the courfe of the war, they were moftry taken or deftrovcd by the enemy, and their feamen captivated, and many of the inhabitants reduced to- indigence. They have fince, in a great meafure, emerged from their diftrefled ftate. The harbour is fpacious, but the water is not d cp. The town is famous for being the iirft place fettled by the pious anceftors of the New Englanders, in 1620. Worcefter, the fhire town of the county of the lame name, is the largeft inland town in New England, and is lituated about forty-feven miles weft ward of Bofton. The public buildings in this town, are two congregational churches a court houfe, and a lirong ftone gaol. The inhabitants carry on a large inland trade, and manu- facture pot and pearl alh, cotton and linen goods,, belides fome other articles. Printing, in its various branches, is carried on very extenftvely in this town, by Ilaiah Thomas, who, in the year 1791, carried through his prefTes two editions of the Bible, the one the large royal quarto, the firft of that kind publilhed in America, the other a large folio, with fifty copper plates, befides feveral other books of confequence. His printing apparatus conlifts of ten printing preffes, with types in proportion ; and he is now making preparations for the printing of bibles (.of various fmaller kinds, which willcaufe him to make a great addition to his works, of both preHes and types. This printing apparatus is now trie largcft in America. On Connecticut river, in the county of Harnplhire, there are a nnm T u:r of very pleafant towns^ among which are Springfield and Hadley, on the earl tide of the river ; Northampton, Hatfield and Deerfield on the weft. Courts are held in all thefe places in their turn, except Hatfield. Springfield is the oldeft of thefe towns, having been fettled as early as 1 636. Its public buildings are a congregational church, court houfe, and gaol. A large proportion of the military ftores of the commonwealth- are lodged' here. A -clear meandering brook runs through the town from north to fou|h, and adds much to its beauty and pleafantnefs. Stockbridge, Great Barrington, and Lenorx, are the principal towns in Berklhire county, and lie from 45 to 55 miles W. N. W. from Springfield, MILITARY STRENGTH/] The aclive militia of Maflachuletts is compofed of all able bodied, white male citizens from 1 6 to 40 years of age, excepting officers" of govern- ment, and thofe who have held commiflioners, &c. The whole is completely armed and organized, and is formed into nine drvifions, each commanded by a major-general, nineteen 336 MASSACHUSETTS. nineteen brigades, eonfifting of feventy-nine regiments of infantry, eleven battalions of cavalry, and eight battalions of artillery; together forming a well-regulated body of 50,000 infantry, 2000 cavalry, and 1500 artillery men, with iixty pieces of rieki artillery. This ac'tive military corps is aflernbled by companies for dilcipline, in their refpcclive diftricts, four times a year ; and once a year by regiments or brigades; at which time they arc reviewed and infpected. Befides the military ft rength above mentioned, which may be confidered as the active militia of the State, there are enrolled about 25,000 men from 40 to 60 years of ago, wlio arc obliged always to keep themfelves completely armed ; and they are required, under .penalty by law, to exhibit their arms once a year to their refpective captains, who make returns thereof. This laft corps is called the alarm lift, and may be pro- perly diilinguifhed as the Corps de Referve of the Commonwealth. RELIGION.] The religion of this Commonwealth is eftablifhed, by their excellent conllitution, on a molt liberal and tolerant plan. All perfons of whatever religious profeflion or fentiments, may vvorlhip God agreeably to the dictates of their own con- fciences, unmolefted, provided they do not diilurb the peace. The following ftatement fhews what are the feveral religious denominations in this State, and their proportional numbers, Number of Suppofed number of Denominations. Congregations. each denomination. CongregationaMs, 400 277,600 Baptifts, 84 58,296 Epifcopalians, ~ 16 11,104. Friends, or Quakers, 10 6,940 Prefbyterians, 4 2 >776 UniverfaMs, 2 M$8 Roman Catholics i 694 Total 517 358,798 In this ftatement, it is fuppofed that all the inhabitants in the State consider them- felves as belonging to one or the other of the religious denominations mentioned ; and that each religious fociety, of every denomination, is compofed of an equal number of fouls; that is, each is fuppofed to contain 694, which, if we reckon the number of inhabitants in the State at 358,798, will be the proportion for each congregation. Although this may not be an exact apportionment of the different fects, yet it is per- haps as accurate as the nature of the fubject will allow, and fufficient to give a general idea of the .proportion whieh the feveral denominations bear to each other. The number of congregational churches in 1749 was 250. In 1760, the number of inhabitants in this State was about 268,850. The propor- tion of the (feels was then nearly as follows, viz. Suppofed number of Se&s. Congregrations. fouls of each fe&. Congregational ifts, 306 225,426 Friends meetings,, ,. 22 - 16,192 Baptifts, 20 *47 2 3 Epifcopalians, 13 . 9,568 JPreibytejians, 4 > 2,944 Total 365 268,850 POPU- MASSACHUSETTS. 3>7 POPULATION.] The population of the State is accurately ilated in the ta^le of di- vifions. The counties of EfTex, part of Suffolk, and part of Hampihire, are the moil populous parts of the State. Effcx has as many as 135 inhabitants for every Square mile. CHARACTER, MANNERS, &c.] See New England. REVENUE AND TAXES.] The principal Sources of revenue are land and poll taxes, and the Sales of new lands. Taxes are levied on all males between Sixteen and fifty, pt fuch as are exempted by law alfo on the number of acres of improved and un- improved land on dwelling -houfes and barns, ware-houSes, Stores, &c. TheSe are ail valued, and upon this valuation taxes are laid, So many pounds for every loool. INVENTIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS.] Great improvements have of late been made in Several manufacturing machines, by which thofe Species of manufacture in which they are employed have been greatly facilitated in the execution, and fewer hands required. But the moft ingenious improvement or invention, and which moft deServes notice, is a complete and elegant Planetarium, iix Sect in diameter, conftructed by Mr. JoSeph Pope, of Boilon. This is entirely a work of original genius and afliduous applica- tion, as Mr. Pope never Saw a machine of the kind till his own was completed. It exhibits a proof of great Strength of mind, and really does him much honour, both as a philofopher and a mechanic. This machine has been purchafed for the Univerfity at Cambridge, and is a very ufeful and ornamental addition to the philofophicai apparatus. CONSTITUTION.] The constitution of the Commonwealth of Maifachufetts efla- blifhcd in 1780, contains a declaration of rights and a frame of government. The declaration afferts the natural freedom and equality of men Liberty of confcience Freedom of the Prefs Trial by jury Sovereignty and independence that all power is in the people that hereditary honours and emoluments are inadmiffible that every Subject is entitled to protection of life, liberty, and property and, in return, imift obey the laws and pay his proportion of the common expenfe*-- that he Shall not be obliged to accufe himfelf, but may be heard in his own defence that he may keep arms ; but Handing armies fhall not be maintained in time of peace that no tax Shall be levied without the conSent of the people by their reprefentatives that no ex poil facto law fhall be made that the martial law Shall extend only to men in actual military Service that the legislative, executive, and judiciary powers fhall be kept diitinct, &c. By the frame of government, the power of legislation is lodged in a general court, coniifting of two branches, viz. a fenate and a houfe of reprefentatives, each having a negative upon the other. They meet annually on the lail Wednefday in May. No act can be pafTcd without the approbation of the governor, unlefs two thirds of both branches are in favour of it after a revifal. Either branch, or the go- vernor and council, may require the opinion of the juftices of the Supreme judicial court upon important queftions. Senators are cholen by diilricls, of which there cannot be lefs than thirteen. The number of couniellors and Senators, Sor the whole Commonwealth, is forty ; the number of each dirlrict is in proportion to their public taxes; but no diilrict Shall be So large, as to have more than iix. Sixteen Senators make a quorum. The representatives are choSen by the Several towns, according to their numbers of rateable polls. For 150 polls one is elecled ; and for every addition of 225, an additional one. Their travelling expenles, to and from the general court, are defrayed by the public, but their wages for attendance are paid by their o\vn towns. Impeachments for miiconduct in office are made by the representatives, and tried by the Senate ; but the judgement can go only to removal Srom oihce and future disqualifi- cation. Money bills originate in the houSe of representatives, but may be altered by X x the R H O D E I S L A N D. tl>e Senate. Representatives are privileged from arrefts on meihe prorefs. Sixty mern- make a quorum. The fuprcmc executive authority is veiled in a governor, who is elected annually by the people, and has a council coniiiting of the lieutenant- governor, and nine gentlemen chofen out of the forty, who are returned for coun- iHlors and fcnators. Five counfellors make a quorum. The governor is commander of all the military force of the Commonwealth. He may convene the general court, may adjourn them, when the two branches difagree about the time, and in their reccSs may prorogue them from time to time, not exceeding ninety days may pardon convicts, but the Icgifiature alone can grant pardons, before conviction. He corn- millions all- officers, and with the advice of the council, appoints all judicial officers. Military officers are thus appointed ; the reSpective companies choofe their captain and Subalterns, who choofe their regimental officers, who choofe their brigadiers. The major generals arc appointed by the general court. Juftices of the peace are com- mifiioned for fcven years ; all other judicial, and all executive and military officers, continue during good behaviour, yet are removeable by the governor, upon addrefs or* tin: legiflature. The falaries of the governor and juftices of the fupreme court can- not be diminished, although they may be enlarged. Official qualifications are as follows : for a voter, twenty-one years of age, oae year's relidence, a freehold of 3!. annual value, or 6ol. of any other eftate for a reprefentative, lool. freehold, or 200!. Other eitate, and one year's relidence in the town for a Senator, 300!. freehold, or 6ool. other eftate in the Commonwealth^ and five year's refidencc in the diitrict for governor or lieutenant-governor, xoool. freehold, and feven year's reiidence. Every governor, lieutenant-governor, counsellor, Senator, or reprefentative, muft declare that he believes the Chriftian religion, and has the legal qualifications. A governor, lieutenant-governor, or juftice of the fupreme court, can hold no other office. No* man lhall hold two of theSe offices, judge of probates, Sheriff, regifler. No juftices of the fupreme court, Secretary, attorney-general, treafurer, judge of probate, in- ftructor of Harvard College, clerk, regifler, Sheriff, or cuilom officer, can have a Seat in the legiflature. The privilege of habeas corpus cannot be fufpended more than a year at one time. In 1795, if two thirds of the qualified voters defire, a convention ihall be called to revife the conftitution. HISTORY.] See Hutchinfon's Hiftory of Maffachufetts Minot r s Hiftory of the In- Surrection in MaiTaclnifctts The Publications of the Hiftorical Society, in the Ame- rican Apollo Hazard's Hiftorical Collections Chalmer's Political Annals, and, Gough's Hiilory. of the People called Quakers. RHODE ISLAND, AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS, SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 68 T * t 3 and 4 E. Long. Breadth 40! ] * ween {41 and 42 N. Latf BOUND ARIES. 1 "DOUNDED north and eaft, by the Commonwealth of Maf- J3 fachufetts; fouth, by the Atlantic ; weft, by Connecticut. Thefe limits comprehend what is called Rhode Ifland and Providence Plantations. CIVIL DIVISIONS AND POPULATION.] This State is divided into five counties, which are Subdivided into 30 townfhips, as follows : Counties. RHODE ISLAND. Counties. Towns. NEWPORT Newport Portfmouth New Shoreham Jameftown Middletown Tivertown Little Compton f Providence Smithfield Scituate Gloucefter PROVIDENCE < Cumberland Cranfton Johnfton North Providence Fofter Wefterly North Kingfton South Kingflon Charleftown Exeter Richmond Hopkinton f Briftol < Warren l_ Barrington r Wanvick ) Eaft Greenwich I Weft Greenwich L Coventry WASHINGTON Total five Thirty No. of Inhabitants. 6716 1560 682 67877 Slaves. 33* N. in each County. 14,300 > 10 3 5 4 . IO ' 96 175 12 i8>75 37 2 7 J 64-) 22 > 3,2It I ' 7 12 J 35 S 13 > 8,848- 10 f 5 J 948 68,825 The number of inhabitants in Rhode Ifland and Providence Plantations was in the year [ 15^52 Whites \ 2,633 Blacks 1774 (54,435 ' '^l 5,243 Blacks Q f 2.0,7 "5 1 Whites 748 { 4,373 Blacks 8 r 48,538 Whites 7 3 l 3,361 Blacks 1 76 ,135.939 Whites 'JSPl 4,697 Blacks f 67,877 Whites I 79i 7 948 Blacks BAYS, HARBOURS, AND ISLANDS.] Narraganfet Bay makes up from fouth to north, between the main land on the eaft and well. It embolbms many fertile iflands, the principal of which are Rhode Ifland, Canonnicut, Prudence, Patience, Hope, Dyers and Hog iflands. . The harbour? are, Newport, Providence, Wick ford, Patuxqt, Warren, and Briftol. Rhode Ifla-nd, from which the State takes half its name, is 13 miles in length ; its . average breadth is about four miles. It is divided into three twvnJhips, Newport, JPortfuvoiuh, and Middle-town. This ifland, in point of foil, climate, and fituation,.. X x 2 340 RHODE ISLAND. may be rankcjl among the fincft and moft charming in the world. In its moft flourifhing ftato, it was called by travellers the Eden of America. Bat the change which the ravages of war, and a dccrcnfe of bulinefs, have qffecled, is great and me- lancholy. Some of the moft ornamental country feats were dcftroyed, and their fine groves, orchards, and fruit-trees, wantonly cut down ; and the gloom of its prefcnt decayed 'ftate is heightened by its charming natural fituation, and by reflecting upon its former glory. The farming intereft fufFered far lefs injury than the commercial city of Newport, and has nearly recovered its former ftate Between 30,000 and 40,000 fheep are fed on this ifland, befides neat cattle and horfes. Canonnicut Ifland lies weft of Rhode Ifland, and is fix miles in length, and about one mile in breadth. It was purchafed of the Indians in 1657, and incorporated by act of aflembly by the name of the Ifland of Jameftown, in 1678. Block Ifland, called by the Indians, Maniffes, is 21 miles S. S. W. from Newport, and is the fouthernmoft land belonging to the State. It was creeled into a townlhip,. by the name of New Shoreham, in 1072. The inhabitants of this ifland were for- merly noted for making good cheefe. They catch confiderablc quantities of cod fifh: round the ledges near the ifland. Prudence Ifland is nearly or quite as large as Canonnicut,. and lies north of it, and is a part of the townfhip of Portsmouth. RIVERS.] Providence and Taunton rivers both fall into Narraganfet bay, the former on the weft, the latter on the tft fide of Rhode Illand. Providence river rifes partly in Maflachufetts, and is navigable as far as Providence for fhips of 900 tons, 30 miles from the fea. Taunton river is navigable for imall veffcls to Taunton. Common tides rife about four feet. Fall river is fmall, rifing in Freetown, and paffing through Tivertown. The line between .the States of Maflachufetts and Rhode Ifland paries Fall river bridge. Patuxet river rifes in Mafhapog pond, and five miles below Providence, empties into Narraganfet bay. Pawtucket river, called more northerly Blackftone's river, empties into Seekhonck river, four miles N. N. E. from Providence, where are the falls here- after 4efcfibed, over which is a bridge, on the poft-road to Bofton, and 40 miles from thence. The confluent flream empties into Providence river, about a mile below Wayboflett., or the great bridge. Nafpatucket river falls into the bay about one mile and a half N. W. of WaybofTett bridge. Mofhaflfuck river falls into the fame bay, three-fourths of a mile north of the bridge. Thefe rivers united form Providence rirrer, which, a few miles below the town, receives the name of Narraganfet bay, and affords fine fifh, oyfters, and lobfters in great plenty. CLIMATE.] Rhode Ifland is as healthful a country as any part of North America. The winters in the maritime parts of the State are milder than in the inland country ; the air being foftened by a fea vapour, which alfo enriches the foil. The rummers are delightful, efpecially on Rhode Ifland, where the extreme heats, which prevail in other parts of America, are allayed by cool and refrefhing breezes from the lea. FISHES.] In the rivers and bays is plenty of fheeps-head, black-rim, herring, fhad, lobfters, oyfters, and clams ; and around the fhores of Rhode Ifland, befides thofc already mentioned, are cod, halibut, mackerel, bafs, haddock, &c. &c. to the amount of more than feventy different kinds, fo that in the feafons of fifh, the markets are alive with them. Travellers are agreed that Newport furnifhes the beft fifh-market in the world. RELIGION.] The conftitution of the State admits of no religious eftablifliments, any furthei than depends upon the voluntary choice of individuals. All men pro- feffing RHODE ISLAND. 341 felling one Supreme Being, are equally protected by the laws, and no particular feet can claim pre-eminence This unlimited liberty in religion is one principal caufe why there is liioh a variety of religions feds in Rhode IflancL The Baptifls are the moft numerous of any denomination in the State. Thefe, as well as the other Baptifls in New Emrlaud, are chiefly upon the Calviniftic plan as to doctrines, and independents in regard to church government. There arc, however, fome, who profefs the Armi- nian tenets, and are called Arminian Baptiits. Others obferve the Jewifh, or Saturday Sabbath, from a perfuafion that it was one of the ten commandments, which they plead are all in their nature moral, and were never abrogated in the New Teflament, and .mult, at leatl, be deemed of equal validity for public worfhip as any day particu- larly let apart by Jefus Chrift and his Apoflles. Thefe are called Sabbatarian, or Seventh-day Baptifls. There are others, who are called Separate Baptills. The other religious denominations in Rhode Ifland are, Congregational ills, Friends or Quakers, Episcopalians, Moravians, and Jews. Befides thefc, there is a con- Ijderable number of the people, who can be reduced to no particular denomination. In many towns, public worfhip is too much neglected by the greater part of the inhabitants. They pay no taxes for the fupport of eccleliaitics of any denomination ; and a peculiarity which diilinguifries this State from every other proteflant country in the known world is, that no contract formed by the minifler with his people, for his falary, is valid in law : fo that miniflers are dependent wholly on the integrity of the people for their lupport/^fince their falaries are not recoverable by law. It ought in juflice, however, to oe obferved, that the clergy in general are liberally maintained, and none who merit it have reafon to complain for want of fupport. LITERATURE.] The literature of this State is confined principally to the towns of Newport and Providence. There arc men of learning and abilities feattered through other towns, but they are rare. The bulk of the inhabitants, in other parts of the State, are involved in greater ignorance, perhaps, than in moft other parts of New England. An impartial hiflory of their tranfaetions fince the peace, would evince the truth of the above obfervations. At Providence is Rhode Ifland college. The charter for founding this feminary of learning was granted by the general affembly of the State, by the name of the " Truftees and Fellows of the College or Univerfity, in the Englifh colony of Rhode Ifland and Providence Plantations,"* in 1764, in confequence of the petition of a large number of the moil refpectable characters in the State. By the charter, the corporation of the college coniifls of two feparate branches, with diiiinct, feparate, and refpective powers. The number of trufleesis thirty-fix, of whom twenty-two are of the denomination called Baptifls, five of the denomination of Friends, five Epifco- palians, and four Congregationalifts. The fame proportion of the different denomi- nations to continue in -perpetuum. The number of the fellows (inclufive of the pre- fident, who is a fellow ex officio) is twelve, of whom eight are Baptifls, the others chofen indifcriminately from any denomination. The concurrence of both branches, by a majority of each, is neceffary for the validity of an act, except adjudging and conferring degrees, which exclufively belongs to the fellowfhip as a learned faculty. The prefident muft be a Baptifl : profeflbrs and other officers of inftrudtion arc not limited to any particular denomination. There is annually a general meeting of the corporation, on the firfl Wednefday in September, at which time the public com- mencement is held. * This name to be altered when any generous benefa&or arifes, which by his liberal donation (hall entitle himfclf to the honour of giving the college a name. This 34 2, RHODE ISLAND. This inftitution was firft founded at Warren, in the county of Briftol, and the firft commencement held there in 1769. In the year 1770, the college was removed to Providence, where a large, elegant twildrng was erected for its accommodation, by the generous donations of individuals, mo lily from the town of Providence. It is fituated on a hill to the caft of the town ; .*nd while its elevated lituation renders it delightful, by commanding an cxtenlive, variegauxl profpert, it furnifhes it with a pure, falubrious air. The edifice is of brick," four i tones high, 150 feet long, and 46 wide, with a projection of ten feet each tide. It has an entry lengthwifc, with rooms on each fide. There are 48 rooms for the accommodation of uudents, and eight larger ones for public ufes. The roof is - overcd \\ith Hate. From December 1776, to June 1782, the college edifice was ufed by the French and Amt for grain. It however produces corn, rye, barley, oats, and in fome parts wheat, fufficient for home consumption ; and the various kinds of graffes, fruits, and culinary roots and plants in great abundance, and in good perfection ; cider is made for exportation. The north-weft ern parts of the State are but thinly inhabited, and an- more rocky and barren than the other parts. The tract of country lying between South Kingfton and the Connecticut Iine 3 called the Narraganfet country, is excellent grazing land, and is inhabited by a number of large and wealthy farmers, who raife fome of the fineft neat cattle in New England, weighing from i6co to> 1800 weight. They keep large dairies, and make butter and cheefe of the beft quality and in large quantities for exportation. Narraganfet has been famed for an excellent breed of pacing horfes, remarkable for their fpeed and hardinefs for enduring the fatigues of a journey ; this breed of horfes has much depreciated of late, the beft mares having been purchafed by the people from the weftward. TRADE.] Before the * f ar, the merchants in Rhode liland imported from Great Britain, dry goods from Africa, flaves from the Weft Indies, fugars, coffees, and molalTes and from the neighbouring colonies, lumber and provifions. With the bills which they obtained in Surinam and other Dutch Weft India Iflands, they paid their merchants in England ; their fugars they carried to Holland ; the flaves from Africa, they carried to the Weft Indies, together with the lumber and pro- vifionfr procured from their neighbours ^he rum diftilled from the molaiTes was carried to Africa to purchafc negroes ; with their dry goods from England they trafficked with the neighbouring colonies. By this kind of circuitous commerce, they fiibfifted and grew rich. But the war, and fome other events, Imve had a great, and in mort refpecls, an injurious effecT: upon the trade of this State. The flave trade, which was a fource of wealth to many of the people in Newport, and in other parts of the State, has happily been abolifhed. The legiflatnre have patted a law prohibiting fhips from going to Africa for llaves, and felling them in the Weft India Illands ; and the oath of one feaman, belonging to the ihip, is fufficient evidence of the fact. This law is more favourable to "the caufc of humanity than to the temporal intcrefts of the merchants who had been engaged in this inhuman traffick. The town of Briftol carries on a confiderable trade to Africa , the Weft Indies, and to different parts of the United States : but by far the greateft part of the commerce of this State Is at prcfent carried on by the inhabitants of the rlouriihing town of Providence. In June i 791, there were belonging to this port Tons. 95 parts, ii Ships, containing - 3,066 54 35 Brigs 4,266 48 i Snow 14 l i Polecre i.oi 25 Schooners - - I ?3 2 ' al 56 Sloops - 3>47 56 Total 1 29 fail, containing 1 1 ,942 84 The prefent exports from the State are flax-feed, lumber, horfes, cattle, beef, pork, fifh, poultry, onions, butter, cheefe, barley, grain, fpirits, and cotton and linen goods. The imports conlifts of European and Weft India goods, and logwood from the Bay of Honduras. Upwards of 600 veffels enter and clear annually at the different ports in this State. The amount of exports from this State to foreign countries, for one year, ending the 3oth of September 1791, was 47> I 3 I dollars 9 cents. ' 3 titt*f 344 RlIODrE ISLAND. LIGHT HOUSE.] For the Tafcly and convenience of failing into the Narraganfet Bay and harbour of Newport, a light houfc-was erected in 1749. in Beavertail, at the fouth end of Canonnicut Ifland. The diameter at the bafe is 24 feet, and at the top 13 feet. The height from the ground to the top of the cornice is 58 feet, round which is a gallery, and \\iihin that ftands the lanthorn, which is about n feet high, and 8 feet in diameler. The ground the light houfe ftands upon is about 12, feet above the furface of the fea at high water. MANUFACTURES.] The inhabitants of this State are progrcfling rapidly in thw branch of bufinefs. A cotton manufactory has been erected at Providence*, which from pre.fent profpecls will an Aver the expectations of the proprietors. The warps are fpun by water wiih a. machine, which is an improvement of Mr. Arkwright'S ; and flrong, miooth and excellent yarn, is 'thus made . both for warps and lioc kings. The filling of the cotton goods is fpun with .jennies. In thcle feveral works iiv.: carding machines are employed, and a calender, contracted after the European manner. Jeans, fuftians, denims, thickfets, velvets, &c. &cc. are here manufactur- ed and fent to the ibutliern States. Large quantities of linen and tow cloth are made in different parts of this State for exportation. But the moft considerable manufac- tures in .this State are thofe of iron, fuch as bar and fheet iron, iteel, nail rods and nails, implements of husbandry, iloves, pots, and other houfhold uteniils, the iron work of fhipping, anchors, bells &c. The other manufactures of this State arc :rum, ;corn, fpirits, chocolate, paper, wool and cotton cards, &c, befide domeitic manufactures for family ufe, which, in this, in common with the other States, amount to a vait fum which cannot be afcertained. MINERALS, FOSSILS, &c.J Iron ore is found in great plenty in feveral parts of the State. The iron works on Patuxet river, twelve miles from Providence, are fupplied with ore from abed four miles and a half diftant, which lies in a valley, through which runs a brook. The brook is turned into a new channel, and the ore pits are cleared of water by a fleam, engine, constructed and made at the furnace, by, and under the direction, of the late Jofeph Brown, Elq. of Providence, which continues a very ufeful monument of his mechanical genius. At this ore bed are a variety of ores, curious flones, and ochres. At Diamond Hill, in the county of Providence, which is fo called from its fparkling ~and fhining appearance, there are a variety of peculiar ftones, more curious than ufeful. Not far from this hill, in the townfhip of Cumberland, is a copper mine, mixed with iron ilrongly impregnated with loadltone, of which fome large pieces have been found in the neighbourhood. No method has yet been difcovered to work it to advantage. An abundance of limeftone is found in this State, particularly in trie county of Providence, of which large quantities of lime are made and exported. This lime- Hone is of different colours, and is the true marble, both of the white, plain, and TariegatecL It takes a fine polifh, and works equal to any in America. Tliere are feveral mineral fprings in this State ; to one of which, near Providence, many people refort to bathe and drink the water. CHIEF TOWNS.] Newport and Providence are the two principal towns in the State., Newport lies in lat. 41 35'. This town was firft fettled by Mr. William Coddington, afterwards governor, and the father of Rhode Ifland, with feventeen others, in 1639. Its harbour, which is one of the fincfl in the world, ipread* ncft- ward before the town. The entrance is eafy and fate, and a large fleet may anchor RHODE ISLAND. 34j in it and ride in perfect fecurity. It is probable tins may, in fome future period, become one of the man of war ports of the American Empire. The town lies north and fouth upon a gradual aft ent as you proceed calhvard from the water, and exhibits a beautiful view from the harbour, and from the neighbouring hills which lie well- ward upon the main. Weft of the town is Goat Ifland, on which is a fort. Between this ifland and Rhode Uland is the harbour. Front or water ftreet is a mile in length. Newport contains about icoo houfes, built chiefly of wood. It has nine houfes fo* public worfhip : three for the Baptiits, two for Congregationalisms, .one for Epifco- palians one for Quakers, one for Moravians, and a Synagogue for the Jews. The other public buildings are a ftate-houfe, and an edifice for the public library. The- lituation, form, and architecture of the flatc-houfe, give it a pleaiing appearance. .It frauds fufriciently elevated, and a long wharf and paved parade lead up to it fron* the harbour. The prohibition of the Have trade, the dcflruclive influence of paper money (which has now, however, ceafed to operate) combined with the devastation of a cruel war, have occasioned a fi agnation of bulinefs Avhich is truly melancholy and dif- treliing. This city, far famed for the beauty of its Situation, the falubrity of its climate, and the hofpitality and politenefs of its inhabitants, and which was the place of refort for invalids from a great diftancc, now wears the gloomy afpecl of decay. Thoufands of its inhabitants arc almoSt destitute of employment. This circumltance, together with that of there being a great abundance of raw materials in the vicinity, Strongly mark out this city as a convenient and proper Situation for cxtenlive manufactures. Should the gentlemen of fortune turn their capitals into this channel, it is thought that they would not only derive a profit to themfelves, but be inftrumental in giving employment and bread to thoufands of now unhappy people, and of reviving the former importance of their beautiful city. The excellent accommodations and regulations of the numerous packets which belong to this port, and which ply thence to Providence and New York, ought not to pafa unnoticed. They are faid to be fuperior to any thing of the kind in Europe. Thd appearance of the iflands in Narraganfet Bay, and of the circumjacent country, in the Spring and Summer feafons, either from the land or water, is extremely beautiful and charming. Providence, Situated in lat. 41 51' on both Sides of Providence river, is 35 mile* from the fca, and 30 N. by W. from Newport. It is the older! town in the State, Roger Williams, and his company, were its firfl fettlcrs in 1636. This town is divided into two parts by the river, and connected by the bridge already described. Ships of almofl any fize fail up and down the channel, whicty is marked out by Slakes, erected at points. Shoals, and beds lying in the river : fo that Strangers may come up to the town without a pilot. A Ship of 9^0 tons, for tho Eaft India trade, was lately built in this town, and fitted for fea. In 1764 there were belonging to the county of Providence, 54 fail of veSTels, containing 4,320 tons* Irriypi, they had 129 fail, containing 11,942 tons. This town lurTercd much by the Indian war of 1675, when a number of its inhabitants removed to Rhode ifland for Shelter. la the late war the cafe was reverfed; many of the inhabitants of that Ifland removed to Providence. RHODE ISLAND. an epifcopal church, a bandfome court-houfc, 70 feet by 40, in which is ctepofitcd a library for ihc ule of the inhabitants of the town and country a vvork-houfc, a markct- houfe'So feet long and 40 feet wide, and a brick fchool-houfe, in which four fchools- arc kept. The college edifice we have already mentioned. The houfes in this town are generally built of wood, though there are fome brick buildings which are large and elegant. At a convenient difiance from the town an hofpital for the fmall-pox, and other dileafes, has been erected. There are two fpermaceti works, a number of diftillerics, lii^ar-houtes, and other manufactories. Several forts were created in and near Provi- dence during the late war, which, however, are not kept in repair. This town has an cxtcniivc trade with Marlachuletts, Connecticut, and part of Vermont ; and from its advantageous iituation, promifes to be among the largcft towns in New England. It fends four rcprcfentatives to the General AfTembly the other towns in the county lend but two. Briftol is a pleafant thriving town, about 16 miles north of Newport, on the main : part of the town was dcftroyed by the Britifh, but it has lince been rebuilt : it has an tpifcopal and a congregational church. This town is noted for railing large quantities of onion and other roots. A number of veffels are owned by the inhabitants, and they carry on a conliderable trade to Africa, the Weft Indies, and to different parts of the United States. Warren is alfo a nourifhing town trades to the Weft Indies and other places, and builds fhips. . Little Compton, called by the Indians Seconnet, is faid to be the beil cultivated town- fhip in the State, and affords a greater fupply of provilions for market, fuch as meats of the feveral kinds, butter, cheefe, vegetables, &c. than any other town of its lizc. The inhabitants, who are an indufirious and fober people, and in thefe refpects an ex- ample worthy the notice and imitation of their brethren in fome other parts of the State, manufacture linen and tow cloth, flannels, &c. of an excellent quality, and in con- fiderable .quantities for fale. Eaft Greenwich and Warwick are noted for making good cyder, and formerly for railing tobacco for exportation. INDIANS.] A few years lince there we about 500 Indians in this State : the greater part of them relide at Charleflown : they are peaceable and \vcll-difpofed towards govern- ment, and Ipeak the Englifh language. CURIOSITIES.] About four miles north-eaft of Providence lies a fmall village, called- Pautucket, a place of fome trade, and famous for lamprey eels. Through this village runs Pautucket river, which empties into Seekhonk river at this place. In this river is a beautiful fall of water, directly over which a bridge has been built, which divides the - Commonwealth of Malfachufetts from the State of Rhode Ifland. The fall, in its- whole length, is upwards of fifty feet : the water palTes through feveral chaiins in a^ rock which runs diametrically aCrofs the bed of the ftreanr, and ferves as a dam to the water. Several mills have been erected upon thefe falls ; and the fpouts and channels ' which have been confiructed to conduct the ftreams to theiT refpective wheels, and the- bridge, have taken very much from the beauty and grandeut of the fcene ; which \vouldl otherwife have been indefcribably charming and romantic. ; In the town of Middletown, on Rhode Ifland, about two miles from Newport, is a place called Purgatory ; it joins to the fea on the eafl fidq of the illand : it is a large Cavity or opening, in a high bed of rocks, about twelve feet in diameter at top ; and about forty feet deep before you reach the water, of which, as it joins the fea, it has ahvays RHODE ISLAND. always a large depth. The racks on each fide appear to have been once united, and were probably feparated by fome convulfion in nature. CONSTITUTION.] The confutation of this State is founded on the charter granted by Charles II. in 1663 ; and the frame of government was not eflentially altered by the revolution. The legislature of this State confifts of two branches a fenate or upper houfe, compofed of ten members, befidcs the governor and deputy-governor, called, in the charter, afflftants and a houfe of rcprefentatives, compofed of deputies 1mm the icveral towns. The members of the legiflature are chofen twice a year ; and there are two fefHons of this body annually, viz. on the firft Wednefday in May, and the lalt Vv ednefday in October. The fuprcme executive power is veiled in a governor, or, in his abfence, in the deputy-governor, who, with the aififtants, fecretary, and general treating, are chofen annually in May by the furrrages of the people. The governor prefides in the upper houfe, but has only a fmgle voice in enacting laws. There is one fupreme judicial court, compofed of five judges, whole jurifdiction ex- tends over the whole State, and who hold two courts annually in each county. In each county there is an inferior court of common pleas and general feffions of the peace, held twice a year for the trial of caufes, not capital, ariling within the county, from which an appeal lies to the fupreme court. HISTORY.] This State was firft fettled from Maflachufetts. Motives of the fame kind with thofe which are well known to have occaiioned the fcttlement of moft of the other United States, gave birth to this. The emigrants from England who came to Maifachufetts, though they did not perfectly agree in religious fcntiments, had been tolerably united by their common zeal againft the ceremonies of the church of England. But as loon as they were removed from ecclefiaflical courts, and pofiefied of a patent allowing liberty of confcience, they fell into difputes and contentions among them- felves : and notwithftanding all their fufferings and complaints in England, excited by the principle of uniformity, iuch is human nature, the majority here were as fond of thi3 principle, as thole from whole perfecution they had fled. The true grounds of religious liberty were not embraced or understood at this time by any feel:. While all difclaimed perfecution for the fake of confcience, a regard for the public peace and for the prefervation of the church of Chrifl from infection, toge- ther with the obftinacy of the Hereticks, was urged in juiiification of that, which, ft ripped of all its difguifes, the light of nature and the laws of Chriil: in the moft' folemn manner condemn. Mr. Roger Williams, a minifler who came over to New England in 1631, was charged with holding a variety of errors, and was on that account forced to leave \\\i .houfe, land, wife and children, at Salem, in the dead of winter, and to leek a rcii- clence without the limits of Maifachufetts. Governor Winthrop adviled him to puriuc' his courfe to Nehiganfet, or Narraganfat Bay, which he did, and. fixed himfolf at Secunk, or Seekhonk now Rehobbth : but that place being within the bounds of Ply- mouth colony, Governor Winllow, in a friendly manner, adviled him to', remove to the other ride of the river, where the lands were not covered by any patent.' Accord- ingly in 1636, Mr. Williams, and four others, crofted Seekhonk river, and landed among the Indians, by whom they were holpitably received, and thus laid the founda- tion of a town, which, from a fenfe of God's merciful providence to him, lie called Providence. Here he wasibon after joined by a number of others, and though they were ie-iired from the Indians by the terror of the Euglifh, yet they, tor a coniiderable time, Y v a fuftU'c.4 348 RHODE ISLAND. fuffered much from fatigue and want ; but they enjoyed liberty of conference, whicfit has ever lince been inviolably' maintained in this State. The unhappy divilions and contentions in Maflachufetts ft ill prevailed, and in the year 1636, Governor Win! hrop Itrove to exterminate the opinions which he dilap - proved : accordingly, a Synod was called at New town (now Cambridge) on the 3Oth of Auguft, when eighty erroneous opinions were prefented, debated, and condemned ; and a court hoi den in October following, at the fame place, baniihed a fe\v leading peribns of thofc accufed ofthefe errors, and cenfured feveral others; not, it fcem*. for holding theie opinions, but for feditious conduct. The dilputcs which occafioncd this difturbance. were about the fame points as the five queltions debated between the Synod and Mr. Cotton, which are thus defcribed by Dr. Mather : They were, " about the order of things in our union to our Lord Jefus Chrift ; about the influence of our faith in the application of his righteoufnei* ; about the life of our fanctification in evidencing our juftification ; and about the coniideration of our Lord Jefus Chrift by men yet under -a covenant of works ; briefly, they were about the points whereupon depends tha grounds of our aflurance of blcffednefs in a better world."* The whole colony of Maifachuletts at this time was in a violent ferment. The election of civil officers was carried by a party fpirit, excited by religious diifenfion... Thofe who were banifhed by the court, joined by a number of their friends, went in queft of a new fcttlement, and came to Providence, where they were kindly enter- tained by Mr. R. Williams; who, by the affiftance of Sir Henry Vane, jun. procured for them, from the Indians, Aquidnick, now Rhode Illand. Here, in 1638, the people, eighteen in number, formed themfelves into a body politic, and chofe Mr. Coddington, their leader, to be their judge or chief magiitrate. This fame year the Sachems ligned the deed or grant of the ifland ; for which Indian gift, it is faid, they paid very dearly, by being obliged to make repeated purchafes of the fame lands from leveral claimants. The other parts of the State were purchafed of the natives at feveral lueceflive periods. In the year 1643, the people being deftitute of a patent or any legal authority, Mr. "Williams went to England as agent; and, by the affiitancc of Sir Henry Vane, jun. obtained by the Earl of Warwick (then governor and admiral of all the plantations) and his council, " a free and abfolute charter of civil incorporation of Providence Plan- tations, in Narraganlct Bay." This lafted until the charter granted by Charles II. in 1663, by which the incorporation was filled, " the Englifh colony of Rhode liland, ad Providence Plantations in New England." This charter, without any eifential alteration, has remained the foundation of their government ever iince. As the original inhabitants of this State were perfecuted for the fake of confidence, a. moft liberal and free toleration was eftablifhed by them. So little has the civil autho- rity to do with religion here, that, as has been already hinted, no contract between a nlinirter and a fociety (unlefs incorporated for that purpofe) is of any force. It is pro- bably for thefe reafons that fo many different feels have ever been found here ; and that the Sabbath, and all religious inftitutions, have been more neglected in this than in any other of the New England States. Mr. Williams became a Baptifl in a few years after his fettling at Providence, and was active in forming a church of that perfna- lionin 1639, but ceafed to walk with it the following year. This church, in 1653^ dilagreed about the rite of laying on of hands, fomelaolding it neceHary to church communion, otliers eftecming it indifferent; upon which the church, divided. At Newport, * Mag. 2.7. 17. CONNECTICUT. 349 Newport, Mr. John Clark and fome others formed a church, in 1644, on the princi- ples of the Baptills ; which church was afterwards divided like that at Providence. In 1 700 the Friends or Quakers meeting-houfe was built in Newport : their yearly meeting, till Governor Coddington's death, was held in his houfe, and he died a mem- ber of that body in 1688. In 1720 there was a Congregational church gathered at Newport, and the Reverend Nathaniel Chip was ordained its paftor. Out of this church another was formed in 1728. The worthip of God, according to the rites of the church of England, was in- ftitutcd here in 1706, by the Society for propagating the gpfpel in foreign parts. And in 1738, there were feven worshipping afiemblies in this town, and a large fo- ciety of Quakers at Fortiinouth, at the other end of the iiland. In 1630 the colony was filled with inhabitants, and chiefly by the- natural increafe of the let tiers. The number of fouls in the State at this time was 17,935, of which no more than 985 were Indians, and 1648 Negroes. In 1 738, there were above one hundred fail of vefTcIs belonging to Newport. The colony of Rhode Ifland, from its local fituation, has ever been lefs expofed to the incurfions of the neighbouring Indians, and from the French from Canada, than, their neighbours in Maflachufctts and Connecticut. Many of the colony have, from its firli efhiblifhmcnt, profefled the principles of the Quakers, which forbad them to fight : for tlicfe reafons, the colony has been very little concerned in the old wars with the French and Indians. In the expedition againfl Fort Royal in 1710, and in the' abortive attempt againit Canada in 1711, they had fome forces. Towards the intended expedition againil Canada, in 1746, they raifcd 300 men, and equipped a floop of war with i oo teamen; but in their voyage to Nova Scotia they met with misfortunes and returned. Soon after, the dciign was dropped. Throughout the whole of the late war witk Great Britain, tru* inhabitants of this State have manifested a patriotic fpir.it ; their troops have behaved gallantly, and they are honoured in having produced the fecond general in the field.* CONNECTICUT. SITUATION AND EXTENT.. Miles. Length 82! lu . fwern J4i and 42 2* N. Latitude. Breadth 57 J 1 1*50' and 3 20' E. Longitude. T>OUNDED north, by Maflhchufetts ; eaft, by Rhode Ifland ; BOUNDARIES.] J^ fouth? by the Soun< j } w hi c h divides it from Long Ifland; weft, By the State of New York. The divilional line between Connecticut and Mail achufetts, as fettled' in 1713, was found to be about feventy-two miles in length. The line dividing Connecticut from. Rhode Ifland was fettled in 1728, and found to be about 45 miles. The lea coaft, from the mouth of Paukatuk river, which forms a part of the eaftern boundary of Connecticut, in a direct fouth-weftcrly line to the mouth of Byram river, is reckoned at about ninety miles. The line between Connecticut and New York runs from lati- tude * General Green., 350 CONNECTICUT. .tude 41 to latitude 42* 2'; 72 miles. Connecticut contains about 4,674 fquare miles; equal to about 2,640,000 OCRS. CIVIL DIVISIONS.] Connecticut is divided into cigbt counties, and about TOO town- fhips. Each townihip is a corporation, in veiled with power to hold lands, choofe their own town officers, to make prudential laws, the penalty of tranigreffion not to exceed twenty Shillings, and to choofe their own reprefentatives to the General Aflcm- bly. The townihips arc generally divided into two or more parifhes, in each of which is one or more places for public worfhip, and fchool-houfes at convenient diilances. The names of the -counties, their chief towns, and population, in 1790, were as follows : Counties. Hartford Nc\v Haven Tot.No. Inhab. 38,029 30,830 - 33,200 No. Fema. 18,714 16,478 Fairfield Windham Litchfield Middlefex Tolland Slaves. 263 433 586 797 184 221 47 Chief Towns. Hartford. New Haven, f New London. 1 Norwich. r Fair-field, i Danbury. - Windham. Litchfield. r Middleton. 1 Haddam. Tolland. Total Eight 2,37,946 117,448 2,764 RIVERS.] The principal rivers in this State are Connecticut, Houfatonick, th* Thames," and their branches. Under the heads of New Hampfhire and Maffachufetts \ve have already defcribed Connecticut river till it enters this State : foon after it enters the bounds of Connecticut it pafles over Enfield falls, to render which navigable for boats, a company has been conftituted, and a fum of money railed by lottery. At Windfor it receives Windfor Ferry river from the weft, which is formed by the junction of Farmingham and Poquabock rivers. At Hartford it meets the tide, and thence flows, in a crooked channel, into Long Ifland found. It is from 80 to 100 rods wide, 130 miles from its mouth. At its mouth is a bar of fand which conliderably obftructs the navigation. Ten feet water at full tides is found on this bar, and the fame depth to Middleton : the diftanoc of the bar from this place, as the river runs, is thirty-lix miles. Above Middleton are ikveral flioals which ftretch quite acrofs the river : only fix feet water is found on the fhoal at high tide, and here the tide ebbs and flows but about eight inches. About three miles below Middleton the river is contracted to about 40 rods in breadth by two Jiijgh mountains : almoft every where elfe the banks arc low, and fprcad into fine cx- tenfive meadows : in the rpring floods, which generally happen in May, thefe meadows are covered with water. At Hartford, the water fornetimes riles twenty t!x;t above the common furface of the river, and having all to pals through the above-mentioned ftreight, it is Ibmetimes two or three weeks before it returns to its ulual bed. Thefe floods add nothing to the depth of water on the bar at the mouth of the river ; this bar lying too far off in the found to be arFeded by them. On this beautiful river, \\hofe banks are fettled almoft to its iburce, are many plea- neat, well-built towns. On its weftcrn bank, from its mouth northward, are 3 the CONNECTICUT. 35I the towns of Saybrook, Haddam, Middlcton, Weathersfield, Hartford, Windfor, and Stifrield. On its eaftern bank, as you afccnd the river, are Lyme, Earl Haddam, Glailenbnry, Eaft Hartford, Eafl Windfor, and Enfield. This river is navigable to Hartford, upwards of fifty miles from its mouth, and the produce of the country for two hundred miles above is brought thither in boats : the boats which are ufed in this bufinefs are flat-bottomed, long and narrow, for the con- venience of going up ftream, and of fo light a make as to be portable in carts : they are taken out of the river at three different carrying places, all of which make fifteen miles. Thefe obltru6tions will in a few years, it is probable, be all removed. Sturgeon, falmon, and Jhad, are caught in plenty in their feafon, from the mouth of the river upwards, excepting liurgeon, which do not afcend the upper falls ; belides a variety of fmall filh, fuch as pike, carp, perch, &c. from this river were employed, in 1789, three brigs of one hundred and eighty tons each, in the European trade ; and about fixty fail, from lixty to one hundred and fifty tons, in the Welt India trade ; befides a few fifhermen, and forty or fifty coailing veil els. One branch of the Houfatonick* riles in Lanelborough, the other in Windfor, both in Berkshire county, in Mallachufctts : it paffes through a number of pleafant towns, and empties into the found between Stratford and Milford : it is navigable twelve 1 miles- to Derby. A bar of fhells, at its mouth, obftructs its navigation for large vef- fels. In this river, between Salifhury and Canaan, is a cataract, where the water of the whole river, which is 150 yards wide, falls about fixty feet perpendicular, in a perfect white ilicct. exhibiting a fccne exceedingly grand and beautiful. Naugatuk is a fmall river which rifes in Torrington, and empties into the Houla- tonick at Derby. The Thames empties into Long Ifland found at New London : it is navigable four- teen miles to Norwich Landing: here it lofes its name, and branches into Shentuckct on the earl, and Norwich or Little river on the welt. The city of Norwich Hands on the tongue of land between ihefe rivers. Little river, about a mile from its mouth, has a remarkable and very romantic cataract. A rock, ten or twelve feet in perpendi- cular height, extends quite acrofs the channel of the river : over this the whole river pitches, in one entire meet, upon a bed of rocks below. Here the river is compreflcd into a very narrow channel between two craggy cliffs, one of which towers to a con- fiderable height : the channel defcends gradually, is very crooked, and covered with pointed rocks. Upon thefe the water fwiftly tumbles, foaming with the molt violent agitation, fifteen or twenty rods, into a broad bafon which fpreads before it. At the bottom of the perpendicular falls the rocks are curioufly excavated by the con It ant pouring of the water : fome of the cavities, which are all of a circular form; are five or fix feet deep. The Ymoothncfs of the water above its defcent the regularity and beauty of the perpendicular fall the tremendous roughnefs of the other, and the craggy, towering cliff which impends the whole, prefent to the view of the fpectator a fcene indefcribably delightful and majeftic. On this river are fome of the finefl mill feats in New England ; and thofe immediately below the falls, occupied by Lathrop's mills, are, perhaps, not exceeded by any in the world. Acrofs the mouth of this river is a broad, commodious bridge, in the form of a wharf, built at a great expence. Shetucket river, the other branch of the Thames, four miles from its mouth, receives Quinnabogue, which has its fource in Brimfield in MaflTachufetts ; thence palling through Sturbridge and Dudley in MarTachufetts, it crofles into Connecticut, and divide * An Indian name, fignify ing Over tb Mountain* 3 3 i CONNECTICUT, divides Pomfrct from Killingly, Canterbury from Plain field, and Liibon from Prcfton, awl then mingles with (he Shctuckct. In palling through this hilly country, it tumbles over many falls, two of which, one in Thompson, the other in Brooklyn, arc thirty fret each, ami affords a vaft number of fine mill teats. In its courfe it receives a great number of tributary ft reams, the principal of which are Muddy Brook, and Five Mile, river. Shctuckct river is formed by the junction of TVillamantiek and Mount Hope rivers, which nnile between VVindbum and Lebanon. In Lifbon it receives Little river; and at a little diltance farther the Quinnabogue, and empties as above. Thcfc rivers are fed by number left brooks from evciy part of the country. At the month of Shetucket, is a bridge of timber 124 feet in length, fupported at each end by pillars, and held up in the middle by braces on the top, in the nature of an arch. Pankatuck river is an inconliderable itrearn which heads in Stonington, and empties into Stonington harbour. It forms part of the dividing line between Connecticut and Rhode Hland. Kail, or North Haven river, riles in Southington, not far from a bend in Far- mington river, and palling through Wallingford and North Haven, falls into New Haven harbour. It has been meditated to connect the fourcc of this river with Far- mi ngton river. Eaft and Welt rivers are inconsiderable ftreams, bounding the city of New Haven on the eait and weft. Weft of the Houfatonick, are a number of fmall rivers which fall into the found. Among thefc is Byram river, noticeable only as forming a part of the boundary be- tween New York and Connecticut. But neither this, nor any of the others, are con- liderable enough to merit particular defcriptions. HARROURS/] The two principal harbours are at New London and New Haven* The former opens to the fouth. From the light-houfe, which Hands at the mouth of the harbour, to the town, is about three miles ; the breadth is three quarters of a mile, and in fome places more. The harbour has from five to fix fathom water a clear bottom tough, ooze, and as far as one mile above the town is entirely fccure, and commodious for large fhips. New Haven harbour is greatly inferior to that of New London. It is a bay which fets up northerly from the found, about four miles. Its entrance is about half a mile wide. It has very good anchorage, and two and an half fathom at low water, and three fathom and four-feet at common tides. About a mile from .the town, on the channel, a pier is creeled, at which velTels of fuch fize as cannot come up to the wharf, lade and unlade. A Him of money has lately been raited by lottery for the purpole of extending the long wharf to this pier, and the work is partly accomplifhcd. When completed, this wharf will he the longeft in the United States, and will be a vaft benefit to the town. The whole of the fea coaft is indented with harbours, many of which are fafe and commodious, but are not fufficiently ufed to merit a defer iption. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] Connecticut, though fubject to the extremes of heat and cold in their feafons, and to frequent fudclen changes, is very healthful. The north-weft winds, in the winter feafon, are often extremely feverc and piercing, occasioned by the great body of fnow which lies concealed from the diifolving in- fluence of the fun, in the immenfe forcfts north and north-weft. The clear and Icrene- temperature of the Iky, however, makes amends for the feverity of the weather, and is favourable to health and longevity. Connecticut is generally broken laud, made up G O N N K C T I C U T, up of mountains hills, and rallies ; and is exceedingly well watered. Some fmjill parts of it are thin and barren. It lies in the fifth and Iixth northern climates, and has a firong fertile foil. Its principal productions are Indian corn, rye, wheat 'in many parts of the State, oats, and barley, which are heavy and good, and of late, buck wheatflax in large quantities ibme hemp, potatoes of feveral kinds, pumpkins, turnips, peas, beans, &e. &c. Fruits of ail kinds, which are common to the climate! The foil is very well calculated for pafture and mowing, which enables the farmers to feed large numbers of neat cattle and horfes. Actual calculation has evinced, that any given quantity of the heft mowing land in Connecticut produces about twice as much clear profit, as tiie fame quantity of the belt wheat land in the State of New York. Many farmers, in the caftern part of the State, have lately found their advan- tage in railing mules, which are carried from the ports of Norwich and New London' to the Weft India iflands, and yield a handfome profit. The beef, pork, butter, and eheefe of Connecticut, are equal to any in the world. TRADE.] The trade of Connecticut is principally with the W r eft India iflands, and is carried on in vcffels from fixty to an hundred and forty tons. The exports confift of horfes, mules, oxen, oak Haves, hoops, pine boards, oak plank, beans, Indian corn, fifh, beef, pork, &c. Horfes, live cattle and lumber, are permitted in the Dutch, Danifh, and French ports. Connecticut has a large number of coafting vcffels employed in carry in* the pro - duco of the Suite to other States. To Rhode Ifland, Maffachufclts, and New Hamp- fhire, they carry pork, wheat, corn, and rye; to North and South Carolinas and Georgia, butter, chc.v, falted beef, cyder, apples, potatoes, hay, &c. and receive in return, rice, indigo, and money. But as New York is nearer, and the ftate of the markets always well known, much of the produce of Connecticut, efpecially of the weftern parts, is carried there ; particularly pot and pearl afh, flax feed, beef, pork, cheefe, and butter, in large quantities. Moft of the produce of Connecticut river from the parts of Maffachuietts, New Hampfhire, and Vermont, as well as of Connec- ticut, which arc adjacent, goes to the fame market. Considerable quantities of the produce of the caftern parts of the State are marketed at Bofton and Providence. The value of the whole exported produce and commodities from this State, before the year 1774, was then eftimated at about 200,000!. lawful money, annually. In the. year ending September 3oth, 1791, the amount of foreign exports from this State was 710,340 dollars bciides articles carried to different parts of the United States to a .great amount. This State owns and employs in the foreign and coafting trade, 32,^67 tons of Shipping. MANUFACTURES.] The farrrfers in Connecticut and their families are moftly clothed in plain, decent, homcfpun cloth. The linens and woollens are manufactured in the family way ; and although they are generally of a coarfer kind they arc of a ftrongCr texture, and much more durable than thole imported from France and Great Britain^ Many of their cloths are fine and handfome. A woollen manufactory has been eftabliihed at Hartford. The legiflature of the State have encouraged it, and it bids fair to grow into importance. Mr. Chittendon, of New Haven, has invented a ufeful machine for bending and cutting card teeth. This machine is put in motion by a manderil twelve inches In length, and one inch in diameter. Connected with the manderil are fix parts of the machine, independent of each other ; the firft introduces a certain length of wire into the chops of the coronc- % the fecond, Hints the chops and holds fa ft the wire in the middle until it is finifhed ; the third, cuts off the wire ; the fourth, doubled the tooth in proper form ; the fifth, Z z vmakci 554 CONNECTICUT. makes the In ft bend ; and the frxih, delivers the fmilhed tootli from the machine. The irjandrril is moved by a band wheel, jive feet in diameter, turned by a crank. One revolution of the immderil make-- or.e tooth ; ten are made in a fecond, 36,000 in an hour. \Vilh one machine, like this, teeth enough might be made to fill cards tufTicient tor all the manufacturers in New England. In New Haven are linen and button manufactories, which flourilh. In Hartford are glafs works, a thuffand powder mill, and iron works, and a flitting mill. Iron works are efrablifhed alto at Saiiibury, Nor- wich, and other parts of the State. At Stafford is a furnace at which are made large quantities of hollow ware, and other ironmongery, fnfHcient to fupply the whole Stale. Paper is manufactured at Norwich, Hartford, New Haven, and in Litchfield county. Nails, of' every fize, are made in almoii every town and village in Connecticut ; H that conliderable quantities can be exported to the neighbouring Slates, and at a better rate than they can be had from Europe. Ironmongery, hats, candles, leather, Ihoes, and boots, are manufactured in this State. Oil mills, of a new and very ingenious conliruetion, have been creeled in fevcral parts of the State. A duck manufactory lias been cftablifhed at Stratford, and it is laid is doing well. POPULATION AND CHARACTER.] Connecticut is the moft populous, in proportion to its extent, of any of the Thirteen States. It- is laid out in fmall farms from fifty to three or four hundred acres each, which are held by the farmers in fee liinple ; and are generally cultivated as well as the nature of the foil will admit. The State is chequered with innumerable roads or highways croffing each other in every direction. A tra- veller in any of thefe roads, even in the moft unfettled parts of the State, will feldom pats more than two or three miles without finding a houfe or cottage, and a farm under fuch improvements, as to afford the neceffaries for the fupport of a family. The whole State refembles a well-cultivated garden, which, with that degree of indultrj that is neceffary to happinefs, produces the neceffaries and conveniencies of life in. great plenty. In 1756 the number of inhabitants in Connecticut was 130,611. In 1774, there were 197,856 fouls. In eighteen years the increafe was 67,245. From 1774 to 1782, the increafe was but 1 1,194 perfons. This comparatively fmall increafe of inhabitants may be fatisfactorily accounted for from the destruction of the war, and the numerous emigrations to Vermont, the weftern parts of New Hampfhire, New York, and th^ other States. The inhabitants are almofl entirely of EngTifh detcent. There^ are no Dutch,, French, or Germans, and very few Scotch or Irifli people in any part of the State. In addition to \vhat lias been already faid under New England it may be obferved, that the people of 'Connecticut arc remarkably fond of having all their difputes, even thole of the moft trivial kind, fettled according to law. The prevalence of this litigious Spirit affords employment and fupport for a numerous body of lawyers. The number ff actions entered annually upon the fcveral dockets in the State j-uftifies the above obfervations. That party fpirit, however, which is fhe bane of political happinefej has not raged with fudi violence iri this State as in Maffachufetts and Rhode Ifland. Public proceedings- have been conducted generally, and efpccially of late, with much calmncls and candour. The people are well informed in regard to their rights, and judicious in the methods they adopt to fecure them. The State enjoys a great fhare of political tranquillity. The clergy, who arc numerous, and, as a body, very refpeclable, have hitherto prefer vcd a kind of ariitocratical balance in the very democratical government ot :V.-> JStatc ; which has happily operated as a check upon the overbearing fpirit of republi- caniiirL CON N E C T I C U T. 555 r;tnifm. It ha* been lamented that the unhappy religious difputes which have too much prevailed among loinc of the clergy, and ar- ' to the qualifications of who have been admitted to the lac red oilicc, have, heretofore, considerably di- iniuHhcd their influence. It is a plea (Ing eir urntfance that the rage for theological diljjutation is abating, and greater ftrictnels is oblcrved in the admiilion of candidates to the miniilry. Their influence is on the increaic. and it is no doubt to be attributed, in -part, to their increaiing influence, that an evident reformation in the manners of the people of this State has taken place iinee the peace. RELIGION.] Such as is happily adapted to a republican government. As to the mode of exercifmg church government and discipline, it might not improperly be called a republican religion. Each church has a feparatc jurifdiction, and claims authority to choofe their own minifter, to exercifc judgement and to enjoy gofpel ordinances within itfclf. The cl lurches, however, are not independent of each other ; they are aflbciated for mutual benefit and convenience. The airociations have po\ver to licenfe candidates for the" miniftry, to coniult for the general welfare, and to recommend meaiures to be adopted by the churches, but have no authority to enforce them. \\ hen difputcs ariie in churches, councils are called by the parties to fettle them ; but their power is only advifbry. There are eleven ailbciations in the State, and they meet twice in a year. 'Thefe are all combined in one general affectation, who. meet annually. > All religions that are confident with the peace of focicty, are tolerated in Connec- ticut ; and a fpirit of liberality and catholicifm is increaiing. There are very few re- li'nous fccts in this State. The bulk of the people are Congregationalifts. Betides jthefc there are Epifcopalians and Baptiits ; and formerly there was a fociety of Sandi- manians at New Haven; but they are now reduced to a veiy fmall number. The Epifcopalian churches are refpectabie, and are under the fuperintendence of a bifhop. DAMAGES SUSTAINED IN THE LATE WAR.] After the eftablifhment of the peace in 1783, a number of gentlemen were appointed by the General AfTembly to eltimate the damages done by-the Britifh troops in the levcral towns which they ravaged. The following is the reiuit of their inquiries: Amount of lofles; New London (burnt by Benedict Arnold, September 6 } 1781,) . 145,788 15 6 Groton, ditto ditto 23^17 6 6 Scattering towns, ditto ditto 9,806 9 z 178,812 10 8 Nonvalk, (burnt by the Britifh, 1779) - 34^ 6 7 9 a Canrifcated property and other lofTes '- 2,077 od 36,944 9 z Greenwich = 5 6^3 6 5 Ir 8 r- Lofles of men not on oath ~ = 3 6 9 J 7 7 6,735 9 3 Fairficld, (burnt 1779) r - e e 4J 8 9 z Ia 35 6 CONNECTICUT, Amount of lorTes. New Haven, ravaged by Governor Tryon, July 1 779 . 24,893 7 6 Ea ft Haven, ditto ditto 4,882 16 4 Weil Haven, ditto ditto 474 o 3 Other loiics not before computed - 586 o i 30,836 4 a Amount of the lories in the. whole State, in money, valued as in 1774, 294,235 1 6 i The foregoing cftimatc includes merchandize and public buildings. Excluflve of tliclc, the loiies are eftimated at ..167,000. To compcnfate the fufterers, the General Court, in May 1792, granted them 500,000 acres of the vveilern part of the referved lands of Connecticut, which lie weft of Pennfylvanra. CHIEF TOWNS.] There are a great number of very pleafant towns, both mari- time and inland, in Connecticut. It contains five cities, incorporated with extenfivc iurifdiction in civil caufrs. Two of 4hefc, Hartford and Newhuven,. are capitals of the- Statc. The General Affembly is holdcn at the former in May, and at the latter in October, annually. HARTFORD (city) is fituated at the head of navigation on the weft fide of Connec- ticut river, about fifty miles from its entrance into the found. Its buildings are a irate lioufe, two churches for Congrcgationalifts, a diftillery, befides upwards of 300 dwel- iing houfes, a number of which are handfomely built with brick. The town is divided by a fmall river, with high romantic banks. Over this river is a bridge connecting the two divifions of the town. Hartford is advantageoufly lituated for trade, has a very fine back country, enters largely into the manufacturing" bufmefs, and is a rich, flourifhing, commercial town. A bank has lately been cftab- lifhed in this city. NEW HAVEN (city) lies round the head of a bay, which makes up about four miles north from the found. It covers part of a large plain, which is circumfciibixl on three iides by high hills or mountains. Two fmall rivers bound the city carl and weft. The town was originally laid out in fquarcs of iixty rods. Many of the fquares have been divided by crofs ftrcets. Four itreets run north-weft and fouth-caft, theJfe aro crofted by others at right angles. Near the center of the city is the public fquare ; on tind around which are the public buildings, which arc, a ftate honfe, college, and rhapel, three churches for Congrcgationalifts and one for Epifcopalians. Thefe are all handfome anil commodious buildings. The college, chapel, flate honie, and one of the churches, are of brick. The public fquare is encircled with rows of trees, which render it both convenient and delightful. Its beauty, however, is greatly diminifhed by the burial ground, and feveral of the public buildings, which occupy a coniiderabfe part of it. Many of the ftrects- are ornamented with two rows of trees, o- -? on each fid*, which gives the city -a rural appearance. The profpect from the i! copies is greatly variegated and extremely beautiful. There are about 500 dwelling houfes in the city, principally of wood, and well built, and ibmc of them elegant. Tn< :: ots are landy, but neat and cleanly. Within the limits of trie city are 4000 fouls. About one in feventy die annually; th is proves* the hcaltkfulnefs of fts climate. HiVvd, as to plea- ls of fituation and falubrity of air, New Haven is uot exceeded by any city in America. CONNECTICUT. 357 America. It carries on a confiderable trade with New York and the Weft India Ifland?, -and fcveral kinds of manufactures, and is flourifhing. NEW LONDON (city) Hands on the weft iide of the river Thames, near its cntranre into the found, in latitude 41 25'. It has two places for public worfhip, one for Epifcopalians, and one for Congrcgationalifts ; about 300 dwelling-houfes, and 4600 inhabitants. Its harbour is the bell in Connecticut. It is defended by Fort Trum- bull and Fort Grifwold, the one in New London, the other in Groton. A consider- able part of the town was burnt by Benedict Arnold in 1781. It has imce been re- built. NORWICH (city) {lands at the head of Thames river, 14 miles north from Now London. It is a commercial city, has a rich and extenftve back country, and aval's itfclf of its natural advantages at the head of navigation. Its iituation upon a river, Which affords a great number of convenient feats for mills- and water-machines of all- kinds, render it very eligible in a manufactural view. r L1ic inhabitants arc not neglectful of the advantages which nature has fo liberally given them. They manufacture paper of all kinds, ftockings, clocks and watches, chaifcs, buttons, ftone and earthen -ware, wire, oil, chocolate, bells, anchors, and all- kinds of forge work. The city contains about 450 dwclling-houfes, a court-houfe,. and two churches for Congregational ifts, and one for Epilcopalians, and about 300 inhabitants. The city is in three detached, compact divilions ; viz. Chelica, at the landing, the town, and Bean Hill ; in the latter diviiion is an academy ; and in the town is a fchool, fupported by a donation from Dr. Daniel Lathrop, deceafecT. The courts of law are held alternately at New London and Norwich. MIDDLE-TON (city) is pleafantly fituatcd on the weftcrn bank of Connecticut river, fifteen miles fouth of Hartford. It is the principal town in Middlefex county has about 300 houfes a court-houfc one church for Congregationaliits one for Epilco- palians a naval office and carries on a large and increasing trade. Four miles fouth of Hartford is WETHERSFIELD, a very pleafant town, of betweery two and three hundred houfes, lituatcd on a fine foil, with an elegant brick church for CongrcgationaMs. A fair is held here twice a year. This town is noted for railing onions. Windfor, Farmington, Litchfield, Milord, Stratford, Fairfleld, Guilford, Stam- ford, Windham, Sufiield, and Enfield, are all confidcrable and very pleafaut towns. CURIOSITIES.] Two miles weft of New Haven is a mountain, on the top of which is a cave, remarkable for having been the reiidence of Generals Whaley and Gorle, two of the judges of Charles I. who was beheaded. They arrived at Bofton, July 1660, and rtamc to New Haven the following year, and retired, and concealed them- fclvcs behind Weft Mountain, three miles from New Haven. They foon after re- moved to Milford, where they lived concealed until October, 1664, when they re- turned to New Haven, and immediately proceeded to Hadley, where they remained concealed for about ten years, in which time Whalcy died, and Goffe foon after fled. In 1665, John Dixwcll, Efq. another of the king's judges, viiited them while, nt Hadley, and afterwards proceeded to New Haven, where he lived many years, and was known by the name of John Davis. Here he died, and was buried in the public burying-place., where his grave-ftone is Handing to this day, with this inscription : *' J. D. Efq. deceafed, March i8th, in the 8zd year of his age, 1688." In the town of Pomfret is a cave, rendered remarkable by the humourous adrentitfe of General Putnam. COLLEGES^ 35$ C O X N I. CT I CUT. GOLLE ' vMj.MiKs, ANJ) SCHOOLS.] In no parl of the world is the education of all vaiiks ot" pro-ik- mo:v attended to than in Connecticut. Aimoil every town in tlu- State is divided into difiricN. and each diftrict has a public ichool kept in it a. '-' or IcN part of every ye.ir. Somewhat more than one third of the monies' ariiing from a tax on the polls and rateable ellate of the inhabitants is appropriated to the fupport of lehools in the ievcral towns for the edueatioM of children :\ . -. youtli. The la\v directs that a grammar-fehool mall be kept in every county to.vn throughout the State. There is a grammajr-fchool at Hartford, and another at New Haven, fupportcd .by a dojjyjjjion of Governor Hopkins. This venerable and benevolent gentleman, in his Jail \vill, dated 1657, left in the hands of Theophilu* Eaton, Elq. and three others, a" legacy of 1324). " as an encouragement, in thefe foreign plantations, of breed- ing up hopeful youth-, bath at the grarnmar-fchool and college. " In 1664, this y was equally divided betweeri New Haven and Hartford ; and grammar-ichools v, c'/e creeled, which have been fupportcd ever flnce. Academies liave been eitablifhed at Greenfield, Plainficld, Norwich, Windham, and Pomfret, ibme of which are iiourifhing. YALE COLLEGE was founded in 1700, and remained at Killingworth until 1707 then at Saybrook until 1716, when it wa-; removed and iixed at New Haven. Among its principal benefactors was Governor Yale, in honour of whom, in 1718, it was named YALE COLLEGE.. Its firlt building was erected in 1717, being 170 feet in length, and 22 in breadth, built of wood. This was taken down in 1782. The prelent college edifice, which i^ of brick, was built in 1750, under the direction of the Rev. Prcfi lent Clap, and is 100 feet long, and 40 feet wide, three ilories high, and contains thirty-two chambers, and fixty-four ftudies, convenient for the reception of a hundred itudents. The college chapel, which is alfo of brick, was huik in 1761, being 50 feet by 40, with a Iteeple 125 feet high. In this building is the public li- brary, conlifting of about 2500 volumes; and the phdofophical apparatus, which by a late handfome addition is now as complete as moil others in the United States, and contains the machines necerTary for exhibiting experiments in the whole courfe of ex^ periinental philosophy and aftronomy. The college mufeum, to which additions are constantly making, contains many na- tural curiofities. This literary inftitution was incorporated by v the general aflembly of Connecticut. 1 he firft charter of incorporation was granted to eleven minilters, under the denomi- nation of truftees, 1701. The powers of the truftees were enlarged by the additional Charter, 1723. And by that of 1745, the truftees were incorporated by the name of " The Prdident and Fellows of Yale College, New Haven." By an act of the General Afiembly " for enlarging the powers and increaling the funds of Yale College," palled in May 1792, and accepted by the corporation, the governor, lieutenant- governor, and the lix fenior affiftants in the council of the State, for the time being, are ever hereafter, by virtue of their offices, to be truftees and fellows of the college, in addition to the /ormer corporation. The corporation are empowered to hold eftates, continue their liicccffion, make academic law?, elect and conftitute all officers of in- itruetion and government ufual in univerfitics, and confer all learned degrees. The immediate executive government is in the hands of the president and tutors. The pn lent officers and initruclors of the college are, a prelident, who is alfo profeffor of- c i leiiafttcal hiftory, a profcilbr of divinity, "and three tutors. The number of itudents ,011 .an average is about 130, divided into four claries. It is worthy of remark; that, 2$ CONNECTICUT. 35 many as rlvc-fixths of thofe who have received their education at this univcrilfy, were natives ot 'Connecticut. The funds of this college received a very liheral addition by a grant of the General Aifembly in the act of 1792, before mentioned ; which will enable the corporation to r-vi-t a now building for the accommodation of the fmdents, to fupport fcvcral new profeifodhfps, and to make a handibmo addition to the library. The courfe of education, in this univeriity, comprehends the whole circle of litera- ture. The three learned languages are taught, together with fo much of the fcienees as can be; communicated in four years. In May and September, annually, the feveral clafles are critically examined in all their claiu'cal itudics. As incentives to improvement in competition and oratory, quarterly cxcrcifes are appointed by the president and tutors, to be exhibited by the relpecYivc clafles in rotation. A public commencement is held annually oh the fecond Wednefday in September, which calls together a more numerous and brilliant arTembly than are convened by any other anniverfary in the State. About 2,200 have received (he honours of this university , of whom nearly 760 have been ordained to the work of the gofpel miniftry.* MINERALS AND FOSSILS.] On the bank of Connecticut river, two miles from Mid- dlcton, is a lead mine, which was wrought during the war, at the expcnfe of the State, and was productive. It is too expenfive to work in time of peace. Copper mines have been difcovcrcd and opened in feveral parts of the State, but have proved unprofitable, and are much neglected. Iron ore abounds in many parts of the State: Talks of various kinds, white, brown, and chocolate coloured cryitals, zink or fpclter, a femi-metal, arid feveral other fbflils and metals have been tbund in Con- necticut. MODE OF LEVYIXG TAXES.] All freeholders in the State are required by law to give in lifts of their polls and rateable eftate,-^ to perfons appointed in the refpeclive towns to receive them, on or before the 2.oth of Auguft annually. Thefe are valued according to law, arranged in proper order, and lent to the General Affembly annually m May. The turn total of the lift of the polls and rateable eftat'e of the inhabitants of Con- necticut, as brought into the General Allembly in May 1787, was as follows : s. d. Sum total of the lingle lift 1,484,901 6 4$ AifefTments 47? 7 9 2 9 One quarter of the four-folds - 1^176 9 4 Total - i,533867 1 8 51 "' AccvfTu:. ' Prcfidenre. Exitus. A. D. . ' . A ' D > 1701 ' Abraham Pierfon, - 17? 1719 Timothy Cutler, 3. T.0. - - .17** 1726 Eliilia Williams i'73 c > 1739 Thomas Clap .... 17.66- 1777 Ezra Stiles, S.T.D. L.L. D. .^ f In Connecticut, herfes, horned cattle, cultivated and uncultivated land, houfes, fliipping, all forts of viding-carriagcs, clocks and watches, filver plate and money at intereft, are rateable eitate. All males betvveen and fcventy years of age, unlefs exempted by law,, areiubjefts of-taxation. Or* g6o C O N K E C T I C U T. On (l.i> fum t;r-:<\- are levied fo much on the ])ound, according to the Turn propofcd in be railed. A tax ot' 2cl. on a pound would raifc 12,782!. 4*. The ordinary annual expences ot" the government before the war amounted to near AoooL ilerling, exclufive of that which wa appropriated to the fuppoit of ichools. Tiie cxpenles have Jincc increafed. MINKRAL SPRINGS.] At Stafford is a medicinal fpring, whieh is faid to be a lovc- rcign remedy for feorl)iitie, cutaneous, and other dilbrdcrs. COXSTIITTION AND COURTS OP JrsTiCE.] The conftitution of Connecticut is founded on their charter, whieh was granted by Charles II. in 1662, and on a law of the State. Contented with this form of government, the people have not been -difpofed to run the hazard of framing a new conftitution iince the declaration of inde^ pendence. Agreeable to this charter, the fupremc IcgiAativc authority of the State is vefted in a governor, lieutenant-governor, twelve alliftants of counfellors, and the reprcienta- tives of the people, ftiled the General Affsmbly. The governor, lieutenant-governor, and affiitants, are annually chofen by the freemen, in the month of May. The repre- sentatives (their number not to exceed two from each town) are chofen by the freemen twice a year, to attend the two annual fcffions, on the fecond Thurfdays in May and ^October. This affembly has power to creel judicatorics for the trial of caules, civil and criminal, and to ordain and cltablifh laws for fettling the forms and ceremonies of government. By thefe laws the General Allembly is divided into two branches, called the upper and lower houfcs. The upper houic is compoled of the governor, lieutenant- governor, and affiftants. The, lower houfe, of the reprclentatives of the people. No law can pals without the concurrence of both houfcs. The judges of the lupcrior jCburt hold their offices during the plcafure of the General Affembly. The judges of the county courts, and juftices, are annually appointed. Sheriffs are appointed by the governor and council, without limitation of time. The governor is captain-general of the militia, the lieutenant-governor lieutcnant-generaL All other military officers are appointed by the affembly, and commiffioned by the governor. The mode of electing the governor, lieutenant-governor, aili Hants, treafurer, and Secretary, is as follows : the freemen in the feveral towns meet on the Monday next after the firit Tuefday in April annually, and give in their votes for the perfons they choofe for the faid offices respectively, with their names written on a piece of paper, \\ Inch are received and fealcd up by a c/anftable in open meeting, the votes for each office by themfelves, with the name of the town and office written on the outride. Thefe votes, thus fealcd, are fent to the General Affembly in May, and there counted by a committee from both houfes. All freemen are eligible to any office in govern- ment. In choofing am" ftants, twenty perfons are nominated, by the vote of each free- man, at the freeman's meeting for chooling reprefentatives in September annually. Thefe votes are Scaled up, and fent to the General Affembly in October, and are there counted by a committee of both houfes, and the twenty perfons who have the moft votes Hand in nomination; out of which number, the twelve who have the greateit jiumber of votes^ given by the freemen at their meeting in April, are in May declared af:. ftants in the manner above mentioned. The qualifications of freemen are, quiet and peaceable behaviour, a civil converfation, and freehold eftate to the value of forty ihillings per annum, or forty pounds perfonal eftate in the lift, certified by the felecr- mei. of the town ; it is ncccffary, alfo, that they takp the oath of fidelity to the tate. Their names are implied in the town-clerk's office, and they ctmtinue free- 2 men CONNECTICUT. men (or life, unlcfs disfranchised by fentence of the fupcrior court, on conviction of iniiueineanor. The courts are as follow : The jtiiliccs of the peace, of whom a number are an- nually appointed in each town by the General Aifembly, have authority to hear and determine civil actions, where the demand does not exceed lour pounds. If the de- mand exceeds forty millings, an appeal to the county is allowed. They have cogni- fance of linall offences, and may punifh by tine, not exceeding forty millings, or whipping, not exceeding ten ftripcs, or lining in the ftocks. There are eight county- courts in the State, held in the Several counties by one judge and four juftices of the quorum, who have jurifdiction of all criminal cafes ariiing within their refpcclive counties, where the punifhment does not extend to life, limb, or banifhment. They have original jurifdiclion of all civil actions which exceed the jurisdiction of a juftice. Either party may appc-al to the fupcrior court, -if the demand exceeds 20!. except on bonds or notes vouched by two witneSTcs. There are levcral courts or' probate in each county, confilling of one judge. The p thfir immediate iiftie^ arui (hall became fee limple eftate? A t co a N F.CTIC t; T. t tji iiTiie of Uv>nee in tail. The \vidow of an inleiiate i> entitled to a third part of the perfonal eftate forever, and to her dower, or third part of the; houfcs and lands bclo: e at the time of his death, during her life. PR AC-TICK Or 1 LAW.] Th i 'law in this State has more limplicity, but left precision, than in England. Atiiltants and judges arc empowered to ifiiie writs through the Stale, and jiifii.'c-mbrr K 1664, run from the mouth of Mcmoro.nrck 'river, (a little. ?, A, 2 wefr 364 CONNECTICUT. well from Byram river.) N. N. W. and \vas the ancient eaftedy limits of New York, until November 23, 1683, when the line was run nearly the fame as il is now fettled."* In 1634, Lord Say and Seal, &c. lent over a . linall number of iron, who built a fort at Saybrook, and held a treaty \\iththc Pequot Indians, who in a formal manner gave to the Engliih their right to Connecticut river and the adjacent country. In 1635, the Plymouth council granted to the Duke of Hamilton, all lands between Narraga-nfet and Connecticut rivers, and back into the country as far as MarTachufetts fouth line. This covered a part of the Earl of Warwick's patent, and occasioned feme- difputcs in the colony. There were feveral attempts to revive the Hamilton claim, but were never profecuted. In October of this year, about fixty perfons, from Newtown, Dorchcfter. and W.itertown, in Marlachufctts, came and fettled at Hartford, Wethcrsfield, and Windfor in Connecticut ; and the June following the famous Mr. Hooker, and his company, came and fettled at Hartford, and was a friend and father to the colony till his death. The firll court held in Connecticut was at Hartford, April 26th, 1636; and the next year was dirlinguifhed by the war with the Pequots. The Englim obtained the country eaft of the Dutch fettlements, by right of conqueft. The purfuit of the Indians led to an acquaintance with the lands on the fea coait, from< Saybrook to Fairficld. It was reported to be a very fine country. This favourable report induced MefTrs. Eaton and Hopkins, two very refpcclable London merchants, and Mr. Davenport, a man of diftinguifhed piety and abilities, with their company,, who arrived this year (1637) ^ rom London, to think of this part of the country as the place of their fettlement. Their friends in MafTachufetts, lorry to part with fo valuable a company, clifTuaded them from their purpofe. Influenced, however, by the pro - mifing profpccts which the country afforded, and flattering themfelves that they fhould be out of the jurifdicTion of a general governor, with which the country was from time to time threatened, they determined to proceed. Accordingly in March 1638, with fhe confent of their friends on Connecticut river, they fettled at New Haven, and laid the foundation of a flourifhing colony, of which Quinipiak, now New Haven, was the chief town. The iirft public worfhip in this new plantation was attended on Lord's day April i8th, 1638. under a large fprcading oak. The Rev. Mr. Davenport preached from Matt. iii. i. on the temptations of the wildernefs. Both colonies, by voluntary compact, formed themfelves into diftin6l commonwealths and remained fa until their union in 1665. In 1639, the three towns on Connecticut river, already mentioned, finding them- felves without the limits of any jurifdiction, formed themfelves into a body politic, and agreed upon articles of civil government, Thefe articles were the foundation of Con- necticut charter, which was granted in 1662. The fubftancc of the articles, fo far as they refpect the holding of anemblies, the time and manner of electing magillratcs and other civil oflicers, (except that in the old confederation no pcrfon was to be chofen governor more than once in two years) and the extent of legiflative powers, was tranf- ferredinto, and eftablifhcd in faid charter. The firft church was gathered in New Haven this year, and confifted of feven mem- bers. Thefe were chofen by the lettlers, after Mr. Davenport had preached from the words of Solomon, " Wifdom hath builded her houfe, fhe hath hewed out her fevcn pillars." Thefe men were, indeed, the pillars of the church, to wliom the reft were added as they became qualified. They were alfo the court to try all civil a6tions. The * Douglafs Sum. Vol.D. P. 161. CONNECTICUT. :rd let tier? in New Haven had all things in common ; all purchafes were made in the name and for the ufe of the whole plantation, and the lands were apportioned out to each family, according to their number and original dock. - &t their fird election, in October 1639, Mr. Theophilus Eaton was chofen governor for the tirit year. Their elections, by agreement, were to be annual, and the word of God their only rule in conducting the affairs of government in the plantation. In 1 643, articles of confederation between the four New England colonies were una- mniouily adopted by the colonies of New Haven and Connecticut. The general court of New Haven, this year edabliflied it as a fundamental article not to be difputed, That none be admitted as free burgeifes but church members, and that none but fuch lliould vote at elections. They allb ordained, That each town ehoofe from among themfelves judges (church members) to be a court, to have cog- ui^ancc of all civil actions not exceeding twenty pounds ; and of criminal cafes, where the piinimment was fitting in the docks, whipping, and fining not exceeding five pounds. There was liberty of appeal from this court to the court of magidrates. The court of magidrates confided of all the magidrates throughout the colony, who were to meet t\vice a \ear, at New Haven, for the trial of all capital caufes. Six made a quorum. The .encml court was to-confid of the governor, deputy-governor, magidrates, and two reprefentatives from, each town. The annual election ofodicers of government was at this time edabliihcd. and has ever lince continued. The unfcttled date of the colony had hitherto prevented their edablilhing a cede of Jaws. To fupply this defect, the general court ordered, " That the judicial laws of God as they \\ere delivered to Motes, and as they are a fence to the moral, being neither typical nor ceremonial, nor having any reference to Canaan, fhall be accounted of moral equity and generally bind all offenders, and be a rule to all the courts in this jurifdiction in their proceedings againd offenders, until they he branched out into par- ticulars hereafter." About this time a war broke out between the Mohegan and Narraganfet Indians. A perfonal quarrel between Onkus, fachem of Mohegan, and SequefTon, fachem of Con- necticut, was tl>e foundation of the war.* In confideration of the fuccefs and increafe of the New England colonies, and that they had been of no charge to the nation, and in profpcct of their being in future very ferviceablc to it, the Englifh parliament, March loth, 1643, grafted them an exemp tion from all cudorris, fubfidies, and other duties, until further order. In 1644, the Connecticut adventurers purchafed of Mr. Fenwick, agent for Lord Say and Seal, and Lord Brook, their right to the colony of Connecticut, for 1600!. The colony of Connecticut cxpreffed their difapprobation of the ufe of tobacco, in an act of their General Affembly at Hartford, in 1647, wherein it was ordered, " That no pcrfon under the age of twenty years, nor any other that hath already accu domed himfelf to the ufe thereof, fhall take any tobacco, until he fhall have brought a certi- ficate, from under the hand of fome who are approved for knowledge and ikill in phyiic, that it is ufeful for him ; and alfo that he hath received a licenfe from the court for the fame. All others who had addicted themfelv'es to the ufe of tobacco were, by the fame court, prohibited taking it in any company, or at their labours, or on their travels, unlefs they were ten miles at lead from any houfe, or more than once a day, though not in company, on pain of a fine of fix 'pence for each time ; to be proved by one fabdantial evidence. The condable in each town to make prefentment of fuch tranfgrefl\ons * See Winthrop's Journal, P, 303, 305. CON tfECTICUT. tranfgreffions to the particular court and upon conviction the "fine to be. paid without g-iinfaying." Malfaclmlrtts and Nc\s Haven co-ouu - were more cruel towards 'the Quakers' than cither OonnerVirut or Plymouth. Of the four, Connecticut \vas- .the moft modci'ite. The ^riKTal court of New Haven, 1658, paffed a fcvcrc' law --againii th<- Quakers. They 'introduced their In\v 3 which was copied from the acl of the cominillio tiers of the . "lorries, v. itli.-thw preamble : - \\ h as there is a em-fed ferl of heretics' lately fpmng uj) in the world, commonly called Quakers, who take, upon them that they are immediately fent from God, and Mf-dliblv alhOed by the Spirit, who yet fpeak and write blafpherncais opinion?, defpiir government, and the order of God in church and common wealth, fpeaking evil of dignities, cecn a revifion of them fincc the peace of '1783, in which they were greatly and very judic.ioufly iimplified. The yea is 1675 and 1676 were difiinguimed by the wars with Philip and his Indians, and with the Narraganfc.ts, by which the colony was thrown into fvm difrrcfs and confufion. The inroads of the enraged favages were marked with cruel murders, and with lire and do variation, In 1084, t-ht: charter of Malfachufetts Bay and Plymouth were taken away, in ronfcqucnco of W '^nn-a/ito* which had been- iilued againit them. The charter of Connecticut was laved by an artful expedient. ( Hinccticut has ever maderapidadvanc.es in population. There have been more -.nip-ations from this than from any of the other States, arid yet it is at prcfent full of inhabitants. This incrcafe ma}* be afcrilwd to fevcral canfes. The bulk of the ^'habitants are indullrio\is, fagac-ious hutlxindmen. Their farms furnifh them with nil tlii- neccfiarics moft of the conveniences and but few of the luxuries of life. They of courfc. mufi: be generally temperate, and if the}- choofe, can fublitt with as much independence as is coniiiient with happinefs. The ilibJiftcncc of the farmer is lubftantial, and docs v not depone! on incidental circumitances, like that of moir other profelTions. There is no neceffity of ferving an apprcnticcfhip to the buiinels, nor of a large flock of money to commence it to advantage. Farmers, who deal much in barter, have lefs need of money than any other clats of people. The cafe with which a comfortable fubliftence is obtained, induces the hutbandman to marry young. The cultivation of his farm makes him ftrong and healthful. He toils cheerfully through the day -eats the fruit of IMS own labour with a gladfomc heart at night devoutly thanks his bounteous God for his daily bleffings retires to rcfl, -and his flccp is tweet. Such circumltanccs as thefe have greatly contributed to the amazing increafe of inhabitants in this State. Beiicles, the jjeople live under a free government, and have no fear of a tyrant. There are no overgrown eftates with rich and ambitious landlords, to have- an undue and pernicious influence in the election of civil officers. Property is equally enough divided, and muft continue to be fo, as long as the eftates dcfcend as they now do. No perfon qualified by law is prohibited from voting. He who has the moft merit, not he who has the moft money, is generally chofen into public office. As inftance*> of this, it is to be obfervcd, that many of the citizens of Connecticut, from the humble walks of life, have ariten to the firft offices in the State, and filled them with dignity and reputation. That bafe buiinefs of electioneering, which is fo directly calculated to introduce wicked and dcfigning men into office, is yet but little known in Connecticut. A man who wifhes to be chofen into office, a human nature, and as ambition to polfcfs the rcquifite qualifications corn-ionly accompanies this defire, the probability^ tliat the number of perlbns qualified for public office will be increafed, and of courfc the number of good citizens prbportionably multiplied, and the fubordi- nate civil affairs of the State more faithfully and more regularly tranfaeted. RIVERS AND CANALS.] Hudlbn's river is one of the largeft and fineft rivers in the United States: it riles in the mountainous country between the lakes Ontario and Champlain. In its courfe fouth-eafterly it approaches within fix or eight miles of Lake George ; then, after a fhort courfe en It, turns fouthcrly and receives the Socondaga from the Ibuth-weft, which heads in the neighbourhood of Mohawk river. The courfe of the river thence to New York, where it empties into York Bay, is very uniformly Ibuth, 1 2 deg. or 1 5 deg. wert. Its whole length is about 250 miles ; from Albany to Lake George is fixty-five miles. This diftance, the river is navigable only far batteaux, and lias two portages, -occafioncd by falls of half a mile each. The banks of Hudfon's river, efpecially on the weftern fide, as far as the highlands extend, are chiefly rocky cliffs. The paifage through the highlands, which is iixtcen miles, affords a wild romantic fcene : in this narrow pals, on carh fide of which the mountains tower to a great height, the wind, if there be any, is collected and com- prcficd, and blows continually as through a bellows : vefiels, in pairing through it, are often obliged to lower their fails. The bed of this river, which is deep and fmootb to an aftonifhing diftance, through a hilly, rocky country, and even through ridges of Ibinc of the highcrt mountains in the United States, mult undoubtedly have been pro-- duccd by fome mighty convulfion in nature. The tide flows a few miles above Albany, which is 1 60 miles, from New York: it is navigable for floops of 80 tons to Albany, and for ihips to Hudfon : fhip navigation to Albany is interrupted by a number c/f iflands, fix or eight miles below the city, called the Over(lau?h. It is in contempla- tion to confine the river to one channel, by which means the channel will be deepened, and the difficulty of approaching Albany with veffels of a larger iize be removed. About 60 miles above New York "the water becomes frefh. The river is ftored with a variety of filh, which renders a fummer paffage to Albany delightful and amufing to thofe w r ho are fond of angling. The advantages of this" river for carrying on the fur trade, with- Canada, by means <>1 the lakes, have been already mentioned : its convenicncies for internal commerce r.iv j lingularly 371 N E W YORK. fmgularly great : llic produce of the remold! firms is cafily and fpeedily conveyed to a ;i and profitable market, and at the lowcrl expenfe : in this refpecl, New York lias greatly the advantage of Philadelphia;. A great proportion of the produce of Penn- fylvania i^ carried to market in waggons, over a great extent of country, fome of which is rough; licnce it is that Philadelphia is crowded with waggons, carts, horfes and their drivers, to do the fame bufmcfs that is done in New York, where all the produce of the country is brought to market by water with much lefs fhew and parade. But Philadelphia ha> other advantages, which will be mentioned in their proper place, to rompenfatc for this natural defect. The inorcafing population of the fertile lands upon the northern branches of the Hudion mull annually increafe the amazing wealth that is conveyed by its waters to New York: added to this, the ground has been marked out, the level aibertaincd, a company incorporated, by the name of " The Prefident, Directors, and Company of the Northern Inland Lock Navigation, in the State of New York," and funds fubfcribcd for the purpofe of cutting a canal from the neareir. approximating point of Hudfon's river to South Bay, which empties into the fouth end of Lake Champlain : the diliance is 18 miles. The difference of level and the face of the country are liich, as to juftify a belief that the opening of this canal will not be lefs practicable than ufeful. Saranac river paffcs through Plattfburg into Lake Champlain : it has been explored nearly 30 miles, and there found equal in lize to the mouth. In this river is the greater! abundance of fifli, fuch as falmon, bafs, pike, pickerel, trout, &c. Sable river, not far from the Saranac, is fcarcely 60 yards wide. On this ftreamare remarkable falls : the whole defcent of the water is about 200 feet in leveral pitches, the grcateil of which is 40 feet perpendicular : at the foot of it the water is unfathom- able. A large pine has been feen, in a frclhet, to pitch overendwife, and remain leveral jimmies under water. The llream is confined by high rocks on either fide, a fpace of 40 feet, and the banks at the falls are, at leaft, as many feet high. In a frefhet the flood wood frequently lodges, and in a few minutes the water riles to full banks, and then buiiisaway its obftruclions with a molt tremendous cralhing. The Big and Lit- -tle Chazy rivers are in the towniliip of Champlain, which borders on the Canada line : both are navigable fome miles, the former lix or feven, affording good mill feats feyeral mills are already creeled. The Britifh have a poll, and maintain a fmall gar- rifon, at Point-au-fer in this townfhip. The river Boqnct paffes through the town of Willfborough, in Clinton county, and is navigable for boats about two miles, and is there interrupted by falls, on which are mills. At this place are the remains of an entrenchment thrown up by General Bur- goyne. Here he gave his famous war feail to his " numerous hofts of lavages," and here, probably, he firfl conceived that celebrated proclamation which lie afterwards .brought forth. Black river riles in the high country, near the fources of Canada Creek, which falls into Mohawk river, and takes its courfe N. W. and then N. E. till it difcharges itfelf into Cataraqua or Iroquois river, not far from Swegauchee : it is faid to be navigable for batteaux up to the lower falls, 60 miles, which is diftant from the ilouriihing fettle- jnent of Whiteilown 25 miles. The whole length of this river is reckoned at 112, miles. Onondago river rifes in the Oneida lake, runs weftwardly into Lake Ontario at Ofwego : it is boatable from its mouth to the head of the lake, 74 miles, (except a fall which occasions a pprtage of twenty yards) thence batteaux go up Wood Creek almolt to N E W YORK. 3 - 5 to Fort Stamvix, 40 miles, whence there is a portage of a mile to Mohawk river. Toward the head waters of this river lalmon are caught in great quantities. Mohawk river rites to the northward of Fort Stamvix, about eight miles from Black liver, and runs Southwardly 20 miles, to the fort; then eattward, no miles, into the Huclfon. The produce that is conveyed down this river is landed at Skenectacly, and is thence carried by land lixtecn miles, over a barren Ihrub plain, to Albany. Except a portage of about a mile, occanoned by the little falls, 56 miles above Skenectadv, the river is pafTablc for boats from Skenectady nearly or quite to its fource. The per- pendicular defcent of thefe falls is estimated at 42 feet in the courfe of one mile ; and it is fuppofed, they might b^ locked fo as to be rendered pa (Table for boats carrying live tons, for about 15.000!. carrency. The Cohoez in this river arc a great curioiity ; they are three miles from it> entrance into the Hndfon. The river is about 100 yards wide ; the rock, over which it pours as over a mill dam, extends almoir. in a line from one fide of the river to the other, and is about thirty feet perpendicular height. In- cluding the defcent above, the fall is as much as fixty or fcventy feet : the rocks below, in fome places, are worn many feet deep by the conftant friction of the water. The view of this tremendous cataract is diminifhed by the height of the banks on each fide of the river. About a mile below the falls the river branches and forms a large ifland ; but the two mouths may be feen at the fame time from the oppoiitebank of the Hud- fon : the branches are fordable at low water, but are dangerous. A company by the name of " The Prefident, Directors, and Company of the Weilern Inland Lock Na- vigation, in the State of New York," were incorporated by the legiflature of New York, in March, 1792, for the purpofe of opening a lock navigation from the now navigable part of Hudfon's river, to be extended to Lake Ontario, and to the Seneca lake. This rout has been Surveyed and found practicable, the expcnfe eftimated, and the funds fubfcribed, and the work is to be executed with all poilible diSpatch. The opening of this navigation would be a vaft acquifition to the commerce of this State. A fhore of at lealt 1000 miles in length would, in confequence of it, be wafhed by bo:itable waters, exclusive of all the great lakes, and many millions of acres of excel- lent tillage land, rapidly fettling, would be accommodated with water communication for conveying their produce to market. Delaware river riles in Lake Utftayantho, lat. 42 25', and takes its courfe fouth- weft, until it croffes into Pcnnfylvania in latitude 42 ; thence fouthwardly, dividing New York from Pennsylvania, until it Strikes the north-weft corner of New Jerfcy, in latitude 41 24'; and then paries off to fea, through Delaware bay, having New Jer- ie.y on the eait iide t and Pennfylvania and Delaware on the \\eir. SuSquehannah E. Branch river has its fource in lake Ottego, lat. 42 5-5', from which it takes a South-weft courfe : it croifes trie line which divides New York and Pennfyl- vania three times, the laft time near Tyoga point, where it receives Tyoga river. Bat- teaux pals to its fource ; thence to Mohawk river is but twenty miles, capable of good roads. Tyoga river rifes in the Allegany mountains, in about latitude 42, runs cnftwardly and empties into the Sufquchannah at Tyoga point, in latitude 41 57'. It is boatablc about 50 miles. Seneca river riles in the Seneca country, and runs caftwardly, and in its paffage re- ceives the waters of the Seneca and Cayuga lakes, (which lie north and fouth, ten or twelve miles apart, each is between thirty and forty miles in length, and about a mile in breadth) and empties into the Onondago river, 14 miles above the falls, at a place called Three Rivers. From Three River point to Onondago lake, up Seneca river, is 2, 12 miles. vS NEW YORK. J i 12 mile'?. Within half a mile of this lake a fait fpring ifliics from the ground,, the \\:ih-r of which is falter than that of the ocean : it conihmtly emits water in finiicicnt quantity for works of any extent : it is probable the whole country will be lupplicd from this fprinf red berries : the Indians chew the leaves inftead of tobacco ; the berries are ufed in dyes. Of the commodities produced from culture, wheat is the ilaple. Of this article in wheat and flour, equivalent to one million bufhels are yearly exported. Indian corn and peas are likewifc raifcd for exportation ; and rye, oats, barley, &c. for home consumption. * In fome parts of the State large dairies are kept, which firrnifli for the market butter and cliccfe. The beft lands in this State which lie along the Mywhawk river, and north N E W YORK. 379 tnortli of lt,^ and v.vl^of ihc Allcgany mountains, are yet moftly in a ftate of nature, >but arc moli rapidly fettling. The county of Clinton in the moll northern part of the State, on Lake Champlain and Lake George, lies about midway between Quebec and New York, and from 230 to 240 miles from each, and is fettled by about 2000 inhabitants. A great pro- portion of the lands in this county are of an excellent quality, and produce in abun- dance the various kinds of grain cultivated in other parts of the State. The inhabitants manufacture earthen ware, pot and pearl aih, in large quantities, which they export to New York or Quebec Their wool is of a better quality than that which is produced in more fouthern climates ; their beef and pork is fecond to none; and the price of ftall fed beef in Montreal (dittant 60 miles from Plattiburg) is inch as to encourage the farmers to drive their cattle to that market. Their foreife fupply them with fugar and molaiFes, as every family, with no more implements than are neceflary for common ufe, can make a fufficiency for its own contumption, and that at a fealbn when the farmer can be no othcrwife employed. The foil is well adapted to the culture of hemp. The land carriage from any part of the country, in tranfporting their produce to New York, docs not exceed 18 miles. The carrying place at Ticonderoga is one mile and a half; and from Fort George at the fouth end of the lake of the fame name, to Fort Edward, is but 14 miles ; after which there are two or three finall oblirucYions by falls, which are about to be removed by the proprietors of the northern canal. From this county to Quebec are annually fent large rafts, the rapids at St. John's and Chamblee being the only interruption in the navigation, and thole not fo great but that at fome feafons, batteaux with iixty bufhels of fait can alcend them. At this diftance from the lea, fait is fold at' half a dollar a bufhel. In the northern and unfettled parts of the State are a plenty of moofc deer, bears, fome beavers, martins, and molt other inhabitants of the foreft, except wolves. Ducks, growfe, pigeons, and fifh of many kinds, and particularly falmon, are taken in great abundance in different parts, and efpccially in the county of Clinton* At the mouth of Saranac river, which falls into Champlain, the lalmon are found in fuch plenty, that it is ufual to take 4 or 500 in a day with Ipears and linall Icoop nets. They are caught from May till November, and make excellent 'falted- pro- vilions, and every- cottager, by fpending an hour in the evening, may obtain a ftifK- cicnt fupply for his family. POPULATION AND CHARACTER.] For the population of this State, according to the cenfus of 1790, the reader is referred to the table of divilions. In 1786, the number of inhabitants was 238,897, of which 18,889 were blacks. In 1756, there were 96,775 inhabitants, including 13,542 blacks. The average annual in- creafe of inhabitants in this State, from 1756 to 1786, was 4,554. The annual "increafe for the four years fucceeding 1786, was upwards of 25,000. A great pro- portion of this increafe conlifts of emigrants from the New England States. The population for every fquare mile, including the whole State, is nearly eight, which ihcws that a great part of the State is yet unfettled. The effecls of the Revolution have been as greatly and as happily felt by this, as by any of the United States. The accellion of inhabitants within a few years has been great, even beyond calculation ; and fo long as lands can be obtained upon advantageous terms, and with a good . title, and the general government -continues -to protect induliry and encourage commerce, fo long they will continue to ancrcafe. The new ioitleiaents that arc forming in the northern and weftern part* 3 C a of 380 NEW YORK. of the State, are principally by people from New England. It is remarkable thaf the Dutch enterprize few or no fcttlements. Among all the new townfhips that have been fettled fince the peace, (and they have been arionilhingly numerous) it is not- known that one has been fettled by the Dutch. Although they are as " intent upon, gain" as other people, they had rather rclt fern re of what they poffefs, than hazard all or even a part, in uncertain attempts to incrcatc it. The Englifh language is generally fpoken throughout the State, but is not a little corrupted by the Dutch dialect, which is lull fpoken in fome counties, particularly in King's, Uliler, Albany, and that part of Orange which lies fouth of the mountains. But as Dutch feh ools are al moll, if not wholly diicontinued, that language, in. a few generations, will probably ceafe to be ufed at all; and the increale of Engliih iHiools has already had a perceptible effect in the improvement of the Englifh language. The manners of the people differ as well as their language. The anceftors of the inhabitants in the fouthern and middle parts of Long Ifland were either natives of England or the immediate defcendants of the firft fettlers-of New England, and their manners and cuftoms are limilar to thofe of their anceftors. The counties inhabited by the Dutch have adopted the Englifh manners in. a great degree, but full retain. many modes, particularly in their religion, which are peculiar to the Hollanders. They are induftrious, neat, and economical in the management of their farms and their families. Whatever bulinefs they purfue,. they generally follow the old track of their forefathers, and feldom invent any new improvements in agriculture,, manufactures, or mechanics. They were the firft fettlers of this State, and were particularly friendly to the Englifh colony that fettled at Plymouth in New England,. in 1620 ; and continued to be amicably difpofed towards the Englifh colonies call of them, until the unhappy difpute arofe concerning the lands on Connecticut river. The revolution, and its confequences, have had a very perceptible influence in diffufing a fpirit of liberality among the Dutch, and in difpelling the clouds of ignorance and national prejudice. Schools, academies, and colleges, are eftablifhed and eftablifhing for the education of their children in the Engliih and learned lan- guages, and in the arts and feiences, and a literary and fcientific fpirit is evidently increaftng. If fuch are the buddings of improvement in the dawn of our empire, what a rich harveft may we expect in its meridian ! The city of New York is inhabited principally by merchants, phyficians, lawyers,, mechanics, fhopkeepers, and tradefmen compofed of almoft all nations and religions. They are generally refpectable in their feveral profeflions, and fuftain the reputation . of honeft, punctual, and fair dealers. The manners and character of the inhabitants of ever} 7 Colony or State will; take their colouring, in a greater or lefs degree, from the peculiar manners of the firft fettlers. It is much more natural for emigrants to a fettlement to adopt the cuftoms of the original inhabitants, than the contrary, even though the emigrants fhould in length of time become the moft numerous. Hence it is that the neatnefs, parfimony, and induftry of the Dutch were early imitated by the firft Englifh fettlers in the province, and, until the revolution, formed a diftinguifhing trait in their provincial character. It is ftill difcernible, though in a much lefs degree, and will probably continue vifible for many years to come. Befides the Dutch and Englifh already mentioned, there are in this State many emigrants from Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and fome few from France. Many Germans NEW YORK. 3 8r Germans arc fettled on the Mohawk, and fomc Scots people on the Hudfon, in the county of Washington, The principal part of the two former fettled in the city of New York ; and retain the manners, the religion, and fome of them the language of their refpcclive countries. The French emigrants fettled principally at New Roc-belle and- on Statcn ifland, and their defcendants, fevcral of them now fill fome of the hi;heit offices in the United States. CHIEF TOWNS.] There are three incorporated cities in this State; New York, , Albany, and Hudfon. New York is the capital of the State, and Hands on the fouth- \voii point of Manhattan, commonly called New York Ifland, at the confluence of the Hudibn and Eall rivers. The principal part of the city lies on the eaSt fide of the ifland) although the buildings extend from one river to the other. The length of the city on Eaft river is about two miles ; but falls much Short of that distance on the banks of the Hudibn. Its breadth, on an average, is nearly three fourths of a mile ; and its circumference may be four miles. The plan of the city is not perfectly regular, but is laid out with reference to the Situation of the ground. The ground which was unoccupied before the peace of 1783, was laid out in parallel ftreets of convenient width, which has had a good effect upon the parts of the city lately built. The prin- cipal Streets run nearly parallel with the rivers. Thefe are interfered, though not at right angles, by Streets running from river to river. In the width of the ftreets there is a great diversity. Water-Street and Queen-ftreet, which occupy the banks of Eaft river, are very conveniently Situated for bufinefs, but they are low and too narrow ; not admitting in fome places of walks on the fides for foot-paSTengers. Broad-Street, extending from the Exchange to City-hall, is fufHciently wide. This was originally built on each fide of the creek, which penetrated almoft to the City-hall. This Sireet is low, but pleafant. But the moft convenient and agreeable part of the city is the Broadway. It begins at a point which is formed by the junction of the Hudfon and EaSl rivers, occupies the height of land between them, upon a true meridional line, rifes gently ta the northward, is near 70 feet wide, adorned, where the fort formerly Stood, (which has lately been levelled) with an elegant brick edifice for the accommo- dation of the governor of the State, and a public walk from the extremity of the point, occupying the ground of the lower battery, which, is now demolished ; alfo with two Epifcopaf churches, and a number of elegant private buildings. It terminates, to the northward, in a triangular area, fronting the bridewell and alms-houfc, and commands from any point, a view of the Bay and Narrows. Since the year 1788, that part of the city which was buried in ruins during the \var> has been rapidly rebuilding ; the ftreets widened, Straitened, raifed in the middle under an angle fufficicnt to carry off the water to the fide gutters, and foot-ways of brick made on each fide. At this time, the part that was deftroyed by fire is almoit wholiy covered with elegant brick houfes. Wall-Street is generally 50 feet wide and elevated, and the buildings elegant. Ha- nover-fquare and Dock-ftreet are conveniently Situated for bufinefs, and the hdufe? well-built. William-Street is alfo elevated and convenient, and is the principal market for retailing dry goods. Many of the other Streets are pleafant, but moft of them are irregular and narro,v. _ _ The houtes are generally built of brick, and the roofs tiled. There are remaining a few houfes built after the old Dutch manner; but the English tafte has prevailed almoft a century. Upon the fouth-weft point of the land, a fort with four baftions formerly 1 ood, and alfo a batten- below. The. area of the. fort contained an elegant houfe for the ac- commodation. $8i NEW YORK. rommodation of ' .1 governors, nncl was continued by fire in Governor TryoiVs time. This fort and battery were removed in tbc year 1/91. Tbe - iofr magnificent edifice in tbis citv is Federal-hall, fituated at the bead of Broad-rtrcct, where its front appears to great advantage. r J1ie bafcmcnt ftory is Tuf- can, aud is pierced with fcven openings ; four malfy pillars in the center fupport four Doric columns and a pediment. Tbe freeze is ingenioufly divided, to admit 13 ftars in metopes; thefe, with the American Eagle, and oilier infignia in the pediment, and the tablets over the windows, filed with the 13 arrows and tbc olive-branch united, mark it as a building defignated for national purpofcs. After entering from the Broad iireet, wo find a plainly-finh'licd Iquarc room, flagged with Itone, and to which the citizens have free accefs ; from this we enter the vcfiibule in the center of the pile, which leads in front to the floor of the repreientativcs' room, or real Federal-Ira!!, and through two arches on each iide by a public itair-caie on the left, and by a private one on the right, to the lenate-ch amber and lobbies. liis veftibule is paved with marble is very lofty and well-finifhed ; the lower part of a light rufric, which fupports a handfome iron gallery ; the upper half is in a 'ighter ftyle, and is finilhed with a iky-light of about 12 by 18 feet, which is decorated v> ith a profulion of ornament in the richcft talle. The repreferttatives' room is a fracious and elegant apartment, 61 feet deep, 5 8 -wide, and 36 high, a coved ceiling of about 10 feet high, not included. Tbis room is of an octangular form ; four of its lidcs are rounded in the -manner of niches, and give a graceful variety to the whole. The Avindows are large, and placed 16 feet from the floor ; a}l below them is finilhed with plain wainfcot, interrupted only by four chimnies ; but above thefe a number of ionic columns and pilaftcrs, with their proper entablature, are very judicioufly dif- pofed, and give great elegance. In the pannels between the windows trophies are carved, and the letters U. S. in a cypher fnrroundcd with laurel. The fpeaker's chair is oppofite the great door, and raifed by feveral fteps ; the chairs for the members are ranged femicircularly, in two rows, in front of the fpeaker. There are two galleries for the accommodation of fpecWors. On the left of the veftibule is a lobby, 19 by 48 feet, finifhed with Tufcan pilafters. This leads to the fenate-chamber, which is 40 feet long, 30 wide, and 20 high, with an arched ceiling. It has three windows in front and three back. Thofe in front open, into a gallery, 12 feet deep, guarded by an elegant iron railing. In this gallery our beloved PRESIDENT, attended by the Senate and Houfe of Repreientatives, took his oath of office, in the face of Heaven, and in prefenee of a large concourfe of people aflem- bled in front. The fenate-chamber is decorated with pilafters, of an order invented by Major L'Enfant the architect, which have a magnificent appearance. The marble, which is tiled in the chimnies, is American ; and for beauty of ihades and polifh is equal to any of its kind in Europe. Befides thefe, there are feveral other rooms for ufe and conve- nience ; a library, lobbies, and committee rooms above, and guard-rooms below. The building on the whole docs much credit to the ingenuity and abilities of the ar- chitect. The other public buildings in the -city are, three houfes for public worfhip for the Dutch Reformed church four Prefbyterian churches three Epifcopal churches ; two for German Lutherans and Calvinifis two Friends' mceting-houfcs two for Baptifts two for Methodifls -one for Moravians one Roman Catholic church one French Proteilant church, out of repair and a Jew's fynagogne. Befides thefe, there is the OYenior*s houle already mentioned, a moft elegant building the college, gaol, and feveral NEW YORK. 383 fcvcral other buildings of lefs note. The city is accommodated with four markets in different parts, which are furnifhcd with a great plenty and variety of proviiiom in neat and excellent order. The government of the city, which was incorporated in 1696, is now in the hand.* of a mayor, aldermen, and common-council. The city is divided into feven wards, iiv each of which there is chofen annually by the people, an alderman and an afliltant, who, together with the recorder, arc appointed annually by the council of appoint- ment. The mayor's court, which is held from time to time by adjournment, is in high re * putulion as a court of la\v. A court of feffions is likewife held for the trial of criminal caufes. The filiation of the city is both healthy and pleafant. Surrounded on all fides by- water, it is refrefhed with cool breezes in fummer, and the air in winter is more tem- perate than in other places under the fame parallel. York Ifland is 1 5 miles in length,- and hardly one in breadth. It is joined to the Main by a bridge, called Kings bridge. The channels between Long and Staten Iflands, and between Long and York Iflands,. are fo narrow as to occafion an unufual rapidity of the tides, which is increafed by the confluence of the waters of the Hudfon and Eaft river : this rapidity in general- prevents the obftruclion of the channel by ice, fo that the navigation is clear, except for a few days in feafons when the weather is uncommonly fevere. There is no bafon< or bay for the reception of fhips ; but the road where they lie, in Eait river, is defended- -from the violence of the fea by the iflands, which interlock with each other ; fo that rxccpt that of Rhode Ifland, and Portland, in the diflrict of Main, the harbour o New York, which admits fhips of any burthen, is the befl in the United States. < This city is cfleemed the moll eligible iituation for commerce in the United States. It almofl neccffarily commands the trade of one half New Jerfey, mofl of that of Con- ncclkut, and part of that of Maffachufetts, and almofl the whole of Vermont, bcfides the whole fertile interior country, which is penetrated by one of the largefl rivers in America. This city imports moil of the goods confumcd, between a line of 30 miles eafl of Connecticut river, and 20 miles weft of the Hudfon, which is 130 miles, and between the ocean and the confines of Canada, about 400 miles ; a considerable portion of which is the beft peopled of any part of the United States, and the whole territory contains at leaft 800,000 people, or one fifth of the inhabitants of the Union.. Belides, fome of the other States are partially fupplied with goods from New Y< A. But in the flaple commodity, (flour) Pennsylvania and Maryland have exceeded the fuperfine flour of thofe States commanding a higher price than that of New York ; not that the quality of the grain is w orfe, but becaufe greater attention is paid in thofe States to the infpeclion and manufacture of that article. In the manufacture, likewife, of iron, paper, cabinetworks, &c. Pennfylvania ex- t ceeds not only New York, but all her fiftcr States. In time of peace, however, New York will command more commercial buiincfs than any town in the United States. In time of war it will be infecure without a marine force ;. but a fmall number of fhips will be able to defend it from the mofl formidable attacks by fea, A want of good water is a great inconvenience to the citizens, there being few wells in the city. Mo-it of the people are fupplied every day with frefh water, conveyed to their doors- in cafks, from a pump near the head of Queen- ilreet, which receives it from a fpring almoft a mile from the center of the city. This well is about 20 feet. deep, and four feet diameter The average quantity d/awn daily from this remarkable well is 1 10 hogilieads of 130 gallons each. In fome Iiot fummcr-days 216 hogfheads have 384 NEW TOUK. have Ireen drawn from it; and what is very fingular, there are nevermore or Icfs than three feet of water in the well. The water is fold commonly at 3d. a hoglhead at the pump. Several propofals have heen made by individuals to fu'pply the citizens by pipes ; but none have yet ieen accepted. New York is the gayeil place in America. The ladies, in the richnefs and brilliancy of their drefs, are not equalled in any city in the United States ; not cs-cn in Charles- town, South Carolina, which has heretofore been called the center of the beau nwnde* The ladies, however, are not folely employed in attentions to drefs ; there are many who arc ftudious to add to the brilliant external accomph'fhments, the more brilliant and tailing accomplifhments of the mind : nor have they been unfuccefsful ; for New "York can boaft of great numbers of refined tailc, whofe minds are highly improved, and whofe converfation is as inviting as their perfonal charms. Tinctured with a Dutch education, they manage their .families with good (Economy and lingulur neutneis. In point of fociability and hofpitality, New York is hardly exceeded by any town in :the United States. If, however, in regard to thefe agreeable characteriftics, the pre- ference muil be given to any one place, : it decidedly belongs to Charlertown, South Carolina. Some travellers have, in thefe .refpects, .given Boilon the preference to New York. An inquirer, who would wifh to acquaint himfelf with the State of the people of New York, their manners and government, would naturally alk the citizens for their focicties for the encouragement of fciences, arts, manufactures, &c. ; for their public libraries ; for their natrons of literature ; their well-regulated academies ; for their fe- male academy for infracting young ladies in geography, hiftory, belles Icttres, &c. Such inquiries might be made with propriety, but could not at prefent be anfwered fa- :tisfactorily. From the fpirit of improvement, however, which has of late appeared, -there is reafon to believe, that .this trait in the character of the citizens of New York will foon give place to one diftinguifhed for a preference for thefe things. On a general view of this city, as described thirty years ago, and in its prefent fiate, the companion is flattering to the prefent age ; particularly the improvements in taite, elegance of manners, and that eafy unaffected civility and politenefs which form the happinefs of focial intercourfe. It is found, by a memorandum in one of the old regifters, that the number of inhabitants in the city, taken by order of the King, in the year 1697, was as follows: Whites] 1 fMen Women Young men and boys Young women and girls 'Total 2727 I Men 209 Negroes < Women 205 I Boys asd girls 1 6 1 V. Total - 575 The number of inhabitants in the city and county of New York in 1756 was 10,88 1 ; *77 r 2,1,863; 1786 23,614; 179033,131. The city of Albany is fituated upon the weft lide of Hudfon's river, 1 60 miles north t Baltimore, in Maryland. It is fituated on the enft iule of II udfoix's river, in : '. :ind is 13*0 miles north of New York ; 30 miles fouth of Albany, and four ni: : ;Vorn Old Clavcrack town. It it furrounded by an cxteniive and . <. oiii:trv, and, in proportion to its fizc and population, carries on a large le. No longer ago than the autumn of 1783, Meffrs. Scth and Thomas Jenkins,, from Piovi.lriu.e, in the State of Rhoc! ? tjarict. having fir ft reconnoitred .ail ihc way up tlw ,-. fixed on the unit-tiled fpot where Hudibn now Hands, for a town. To this fpot tL-,-v -found the river wus navigable for vcflels of any fize. They purcBalea a tract of * D about 386 N E W YORK. about u mile fqnare, bordering on the river, with a large bay to the fouthward, ancf divided it into thirty parrels or fhares. Other adventurers were admitted to propor- tions, and the town was laid out in fquares, formed by fpacious itroets, crofTing each other at right angles : each Square contains thirty lots, two deep, divided by a twenty feet rllov: each lot is fifty feet in front and 120 feet in depth. In the fpriiig of 17^4, ieveral honfes and it ores were erected. The in create of the tov \ this period to the fpring of 1786, two years only, was aftonifliin'gly rnp'd, and reflects great honour upon the enterprizing and perfevering fpirit -of the original founders. In the ipace of time juit mentioned, no lets than 150 dwell 'ng houfes, be- fides fhops, barns, and other buildings, four warehouses, feveral wharves, fperma^eti works, a covered rope walk, and one of the beft diftilleries in America, were erected, and 1500 fouls collected on a fpot, which, three years before, was improved-SB a farm, and but two years before began to be built. Its increafe fince has been very rapid ; a printing-office has been eftablifhed, and feveral public buildings have been erected, befides dwelling houfes, Itores, &c. The inhabitants are plentifully and conveniently {applied with water, brought to their cellars in wooden pipes from a fpring two miles from the town. It Hands on an eminence, from which are extenfive and delightful views to the north- welt, north, and round that way to the fouth-eaft, confifting of hills and vallies, va- riegated with woods and orchards, corn-fields and meadows, with the river, which is in molt places a mile over, and may be feen a considerable difhmce to the northward, forming a number of bays and creeks. From the fouth-cait to the fouth-weft, the city is ferecned with hills at different diftances, and weft, afar off over the river and a large valley, the profpect is bounded by a chain of ftupendous mountain?, called the Katts-kill, running to the well-north- weft, which add magnificence and fublimity to the whole fcene. Upwards of twelve hundred fleighs entered the city daily, for feveral day? together, in February 1786, loaded with grain of various kinds, boards, fhingles, leaves, hoops, iron ware, it one for building, fire- wood, and fundry articles .of provilion for the market, from which fome idea may be formed of the advantage of its iituation with refpecl to the country adjacent, which is every way exteniive and fertile, particularly weftward. The original proprietors of Hudfon offered to purchafe a tract of land ad- joining the fouth part of the city of Albany, and were conilrained, by a refufal of the proposition, to become competitors for the commerce of the northern country, when otherwife they would have added great wealth and confequence to Albany. Poughkccplie is the fhire town of Dutchefs county, and is fituated upon the eaft fide of Hud ton's river, and north of Wapping kill or creek. It is a plealant little town, and has frequently bean the feat of the State government. Lanfinburgh, formerly called the New City, ftands on the eaft fide of the Hudfon, juft oppofite the fouth branch of Mohawk river, and nine miles north of Albany. It is a very flourifhing place, pleafantly fituated on a plain at the foot of a hill. Kingfton is the county town of Ulfler. Before it was burnt by the Britifh, in 1777, it contained about 200 houfes, regularly built on an elevated dry pjain, at the mouth of a little .pleafant ftream, called Eufopus kill or creek, that empties into the Hudfon; but is nearly two miles weft from the river. The town has been rebuilt. Skenectady is fixteen miles north-well of Albany, in Albany county, fituated on the banks of the Mohawk river. The town is compact, and regular, built of brick, and, excepting a few, in the old Dutch flyle, on a rich flat of low land, unrounded with hills. The windings of the river through the town, and the fields, which are often overflowed NEW YORK. 387 overflowed in the fpring, afford a beautiful profpect about harveiV time. As it is at tlic foot of navigation on a long river, which paffes through a very fertile country, one would fuppofc it to embrace much of the commerce of it ; but originally knowing no other than the fur tracle, lince the revolution the place has decayed, and no advantage been taken of its happy fiiuation. Plattfburgh is an extenfivc townfhip in Clinton county, fituated on the weft margin of Lake Ghamplain. From the fouth part of the town the mountains trund away wide from the lake, and leave a charming tract of excellent land, of a rich loam, well watered, and about an equal proportion fuitable for meadow and for tillage. The land rifes in a gentle afcent for feveral miles from the lake, of which every farm will have a delightful view. Seven years ago, this townfhip and the whole county indeed, which at prcfcnt contains feveral thoufand inhabitants, was a wildernefs ; now they have a houfe for public worihip, a court houfe, and gaol. The courts of common pleas and general feffions of the peace fit here twice in a year. They have arlifans of almott every kind among them, and furnifh among themfelv.es all the materials for building, glafs excepted. Polite circles may here be found, and the genteel traveller be entertained with the luxuries of a tea-port, a tune on the harpfichord, and a philo- Ibphical convcrfation. This, with many other inftances of the kind, ferve to verify a prophetic remark, in a letter of Congrefs to their conflituents, written in a time of gloomy defpondency, to the following purport : " Vaft lakes and rivers, fcarcely known or explored, whofe waters have rolled for ages in filence and obfcurity to the ocean, and cxtenfive wilderneffes of fertile foil, the dwelling place of favage beafts, fhall yet hear the din of indufiry, become fubfervient to commerce, and boafl delightful villas, gilded fpires, and fpacious -cities rifing on their banks, and fields loaded with the fruit of cultivation." AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURKS.] New York is confiderably behind her neigh- bours in New England, New Jerfey, and Pennfylvania, in point of improvements in agriculture and manufactures. Among other reafons for this deficiency, that of want of enterprize in the inhabitants is not the leafl. Indeed their local advantages have been Inch as that they have grown rich without enterprize. Befides, lands have hitherto been cheap, and farms of courfe large, and it requires much lef? ingenuity to raife 1000 bufhels of wheat upon fixty acres of land, than to raife the fame quantity upon thirty acres. So long, therefore, as the farmer in New York can have fixty acres of land to raife 1000 bufhels of wheat, he will never trouble himfelf to find out how he can raife the fame quantity upon half tho kind. It is population alone that fiamps a value upon lands, and lays a foundation for high improvements in agriculture. When a man is obliged to maintain a family on a ihiall farm, his invention is exercifed to find out every improvement that may render it more produc- tive. This appears to be the great realbn why the lands on Delaware and Connecticut rivers produce the farmer 1 wire as much clear profit as lands in equal quantity and of the' fame quality upon the Hudfou. If the preceding observation be juil, improve- ments will keep pace with population and the increafmg M\\UC of lands. Another caufc, which has heretofore operated" in preventing agricultural improvement in this State, has been their government, which, in the manner it was conducted until .the revolution, was extremely unfavourable to improvements of almoft every kind, and particularlv in agriculture. The governors were many of mem land jobbers, bent on making their fortunes, and being invefted with power to do this,, they either eiHToHed for themtelvcs, or patented away to their particular favoupHes, a very great proportion of the whole province. Thi.?, as has been before oblbrved, 'proved an effectual bar' to population, and of courfc, according to our prcient hypoth^iis, has kept aov.n the 3 D 2 price 388 NEW YORK. price of lands, and fb prevented improvements in agriculture, It ought to be observed, m this connection, I -.vn efrates c^ukl be cultivated only by UK: h:mds of tcmrrS:, who, having no rkht ir> the foil, and no certain proipcci of ccn'.iuumi!; upon the iiirm which I: at the will of their landlord, had no motive.; to make thofe eJepenfjve '" . . hich, though not immediately productive, woi. . prove, very profit;:) i .". -ne future period. unit, depcnden't on hi.s landlord for his annual iupnovf, eon tines his views and improvements to the j year- tvhile the ipdepcniVnt f;xvh older, fecure of his eft ate for himfelfand his fuceeiibrs r carrier his vieus into futurity,, and early lays the founduiiou for growing improvement. But thefe ohtlac.les have been removed, in a great meafure, by the revolution. The genius of (he government of this State, however, flill favours large monopolies of lands, which have, for fome years back, been granted without regard either to quantity or fettlemcnt. The fine fertile country of the Mohawk, in Montgomery county, which- was formerly poiieiled by Sir William Johnfon, and other land jobbers, who were enemies to their country, has been forfeited to the State, and is .now fplit up into free- hold eitatcs, and fettling with aitonifhing rapidity. The foregoing obfervations will in a great meafure account for the great neglect of manufeetural improvements. Mr. Smith in his hifiory of New York, more than thirty years ago, obferved, " It is much owing to the difproportion between the number of our inhabitants, and the vail tracts ilill remaining to be fettled, that we have not as yet entered upon fcarcely any other manufactures than fnc.h as are indifpcnfably necef- fary for our home convenience." This fame caufe kas operated ever iince in the fame way, though not of late in the fame degree. Great improvements in agriculture cannot be expected (unlefs they are made by a few individuals who have a particular genius for that bulinefs) fo long as lands are plenty and cheap ; and improvements in manufactures never precede, but invariably follow improvements in agriculture. Thefe obfervations apply more particularly to the country. The city of New York contains a great number of people, who are employed in various kinds of manufactures. Among many other articles manufac- tured in this city are wheel carriages of all kinds, loaf fugar, bread, beer, fhoes and boots, faddlery, cabinet work, cutlery, hats, wool cards, clocks, watches, potters ware, umbrellas, all kinds of mathematical and mulical inftruments, mips, and every thino necerTary for their equipment. Glafs works, and feveral iron works, have been eftab^- lifhcd in different parts of the country, but they never till lately have been very pro- ductive, owing folely to the want of workmen, and the high price of labour, its ne- ceffary confequence. The internal refources and advantages for thefe manufactories, iuch as ore, wood, water, hearth ftone, proper lituations for bloomeries, forges, and all kinds of water works, are immenfe. There are feveral paper mills in the State, which are worked to advantage. The manufacture of maple fugar, within a few years pafr, has become an object of great importance. As many as 300 cheils of 4oolb. each, were made in the thinly inhabited county of Otfego, in the year 1791; betides large quantities, fufficient for home confumption, in other newly-fettled parts of the State. TRADE.] The lituation of New York, with refpect to foreign markets, has de- cidedly the preference to any of the States. It has, at all feafons of the year, a fhort and eafy accefs to the ocean. We have already mentioned that it commands the trade v of a great proportion of the beft fettled and befl cultivated parts of the United States. New York has not been unmindful of her fuperior local advantages, but has availed herfelf of them to their full extent. Their NEW YORK. 77,700 in the ycur 1775, beridcs 2,555 to " s r hread, and 2,82*8 tons of flour. In- rs oi' flour aiv appointed to prevent impofitions, and to lee that none is exported KU that whirl hy them merchantable. Well India goods are received in return tor ihclb articles. JVfide.-; tlrc above mentioned articles, arc exported flax-feed, cottonwool, fi)rfap;;riiia, coffee, indigo, rLe, pig iron, bar iron, pot afli, pearl afh > furs, dec-is ikibv, lbg-wo<-d, tiiiric, mahogany, "bees-wax, oil, Madeira wine, rum, tar, pilch, turpentine, whale tins, fifh, fugars mollifies, fait, tobacco, lard, &c, but moil of thcfe articles are imported for re-exportation. The trade of this State has greatly in- crcafcd ft nee the revolution, and the balance is almoft conftantly in its favour. The exports to foreign parts, for the year ending Sept ember' 3 3th, 1791, confirming prin- cipally of the articles above enumerated, amounted to 2,5 16,197 dollars. This State owns 46,6-26 tons of fhipping, befides which- ftie finds employment for about 40,000- tons of foreign velfcls. nrcixAL SI-RINGS.] The moft noted iprings in this State are thofe of Saratoga :/ they are eight or nine in number, fituated in the margin of a marfh, formed by a branch of Kayadaroiibra Creek, about twelve miles weft from the confluence of Fifb Creek and Hudfon's river. They are furroumled by a rock of a peculiar kind, formed by petrifactions. One of them, however, more particularly attracts tile attention ; it rites above the furface of the earth five or lix feet, in the form of a pyramid. The aperture in the top, which difeovers the water, is perfectly cylindrical, of about nine inches diameter. In this the water is about twelve inches below the top, except at the time of its annual difcharge, which is commonly in the beginning of fummer. At all times it appears to be in as great agitation as if boiling in a pot, although it is extremely cold. The fame appearances obtain in the other fprings, except that the furrounding rocks are of different figures, and the water flows regularly from them. By obfervation and experiment, the principal impregnation of the water is found to be a foflile acid, which is predominant in 'the tafte. It is alfo ftroiigly impregnated with a fa lii ic fubftance, which is very difcernible in the tafte of the water, and in the tafte and fmell of the petrified matter about it. From the corrofive arid dhTolving nature of the acid, the w r ater acquires a chalybeate property, arid receives into its com- pofttion a portion of calearcrous earth, which, when feparated, relenibles an impure magnciia. As the different fprings have no effential variance in the 1 nature of their waters, but the proportions of the chalybeate impregnation, it is rendered probable that they are derived from one common fource, but flow in feparate channels, where they have connection with metallic bodies in greater or lefs proportions. The ftomachs of fome females, however, are fo delicate, as to perceive a difference in the effect and operation of the different fprings. The prodigious quantity of air contained in this water makes another diftinguifh- ing property of it. This air, ftriving for enlargement, produces the fermentation and violent aclion of the water before dcfcribed. After the water has ftood a fmall time in an open veflfel (no tight one will contain it) the air efcapes, the water becomes vapid, and lofes all that life and pungency which diltingiiifh it when firft taken from the pool. The pariicles, of diffolved earth are depoftted as the water flows off, which, with the combation of the falts and fixt air, concrete and- form the rocks about the fprings. As 39 o NEW YORK. As to the quality of thcfe medicinal fprings, to mofc people who drink the 'watery they arc at firft very difagreeable, having a itrong, brackiili, briny tafte; but ufe in a great meafure takes off the naufeoufnefs, and .renders them palateable, ;m d to many very grateful. 'Upon a few they operate as an emetic; upon molt as \,tharti.c and diuretic. They may be taken in very large quantities without lenlible i ijury, or dif- agreeable operation. The following curious experiments made on tliefe waters, are extracted from Dr. Mitchell's Journal : " A young turkey held a few inches above the water in the crater of the lower fpring, was thrown into convuliions in lets than half a minute, and gafpihg, ihewed iigns of approaching death ; but on removal from that place, and expofure to the frelh air, revived and became lively. On immeriion again for a minute in the gas, the bird was taken out languid and motionlefs. A fmall dog put into the fame cavity, and made to breathe the contained air, was, in lefs than one minute, thrown into convulsive motions, made to pant for breath, and laftly to .lofe entirely the power to cry or move ; when taken out, he was too weak: to fland, but foon, in the common air, acquired ftrength enough to rile and ftagger away, A trout recently caught, and briikly fwimming in a pail of brook water, \va-s care- fully put into a veflel juft filled from the fpring, the fifti was inilantly agitated with violent convulfions, gradually loft the capacity to move and poiie itfelf, grew ftupid and infeniible, and in a few minutes was dead. A candle repeatedly lighted and let down near the furface of the water, \vas fuddenly extinguifhed, and not a veftige of light or fire remained on the wick. A bottle filled with the water and fhaken emits fuddenly a large quantity of aerial matter, that either forces out the cork, or makes a way belide or through it, or burfls the veflel. A quantity of wheaten flour moiftened wnth this water and kneaded into dough, when made into cakes and put into a baking pan, rofe, during the application of heat, into light and fpongy bread, without the aid of yeafl or leaven. From which it appears that the air extricated from the w r ater is prccifely fimilar to that produced by ordinaiy fermentation. Some lime water, made of ftalactites brought from the fubterranean cave at Rhine- bee, became immediately turbid on mixture with the fpring water, but \vhen the water had been lately drawn, the precipitate was quickly re-diilblved. Some of the rock furrounding the fpring, on being put into the fire, calcined to quick-lime and flacked very well. When the aerial matter has evaporated, the water lofcs its traniparcncy and lets fall a calcareous fediment. Whence it is true, that the gas is aerial acid, that the rock is-lime-rrone, and that by means of the former the water becomes capable of diilblving and conveying the latter. Great numbers of people, under a variety of maladies, re fort to thcfe fprings, and many find relief, and a cbniiderable number a complete cure, p:irticu!arly in bilious Jiforders, fait rheum, and relaxations. But as the waters are unfriendly and even iatal in fome diforders, they ought to beufed under the direction of a phylician thoroughly' acquainted with the qualities of the waters, and the difeafes of the patients. Ignorant of the fuitablenels of the waters to their complaints, many have imprudently thrown away their lives in the ufe of them." New NEW YORK.- 39 i Nc\v Lebanon iprhiggsr are next in celebrity to thole of Saratoga. NVv I/cbanon is a pleaiaiit village, iituatcd partly in a vale, and partly on the declivity of I The pool h fituated on a commanding eminence, overlooking the vaiuy, and furroundcd with a few houfes, which aiibrd hut- indifferent accommodations for the va- letudinarians who retort here in fearch of health. The waters have an agreeable trvi- perature, and arc not unpleafant to the tafte. From the experiments of Dr. Mitchell, it appears that the water contains no iron, no lime, no neutral fait, no fixed air, no other acid ; that loap unites very well with 'the water, makes a good lather, and is excellent for bleaching cloth'-; that the fpring is a Therms, and has a plenty of lime-frone in its neighbourhood. Its warmth is fo conliderable that during the coolnefs of the morning, even in Auguir., copious vapours are emitted by the pool, and the ftream which ijTucs from it, for a eoniiderable diitance ; but the evaporated matter has r no peculiar odour. From all which particulars taken together, this theory rationally refults ; n cjuantity of iron and brimftone, fomewhere within the mountain, are, by realbn of their chemical affinity, in the act of combining into martial pyrites. During their action upon each other, beat is produced, and pure , air abforbed. The water running in the neighbourhood of this bed of pyrites borrows fome of its heat, and receive- alfo that part of the atmofpheric fluid which remains after the con- ihmption of the pure air, to wit, foul or azotic gas. But as the heat is excited in the bowels of a calcareous mountain, it happens, that by the combination of the lime-Jlone zuitb a very fmall portion of tbe fulphur, a calcareous hepar is formed, which flying off in the form of hepatic gas, gives an exceedingly flight tincture to the water of the pool. Thefe waters are ufed with fuccefs, it is laid, in fcorbutic and rheumatic difeafes, fait rheums, &c. but are pernicious to confumptive perfons. In the new town of Renflalaer, nearly opposite the city of Albany, a medi- cinal fpring has lately been difcovered, combining molt of the valuable pro- perties of the celebrated waters of Saratoga. Should further experiments con- firm the favorable opinion already entertained of this fpring, it will prove a fortunate difcovery for the city of Albany, and for the country adjoining, as well as for the invalids who annually retort to Saragota, under many inconveniencies and at a great expenfe. The fait fprings \ve have already mentioned. The weight of a bufhel of the fait made of thefe waters is 5 6lb. and is equal in goodnefs to that imported from Turks [fland. MINKRALS AND FOSSILS.] This State embofoms vaft quantities of iron ore. Naturalifts obferve that ore, in fwamps and pondy ground, vegetates and in- creates. There is a iilver mine at Philiplburg, which produces virgin filver. Lead is found in Herkemer county, and fulphur in Montgomery. Spar, zink. or fpelter, a femi-metal, magnez, ufed in glazings, pyrites of a ^ golden hue,, various kinds of copper ore, and lead and coal mines, are found in this State. Alfo petrified wood, plafter of Paris, ifmglafs in iheets, tale and crytrals of, various kinds and colours, iiint, afbeftos, and fcveral other foflils. A un ill black , ftone has alfo been found, which vitrifies with a fmall heat, and, it is laid, makes excellent glafs. LITERARY AND HUMANE SOCIETIES.] There are very few focieties for .improve- ment in knowledge or humanity in this State ; and thefe few are in the city of New York. The firft is, " The fociety for promoting ufeful knowledge." This fo- ciety is upon an eftablifhment firnilar to other philofophical foeieties in Europe and America., but is not incorporated.' The members meet once a month. Secondly, 'The NEW YORK. "The Society -for the manumiflvm of Haves and protecting fuch of them as have been or may be liberated." This focict \- meets once a quarter. Botli thefe tbcicties oonlift (,-f gentlemen of the firft character in the city, and of ibnie in other parts of the State. - Bolides thefe there is a Marine focicty, a Ibciety for the relief of poor Debtors confined in gaol. A manufacturing fociety, an Agricultural focicty lately eftablifhed, of which the members of the legislature are ex officiis members, and a Medical fociety. LITERATURE, COLLEGES, ACADEMIES, &c.] Until the year 1754, there was no college in the province of New York. The flate of literature, at that time, I fhall give in the words of their hiflorian : " Our fehools are in the loweft order; the infrructors want initruclion, and through a long and fhameful neglect of all the arts and lcionc.es, our common ipcech u; extremely corrupt, and the evidences of a bad tafte, both as to thought and language, are vifible in all our proceedings, public and private." This may have been a juft reprefentation at the time when it was written ; but much attention has iince been paid to education. There are eight incorporated academies in different parts of the State; but many parts of the country are yet cither unfurnifhed with fehools, or the fehools which they have are kept by low, ignorant men, which are worfe than none; for children had better remain in ignorance than be illy taught. We are happy to add, that the legiflature have lately patronized collegiate and academic education, by granting a .large gratuity to the college and academies in this State, which, in addition to their former funds,, renders their endowments handlbme, and adequate to their expenditure -s. King's College, in the city of New York, was principally founded by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants of the province, a flitted by the General Alfembly, and the corporation of Trinity Church; hi the year 1754, a royal charter (and grant of money) being then obtained, incorporating a number of gentlemen therein mentioned, by the name of " The governors of the college of the province of New York, in the city of New York, in America ;" and granting to them and their ftic- ceffors forever, amongft various other rights and privileges, the power of conferring all fuch degrees as are ufually conferred by either of the Englifh Univcrlities. By the charter it was provided that the preiident fhall always be a member of the church of England, and that a form of prayer collected from the liturgy of that church, with' a particular prayer for the college, fhall be daily ufcd, morning and evening, in the college chapel ; at the fame time, no teft of their religious pcrfuafion was required from any of the fellows, profcifors, or tutors; and the advantages of education were equally extended to It u dents of all denominations. The building (which is only one third of the .intended- ftruclure) confifts of an elegant (tone edifice, three complete frorics high, with four ftair-cafe:> twelve apartments in each, a chapel, hall, library, mufeum, anatomical theatre, and a Ichool for experimental piiilolbphy. The college is fituatcd on a. dry gravelly toil, about 150 yarns from the bank of Hudfon's river, which it overlooks; commauuiiig a moil exteniive and beautiful' profpect. Since the revolution, the legiflature pafTcd an r,cl conftitiUm.i 21 gentlemen (of whom the Governor and Lieutenant-governor for the t; .re members- fx offidisj a body corporate and politic, by the 'n;rmr. of "< The regents of 'the uni- verrity of the State of New York." Th^y are cut n. ;'":! with the care of iiierature in general in the State, and have power to grr.nt churttrt cf incorporation for erecting 3 colleges ' NEW YORK. 393 colleges and academies throughout the ftate, are to viiit thefe inftitutions as often as they ihall think proper, and report their ftate to the legiflature once a year. King's College, which we have already defcribed, is now called COLUMBIA COLLEGE. This college, by an act of the legiflature paffed in the fpring of 1787, was put under the care of 24 Gentlemen, who are a body corporate, by the name- and itylc of " The Truftees of Columbia College in the city of New York." This body poffefs all the powers vefted in the governors of King's college before the revolution, or in the regents of the univerlity fmce the revolution, -fo far as their power refpected this inftitution. No regent can be a truftee of any particular college or academy in the State. The regents of the univerlity have power to- confer the higher degrees, and them only. The college edifice has received no additions fince the peace. The funds, exclu- five of the liberal grant of the legiflature, amount to between twelve and thir- teen &e*dand pounds currency, the income of which is fufficient for prefent exigencies. This college is now in a thriving ftate, and has about 100 ftudents in the four claffes, bcfides medical ftudents. The officers of inftruction and immediate- government are a prcfident, profeffor of mathematics and natural philofophy, a profeffor of logic and geography, and a profeifor of languages. A complete medical fchool has been lately annexed to the college, and able profeflbrs appoint- ed by the truftees in every branch of that important fcience, who regularly teach their refpective branches with reputation. The number of medical ftudents is about 50, and increaling. The library and mufeum were deftroyed during the wan. The philofophical apparatus is new and complete. Of the eight incorporated academies, one is at Flatbuih. in King's county, on Long Ifland, four miles from Brooklyn-ferry. It is fituated in a pleafant, healthy village. The building is large, handfome, and convenient, and is called Erafmus Hall. The academy is flouriihing under the care of a principal and other fubordinate inftructors. There is another at Eaft Hampton, on the eaft end of Long Ifland, by the- name, of CLINTON ACADEMY. The others are in different parts of the State. Be- iides thefe there are fchools eftablifhed and maintained by the voluntary contributions* of the parents. A fpirit for literary improvement is evidently diffufing its influence throughout the State. RELIGION.] The conftitution of this State provides for " the free exercife and en- joyment of religious profeffion and worfhip, without dilcriniination or preference within the State, for all mankind. Provided that the liberty of confcience hereby granted, fhall not be fo conftrued as to excufe acts of licentioufnefe, or juftiry practices inconftftent with the peace and fafety of the State." The various religious denominations in this State are the following; Englifli Prefbyterians, Dutch reformed, Baptifts, Epilcopalians, Friends or Quakers, German Lutherans. Moravians, Methodifts, Roman Catholics, Jews, Shakers, and a few of the followers of Jemima Wilkinfon. The Shakers are principally fettled at New Lebanon, and the followers of Jemima Wilkinfon at Geneva,, about twelve miles S. W. of the Cayoga Lake. For the peculiar fentiments of thefe various religious feels fee the general Account of the United States, under the- article Religion. In April 1784 the legiflature of this State pafled an act enabling all religious denominations to appoint truilecs, not lefe than three or more than ninc^ who ihall 3 E be 394 NEW YORK. be a body corporate,, for the purpofe of taking care of the temporalities of their rcfp'vtivc congregations, and for the other purpofcs therein mentioned. The ministers of even, denomination in the State are liipported -by the voluntary contributions of the people, raifed generally by . iubfcription, or by a tax upon the pexvs ; exeept the Dutch churches in New York, bkencctady, and Kingfton, which have, except the tv. r o latt, large eftates confirmed by charter. Tlie Kphcopal church alib in New York po^elles a very large citato .in and near the city. CONSTITUTION AND COURTS OF JUSTICE.") The prefent confutation of the State was eftablifhed by convention authorized for the purpofe, April zoth, 1777. The fupremc legillative powders of the State are vetted in two brandies, a Senate and Affembly.' The members of the ienate.are elected by the freeholders of the State, who poffefs- freehold eftates to the value of lool. clear of debts. For the purpofe of ing Ibnators, the State is divided into faur great di.ftricts, .each of which chooies a certain number, viz. [Southern diftri^, includ- ing the counties of "New York, 21 Suffolk, Weft Chefter, King's, Queen's, 5' o & o" A/T- JJT f Dutchefs, i Middle j TT1/ , \ c - <. I liCT* ^ OlX" L OrangQ, J L Richmond, f. Diftridt \ ^gomeryj ^ n f Wafhington, ^ Eaftern n , j , /r-u T^-J- o. < Cumberland. i>JLhree. Diitnct 1. >,, n ^ (jLoucejter, j The fenators are divided by lot into four claiTes, fix in each clafs, and numbered, : firft, fecond, third, and fourth. The feats of the firft clafs are vacated at the expiration of one year ; the fecond, at the expiration of the nexl, &c, and their places filled by new elections. Thus a fmall change is made in the fenate every year ; but three fourths of the members remaining preferve a knowledge of the bufinefs of a former feflion. A majority of the fenate is neceffary to do bufinefs, and each branch of the legiflature has a negative upon the other. The legiflature can at any time alter this divifion of the State for the choice of fenators ; and an increafe of electors in any diflricl:, to the amount of one twenty- fourth of the electors in the whole State, entitles the diftricT: to another fenator. But the number of fenators can never exceed one hundred. The afTembly of the State is compofed of reprefentatives from the fcveral counties, .chofen annually in May in the following proportion : For the city and county of New York, nine. For the city and county of Albany, feven. For Dutchefs, Weft Chefter, Ulfter, - Suffolk, Queen's, Orange, .King's, - 7 6 6 5 4 4 2 For Richmond, - 2 Montgomery, 6 Wafhington, j and Clinton, J Columbia, - 3 Cumberland, - 3 Gloucejler, 2. By NEW YORK. By the rtmfiitut'iun, however, it i* ordered, that at the end of feven years after the termination of' the U(e war, a. eeilffffl oi' the electors and inhabitants {hall be taken, and tin; ivprefentation apportioned according to the number of electors in each ootnity. Every male inhabitant of full age, who has refided in the State fix months preceding the day 01 election, and poffelling a freehold to the value of twenty pounds in the county. wnrre he is to give his vote, or has rented a tenement therein of the yearly value of forty Ihillings, and has been rated and actually paid taxes, is entitled to vote for reprelentatives in Ailembly. The freedom of the cities of New York and Albany .vile entitles a pcrlbn to tlie privilege of voting for members of Aflembly in the city or county where he reiides. The method of voting is now by ballot, but fubjecl: to alteration by the legiflature. The houfe of Aflembly, a majority of which is neceffary to proceed to bull nets, choofes its own fpeaker, and is a judge of its own privileges. In all debates on great queftions, the houfe refolves itfelf into a committee of the wholo ; the fpeaker leaves the chair, and a chairman is appointed for the occafion. After the buhnefs is completed, the committee rifes, the fpeaker takes the chair, and the chairman reports to the houfe the proceedings of the committee. How -far this imitation of the Britifh Houfe of Commons is fupported by good reafons it may not be eafy to determine. Certain it is, that in other legiflatures, the proceedings are equally well conducted without this formality. The number of reprefentatives is limited .to three hundred. The prefent number is fixty-fivc. The fuprcmc executive power of the State is veiled in a governor > (in whofe absence a deputy-governor is appointed to ferve) chofen once in three years by the freemen of the State; the lieutenant-governor is, by his office, prelident of the fenate ; and, upon an equal divifion of voices, has a cafting vote ; but has no voice on other occasions. The governor has not a feat in the legiflature ; but as a member of the council- of revilion and council of appointment, he has a vafl influence in the State. The council of.rcvifion is compofevl of the chancellor, the judges of the 4 fupreme court, or any of them, and the governor. This council is empowered to revile all bills which have palled the two houfes of the legiflature, and if it lhall appear to the council that fuch bills ought not to pats into laws, they fhall be returned to the houfe in which they originated, with the objections of the council in writing. The houfe fhall then proceed to reconiider the bills, with the objections, arid if notwithstanding^ two thirds of the houfe fhall agree to. the bills, they lhall be fent to the other houfe, where -they fhall be .-reconiidered and the allent of two thirds of the members % pafs them into laws. Bat if a bill is not returned in ten days, it becomes a law of courle. The fubordinate officers of ft ate are appointed by the council of appointment, which is compofed of one fenator from each diilrict, to be cholen annually by the legiilature, with the governor, or in his abfencc, the lieutenant-governor or the prelident of the fenate, who has a cafting vote only. All military officers hold their commiffions during pleafure. The chancellor, the judges of ;he fupreme court,, and the firlt judge of each county court, hold their offices- during good behaviour. Thefe officers can hold no other office at the fame time,, except that of delegate to Congrcfs. Sheriffs and coroners are appointed annually,, and can ferve but four years fucceffively. A court of errors -and impeachment is inftiflited, compofed of the prefident of the fenate, the lenatc, chancellor and judges of the fupreme court, or the major part of : them \} 9 396 NEW YORK. them, under the regulation of the legiflature. The power of impeachment is vefiod in the Ho'.ifc of Rcprdcntatives, and the members on trial mufl be fworn. Bender the court of errors and impeachment, there is, firft, a court of cbancery, con- nTtingof a chancellor appointed by the council of appointment, who holds his office during good behaviour, or until he arrive at the age of fixty years. Secondly, bfuprvme court, the judges of which are appointed in the fame manner and for the fame time a> the chancellor. This is a circuit court. Thirdly, county courts, held in each county, the judges of which are appointed in the manner above mentioned, and the firft judge holds his office during good behaviour, or until he arrive at the age of iixty years. Be- iulcsthefe, there arc the juttices' courts, court of probates, court of admiralty, court of exchequer, a court of oyer and tcrminer and general gaol delivery, and court of quarter fcfTions. The practice in the fupreme court, to which an appeal lies from the courts below, i.s in imitation of the courts of common pleas and king's bench in England. All free governments abound with lawyers. Where men have the privilege of think -ng and acting for themfelves, they will involve themfelves in debt and quarrel with their neighbours. In proportion to the debts and diiputes of the people, lawyers will multiply. Of thefc America furnifhes a plentiful growth, and New York has its ihare, as it contains not lefs than 12,0 licenfed attornies. In this State, the practice of law is conformed to the Englifh mode, and is perhaps better regulated than in the other States. The fcveral degrees in the profeffion, the number of critical examinations that candidates are obliged to pafs through before they can be admitted as counfellors in thc higher courts, together with the time of ftudy required by the rules of admiffion, render an accefs to the firft honors of the bar fo difficult as to preclude ignorant pretenders to the important fcicnce of law. New York can boafl of many eminent characters in all the learned profeffions, and has furnifhed America with fome of her moil able legil- lators. It is, however, to be feared that a too rigid adherence to the forms of legal procefs in England has fometimes perplexed the road to juftice, and prevented valuable improvements in the practice, not only of this but of moft of the other .States. MILITARY STRENGTH.! By official returns of the militia of this State, made to the governor by the adjutant-general, it appears that the total number in 1789, was 42,679; 1790 44,2,59; 1791 50,399. Befides thefe there are as many as 5000 or 6000 of the militia in the new fettlements, who are not yet organized. FORTS, &c.] Thefe are principally in ruins. The demolition of the fort in the city of New York has been mentioned. Remains of the fortifications on Long Hland, York Ifland, White Plains, Weft Point, and other places, are ftill viiiblc. Fort Stanwix, built by the Britilh in 1758, at the expenfe, it is faid, of 6o,oool. is 107 miles weft ward of Skenectady, on an artificial eminence bordering on the Mohawk river, and in travelling this diftance, you pafs Fort Hunter, Fort Anthony, Fort Plain, Fort Herkemer, and Fort Schuyler. As you proceed wefhvarcl of Fort Stanwix, you pafs Fort Bull, and Fort Breweton, at the weft end of Oneida Lake. Fort George is at the fouth end of Lake George. At the point where Lake George communicates with Lake Champlain is the famous poft of Ticonderoga, by which word the Canadians under- Hand noijy. The works at this place are in fuch a ftate of dilapidation, that a ftfianger can-fcarcely form an idea of their conftruction. They are, however, iituated on fuch high ground as to command the communication between the lakes George and Cham- plain, Oppofite, on the fouth fide of th'e water that empties out of Lake George, is a mountain, to appearance inacceffiblc, called Mount Defiance, where General Burgoyne in NEW YORK. 397 in the late war, with a boklnefs, fccrccy, and difpatch almoft unparalleled, conveyed a number of cannon, ft ores, and troop. The cannon were raifed by large brafs tackles from tree to tree, and from rock to rock, over dens of rattle-ihakes, to the fummit, which entirely commands the works of Ticonderoga. This circumftance muft ever be confiderecl as a full juitification of General Sinclair's fudden retreat with the Ame- rican army, and the obfervation which he made on his trial, in his own defence, that, though he had loll a poll, he had laved a State," was afterwards verified. Crown Point is fifteen miles north of Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. The fort at this place, in which a Britifh garrifon was always kept, from the reduction of Canada till the American Revolution, was the moil regular, and the moft expenlive of any ever conftructed, and fupported by the Britilh government in North America. The walls are of wood and earth, about fixteen feet high, and twenty feet thick, and nearly 150 yards fquarc : furrounded by a deep and broad ditch cut through a folid rock. It frauds on a riling ground perhaps 200 yards from the lake, with which there was a covered way, by which the garrifon could be fupplied with water in time of a. liege. The only gate opens on the north towards the lake, where there was a draw- bridge. On the right and left, .as you enter the fort, are a row of ftone barracks, not inelegantly built, Sufficient to contain 1500 or 2000 troops; the parade is between them, and is a flat fmooth rock. There were feveral outworks, which are now -in ruins, as is the principal fort, except the walls, and the walls of the barracks, which ftill remain. BANKS.] There are two or three incorporated Banks in the city of New York, befidcs a branch of the national bank, and one has lately been eftablilhed in the city of Albany. MODE OP RAISING INTERNAL TAXES.] The legiflature fix upon the fum to be railed, and apportion it among the feveral counties. This being done the fupervifors, one from each townfhip in the refpective counties, aftemble and affign to each townfhip its proportion of the quota of the county. The fupervifor and afleffors in each town- fhip then apportion their quota among the individuals of the townihip, according ta the value of their real and perfonal eftates. The tax, thus laid, is collected by the collector of the townfhip, and lodged with the county treafurer, who tranfmits it to the treafurer of the State, FINANCES.] A variety of circumftances have confpired to fill the treafury of this State, and wholly to fuperfedc the neceffity of taxation for feveral yearg paft ; firft^ confifcations and economical management of that property ; fecond, fales of unappro- priated lands ; and third, a duty on imports previous to the eftabliihment of the federal government. The two former were fold for continental certificates, at a time when the credit of the State was perhaps above the par of the Union, which was the caufe of getting a large fum of the public debt into the treafury of the State at a depreciated value. Thefc certificates, fince the funding iyftem came into operation, added to the arTumed State debt, a vaft quantity of which \vas alib in the treafury, forms an enor- mous mats of property, yielding an annuity of upwards of 100,000 dollars ; and when the deferred debt fhall become a fix per cent. Hock, this annuity will be increafed to upwards of 2,00,000 dollars. The ability of the State, therefore, is abundantly competent to aid public inftitutions of every kind, to make roads, erect. bridges, open canals, and to puih every kind -of improvement to the moft defirable length. It could be wifhed, that thofe citizens who were exiled during the war, and, whofe property was expofed during its continuance to wanton depredations, could be thought of by a legiflature poiTeffing fo fully the means j of 39 8 NEW Y O R K. of difcriminating this unhappy clals of fufFerers, and making them compcnfution foe their voluntary lacritices. * CURIOSITIES.] In the county of Montgomery is a fmall, rapid ft ream, emptying into Scroon Lake,- \vefr of Lake George ; it runs under a hill, the bale of which is 60 or 70 yards diameter, forming a moil curious and beautiful arch in the rock, as white as fnow. The fury of the water and the roughnefs of the bottom, added to the terrific noife within, lias hitherto prevented any perfon from palling through the rhafm. In the townihip of Will {borough, in Clinton county, is a curious Split Rock. A point of a mountain, -which projected about 50 yards into Lake Champlain, appears to have been broken 'by fome violent fhock of nature. It is removed from the main rock or mountain about twenty feet, and the oppofite fides fo exactly fuit each other, that one needs no other proof of their having been once united. The point broken off contains about half an acre, and is covered with wood. The height of the rock on each fide of the fiflure is about twelve feet. Round this point is a fpacious bay, fheltered from the Ibuth-weft and north-weft winds by the furrounding hills and woods. On the weft lide are four or five finely cultivated farms, which altogether, at certain feafons, and in certain fituations, form one of the moft beautiful landfcapes imagi- nable. " Sailing under this coaft for feveral miles before you come to Split Rock, the mountains, rude and barren, feem to hang over the paflenger and threaten deftruction. A water, boundlefs to the fight, lies before him ; man feels his own littlenefs, and infidelity itfelf pays an unwilling homage to the Qreator. Initantly and uncxpec?tcdly the fcene changes, and peeping with greedy eye through the fiifure, nature prefents to the view a filver balbn, a verdant lawn, a humble cottage, a golden harveft, a majeitic foreit, a lofty mountain, an azure fky, rifmg one above another " in juft gradation to the amazing whole."* " A few months ago a very extraordinary cavern, at a place called by the Indians^ Sepafcot, on the eftate of the Mils Rutfens, at Ryhnbeck, in Dutchefs county, was difcovered. A lad, by chance, pailing near its entrance, which lay between two huge rocks on the declivity of a fteep hill, on prying into the gloomy recefs, faw the top of a ladder, by which he defcended about ten feet, and found himfelf in a fubterraneous apartment, more capacious than he then chofe to inveftigate. He found,, however, that it had been the abode of perfons, who probably during the waj not daring to be lecn openly, had taken flicker there, as bits of cloth and pieces of leather were Scattered about its floor. He then left the place, and little more was thought of it, until hree weeks ago, the writer of this account made one of a large party, who went from the feat of a gentleman in the neighbourhood on purpofe to examine it. We found its entrance much fmaller than we expected, and with fome difficulty gained the ladder, by means of which the remaining defcent was made tolerably eafy. Two young ladies were with us, who had heroifm enough to make the trophimium tour with us. We had fix candles to fcrutinize the receffes of the apartment, where, perhaps, light, for upwards of five thoufand years before, had never gleamed. We found the < divided by a narrow paffage into two divifions ; the firft being about feventeen feet ;;i length, and fo low that a child of eight years old could but juft walk upright in it , breadth is about eight or ten feet. The fecond between twelve and fourteen feet iu length, but much higher and broader than the firft. In this lalt room we found that three bats had taken up their winter quarters, and hung fufpended from the roof, as it * Mr. M. L. Woolfey of Plattfburgh. To this ingenious gentleman, the author is indebted for much valuable information concerning Clinton county. were NEW YORK. 399 by the very tips of the wings. But what makes the cave peculiarly worthy of notice isthe petrifying quality of the water, that by a gentle oozing, continually drops from every part of the ceiling, the whole of which exactly refembles a mill gutter in a fruity morning, with a thouland icicles impending. Thefe concretions are formed by the water, and probably are conftantly increanng. They have in almoft every refpecl the appearance of icicles, and may be broken off by the hand if not moie than two inches in circumference. They appear of a confiftence much like indurated lime, almoft transparent, and are all perforated xjuite through the whole length, with a hole of the lize of that in a tobacco pipe, through which aperture the water unremittedly drops, although very flow. When a perfon is in the remoter! room, and the lights are removed into the nrft, thole pendant drops of water make an appearance more fplendid than can well be imagined. Some of thofe ftony icicles have at length reached the bottom of the cave, and now form pillars, fome of more than two feet in girth, of the appearance of marble, arid almoft as hard. They put one in mind of Solomon's Jachin and Roaz, imagination very eafily giving them pedeftals and chapiters and eyen wrcathen work. But what we moft admired, was the fkeletonof a large fnake, turned into folidftone by the petrifying quality of the water before mentioned. It was with fome difficulty torn up with an axe from the rock it lay upon (fome of which adhered to it) and is now in the pofTeffton of the rclatcr. We found the inmofl recclfes of this cavern very warm, and experienced the want of free air by a difficult refpiration, although the candles burnt very clear." * INDIANS.] The body of the Six Nations inhabit the weflern parts of this State. The principal part of the Mohawk tribe refide on Grand river, in Upper Canada ; and there are two villages of Senccas on the Allegany river, near the north line of Pennfyl- vania, and a few Delawares and Skawaghkees, on Bnffaloe Creek. Including thefe, and the Stockbridge and Mohegan Indians, who have migrated and fettled in the vicinity of Oneida, there are, in the Six Nations, according to an accurate eftimate lately made by the Rev. Mr. Kirkland, miffionary among them, 6330 fouls. He adds, that among thefe there is comparatively but very few children. The following extradt of a letter from Mr. Kirkland to the author will give the reader an idea of the characters, which, according to Indian tradition, are excluded from the happy country: " The region of Pure Spirits, the Five Nations call EJkanane. The only characters which, according to their traditions, cannot be admitted to parti- cipate of the pleafures and delights of this happy country, are reduced to three, viz. luicides ; the difobedient to the counfels of the chiefs ; and fuch as put away their wives on account of pregnancy. According to their tradition, there is a gloomy, fathomlefs * gulph, near the borders of the delightful manfions of Elkananc, over which all good and- brave fpirits pats with fafety, under the conduct of a faithful and fkilful guide appointed for that purpofe ; but when a fuicide, or any 'of the above-mentioned cha- racters, approach this gulph, the condudor, who porTdTes a molt penetrating eye, inftantiy diieovers their fpiritual features and character, and denies them his aid, affignirjg his realbns. They will, however, attempt to crofs upon a fmall pole,^ which, -before they reach the middle, trembles and {hakes, till prefeully down they fall with horrid ihrieks. In this dark and dreary- gulph, they fuppofe reiides a great dog, "fome . * t *.'> -.1.1 . i 1*1 i I* . i 1 1 _ ._ - .n. i . > ./\ .,^,-J / * ^ . X\ 1 fay T Sometimes Maffachufetts Magazine for November, 1792. 4oo N E \V T O R K. Sometimes they approach fo near the happy fields of Efkanane, that they can hear the fongs and dances of their former companions. This only ferves to increale their tor- ments, as they can difcern no light, nor difcover any pafTage by which they can gain acccfs to them. They fuppofeideotsand dogs go into the lame gulph, but have a more comfortable apartment, where they enjoy fome little light." Mr. Kirkland adds, that feveral other nations of Indians with whom he has convcrfed -on the fubjecl, have nearly the lame traditionary notions of a future ftatc. They almoft universally agree in this, that the departed fpirit is ten days in its paffage to their happy elyiium, after it leaves the body ; fome of them fuppole its courfe is towards the Ibuth ; others that it afcends from fome lofty mountain. The Oneidas inhabit on Oneida creek, twenty-one miles weft of Fort Stanwix. The Tufcaroras migrated from North Carolina, and the frontiers of Virginia,, and were adopted by the Oneidas, with whom they have ever lincc lived. They were ori- ginally of the fame nation. The Senecas inhabit on the ChenefTee river, at the ChenefTee caftle. They have two towns of fixty or feventy fouls each, on French Creek, in Pennfylvania ; and another town on Buffaloe Creek, attached to the Britifh ; two fmall towns on Allegany river, attached to the Americans. Obe'l or Cornplanter, one of the Seneca chiefs, rended here. The Mohawks were acknowledged by the other tribes, to ufe their own expreffion, ^o be " the true old heads of the confederacy ;" and were, formerly, a powerful tribe, inhabiting on the Mohawk river. As they were flrongly attached to the Johnfon family on account of Sir William Johnfon, they emigrated to Canada, with Sir John Johnfon, about the year 1776. There is now only one family of them in the State,. and the) r live about a mile from Fort Hunter. The father of this family was drowned in the winter of 1788. All the confederated tribes, except the Oneidas and Tufcaroras, ilded with the Britifh in the late war, and fought againft the Americans. The Onondagas live near the Onondaga lake, about twenty-five miles from the Oneida lake. In the fpring of 1779, a regiment of men were fent from Albany, by General J. Clinton, againft the Onondagas. This regiment furprized their town, took thirty- three priibners, killed twelve or fourteen, and returned without the lofs of a man. A party of the Indians were at this time ravaging the American frontiers.. There are very few of the Delaware tribe in this State. The Five Confederated Nations were fettled along the banks of the Sufquehannah, and in the adjacent country, until the year 1779, when General Sullivan, with an army of 4000 men, drove them from their country to Niagara, but could not bring them to action. They waited, but waited in vain, for the affiftance of the elements r or, as they exprefTed themfelves, for the affiftance of the Great Spirit. Had heavy rains fallen while General Sullivan's army was advanced into their country, perhaps few of his foldiers would have efcaped, and none of their baggage, ammunition, or artillery. This expedition had a good effect. General Sullivan burnt feveral of their towns and deftroyed their provifioris. Since this irruption into their country, their , former habitations have been moftly deferted, and many of them have gone to Canada, On the 1 3th of November, 1787, John Livingfton, Efq. and four others> obtained of the Six Nations of Indians a leafe for 999 years, on a yearly rent referved of 2000 dollars, of all the country included in the following limits, viz. Beginning at a> place commonly known by the name of Canada creek, about feven miles welt of Fort Stan,- wix, now Fort Shuyler, thence north-eaftwardly to the line ^f the province of Quebec ; i thence NEW YORK. 40I ilicnce along (lie fa id line to the Pcnnfylvajiia line ; thence eafl on the faid line or Perm- lylvania line, to the line of property, fo called by the State, of New York ; thence along the faid line of property to Canada Creek aforefaid. And on the 1 8th 'of Jan. 1788, the fame perfons obtained a leafe of theOncida Indians for 999 years, on a rent referred for the firft year, -of 1200 dollars, and increarlng it at the rate of 100 dollars a year, until it amounts to 1500 dollars, of all the tract of land commonly called the Oneida country, except a reservation of feveral tracts fpecified in the leafe. But thefc leafes having been obtained -without the content of the legiflature of the State, thcfenate and affembly, in their feilion, March, 1788, refolved, " That the faid leafes are pur- chafes of lands, and therefore, that by the confutation of this State, the faid leafes are not binding on the faid Indians, and are not valid." Since this a treaty has been con- cluded with the faid Indians, the bargain of the leafes annulled, and all the country purchafcd of the natives, except a refervation to the Oneidas, Cayugas, and Ononda&as, defined by certain marks and boundaries. ISLANDS.] There arc three iflands of note belonging to this State, viz. York Ifland, which has already been defcribed, Long Ifland, and Staten Ifland. Long Ifland extends 140 miles, and terminates with Montank point. It is not more than ten miles in breadth on a medium, and is feparatcd from Connecticut by Long Ifland found. The ifland is divided into three counties ; King's, Queen's, and Suffolk. King's County lies at the weft end of Long Ifland, oppofite New York, and is not above ten miles long, and eight broad. The inhabitants are principally Dutch, and live well. It contains a number of pleafaut villages, -of which Flatbuih, Brooklyn, and Bedford, are the principal. Queens County lies next to King's as you proceed eaflward. It is about thirty miles long and twelve broad. Jamaica, Newtown, Hampftead, in which is a handfome Xxmrt houfe, and Oyfterbay, are the principal villages in this county. Suffolk County is about 100 miles long and ten broad, and comprehends all the eaftern part of the ifland, and feveral little iflands adjoining ; viz. Shelter Ifland, Fifher's Ifland, Plum Ifland, and the Ifle of White. Its principal towns are Hunt- ington, Southampton, Smithtovvn, Brook Haven, Eaft Hampton, in which is the academy, Southhold, and Bridge Hampton. The fouth fide of the iiland is flat land, of a light fandy foil, bordered on the fea coaft with large tracts of fait meadow, extending from the weft point of the ifland to Southampton. This foil, however, is well calculated for railing grain, efpecially Indian corn. The north fide of the ifland is hilly, and of a ftrong foil, adapted to the culture of grain, hay, and fruit. A ridge of hills extends from Jamaica to Southhold. Large herds of cattle feed .upon Hampftead plain, and on the fait marfhes upon the ibuth fide of the ifland. Hampftead plain, in Queen's county, is a curiofity. It is fixteen miles in length, eaft and weft, and feven or eight miles wide. The foil is black, and to appearance rich, and yet it was never known to have any natural growth, but a kind of wild grafs, and a few fhrubs. It is frequented by vaft numbers of plover. Rye grows tolerably well on fome parts of the plain. The moft of it lies common for cattle, horfes, and flieep. As there is nothing to impede the profpedl; in the whole length of this plain, it has a curious but tirefome effect upon the eye, not unlike that of the ocean. Eaft of this plain, on the middle of the ifland, is a barren heath, overgrown with ftirub oaks and pines, in which it is fuppofed there are feveral thoufand deer. It is 3 P frequented 402 N 1 E W YORK. frequented alfo by a great number of growfe, a very delicious bird. Laws have been palled for the prefervation of thefe birds and the deer. It is remarkable that on Montauk point, at the eaft end of the iflancl, there are no flies. Between this point and Eaft Hampton is a beach, three quarters of a mile wide, in the center of which was found, about fifty years ago, under a fand hill which was blown up by the wind, the entire ikcleton of a large whale, nearly half a mile from the water. There are very few rivers upon the ifland. The largeft is Peakonock, which riles about ten miles weft of a place called River-head, where the court houfe ftands, and runs eafterly into a large bay dividing Southhold from Southampton. In this bay are Robin and Shelter iflands. The fouth fide of the ifland is indented with numerous ftreams of various iizes, which fall into a large bay, two or three miles over, formed by a beach, about eighty rods wide, which appears like a border to the ifland, extending from the weft end of it to Southampton. Through this beach, in various places, are inlets of fuch depth as to admit of vcifels of fixty or feventy tons. This bay was formerly frefh water. Oyfters, clams, and fifh of various kinds, are caught with eafe, and in great plenty in this bay, with feines, during the winter feafon. It is not uncommon to fee forty or fifty vefTel* here loading with oyfters at the fame time. And what is almoft incredible, though I was told of it by two gentlemen of truth, and who were well informed as to the matter, thirty waggon loads of bafs have been caught in this bay at one draught. Rockonkama pond lies about the center of the ifland, between Smithtown and Iflip, and is about a mile in circumference. This pond has been found by obfervation, to rife gradually for feveral years, until it had arrived to a certain height, and'then to fall more rapidly to its loweft bed ; and thus it is continually ebbing and flowing. The caufe of this curious phenomenon has never been inveftigated. Two miles to the ibuth- ward of this pond is a confiderable ftream, called Conne6licut river, which empties- into the bay. There are two whale filheries ; on'e from Sagg harbour, which produces about iooa barrels of oil annually ; the other is much fmaller, and is carried on by the inha- s bitants in the winter feafon, from the fouth fide of the ifland. They commonly catch from three to feven whales in a feafon, which produce from twenty-five to forty barrels each of oil. This fifhery was formerly a fource of confiderable wealth to the inha- bitants, but through a fcarcity of whales, it has greatly declined of late years. There is a confiderable trade carried on from Sagg harbour, whence is exported to the Weft Indies, and other places, whale oil, pitch-pine boards, horfes, cattle, flax- feed, beef, &c. The produce of the middle and weftern parts of the ifland is carried^ to New York. The ifland contains 36,949 inhabitants. Staten Ifland lies nine miles fouth-weft of the city of New York, and forms Rich- mond county. It is about eighteen miles in length, and, at a medium, fix or feven in breadth, and contains 3,835 inhabitants. On the fouth fide is a confiderable tradl o level, good land; but the ifland in general is rough, and the hills high. Richmond is the .only town of any note on the ifland, and that is a poor, inconfiderabte place. The inhabitants are principally defcendants of the Dutch and French. HISTORY.] See Smith's Hiftory of NewYork> publifhed by Matthew Carey,, and: Hazard's Collection of State Papers, In 1787, .the Icgiflature of {his State ceded to the commonwealth of MaiTachufetts, all the lands within their jurifdi&ion, weft of a meridian that ihall be drawn from a; point. NEW JERSEY, point in the north boundary line of Pennsylvania, eighty-two miles weft from the Delaware ; (excepting one mile along the eaft fide of Niagara river) and alfo ten townfhips between the Chencngo and Owegy rivers, referving the jurifdiclion to the State of New York. This ceffiop was made to latisfy a claim of Mafiachufetts founded upon their original charter. A lift of Names. Nicolls Lovelace Androfs Brockhuft Dongan Slaughter Ingoldfby Fletcher Bellemont Nanfan Bellemont Depeyfter Smith Nanfan Cornbury Lovelace Schuyler Ingoldfby GOVERNORS from the year 1664 to tbt prefent time. Began to govern 1664 1668 1674 1682 1690 1691 Hunter Names. Burnet Montgomerie Vandam -Crofby Clarke Clinton Oiborn 1692 De Lancey 1698 Sir Charles Hardy 1699 De Lancey 1700 Colden (Prelident) Monckton Colden .Monckton Colden Sir Henry' Moore Colden Dunmore Tryon Clinton 1 700 1 700 1701 1702 1 708 1709 1 709 1710 1710 Began to govern, 1720 1728 1731 1732 1735 '743 1760 1761 1761 1762 1763 .1769 17-70 177:1 1778 NEW J E R S E Y. Miles. SITUATION A& T D EXTENT. and Latitude. j *h 6 r39 and 4 I 2 4 worm Latitude. R >ui r between J The body of the State lies between the .mefl- 1 5 2 J I dian of Philadelphia, and i Eaft Longitude. -, TJOUNDED eaft, by Hudfon's river and the fea ; fouth, by the fea-; ES 'J J) weft, by Delaware bay and river, which divide it from the States of Delaware and Pennfylvania ; north, by a line drawn from the mouth of Mahak- kamak river, in latitude 41 24 to a point on Hudfon's river in latitude 41. Con- taining about 8320 fquare miles, equal to 5,324,800 acres. CIVIL, DIVISIONS, POPULATION, &c.] New Jerfey is divided into thirteen counties, which axe fubdivided into ninety-four townftiips or precincls, as follows : 3 F 2 TABLE. 404 NEW JERSEY. TAB E. Total No. of Counties. Piincipal Towns. Len. Bred. Inhabitants. No. Slav. r Cape May. None. 3 9 571 141 Cumberland. Bridgetown. 5 20 8,248 1 20 Thefe fcvcn counties lie Salem. Salem. 10,437 172. from S. to N. on Delaware river. Cape May and Glou- Glouccfler. Woodburyand 1 Gloucefter. J 30 22 i3>3 6 191 csfter extend acrofs to the lea. Burlington. Burlington & j Bordentovvn. > 60 30 18,095 227 Hunterdon. Trenton. 37 12 2^,253 i>3 01 . Suflex. Newtown. 19,500 439 ' Bergen, Hackinfak. 12,601 2,301 Thefe four counties lie from N. to S. on the Eaftern, Effex. Newark and 1 Elizabeth-town / *7>7 8 5 1,171 fide oi the State. Middlefex. Amboy & part |- of Brunfwick. J 5>95 6 i,3'* - Monmouth. Freehold. 80 30 16,918 1,596 Somerfet. Boundbrook &T pt. Brunfwick. J 12,296 1,810 Morris. Morriftown. 25 2O 16,216 603 Total Thirteen 184,139 11,4*3 BAYS, PONDS, RIVERS AND CANALS.] New Jerfey is- wafhed, on the eaft and fouth-eaft, by Hudfon's river and the ocean ; and on the weft, by the river Delaware. The molt remarkable bays are, Arthur Kull, or Newark bay, formed by the union of Paflaik and Hackinfak rivers. This bay opens to the right and left, and embraces- Staten Ifland. There is a long bay formed by a beach, four or five miles from the fhore, extending along the coaft north-eaft and fouth-weft, from Manafquand river, in Monmouth county, almoft to Cape May. Through this beach are a number of inlets, by which the bay communicates with the ocean, Our the top of a mountain, in Morris county, is a lake or pond, three miles in length, and from a mile to a mile and an half in breadth, from which proceeds a continual ftream. It is in fome places deep. The water is of a fea green colour ; but when taken up in a tumbler, is, like the water of the ocean, clear and of a eryfballine colour. The rivers in this State, though not large, are numerous. A traveller, in paffing. the common road from New York to Philadelphia, croffes three confiderable rivers r viz. the Hackinfak and Paflaik, between Bergen and Newark, and the Raritan by Brunfwick. The Hackinfak rifes in Bergen county, runs a fouthwardly courfe, and empties into Newark bay. At the ferry r near its mouth, it i 460 yards wide,, and is navigable fifteen miles. Pafiaik is a very crooked river. It rifes in a large fwarnp in Morris county. Its general courfe is from W. N. W. to E. S. E. until it mingles with the Hackinfak at the head of Newark bay. It is navigable about ten miles, and is 230 yards wide at the ferry. The cataract (or Great Falls) in this river, is one of the greateft natural curiolities in the State. The river is about forty yards wide, and moves in a flow, gentle i current, NEW JERSEY. 405, ctirrcnt, until coming within a fhort diftance of a deep cleft in a rock, which crofTcs the channel ; it defcends and falls above feventy feet perpendicularly, in one entire fheet. One end of the cleft, which was evidently made by fome violent convulfion in nature, is doled ; at the other, the water rufhes out with incredible fwiftnefs, forming an acute angle with its former direction, and is received into a large bafon, whence it takes a winding courfe through the rocks, and fpreads into a broad fmooth ftream. The cleft is from four to t\velve feet broad. The falling of the water occafions a cloud* of vapour to arife, which by floating amidft the fun beams, prefents to the view rain- bows, that add beauty to the tremendous fcene. The new manufacturing town o Patteribn is erected upon the Great Falls in this river. The weflern bank of the river,., between Newark and the Falls, affords one of the pleafanteft roads for a party of plea- furc in New Jerfey. The bank being high, gives the traveller an elevated and extenfive view of the oppofite fhore, which is low and fertile, forming a landfcape pi&urefque and beautiful. Many handfome country feats adorn the lides of this river ; and there are elegant lituations for more. Gentlemen of fortune might here difplay their tafteto- advantage. The fifh of various kinds with which this river abounds, while they would furnifli the table with an agreeable repafi, would afford the fportfman an innocent aud manly amufement. Raritan river is formed by two confiderable ftreams called the north and fouth branches ; one of which has its fource in Morris, the other in Huntcrdon county. It pafles by Brunfwick and Amboy, and mingles with the waters of the Arthur Kull found, and helps to form the fine harbour of Amboy. It is a mile wide at its mouth, two hundred and fifty yards at Brunfwick, and is navigable about fixteen miles. It is fuppofcd that this river is capable of a very fteady lock navigation, as high as the junction of the north and fouth branches ; and thence up the fouth branch to Grandin's Bridge in Kingwood. Thence to Delaware river is ten or twelve miles. It is fuppofed a portage will be here eflablifhed by a turnpike road : or the waters of the Raritan, may be united with thofe of the Delaware, by a canal from the fouth branch of the Raritan to Mufconetcony river, which empties into the Delaware, or from Gapoolong Creek, a water of the Raritan, emptying at Grandin's Bridge, and NecefTackaway, a water of the Delaware. It is fuppofed alfo that an inland navigation from Philadelphia to New York may be effected by proceeding up the Afanpink, (a water of the Dela- ware, emptying at Trenton) towards Princeton; and from thence by a canal to the Millftone, a water of the river to New Brunfwick. At Raritan hills, through which this river pafies, is a fmall cafcade, where the water falls fifteen or twenty feet, very romantically, between two rocks. This river oppofite to Brunfwick is fo fhallow, that it is fordable at low water with liorfes and carriages r but a little below it deepens fo fafl that a twenty gun fhip may ridefecurely at any time, of tide. The tide, however, riles fo high that large fhallops pafs a mile above the ford ; fo that it is no uncommon thing to fee veffels of confiderable burden riding at anchor, and a number of large river craft lying above, fome dry, and others on their beam end* for want of water, within gunfhot of each other. Bridges have lately been erected, and are now nearly or quite completed (agreeably to laws of the State pafled for that purpoie) over the Paflaik, Hackini'ak, and Raritan. rivers, on the poft road between New York and Philadelphia. Thefe bridges will- greatly facilitate the intercourfe between thefe two great cities. Befides thefe are Ccirca river, or Cohanfcy creek, which rifes in Salem county, and is about thirty miles in length, and navigable for vcffcls of an hundred tons to Bridge- town, twenty miles from its mouth. Muticus. 406 NE-W JERSEY. Mulicus river divides the counties of Gloucester and Burlington, and i* navigable twenty miles ibr velTcls ol ' fixty tors. Maurice river rif s in Glouceiter county, runs fouthwardly about forty miles, anil is navigable ibr vciiels of an hundred tons, fifteen miles, and for ihal~lop.> << i; miles farther. Alloway Creek, in the county of Salem, is navigable fixtcen miles for fhallops, \vith feveral obltrucYions of drawbridges. Aneocus Creek, in Burlington county, is abb navigable fixteen miles. Thefe, with many other fmaller ftreams, empty into the Delaware, and carry down the produce which their fertile banks and the neighbouring country afford. That part of the State which borders on the fea, is indented with a great number of fmall rivers and creeks, liich as Great Egg Harbour, and Little Egg Harbour rivers, Navefmk, Shark, Matticung, and Forked rivers, which, as the country is fiat, are .navigable for linall craft a 1 mo it to their fources. Paulin's Kiln, in S.urTex county, is navigable for craft fifteen miles ; and the Mufeo- nctcony, which divides Hunterdon from Suflex, is capable of beneficial improvement, as is the Pequeft.or Pequaifet, bet ween the twolaft mentioned rivers. This State is remarkable for mill feats, eleven hundred of which are already im- proved; five hundred with flour mills, and the reft with faw mills, fulling mills, forges, furnaces, flitting, and rolling mills, paper, powder, and oil mills. /Sandy Hook, or Point, is in the townfhip of Middletown ; and.on this point ftands Si light houfe, one hundred feet high, built by the citizens of New York. FACE OF THE COUNTRY, MOUNTAINS, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] The counties of .Suflex, Morris, and the northern part of Bergen, are mountainous. The South Moun- .tain, which is one ridge of the great Allegany Range, crofles this State in about latitude 41. This mountain embofoms fuch amazing quantities of iron ore, that it may not improperly be called the Iron Mountain. The Kittatiny ridge paffes through this State .north of the South mountain. Several fpurs from thefe mountains are projected in a fouthern direction. One pafles betxveen Springfield and Chatham ; another runs weft of it, by Morriftown, Bafkinridge, and Vealtown. The interior country is, in general, agreeably variegated with hills and vallies. The fouthern counties which lie along the lea coaft, are pretty uniformly fiat and fandy. The noted Highlands of Navelink, and Center hill, are almoft the only hills within the difiance of many miles from the fea coaft. The Highlands of Navefink are on the fea coaft near Sandy Hook, in the .townfhip of Middletown, and are the firft lands that are difcovered by mariners, as .they come upon the coaft. They rife about fix hundred feet above the furface of the water. As much as five eighths of moft of the fouthern counties, or one fourth of the whole State, is almoft a fandy barren wafte, unfit in many parts for cultivation. The land on 'the fea coaft in this, like that in the more fouthern States, has every appearance of majg ground. The foil is generally a light fand ; and by digging, on an average, about fifty feet below the furface, (which can be done, even at the diftance of twenty or thirty miles from the fea, without any impediment from rocks or ftones) you come to fait marih. The gentleman who gave this information adds, " I have feen an oyfter fhell that would hold a. pint, which was dug out of the marfh, at fifty feet deep, in digging a well." " About feven years fince," continues my informer, " at Long Branch, in the county of Monmouth, in the banks of the Atlantic, which were greatly torn by a great rife of the fea in a violent eafterly ftorm, was difcovered the fkeleton of fome huge car- nivorous animal. The country people who firft faw.it had fo little curioftfy, as to fufier to NEW JERSEY. 407 it to be wholly deftroyed, except a jaw tooth which I faw. This was about two and an half inches wide, five inches long, and as many deep. The perfon who helped to take it out of the bank allured me, there was one rib' feven feet four inches, and another four feet long." The bones of another of thefe animals has lately been dif- covered in a meadow, in the county of Gloucefter, on the river Delaware, by a negro, who was digging a ditch, 3 or 4 feet deep. Part of thefe bones were fent to Philadel- phia. To account for thefe curious phenomena is not my buiinefs ; this is left for the ingenious naturalift, who has abilities and leifure to compare facts and appearances of this kind, and who- probably may thence draw conclulions which may throw much: light on the ancient hiftory of this country. This State has all the varieties of foil from the worft to the beft kind. It has a great proportion of barrens. The good land in the fouthern counties lies principally on the- banks of rivers and creeks. The foil on thefe banks is generally a ftiff clay ;: and while in a ftate of nature, produces various fpecies of oak, hickory, poplar, chefnut, afh, gum, &c. The barrens produce little elfe but fhrub oaks and yellow pines. Thefe landy lands yield an immenfe quantity of bog iron ore, which is worked up to great advantage in the iron works in thefe counties. There are large bodies of fait meadow along ihe lower part of the Delaware river and bay, which afford a plentiful 1 pafture for cattle in fummer, and hay in winter ; but the flies and mufketoes frequent thefe meadows in large fwarms, in the months of JunCj July, and Auguft, and prove very troublefome both to man and beaft. In Gloucefter and Cumberland counties are* leveral large tracts of banked meadow. Their vicinity to Philadelphia renders them highly valuable. Along the fea-coaft the inhabitants fubfift principally, by feeding cattle on the fait meadows, and by the fifh of various kind-, fuch as rock, drum, fhad, perch, &c. black turtle, crabs, and oyfters, which the fca, rivers, and creeks, afford in great abundance. They raife Indian corn, rye, potatoes, &c. but not for expopta- tion. Their fwamps afford lumber, which is ealily conveyed to a good market. The- lugar maple tree is common in Suffex county upon the Delaware. In the hilly and mountainous parts of the State, which are not too rocky for culti- vation, the foil is of a ftronger kind, and covered in its natural Hate with ftately oaks,, hickories, chefnuts, &c. and when cultivated produces wheat, rye, Indian corn; buck wheat, oats,, barley, flax, and fruits of all kinds common to -the climate. The land in this hilly country is good for grazing, and fanners feed great numbers of cattle for New York ad Philadelphia markets ; and many of them keep large dairies, as there are large tracts of fine meadows between the hills. The orchards in many parts of the State equal any in the United States, and their cyder is faid, and not without reafon, to be the beft in the world. It is pretty certain> that it cannot be furpafTed in goodnefs. The markets of New York and Philadelphia receive a very confiderable proportion of" their mpplies from the contiguous parts of New Jerfey. And it is worthy of remark,. that thefe contiguous parts are exceedingly well calculated, as to the nature and fertility of their foils, to afford thefe fupplies ; and the intervention of a great number of na- vigable rivers and creeks renders it very convenient to market their produce. Thefe- fupplies confift of vegetables of many kinds, apples, pears, peaches, plums> ftraw- berries, cherries, and other fruits ; cyder in large quantities, and of the beft quality,, butter, cheefe, be^f, pork, mutton, and the leiler meats. TRADE.] The trade of this State is carried on almoft folely with, and from thofe two great commercial cities, New York on one fide, and Philadelphia on the other ; though- it wants not good ports of its own. Several attempts have been made by the legifla- ture- 4o3 NEW JERSEY. turc to io.*ure io the Stale its o\rn natural advantages, by granting extraordinary pri- vikgcs to merchants who would felt Je at Amboy and Burlington, two very commo- dious ports. But the people having tang been accuftomed to lend their produce to the markets of Philadelphia and Ne\v York, and of courfe having their correfpondeQciei cthiblHhed, and their mode of dealing fixed, they find it difficult to turn their trade from the old channel. Betides, in thefe large cities, -tthere are fo many able mer- chants, and fo man\ wants to be fupplied, credits are more eaiily obtained, and a better and quukr.r market is found for produce, than could be expected in towns leis populous and flourifhing. Thefe and other caufes of the fame kind have hitherto ren- dered abortive the encouragements held out by the legiflature. The articles exported, befides thole already mentioned, are wheat, flour, horfes, live cattle, hams, which are celebrated as being among the bell in tbe world, lumber, flax-feed, leather, iron, in great quantities, in pigs and bars, and formerly copper ore ; but the mines have not been worked iince the commencement of the late war. The imports -con lift chiefly of Weft India goods. MANUFACTURES AND AGRICULTURE.] The manufactures of this State have hitherto been very inconfiderable, not fufricient to fupply its own confumption, if we except the articles of iron, nails, and leather. A fpirit of induliry and improvement, parti- cularly in manufactures, has, however, greatly increafed in the two lall years. Moll of the families in the country, and many in the populous towns, are clothed in ftrong, decent homefpun ; and it is a happy circumltance for our country, that this plain AMERICAN drefs is every day growing more falhionable, not only in this, but in all the States. In Trenton -Newark and Elizabeth -town, are feveral very valuable tan -yards, where leather in large quantities, and of an excellent quality, is made and exported to the neighbouring markets. Steel was manufactured at Trenton in the time of the war, Imt not confiderably fince. In Gloucester county is a glafs-houfe. Paper-mills and nail-manufactories are -erected and worked to good advantage in feveral parts of the State. Wheat alfo is manufactured into flour, and Indian corn into meal, to good account, in the weftern counties, where wheat is the ftaple commodity. But the iron manufacture is of all others the greateft fource of wealth to the State. Iron works are erected in Glou- <:efter, Burlington, SuflTex, Morris, and other counties. The mountains in the county of Morris give rife to a number of ftreams neccflary and convenient for thefe works, and at the fame tirne furnifh a copious fupply of wood and ore of a fuperior quality. In this county alone are no lefs than feven rich iron mines, from which might be taken ore fufHcient to fupply the United States ; and to work it into iron are two furnaces, two -rolling and flitting mills, and about thirty forges, containing from two to four fires each. Thefe works produce annually about 540 tons of bar iron, 800 tons of pigs, befides large quantities of hollow ware, Iheet iron, and nail rods. In the whole State, it is fuppofed there is yearly made about 1 200 tons of bar iron, 1 200 ditto of pigs, 80 ditto of nail rods, exclufive of hollow ware^ and various other callings, of which vaft quantities are made. Early in the late war, a powder-mill was erected in Morriftown by Colonel Ford, who was enabled, by the ample fupply of falt-petre furnilhed by the patriotic inhabi- tants, to make a confiderable quantity of that valuable and neceflary article, at a time when it was moil needed j and when the enemy were at the door, it afforded a timely {imply. A ma- NEW JERSEY. 4 o 9 A manufacturing company was incorporated, in 1791, by the legislature of this State, and favoured with very great privileges. The better to encourage every kind of ..manufacture, a fubfcriptiort was opened, under the patronage of the Secretary of the Treafury of the United States, for this important purpofe. Each fubfcriber promifed to pay, for every fhare annexed to his name, 400 dollars to the traftees appointed to receive it. A fum of upwards of 500,000 dollars was almoft immediately fubfcribed, and the directors of the afTociation have lince taken the proper meafures to carry into effect their extenfive plan. They have fixed on the Great Falls in Paffaik river, and the ground adjoining, for the erection of the mills, and the town, which they call PATERSON, in honour of the prefent governor of New Jerfey. Every advantage ap- pears to be concentrated in this delightful Situation, to make it one of the mod eligible in the United States for the permanent eftablifhment of manufactures. Already a large fum of money has been expended, and the works are in forwardnefs. Although the bulk of the inhabitants in this State are farmers, yet agriculture has not been improved (a few inftances excepted) to that degree, which from long expe- rience we might rationally expect, and which the fertility of the foil, in many places, feems to encourage. A great part of the inhabitants are Dutch, who, although they ape in general neat and induftrious farmers, have very little enterprife, and feldom adopt any new improvements in huibandry, becaufe, through habits and want of education to expand and liberalife their minds, they think their old modes of tilling the bell. Indeed, this is the cafe with the great body of the common people, and proves almoft an infurmountable obflacle to agricultural improvements. MINES AND MINERALS.] This State embofoms vaft quantities of iron and copper ore. The iron ore is of two kinds ; one is capable of being manufactured into mal- leable iron, and is found in mountains and in low barrens ; the other, called bog ore, grows in rich bottoms ; and yields iron of a hard, brittle quality, and is commonly manufactured into hollow ware, and ufed fometimes iniiead of flone in building. A number of copper- mines have been difcovered in different parts of the State: one is in Bergen county, which when worked by the Schuylers, (to whom it belonged,) was conliderably productive j but they have for many years been neg- lected. The following account of a copper-mine at New Brunfwick is given by -a gentleman of diftinction, well informed upon the fubject : " About the years 1748, 1749, 1750, ieveral lumps of virgin copper, from five to thirty pounds weight, (in the whole upwards of 200 pounds,) were plowed up in a field belonging to Philip French, Efq. within a quarter of a mile of New Brunfwick. This induced Mr. Elias Boudinot, of the city of Philadelphia, to take a leafe of Mr. French, of this land, for ninety-nine years, in order to fearch for copper ore, a body of which, he concluded, muft be contained in this hill. He took in Several partners, and about the year 1751, opened a pit in the low grounds, about 2,00 or 300 yards from the river. He was led to this fpot by a friend of his, who a little before, paffing by at three o'clock in the morning, obierved a body of flame arife out of the ground, as large as a common-iized man, and loon after die away. He drove a Hake on the {pot. About fifteen feet deep, Mr. Boudinot came on a vein of bluiSh ftone, about two feet thick, between two perpendicular looie bodies of red rock, covered with' a fheet of pure virgin copper, a little thicker than gold leaf. This bluiiri ftono was filled with fparks of virgin copper, very much like copper-filings, and now and then a large lump of virgin copper, from five to thirty pounds weight. He folio id this vein almoft thirty feet, when, the water coming in very fail, -the expenfe became 4 io NEW JERSEY. loo great for the company's capital. A ftamping-mill was erected, when, by reducing the bluifh Hone to a powder, and wafhing it in large tubs, the ftone was carried off, and the fine copper preferred, by whuh m<\ins many tons of the purefl copper were fent to England without ever paffing through the fire ; but labour was too high to render it poffible for the company to proceed. Sheets of copper about the thicknels of two pennies, and three feet fquare, on an average, have been taken from between the rocks, within four feet of the furface, in feveral parts of the hill. At abont fifty or fixty feet deep, they came to a body of fine folid ore in the midft of this bluiffi vein, but between rocks of a white flinty fpar, which, however, was worked out in a few days. Thefe works lie now wholly neglected, although the vein when left was richer than ever it had been. There was alfo a very rich vein of copper ore difcovered at Rocky Hill, in Somerfet county, which has alfo been neglected from the heavy ex- penfe attending the working of it. There have been various attempts made to fearrh the hills beyond Boundbrook, known by the name of Van Home's mountain, but for the fame reafon is now neglected. This mountain difcovers the greateft appearance of copper ore of any place in the State : it may be picked up on the furface of many parts of it. A fmel ting-furnace was erected before the revolution, in the neighbour- hood, by two Germans, who were making very confiderable profit on their work, until the Britifh deftroyed it in the beginning of the war. The inhabitants made it worth their while by collecting the ore from the furface, and by partially digging into the hill, to fupply the furnace. Befides, a company opened a very large fhaft on the fide of the hill, from which alfo a great deal of valuable ore and fome virgin copper were taken. Two lumps of virgin copper were found here in the year 1754, which weighed 1900 pounds," A lead-mine has been difcovered in Hopewell townfhip, four miles from Trentonv There is laid to be coal on Raritan river, below Brunfwick, and at Pluckemin ; and turf in Bethlehem, at the head of its fouth branch ; and alfo at Springfield on Raway river, which is remarkable for mill feats. CURIOUS SPRINGS.] In the upper part of the county of Morris is a cold mineral fpring, which is frequented by valetudinarians, and its waters have been ufed with very confiderable fuccefs. In the townfhip of Hanover, in this county, on a ridge of hills-, are a number of wells, which regularly ebb and flow about fix feet, twice in every twenty-four hours. Thefe wells are nearly forty miles from the fea in a ftraight line. In the county of Cape May is a fpring of freih water, which boils up from the bottom of a fait water creek, which runs nearly dry at low tide ; but at flood tide is covered with water directly from the ocean, to the depth of three or four feet ; yet in this fitu ation, by letting down a bottle, well corked, through the falt-water into the fpring, and immediately drawing the cork with a firing prepared for the purpofe, it may be drawn up full of fine, untainted frefh water. There are fprings of this kind in other parts of the State. In the county of Hunterdon, near the top of Mufkonetcong moun- tain, is a noted medicinal fpring, to which invalids refort from every quarter. It ifTues 1 from the fide of a mountain, and is conveyed into an artificial refervoir for the accom- modation of thofe \yho wifh to bathe in, as well as to drink, the waters. It is a ftrong chalybeate, and very cold. Thefe waters have been ufed with very confiderable fuc- c-efs ; but perhaps the exercife ncceflary to get to them, and the purity of the air in this lofty fituation, aided by a lively imagination,, have as great efficacy in curing the patient as the waters. A curious fpring has been difcovered, about 200 yards from the fouth branch of Raritan river, from which, even iu the dryeil fcafons, a fbiall flream iffuea, except when NEW JERSEY. 41 r When the wind continues to blow from the north-well for more than two days fuccef- livrly, when it ceafcs to run ; and if the water be taken out of the calk placed in the ground, it will remain empty until the wind changes, when it is again filled and flows a; uiual. CAVES, MONUMENTS, &.C.] In the townfhip of Shrewfbury, in Monmouth county, on the lide of a branch of Navelink river, is a remarkable cave, in which there are three rooms. The- cave is about thirty feet long and fifteen feet broad. Each of the rooms arc arched ; the center of the arch is about five feet from the bottom of the cave ; the rides, not more than t\vo and an half. The mouth of the cave is imall ; the bottom is a loofe fancl ; and the arch is formed in a foft rock, through the pores of which the moiHure is flowly exudated, and falls in drops on the land below. On Sandy Hook, about a mile from the light-houfe, is a monument, which was creeled to commemorate a very melancholy event that took place jufl at the clofe of the late war. The following infcription, which is upon a marble plate on one fide of the monument, will afford fufricient information of the matter : " Here lies the remains of the honourable Hamilton Douglafs Halliburton, fon of Sholto Charles, Earl of Morton, and heir of the ancient family of Halliburton of Pit- curr in Scotland ; who perifhed on this coaft with twelve more young gentlemen, and one common failor, in the fpirited difcharge of duty, the 3Oth or 31 ft of December, 1783 ; born October icth 1763 : a youth who, in contempt of hardfhip and danger, though poflefTed of an ample fortune, ferved feven years in the Britifh navy with a manly courage. He feemed to be deferving of a better fate. To his dear memory, ir.id that of his unfortunate companions, this monumental ftone is creeled by his un^ Jiappy mother Katharine, Countefs Dowager of Morton. {James Champion, Lieutenant of Marines,, Alexander Johnfon, -j George Paddy, iMidmipmen. Robert Heywood, J f Charles Gafcolgne, ") C C William Tnmlinfon, I Andrew Hamilton, lie] John M'Chair, j William Scott, [ I* 1 William Spray, (.David Reddle, J 3 ' n {Robert Wood, George Towers } Sailor. Caft asvny in purfuit of delerters ; all found dead, and buried in this grave. Of his Britannic Majefty's Ship Afliftance, Mr. HALLIBURTON, Firft Lieutenant." POPULATION.] According to the ccnfus of 1790, as given in the Table, there were in this State 184,139 inhabitants, of whom 11,423 were flaves. The average popu- lation for .every fquare mile is nearly tfi? TJKe number of inhabitants in this State was in 173847,369, including 3981 flavesV in 1745 6l ;43 including 4606 flaves ; in 1784140,435, including 1939 flaves. This year there were 10,501 blacks, of which 1939 only were returned as flaves- The average annual incrcafe fince 1738 has. been 2630, cxclufive of emigrati. ns, which, -fince 1783, have been numerous to the country weft of the Allegany Me tains. Thefe emigrations will Icflcn in .proportion as the inhabitants turn their atten- ition to manufactures. *G 2, CHARACTER, NEW JERSEY. CHARACTER, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS.] Many circumftances concur to render thefe various in different parts of the State. The inhabitants arc a collection of Low Dutch, (rcrrnans, Englifh, Scotch, Irifh, arid New Englanders, or their dcfcendants. National attachment, and mutual convenience, have generally induced thefe feveral kir. bpfc to fettle together in a body, and in this way their peculiar national mil :-. nnd characters are ftill preferred, cfpecially among the poorer clafs of people, who have little intercourfc with any but thofe of their own nation. Reli- gion, although its tendency is to unite people in thofe things that are effential to hap- pinefs, oc( .IK -;ns \vide differences as to manners, cufloms, and even charadter. The rrcfoytcrian, the Quaker, the Epifcopalian, the Baptift, the German and Low Dutch Calvinift, the Methodift, and the Moravian, have each their diilinguifhing characte- rifiics, cither in their worfhip, their difcipline, or their drefs. There is flill another characlerifli^al difference, diftinct from either of the others, which arifes from the in- tercom fe of the inhabitants with different States. The people in Weft Jorfey trade to Philadelphia, and of courfe imitate their fafhions and imbibe their manners. The in- habitants of Ealt Jerfey trade to New York, and regulate their fafhions and manners according to thofe in New York. So that the difference, in regard to fafhions and manners, between Eafl and Weft Jerfey, is nearly as great as between New York and Philadelphia. Add to all thefe the differences common in all countries, ariiing from the various occupations of men, fuch as the civilian, the divine, the lawyer, the phy- Hcian, the mechanic ; the clownifh, the decent, and the refpectable farmer, all of whom have different purfuits, or purfue the fame thing differently, and of courfe muft have different ideas and manners. When we take into view all thefe differences, (and all thefe differences exift in New Jerfey, and many of them in all the other States) it cannot be expected that many general obfervations will apply. It may, however, in truth be faid, that the people of New Jerfey are generally induftrious, frugal, and hofpitablc. There are, comparatively, but few men of learning in the State, nor can it be faid, that the people in general have a tafle for the fciences. The poorer clafs, in which may be included a confiderable proportion of the inhabitants of the whole State, are inattentive to the education of their children, who are but too generally left to grow up in ignorance. There are, however, a number of gentlemen of the firft rank in abilities and learning in the civil offices of the State, and in the feveral learned profeflions. It is not the bufinefs of a geographer to compliment the ladies ; nor would we be thought to- do it, when we fay, that there is at leafl as great a number of industrious, difcreet, amiable, genteel, and handfome women in New Jerfey, in proportion to the number of inhabitants, as in any of the Thirteen States^ RELIGION.] There are in this State, about fifty Prefbyterian congregations, fubject: to the care of three Presbyteries, viz. That of New York, of New Brunfwick, and Philadelphia. A part of the charge of New York and Philadelphia Prelbyteries lies in New Jerfey, and part in their own respective States. Belides thefe, there are upwards of forty' 'congregations of Friends, thirty of the Baptifts, twenty-five of Epifcopalians, twenty-eight of Dutch Reformed, befides Me- thodifts, and a fettlement of Moravians. All thefe religious denominations live together in peace and harmony ; and are al- lowed, by the constitution of the State, to worihip Almighty God agreeably to the dictates of their own confciences ; and are not compelled to attend or Support any worShip contrary to their own faith and judgement. All Proteiiant inhabitants of peaceable behaviour are eligible to the civil offices of the State. i COLLEGES, NEW JERSEY. 413 COLLEGES, ACADEMIES, AND SCHOOLS.] There are two colleges iri New Jerfey; one at Princctown, called Naflau Hall ; the other at Brunfwick, called Queen's Col- lege. The college at Princetown was firft founded by charter from John Hamilton,, Etq. Prclidcnt of the Council, about the year 1738, and enlarged by Governor Bel- cher in 1747. The charter delegates a power of granting to " the ftudents of laid college, or to any others thought worthy of them, all fuch degrees as are granted in, either of our Univerfities, or any other college in Great Britain." It has twenty-three- truftees. The governor of the State, aad the president of the college are, ex officiis,, two of them. It has an annual income of about 900!. currency ; of which 200!. arife- from funded public fecurities and lands, and the reft from the fees of the ftudents. The prefidcnt of the college is alfo profeflbr of eloquence, criticifm, and chrono- logy. The vice-prefident is alfo profeflbr of divinity and moral philofophy. There is- alfo a profeflbr of mathematics and natural philofophy, and two mailers of languages. The four clafles in college contain commonly from 70 to i no ftudents. There is a grammar-fchool of about 20 fcholars, connected with the college, under the fuperin tendance of the prefident, and taught fometimes by a lenior fcholar, and fometimes by a graduate. Before the war, this college was ftirnifhed with a philofophical apparatus, worths 500!. which (except the elegant Orrery conftrufted by. Mr. Rittenhoufe) was almoft. entirely dcftroyed by the Britifli army in the late war, as was alib the library, whichs now conlifts of between 2000 and 3000 volumes. The college edifice is handfomely built with ftone, and is 180 feet in length, 54 in- breadth, and four ftorics high ; and is divided into 42 convenient chambers for the accommodation of the ftudents, befidcs a dining-hall, chapel, and room for the library. Its lituation is elevated and exceedingly pleafant and healthful. It is remark- able, that lince the removal of the college to Princetown in 1756, there have been but five or fix deaths among the ftudents. The view from the college balcony is extern! ve- and charming. The college has been under the care of a fucceflion of presidents, eminent for piety and learning; and has furnifheda number of civilians, divines, and phylicians of the firft rank in America.* The charter for Queen's College, at Brunfwick, was granted juft before the war, in. confequence of an application from a body of the Dutch church. Its funds, railed wholly by free donations, amounted, foon after its eftablifhment, to 4000!! but they were coniiderably diminifhed by the war. The grammar-fchool, which is connected with the college, confifts of between thirty and forty ftudentSj under the care of the truftees. The college at prefent is not in a very flourishing ftate. ' There are a number of good academies in. this State. One at Freehold^ in the- county of Monmouth ; another at Trenton, in which are about 80 ftudents in the dif- ferent branches. It has a fund of about 150!. per annum, arifing from the intereft on public fecurities. Another in Hackkinfak, in the county of Bergen, of upwards of ' AccefluJ, Prefidents. Exitu*. 1746 Rev. Jonathan Drckinfoiv - J 747" 1748 Rev. Aaron Burr, - - 1757 1758 Rev. Jonathan Edwards,. . -- ijfi ,-758 Rev. Samuel Davies, - - 1760 1761 Rev. Samuel Flnley, D< D. - - 1766 1767 Rev. JohoAVitberfpoon, D, D, an 411- NEWJERSEY. an hundred fcholars. InfrrucUoix and board are faid to be cheaper here than in any other part of the State. There is another fiourifhing academy at Orangedale, in the county of EfTex, confiding of nearly as many feholars as any of the others, furnifhed with able inirruclors and good accommodations. Another hns lately been opened at Elizabcthtown, and conn" its of upwards of twenty itudcnts in the languages, and is increasing. An academy, by the name of Burlington academy, has lately been efia- blifhed at Burlington, under the direction of feven trufrees, and the infiruclion of two preceptors. The iyitcm of education adopted in this academy, is defigned to prepare the fcholars for the itudy of the more difficult daffies and the higher branches of icience in a college or univerfity. At Newark, an academy was founded in June 1792, and promifes to be a ufeful inftitution. Befides thefe, there are grammar Schools at Springfield, Morriftown, Bordentown, and Amboy. There are no regular fluibliihments for common fchools in the State. The ufual mode of education is for the inhabitants of a village or neighbourhood to join in affording a temporary lupport for a ichoolmafter, upon luch terms as are mutually agreeable. But the encourage- ment which thefe occaiional teachers meet with, is generally furli, as that no perlon of abilities adequate to the bufinefs, will undertake it ; and of courle, little -'-'van- tage is derived from thefe fchools. The improvement in thefe common fchools is ge- nerally in proportion to the pay of the teacher. It is therefore much to be regretted that the legiilature do not take up this fubjecl and adopt fome fuch method of fupport- ing public fchools as has been practifed upon with viiible good fuccefs ift fome of the New England States. CHIEF TOWNS.] There are a number of towns in this State, nearly of equal fize and importance, and none that has more than about two hundred houfes compactly built. TRENTON is one of the largeft towns in New Jerfey and the capital of the State. It is Situated on the north-earl fide of the river Delaware, oppofite the falls, nearly in the center of the State, from north to fouth, in latitude 40 15', and about 20' earl of the meridian of Philadelphia. The river is not navigable above thefe falls, except for boats which will carry from five to feven hundred bufhels of wheat. This town, with Lamberton, which joins it on the fouth, contains upwards of two hun- dred houfes, and about 2000 inhabitants. Here the legiflature flatedly meets, the iupreme courts fits, and moft of the public offices are kept. The inhabitants have lately erected a handfome court houfe 100 feet by 50, with a fcmi-hexagon at each end, over which is to be a balluflrade. In the neighbourhood of this pleafant town are feveral gentlemen's feats, finely fituated on the banks of the Delaware, and .ornamented with tafte and elegance. This town, being a thoroughfare between the cailern parts of the State and Philadelphia, has a considerable inland trade. BURLINGTON (eity) extends three miles along the Delaware, and one mile back, at right angles, into the county of Burlington, and is twenty miles above Philadel- phia by water, and feventeen by land. The ifland, which is the moft populous part of the city., is a mile and a quarter in length, and three quarters of a mile in breadth. It has four entrances over bridges and caufeways, and a quantity of bank meadow adjoining. On the ifland are about 160 houfes, 1000 white and 100 black inhabitants. But few of the Negroes arc flaves. The main ftreets are con- veniently fpacious, and moftly ornamented with trees in the fronts of the houfes, which are regularly arranged. The Delaware, oppoiite the town, is about a mile wide ; and under fhelter of JNlittinnicunk and Burlington Illands, affords a iafe and ^convenient harbour. It is commodioufly fituated for trtcle, but is too near the upulent city of Philadelphia to admit of any coiifiderable increafc of foreign com- ? mcrre. NEW JERSEY. 4x5 merce. There arc two houfcs for public worfhip in the town, one for the Friends or Quakers, who are the moft numerous, and one for Epifcopalians. The other pub\ic buildings are two market houfcs, a court houfe, and the beil gaol in the State. Befides thefe, there is an academy already mentioned, a free fchool, a nail manufactory,' and an excellent diftillery, if that can be called excellent which pro- duces a poifon both of health and morals. The city was a free port under the State. The mayor, recorder, and aldermen hold a commercial court, when the matter in controversy is between foreigners and foreigners, or between foreigners and citizens. The iiland of Burlington was laid out, and the firfl fcttlement.s made as early as 1677. In 1682, the liland of Mittin- nicunk, or Free School Iiland, was given for the ufe of the ifland of Burlington ; the yearly profits ariiing from it ^ which amount to i8ol.) are appropriated for the educa- tion pf poor children. PERTH AMBOY (city) took its name from James Drummond, Earl of Perth, and. Ambo, the Indian word for point, and ftands on a neck of land included between Raritan river and Arthur Kull found. Its fituation is high and healthy. It lies open to Sandy Hook, and has one of the bell harbours on the continent. VeiTels from fea may enter it in one tide in almofl any weather. Great efforts have been made, and legiflative encouragements offered, to render it a place of trade, but without fuccefs. This town was early incorporated with city privileges, and con- tinued to fend two members to the General AfTembly until the revolution: until this event, it was the capital of Eail Jerfey ; and the legiflature and fupreme court ufed to lit here and at Burlington alternately. BRUNSWICK (city) was incorporated in 1784, and is fituated on the fouth^weft fide of Raritan river, over which a fine bridge has lately been built, twelve miles above Ainboy. It contains about two hundred houies, and nearly two thou- fand inhabitants, one half of whom are Dutch. Its fituation is low and unpleafanr, being on the bank of a river, and under a high hill which 'rifes at the back of the town. The ice, at the breaking up of the river in winter, frequently lodges on the fhallow fording place juft oppofite the town, and forms a temporary dam, which occafions the water to rife many feet above its ufual height, and fometimes to over- flow the lower floors of thofe houfes which are not guarded againft this inconr- vcnience by having their foundations elevated. The Hreets are railed and paved with ftone. The water in the fprings and wells is generally bad. The inhabitants are beginning to build on the hill above the town, which, is very pleafant, and commands a pretty profpedl. The citizens have a confiderable inland trade, and feveral fmall veffels belonging to the port. PRINCETOWN is a pleafant village, of about 8b houfes, 52 miles from New York, and 42 from Philadelphia. Its public buildings are a large college edifice of ftone, already defcribed, and a Preibyterian church built of .brick. Its fituation is remarkably healthy. ELIZABETHTOWN (borough) is fifteen miles from New York. Its fituation is pleafant, and its foil equal in fertility to any in the State. In the compact part of the town there are about one hundred and fifty houfcs. The public build^ ings are a very handfome Preibyterian brick' church lately built,* an Epifcopal church alfo of brick, and an academy. This is one of the oklefl towns in the State. It \yas - purchased of the Indians as early as 1664, and was fettled loon after. ir former chuFch, which,. was very eJe ant r was burnt in 1780, by a refugee, who was a. native, and an inhabitant of Elizahethtown. NEWARK 4 i6 NEW JERSEY. NEWARK is fcven miles from New York. It is a handfome, flourithrng town, about the fize of Elizabethtown, and has t\vo Prefbyterian churches, one of which is of ftone, and is the largeft and moft elegant building jn the State. Belidos thcfe there is an epifcopal church, a court-houle and gaol. This town is celebrated for the excellence of its cyder, and is the feat of the largeft fhoe manufactory in the State : the average number made daily throughout the year, is eftimated at about 200 pair. PRACTICE OF PHYSICK.] There is a " Medical Society" in this State, conflicting of about thirty of their moil rclpc6lable phyficians, who meet twice a year. No perfon is admitted to the practice of phyiic without a licence from the fupreme court, founded on a certificate from this fociety, or at leaft two of its members, teltifying his Ikill and abilities. It is remarkable that in the county of Cape May, no regular phyfician has ever found fupport. Medicine has been adminiftered by women, except in fome extraordinary cafes. PRACTICE OP LAW.] No perfon is permitted to praclife as an attorney in any court without a licence from the governor. This cannot be obtained unlefs the. candidate fhall be above twenty-one years of age, and lhall have ferved a regular clerkfhip with fome licenfed attorney for four years, and have taken a degree in fome public college, otherwife he muft ferve five years. This regulation is con- fidered by fome as a depreciation of rights in regard to citizens of other States, and a bar to the progrefs of knowledge. He muft alfo fubmit to an examination by three of the molt eminent counfellors in the State, in the pretence of the judges of the fupreme court. After three years practice as an attorney, he becomes a candidate .for a counfellor's licence, which is granted on a like examination. Many of the people here, however, as in other States, think (becaufe perhaps they are inftruments in obligng them to pay their debts) that the lawyers know too much. But -their knowledge wilt not injure thole who are innocent, and who will let them alone. Experience has verified this obfervation in the county of Cape May. No lawyer lives within lixty miles of that county, and it is feldom that they attend their courts. CONSTITUTION.] The government of this State, agreeable to their conftitution, is vefted in a governor, legiflative council, and general affembly. The governor is chofen annually, by the council and affembly jointly, and is ftiled, " Governor ;and commander in chief in and over the State of New Jerfey, and the territories thereunto beloning, chancellor and ordinary of the fa/me." The legiflative council is compofed of one member from each county, chofen annually by the people. They muft be worth one thoufand pounds in real and perfonal - eftate within the county, and have been freeholders and inhabitants of the counties they reprefent for one year. The General Aflembly is compofed of three members from each county chofen as above ; each of them muft be worth five hundred pounds, in real and perfonal eftate within the county, and have been freeholders and inhabitants as above. Each of thefe, on taking his feat in the legiflature, muft fwear " that he will not affent to any law, vote, or proceeding, which ihall appear to him injurious to the public welfare of the ftate, or that fhall annul or repeal that part of the conftitution which eftablilhes annual elections, nor that part refpedling trial by jury, nor that which fecures liberty of confciencc." The governor fits in, and prefides over the legiflative council, and has a cafting vote in their debates. His privy or executive council is compofed of any three members of the legiflative council : and the governor and any feven members of the council .are NEW JERSEY. , 41;' arc a court of appeals in the Lift retort, as to points of law in civil cafes, and poffefs A power of pardoning criminals in all cafes whatsoever. The council cliufe one of their members to he vicc-prefident, who, when the governor is ahfent from the State, pofiefles the fupreme executive ])ower. The council may originate any bills, except preparing and altering any money bill, which is the fole prerogative of the Aflcm- bly : in every other refpcxH their powers arc equal. Every bill is read three times in each houfe. None of the judges of the fr.prcme court, or other courts, fheriffs, or any pcrfon pofFefled of any poll of profit under the governor, except juftices of the e, is entitled to a feat in the AUcmbly. The cftate of a fuicide is not forfeited for his offence. . COURTS OF JUSTICE, LAWS, &c.] The courts of juftiee in this State are, firft, Jt'JIices Courts. A competent number of perfons are appointed in each county by the council and alterably in joint meeting, who are called jufticcs of the peace, and con- tinue in office five years ; who, be fides being confcrvators of the peace, agreeably to the Engliih laws, arc authorized to hold courts for the trial of caufes under twelve .pounds. From this court, pcrlbris aggrieved may appeal to the quarter feflions. Secondly, Courts of Barter Sejjionsof the Peace, are held quarterly in every county, by nt Icaft three of the juftices. This court takes cognizance of breaches of the peace, .and is generally regulated by the rides of the Engliih law. Thirdly, Courts of Common Pkas, which are held quarterly by judges appointed for that puqx>fc, in the fame manner as the julliccs of the peace, and who are commonly i-of their number, and hold their commiflions five years. This court may be held by a tingle judge, and has cognizance of demands to any amount, and is conflrucled on, .and governed by, the principle of the Englilli laws. Fourthly, Sttpwme Courts, which are held four times in a year, at Trenton, by three judges appointed for that purpofe, wl>o hold their offices three years ; but one judge only is ncccflary to the holding this court. This court has cognizance of all actions, both civil and criminal, throughout the State, having the united authority of the courts of king's bench, common pleas, and exchequer in England. The courts of oycr and terminer and niti prius, commonly held once a year in each county, for the trial of caufes ariling in the county, and brought to irluc in the fupreme court, arc properly branches of this court, and arc held by one of the judges of it, except that in the courts of oycr and terminer, fome of the gentlemen of the county are always added in the commillion as amllants to the judge ; but they cannot hold the court without him. Fifthly, Orphans Courts, lately eftablifhcd by act of AfTembly, arc held by the judges of the court of -common pleas, ex officils, and have cognizance of all matters relating to wills, adminiftration, &c. Sixthly, Court of Chancery, held 'by the governor ex qfficio, always open. It is a court .of law and equity, founded on the fame principles, and governed by the fame rules, as the court of chancery in England. Seventhly, High Court of Errors and Appeals, compofed of the governor, and feven of the council, and is a court of appeals in the lait retort, in all cafes of law. All the Englifh laws which had been practifed upon in the State, and which are not repugnant to revolution principles, were adopted by the couftitu'fion, and very few alterations of confeqncncc have fince been made, except in the defcent of the real rJtatrs, which, iniiead of deirending to the cldeil fon, agreeable to'the'old feudal fyf- tem, as formerly, are nov. divided (where there is no will) t\vo ftiarcs to each fon, 1 3 II and 4x8 N E;W J E R and one fliarc to each daughter ; i. e. the fons have double the daughter's portions, but all the Tons have crjual portions, and all the daughters. MILITARY STRENGTH.] The military iirenglh of New Jerfey confifis of a militia, of between 30,000 and 40,000 men. HISTORY.] Sec Smith's Hillory of New Jerfey and Hazard's State Paper?. This State \vas the feat of war for feveral years, during the eonteft between Great Britain and America. Her loffes both of men and property., in proportion to the popu- lation and wealth of the State, was greater than- of any other of the Thirteen States. When General Wafhington was retreating through the Jerfevs, almoft forfaken by all others, her militia were at all times obedient to his orders ; and for a conlidcrable length of time, compofed the tlrength of his army. There is hardly a town in the State that lay in the progrefs of the Britilh arm}-, that was not rendered fighal by ionic enterprize or exploit. At Trenton the enemy received a check, which may be faid with juftice to have turned the tide of war. At Princeton, the feat of the raufcs, they received another, which, united, obliged them to retire with precipitation, and take refuge in difgraceful winter quarters. But whatever honour this State might de- rive from the relation, it is not our bufmcfs to give a particular defcription of battles or lieges ; we leave this to the pen of the hiilorian, and only obferve in general, that the many military achievements performed by the Jerfey foldicrs, give this State one of the firft ranks among her lifters in a military view, and entitle her to a fhare of praife in the accomplifhment of the late glorious revolution that bears no proportion to her lize. GOVERNORS of NEW JERSEY, from the furrender of tbe Government by tie PROPRIETORS tn 1702, to the prejent time. -j~ Edward, Vifcount Cornbury, 1702 to 1708, removed and fucceeded by J- John, Lord Lovelace, 1708 to 1709, died and the government devolved to Lt. Gov. Richard Ingoldfby, 1709 to 1710, when came in -f~ Brigadier Robert Hunter, 1710 to 1720, who refigned in favour of -j~ William Burnct, 1720 to 1727, removed and fucceeded by *j~ John Montgomery, 1728 to 1731, died and was fucceeded by -j- William Crofby, 1 73 l to 1736, died and the government devolved to John Anderfon, Prejident trf the Council ', ^J3^3 by whofe death about two weeks after the government devolved to John Hamilton, PreJi~deJrt--ifLi&ejGiuett^ 1736 to 1738 Thofe marked ~j~ were Governors in chief, and down to this time were Governors of New York and New Jerfey, but from 1738 forward, New Jerfey has had a feparate governor. -|- Lewis Morris, J 738 to 1746, died and the government devolved to John Hamilton, Prefident, 1746 -- by whofe death it devolved to John Reading, Prefidenty 1746 to 1747 -J- Jonathan Belcher 1747 to 1757, died and the government again de- volved to John Reading, PrefJent> 1757 to 1758. Thomas Pownall, then Governor of Malfuchufctts, being Lieutenant-governor, ar- rived on the death of Governor Belcher, but continued in the province a few days only. f- Francis PENNSYLVANIA. 419 -}- Francis Bernard, 'j- Thomas Boone, -f- Joiiah Hardy, -j~ \\ "illiam Franklin, -j~ William Livingftpu, -}' William Patteribn, 1758 to 1760, removed to Boil on and fucceeded by 1760 to 1761, removed to S. Carolina and fuc- ceedcd by 1761 to 1763, removed and fucceeded by 1763 to 1776, removed and fucceeded by 1776 to 1790, died and fucceeded by Miles. PENNSYLVANIA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Length 2881 , f o 20' E. and 50 W. Longitude.] Breadth 156! 139? 43' and 4* N - Latitude. } Sq. Miles. 44,900 IOUNDAR "OOUNDED call, by Delaware river, which divides it from New J3 Jcricy ; north, by New York, and a territory of about 202,000 acres, on Lake trie, purchafed of Congrefs by this State; north-weft, by a part of Lake Erie, where there is a good port ; weft, by the Weftern Territory, and a part of \ inrinia ; fouth, by a part of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. The State lies in the form of a parallelogram* CIVIL DIVISIONS.] Pennfylvama is divided into twenty-two counties, which, with thrir county town, ntualion, &e. arc mentioned in the following table, as alto the va- i'iuu:s kinds of mines and minerals in the State. Cc unties. Xo. Inhab. Chief Towns. Situation. Settle. Mines, Ac. Philadelphia $4,39* Philadelphia onDelawa. R. All Cheftcr 2 7^93 7 \Vcft Chefter ditto All Iron ore Delaware 9^83 Chefter ditto All Bucks 25.401 Ne\\-town ditto All Iron ore & lead Montgomery 22,929 Norrillown oh SchuylkR. All Iron ore Lancaficr 3 6 'H7 Lancnlicr onSufqueh.R. All Iron ore & cop. Dauphin 18,177 Harilburgh ditto 3 Iron ore Berks 3^79 Reading on SchuylkR. 3 4 Lore, coalmi.&c. Northampton 24,250 Ealton on Delawa. R. '4 Iron ore Ltizcrne 4,904 Wilklborgh oirSufquch.R. 1 I. ore. coal mi. cc. York 37^747 York ditto 1 Iron ore Cumberland 18,243 Carlifle ditto T, 4 I.ore&leadmin. Northumberland 17,161 Sunbury onW.bran.Su. * I 1iS I. ore, fait lp. Franklin i5 5 6 55 Chnmberfton onSiikiucii.R. 3 '* 1 ore Bedford i3> 12 4 Bedford on Juniata R. 1 Iron mines, &c. Huntmgton 7^5 6 5 Huntington ditto I *i- Conl & lead mi. !in 7,562 Lewilburgh ditto I Iron ore \\ eilraorcland 16,018 Grccnfburgh on AllcganyR. I '. Coal mines Favctte ** i^5 Union on Mononga. i Coal & iron min. Kington 23,866 .:ington S.W. cor. State I ditto, ditto Aliegany 10,309 Pittihurgh onAlleganyR. V ditto, ditto Totat 434.373 | - 3 II 2 RIVERS, * A very large proportion of the vacant lands in the State arc in this county, (Xorthua.berbnd) to t!:c iniou:.t of about ei^ht millions of acre?. P E X X S Y L V A X I A, RIVERS, CANAL?, &o.j There arc fix confiderable rivers which, v/ith their nume- rous brandies, peninfulatc the whole State, viz. The Delaware, Schuylkill, Sufquc- hannah, Youghiogcny, Monongahela, and Allegany. The bay and river Delaware are navigable from the fea up to the great or lower tails at Trenton, 155 miles ; and are accommodated with a light houfe, on Cape Henlopen, and with buoys and piers for the direction and fnfcty of fhips The diftancc of Philadelphia from the fea is about 60 miles acrofs the land in a S.W. courie, to the New Jerfey coafr, and 120 miles by the fhip cliannel of the Delaware. So far it is navigable for a 74 gun fhip. Sloops go 35 miles farther, to Trenton falls. The river is navigable for boats that cany eight or nine tons, an hundred miles farther, and for Indian canoes, except feveral fmall falls or portages, 150 miles. At Eailon it receives the Lcliigh from the weft, which is navigable thirty miles. The tide fets up as high as Trenton Falls, and at Philadelphia riies generally about five or fix feet. A north-eaft and ealt wind raifes it higher. Between Cape Henlopen and Cape May is the entrance into the Delaware bay. The entrance into the river is twenty miles farther up, at Bombay Hook, where the river is four or five miles wide. From Bombay Hook to Reedy Ifland is twenty miles. This ifland is the rendezvous of outward bound fhips in autumn and fpring, waiting for a favourable wind. The courie from this to the fea is S. S: E. ib that a N. W. wind, which is the prevailing wind in thefe feafons, is fair for vefTels to put out to fea. This river is generally frozen one or two months in the year at Philadelphia, fo as to prevent navigation, but vcffels may at all times make a fecurc harbour at Port Penn, at Reedy Ifland, where piers have been erected by the State. VefTels are generally from twelve to twenty-four hours in afcending this beautiful river to Philadelphia ; and the navigation is iafe, and in the milder feafons, cfpecially in the fummer, is in- defcribeably pleafant. From Cheiter to Philadelphia, twenty miles by water and fifteen by land, the chan- nel of the river is narrowed by iflands of marm, which are generally banked and turned into rich and irrunenfdy valuable meadows. Billingfport, twelve miles below Philadelphia, was fortified in the late war for the defence of the channel. Oppoiite this fort, feveral large frames of timber, headed with iron fpikcs, called chcvaux de frizes, were funk to prevent the Britifh fhips from pafling. Since the peace, a curious machine has been invented in Philadelphia to laifc them. The Schuylkill rifes north-weft of the Kittatinny mountains, through which it paffes, into a fine champaign country, and runs, from its fource, upwards of 120 miles in a fouth-t-aft direction, and pairing through the limits of the city of Philadelphia falls into the Delaware oppofitc Mud Ifland, fix or feven miles below the city. It is navigable from above Reading, eighty-five or ninety miles to its mouth. There are four floating bridges thrown acrofs it, made of logs fattened together, and lying upon the waU.r, in the vicinity of Philadelphia. The N. E. branch of the Sufquehannah river rifes in lakes Otiego and Otcgo, in the State of New York, and runs in fuch a winding courfe as to crofs the boundary line between New York and Pennfylvania three times. It receives Tyoga river, one of its principal branches, in lat. 41 57', three miles fouth of the boundary line. The Sufquehannah branch is navigable for batteaux to its fource, whence, to Mohawk river, is but twenty miles. The Tyoga branch is navigable fifty miles for batteaux ; and its fource is but a few miles from the Chcncflce, which empties into lake Ontario. From Tyoga point, the river proceeds Jouth-eaft to Wyoming without any obfmic- tion PENNSYLVANIA. 42? ffon by fall*, and then louth-cafr, over Wyoming falls, till at' Sunbnry, in about laf . 41, it meets the weft branch of Sufquehannah, which is navigable ninety miles from its mouth, ^and fome of the branches of it arc navigable fifty miles, and approach very near Ibrac of the boatable branches of the Allegany river.- This noble river is payable to Mi ddletown, (below Harris' Ferry) with "boats, carrying feveral hundred bufhels, and with rafts of boards, &c. from the State of New York, as- well as down flieTypga, and Juniata branches, feveral hundred miles, in their different windings, but it is attended with difficulty and danger on account of the numerous falls below Middletown. About fifteen miles above Harritburg, it receives the Jxmiiita- from the north-weft, proceeding from the Allcgany mountains, and flowing 'through: a moun- tainous, broken, yet cultivable country. This river is navigable 120 miles from its mouth. The Swctara, which falls into the Sufquehannah from' the north-catty is navigable "fifteen miles. About half a mile from the mouth of this river, and a mile from Mid- dletown, is a grill mill, which merits particular notice. It is a very large and hand- fomc ftonc building, IKIS four pair of ftones, and is perhaps in -every refpect one of the mod complete in the State. But the moil remarkable circumllance relative to it, is the Race, which is a canal from twenty to thirty feet wide, and earned with fuch a de- gree of boldnefs to a length of 476 rods or perches, through rocks and hills, and every obftacle in its courfe, a3 cannot fail to excite a very high idea of the enteq>rize and ; pcrfevering induirry of Mr. George Frcy, the undertaker and owner. t From Swetara to the Tulpehoken branch of Schuylkill, a canal and lock navigation is undertaken, and the works commenced', by an incorporated company whofe capital is 400,000 dollars. This leads through the Schuylkill to Philadelphia. When this lhall be effected, a paifege will be open to Philadelphia from' the Juniata, the Tyoga, and the call and weft branches of the Sufquehannah, which water at leaf! 15^000,000 of acres. From this junction, the general courfe of the Sufquehannah is about fouth- eaft until it falls into the head of the Chefapcak bay at Havre de Gracf . It is above a ; mile wide at its mouth, and is navigable for lea veflels but about five miles, oir account' of its rapids. The banks of the river are very romantic, particularly where it paries- through the mountains. This pafTage has every appearance of having been forced through by the preffure of the water, or of having been burft open by fome convul- fion in nature. The feveral branches of the Youghiogeny river rife on the weft' fide of the Allegany mountains. After running a ihort diltanee, they unite and form, a large beautiful river, which, in palling fome of the moft wcftern ridges of the mountains, precipitates kfelf over a level ledge of rocks, lying nearly at right angles to the courfe of the river. Thefe falls, called the Ohiopyle falls, are about Iwcnty feet in perpendicular height, and the river is perhaps eighty yards wide. For a confiderable diftance below the falls, the water is very rapid, 'and boils and foams vehemently, occafioning a con- tinual mift to rife from it, even at noon day, and in fair weather-. The river at this place runs to the fouth-weft, but prefently winds round to the north-weft, and conti- nuing this courfe for thirty or forty miles, it lofes its name by uniting with the Mo- nongahela, which comes from the fouthward, anc^ contains, perhaps, twice as much water. Thefe united ftreams, fhortly after their junction, mingle with'the waters of the Allcgany and Pittfburgh, and together form the grand river Ohio; The Monongahela has been already particularly defcribed, and fome obiervations made on the navigation of the Allegany. In addition it maybe obferved, that the junction of French Creek (which comes from the north-weft) with the Allegany, arc the remains of a Britiin fortification ; and about a mile abOTe is Fort Franklin, built 2. .in 4 aa P K X X 3 Y L V A N t A. in 1787, nn 1 then guarded by a company of American foldicrs. The Pennsylvania nsrth line croffes French Creek about three miles above Le Boeuf, where there was formerly a fort. From Le Bcruf to Prcfqucillc, fifteen or fixteen miles, is an old waggon road, cut by the French in the war of 175^. The lands on French Creek are very rich, and moftly cleared, which is an evidence that its former Indian inhabi- ants were numerous. Fourteen miles from the mouth of this creek is a gentle rapid, thence to its mouth, it is flow, deep, and fmooth. There is laid to be a practicable communication between the fouthcrn branch of the Tyoga. and a branch of the Allegany, the head waters of which arc but a fhort dif- tance from each other. The Seneca Indians fay they can walk four times in a day, from the beatable waters of the Allegany to thofe of the Tyoga, at the place now mentioned. And between the Sufquchannah, juft before it erotics into Pennfylvavia the firft time, and the Delaware, is a portage of only twelve miles. Rafts of timber, plank, boards m d ftaves, with other articles upon them, can be brought down ( Delaware from the counties of Montgomery and Otfego in New York, 200 miles above the city by the courfc of the river. Some money was expended by the govern- ment and landholders in improving the navigation up towards the fource, before the revolution, and there has bcerr a furvey lincc made, for the purpofe of proceeding in the improvement of this and the other principal rivers of Pennfylvania, and for making communications by canals in the improved part, and by roads in the unimproved part of the State. _ Great progrefs: has already been made in thefe improvements, and the exertions for their completion are Hill continued. The Pcnnfylvanians are much in- clined to fuch enterprizcs, having found great benefit from them. On the comple- tion of the prelent plans, the State will be as conveniently interfered by roads as any other of its lize in the Union, which will greatly facilitate the fettlcment of its new lands. A flight view of the map of Pennfylvania will fhcw how r finely this State is watered by the Delaware and its branches, the Schuylkill, the Juniata, the Snfque* Jiannah and its Branches, the Ohio, the Allegany, Youghiogeny, and Monongahela. The Patomak and Lake Erie alfo afford profpects of conliderable benefit from their navigation. Nature has done much for Pennfylvania in regard to inland water car- riage, which is Itrikingly exemplified by this fact, that although Philadelphia and lake Erie are diftant from each other above 300 miles, there is no doubt but that the rivers of the State may be fo improved, as to reduce the land carriage between them nine tenths. In the fame way the navigation to Pittfourg, after clue improvement, maybe iifed inilead of land carriage for the whole diftanec, except twenty-three miles. By theie routs it is clear, that a large proportion of the foreign articles ufed on the wet- tcrn waters mult be tranfported, and their furs, ikins. ginfeng, hemp, fiax, pot afh, and other valuable commodities, brought to Philadelphia.- The hemp and oak timber for the Ruffian navy is tranfported by inland navigation 1200 miles, and yet hemp is fhipped from that kingdom on lower terms than from any other part of the known world. Ruifia, long time the fettlcment of Pennfylvania by civilized and enlightened people, was in a Hate of ahiblutc barbarifm, and deftitutc of thefc improvements. ATiich tlicrefore is to be expected from the continued exertions of the prudent, induf- irious, and fcnlible inhabitants of Jteimiylvania, in the courfe of the prelent century. One remark mult not be omitted here, and that is that in all the back country waters of this State, even in thoie high up in the mountains marine petrifactions are found in great abundance. SvvAiirs.] The only fwamps worth noticing are, the Great Sivamp, between Nor- ihampton and Luzerne counties and Buffalo* Suamp in the State of Nc\v York, fome diitance PENNS Y LV A N I ,\. 42^ diitancc north of the Pennfylvania line. Thefe Uvamps, on examination and fur are Ibund to be bodies of farm land, thickly covered with beach and fugar map! :-. MOUNTAINS, FACE OF THE COUNTRY, SOIL, AND NATURAL ADVANTAGES.] A con-" fiderable proportion of this State may be called mountainous; particularly the ( ;. tics of Bedford, Huntingdon, Cumberland, part of Franklin, Dauphin, and pui- Bucks and Northampton, through which pats, under various names, the iiuine; ridges and fpurs, which collective:}- form what we chufe to call, for the fake of c\ lid's, THE GREAT RANGE OF ALLEGANY MOUNTAINS. The principal ridges in this range, in Pennfylvania, are the Kittatinny, or Blue Mountains, which pals north of Nazareth in Northampton county, and purfue a fouth-weft courle acrofs the Lehigh, through Dauphin county, juft above Harrifburg, thence on the weft fide of the Suf quehannah through Cumberland and Franklin counties. Back of thefe, and nearly parallel with them, are Peters, Tufcarra, and Ncfcopck mountains, on the call of the Sufquehannah ; and on the weft, Sharcman's Hills, Sideling Hills, Ragged, Great Warriors, Evit's and Wills' mountains ; then the great AHcgany ridge, which bein^ the largeft, gives its name to the whole range ; weft of this are the Chefnut ridges. Between the Juniata and the weft branch of the Sufquehannah are Jacks, Tuiiys, Nittiny, and Bald Eagle mountains. The vales between thefe mountains are gene- rally of a rich, black foil, fuitcd to the various kinds of grain and grafs. Some of the mountains will admit of cultivation almoft to their tops. The other parts of the State arc generally level, or agreeably variegated with hills and vallics. In this connection, I beg leave to introduce the remarks of Mr. Charles Thompfon, the late fecretary of Congrcfs, which were fuggefted on his reading Mr. Jeficrfon's defcription of the paffage of the Patomak through the Blue ridge. ' The reflections I was led into on view ing this pafiage of the Patomak through the Blue ridge were, that this country muft have fu fibred fome violent convulfion, and that the face of it mull ^ave been changed from what it probably was fome centuries ago ; that the broken and ragged faces of the mountain on each iide the river ; the tremendous rocks, which are left with one end fixed in the precipice, and the other jutting out and feemingly ready to fall for want of fupport ; the bed of the river for feveral miles below obftruc- ted, and filled with the loofe ftones carried from this moxnd ; in fhort, every thing on which you caft your eye evidently demonft rates a difrupture and breach in the mountain, and that, before this happened, what is now a fruitful vale, was formerly a great lake or collection of water, which poflibly might have here formed a mighty cafcade, or had its vent to the ocean by the Sufquehannah, where the Blue ridge fecms to terminate. Bcfides this, there are other parts of this country which bear evident traces of a like ccnvulfion. From the heft accounts I have been able to obtain, the place where the Delaware now flows through the Kittatinny mountain, which is a continuation of what is called the North Ridge, or mountain, was not its original courfe, but that it paffed through what is now called the Wind-gap,' a place feveral miles to the weftward, and above an hundred feet higher than the prefent bed of the river. This wind- gap is about a mile broad, and the ftones in it fuch as fecm to have been waihcd for ages by water running over them. Should this have been the caie, there muft have been a large lake behind that mountain, and by fome uncommon .fwell in the waters, or by fome convulfion of nature, the river muft have opened its way through a different part of the mountain, and meeting there with lets obfn nation, famed away with the oppoiing mounds of earth, and deluged the country below- with the immcnfe collection of waters to which thi- new paflage gave vent. There are ftill remaining, and daily difcovcred, innumerable inftances of fuch a deluge on both licics 4J-4. P E N N S Y L V A N T A. of the ri\vr, after 1 ( patted the hills above the -fall of Trenton, and readied the .champaign. On th^. \i-\v Jertey fide, which is flutter -than the Pennsylvania fide, tiM the country below Crofwick hills teems to have been overflowed to the diilance of from ten to fifteen wiles hark from the river, and to have acquired a new foil by the earth and clay brought down and mixed with the native fand. The fpot on which Philadelphia ihnds evidently appears to be made ground. The different iirata through which they pat's in digging to water, the acorns, leaves, and fomctimes brandies, which are found above twenty feet below the furface, all teem to demon!} rate this, j mu informed that at York town in Virginia, in the bank of York river, ;thcrc are dif- ferent ftrata of -f hells and earth, one above another, which feem to point out .that the country there lias undergone Teveral changes ; that .the, fca has, fora fuccettion of ages, occupied the place when; dry land now appears : and that the ground has becn-fud-- clenly raited at various periods. What a change would it make in the country below, ihould the mountains at Niagara, by any accident, be cleft afundcr, and a pailkge fnddenly opened to drain off the waters of Erie and the Upper lakes ! While rnmi- ; nating on thefe fnbjcels, I have often been hurried away by fancy, ai*d led to imagine, -that what is now the bay of Mexico, was once a champaign country ; and that .from -the point or cape of Florida, there was a continued range of mountains .through Cuba, Hitpanidla, Porto Rico, Martinique, .Guadaloupe, Barbadocs, and Trinidad, till it reached the coalt of America, and formed the fhores which bounded 'the ocean, and .guarded the country behind : that, by fome convulfion or Ihock'of nature, the i'ea had broken through thcfc mounds, and deluged that vail plain, till it reached the foot of the Andes ; -that being then; heaped up by the trade winds, always blowing from one .quarter, it had found its way back, as it continues to do, through the gulph between Florida andiCuba, carrying w r ith it the loom and land it may have Icooped from the country it had occupied, -part of which it may have dcpofited on the fliores of North America, and which part formed .the banks of NcvvfQundlr'ncLiBwt thefe are onlp the vilions of fancy/* The foil of Pennfylvania is of various kinds ; in fome parts it is barren; a great proportion of the State is good land, and no inconliderablc part is very good. Per- haps the proportion of firft rate rand is not greater in any of the Thirteen States. The richcft part of the State that is tattled in Lancafter county, and the valley through Cumberland, York, and Franklin. The .rieheft : that is unfettled, as between Allegany river and Lake Erje, in the north-weft corner of the State, and in the country on the 'heads of the eailern branches of the Allegany. Of this fine tracl, 100,000 acres, ly- >ing on, and near French Greefc, are for fale by the State. The convenient communi- . cations through this.creek'into.the Allegany, and from the Allegany, through various creeks and rivers to Sufquehannah and Patomak, have already been mentioned. The fouth fide of Pennfylvania is the beft fettled land throughout, owing entirely gaj the rirft.fcvcnty miles, jind the,laft alpove iixty. It is now in contemplation * Jcfferfw's.Hiftory.of Virginia, printed for. J. StocktUlc. Appendix No. II. to PENXS Y LVANI A. 425 .to cut n rond from Sunbury, at the forks of the call and weft branches of Sufqudmn- Diih ; well 150 miles to the mouth of Toby's Creek, which empties into the Allegany river from the caft. This road will be through a tract of rich land, now for fale by the State. A road is alib cut from the mouth of the Tyoga, foutliward, to the mouth of Loyal, a branch of the well branch of Sufquehannah. Another road is cut from Huntingdon town, on Franks town b/ruich of the Juniata, weft ward thirty miles to Conemagh, a navigable branch of the Allegany. Thus the well-judged policy of this State is paving the way for the fcttlcment of all their watte lands. And to evidence their benevolence, and their wifhes to have the advantages of education increafed and more extcnlively enjoyed, they have allotted 60,000 acres of thefe wafle lands for the ufe of public fchools ; and above 60,000 more have been granted for that purpofe, arid to the focietics cftablifhed for the pro- motion of knowledge, the arts, religion, 8tc. A conliderable part of the lands of this State remain at prelent for fale by the public. The Pennfylvanians having no difputcs with the Indians about boundaries, and all the lands within the State, be- ing purchafed at a fair and open treaty, and there being fome fettlcments westward of the Pcnnfylvania line, there is little apprehenfion of the Indians any where, and in moll parts of the State no danger at all. Among the natural advantages of Pcnnfylvania, her almoft innumerable mill feats ought riot to be omitted. They are conveniently distributed by Providence throughout the State, and afford the means of eftablifhing every fpecics of mill work and labour- faving machines, to meet the produce and raw materials almoll at the farmers doors. In the prelent lituation of this country, wanting hands for farming, and in the pre- lent Itate of manufactures, when ingenious mechanifm is every day and every where invented to lelfen the neceSlity for manual labour, this natural advantage mull appear of ineftimable importance. Hemp and flax are among the moft profitable productions of the rich midland and new counties, the Cream of which is yet to be fkimmed. It is therefore a moll pleating fact, that they have in this State the full-fized and com- plete movements or works of a water mill and machinery, to fliver, rove, and fpin flax and hemp into threads or yarns, fit for linen of thirty cuts to the pound, or any coarfer kind, Sheetings, towelling, fail cloth, oznabrigs, twine, and the Slrans or yarns for cordage. The fame machinery is calculated for the roving or preparing, and fpi li- ning of combed wool into worlled yarn. They have alfo the movements and complete. machinery of Sir Richard Arkwright's water-mill for fpinning yarns of cotton. And though the climate of the State is not fit for cultivating that raw material, yet cotton can be raited with profit in every State in the Union fouthward of Pennfylvania, and imported from the Eaft and Weft Indies. It is certain that this extraordinary capacity of our country for mechanical works has either called forth, in an unufual degree, the mechanical powers of the human mind, or that Providence has beftowed upon the people of this and our filler States an uncommon portion of this talent, which its nature and lituation require. Rittenbottje. and Franklin ftand unrivalled in mechanical philofophy ; and thofe who know our country are well informed, that to thefe two great names we could add a confidcrable lift of piulofophical and practical mechanicians, in a variety of branches. So many of the ncceflary and convenient arts and trades depend upon the plenty and rhcapnefs of fuel, that it appears proper to take notice of this article. Till the revo- lution, the dependence of the people was almoll entirely upon wood fuel, of which, in the moll populous places, there is Still a great abundance, and in ail interior Situa- tions immenle quantities ; but the increafc of manufactures has occasioned them to turn 3 1 their 4^6 P K N N S Y L V A N I \. their attention to coal. Of this ufeful foffile Providence has given them very great quantities in the middle and \veilern country. In the vicinity of Wyoming, on the Sufquchanriah, is one bed of the open burning kind, and of the moft intenfe heat. On the head waters of Schuylkill and Lehigh are lome coniiderahle bodies. At the head of the \veftcrn branch of Sufquelmnnah is a moft extensive body, which ftretches over tlic rotmtry fouth-weiiwardly, Ib as to be found in the greatcfl plenty at Pittl- burgh, where the Allegany and Youghiogeny unite, and form the head of the Ohio. AlHhe coal has hitherto been accidentally found on the furface of the earth, or dif- covcrcd in the digging of common cellars, fo tliat when the wood fuel fhall become fcarr.e, and the European methods of boring fhall be ikilfully purfued, there can be no doubt of its being found in many other places. At prclent, the ballafting of ihips from coal countries abroad,, and the coal mines in Virginia, which lie convenient to- /hip navigation, occafton a good deal of coal to be brought to the Philadelphia mar- ket. From this great-abundance and variety of fuel it remits, that Ponnfylvania, and the United States in general, are well fuited to all manufactories that are effected by fire, liich as furnaces, foundaries, forges, glafs houfes, breweries, diftilleries, fteel works, linith ihops, and all other manufactories in metal, foap boiling, chandlers fliops, pot afh. works, fugar and other refineries, &c. &c. Ship building is a bulinefs in which the port of Philadelphia exceeds moft parts of the world. Mafts, fpars, timber, and plank, not only from their own State and trie- other States on the Delaware, are conftantly for fale in their market ; but the mulberry of the Chefapeak, and the evergreen or live oak and red cedar of the Carolinas and Georgia, are ib abundantly imported, that nine -tenths of their veffels are built of them. No veffels are better than thefe. . A live oak and cedar fhip of -200 tons, car- penter's meafuremcnt, can be fitted to take in a cargo for fourteen pounds currency per ton ; and there is not a port in Europe ii\ which an oak fhip can be equally well built and fitted for twenty pounds per ton currency, or twelve pounds fterling. This fact may appear doubtful or extraordinary, but it is certainly true ; and it is greatly in favour of the fhip carpenters and other tradefmen employed in fitting and bulling Ihips, as well as merchants and farmers, whofe interefts are fo much connected with. navigation. The diftance of Philadelphia from the fea has been made an objection by fome, and the doling of the river by the ice, which happens almoft every winter. Amfterdam, the greateft port in Europe, is inaeceilible in the winter. But it is a facl, that, not- withftanding thefe obje6tions, their veffels make as many Weft India voyages as thofe of the two other principal fea- ports of the Middle States ; and though the river is frozen from three to nine weeks almoft every winter, yet there are occalional openings, T^hich give opportunities for fleets of merchantmen to go out and come in. The fine rorn and provifion country which lies near Philadelphia, enables the merchants to load their veffels in the winter, and the market is regularly fupplied with flour, pork, beef, lumber, ftaves, iron, and many other of their principal articles of exportation. Lit- tie time is therefore loft, and their trade increafes. The crop of 1/89, and other ex- ports from the harveft of that year to that of 1790, it was fuppofed, would load i -20,000 tons of Shipping. A very extenfive back country ; and many large bodies of new lands, are lettling fait, which muft lend their produce to the Philadelphia - market. PRODUCTIONS, MANUFACTURES, AGRICULTURE, EXPORTS, &c.] We mention thefe articles together, becaufe it is difficult to feparate them. Under the foregoing head, wefcave anticipated fome things that might be naturally mentioned here. They i, produce. P E N N S Y L V A N 1 A. 42} produce, manvifucturr.s and exports of Pennsylvania are very many and various ; viz. \v he-it, flour, middling', fliip fluff, bran, iliorts, llitp bread, white water bifcuit, rye, rye flour, Indian corn or maifce, Indian meal, buck-wheat, buck-wheat meal, bar and pig iron, it eel, nail rod-?, nails, iron hoops, rolled iron, tire, gunpowder, cannon ball, iron cannon, muiquets, iliips, boats, oars, handfpikes, niafU, fpars, fliip timber, fliip blocks, cordage, iquarc timber, ieantling, plank, boards, ftaves, heading, ihinglcs, wooden hoops, tanners bark, corn fans, coopers wares, bricks, coarfe earthen or potters ware, a very little ordinary ftonc ware, glue, parchment, fhocs, boots, fole leather, upper leather, drcfTed deer and fhcep ikins, and gloves, and garments of the fame, fine hats, many common, ard a few coarfe ; thread, cotton, worfted and yarn hofiery, writing, wrapping, blotting, fhcathing, and hanging paper, flationrary, pi; 1 ving cards, copper, filvcr and gold, clocks and watches, muficarinilmments, muff, manufactured tobacco, chocolate, muftard feed and muftard, ftarch, hair powder, flax feed, flax feed oil, flax, hemp, wool, and cotton cards, pickled beef, pork, mad, herrings, tongues and fturgeon, hams and other bacon, tallow, hogs lard, butter, cheefe, candles, foap, bees- wax, loaf fugar, pot and pearl alh, rum and other frrong waters, beer, porter, hops, winter and fummcr barley, oats, fpelts, onions, potatoes, turnips, cabbages, carrots, parmips, red and white clover, timothy, and moil European vegetables and graffes, apples, peaches, plums, pears, apricots, grapes, both native and "imported, and other European fruits, working and pleafurable carriages, horfes, black cattle, fheep, hogs, wood for cabinet-makers, lime-ltone, coal, free-itone, and marble. Some of thefe productions are fine, fome indifferent; fome of the manufactures are oonlidcrable, for a young country circumstanced as this has been, fome inconfiderabie ; but they are enumerated to fhow the general nature of the State, and the various pur- luits of the inhabitants. In addition to them we may mention, that a lead mine and two or three fait fprings have been difcovcred in the new country, which will no doubt be worked, as foon as the demand for theft; articles to the wefhvard increafes. We ought allb to notice the great foreits for making pot and pearl am. Marble is found in many parts of the State. . v The manufactures of Pennfylvania have increaled exceedingly within a few years, as well by maftcr workmen and journeymen from abroad, as by the increafed ikill and induftry of their own citizens. Houichold or family manufactures have greatly ad- vanced, and valuable acquifitions have been made of implements and machinery to fave labour, either imported, or invented in the United States. The hand machines for carding and fpinning cotton have been introduced by foreigners, and improved upon ; but they have lately obtained the water mill for fpinning cotton, and a water mill fo^ flax, which is applicable allb to fpinning hemp and wool. Thefe machines promife an early eltablifhment of the cotton, linen, and hempen branches, and muft be of very great feryice in the woollen branch. Additional employment for weavers, dyers, bleachers, and other manufacturers, muft be the confequence. Paper mills, gunpowder mills, ftecl works, rolling and flitting mills, printing figured goods of paper, linen and cotton, coach making, book printing, and feveral other branches, are wonderfully ad- vanced, and every month feems to extend the old manufactures, or to introduce new ones. There are upwards of fifty paper mills in Pennfylvania which work materials of no intrinfic value. The manufactures from the mills are computed at 250,000 dollars. The hands employed in them do not exceed 300. It is calculated that their paper mills alone indemnify them for five eighths of their quota of the expenfcs of the general government, and the intereft of the public debt. 3 I 2 The 4 z 8 P ' E N N S Y L V A N I A . The advancement of the agriculture of Pcnnfylvania is the beft proof that can be given of the comfort and happincls it affords to it,> farming, manufacturing, and trading citizens. In the year 1786 their exports of flour were 150,000 barrels (exclufivc of liiauy other articles); in 1787 they \verc 202,000 barrels ; in 1788 they were 220,000 barrels ; and in 1789 they were 369,618 barrels, v>hiih exceeds any export ever made in the times of the province or in the times of the commonwealth. The produce of flax is increafcd in a much greater degree, and that of wool is considerably more than it was before the revolution. A nc\v article is likely to be added to the lilt of their productions, which is a well-tarred and wholfome fugar, made of the Maple-free. It has been proved by many fair and careful experiments, that it is in the power of a fubftantial farmer that lias a family about him, eafily to make twelve hundred weight of this fugar every fcafon, without hiring any additional hands, or any utenlils but thofe that arc neccfFary for his family and farm ule. The time in which it can be made is" from the middle of February to the end of March, when farmers in this country have very little to do, as it is too early to plough or dig. The price of lugar being lower here than in Europe, this article maybe reckoned at 100 Mexican dollars per annum to every careful and fkilful farmer, that owns land bearing the fugar maple. Of thefe there are fome millions of acres in Pennfylvania and the adjacent States, and at leaft one or two millions belonging to this State for falc. It feems allb highly pro- bable that this valuable tree may be tranfplanted, and thus be obtained by almolt any farmer in the State, and that men of property, who w r ill purchafe kettles and hire hands for the above fhort period, may make large quantities. No difficulty lies 'in the way of any perlbn who defires to become a free and equal citizen'. On the day of his landing he may buy a farm, a houfe, merchandize, or raw materials; he may open a work-fhop, a counting-haufe, an office, or any other place of lawful bufmefs, and purfuc his calling without any hindrance, or the payment of anv fum of money to the public. The right of electing and being elected (which does not affect his buiinefs or his fafety) is not granted till the expiration of two years, which prudence requires. A privilege, almoft peculiar to this State, has been granted to foreigners by the legislature ; that of buying and holding lands and houtes within this Commonwealth, without relinquifhing their allegiance to the country in which they were born. They < :\\\ fell or bequeath the lands, receive the rents, and, in fliort, have every territorial jiTjd pecuniary right that a natural-born Pcnnfylvanian has; but no civil rights. As they profcfs to owe allegiance to a foreign prince or government, and relide in a foreign country, where they of courfe have civil rights, they cannot claim them, nor ought they to delire them here, iince no man can ferve two mailers. If they chute, at any time after purchafe, to come oat to this country and make thcmfelvcs citizens; or if they chufe to give their cfhiic to a child, or other peribn, who will do ib, either of them Ucoiuc citizens to all intents and purpofes. Such is the prcfent iituation of things in Pennfylvania, which is more or lets the fame in fcvcral other of the American States, viz. Diitrict of Main, New Hampihiro, Vermont, New York, Virginia, the Carolines, and Georgia ; but though not 10 in the reft, the principal difference is, that they are ib fully peopled, that there are few new lands of any value unfold, and farming lands, that are improved, are of c.ourfe dearer. In thofe States, however,, agriculture, commerce, manufactures, the fifheiics, and navigation, afford comfortable fubliftcnce and ample regards of profit to the induftri- ouo uiicl wcll-ditpci'cdj aniidit the biddings of civil and religious liberty. POPULATION PEN NSYLVANI A, 42Q POPULATION AND CHARACTER.] The population of this State is mentioned in the table. It is nearly ten for every fquare mile. The number of militia is eftimated at upwards of 90,000, between 18 and 53 years of age. The inhabitants are principally the defccndants' of the Englifh, Irifli, tind Germans, Avith ibme Scotch, Welch, Swedes:, and a few Dutch. There arc alto many of the Irifh and Germans who emigrated when young or middle aged. The Friends and Epifcopalians are chiefly of Englifh 'extraction, and compote about one third of the in- habitants. They live principally in the city of Philadelphia, and in the counties of Chcfier, Philadelphia, Bucks, and Montgomery. The Irifh are moftly Prefbyterians, but fome Catholics. Their anceftors came from the north of Ireland, which uas originally fettled from Scotland ; hence they have fometimes been called Scotch Trifh, to denote their double defccnt : but the)- are commonly and more properly called Irifh, or the defendants of people from the north of Ireland. They inhabit the weftern and frontier counties, and are numerous. The Germans compofe about one quarter of the inhabitants of Pennfylvania. They are moft numerous in the north parts of the city of Philadelphia, and the counties of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Dauphin, Lancafter, York, and Northampton, moftly in the four lafl, and are fpreading in other parts. They confilt of Lutherans, (who are the moft numerous feel) Calvinifts or Reformed Church, Mo- ravians, Catholics, Mennonifts, Tunkers (corruptly called Dunkcrs), and Zwingfelters, who arc a fpccies of Quakers. Thcfe are all diftinguifhed for their temperance, in- duflry, and economy. The Germans have ufually fifteen of fixty-nine members in the Affembly ; and fome of them have arifen to the firft honours in the State, and now fill a number of the higher offices ; yet the body of them want education. A literary fpirit has however of late been increafing among them. The Baptifts (except the Mcnnonifl and Tunkcr Baptifts, who are Germans) are chiefly the defendants of emigrants from Wales, and are not numerous. A propor- tionate affemblage of the national prejudices, the manners, cufloms, religious, and political fcntimcnts of all thcfc, will form the Pcnnfylvanian character. As the lead- ing traits in this character, thus conftituted, we may venture to mention indutfry, fru- gality, bordering in fome inftanccs on parfimony, enlCFprize, a tafle and ability for improvements in mechanics, in manufactures, in agriculture, in public, buildings and inftitutions, in commerce-, and in the liberal fcicnces ; temperance, plainncfs, and fim- plicity in drcls and manners; pride and humility in their extremes; inoftenfivcnefs and intrigue ; and in regard to religion, variety and harmony. Such appear to be the diftinguifhing traits in the collective Pcnnfylvanian character. RELIGION.] The fituation of religion and religious rights and liberty in Pennfyl- vania, is a matter that defervcs the attention of all fober and well-difpofed people, vvho may have thoughts of this country. This State always afforded an afylum to the perfecn ted feels of Europe. No church or focicty ever was eftablifhcd here, no tithes ie characters of winch that body was compoied, as wholly to veft thefe powers with others; they purlued a middle line, and confrituted two Separate bodies by the names of city wardens and ftreet commiiUoners, to the former of whom the lighting and watching, and to the latter the paving of the ilrect?, was committed; the mayor, or recorder, and four of the aldermen concurring with each body in laying the taxes and prefcribing the mode of expending tlirni; thus the city legiflation for theic purpofes became compounded of two branches, the wardens and commiffioners immediately elected by the people, in the fame manner as their reprcfentatives in AHembly, confri- tuted the democratic, and the mayor and aldermen the ariftocratic branch. Thefe bodies, thus compounded, conducted the buiinefs committed to them, with great harmony, nor is there the lea 11 recollection of any difagreement between them ; the taxes were laid with equality, collected with moderation, and expended for the real uic and improvement of the city; one complaint only had foundation, which arofe from the nature rather than from any abufc of the powers: the number of wardens and ftrcct commillioncrs was fo great, as at very moderate wages to render tliofc boards too expenfivc. For the honour of the late corporation it ought not to be omitted, that the mayor's court was always filled with an able lawyer for the recorder, and another for the profccution of criminal offence-; and fucli was the orderly and upright adminift ra- tion of juitice in it, that no court in the province, or perhaps in any other country, exceeded it. The prejudices under which the old corporation laboured from its original conftitu- tion, wercfo itrong, that upon the revolution, the General .Affcmbly declared, by an af the city, were however fo llrongj that it was \\ith difficulty the people could be prevailed upon to fubmit to a new incorporation of the city. The defects in the administration of juitice and governing the police of the :ity at length became fo glaring, that they were Seen by all claries of people, and their minds prepared for an act of incorporation. The General AfTcmbly, in- the winter lerlions o* 1789, favouring the wifhes of the citizens, pafled an act, intitled, An Act to incorporate the city of Philadelphia, which, with a fupplemcnt pnficd in 1790, constitutes the prefcnt city charter. By thefe acts The common council conlifts of two branches ; fifteen aldermen are chofen by the freeholders to continue in office for {even years ; they chulc a record -r from the titizeiis ai large for feven years, and a mayor from their own number for one year. Thirty common councilmen arc chofen by the citizens at large, entitled to vote for reprcfentatives in ArTembly, to continue in office for three years ; thefe were intended to form a balanced government, upon the principle that the choice by freeholders, arid 3 K 2 for PENNSYLVANIA. fur a longer term, would produce a more felect body of aldermen, and that the citizens at large would chute charae'u-rs filter to reprefent and form the popular branch of rity government. Kight aldermen and fixtcon common councilmen form a quorum or board to tranfaft budncfs, at v/liich the mayor or recorder preiides; they lit and deli- berate together, but no ael is legal,- unlcfs a majority of the aldermen, a majority of the common councilmen prclent, and the mayor or recorder, concur. There is not perhaps in the world a mi5re liberal plan of city government ; every rials of citi/ens have an opportunity of reprefenling and being reprefented. The body is fufficiently numerous to contain fome of every defcription, and of every fpecies oi talents and information neccifary for deliberation and execution, and yet not fo large as to be encumbered with its own weight ; it poffeires the powers of legillation and tax- ation in all cafes necedary for the well-governing and improving the city, except in contradiction to a6ts of the General Affembly ; and from the many improvements already introduced^ there is reafon to hope that its police will be equal to that of any modern city. A city court is held by the mayor, recorder, and aldermen fo'ir times a year, and holds cognizance of all crimes and mifdemeanors committed within the city. A court of alderman, having cognizance of debts above forty Shillings, and not exceeding ten pounds, is held every week, beginning on Monday morning, and fctting by adjournments until the buiinefs of the week is fmifhed. Each alderman has feparate cognizance of debts under forty fhillings. The number of inhabitants within the city and fuburbs (including the diilricl of Southwark and the compactly built part of the Northern Liberties, which, to every purpofe but as to their government, arc confidered as parts of the city) is found by the late cenfus to be 42,5-20, and the number of houfes 6,651, and itores or work- Ihops 415. The houfes for public worfhip are numerous, and are as follows : The Friends or Quakers, have 5 * The Swedifh Lutherans, i -} The Prefbyterians, and Seceders, 6 The Moravians, i The Epifcopalians, 3 The Baptifts, i The German Lutherans, 2 The Univerfal Baptifts, i The German Calvinifts, i The Methodiits, i The Catholics, 4 The Jews. i The other public buildings in the city, betides the univerfity and college already mentioned, are the following, viz. A ftate houfe and offices, Two incorporated banks, Two city court houfes, A houfe of correction, A county court houfe, A dramatic theatre, A carpenters hall, A public obfervatory, A philofophical fociety's hall, A medical theatre and elaboratory, A difpcnfary, Three brick market houfes, A hcfpital, and offices^ A fifh market, An alms houfe, A public gaol. The ftatc houfe is in Chefnut Street, between Fifth and Sixth Streets, and was creeled as early as 1735. The building is rather magnificent than elegant, but when it is * One of thefe honfes is for thofe Quakers who took up arms in defence of their country, in the late war, contrai y to the eftabHfhed principles of the Friends. They call themfelves Free falters. y the manag. Alnioft every religious fodety has a fund under proper direction, fome of which are incorporated tor the relief of the widows and children of their clergy or other diilrcilcd mc'Tihcrs of their communion. There are allb foeicties formed for the relief of particular defcriptions of perform, v ith funds raited by fubferiptions or otherwife, for the purpofe, fueh us the fea captains V",i<-tv, the Delaware pilots fociety, fepar-ate focieties for the relief and alluiance of emigrants and other cliiirefled perfons, from England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, . fornc of which are incorporated, fo that there can fearcc happen an inflance of in- dividual diii rets, for which a mode of advice, affiilancc, or relief id not -provided without, retort to public beggiug. Seminaries of learning are cftablifhed upon the moft enlarged and liberal principles, of which the principal .are, the univeriity .of Pennsylvania and college of Philadelphia, already noticed. Almoit every religious fociety have one or more fchools under their immediate- direc- tion, for .the education of their own youth of both fexes, as well of the rich, who are rible to pay, as of the poor, who are taught and provided with books and frationary gratis ; beiides which, there are a number of private fchools under the direction o mailers and mifrreflcs, independent of any public body; and there are feveral private academies for the inftruction of young ladies in all the brandies of polite literature, fuitablc to the lex, and there is no individual, \vhofe parents or guardians, mafters or iniitrettcs, will take the trouble to apply, but will be admitted into fume one of thefc fchools, and if they are unable to pny, will be taught gratis;. it ought not to be .omitted, that there is <\ fchool for the Africans of every fhade or -colour, kept under the care and at the expenfc of the Quakers, into which are admitted gratis, Haves as welj. #s free perfons of whatever nge, of both iexes, and taught reading, writing, arithmetic, .knitting, fewing, and other ufeful female accompliihments : this fchool was originally inftitutedby private jCubfcription-s of the fociety, with a view to prepare that degraded race for a better iituatkm in civil life ; but the will of the late Antony Bcnezet, of bene- ^olcnt memory, a qoniiderable donation from the fociety in England, and fome other charitable devifes, have provided funds adequate to its future fupport, and it will no longer be burthenfome to individuals. . .Sunday fchools, for the inftruction of .children who would otherwife fpend that day in idlenefs or mifehief, have lately been kiftituted, and it is to be hoped will tend to amend the morals and conduct of -the riling generation. The public library of Philadelphia is a moft ufeful inilitution ; it contains near ten thouiand volumes, well felecled, for the information and improvement of all ranks of the citizens ; they are depofited in an elegant building lately creeled, in a modern ftyle, are are accc;mble every day in. the week, except Sunday. Here the man of learning may confult the work of theremoteft ages, and trace hiftories, arts, and fcicnces from their infancy to this prclcnt Hate of improvement, and the mechanic, the labourer, the ftudent or apprentice may be fupplicd with books to improve their minds or amufe them in their vacant hours at borne. The company conilfts of fome hundreds of pro- prietors, incorporated by charter, who pay ten' fhillings annually for the purchafe of new hooks, and .defraying incidental expenfes ; twelve directors are annually chofen, yvho manage the concerns of the company and keep a correfpondence with Europe, from whence they arc regularly fupplicd \vith new publications of reputation and jtncnt. The FEN NSYLVANIA. The corporation Iiavc lately ordered the ftrccts, lanes, and alloys to be marked at every intcrfection of cadi other, and the houfes to be numbered. The names painted on boards, with an index hand pointing to the progreiTion of the numbers, are already affixed at the corners of the ftrcets, fo that with the aid of the directory, a itranger may find without difficulty, any houle \vhofe itrect and number is known. The city, within a few years pair, has experienced a very remarkable revolution in refpect to the hcalthinefs of its inhabitants; the bill of mortality proves that the number of deaths has considerably decrcafed fmce the year 1783, notwithftanding the great incrcaie of its population ; this change in favour of health and life is aferibed by phy- liciuns to the co-operation of the following caufes: ift, The arching the dock, whereby a very noxiotts and ofFcnfive nnifance was removed, ad, The cultivation of the lots adjoining and partly iiirrounding the city, whereby another extcniive fource of putrid exhalations is dried up. 3d, An incrcafed care in cleaning the ftre'ets. 4th, Ail increafe of horticulture, and confequently greater confumption of vegetable aliments-.. 5th, The inftitution of the difpenfary, which has extended medical aid to many hun- dreds in a year, who either perifhcd for the want of it, or were lacrificed by quacks. 6th, The more improved ftate of phyfic, whence feveral difeafes formerly fatal in moil inltanccs are better underftood and treated, and therefore more generally cured. And 7th; From a general diffufion of knowledge among all clalfes of people, from their libraries, their numerous focieties, monthly, weekly, and daily publications, whence the people at large are better acquainted than formerly" with the means of preferring their health, as may be exemplified in one inllance ; there was but one death in the dimmer of 1792 from drinking cold water, whereas Ibmc years ago twenty has not "been an uncommon number from this iingle caufe.* No city can boaft of fo many ufeful improvements in manufactures, in the mecha- nical arts, in the art of healing, and particularly in the fcicnce of humanity, as Phila- ilclphia. The tradefmen and manufacturers have become fo numerous, that they are beginning to aiTociate for mutual improvement, and to promote regularity and uni- formity in their feveral occupations. The carpenters, the cordvvainers, the tailors^ the watch-makers, the joiners, and hair-dreHers, have already aflbciated, and others arc forming into companies upon the fame plan. The Philadelphians have exerted their endeavours with happy and growing fucceis, to prevent the intemperate ufe of fpirituous liquors.-j~ In accomplishing this benevolent purpofe, on which fo much of the profperity and glory of our empire depend, every good citizen in the Union ought cheerfully to lend his aid and influence. As one im- portant ft ep towards effecting their delign, they are encouraging breweries, which are fait increaiing. There are fourteen already in tkc city, and icvcn or eight in the rountrv. The incrcaie of the confumption of beer, in the courfe of a few years pair, in every part of America, and particularly in Pennfylvania, ha$ been aflonifhing. It / has become a famionable drink, and it is not improbable, but that in a few years it will come into universal ufe among all dalles of people. In proportion as the ufe of beer increases, in the lame proportion will the ufe of fpirituous liquors decreale. This * * In July, 1793, a moft malignant fever broke out in Philadelphia, which, raged with fuch uncommon fr.ry, rhr.t there \vere buried of this dileafe from the iftof Auguft, to the qth of November, four thoufand andthirty- k-vcn peribns, as was collected from the ieveral books kept by the clergymen and lextor>s. The nYft fymptoms of this melancholy disorder were discovered on the 26th of july r bui of the caufe,. rhe opinions of the faculty are various. f It js much to be wiflied that our Londoners would follow their laudable example. will 440 P E N N S Y L V A N I A. will be a' happy change. 'The Philadelphia porter, which is exported to various parts, is. reckoned c by the mere force of the ftream, without any other afllftance, croffes the river backwards and forwards; the flat always being put in an oblique direction, with its ibremofl end verging towards the line deicribed by the rope. The greater part of the inhabitants, as. well a* the people in the neighbourhood,, being of German extraction, this language is more in ule than the Engliih. The latter, however, is taught in the fchools, and divine fervice performed in both lan- guages. NAZARETH is ten miles north from Bethlehem, and fixty-three north from Phila- delphia : it is a tracl; of good land, containing about 5000 acres, purchafed originally by the Rev. Mr. George Whitfield in 1740, and fold two years after to the brethren. The town was laid out almoft in the center of this tracl: in 1772. TWO ikeets crofs each other at right angles., and form a fquare, in the middle, of 340 by 200 feet. The larger! building is a ftone houfe, creeled in 1755, named Nazareth Hall, ninety- eight by forty fix long, and fifty-four in height. In the lowermoft ftory is a fpacious meeting-hall, or church ; the upper part of the houfe is chiefly fitted for a boarding- fchool, where youth, from different parts, are under the care and infpection of the minirter of the place and feveral tutors, and are inflrucled in the Englifh, German, Latin, and French languages ; in hiilory, geography, book-keeping, mathematics, mufic, drawing, and other fciences. The front of the houfe faces a large fquare open to the fouth, adjoining a fine piece ocrs., At trie fouth-weit corner of the aforefaid fquare, in the middle of the town, is the fingle brethren's houfe, and on the eafi>fouth-eafi corner a ftore. On the fouth- ernmoil end of the iireet is a good tavern. The houfes are, a few excepted, built of lime-Hone, one or two ftories high, inhabited by tradefmen and mechanics mofily of German extraction. The inhabitants are fupplied with water conveyed to them by pipes from a fine fpring near the town. The place is noted for having an ex- ceedingly pleafant fituation, and enjoying a pure and falubrious air. The number of inhabitants in the town and farms belonging to it, (Schoeneck included) confli- tuting one congregation, and meeting for divine iervice on Sundays and holidays at Nazareth Hall, was, in the year 1788, about 450. LITIZ is in Lancafter county and Warwick townfhip, eight miles from Lancafter, and feventy miles weft from Philadelphia. This fettlement was begim in the year 1757. There are now, befides an elegant church, and the houfes of tlie fingle bre- thren and fingle lifters, which form a large fquare, a number of houfes for private families, with a ftore and tavern, all in one ftreet. There is alfo a good farm and feveral mill works belonging to the place. The number of inhabitants, including thofe that belong to Litiz congregation, living on their farms in the neighbourhood, amounted, in 1787, to upwards of 300. The three lair-mentioned towns are fettkd chiefly by Moravians, or the United Brethren. HARRISBITRGH, as it is commonly called, but legally ityled Louifburgh, is the prin- cipal town in Dauphin county, is a very flourifhing place, about 100 miles weft by 4 north PENNSYLVANIA: 445 north from Philadelphia. It contained, in 1789, 130 dwelling houtcs, a ftone gaol, and a German church. At that period it had been fettled hut about three years. Waihington, 300 miles welt of Philadelphia, and beyond the Ohio, has been fet- tled fincc the war, and is remarkable for the variety of its manufactures for fo young and interior a town ; it has thirty-two manufactures of twenty-two different kinds. CURIOUS SPRINGS.] In the neighbourhood of Reading is a fpring about fourteen feet deep and about 100 feet frjuarc ; a full mill ftream ifliics from it ; the waters are clear and full of fi fries. From appearances, it is probable that this fpring is the out- let of a very conliderablc river, which a mile and fin half or two miles above this place, finks into the earth, and is conveyed to this outlet in a fubterraneous channel. In the northern parts of Pennfylvania there is a creek called Oil Creek, which empties into the Allegany river ; it ifTues from a fpring, on the top of which floats an oil, fimilar to that called Barbadocs tar, and from which one man may gather leveral gallons in a day. The troops fent to guard the weflern polls halted at this ipring, collected fome of the oil, and bathed their joints with it. This gave them great .relief from the rheumatic complaints with which tl*ey were affected : the waters, of which the troops drank freely, operated as a gentle cathartic. REMARKABLE CAVES.] There are three remarkable grottos, or caves, in this State ; one near Carlifle, in Cumberland county ; one in the townfhip of Durham, in Bucks county, and the other at Swetara, in Lancafter county ; the latter is on the eaft bank of Swetara river, about two miles above its confluence with the Sufquehannah. Its aperture is under a pretty high bank, and from fifteen to twenty feet wide, and from feven to ten in height. You enter, by a gradual defccnt, fo low, as that the furface of the river is rather higher than the bottom of the cave, and in your progrefs pafst through a number of paflagcs and apartments of various dimenfions, fome low and narrow, others very high and fpacious, vaulted by magnificent canopies, fretted with a variety of depending petrifactions, fome of which arc drawn to a great length by means of the conitant exudation and accretion of petrifying matter, till folid pillars have been gradually, formed. Thefe appear as fupports to the roof, which is of folid lime ftone, perhaps twenty feet thick. Thirty years ago there were ten fuch pillars, each fix inches in diameter, and fix feet high, all fo ranged, that the place they cncloicd refembled a fancluary in a Roman church: no royal throne ever exhibited more grandeur than this lufus nature. The refemblances of feveral monuments are found indented in the walls on the fides of the cave, which appear like the tombs of departed heroes. Sufpended from the roof is ' the bell,' (which is nothing more than a ftone projected in an imufual form) fo called from the found it occafions when itruck, which is limilar to that of a bell. Same of the Italactites are of a colour like fugar-caudy, and others refemble loaf- fugar ; but their beauty is much defaced by the fmoke of the torches which are fre- quently employed in conducting the curious traveller through this gloomy recefs. The water, \vhich is cxudated through the roof, runs down the declivity, and is both pleafant and wholefome to drink. There are feveral holes in the bottom of the cave defcending perpendicularly, perhaps into an abyfs below, which renders it tfange- -rous to walk without a light. At the end of the cave is a pretty brook, which, alter a fhort courfe, lofes itfelf among the rocks. Beyond this brook is an outlet from the cave by a very narrow aperture. Through this the vapours continually pafe out- wards with a ftrong current of air and aicend, refembling at night the finoke of a furnace. Part of thefe vapours and fogs apprar, on attending, to be condenfed at the head of this great alembic, and the more volatile parts to be carried off through 3 L 2 the 444- PENNSYLVANIA the aperture communicating with the exterior air before -mentioned, by the fc^rc-of the air in its paifagc. ANTIQUITIES.] On a high bill, near the Tyoga river, a little to the foutluvard of the line which divides New York from Pertnfvlvania, arc to be feen the remains of an ancient fortification. The form of it is circular, and it is encompaircd with ait entrenchment. The entrenchment only remains. The Indians are entirely ignorant of the origin of thefe work*;. The hill is an excellent fituation for a fort, and com- mands a delightful view of the country around it, which -is low and fertile. There- is a fortification- of a fimilar Vmd at UnacUlla, in the flat lands, and they are nu- merous in the \veftcrn counties. CONSTITUTION.] The fupreme executive power of the commonwealth is vcfted in: a Governor ; the legislative, in a General Afiembly, confifling of a fcnate and a houfc of reprefentativcs. The governor is chofcn for three years, hut cannot hold his office more than nine years in twelve. A plurality of votes makes a choice. The repre- fentatives are elected for one year ; the fenators for four. The latter arc divided into- four dafTes. The time of one clafs expires each year, whofe feats are then filled by. new elections. Each county choofes its reprefentatives feparately. The fenators aur choien in diftricls formed by the legiflature. There is to be an enumeration of the inhabitants once in feven years. The number of fenators and reprefentatives is, after each enumeration, to be fixed by the legiflature, and apportioned among the. feveral counties and diftricls, according to the number of taxable inhabitants. There carr be never fewer than fixty, nor more than 100 reprefentatives. The number of fena- tors cannot be lefs than one fourth, nor greater than one third of the representatives* The elections arc made on the focond Tuefday of October. The General Afiembly nieets on the firft Tuefday of December in each year, unlefs {boner convened by the governor. A majority of each houfe makes a quorum to do bufinefs, and a lefs num- ber may adiourn from day to day, and compel the attendance of members. Each houfe choofes its fpeaker and other officers, judges of the qualifications of its mem- bers, andeftablifh.es the rules of its proceedings. Impeachments are made by the houfc of reprefentativcs, and tried by the fenate. All bills for railing revenue originate in the lower houfe, but the fenate may propofe amendments. The fenators and reprc-< fentatives are free from arrefts while attending the public bufinefs, except in cafes of treafon, felony, and breach of the peace ; and are not liable to be queftioned concern- ing any thing faid in public debate. They are compenfated out of the public trealury* from which no money can be drawn but in confequence of appropriation by law. The journals of both houfes are publifhed weekly, and their doors kpt open, unlefs their bufinefs requires fecrefy. All bills which have pafTed both houfes muft be pre- iented to the governor ; if he approve he muft fign them, but if he does not approve, he muft return them within ten days, with his objections, to the houfe in which' they originated : no bill, fo returned, lhall become a law, unlefs it be repaffed by two thirds of lx)th houfes. The governor is commander in chief of *the military force* may remit fines and forfeitures, and grant reprieves and pardons, except in cafes of impeachment; may require information from all executive officers ; may,, on extra- ordinary occafions, convene the General AlTembly, and adjourn it, for any term not exceeding four months, in cafe the two- branches cannot agree on the time themfelves. He muft inform the General AfTerably of the ftate of the commonwealth ; recommend fuch meafures as he fnall judge expedient ; and fee- that the laws are faithfully exe- cuted. In cafe of vacancy in the office of governor, the fpeaker of the fenate exer- cilS that office.- The judicial power is veiled in a fupreme and inferior court, the judges PENNSYLVANIA; * of which, and ju A ices of the peace, are appointed by the governor, and com- OTiHioned dunng good Ixjhaviour ; but ape reraoveable on the addrefs of both houfcs. The other officers of the Stote are appointed, Ibine by the Governor, fomc by the 1 General- Ailembly, and ibme> by the people. The qualifications for an elector are- t \vrnty-CHC years of^ age, two years relidencc, and payment of taxes. They are pri- vileged from arrefts in -civil actions while attending elections. Thofe for a reprefen- tativo- irre, t \veflry-orre years of age and three years inhabitancy. For a feriator, twenty-five years of age and four years inhabitancy. For a governor, thirty years of nge and feven -year* inhabitancy. The governor can hold no other office. The fenators and reprefeptatfae* none, but of attorney at law and in the militia. No perfon holding an office of trull, or profit, under the United States, can hold any office in this State, to which a falary is by law annexed. All the officers of the State are liable to impeachment, and are bound by oath, or affirmation, to fupport the conflitution, and perform 'the duties of their offices. The declaration of rights aflcrts the nr.tural freedom and equality of all ; Ifberty of conference ; freedom of elections and of the prefs ; fubordination of the military to the civil powers ; trial by jury ; fecurity from unreafonable fearches and feizures ; -t. right to an equal diftribution of juflice ; to be heard in criminal prosecutions ; to petition for the redreis of grievances ; to bear arms ; and to emigrate from the State. lt : declares, that all power is inherent in the people, and that they may, at any time, alter their form of government ; that no perfon fhall be obliged to maintain religious worfliip, or fupport any miniflry ; that ail perfons believing in the being of a God, aaid a future ftate of rewards and punifhments^ are eligible to office; that laws cannot be fufpended but by the legiflature ; that all perfons fhall be bailable, unlefs for capital offences, when the proof is evident, or prefumption ftrong ; that every ( debtor fhall be releafed from prifon on delivering his eflate to his creditors, according to law, except there be firong prefumption of fraud; that the privileges of the writ-' of kabeas corpus fhall not be fufpended but in time of rebellion, or public danger ; that no ex pq/l fa8o law fhall be made ; that no perfon fhall be attainted by the legiflature, or forfeit his eflate for longer term than his own life; that no title of nobility, or hereditary distinction, fhall ever be -granted. The foregoing conffitution was ratified in 1790. Among other ufcful laws of this State, of a public nature, are, one that declares all rivers and creeks to be highways ; a law for the emancipation of negroes, already mentioned ; a bankrupt law, nearly on the model of the bankrupt la\vs of England ; a law commuting hard labour for a long term of years, for death, as a punimment for many crimes which are made capital by the laws of England. Murder, arfon, and one or two other crimes, arc yet punifhed with death. NEW INVENTIONS.] Thele have been numerous and ufefal. Among others are the following : A new model of the planetary worlds, by Mr. Rittenhoufe, com- monly, but improperly, called an orrery ; a quadrant, by Mr. Godfrey, called by the plagiary name of Hartley's quadrant ; a fleam boat, fo conftructed, as that by the ^ affiftarice of fteam, operating on certain machinery within the boat, it moves with considerable rapidity againft the Itream without the aid of hands. Meflrs. Fitch and Rumfay contend with each other for the honour of this invention. Befides thefe, there have been invented many manufacturing machines for carding, fpiiiuing, winnowing, &.c. which perform an immenfe deal, of work .with very lit tie manual ailiiiance. . 3 HISTORY.] 446 PENNSYLVANIA. HH.TOHY.] Pcnnfylvnma was granted by 'King Charles II. to Mr. William Perm, fon of the famous Admiral Penn. in coniidcratlon of his father's ferviccs to the crown.* Mr. Perm's petition for the grant was prefented to the king in 1680; and after con- fidcrable delays, occaiioned by Lord Baltimore's agent, who apprehended it might' interfere with the Maryland patent, the charter of Pennfylvania received the royal ilgnature on the 4th of March, 1681. To fecure his title againft all claims and pre- vent future altercation, Mr. Pcnn procured a quit claim deed from the duke of York, of all the lands, covered by his own patent, to which the duke could have the kail pretentious.. This deed bears date Auguft 21, 1682. On the 24th of the fame month he obtained from the duke, by deed of fcoffmcnt, Ncwcaftle, with twelve miles of the adjacent territory, and the lands ibuth to the Hoarkills. In December following, Mr. Pcnn effected a union of the lower counties with the province of Pcim- Thc firil frame of government for Pennfylvania is dated in 1682. By this form, all legiflative powers were veiled in the governor and freemen of the province, hi the provincial council, and a general afTcmbly. The council was to confiit of feventy- two numbers, choleu by the freemen ; of which the governor, or his deputy, was perpetual preiident, with a treble vote. One third of this council went out of office every year, and their feats were fupplied by new elections. The .General Aflembly was at fail to conlifl of all the freemen, afterwards of 200, and never to exceed 500. In 1683 Mr. Penn offered another frame of government, in which the number o reprefentatives was reduced, and the governor veiled with a negative upon all bills palled in Aflembly. By feveral fpecious arguments the people w.cre perujaded to ac- cept this frame of government, Not long after, a difputc between Mr. Penn and Lord Baltimore required the former to go to England, and he committed the administration of government to five com- miflioners taken from the council. In 1686 Mr. Penn required the commiffioners to diffolve the frame of government ; but not being able to effect his purpofe, he, m 1688, appointed Capt. John Blackwcll his deputy. From this period the proprie- tors ufually refided in England, and adminiftered the government by deputies, who were .devoted to their mterefl. Jealoufies arofe between the people and their gover- nors, which never ceafed till the late revolution. The primary caufe of thcfe Jealoufies was an attempt of the proprietary to extend his own power, and abridge that of the Aflembly ; and the confequcnce was, inceflfant difputes and diflenfions in the Ic- giflature. In 1 6 $9, Governor Black we'll, finding himfelf oppofed in his views, had recourfe to artifice, and prevailed on certain members of the council to withdraw thcmfelves from the houfe ; thu$ defeating the meafur.es of the legiflature.^ The houfe voted this to be treachery, and addrciled the governor on the occasion. In 1693, the king and queen aflumcd the government into their own hands. Col, Fletcher was .appointed governor of New York and Pennfylvania by one and the * A large debt was due from the crown to Mr. Penn, a part of which he offered to remit, on conditioa he obtained his grant. This, whatever benevolent motives are hejd out to the world, muft have been a principal confideration with the king in making the grant. f See Dr. Franklin's Hiftorical Review of the Confthution and Government of Pennfylvania, p. 16. % Two inftances of a feceffion of members from the Aflembly, with fimilar views, have taken place fine* jhe revolution, and feern to have been copied from the example in 1689. PENNSYLVANIA. 447 fame comrmffion, with equal powers in both provinces. By this commiffion, the number of counfellors in Pennfylvania was reduced* Under the adminiftration of Governor Markham in 1696, a new form of govern- ment was cflablifhed in Pennfylvania. The election of the council and aflembly now became annual, and the legislature, with their powers and forms of proceeding, was new-modelled. In 1699, the proprietary arrived from England, and aflumed the reins of govern- ment. While he remained in Pennfylvania, the lafl charter of privileges or frame of government, which continued till the revolution, was agreed upon and eftablifhed. This was completed and delivered to the people by the proprietary, October 28, 1701, juft'on his embarking for England. The inhabitants of the Territory , as it was then called, or the lower counties, refufed to accept this charter, and thus Separated them- felvcs from the province of Pennfylvania. They afterwards had their own aflembly, in which the governor of Pennfylvania ufed to prefidc. In September 1 700, the Sufquehannah Indians granted to Mr. Penn all their lands on both fides the river. The Sufquehannah, Shawanefe, and Patomak Indians, however, entered into articles of agreement with Mr. Penn, by which, on certain conditions of peaceable and friendly behaviour, they were permitted to fettle about the head of Patomak, in the province of Pennfylvania. The Conoftoga chiefs alfo in 1701 ratified the grant of the Sufquehannah Indians made the preceding year. In 1708, Mr. Penn obtained from the Sachems of the country, a confirmation- of the grants made by former Indians, of all the lands from Duck Creek .to the moufa- tains, and from the Delaware to the, Sufquehannah. In this deed, the Sachems declared that " they had feen and heard read divers prior deeds, which had l>een given to Mr. Penn by former chiefs." While Mr. Penn was in America, he erected Philadelphia into a corporation. The charter was dated October 25, 1701, by which the police of the city was veiled in a mayor, recorder, aldermen, and common-conncil, with power to inquire into treafon?, murders, and other felonies ; and to inquire into and ptmifh fmaller crimes. The cor- poration had alfo extenlive civil jurifdiction ; but it was diflbived at the late revolution, and Philadelphia was governed like other counties in thtf'Statc., till 1789, when it was again incorporated. By the favourable terms which Mr. .Penn offered to fettlers, and an unlimited tole- ration of all religious denominations, the population of the province was extremely rapid. Notwithltanding the attempts of the proprietary or his governors to extend his own power, and accumulate property by procuring grants from the people, and ex- empting his lands from taxation, the government was generally mild, and the burdens of the people by no means oppreflive. The felrilh dcligns of the proprietaries wefce - vigoroufly and conftantly oppofed by the Aflembly, whole firmnefs* preferred the charter rights of the province. At the revolution, the government was abolifhed. The proprietaries were abfent, and the people, by their representatives, formed a new conftkution on republican principles. The proprietaries were excluded from all fhare ifci the government, and the lepflature offered them 130,000!. in lieu of all quit-rents, which was finally ac- cepted. The proprietaries, however, ftill poflefs in Pennfylvania many large tracts of -excellent land^. It is to be regretted, that among all the able writers in this important State, none has yet gratified the public with its intercfting hiflory. As. this is not profefledly the province 44* PENNSYLVANIA. i province of a -geographer, a more particular detail of hiftorical facts, than has already been given, will not be expected. We fhall therefore conclude with the following lift of governors. A LIST of ihe federal PROPRIETORS, GorEkNORs, LIEUTENANT- GOVERNORS, PRESIDENTS of the PROVINCE, with the 'Times of their re/peftive Adminiftration. PROPRIETORS. Honourable William Penn, born 1644, died 1718. r Thomas Penn, and i Richard Penn, died {John Penn, fen. and John Penn, jun. and 'Lieutenant-Governor, Prejident, Deputy Lieutenant-Gov* Prefident and Council Deputy Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Deputy Lieutcnant-Gov. Prefident and Council uty Lieut enant-Gov. Prefidtnt, Deputy Lieutenant-Gov. Prejident t Lieutenant- Governor., Preftdents of the Supreme Executive -Council of the State of Penn- fylvania. Governor) GOVERNORS, &c. William Penn , Proprietor, Thomas Lloyd, John Black well, governed, .Benjamin Fletcher, William Markham, William Penn, Proprietor.^ Andrew Hamilton, governed, John Evans, Charles Gookin, Sir William Keith, Bart. Patrick Gordon George Thomas, Antfibny Palmer, James Hamilton, Robert Hunter Morris, William Denny, James Hamilton, John Penn, James Hamilton, Richard Penn, ("Thomas Wharton, j Jofeph Reed, ! William Moore, j John Dickinlbn, I Benjamin Franklin, ^Thomas Mifflin, Thomas Mifflin, Oct. 1790. From Oct. 1682, to Aug. 1684 Aug. 1684, to Dec. 1688 Dec. -1688, to Feb. 1 6 9-90 Feb. 1689-90, to April 26, 1693 .26 April 1693, to 3 June 1693 3 June 1693, to Dec. 1699 3 Dec. 1699, to t Nov. 1701 si Nov. 1701, to Feb. 1702-3 Feb. 1702-3, to Feb. 1703-4 Feb. 1703-4, to Feb. 1708-9 March 1708-9, to *7*7 1717, to June 1726 June 1726, to J 73^ 1738, to 1747 1747, to 1748 1748, toOcl. 1754 Ocl. 1754, to 19 Aug. 1756 19 Aug. 1756, to 17 Nov. 1759 17 Nov. 1759, to 31 Ocl:. 1763 3 1 Oct. 1 763, to 6 May, 1771 6 May 1 7 7 1 , to 1 6 Oct. 1771 16 Oct. 1771. March 1777, to April 1778 Oct. 1778, to Oa. 1781 Nov. 1781, to Nov. 1782 Nov. 1782, to Oct. 1785 Oct. 1785, to Oct. 1788 Oct. 1788, to Oct. 1790 DELAWARE. ( 449 ) DELAWARE, SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. and 40 and i 45' Sq. Miles. \xr T f 2,OOO W. Long. J ~ s XT., i 1 T>OUNDED on the eaft, by the river and bay of the BOUNDARIES AND JNAME. DX f , ,, A ' , ' ,. ,,/ r ,, J _LJ fame name, and the Atlantic ocean ; on the fouth, by a line from Fenewick's Ifland, in latitude 38 29' 30'', drawn welt till it interfecls what is commonly called the tangent line, dividing it from the State of Maryland ; on the weft, by the faid tangent line, palling northward up the peninfula, till it touches the weltern part of the territorial circle ; and thence on the north, by the faid circle, defcribed with a radius of 12 miles about the town of Newcaflle. This State appears to have derived its name from Lord Delawar, who completed the fettlement oi" Virginia. CIVIL DIVISIONS.] This State is divided into three counties, which are fubdivided into hundreds. Counties. NEWCASTLE KENT SUSSEX No. Inhab. 19,686 18,920 20,488 Slaves. 2562 2300 4025 Chief Towns Newcaftle DOVER Lewes Total 59>94 8887 Before the revolution this cLftricl: of country was denominated, " The three kiver Counties. 1 " RIVERS AND CREEKS.] The eaftern fide of the State is indented with a large num<- ber of creeks, or fmall rivers, which generally have a fhort courfe, foft banks, nume- rous fhoals, and are Ikirtcd with very extenfive marines, and empty into the river and bay of Delaware. In the fouthern and wcftern parts of this State fpring the head waters of Pocomoke, Wicomico, Nanticoke, Choptank, Chefter, Saflafras, and Bo- hemia rivers, all falling into Chefapeak bay, and fome of them arc navigable 20 or 30 . miles into the country, for vefTels of 50 or 60 tons. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.] Juft before the commencement f the war, a work of con- fiderable importance was begun at Lewes, in the louthern part of the State, viz. the erection of a bridge and cauleway from the town, over the creek and marfh to the op* polite cape. This expenfive work was juit completed when the. Britim fhips firft came into the road of Lewes. In order to prevent too eafy a communication,, they partially removed it ; and it being afterwards neglecled, it was in complete ruins at the clofe of the war. Abridge, upon the fame plan, but upon a new foundation, has lately been creeled at the fole expenfe of individuals : it extends about a quarter of a mile from the town to the beach, over a wide, creek and marfh. The inhabitants 'are compenlatod ^ for their expenfe, by the facility of the communication between the town and the cape. Several canals in different parts of this State are contemplated, one of which is down the waters of the Brandywine. 3 M FACB 450 DELAWARE. FACE op THE COUNTRY, Sou,, AND PRODUCTIONS.] The State of Delaware, the upper parts of the county of Newcastle exccpted, is, to fpeak generally, extremely low and level. Large quantities of ftagnant water, at particular ieafons of tlie year, over- fpreading a great proportion of the land, render it equally unfit for the purpofes of agriculture, and injurious to the health of the inhabitants. The fpinc, or higher! ridge of the peninfula, run? through the State of Delaware, inclined to the eaftern or De- laware fide. It is defignatecl in SufYex, Kent, and part of Newcaftle county, by a remarkable chain of fxvamps, from which, the waters defccnd on each fide, parting on the eaft to the Delaware, and on the weft to the Chefapcak. Many of the Ihrubs and plants growing in thefc fwamps are fimilar to thole found on the higheft mountains. Delaware is chiefly an agricultural State. It includes a very fertile tract of country; and fearcely any part of the Union can be fclcited more adapted to the different pur- pofes of agriculture, or in which a greater variety of the moftaifeful productions can be fo conveniently and plentifully reared. The foil along the Delaware river, and from eight to ten miles into the interior country, is generally a rich clay, producing large timber, and well adapted to the various purpofes of .agriculture. From thence to the fwamps above mentioned the foil is light, fancly, and of an inferior quality. The general afpect of the country is very favourable for cultivation. Excepting fome. of the upper parts of the county of Newcafile, the furface of the State is very little broken or irregular. The heights of Chrifiiana are lofty and commanding ; fome of the hills of Brandywine are rough and ftony ; but defcending from thefe, and a few others, the lower country is fo little diversified as almoft to form one extended plain. In the county of Newcaftle, the foil confiits of a ftrong clay ; in Kent, there is a con- siderable mixture of fand ; and in Suflex, the quantity of fand altogether predomi- nates. Wheat is the ftaple of this State : it grows here in fuch perfection as not only to be particularly fought by the manufacturers of flour throughout the Union, but alfo to be diftinguifhed and preferred, for its fuperior qualities, in foreign markets. ' This wheat poifcifes an uncommon foftnefs and whitenefs, very favourable to the manufac- - ture of fapcrfine flour, and in other refpects far exceeds the hard and flinty grains raited in general on the high lands. Befides wheat, this State generally produces plentiful crops of Indian corn, barley, rye, oats, flax, buck- wheat, and pota- toes. It abounds in natural and artificial meadows, containing a large variety of grades. Hemp, cotton, and filk, if properly attended to, doubtlefs would flourifh very well. The county of Suflex, befides producing a confiderable quantity of grain, particularly of Indian corn, poflefies excellent grazing lands. This county alfo exports very large quantities of hambcr, obtained chiefly from an extenfive fwamp, called the Indian River or Cyprcfs Swamp, lying partly within this State, and partly in the State of Maryland. This raorafs extends fix miles from eaft to welt, and nearly twelve from north to fouth, including an area of nearly 50,000 acres of land. The whole of this fwamp is a high and level balon, very wet, though undoubtedly the higheft land between the fea and the bay, whence the Pocomoke defcends on one fide, and Indian river and St. Martin's on the other. This fwamp contains a great variety of plants, trees, wild beafts, birds, and reptiles. CHIEF TOWNS.] DOVER, in the county of Kent, is the feat of government. It' Hands, oh Jones' Creek, a few miles from the Dekiware river, and confifts of about 100 houfes, principally of brick. Four itreets intellect -each other at right angles, whole D E L A W A R E. . 45 1 wlioie incidoncies t'orin a fpacious parade, on the call fide of which is an elegant ftatc- houfe of brick. The town has a lively appearanee, and drives on a coniiderabb trade with Philadelphia, Wheat is the principal article of export. The landing is live or iix miles from the town of Dover. NEWCASTLE is 35 miles below Philadelphia, on the weft bank of Delaware ri\vr. It \vas firft fettled by the Swedes, about the year 16:7, and called Stockholm; it was after- wards taken by the Dutch, and called New Amfterdain. When it fell into the hands of the Englifh, it was called by its prefent name. It contains about 60 houfes, which have the afpecSt of "decay, and was formerly the feat of government. This is the iirfl town that \vas fettled on Delaware river. WILMINGTON is iituared a mile and a half weft of Delaware river, on Chriftiana Creek, 28 miles fouth\vard from Philadelphia. It is much the largeft and plcafanteft town in the State, containing upwards of 400 houfes, which are handfomely built upon a gentle afcent of an eminence, and mow to great advantage as you fail up the Delaware ; it contains about 2,400 inhabitants. In this town are two Preibyterian churches, a Swedifh Epifcopal church, a Baptift and a Quaker meeting, and a few Methodifts. There is alfo a flourifhing academy of about 40 or 50 fcholars, who are taught the languages, and fome of the fcienc.es. This academy, in proper time, is in- tended to be creeled into a college. There is another academy at Newark in this county, which was incorporated in 1769. Thefe academies were interrupted durin^ the war, and their funcls ruined by the depreciation of Continental paper money. Since the peace learning feems to revive and rlouriih. MILFORD is fituatcd at the fource of a final! river, 15 miles from Delaware bay, and 150 foutrrward of Philadelphia. This town, which contains about 80 houfes, has been built, except one houfe, lince the revolution ; it is laid out with much good tafte, and is by no means difagreeable. The inhabitants are Epifcopalians, Quakers, and Me- thodifts. DUCK CREEK CROSS ROADS is 12 miles north-weft from Dover, and has eighty or ninety houfes, which ft and on one ftreet. It carries on a confiderable trade with Phila- delphia, and is one of the largeft wheat markets in the State. Kent is alfo a place of conliderable trade. LEWES is Iituatcd a few miles above the light-houfe on Cape Henlopen ; it contains about 150 houfes, built chiefly on a ftreet, which is more than three miles in length, and extending along a creek which feparates the town from the pitch of the cape. The fttuation is high, and commands a full profpecl; of the light-houfe and the fea. The court-houfe and gaol are commodious buildings, and give an air of importance to the town. The fttuation of this place muft at fome future time render it conliderably" important. Placed at the entrance of a bay, which is crowded with veflels from all parts of the world, and which is frequently clofed with ice a part of the winter feafon, ncceffity feems to require, and nature feems to fuggeft, the forming this Jfort into a harbour for Hupping. Nothing has prevented this heretofore but the deficiency of water in the creek. This want can be cheaply and eafily fupplied by a fmall canal, fo as to afford a paflage for the waters of Rehoboth into Lewes creek, which would en- furc an adequate fupply. The circumjacent country is beautifully diversified with hills, \vood,- ftreams, and lakes, forming an agreeable contraft to the naked fandy beach, which terminates in the cape ; but it is greatly infefted with mufketoes and land .flies. M 3 TRADE 452 , DELAWARE. TRADE-AND MANUFACTURES.] We have already mentioned ivlieat 5OO do. Kalkafkias and Cahokia 63o 1790. At Grand Ruificau, village of St. Philip, and Prairie-du-rochers, $40 do. Total 72,820 In 1790, there were in the town of Vincennes about forty American families and thirty-one flaves; and on the Miffiffippi, forty American families and feventy-three flaves, all included in the above eftimate. On the Spanim or weftern fide of the Miffiffippi, there were in 1790, about 1800 fouls, principally at Gcnevieve and St. Louis. . FACE OF THE COUNTRY, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] To the remarks on thefe heads, mterfperfed in the defcription of the rivers, we will add fome obfervations from an ano- nymous pamphlet publifhed not long iince, which we prefume are the mofl authen- tic, reipecting the part of that country which has been purchafed of the Indians, of any that have been given. " The undiftinguifhed terms of .admiration that are commonly ufed in fpeaking of the natural fertility of the country on the weilern waters of the United States, would render it difficult, without accurate attention in the furveys, to afcribe a preference to any particular part; or to give a juit defcription of the territory under co nil deration, without tlie hazard of being fufpected of exaggeration : but in this we have the united * The tribes who inhabit this country are the Piantias, on both fides the MilTHTippi; the Cafquerafquia% on the Illinois; the Piankafhavvs and other tribes, on the Wabafli; the SUawaneie, on the Scioto; the Dela- wares, the Miamis, the Ouifcons,-Mafcontens, Sakies, Sioux, JMekekouakis, the 1'ilans, Fowtowatamis, Meflac.ues, Ottawas, Chnpewas, and V/iandots. The whole aiounung to the above number. 3 N opinion 45* TERRITORY N. W. OF THE OHIO. opinion of the geographer, the furveyors, and every traveller that has been intimately acquainted with the country, and marked every natural object with the moft Icrupu- lous exaportion- ments thereof fhall be made on the other States, and the taxes for paying their pro- portion, fhall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the diftrict, or diftricts, or new ftates, as in the original States, within the time agreed upon by the .United States in Cougrefs aflembled. The legiflatures of thofe diftricls, .or new .ftates fhall never interfere with the primary difpofal of the foil by the United "States, in Congrefs aflembled, nor with any regulations Congrefs may find neccfTary :for fccuring the title in 'fuch foil to the bona fide purchafers. No tax fhall be impofei on ilands -the property -of the United States ; and in no cafe ftiall non-relkleiit pro- prietors be taxed higher than rcfidcnts. The navigable waters leading into the Miflif- iippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the lame, lhali be common highways, and for ever free, as well to the inhabitants of the laid territory, as to the .dtizcns.of the United States, and thofe of any other States that may be admitted into vthe. confederacy, without any tax, impofl, or duty, therefor. " Article 5th. There fhall be formed in the 'laid territory, notlcls than three, nor more than five States ; and the boundaries of the States, as foon as Virginia lliall alter Iier aa of -ccflion, and confent to the fame, fhall become fixed and efiubliihed as follows, viz. The weitern State in the laid territory fhall be bounded on the Miffiilippi, 3 the TERRITORY N. W. OF THE OHIO; 465 the Ohio, and Wabafh rivers ; a direct line drawn from the Wabafh and Poft Vin- cents due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada, and by the laid territorial line to the lake of the Woods and the Miffiilippi. The middle State fliall be bounded by the faid dire<5t line, the Wabalh from Poll Vincents to the Ohio ; by the Ohio by a direct line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami to the faid territorial line, and by the faid territorial line. The eaftern State fhall be bounded by the lall-mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennfylvania, and the laid territorial line : Provided however, and it is further underftood and declared, that the boundaries of thefe three States fhall be fubjeft fo far to be altered, that if Con- grefs hereafter fliall rind it expedient, they fhall have authority to form one, or two ; State s, in that part of the faid territory which lies north of an eafl and weft line drawn through the foutherly bend or -extreme of Lake Michigan ; and when any of the laid States fliall have 60,000 free inhabitants therein, inch State fhall be ad- mitted by its delegates into the Congrcls of the United States, on an equal footing " with the original States in all rcfpects whatever; and fhall be at liberty to form- a permanent constitution and ftate government : Provided the conftitution and govern- ment Ib to be formed fliall be republican, and in conformity to the principles con- tained in thefe articles ; and fo far as it can be confident with the general intereft of the confederacy, fuch admiffion fliall be allowed at an earlier period,, and when there may be a lefs number of free inhabitants in the State than 60,000. " Article 6th. There fliall be neither flavery nor involuntary fervitude in the faid ' territory, otherwife than in the punifhment of crimes, whereof the party fliall have been duly convicted : Provided always, that any perfon efcaping into the fame, from whom labour or fcrvice is lawfully claimed in any of the original States, fuch fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed, and conveyed to the perfon claiming his or her' labour or fervice as aforefaid." Such is the prefent government of the Weflern Territory, and fuch the political obligations of the adventurers into this fertile and delightful part of the United States. In the ordinance of Congrcfs, for the government of this territory, it is provided, that after the faid territory acquires a certain degree of population, it fhall be di- vided into States. The eaftern State, that is thus provided to be made, is bounded on the Great Miami on the weft, and by the Pennfylvania line on the eafl. The center of this State will fall between the Scioto and the Hockhocking. At the mouth of one of thefe rivers will probably be the feat of government for this State ; and, if we may indulge the fublime contemplation of beholding the whole territory of the United States fettled by an enlightened people, and continued under one extended government, on the river Ohio, and not far from this fpot, will be the'feat of empire for the whole dominion. This is central to the whole ; it will befl accommodate every part ; it is the mofl pleafant, and probably the moft heakhM. The fettlement of this country has been checked, for feveral years paft, by the un- happy Indian war, an amicable termination of wiuch, it is ardently wifhed, might ipeedlly take place. SOUTHERN ( 464 ) r i SOUTHERN STATES. Yt:e THIRD, and much the large f GRAND DIVISION of the UNITED STATES comprehends MARYLAND, TERRITORY SOUTH of OHIO, VIRGINIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, and KKNTUCKY, OEORGIA. NORTH CAROLINA, THIS extennve division is bounded north by Pennfylvariia and the Ohio river ; weft by the Mifliflippi ; fouth by Eaft and Weft Florida ; eaft by the Atlantic ocean and the Delaware State. It is interfected in a N. E. and S. W. direction, by the range of Allegany mountains, which give rife to many noble rivers, which fall either into the Atlantic on the eaft, or the Mifliflippi on the weft. From the fea coaft, fixty, eighty, and in fome parts 100 miles back towards the mountains, the country, generally fpeaking, is nearly a dead level, and a very large proportion of it is covered, in its natural ftate, with pitch pines. In the neighbourhood of ftagnant waters, which abound in this level country, the inhabitants are lickly. In the back, hilly, and mountainous country, they are as healthy as in any part of America. This diftri6l of the Union contains upwards of one million nine hundred thoufand inhabitants, of whom 648,439 are flaves, which is thirteen fourteenths of the whole number of flaves in the United States. The influence of flavery has produced a very diftingui filing feature in the general character of the inhabitants, which, though now difcernible to their difadvantage, has been foftened and meliorated by the benign effects of the revolution, and the progrefs of liberty and humanity. The following may be conlidered as the principal productions of this tobacco, rice, indigo, wheat, corn, cotton, tar, pitch, turpentine, and lumber. In this diftrict is fixed the permanent feat of the general government. MARYLAND. SITUATION AND EXTENT.. Miles. Square Miles. 'Length 1341 , t 27 $6' and 20 44' N. Lat. Breadth lilt between T OP and 4 30' W. T - BOUNDARIES 1 T3 BUNDED north, by Pennfylvania ; eaft, by Delaware State and -" J-J the Atlantic ocean ; fouth and weft, by Virginia. ^ CIVIL DIVISIONS AND PoptfLATioN.] This State is divided into nineteen counties, u of which are on the Weftern, and eight on the Eajlem ihore of Chefapeak bay. Counties. M A R Y L A N D. Counties. No. Inhabitants. Counties. 'Hartford 14,976 -Cecil Baltimore *5>434 ! y Kent Do. Town &: Precincts o Queen Ann o Ann Arnndel 22,598 5/3 . Caroline c jr Frederick 35*"9 I S 1 Talbot 1/3 C. Allegany 4,809 o oJ Somcrfet 53 Wafhington 15,822 Dorchefter SF? Montgomery 18,003 ^Worcefter > Prince George 21,344 Calvert 8,652 Eaftern Shore Charles 20,613 Weftern Shore .St. Mar)''s I5>544 Inhabitants, 13,625 12,836 Total in the State Total 212,089 Number of Slaves iivthe State 103,036. 9,506 13,084 15,610 1 5^75 11,640 ' 107,639 212,089 319,728' Each of the counties fends four rcprefentatives to the houfe of delegates, befide> \vhich the city of Annapolis, and town of Baltimore, fend each two. BAYS AND RIVERS.] Chefapcak bay, as we have already hinted, divides this State into the eaftern and weftern diviftons. This bay, which is the largeft in the United States, was particularly defcribed in the general account of the United States. It affords many good fisheries, and is remarkable for the excellence of its crabs, and silfo for a particular fpecics of wild duck, called " canvas back." In a commercial view, it is of immcnfe advantage to the State ; it receives a number of large rivers. From the eaftern fhore in Maryland, among other fmaller ones, it receives Poco- znoke, Nantikokc, Choptank, Chefter, and Elk rivers. From the north, the rapid Sufquehannah ; and from the weft, Patapfco, Severn, Patuxent, 'and Patomak, half of \\hich is in Maryland, and half in Virginia. Except the Sufquchannah and Pato- mak, thefe arc fniall rivers. Patapfco river is but about thirty or forty yards wide at the ferry, juft before it empties into the bafon upon which Baltimore ftands ; its fource is in York county in Pennfylvania ; its courfe. is fouthwardly till it reaches Elkridge landing, about eight miles weft ward of Baltimore ; it then turns eaftward, in a broad bay-like ft ream, b) Baltimore, which it leaves on the north, and pafTes into the Chefa- pcak. The entrance into Baltimore harbour, abput a mile below Fell's Point, is hardly piftol fhot acrofs, and of courfe may be ealily defended againft naval force. Severn is a fhort, inconiiderable river, palling by Annapolis, which it leaves to the fouth, emptying, by a broad, mouth, into the Chefapeak. Patuxent is a larger river than the Patapleo ; it rile-- in Ann Arundel county, and runs fouth-eaitwardly, and then eaft into the bay, fifteen or twenty miles north of the mouth of Patomak. There are levcral fmaH rivers, fuch as Wighccc.omico, Eaft- ein Branch, Monocafy, and Concgocheague, which empty into Patomak river from, tlic Maryland lide. FACE OF THE COUNTR.Y, CLIMATE, SOIL, AN T D PKODUCTIOXS..] Eaft of the blue ridge of mountains, which ftretches acrofs the weileni part of this State, the land, like that in all the fouthcrn States, is generally level and free of ftones ; and ap] to have been made much in the fame way; of ccuric the foil muft be iimilar, and the natural growth not remarkably ditfcrcnt. 3 The 4 66 MARYLAND: 1 The ground is uniformly level and low in moft of the counties on the c.ftern and confcquently covered irv many places with flagnaut water, except w; terfeclcd by numerous creeks. Here alfo are large Iracts of marfh, which, d >e day, load the atmofphere with vapour, that falls in dew in the cloic of tlu and fail leafons, which are fickly. The fpring and fummer are molt healthy. The foil of the good land in Maryland is of fuch a nature and quality a t-. duce from twelve to iixteen bufliels of wheat, or from twenty ta thirty buih' .- >f Indian corn per acre. Ten bufhels of wheat, and. fifteen bufhcls of corn per acre, may be the annual average crops in the State at large. Wheat and tobacco are the Itaple commodities. Tobacco is generally cultivated in fete, by negroes, in the following manner : The feed is fown in beds of fine mould, and transplanted the beginning of May ; the plants are fet at the diitancc of three or four feet from each other, and are hilled and kept continually free of weeds,: when. as many leaves have fhot out as the foil will nourifh to advantage, the top of the plant is broken off, which prevents its growing higher : it is carefully kept clear of worms, and the fuckers, which put out between- the leaves, are taken off at proper times, till the plant arrives at perfection, which is in Augufl : when the leaves turn o a browniih. colour, and. begin to be fpottcd, the plant is cut down and. hung-up to dry, after having fweat in heaps one night. When it can be handled without, crumbling, which is alway in moift weather, the leaves are flopped from the flalk, and tied in bundles, and packed for exportation in hogfheads containing 800 or 900 pounds.. No fuckers nor ground leaves are allowed to be merchantable. An induftrious perfon may manage 6000 plants of tobacco, (which yield looolb.) and four acres of Indian. corn. bi the interior country, on the uplands, confiderable quantities of hemp and flax, are raited. As long ago as 175.1, in the month of October,^ no lefs than fixty wag- gons, loaded with flax-ieed, came down to Baltimore from the back country. Two articles are faid to-be peculiar to Maryland, viz. the genuine white wheat, which grows in Kent, Queen Ann's and Talbot counties, on the eaflern ihore, and which degenerates in other places, and the bright kite's foot tobacco, which is pro- duced at Elkridge, on the Patuxent, on the weltern fhore. Among other kinds of timber is the oak,, of feveral kinds, which is of a Itraight grain, and cafily rives into ftaves, for exportation. The black walnut is in demand for cabinets, tables, and other furniture. The apples of, this State are large, but mealy ; their peaches plenty and good : from thefe the inhabitants dittil cyder, brandy, and peach brandy. The forefts abound with mats of various kinds, which are collectively called weft ; on this maft vail numbers of fwine are fed, which, run wild in the woods : thcle fwinc, when fatted, are caught, killed, barrelled, and exported in great quantities. This traffic formerly was- carried, on to a very coniiderable extent ; Douglas fays, that " in the year 1733, which was a good malting year, one gentleman, a planter and merchant in Virginia, ialted up 3000 barrels of pork." POPULATION AND CHARACTER.] The population, of this State is exhibited in the foregoing table : by that it appears, that the number of inhabitants in the State, in- cluding the negroes, is 319,728, which is nearly twenty-three for every fquare mile. The inhabitants, except in the populous towns, live on their plantations, often feveral miles diflant from each other. To an inhabitant of the middle, and cfpecially of the eaitern States, which are thickly populated, they appear to live very retired and unfocial lives. The effects of tins comparative folitudc are Yifible in the countenances, as MARYLAND. , 4 6 7 5 well as in the manners and drefs of many of the country people. You obferve com- paratively litUc of that cheerful (pnghUine& of look and action, which is the invaria- ble and genuine offspring of loci al intercourfe ; nor do you find that attention paid to drefs which is common, and which decency and propriety have rendered neceflary among people \vho arc liable to receive company almoft every day : unaccu Homed, in a great mcafure, to frequent and friendly vifits they often fuffer too much negli- gence in their drels. As the negroes perlbrm all the manual labour, their mafters are left to fauntcr away life in lloth, and too often in ignorance. Thele obfervations, however, muft, in juftico, l>c limited to the people in the country, and to thoic parti- cularly whole poverty or parfimony prevents their fpcnding a part of their time in po- pulous towns, or ofherwife mingling with the world ; and with thefe limitations, they ay-ill equally apply to all the fouthern States, The inhabitants of the populous towns, and thole from the country who have intercourfe with them, are, in their manners and cuiloms, genteel and agreeable. That pride which grows on flavery, and is habitual to thofe who, from their in- fancy, arc taught to believe and to feel their fuperiority, is a vifible characterise of the inhabitants of Maryland ; but with this characleriftic we muft Rot fail to connect -that of hofpitality to ftrangcrs, which is equally univerfal and obvious. Many of the v. omen poffcfs all the amiable, and many of the elegant accomplishments of their fex. . The inhabitants are made up of various nations of many different religions fenfei- ments ; few general obfervations, therefore, of a characterifticai kind will apply-: it may be laid, however, with great truth, that they are in general very federal, and friends 4o good government. They owe little money as a State, and are willing and able to cli (charge their debts : their credit is very good ; and although they have fe great a proportion of fiaves, yet a number of influential gentlemen have evinced their huma- nity and their difpolition to abolifh fo difreputable a -traffic, by forming thenifelves into a, fociety for the abolition of negro flavery. CHIEF TOWNS.] A^NAJ*OLIS (city) is the capital of Maryland, and -the wealthicil town of its fize in America : it is fituatcd at the mouth of Severn river, on a healthy fpot, 30 miles fouth of Baltimore : it is a place of little note in the commercial world. The houfcs, about 2,60 in number, are generally large and elegant, indicative of great wealth : the number of inhabitants does -not exceed 2000. The defign of thofe whp .planned. the city was to have the whole in the form of a circle, with the ftreets like radii, beginning at the center where the 15tate Houle ftands ; .and thence diverging in every direction. The principal part of the buildings are arranged agreeably to this iiukward plan. The State Houfe is an elegant building. BALTIMORE has had the moft rapid:growth of any town-on the- continent, andis the fourth in iize and the fifth in trade in the United States.* It lies in latitude 39 2,1*, -on the .north fide of Patapfco river, around what .is called .the Bafon, in which the water, at common tides, is .about five or fix feet deep. Baltimore is divided into the town and Fell's point by a creek, over which are two bridges ; but the houfes extend, MI a -fparic lituation, from one to the other. At Fell's point the water is deep enough for ihips of burden ; but imall vellels only go up to the town. The fituation of the town .is low, and -as formerly .unhealthy ; but the increafe of houfes, and, of comic, of frn'oke, ihe tender, y of which is to deftroy or to difpel damp and imwholefomc vapours, and the improvements that have been made, particularly that of paving the lireets, have * -In point of fize the towns in the United States may be ranked in this order^ Philadelphia, New York, -Lofton, Baltimore^ C ikitovvn, &c. la point of trade, New York, Philadelphia, Boiton, Charleftown, 'Baltimore, -&C, 2 O 2 1'cndered 463 M A R Y L A N D. rendered it tolerably healthy. The hovrfcs were numbered in 1/87, and found to be 1955 ; about I 200 of which \vcrc in the town, and the roll at Fell's point : the prefent number is about 2300. The number of warchoufe,? and ftores is 164, and of churches nine, which belong to German Calvinifls and Lutherans, Epifcopalians, Prefbyterians, Roman Catholics, Baptifts, Methodifts, Quakers, Nicolites, or New Quakers. The number of inhabitants in the town and precincls, according to the cenfusof 1790, \vns 13,503. There are many very refpeclable families in Baltimore who live genteelly, are liofpitable to ftrangcrs, and maintain a friendly and improving intercourse with each oilier; but the. bjilk of the inhabitants, recently collected from almoft all quarters of the world, bent on the purfuit of wealth, varying in their habits, their manners and thHr religions, have yet their general character to form. Market-ftrect is the principal ftreet in the town, and runs nearly eaft and weft a mile in length, parallel with the water : this is crofled by feveral other iircets leading from the water, a number of which, particularly Calvert, South, and Gay-irreets, are w r ell built. North and eaft of the town the land riles and affords a fine profpecl of the town and bay. ' Belvidcra, the feat of Colonel Howard, exhibits a fine landfcape the town the point the fhipping, both in the bafon and at Fell's point the bay, as far as the eye can reach rifing ground on the right and left of the harbour a grove of trees on the declivity at the right a ftream of water breaking over the rocks at the foot of the hill on the left all confpire to complete the beauty and grandeur of the profpecl. GEORGETOWN ftands on the bank of the River Patomak, about 160 miles from its entrance into Chefapeak Bay. The ground on which it ftands is very broken, being a clnfter of little hills, which, though at prefent elevated confiderably above the furface of the river, were, probably, at fome former period overflowed, as at the depth of eight or ten feet below the furface marine fhells have been found. Dr. Martin con- cludes an account of the climate and difeales of this town, in the following words : " Upon the whole, Georgetown and its vicinity maybe conlidered as a healthy part of America ; and in any difputes about the propriety of the feat of the general govern- ment being fixed here, no objection can be urged againft it on account of its diieafes." FREDERICKTOWN is a fine fiourifhing inland town, of upwards of 300 houfes, built principally of brick and ftone, and moftly on one broad ftreet : it islituated in a fertile country, about four miles fouth of Catokton mountain, and is a place of coniiderablc trade : it has four places for public worjfihip ; one for Prefbyterians, two for Dutch Lu- therans and Calvinifts, and one for Baptifts ; befidesa public gaol and a- brick market- houfc. HAGARSTOWN is but little inferior to Fredericktown, and is iituatcd in the beautiful and well-cultivated valley of Conegocheague, and carries on a confiderable trade with the weflern country. ELLTON is lituated near the head of Chefapeak bay. on a fmall river which bears the name of the town. It enjoys great advantages from the carrying-trade between Baltimore and Philadelphia. The tides ebb and flow to this town. The city of WASHINGTON, in the -territory of COLUMBIA, was ceded, by the Sfates of Virginia and Maryland, to the United States, and by them eftablifhed as the feat of their government, after the year 1800. This city, which is now building, ftands at the junction of the rivers Patomak and the Eaftern branches, latitude 38' 53' north, extending nearly four miles up each, and including a tract of territory, exceeded, in point of convenience, falubrity, and beauty, by .none in America; for although the hnd in general appears level, yet, by gentle and gradual fwellings, a variety of elegant profpects are produced, and a fuffkient dcfcent formed for conveying 2 off M A R Y L A N D. 469 off the water occasioned by rain. Within the limits of the city arc a great number of excellent fprings ; and by digging wells, water of the belt quality may readily be had. Bcfides, the never-failing ftreams, that now run through that territory, may alfo be collected for the ufe of the city. The waters of Reedy branch and of Tiber creek may be conveyed to the President's houie. The fource of Tiber creek is elevated about 236 feet abo\*e the level of the tide in faid creek. The perpendicular height of the ground on which the capital is to ftand, is 78 feet above the level of the tide in Tiber creek : the water of Tiber creek may, therefore, be conveyed to the capital, and, after water- ing that part of the city, may be deitinedto other ufeful purpofes. The Eaftern branch is one of the fafeft and moft commodious harbours in America, being fufficiently deep for the largeft fhipsfor about four miles above its mouth, while the channel lies clofe along the bank adjoining the city, and affords a large and con- venient harbour. The Patomak, although only navigable for fmall craft, for a confi- derable diftance from its banks next to the city (excepting about half a mile above the junction of the rivers) will neverthelefs afford a capacious fummer harbour; as an im- menfe number of mips may ride in the great channel, oppoiite to and below the city. The lituation of this metropolis is upon the great poll road, equi-diftant from the northern and fouthern extremities of the Union, and nearly ib from the Atlantic and Pittiburg, upon the bcft navigation, and in the midft of a commercial territory, pro- bably the richeft, and commanding the moft extenfive internal refources of any in America. It has therefore many advantages to recommend it, as an eligible placfe for the permanent feat of the general government ; and as it is likely to be fpeedily built, and otherwile improved, by the public-fpirited enterprize of the people of the United States, and even by foreigners, it may be expected to grov, up with a degree of rapi- dity hitherto unparalleled in the annals of cities. The plan of this city appears to contain fome important improvements upon that of the belt planned cities in the world, combining, in a remarkable degree, convenience, regularity, elegance of profpcct, and a free circulation of air. The poiitions for the different public edifices, and for the feveral fquares and areas of different fhapes as they are laid down, were mil determined on the moft advantageous ground, commanding the moft extenlive profpects, and from their lituation, fufccptible of fuch improvements as either ufe or ornament may hereafter require. The Capitol will be lituated on a moft beautiful eminence, commanding a complete view of every part of the city, and of a confiderable part of the country around. The Prefident's houfe will ftand on a riling ground* polfeiving a delightful water profpcct, together with a commanding vicw of tlie Capitol, and the moft material parts of the city. Lines, or avenues, of direct communication, *have been deviled to connect the moft diftant and important objedts. Thefe tranfverfe avenues, or diagonal ftreets, are laid out on the moft advantageous ground for profpect and convenience, and are calculated not only to produce a variety f charming profpecls, but greatly to facilitate the communication throughout the city. North and fouth lines, mterfccted by others running due eaft and weft, make the dif- tribution of the city into ftreets, fquares, &c. and thofe lines have been fo combined as to meet at certain given points, with the divergent avenues, fo as to form, on the fpaces firjl detsrmlaed, the different icjuares or areas. The grand avenue?, and fuch ftreets as lead immediately to public places, are from 130 to 160 feet wide^ and may be conveniently divided into footways, a walk planted with trees on each fide, and a. paved way for carriage?. Theorljer ftreets are from 90 to no feet wide. In order to execute this plan, Mr. Ellicott drew a true meridional line by eel' oblcrvation, which paifes through the area intended for the Capiol. lhi< cr oiled 47* M A R Y L A N B. by angles by ariua: .-meat, leaving nothing to the unccr'.a? ity oi the compafs. MINES AND MAXUI-ACTLRES.] Mines of iron ore, of a f i-rior cjualiiy, abound in /y pails of the State. Furnaces for running this ore into ilgs and hollow ware, and - forges to refine pig iron into bars, are numerous, and worked H) great extent and profit. This is the only manufacture of importance carried on in the : :>tate, except it be that of \vhcat into flour and curing tobacco. \ T.H \DE.] The trade of M.irylandis principally carried on f cm Baltimore, with the t.'ther Suites, with the Weil Indies, and with fome parts of E >rope. To thele places they fend annually about 30,000 shogilicads of tobacco, be'-l-s large quantities of wheat, flour, pig iron, lumber, and corn; beans, pork, ? flax feed in fmaller quantities; and receive in return, clothing for theiTiUlvos a;.i. >. -grocs, and other dry -goods, wines, fpirits, fugars, and other Weft India commodities. The balance ia generally in their favour. The total amount of exports from Baltimore from O<$h i, Dols. Cts. 1789, to Sept, 30, 1790, was 2,027,777 64 Value of imports for the fame time .1,94.5,899 55 Exports from Oct. i, 1790, to Sept. 30, 1791 3,131,2,27 55 During the lail mentioned period, the quantity of wheat exported was 205,571 bumels ; Indian corn, 205,643 ditto ; buckwheat, 4, 286 ditto; peas, 10,619 ditto.; beiidcs 151,445 barrels of wheat flour ; 4,?325 ditto, Indian meal; 6,761 ditto, bread; and 3,104 kegs of crackers. RELIGION.] The Roman Catholics, who were the firft fettlcrs in Maryland, arc the moft numerous religious iec-l. Befides thefe, there are Protcllant Episcopalians, Engliih, Scotch, and Irifh Preibyterians, German Calvinilts, German Lutherans,- Friends, Baptills, Mcthodifts, Mennonifts, Nicolites., or new Quakers ; who all enjoy liberty of conference. SEMINARIES OF LEARNING, &c.] Wafhington academy, in Somcrfet county, was inftituted by law m 1779 : it was founded and is fupported by voluntary fubfcriptions p.nd private donations, and is authorized to receive gifts and legacies, and to hold 2000 acres of land. A fupplemcnt to the law, parlcd in 1 784, mcrealed the number of truf- tees from eleven to fifteen. In 1782, a college was inftituted at Clieflcrtown, in Kent county, and was honoured with the name of WASHINGTON COLLEGE, after Proficient Wafhingron. It is under the management of 24 vifitors or governors, with power to fupply vacancies and hold eftates, whofe yearly value fhall not exceed 6oool. current money. By a law enaclcd in 1787, a permanent fund was granted to this inftitution of 1250!. a year, currency, out of the monies arifing from marriage licentes, fines, and forfeitures on the Eaftern ihorc. St. John's College was inftituted in 1784, to have alfo 24 truftees, with power to .keep up the fuccelfion by fupplying vacancies, and to receive an annual income of 9000!. A permanent fund is afligncd this college, of 1750!. a year, out of the monies arifing from marriage licenfes, ordinary licenfes, fines and forfeitures, on the weitcrn fhore. This college is to be at Annapolis, where a building is now prepared for it. Very liberal fubfcriptions were obtained towards founding and carrying on thefe iemi- narics. The two colleges conftitute one univerfity, by the name of'" the Univcrfity of Maryland," whqreof the governor of the State for the time being is chancellor, and the MARYLAND. 47l tffe principal of one of them, vice-chancellor, either by feniority or by election, as may hereafter be provided for by rule or by law. The chancellor is empowered to call a meeting of the truitees, or a rcprelentation of fcven of each, and two of the members of the faculty of each, (the principal being one) which meeting is ftiled, " The Con* vocation of the Univeriity of Maryland," who are to frame the laws, prefcrvc unifor- mity of manners and literature in the colleges, confer the higher degrees, determine appeals, &c. The Roman Catholics have alfo erected a college at Georgetown, on Patomak river, for the promotion of general literature. In 1 785, the Methodifts initituted a college at Abingdon, in Harford county, by the name of Cokefbury College, after Thomas Coke, and Francis Afhbury, biihopsoftho Methodii! Kpifcopal Church, Tire college edifice is of brick, handfomely. built, on a healthy fpot, enjoying a fine air, and a very extenfive profpect. The ftudents, who are to confiit of the ions of travelling preachers; the fons of an* nual fubfcribers, the fons of the members of the Methodift fociety and orphans, arein+ firucted in Engliih, Latin, Greek, Logic, Rhetoric, Hiitory, Geography, Natural Philofophy and Aftronomy ; and whdn the finances of the college will admit,, they arc to be taught the Hebrew, French, and German languages. The college was erected and is fupported wholly by, fubfcription and. voluntary donations. The Itudents have regular hours for riiing, for prayers, for their meals, for ftudy, and for recreation : they are all to be in bed precifcly at nine o'clock. Their recrea- tions, (for they are to be " indulged in nothing which the world. calls play y ) are gar- dening, walking, riding, and bathing, without doors ; and within doorsj the carpen- ters, joiners, cabinet-makers, or turner's buiincfs. Suitable provifion is made for thefe feveral occupations, which are' to be coniidered, not as matters of drudgery and con- ftraint, but asplcaiing and healthful recreations both for the body and mind. Another of their rules, which, though new and iingular, is favourable to the health and vigour of the body and mind, is, that the ftudents ihali not fleep on feather beds but on mat-*- trefles, and each one by himfelf. Particular attention is paid to the morals and religion of the ftudents. There are a. few other literary inftitution?, of inferior note, in different parts of the State, and proviiion is made for free fchools in moit of the counties ; though fome are entirely neglected, and very few. carried on with any fuccefs ; fo that a great proportion of the lower clafs of people are ignorant ; and there are not a few who cannot writo their names* But the revolution, among other happy effects, has roufed the fpirit of education, which is fait fpreading. its falutary. influences over this- and- the other fouthern States. NATURAL CURIOSITIES.] There are feveral remarkable caves in the wcftern part cf this State, but particular and accurate descriptions of them have not been received. EXPENSES -OF GOVERNMENT AND TAXES?] The annual expenies of government are eftimated at about 20,000!. currency. The revenue ariies chiefly from taxes on real and perfoi>al property* CONSTITUTION.].. The legislature is compofed'of two diftinot branches, n.Senate and Houfe of Delegates, and 'filled, The General Aifembly of Maryland. The lenators^ are elected in the following manner : On the iirit of September, every fifth year, the freemen choofe t\vo men in each county to be electors of the fenate, and one elector for the city of Annapolis, and one for the town of Baltimore. Thefe electors muff have the' qualifications neceffary for county delegates ; they meet at Anna.- M A R Y L A N D. polls or furh other place, as fhall be appointed for convening o AT \ 70,000, Breadth 224 J 1 36 30 and 40 30' IS. Latitude J * n -i TJOUNDED north, by Maryland, part of Pennfylvania, and 1) Ohio river; weft,' by Kentucky; fouth, by North Carolina; and eaft, by the Atlantic ocean. * In the following dcfcriptron of ;his State the Author has mxde a free ufe of Mr Jeffcrfon's cekbratcd Hif- tory of Virginia. Printed for Mr, Stockdale, London. 3 P a CIVIL CIVIL DIVISIONS AND POPULATION;] This State is divided into eighty-two counties^ nnd by another diviiion into parifhes, which, with the number of inhabitants, accord- ing to the cenfus of 1790, arc mentioned in the following TABLE. r 'A rt bfi PQ I Counties; Ohio Monongalia Waihington Montgomery \ Wythe Botetourt Greenbriar Kanawa Hampfhire Berkley Frederick Shenandoah Rockingham AuguSla - Rockbridge Loudoun Fauquier Culpepper Spotfylvania Prange Louifa Goochland Flavania Albemarle Slaves. 28.1 Total . Buckingham Bedford Henry Pittfylvanja Halifax Charlotte Prince Edward Cumberland Powhatan Amelia i Nottaway J Luhcnburg Mecklenburg I. Bnmfwicfc 450 2087 454 2932 4250 772 122.2, 682 4030 664.2, 8226 5933 4421 4573 4656 1466 5579 4168 2979 5565 4816 3986 4434 43 2 5 11307 433^ 6762 6776 VIRGINIA, Counties. Slaves. tJ - GreenfVille -- 3620 Dinwiddie 7334 fc Chefterfield 74^7 t- - Prince George 45 J 9 Surry 397 T "* Suffex 5387 *Vl Southampton 5993 aO Ifle of Wight 3867 ft? ?: Nanfemond 3817 i Norfolk 5345 m . Princefs Ann ' 3202 ' " Henrico 5819 Hanover - - 8223 8 52 New Kent 3700 II Charles City 3141 ^ C< James City 2405 ItS Williamfburg 1 2760 t^ Warwick 99 ffi _ Elizabeth City 1876 I j r Caroline 10292 jS g ^ King William 5151 ' ] King and Queen 5H3 "H y % ~ i~< r>"" g 1 Eflex 5440 Middlefex 25.58 si /~i PQ rt pG U Glouceltcr 7063 o o " Fairfax 4574 Prince William 4704 43 S . Stafford 4036 CO O f" King George 4157 && .s " Richmond 39 8 4 PM T3 C Weftmoreland 4425 ^ Northumberland ] 4460 2 u Lancafler 3 2 :3 6 < ^ f Accomac 4262 ^ J: I Northampton 3^44 Tlie following are new counties : Counties. - Slaves. Campbell 2488 Franklin 1073 Harrifon 6 7 Randolph I 9 Hardy 3^9 Pendleton 73 Ruffell 190 Total amount . 292,627 The whole number of Inhabitants 477 Total Inhabitants. 6362 J 3934 14214 8i73 6227 10554 12864 9028 9010 7793 I2OOO '4754 6239 55i8 4070 1690 3450 17489 8128 9377 - 9122 4140 12320 11615 9588 7366 6985 7722 9163 5638 13959 6889 Total Inhabitants. 7685 6842 2080 95 * 733^ 2452 333 8 747,610 Kentucky, 478 VIRGINIA. Kentucky, whirh lill lately belonged to this State, contains 73,677 inhabitants, which added to 747,610, makes 821,287. In the year 1781, a very inaccurate cenfus was taken, feveral counties made no iv turn : but fupplying by conjecture the deficiencies, the population or* Virginia was then computed a-t 567, 6J4; the increaie then 45258,673, and is us 9 to 13 in tea years. The increafe f flaves, during thole ten years, has been lefs than it had been ob- ferved tor a century before. The rcnibn is, that about 30,000 Haves periihed with the fmall-pox or camp fever, caught from the British army, or went off with them while Lrd GornwaHia was roving over J;hat State. CLIMATE.] IH an cxtcniiv.e country, it will be expected that the climate is not the fame in all its parts. It is remarkable that, proceeding on the fame parallel of latitude weilcrly, the climate becomes colder in like manner as when you proceed northwardly. This cojitinucs io be the cafe till you attain the fuinniit of the Allegany, which is the highcft land between the ocean and the Miffiifippi. From thence, descending in the fame latitude to .the Mifliflippi, .the change reveries ; and, if we may believe travellers, it becomes wanner there than it is in the lame latitude on the lea lide. Their tcftimony is ft rcngthcned by the vegetables and animals which lubliit and multiply there natu- rally, and do not on the iea-roaft. Thus catalpas grow fpontaneouily on tl*e Mifliflippi, as far as the latitude of 37, and reeds as far as 38. Parroquets even winter on the Scioto, in the 39th degree of latitude. The fouth-weft winds, call of the mountains, are mofl predominant. Next to thefe, on the fea-coall, the. north-caft, and at the mountains, the north-weft winds prevail. The difference between thcfc winds is very great. The north-eaft is loaded with va- pour, infomuch that the fait manufacturers have found that their chryftals would not ihoot while that blows ; it occaiions a diftrcHing chill, and a heavinefs and dcprcfiion of the fpirits. The north-welt is dry, cooling, elaitic, and animating. The eaft and fouth-eaft breezes come on generally in the afternoon. They have advanced into the country very leiliibly within the memory of people now living. Mr. Jefferfon reckons the extremes f heat and cold to be 98 above, and 6 below o, in Fahrenheit's ther- mometer. That fluctuation between heat and cold, fo deftruclive to fruit, -prevails lefs in Vir- ginia than in Pcnnfylvania, in the fpring feafon ; nor is the overflowing of the rivers in Virginia fo cxtenfive or fo frequent at that feafon, as thole of the New England States; becaufe the fnows in the former do not lie accumulating all winter, to be dif- Iblved all at once in the fpring, as they do fometimes in the latter. In Virginia, be- low the mountains, fnow feldom lies more than a day or two, and feldom a week ; and iiie large rivers feldom freeze over. This fluctuation of weather, however, is fuf- iicicnt to render the winters and fprings very unwholelbmc, as the inhabitants have to walk in almoft perpetual flop. The months of June and July, though often the hotted, are the moft healthy in the year. The weather is then dry and lei's liable to change than in Auguft and September, when -the rain commences, and Hidden variations take place. On the fea coaft, the land is low, generally within twelve feet of the level of the fca, imerfectcd in all directions with fait creeks and rivers, the heads of which form fwamps and marfhes, and fenny ground, covered with water in wet feafons. The uncultivated lands are covered with large trees and thick underwood. The vicinity of the lea, and fait creeks and rivers, occafion a conftant moifture and warmth of the armc-fphere, fo that although under the fame latitude, 100 or 150 miles in the country, tleep fnows, and frozen rivers frequently happen, for a fhort feafon, yet here fuch oc- currences VIRGINIA. 47 tuvrences arc confidered as phenomena ; for thcfe reafons, the trees are often in bloom as early as the laft of February ; from this period, however, till the end of April, the inhabitants are incommoded by cold rains, piercing winds, and fharp frofts, which-, fubjccts them to the inflammatory dilca/es, known here under the names of pliurify and peripncumony. RIVERS AND CANALS.] An infpeclion of the map of Virginia will give a better idea of the geography of its rivers, than any description in writing. Their navigation may be imperfectly noted. Roaxofce, fo far as it lies within this State, is no where navigable, but for canoes, or light batteaux ; and even for thele, in fuch detached parcels as to have prevented the inhabitants from availing themfelves of it at all, James River, and its waters, afford navigation as follows t The whole of Elizabeth river, Jhe loweft of thofe which run into James river, is a harbour, and would con- tain upwards of 300 fhips. The channel is from 150 to 200 fathoms wide, and at common flood tide, affords eighteeen feet water to Norfolk. The Strafford, a lixty- guri fhip, went there, lightening herfelf to crofs the bar at Sowelfs Point. The Fier Rodrigue, pierced for iixty-four guns, and carrying fifty, went there without lighten- ing. Craney ifland, at the mouth of this river, commands its channel tolerably well. Nanfemond River is navigable to Sleepy Hole, for velfcls of 250 tons ; to Suffolk, for thofeof 100 tons ; and to Milncr's, for thofe of twenty-five. Pagan Creek affords eight or ten feet water to Smithfield, which admits veffels of twenty tons. CJ/Hktibo- winy has at its mouth a bar, on which is only twelve feet water at common flood tide. Veffels palling that, may go eight miles up the river ; thofe of ten feet draught may go four miles farther, and thofe of fix tons burthen twenty miles farther. dppamattox may be navigated as far as Broadways, by any veffel which has crofTed Harrilbn's bar in James river ; it keeps eight or nine feet water a mile or two higher up to Fifher's bar, and four feet on that and upwards to Peterfburg, \vhere all navi- gation ceaies. James River itlelf affords harbour for veffels of any fize in Hampton Road, but not in fafety through the whole winter ; and there is navigable water for them as far as Mulberry ifland. A forty-gun fhip goes to Jameftown, and, lightening herfelf, may pafs to Harrilbn's bar, on which there is only fifteen feet water. Veffels of 250 tons may go to Warwick ; thofeof 125 go to Rocket's, a mile below Richmond; from thence is about feven feet water to Richmond ; and about the center of the town, four feet and a half, where the navigation is interrupted by falls, which in a courfe of fix miles defcend about 80 feet perpendicular : above thele it is relumed in canoes and buttcaux, and is profecuted fafely and advantageoufly to within ten miles of the Blue Ridge ; and even through the Blue Ridge a ton weight has been brought ; and the expenfe would not be great, when compared with its object, to open a tolerable na- vigation up Jacklbn's river and Carpenter's creek, to within twenty-five miles of Howard's creek of Green Briar, both of which have then water enough to float vef- fels into the Great Kanhaway. In tome future fiate of population, it is poffible. that its navigation may alfo be made to interlock with that of Patorriak, and through that to communicate by a fhort portage with the Ohio, It is to be noted, that this river is called in the maps James river, only to its confluence with the Rivanha : thence to the Blue Ridge it is called the Fluvanna ; and thence to. it fource, Jackfon's river. But in common fpcech it is called James river to its fource. The Rivaiina, a branch of James river, is navigable fo^ canoes and batteaux to its intellection with the foutli-weft mountains, which i& about twenty-two miles ; and 2, may "VTRG'INTA. may enfily' be opened to navigation through thofc mountains, to its fork above Char- , -lottefvihV". Fork Rivsi-y at Yorktown, affords the "heft 'harbour in the State for veflrls of -the krgett lizc. The river there narrows to the width of a mile, and is contained withm very high banks, dote under which the veflHs may ride. It holds four fathom water at high tide for twenty-five miles above York to the mouth of Poropotank, where- the river is a mile and a half wide, and the channel only (eve.nty-ilve fathom, and paiTing under a high bank. At the confluence of Paimmkey and Mattapony, it is reduced to three fathom depth, which continues up Pamunkey to Cumberland, where the width is 100 yards, and up Mattapony to within two miles of Frazicr's ferry, where it becomes two and a half fathom deep, "and holds that about five miles. Pamunkey ; .js then capable erf navigation for loaded flats to Brockman''s bridge, firry -miles above Hanovertown, and Mattapony to Downer's bridge, feventy mi'les above its mouth. Piankalank, the little rivers making out of Mobjack Bay and thole of the Eaftern fhore, receive only very fmall vefTels, and thefe can but enter them. Rsppahannock affords four fathom water to Hobb's Hole, and two fathoms from thence to Fredcrickf- burg, no miles. Patomak is fevcn and a half miles wide at the mouth ; four and a half at Nomony Bay ; three at Aquia ; one and a half at Hallooing Point ; one and a quarter at Alex- andria. Its foundings are feven fathom at the mouth ; five at St. George's liland ; four and a half at Lower Matchodic; three at Swan's -Point, and thence up to Alex- andria ; thence ten feet water to the falls, which are thirteen miles above Alexandria. The tides in the Patomak are not very ftrong, 'excepting after} great rains, when the ebb is pretty flrong ; then there is little or no flood ; and there is never more than four or five hours flood, except with long and .ftrong fouth winds. The diftance from the Capes of Virginia to the termination of the tide water in this river is above 500 miles ; and navigable for fhips the greateft burthen, nearly that diftance.. From thence this river, obflracted by four confiderable falls, extends through a vaft tract of inhabited country towards its fource. Thefe falls are, ill, The Little Falls, three miles above tide water, in which diftance there is a fall of thirty-fix feet : 2d, The Great rafts, fix miles higher, where is a fall of fevcnty-fix feet in one mile and a quarter ; 3d, The Seneca Falls, fix miles above the former, which form ihort, irregular rapids, with a fall of about ten feet; and 4th, The Sheuandoah Falls, iixty miles from the 'Seneca, where is a fall of about thirty feet in three miles : from which laft, Fort Cumberland is about 120 miles difiant. The obfiructions which are oppofed to the navigation above and between thefe falls are of little conicquence. Early in the year 1785, the legiflatures of Virginia and Maryland parted acts to encourage opening the navigation of this river. It was eftimated that the expenfe of the works vwuld amount to 50,000!. fterling, and ten years were allowed for their completion. The prefident and directors of the incorporated company have fince lup- pofed that 45,000!. would be adequate to the operation, and that it will be accom- plifhed in a Inortcr period than was fiipulated. Their calculations are founded on the progrefs already made, and the fummary mode cfiablifhcd for enforcing the collec- tion of the dividends, as the money may become neceflary. According to the opinion of the prefident and direclors, locks * will be neceffary at jiomore than two places, the Great and the Little Falls ; fix at the former, and three at * A lock is a bafon placed lengthwife in a river or canal, lined with walls of mafonry on each fide, and terminated by two gates, placed where there i& a cafcade or natural fall of the country ; and ib conftru&ed, thai VIRGINIA. 48 r at the latter. At the latter nothing had been attempted in 1789. At the Creaf Falls, \\herc the difficulties were judged by many to be inlurmountable, the work is nearly or quite completed. At the Seneca Falls the laborious part of the bufinefs is entirely accomplilhcd, by removing the obftacles and making the defcent more gradual ; fo that nothing remained in 1 789 but to finifh. the channel for this gentle current in a workmanlike manner. At the Sbenandoah, where the river breaks through the Blue ridge, though a prodigious quantity of labour has been bellowed, yet the paiTage is not yet perfected. Such proficiency has been made, however, that an avenue for a partial navigation has been opened from Fort Cumberland to- the Great Falls, which are within nine miles of afhipping port* As foon as the proprietors fhall begin to receive toll, they will doubtlefs find an ample compenfation for their pecuniary advances. By an eftimate made many years ago, it was calculated that the amount, in the commencement, would be at the rate of 1 1,875!. Virginia currency, per annum. The toll mufi every year become more productive ; as the quantity of articles for exportation will be augmented in a rapid, ratio, with the incrcale of population and the cxtenfion of fettlements. In the mean time the effect will be immediately feen in the agriculture of the interior country ; for the multitude of horfes now employed in carrying produce to market, will then be ufedi altogether for the purpofes of tillage. But, in order to form juft conceptions of the utility of this inland navigation, it would be requifite to notice the long rivers which empty into the Patomak^ and even to take a furvcy of the geographical poiition of ther wejhrn waters. The Skcnandoab) \vhich empties juft above the Blue mountains, may, according to report, be made navigable, at a trirling expcnce, more than 150 miles from its con- fluence with the Patomak ; and will receive and bear the produce of the richeft part sf the State. Commiffioncrs have been appointed to form a plan, and to eftimate the expcnce of opening the channel of this river, if on examination it mould be found practicable. The South Branch, itill higher, is navigable in its actual condition nearly or quite 100 miles, through exceedingly fertile lands. Between thele on the Virginia ride are feveral fmallcr rivers, that may with eale be improved, fo as to afford a. pafiage for heat?. On the Maryland fide are the Monocafy, Antietam, and Conego- rhrague, fome of which pafs through the Stale of Maryland, and have their fourccs in Peiinfylvania. From Fort Cumberland, (or Wills' Creek) one or two good waggon roads may he had (where the diftance is laid by fome to be thirty- .five and by others forty miles) to- the Youghiogany, a large and navigable branch of the Monongaiielaj which laffc forms a junction with the Allegany at Fort Pitt. that the bafon being filled with water by an upper fluice, to the level of the waters above, a vefTelmay aKend 1 through the upper gate ; or the water in the lock being reduced to the level of the water at the bottom of the cafcade, the veflel may afcend through the lower gate ; for when the waters are brought to a level on-, either fide, the gate on that fide may be eahly. opened. But as the lower gate is {trained in proportion to the depth of water it lupports r when the perpendicular height of the water exceeds twelve or thirteen fee/, more locks than one become neceflary. Thus^ if the fall'be feventeen feet, two locks are requirec 1 , each havir.g- eigh: feet fall ; and if the fall be twenty -fix feet, three locks are nereirary, each having eight feet eight inches fall. The fide walls of the locks ought to be very ftrong. Where the natural foundation is bad, they fliotild be founded on piles, and platforms of wood4 they fhouid likewile Hope, outw aids, in order, to reuft.the j.ref- iuie of the earth behind. * The author has beendifappoiatcd in receiving an accouat of the-prcfent ftate of tha Virginia etna's raid: i.v^ ix Yemenis. 3 a But. i- r Si VIRGINIA. But., by pairing further up flw Patom:ik than Fort Cumberland, which may very cafily be clone, a portage hy a good waggon road to Cheat river, another large brancH of the Monongahela, can be obtained through a fpacc which loine lay is twenty, others twenty-two, others twenty five, and none more than thirty miles. "When we have arrived at cither of thele wcftcrn waters, the navigation through that immenfe region is opened by a thoutand directions, and to the lakes in leveral placc> by portages of lefs than ten miles ; and by one portage, it is atlbrtcd, of dot more than a iingle mile. Notwithstanding it was fnceringly faid by fome foreigners, at the beginning of this undertaking, that the Americans are fond of engaging in fplendid projects which they could never accomplifh ; yet it is hoped the fucccfs of this firft ciiay towards impro- ving their" inland navigation, will, in fome degree, refeue them from the reproach intended to have been fixed upon their national character, by the unmerited imputa- tion. The Great Kankawa is a river of conliderablc note for the fertility of its land, and ftill more, as leading towards the headwaters of James river. Neverthclcfs, it is doubtful whether its great and numerous rapids will admit a navigation, but at an cx- pence to which it will require ages to render its inhabitants equal. The great obltacles begin at what arc called the Great Falls, ninety miles above the mouth, below which are only five or fix rapids, and thefe pan 1 able, with fome difficulty, even at low water. From the falls to the mouth of Green Briar is 100 miles, and thence to the lead mines 1 20. It is 280 yards wide at its mouth. The Little Kanhuva is 1 50 yards wide at the mouth. It yields a navigation of ten mile? only. Perhaps its northern branch, called Junius' Creek, which interlocks with the weftern waters of Monongahela, may one day admit a fhortcr paflage from the latter into the Ohio. MOUNTAINS.] It is worthy notice, that the mountains are not folitary andfcattered coufu&dly over the face of the country ; but commence at about 150 miles from the fea coafi, are difpofed in ridges one oehind another, running nearly parallel with the Tea coaft, though rather approaching it as they advance north-eaftwardly. To the fouth-weft, as the tract of country between the tea coaft and the Miffiifippi becomes narrower, the mountains converge into a fingle ridge, which, as it approaches the Gulph of Mexico, fubfides into plain country, and gives rife to fome of the waters of that gulph, and particularly to a river called Apalachicola, probably from the Apala- chies, an Indian nation formerly refiding on it. Hence the mountains giving rife to that river, and feen from its various parts, were called the Apalachian Mountains, being in facl the end or termination only of the great ridges paffing through the Conti- nent. European geographers, however, extended the fame northwardly as far as the mountains extended ; fome giving it after their reparation into different ridges, to the Blue Ridge, others to the North Mountains, others to the Allegany, others to the Laurel Ridge, as maybe feen in their different maps. But none of thele ridges were <-vcr known by that name to the inhabitants, cither native or emigrant, but as they law them fo called in European maps. In the fame direction generally arc the veins of limc-fione, coal, and other minerals hitherto difcovcred ; and fo range the falls of the great rivers. .But the courfes of the great rivers are at right angles with thefe. James : but the diftant finifhing which nature has given to the picture, is of a very different character. It is a true contraft to the fore ground ; it is as placid and delightful, as that is wild and tremendous. For the mountain, being cloven afunder, prelents to the eye, through the cleft, a fmall catch of linooth blue horizon, at an infinite dif- tance, in the plain country, inviting you, as it were, from the riot and tumult roaring around, to pafs through the breach and participate of the calm below. Here the eye ultimately compofes itfelf; and that way too, the road actually leads. You crofs the Patomak above the junction, pafs along its fide through the bate of the mountain for three miles, its tcrmble precipices hanging in fragments over you, and within about twenty miles reach of Fredericktown and the fine country round that. This fcene is worth a voyage acrofs the Atlantic. Yet here, as in the neighbourhood of the Natu- ral Bridge, are people who hayc parTed their lives within half a ddzen miles, and have never been to furvey thcfe monuments of a war between rivers and mountains, which mult have ihakcn the earth itfelf to its center. The height of the mountains lias not yet been eftimated with any degree of exaclnefs. The Allegany being the great ridge which divides the waters of the Atlantic from thole of the Miffiffippi, its fummit is doubt lefs more elevated above the ocean than that of any other mountain. But its relative height, compared with the bafe on which it Hands, is not fo great as that of feme others, the country rifing behind the fuccefTive ridges like the fteps of flairs. The mountains of the Blue ridge, and of thcfe the peaks of Otter are thought to be of a greater height meafured from their bale than any others in Virginia, and perhaps in North America. From data, which may be found a tolerable conjecture, we fup- pofe the highell peak to be about 4000 feet perpendicular, which is not a fifth part of the height of the mountains of South America, nor one third of the height which would be ncceffary in our latitude to preierve ice in the open air unmelted through the year. The ridge of mountains next beyond the Blue ridge, called the North Mountain, is of the greatett extent ; for whieh reafon they are named by the Indians the Endtefs Mountains. The Oualioto mountains are fifty or lixt-y miles wide at the Gap. Thcfe mountains abound in coal, lime, and frec-ftone ; the fummits of them are generally covered with a good foil, and a variety of timber ; and the low, intervale lands are rich, and remar- kably well watered. FACE OF THE. COUNTRY, SOIL,. PRODUCTIONS, 8cc.~| The whole country below the mountains, which are about 150,. fome fay 200 miles from the fea, is level, andfeems from various appearances, to have been once wafhed by the lea. The land between York and James rivers is very level, and its furfacc about forty feet above high water. 3 Q. 2, mark.. 484 VIRGINIA. mark. It nppcnr*. from ohlrrvation, to have arifcn to its prefent height, at different period- fir dii'.int from each other, and that at thcie periods it was walhcd by the tea ; for near Y<>;k :i, where the banks arc perpendicular, you firil lee a fii\itum, iivt<*r- mixul with linali fi .]}- ivr-mbling a mixture of clay and land, and about five feet Ihiek ; ('ii ir. ; -> 1.. - horizontal}) , finall white fhclls, cookie, dam, &c. an inch or two thick ; then a hotly oi' earth fiimhir to that rirft mentioned, eighteen inches thick; then a layer of Shells and another body of earth ; on this a layer of three feet of \\hiic Hulls mixed with fand. on vhk:li lay a body of oyiter iheils fix feet thick, which were coverexl with earth to the furfacc. The oylier fhells are fo united by a very ftrong cement that 1hey fall, only \\hcn undermined, and th.cn in large bodies, from one to twenty tons \\eijilit. The\ Jiave the appearance of large rocks on thefhore.* r rhefe appearances continue ina greater or lefs degree in the hanks of James river, one hundred miles from the lea; the apjrearanees then vary, and the banks arc filled with lharks' teeth, bones of large and imall frfh petrified, and many other petrifac- tions, Ibme refembling the hones of land and other animals, other vegetable mbftances. Thefe appearances are not confined to the river banks, hut are feen in various places in gullies at coniiderable diilances from the rivers. In one part of the State for feventy miles in length, by linking a well, you apparently come to the bottom of what was formerly a watcrcourie. And even as high up as Botetourt county, among the Alle- gany mountains, there is a tract of land, judged to be 40,000 acres, iurroundod on every lide by mountains, which is entirely covered with oyiter and cockle fhells, and, from fomc gullies, they appear to be of confiderable depth. A plantation at Day's Point, on James river, of as many as 1000 acres, appears at a dillance as if covered with fnow, but on examination the white appearance is found to arife from a bed of clam fhells, which by repeated plowing have become ne and mixed with earth. The foil below the mountains feems to have acquired a character for goodncfs which it by no means deferves. Though not rich it is well fuited to the growth of tobacco and Indian corn, and parts of it, for wheat. Good crops of cotton, flax, and hemp are alfo raited ; and in Ibme counties they have plenty of cyder, and exquifite brandy, .diftilled from peaches, which grow in great abundance upon the numerous rivers of the Chcfapeak. The planters, before the war, paid their principal attention to the culture cf tobacco, of which there ufed to be exported, generally, 55,000 hogfheads a year. Since the revolution tliey are turning their attention more to the cultivation of wheat, Indian corn, barley, flax, and hemp. It is expected that this State will add the article of rice to the lift of her exports ; as it is fuppolbd a large body of fwamp, in the eafternmofl counties, is capable of producing it. Horned or neat cattle are bred in great numbers in the weftern counties of Virginia, as well as in the States fouth of it, where they have an cxtenlivc range, and mild winters, without any permanent mows. They run at large, are not houfcd, and multiply very fart. " In the lower parts of the State a difeafe prevails among the neat cattle which proves fatal to all that are not bred there. The oxen, from the more Northern States, which were employed at the fiege of Yorktown, in October 1781, almoft all died, fometimes forty of them in a night, and often fuddenly dropped down dead in the roads. It is faid' that the feeds of this difeafe were brought from the Havannah to South Carolina or Georgia in fome hides, and that the difeafe has pro- grefled northward to Virginia. Lord Dunmore imported fomc cattle from Rhode Ifland, and kept them confined in a fraall pafture, near his feat, where no cattle had been for ibme * General Lincoln. VIRGINIA. .o, 45 , fome years, and wlicrc they could not intermix with other cattle, and yet they 'uon d; .-rcntlcmen, b' :ng fond of pleafure, have, taken much pains to raife a ^ood d of faeries, and have furcoedcd in it beyond any of the States*' They will g^c -1. iVriing for a good Iced horfe. IJorfc-racing has had a great tendency to encQU- cding of" good horJcs, as.it affords an opportunity of putting them to the trial of their fpeed. They are more elegant, and will perform more ibrvicc, than ti-'j liorfes of the northern States. Vi intelligent gentleman, an inhabitant of Virginia, informs, that caves among the mountains have lately been diicovcred, \\hirh yield fait pctre in fuch abundancc,that he iudgr-s 500.000 pounds of it might be collected 'from them annually. This State does not abound with good lifh. Sturgeon, fhad, and herring are the mutt plenty; ' pearch, ihccpihead, drum, rock fifh, and trout are common; betides thefe they have oylters in abundance, crabs, fhrimps, &c. CASCADES, CURIOSITIES, AND CAVKKXS.] The only remarkable cafcade in this State is that of Falling Spring, in Auguiia. It is a water of James river, where it is called Jacklbn's river, riling in the warm fpring mountains about twenty miles fouth- weft of the warm fpring, and flowing into that valley. About three quarters of a mile from it> iburce, it falls over a rock t\vo hundred feet into the valley below. The fheet of water is broken in its breadth by the rock in two or three places, but not at all in its height. Between the Ihect and rock, at the bottom, you may walk acrofs dry. This cat.u\u> will bear no companion with that of Niagara^ as to the quantity of water Cdmpolidg it ; the theet being only twelve or fifteen feet wide above, and' Ibmewhat more fpread below ; but it is half as high again. In the lime-Hone country, there are many caverns of very considerable extent. Tfyc moft noted is called Madifon's cave, and is on the north fide of the Blue ridge, near the interfcction of the Rockingham and Augutta line with the fouth fork of the fouth- crn river of Shenandoah. It is in a hill of about two hundred feet perpendicular height, the afcent of which, on one fide, is fo fteep that you may pitch a bifcuit from its fummit into the river which wafhes its bafe. The entrance of the cave is, in this fide, about two thirds of the way up. It extends into the earth about three hundred feet. branching into fubordinate caverns, fometimes afcending a little ; but more generallv defcending, and at length terminates in two different places, at batons of water oV unknown extent, and which appear to be nearly on a level with the water of the river. It is probably one of the many refervoirs with which the interior parts of the earth an fuppofed to abound, and which yield fupplies to the fountains of water, diftinguifhed from others only by its being acceifible. The vault of this cave is of folid lime-ftone, from twenty to forty or fifty feet high, through which water is continually exudating. This, trickling down the fides of the cave, has incruited them over in the form of elegant drapery ; and dripping from the top of the vault, generates on that, and on the bafe below, itala&ites of a conical form, fomc of which have met and formed ma (live columns. Another of thefe caves is near the North Mountain, in the county of Frederick - The entrance into this is on the top of an extenfivc ridge. You defcend thirty or forty feet, as into a well, from whence the cave then extends, nearly horizontally, four hundred feet into the earth, preferring a breadth of from twenty to fifty -feet, and a height of from five to twelve feet. After entering this cave a few feet, the mercuryy -which in the open air was at 50, rofe to 57 of Fahrenheit's thermometer. / <.i * General Lincoln. 4 85 V I R G I N I A. At the Panther gap, ii> the ridge which divides the waters of the Cow and the Calf pafhire, is what is palled the Blowing Cave. It is in the fide of a hill, is of about one hundred feet diameter, and emits coftantly a current of air of fuch force, as to keep the. weeds proltrate to the difrance of twenty yards before it. This current is ftrongcft in dry frofty weather, and in long fpells of rain wcakefl. Regular infpirations and expirations of air, by caverns and failures, have been probably enough accounted for, by luppofing them combined with intermitting fountains, as they mull of courfe inhale the air while the refervoirs are emptying thcmfclvcs, and again emit it while they are fillin^. But a confiant ifTneof air, only varying in its force as the weather is drier or damper, will require a new hypothecs. There is another blowing cave in the Cum- berland mountain, about a mile from where it croffes the Carolina line. All we know of this is, that it is not conftant, and that a fountain of water ifTues from it. The Natural Bridge is the moft fublimc of nature's works. It is on the afcent or" a hill, which feems to have been cloven through its length by fomc great convullion. The fiiiurc, juil at the bridge, is by fome admeafurements, two hundred and fevcnty feet deep, by others only two hundred and five. It is about forty-five feet wide at the bottom, and ninety feet at the top ; this of courfe determines -the length of the bridge, and it* height from the water. Its breadth in the middle is about fixty feet, but more at the ends, and the thicknefs of the mafs at the fummit of the arch about forty feet. A part of this thicknefs is conftituted by a coat of earth, which gives growth to many large trees. The relidue, with the hill on both fides, is folid rock of lime-ftone. The arch approaches the femi-elliptical form ; but the larger axis of the ellipfis, which would be the cord of the arch, is many times longer than the tranfverfe. Though the lides of this bridge are provided in fome parts with a parapet of fixed rocks, yet few men have relblution to walk to them and look over into the abyfs. You involuntarily fall on your hands and feet, creep to the parapet and peep over it. If the view from the top be painful and intolerable, that from below is delightful in an equal extreme. It is impoffiblc for the emotions arifing from the fublime, to be felt beyond what they arc here : lo beautiful an arch, fo elevated, fo light, and fpringing as it were up to 'Heaven, the rapture of the fpcclator is really indefcribable ! The fiflurc continuing narrow, deep, and flraight, for a confidcrable diitance above and below the bridge,, opens a ihort but very pleafing view of the North mountain on one fide, and Blue Ridge on the other, at the dilrancc each of them of about five miles-. This bridge is in the county of Rockbridge, to which it has given name, and affords a public and commodious pafiage over a valley, which cannot be croifed eltewhere fora conliderablc di fiance. The fiream pa fling under it is called Cedar Creek. It is a water of James river., and fufrieient in the drieft feafons to turn a grift mill, though its fountain is not more than two miles above.* There is a natural bridge fimilar to the above over k Creek, a branch of Pe.lelbn river, in Warning-ton county. MIXES AND MINERALS.] Virginia is the moft pregnant with minerals and fofiils. of any State in the Union. A (ingle lump of gold ore has been found, near the falls of Kappa Inn mock river, which yielded 17 dwt. of gold, of extraordinary ductility. KG ether indication of gold ha- been ditcovcrcd in its neighbourhood. On* the- great K;mhawa,. op;umte to the mouth of Cripple Creek, a-nd alfo- about fA e:ity-iiv.e miles from the ibulhern boundary of the- State, in the county of Montgo- * Don Ulloa -me nribns a break, fimiliir to this, in the province of Angaraez, in South America. It is from iixtcen to twenty >two feet w'u'e, one hundred and eleven deep, and of one mile aad.lhree quarters continuance, Jtogiifli meafure. Its breadth at top is not ienfibly greater than at bottom. n er V I R G I N I A. mm-, arc mines of lead. The metal is mixed, ibiuctimcs with earth, and \vilh rock, which requires the force of gunpowder to open it ; and is accompanied with a portion of lilver, too frnall to be worth fqniration under any procefs hitherto attempted there. The proportion yielded is from 50 to Soil.-, of pure metal from 100 Ib. of wa fried ore. The moft common is that of 'o to the 100 Ib. The veins are at fonic- times mo ft flattering; at others they dilappcar fuddenly and totally. Tkey enter die fide of the hill, and proceed horizontally. T\vo of them have been wrought by the public. Thefe would employ about fifty labourers to advantage. Thirty men, who have at the fame time railed their own corn, have produced fixty tons of lend in the year ; but the general quantity is from twenty to twenty-five tons. The prefent furnace is a mile from the ore bank, and on the oppofitc fide of the river. The ore is firit waggoned to the river, a quarter of a mile, then laden on board of canoes and carried acrofs the river, which is there abouKtwo hundred yards wide, and then again taken into waggons and carried to the furnace. This mode was originally adopted, that they might avail thcmfelvcs of a good fituation on a creek, for a pounding miil ; but it would be eafy to have the furnace and pounding mill on the fame fide of the river, which would yield water, without any dam, by a canal of about half a mile in length. From the furnace the lead is transported one hundred and thirty miles along a good road, leading through the peaks of Otter to Lynch V ferry, or Winfton's, on James river, from whence it is carried by water about the fame di fiance to Wcftham. This land carriage may be greatly fhortened, by delivering the lead on James river, above the Blue Ridge, from whence a ton weight has been brought in two canoes. The Great Kanhawa has ronfiderable falls in the neighbourhood of the mines. About fevcn miles below are three falls, of three or four feet perpendicular each : and three miles above is a rapid of three miles continuance, which has been compared in its dcfcent to the great fall of James river ; yet it is the opinion, that they may be laid open for ufeful navigation, jfo as to reduce very much the portage between the Kanhawa and James river. A mine of copper was opened in the county of Amherft, on the north lide of James river, and another in the oppofite county, on the fouth fide. However, either from bad management or the poverty of the veins, they were difcontinued. A few years ago there were fix iron mines worked in this State. Two of them made about one hundred and fifty tons bar iron each ; the others made each from fix hundred to one thoufand fix hundred tons of pig iron annually. Beficlcs thefe, a forge at Fredericktburgh, made; about three hundred tons a year of bar iron,vfrom pigs imported from Maryland ; and a forge on Neapfco of Patomak, worked in the fame way. The indications of iron in other places are numerous, and difperfed through all the middle country. The tough- ncfs of the call iron of ibme of the furnaces is very remarkable. Pots and other utenlils, raft thinner than ufual, of this iron, may be fafely thrown into or out of the waggons in which they are tranfported. Salt pans made of the fame, and no longer wanted for that pnrpofe', cannot be broken up in order to be melted again, unlcfs previoufly drilled ill manv parts. Jn the weltern part of the State we arc ^old of iron mines on Chcfniit Creek, a branch of the Great Kanhawa, near where it crofles the Carolina line; ai;d in other places. Considerable quantities of black lead are taken occasionally for ufc from Winterham, in the county of Amelia. There is no work cftablifhcd at :r, thole who want, going and procuring it fur thcmfelves. . *. The country on both fides <>f James river, from fifteen to twenty miles above Rich- mond, and for kvcral miles northward and fouthward, is replete with mineral coal or- V I R G I N I A. . of a very excellent quality. Being in the hands of many proprietors, pits have been- opened, and worked to an extent equal to the demand. The pits which have been opened lie 150 or 200 feet above the bed of the river, and have been very little incom- moded with water. The firft difoovery of the coal is laid to have been -made by a boy, digging after a cray-fifh ; it has alfo been -found on the bottom of trees blown up. In many places it lies within three or four feet of the furface of the ground. It is conjec- tured that 500,000 bufhels might be railed from one pit in i z months. In the wcftern country, coal is known to be in fo many places, as to have induced an opinion, that the whole tract between the Laurel Mountain, Miffiffippi, and Ohio, yields coal. It is alfo known in many places on the north lidc of the Ohio. The coal at Pittsburgh is of a very fupcrior quality : a becfof it at that place has been on fireiince the year 1765. Another coal hill on the Pike Run of Monongahela has been on fire ten years ; yet it has burnt away about 20 yards^nly. I have known one inltance, fays Mr. JefFerfon, of an emerald found in this coun- try. Amcthyfts have been frequent, and chryftals common ; yet not in fuch numbers any of them as to be worth feeking. There is very good marble, and in very great abundance, on James river r at the mouth of Rockfifh : fome white and as pure as one might expect to find on the fur- face of the earth; but generally variegated with red, blue, and purple.. None of it has ever been worked : it forms a very large precipice, which hangs over a navigable part of the river. But one vein of limc-ftone is known below the Blue Ridge : its firil appearance is in Prince William, two miles below the Pignut ridge of mountains ; thence it paffes on nearly parallel with that, and croffes the Rivanna about five miles below it, wliere it- is called the South-weft Ridge : it then crofTes Hardware, above the mouth of Hud- fon's creek, James river, at the mouth of Rockfifh,, at the marble quarry before fpoken of, probably runs up that river to where it appears again at Rofs's iron works, and fo paffes off fouth-wefhvardly by Flat creek of Otter river : it is never more than 100 yards wide. From the Blue ridge weft war dly the whole country feems to be founded on a roek of lime-ftone, befides infinite quantities on the furface, both loofe and fixed: this is cut into beds-, which range, as the mountains and fea coaft do, from fouth-weft to north-eaft. MEDICINAL SPRINGS.] There are feveral medicinal fprings. fome of which are indu- bitably efficacious, w : hile others leem to owe their reputation as much to fancy, and change of air and regimen, as to their real virtues. None of them have undergone a, chemical analyfis inlkilful hands, nor beenfo far the fubject of obfervations as to have produced a reduction into claries of the diforders which, they relieve ;. it is in my power. to give little more than an enumeration of them. The moft efficacious of thefe are two fprings in Augufta, near the fources of James river, .where it is called Jackfon's river. They rife near the foot of the ridge of moun- tains, generally called the Warm fpring mountain, but in the maps Jaeklon's moun- tains. The one is diftinguifhed by the name of the- Warm, Spring, and the other of the Hot Spring. The warm fpring iffues with a very bold ftream, fufficient to work a grift mill, and to keep the waters of its bafon, which is 30 feet in diameter, at the \itaj. warmth, viz. 96 of Fahrenheit's thermometer. The matter with which thefe waters is allied is very volatile ; its fmell indicates it to be fulphureous, as alfo docs the cir- cumftance of turning filver black : they relieve rheumatifms : other complaints alib of very different natures have been removed or leflened by them. It rains here four or live days in every week. V 1 R G I N 1 V 489 The hot fpring is about fix miles from the warm, is much fmaller, and has been fo hot a> to have boiled an egg. Some believe its degree of heat to be leffencd : it railes the mercury in Fahrenheit's thermometer to 1 1 2 degrees, which is fever heat : it fome- times relieves where tiie warm fprir;T fails. A fountain of common water, ifluing within a few inches of its margin, ) Hollron. - may be mentioned, the Natural Well on the lr.i.-d> of a Mr. Lewis, in c-rick county : it- i< ibmc-.vhat larger than a - onunon \\e\\ : the water riles in it as near the furface of the c :i the neighbouring* artificial wells, and is of a depth as .:. It is ia .rrent in it : : .bly downwards ; it" this ue, it probably feeds ibme fountain, of which it is the natural relervoir, diltin- troin others, like tl : idiiua's cave, by being acceiiibk : it U ulcd with a. bueket and windlafs* as an ordinary well. POPULATION.] See table. MILITIA.] Ever}- able-bodied freeman, bet-ween the ages of 16 and 50, is enrolled in the militia. Thofe of every county are formed into companies, and thele again into one or more battalions, according to the numbers in the county : they are commanded by colonels, and other fubordinate officers, as in. the regular lev vice. In every county is a county lieutenant, who commands the whole militia in his county, but ranks only as a colonel in the field. They have no general officers always exifring : thefe are ap- pointed occasionally, when an invasion or inlurrection happens, and their commiifion determines with the occalion. The governor is head of the military as well as civil power. The law requires even* militia-man to provide himlclf with the arms ufual in- the regular fervice. But this injunction was always indifferently complied with, and the arms they had have been fo frequently called for to arm the regulars, that in the lower parts of the country they are entirely difarmed. In the middle country a fourth or fifth part of them may have fuch firelocks as they had provided to deitroy the noxious animals whieh infefl their fkrms ; and on the weftern fide of the Blue Ridge they are generally armed with- rifles. The interlection of Virginia, by lo many navigable rivers, renders it alrnoft incapa- ble of defence : as the land will not lupport a great number of people, a force cannot 1oon be collected to repel a ilidden invalion. If the militia bear the fame proportion to the number of inhabitants now, as in 1782,, they amount to about 63.ooc. CHIEF TOWNS.] They have no townfhips in this State, nor any towns of confe- quence, owing probably to the interlection of the country by navigable rivers, which brings the trade to the doors of the inhabitants, and prevents the neceifity of their going . HI quell of it to a diitance. T.LIAMSBURI.H, which till tlie year 1780 was the teat of government, never con- d above 1800 inhabitants, and Norfolk, the moft populous town they cvrr had in Virginia, contained but 6000. The to\vns_, or more properly villages or liamlete, . are as follow- On James river and its waters Norfolk, Portimoirth, Hampton, Suffolk, Smith- field, \V~ilHamlburg, Peterfburg, Richmond,, the leat of government. iSJanch Charlottefville, Nev.- Lx>ndon. On York river and its waters, York, Newer; Hanover. On Rappahannock, Urbanna, Port Roral. Frederickiburg, Falmouth. C>n Patomak and its waters, Dumfries, Colchelter, Alexandria, Winchefter, Staunton. There are places at which, like fome of the foregoing, the laws have laid there fha be towns, but nature has faid there thall not; and they remain unworthy of enume- ration. Norfolk will probably become the emporium for all the trade of the Chefapealc .ind its waters; and a canal of eight or ten miles, which is contemplated, an will probably foon be completed, will bring it to all that of Albemarle found and waters. Secondary to this place, are the towns at the head of the tide w-aters, to wi Peteriturg on Appamattox, Richmond on James river. Newcastle on York river, F derickibu VIRGINIA. 491 vkfickfburgh on Rappahannock, and Alexandria on Patomak. From thefe the diitri- bution will be to fubordinate fituations of the country. Accidental circumflanccs how- ever m:>.y c-ontrol the indications of nature, and in no in dances do they do it more frequently than in the rife and fall of towns. To the foregoing general account, we add the following more particular dc~ feriptions : ALEXANDRIA ftands on the fouth bank of Patomak river in Fairfax county : its fitu- ation is elevated and pleafant ; the foil is clay. The original fettlers, anticipating its future growth and importance, laid out the itreets upon the plan of Philadelphia. It contains about 400 houfes, many of which arc handfomely built, and nearly 3000 in- habitants. This tovsn, upon opening the navigation of Patomak river, and in confe- quencc of its vicinity to the city of Wafhington, will probably be one of the moft thriving commercial places on the continent. MOUNT YKRNOX, the celebrated feat of Proficient Wafhington, is plcafantly fituated on the "Virginia bank of the river Patomak, where it is nearly two miles wide, and is about 280 miles from the lea, and 127 from Point Look-out, at the mouth of the river. It is nine miles below Alexandria, and four above the beautiful feat of the late Colonel Fairfax, called Bellevoir. The area of the mount is 200 feet above the furface of the river, and, after furnifhing a lawn of five acres in front, and about the fame in rear of the buildings falls off rather abruptly on thofe two quarters. On the north end it fub~ lides gradually into extenlive paiture grounds ; while on the fouth it flopes more lleeply in a fhorter diftance, and terminates with the coach-houfe, iiablcs, vineyard, and mirferics. On cither wing is a thick grove of different flowering forefi trees. Parallel with them, on the land fide, are two fpacious gardens, into which one is led by tsvo ferpentine gravel walks, planted with weeping willows and ihady fhrubs. The manfion houfe itfelf (though much embellifhcd by, yet not perfectly fatisfaclory to the chafie tafic of the prefent pofFeffor) appears venerable and convenient. The fiiperb banquetting room has been finifhed fince he returned home from the army. A lofty portico, 96 feet in length, fupported by eight pillars, has a pleafing effect when viewed from the water ; the whole affemblage of the grecn-houfe, fchool houle, offices and Icrvants' halls, when feen from the land fide, bears a refemblance to a rural vil- lage ; especially as the lands on that fide are laid out fomewhat in the form of Englifh gardens, in meadows and grafs grounds, ornamented with little copfcs, circular clumps, and fingle trees. A fmall park on the margin of the river, where the Englifh fallow- alace-: all of them extivin^ly indiifercnt. In the eapitol is a large mar- ble ftatue, in the liki ncis of Narl>Qne Berkley, Lord Botetourt, a man difiinguiflicd Lr his IDVC of pic . , ami good.gowsnimeiit, aiicl formerly governor of Vir- It is aiTer^td, r.- ..bted feft, by a ininnber of gentlemen well acquainted with this tow-n, that, \M . .i.U only bora iii it had arrived to manhood, and he \vas a cripple." ginia.: VIRGINIA. 495 ginia : it was erected at the expenfe of the State, fome time fince the year 1771. The capitol is little better than in ruins, and this elegant ilatue is expofed to the rudenefs of negroes and boys, and is ihamefally defaced. Every thing in Williamfburgh appears dull, forfaken, and melancholy ; no trade ; no amufcmcnt, but the infamous one of gaming ; no induflry, and very little appear- ance of religion. The unprofperous ftate of the college, but principally the removal of the feat of government, have contributed much to the decline of this city. YOKKTOWN-, 13 miles eaftward from Williamfburgh, and 14 from Monday's point at the mouth of the river, is a. place of about 100 houfes, fituated on the fouth fide of York river, and contains about 700 inhabitants. It was rendered famors by the cap- ture of Lord Cornwallis and his army, on the i9th of October, 1781, by the united forces of France and America. COLLEGES, ACADEMIES, 8cc.] The college of William and Mary was founded in the time of King William and Queen Mary, who granted to it 20,000 acres of land, and a penny a pound duty on certain tobaccos exported from Virginia and Maryland, which had been levied by the ftatute of 25 Car. II. The afTembly alfo gave it, by temporary laws, a duty on liquors imported, and fkins and furs exported. From thefe refources it received upwards of 3000!. The buildings are of brick, fufficient for an indifferent accommodation of perhaps i oo ftudents. By its charter it was to be under the govern- ment of 20 vifitors, who were to be its legiflators, and to have a prefident and fix pro- felTors, who were incorporated : it was allowed a reprefentative in the General Affembly. Under this charter, a profefTorfhip of the Greek and Latin languages, a profelforfhip of mathematics, one of moral philofophy, and two of divinity, were efta- blifreJ. To thefe were annexed, for a iixth profelTorfhip, a confiderable donation by a Mr. Boyle of England, for the inftruction of the Indians, and their converfion to Chriilianity : this was called the profelTorfhip of Brafferton, from an eflate of that name in England, purchafed with the monies given. The admiffion of the learners of Latin and Greek filled the college with children : this rendering it difagreeable and de grading to young gentlemen already prepared for entering on the fcicnees, they were difcouraged from rcibrting to it, and thus the fchools for mathematics and moral phi- lofophy, which might have been of fome fervice, became of very little. The revenues too were exhausted in accommodating thofe who came only to acquire the rudiments of fciencc. After the prefent revolution,, the vifitors having no power to change thofe circumflances in the confHtution of the college which were fixed by the charter, and being therefore confined in the number of profefforfhips, undertook to change the ob- jects of the profefforfhips. They excluded the two ichools for divinity, and that for the Greek and Latin languages, and iubtlituted others; fo that at prelent the) fhuid thus A profeiforfhip for law and police ; anatomy and medicine ; natural philofophy and mathematics ; moral philofophy, the law of nature and nations, the line arts ; mo- dern languages ; for the Brafrcrton. Meafures have been taken to increafe the number of profefforfhips, as well for the purpofe of iubdividing thofe already inftituted, as of adding others for other branches of fcience..' To the profefTbrfhips ufually eftablifhcd in the universities of Europe, it would teem proper to add one for the ancient languages and literature of the north, on account of their connection with our own language, laws, cuftoms, and hiftory. The purpoles of the Brafferton inflitution would be better anrwered by maintaining a per- petual million among the Indian tribes, the object of which, befides infracting them in the principles of Cliriftianity, as the founder requires, fhould be to collect their tra- ditions, Li\Yt> cuiioms, languages, and other circumftances which might lead to a difcovery VIRGINIA. dilcovery of their relation to one another, or defcent from other nations. When thcic objects arc accomplifhed with one tribe, the miflionary might pals on to another. The college edifice is a huge, mifliapcn pile ; " whicli hut that it has a root, would be taken for a brick kiln." In 1787, there about thirty young gentlemen members of this college, a large proportion of which were law fludents. The academy in Prince ISdward count} ha- been erected into a college by the name of Hampdcn Sydney col- lege. Ithas bcrn a flourifhing feminary, but is now faid to be on the decline. There are fevcral academies in Virginia ; one at Alexandria, one at Norfolk, and others in other places. Since the declaration of independence the laws of Virginia have been reviled by a committee appointed for the purpofe, who have reported their work to the Affembly ; one object of this revifal was to diffufc knowledge more generally through the mafs 01 the people. The bill for" this purpofe " propofcs to lay off every county into Tin all dili nets of five or fix miles fquare, called hundred?, and in each of them to cilablifh a, fehool for teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. The tutor to be fupported by the hundred, and all perfons in it entitled to fend their children three years gratis, ar.d as much longer a? they pleafe, paying for it. Thefe fchools to be 'under a vifrtor, who ^ annually to chute the boy of beft genius in the fehool, of thofe whofc parents are too poor to give them further education, and to fend him forward to one of the grammar fchools. of which twenty are propofed to be creeled in different parts of the country, for teaching Greek, Latin, Geography, and the higher branches of numerical arithme*- tic. Of the boys thus fent in any one year, trial is t be made at the grammar fchools, one or two years, and the beft genius of the whole felectcd and continued fix year-;, and the refulue diiiniffed ; by this means twenty ef the bell geniuffes will be raked from the rubbifh annually, and infr.ru6t.ed, at the public expenfe, fo far as the gram- mar fchools go. At the end of fix years inftrudHon, one half arc to be difcontinued (from among whom the grammar fchools will probably be fupplied with future mat- ters), and the other half, who are to be chofen for the fuperiority of their parts and dif- poiition, are to be fent and continued three years in the ftudy of fuch fciences as they fhall chufe, at William and Mary college, -the plan of which is propofed to be en- larged, as will be hereafter explained, and extended to all the ufeful fciences. The ultimate remit of the whole fcheme of education would be the teaching all the children of the State reading, writing, and common arithmetic ; turning out ten annually of fupcrior genius, well taught in Greek, Latin,- Geography, and the higher branches of arithmetic ; turning -out ten others annually, of ftill fuperior parts, who, to thofe branches of learning, ihall have added fuch of the fciences as their genius rtiall have 4ed them to ; the furniiliing to the wealthier part of the people convenient fchools, at which their children may be educated, at their own expenfe. The general objects of this law are to provide an -education adapted to the years, to the capacity, and i he con- dition of every one, and directed to their freedom and happinefs. Specific details were not proper 'for the law : thcfc rnuft be the bufinefs of the viiitors cnirufled with its exe- cution. The firfl llagc of this education being the fchools of the hundreds, wherein the great mats of the people will receive their inltruction, the principal foundations of future- order will be laid here. The firft elements' of morality may be infiilled into their minds; fuch as, when further developed a-s their judgements advance in ftrcngth, may teach them how to promote their own grcateft happinefs, by Ihcwing them that it does not depend on the condition of Jife in whicli chance has placed them, but is al- ways the remit of a good confcience, good health, occupation, and free !OM i-iaHjuft puviiiits. Thofe whom either the wealth of their parents, or ilu adoption ot die Stare, fhali VIRGINIA, 497 fell (kfune to higher degrees oflcarning,- will go on to the grammar fchools, which con- ftiti:U- the next ftago, there to he inltnicled in the languages. As foon as they are of a iulriric.nt age, it is fuppofed they will be lent on from the grammar fchools to the uni- vcrlity, which eonfritutes the third and laft ftage, there to finely thofe feiences which may be adapted to tlieir views. By that part of the plan which prefcribcs the felcction of the youths of genius from among the claries of the poor, the State will avail itfelfof thofe talents which nature has fown as liberally among the poor as the rich, but which ]:mlh without ufc, if not fought for and cultivated. But of all the views of this law none is more important; none more legitimate, than that of rendering the people the late, as they are the ultimate, guardians of their own liberty : for this purpofe, the reading in the firlr. ffage, where they will receive their whole education, is propofed, as has been faid, to be chiefly hiftoiical. Hiftory, by appriiing them of the paft, will enable them to judge of the future ; it will, avail them of the experience of other times and other nations ; it will qualify them as judges of the actions and defigns of men ; it will enable them to know ambition under every difguife it may afFume ; and know- ing it, to defeat its views. In every government on earth isfome trace of human weak- nefs, fome germ of corruption and degeneracy, which cunning will difcover, and wickedneis inienlibly open, cultivate, and improve. Every government degenerates when trufted to the rulers of the people alone: the people themfelves therefore are its only fafe depolitories ; and to render even them fate, their minds muft be, improved to a certain- degree : this indeed is not all that is neceffary, though it be effentially necef- fary. The influence over government mufl be fhared among all the people. If every individual, which compotes their mafs, participates of the ultimate authority, the government will be fafe ; becaule the corrupting the whole mafs will exceed any private refources of wealth ; and public ones cannot be provided but by levies on the people : in this cafe every man would have to pay his own price. The go-vernment of Great Britain has been corrupted, becaufebut one man in ten has a right to vote for members of parliament. The tellers of the government therefore get nine- tenths of their price clear. The excellent meafures for the diffulion of ufeful knowledge, which the foremcn- tioned bill propofes, have not yet been carried into efTc6i. And it will be happy if tluj great inequality in the circumftances of the citizens ; the pride, the independence, and the indolence of one clafs ; and the poverty and c oprefFior. .of .the other, da not prove infuperable difficulties in the way of their univerfal operation. RELIGION 7 .] The firil iettlcrs in this country were emigrants from England, of the Englifh church, juft at a point of time when it was flufhed with complete victory over the religious of all other pcrfualions. PoflelTed, as they became, of the powers of making, admin iltering, and executing the laws, they, fhewed equal intolerance in this country with their Preibyterian brethren, who had emigrated to the northern govern- ment. The Quakers were flying from perfectrtion in England : they cait their eyes on thefe new countries, as afylums of civil and religious freedom ; but they found them -free only ft*? the reigning feet. Several acts of the Virginia affembly of 1659, 1662, and 1663, had made it penal in their parents to refute to have their children baptized; had prohibited the unlawful aflembling of Quakers ; had made it penal for any mailer of a veffel to bring a Quaker into the State ; had ordered thole already here, and fuch as fhould come thereafter, to be imprifoned till they fhould abjure the country ; provided a milder punifhment for their firft and fecond return, but death for the third; had inhibited all perfons from fufFcring their meetings in or near their homes, entertaining them in- dividually, or difpoling of books which fupported their tenets. If no capital execution . took 4 - 9 8 VIR1GINIA. 'took place rvre.n* did in NcwLngland,itwas not owing to the moderation of the church, or fpirit of irv* legillatu;--, as may be interred from the law itfelf ; but to hiiiorieal cir- cumftanccs which have not born handed down to us. The Episcopalians retained full poflcflion of the country about a century. Other opinions began to creep in ; and the great care of the government to iupport their own church, having begotten an equal degree of indolence in its clergy, two-thirds of the people had become d if renters at the commencement of the preient revolution. The laws, indeed, were ftill oppreffive on them, but the fpirit of the one party had fubfided into moderation, and of the other had rifen to a degree of determination which commanded refpect. The preient denominations of Chriftians in Virginia are Preihyterians, who are the molt numerous, and inhabit the \veftern parts of the State ; Episcopalians, w -ho are the moft ancient fcttlers, and occupy the eaftern and firft fettled parts of the State. Inter- mingled with tliefe are great numbers of Baptiits and Methodifts. CHARACTER, MANNERS, AXD CUSTOMS.] Virginia prides itfelf in being (( The Ancient Dominion." It has produced fome of the moft diftinguifhed and influential men that have been active in effecting the two late grand and important revolutions in America. Her political and military character will rank among the firft in the page of hiltory : but it is to be obferved, that this character has been obtained for the Virginians by a few eminent men, who have taken the lead in all their public tranfactions, and who, in mort, govern Virginia ; for the great body of the people do not concern them- felvcs \yith politics ; fo that their government, though nominally republican, is, in fact, oligarchial or ariftocratioil. The Virginians, who are rich, are in general fenfible, polite, and hoipit able, and of an independent fpirit. The poor are ignorant and abject, and all are of an inquili- tive turn. A conliderable proportion of the people are much addicted to gaming, drinking, fVearing, horfe-racing, cock-fighting, and moil kinds of diffipation. There is a much greater difparity between the rich and the poor, in Virginia, than in any of the northern States. The native inhabitants are too generally unacquainted with bu- finefs, owing to their pride, and falfe notions of greatnefs. Before the revolution they confidered rt as beneath a gentleman to attend to mercantile matters, and devoted their time principally to amufement. By thefe means the Scotch people and other foreigners who came among them, became their merchants, and mddenly grew rich. The in- fluence of flavery here is equally pernicious to the morals of the citizens as in the other fouthern States. CONSTITUTION., COURTS, AND LAWS.] The executive powers are lodged in the hands .of a governor, cholen annually, and incapable of acting more than three years in feven. He is afiifted by a council of eight members. The judiciary powers are divided among feveral courts, as will be hereafter explained. Legiflation is excrcifed by two houfcs of AfTembly, the one called the Houie of Delegates, compofecl of two members from each county, chofen annually by the citizens, poflefling an eftate for life in 100 acres of uninhabited land, or- twenty-five acres with a houfe on it, or in a houfc or lot in fome town ; the other called the Senate, confuting of twenty-four members chofen quadrennially by the fame electors, who for this purpofe are diftri- buted into twenty-four diftricts. The concurrence of both houfes is neceifary to the pafTing of a law. They have the appointment of the governor and council, the judges of the fuperior courts, auditors, attorney-general, treafurer, regilter of the land office. This conftitution was the firft that was formed in the whole United States. There VIRGINIA.- 499 There arc three fuperior courts, to which appeals lie from the courts below, to wit, the high court ot % chancery, the general court, and court of admiralty. The firfl and fccond of thefe receive appeals from the county courts, and alfo have original jurif- diction where tlie fubject of controvcrfy is of the value of ten pounds iteiiing, or where it concerns the title or bounds of land. The jurifdicYion of the admiralty is original altogether. The high court of chancery is compofed of three judges, the general court of five, and the court of admiraltry of three. The two firft hold their feflions at Richmond at ftated times, the chancery twice in the year, and the general court twice for bufinefs civil and criminal, and twice mote for criminal only. The court of admiralty fits at Williamlburgh whenever a controverfy arifes. 'There is one fuprerae court, called the Court of Appeals, compofed of the judges of the three .fuperior courts, afiembling twice a year at ftated times at Richmond. This court receives appeals in all civil cafes from each of the fuperior courts, and de- termines them finally. But it has no original jurifdicYion. AH public accounts are fettled with a board of auditors, confifting of three mem- bers appointed by the General Affembly, any two of whom may act. But an indi- vidual, diflatisfied with the determination of that board, may carry his cafe into the proper fuperior court. In 1 66 1, the laws of England were exprcfsly adopted by an act of the AfTembly of Virginia, except fo far as a " difference of condition" render them inapplicable. To thefe were added a number of acts of Aflembly pafled during the monarchy, and ordinances of convention, and acts of Aflembly iince the eflablifhent of the republic. The folio-wing variations from the "Brit ifh model are worthy of notice: Debtors unable to pay their debts, and making faithful delivery of their whole effects, are releafed from their confinement, and their perfons for ever difcharged from reflraini for luch previous debts : but any property they may afterwards acquire will he fubject to their creditors. The poor, unahle,to fupport thcmfelves, are maintained by an aflcflincnt on the titheable perfons in their parifrf. A foreigner of any nation, not in open war, becomes naturalized by removing to the State to relide, and taking an oath of fidelity; and thereby acquires every right of a native citizen. Slaves pafs by dcfcent and dower as lands do. Slaves, as well as lands, were entailable during the monarchy : but, by an act of the firfl republican Aflembly, all donees in tail, prefent and future, were veiled with the ahfolute dominion of the entailed fubject.. Gaming debts are made void, and monies actually paid to difcharge fuch debts (if they exceed forty fhillings) may be recovered by the payer within three months, or by any other pcrlbn afterwards. Tobacco, flour, beef, pork, tar, pitch, and turpentine, mult be in- Ipccted by perfons publicly appointed before they can be exported. IH 1785, the Aflembly enacted, that no man fhould be compelled to fupport any religious worfhip, place, or minifter whatfoever, nor be enforced, retrained, molefied, or hurdened in his body or goods, nor otherwile fufFer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men fhould be free to profefs, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion ; and that the fame fhould in no wile dkninifh, enlarge, or afFe6t their civil capacities. In October 1786, an act was paffed by the Aflembly prohibiting the importation of flaves into the Commonwealth, upon penalty of the forfeiture of the fum of loool. for every flare. And every flave imported contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, becomes free. MANUFACTURES AND COMMERCE.] Before the war, the inhabitants of this State paid -but little attention to the manufacture of their own clothing. It has been 3 S thought 500 VIRGINIA. thought they ufed to import as much as ftven-elgbths of their clothing, and that they now manufacture three-quarters of it. We have before mentioned that considerable quantities of iron are manufactured in this State- To thefe we may add the manu- facture of lead ; bolides which they have few others of confequence. The people are much attached to agriculture and prefer foreign manufactures. Before the war this State exported, communibus annis, according to the beft infor- mation that could be obtained, as follows : TABLE. Articles. Quantity. Amount in Dollars, Tobacco 55,000 hhds. of icolb, 1,650,000 Wheat - - 800, ceo bufhels 666,6661 Indian corn 600,000 bufhels 2,00,000 Shipping " 100,000 Malls, planks, fkantling, Ihingles, \ _ _ 66666* (laves J Tar, pitch, turpentine 30,000 barrels 40,000 Peltry, viz. ftins of deer, beavers, i go hMs of g^ otters, mulk rats, racoons, foxes J Pork 4,000 barrels 40,000 Flax-feed, hemp, cotton * 8,000 Fit coal, pig iron - 6,6 66 f Peas 5,000 bufhels 3333j- Bccf - 1,000 barrels 3>3331 Sturgeon, white fhad, herring 3>333! Brandy from peaches and apples, 1 i 666* and whiikey J Horfes - i,666f- i This fum is equal to 850,000!. Virginia money, 657,142 gun is, The amount of exports from this State in the year fucceeding October '"90, con- lifting chiefly of articles mentioned in the foregoing table, was 3,131 -v: 7 dollars. About 40,000 hogfheads of tobacco only were exported this year. In the year 1758, this State exported feventy thoufancl hogfheads of tobr. :oo, which was the greateft quantity ever produced in this country in one year. But its culture has faft declined n'nce the commencement of the war, and that of wheat ! < its place. The price which it commands at market will not enable the planter to ( :'. ; ivate it. Were the fupply Hill to depend on Virginia and Maryland alone, as its culture becomes more difficult, this price would rife, fo as to -enable the planter to fur \t thofe difficulties and to live. But the weftern country on the Miffiilippi, and the midlands of Georgia, have frefh and fertile lands in abundance, and a hotter fun. are able to underfcll thefc two States, and will oblige them in time to abandon the railing tobacco altogether. And a happy obligation for them it will be. . It is a culture pro- ductive of infinite wrctchedneis. Thofe employed in it are in a continued Hate of ex- ertion beyond the powers of nature to fupport. Little food of any kind is railed, by them ; fo that the men and animals on thefc farms are badly fed, and the earth is rapidly VIRGINIA. 501 rapidly impoverished. The cultivation of wheat is the reverfe in every circumflar.rv. Bolides clothing the earth with herbage, and preferving its fertility, it feeds the la- bourers plentifully, requires from them only a moderate toil, except in the feafon of harvefl, raiies great numbers of animals for food and fervice, and diffufes plenty and happinefs among the whole. It is ealier to make an hundred bufliels of wheat than a thouland weight of tobacco, and they are wortli more when made, It is not eafy to fay what are the articles either of neceffity, comfort, or luxury, which cannot be, raifed here, as every thing hardier than the olive, and as hardy as the ny, may be raifed in the open air. Sugar, coffee, and tea, indeed, are not between thefe limits ; and habit having placed them among the neceflaries of life with the wealthy, as long as thefe habits remain, they mufl go for them to thofe countries which are able to furnifh. them. HISTORY.] We have already given a brief hiftorical account of the firft fettle- ment of Virginia,- till the arrival of Lord Delaware in 1610. His arrival with a frefh. fupply of fettlers and provifions revived the drooping fpirits of the former company, and gave permanency and refpeclability to the fettlement. In April 1613, Mr. John Rolf, a worthy young gentleman, was married to Poca- hontas, the daughter of Powbatan, the famous Indian chief. This connection, which was very agreable both to the Englifh and Indians, was the foundation of a friendly and advantageous commerce between them. In 1 6 1 6, Mr. Rolf, with his wife Pocahontas, vifited England, where fhe was treated with that attention and refpccl which fhe had merited by her important fervic.es to the colony in Virginia. She died the year following at Gravefend, in the 2 zd year of her age, jufl as fhe was about to embark for America. She had embraced the Chrif- tian religion ; an 1 in her .life and death evidenced the iincerity of her profeffion. She left a little fon. who, having received his education in England, came over to Virginia, where he lived and died in affluence and honour, leaving behind him an only daughter. Her defcendants are among the moll refpeclable families in Virginia. Toraocomo, a fenfible Indian, brother-in-law to Pocahontas, accompanied her to England ; and was directed by Powhatan to bring him an exact account of the num- bers and ilrength of the Englifh. For this purpofe, when he arrived at Plymouth, he took a long flick, intending to cut a notch in it for every perfon he fhould fee. Thin he foon found impracticable, and threw away his flick. On his return, being #fked by Powhatan, how many people there were, he is faid to havewcplied, "Count the liars in the Iky, the leaves on the trees, and the fands on the fea fhore ; for fiich is the number of the people in England." In purfuance of the authorities given to the company by their feveral charters, and more efpecially of that part in the charter of 1609, which authorifed them to eflablifH a form of government, they, on the 24th of July, 162,1, by charter under their com- m#ri leal, declared, That from thenceforward there fhould be two fupreme councils in Virginia, the one to be called the Council of State, to be placed and difplaced by the treafurer, council in England, and company, from time to time, whofe office was to be that of affifting and advifing the governor ; the other to be called the General Affembly, to be convened by the governor once yearly, or oftencr, which was to confift of the council of Hate, and two burgefTes out of every town, hundred, or plantation, to be refpcdtively chofen by the inhabitants. In this all matters were to be decided by the greater part of the votes prefent ; referving to the governor a negative voice ; and they were to have power to treat, confult, and conclude all emergent occafions' con- 382, cerning V I R G-I N I A, corning the public weal, and to make laws for the behoof and government of colony, imitating and following the la\vs and policy of England as nearly as might be:- provided that thefe laws fhould have no force till ratified in a general quarter court of the company in England, and returned under their common lca4, and declaring that, r the government of the colony ihoiild be well framed and lettled, no orders of the council in England Ihould bind the colony unlcfs ratified by the (aid General ArTem- Tlwi king and company quarrelled, and by a mixture of law and force, the latter e rallied of all their rights, without retribution, after having expended ioo,oooT. in eftablifhing the colony, without the fm-allcit aid from government. King James fill'- iidcd their powers by proclamation of July 15, 16-24, ^d Charles I. took the . eminent into his own hands. Both fides had their partifans in the colony r but in b, the people of the colony in general thought thcmfelves little concerned in the' ute. There being three parties interelred in thefe feveral charters, what parTeci between tlie firii and fecond it was thought could not affect the third. If the king' ieized on the powers of the company, they only pafled into other hands without in- creafe or diminution, while the rights of the people remained as they were : but they did not remain fo long. The northern parts of their country were granted away to the Lords Baltimore and Fairfax, the firft of thefe obtaining alfo the rights of feparate jurilcliction and government. And in 1650 the parliament, conlidermg itfelf as Hand- ing in the place of their depofed king, and as having fuccecded to all his power?, without as well as within the realm, began to aiiume a right over the colonies, patting an a& for inhibiting their trade with foreign nations. This fucceffion to the exerciie of the kingly authority gave the firii colour for parliamentary interference with the colonies, and produced that fatal precedent which they continued to follow after thejr had retired, in other refpects, within their proper functions. When this colony, there- fore, which fiill maintained its oppolition to Cromwell and the parliament, was in- duced in 1651 to lay down their arms, they previoufly fccured their moll efiential: rights by a folemn convention. This convention, entered into with arms in their hands, they fuppofed had fecuredl the ancient limits of their country ; its free trade ; its exemption from taxation but by their own aflembly, and exchiiion of military force from among them. Yet in every of thefe points was this convention violated by fubfcquent king- and- parliaments, and. other infractions of their conftitution, equally dangerous, committed. The General- AvTembly, which was compofed of the council of ftate and burgeffes, fitting together and deciding by plurality of voices, was fplit into two houfes, by which the council- obtained a feparate negative on their laws. Appeals from their fupreme court, which, had been fixed by law in their General Aflembly, were arbitrarily revoked to England, to be there heard before the king and council. Infiead of 400 miles on the fea coaft,. they were reduced, in the fpace of thirty years, to about 100 miles. Their trade with foreigners was totally mppreffed, and, when carried to Great Britain, was there loaded with imports. It is unneceiFary, however, to glean up the feveral inftances of injury, as fcattered through America-iv and Britifh hiftory ; and the more efpecially, as, by paffing on to the acceffion of the prcfent king, we lhall find fpecimens of them all, aggravated, multiplied, and crowded within a fmall compafs of time, fo as to evince a fixed deiign of coniidering the rights of the people, whether natural, conventional, or chartered, as mere nullities. The colonies were taxed internally ; their efiential in^ terefts facrificed to individuals in Great Britain ; their legiflatures fufpended ; charters annulled ; trials by juries taken away ; their pertbns fubjfccled to tranfportation acrois the Atlantic, and to trial before foreign judicatories ; their fupplications for redrefs thought INDIANA. thought beneath anfwer; themfelves published as cowards in the councils of their mother country and courts of Europe ; armed troops lent among them to enforce fub- mifiion to thcfc violences ; and actual hoftilities commenced againfl them. No alter- native was preiented but refinance or unconditional fubmifiion. Between thefe could be noliefitation. They clofed in the appeal to arms. They declared themfelves Inde- pendent States. They confederated together in one great republic ; thus fecuring to every State the benefit of an union of their whole force. They fought' they conquered- -and obtained an honourable and glorious peace. LIST of PRESIDENTS and GOVERNORS of VIRGINIA', from- its firft . fett lenient to the year Edward Maria Wingficld, John Ratcliffe, Mat. Scrivener,. Vue-J?refident' y . John Smith, George Percy, Governor y Sir Thomas Gates, Lord Delaware, George Percy r Sir Thomas Dale y Sir Thomas Gates,. Sir Thomas Dale r George Yeardley, Samuel Argall, ' George Yeardley,, Sir Francis Wyat, from 1 May, 1-607,. to Sept; 1 60 7" Sept. 1607, to July, 1608 July, 1608, to Sept. 1608 Sept. 1608,. to Sept. 1609 Sept. 1609, to May-, 1610 May,- 1610, to June, 1610 June, 1610, to March, 1611 March, 1 61 1, to May, 1611 May, 1611, to Aug. 1611 Atigufty 161 1, to 1614 .1614, to 1616 1616, to 1617 1617, to 1619 1619, to Nov. 1621 Nbv, 162,1, to 1-624; INDIAN "INDIANA^ fo railed, is a tract of land lying 'on the Ohio river, in the State of Vir- 1 ginia, ceded to William Trent' and twenty-two others, by the Six Nations, and the Shawancfe, Delaware, and Huron tribes, as a compenfation for the loffes they had luf- tiiined by the depredations of the latter, in the year 1 763. This fctfion was made in a' con^refs of the reprefentatives of the Six Nations at Fort Stanwix, by an indenture^ flgned the 3d of November, 1768, witneffing, . That for and in confideration of 85,916!. i os. 8d: York currency, (the fame being the amount of goods feizcd and taken byVaid Indians from faid Trent, &c.) they did grant, bargain, fell, &c. to his Ma-jefty, his heirs, and fucceffors, for the only ufe of the laid William Trent, &c. all that tract or parcel of land, beginning at the foutherly fide of the Little Kaiihawa Creek, where it empties itfelf into the river Ohio; and running thence fouth-eait to the Laurel Hillj thence along the Laurel Hill until it ftrikes the River Monongahcla; thence down the * Smith brings doun the hiftory of Virginia no farther than this period, act ben received, A lift -of the governors fince has ftreanx 504 K E N T U C K Y. ftream of the faid river, according to the federal courtes thereof, to the fouthern boun- cUry line of the province of Penniylvania ; thence weflwardly along the courlb of the faid province boundary line as far as the fame fhall extend; thence by the fame courfe to the River Ohio, and then clown the River Ohio to the place of beginning, in- clnfively.' This indenture was ligned by fix Indian chiefs, in prefence of Sir William Johnfon, Governor Franklin of New Jerfey, and the Commiiiioners from Virginia, Pennfylvania, &c. making twelve in the whole. Since the Indians had an undifputed title to the aboVe limited territory, either from pre-occupancy or conqueil, and their right was exprefsly acknowledged by the above deed of ceilion to the crown, it is very evident that Mr. Trent, in his own right, and as attorney for the traders, has a good, lawful, and fufficient title to the land granted by the laid deed of conveyance. This matter was laid before Congrefs in the year 1782, and a committee appointed to confider it, who, in May, reported as follows : " On the whole, your committee are of opinion that the purchases of Colonel Croghan and the Indian company were made bona fide for a valuable conlideration, according to the then ufage and cuftoms of pur- charing Indian lands from the Indians, with the knowledge, confent, and approbation of the Crown of Great Britain, the then government of New York and Virginia, and therefore do recommend that it be Refolved, That if the faid lands are finally ceded or adjudged to the United States in point of jurifdic"Hon, that Congrefs will confirm to fuch of the faid purchafcrs who arc, and fhall be citizens of the United States, or either of them, their refpcctive fhares and proportions of faid lands, making a reafonable deduction for the value of the quit rents referved by the Crown of England." Notwithftanding this report of the committee, the queiHon could never be brought to a decision before Congrefs. The federal confutation has, however, made provifion for the determination of this bufinefs before the fupreme federal court. But previous to an appeal to this court, the proprietors thought proper, by their agent, Colonel Morgan, (who is alfo a proprietor) to prefent a memorial to the legiflature of Virginia, fetting forth their claims, and praying that the bufinefs might be equitably fettled. This memorial was prefentcd in November, 1790; and thus the Indiana bufinefs refls for the prefent. KENTUCKY. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Square Miles. Length 2501 b t J 80 and 150 W. Longitude. \ Breadth 200 J I 36 30 and 39 30' N. Latitude. j ),OOO ^ -, T> OUNDED north-weft, by the River Ohio; weft, by Cumberland J JD r ivcr; fouth, by North Carolina; eaft, by Sandy river, and a line drawn due fouth from its fource, till it ftrikes the northern boundary of North Carolina. CIVIL KENTUCKY. 505 Crvit DIVISIONS.] Kentucky was originally divided into two counties, Lincoln and Jeffcrfon. It has fince been fubdivided into nine, which follow : Counties. No. Inhab. Chief Towns. No. Inhab. Jefferfon, 4-5565 LOUISVILLE, 200 Fayette, 1 7>5j6 LEXINGTON, 834 Bourbon, 75837 Mercer, 6,941 Danville, 150 Nellbn, 1 1,099 Beardftown, 216 Madifon, 5>77 2 Lincoln, 6,548 Woodford, 9?2io Mafon, 2,267 Wafhington, 462 Total 735677 of whom 12,430 are Haves. As moft of thefe counties are very large, it is probable that fubdivilions will con- tinue to be made, as population incrcafcs. RIVERS.] The River Ohio wafhes the north-weflern fide of Kentucky, in its whole extent. Its principal branches, which water this fertile tract of country, are Sandy, Licking, Kentucky, Salt, Green, and Cumberland rivers. Thefe again branch in various directions into rivulets of different magnitudes, fertilizing the country in all its parts. At the bottoms of thefe watercourfes the lime-Hone rock, which is common to this country, appears of a greyifh colour; and where it lies expofed to the air, in its natural ftate, it looks like brown free-Hone. On the banks of thele rivers and rivulets, this fione has the appearance of fine marble, being of the fame texture, and is found in the greateft plenty. Sandy, Licking, and Kentucky rivers rife near each other, in the Cumberland mountains. Of thefe, Sandy river only breaks through the mountain. This river conftitutes a part of the eailern boundary of Kentucky. Licking river runs in a north-well direction upwards of 100 miles, and is about 100 yards broad at its mouth. Kentucky is a very crooked river, and after running a courfe of more than 200 miles, empties into the Ohio by a mouth 150 yards broad. Salt river riles at four different places near each other. The windings of this river are curious. The four branches, after a circuitous courfe round a fine tract of land, unite; and after running about fifteen miles, empty into the Ohio, tv.enty miles below the falls. Its general courfe is weftward; its length about ninety miles; and at its mouth is eighty yards wide. Green river purfues a weftern courfe upwards of 150 miles, and by a mouth eighty yards wide, falls into the Ohio, 120 miles below the rapids. Cumberland river interlocks with the northern branch of Kentucky, and rolling round the other arms of Kentucky, among the mountains in a fouthern courfe, 100 miles ; then in a fbuth-weltern courfe for above 200 more ; then in a fouthern and fouth-weJtcrn courfe for about 250 more, finds the Ohio K 413 miles below the falls. At Nafnville, this river is 200 yards broad, and at its mouth 300. The river in about half its courfe, paffcs through the territory fouth of the Ohio. Thefe rivers are navigable for boats almoft to their Iburccs, without rapids, for the greateft part of the year. Frequent rains in the latter nd df the autumn produce iloods in the Ohio, and if is an uncommon feafon when one of thofe floods docs not happen 5 o6 KENTUCKY. happen before Chrifrma?. If there is much fro fry weather in the upper parts of the country, its waters generally remain low until they begin to thaw. But if the river is not frozen over, which is not very common, there is always water Sufficient for boats of any fize, from November until May ; when the waters generally begin to Sublide ; and by the middle of June, in moSt SeaSons, they are too low for boats above forty tons, and -theSe muft be flat-bottomed. The froft feldom continues ib long as the middle of February, and immediately upon its breaking the river is flooded ; this flood may in a degree Sublide, but for no length of time ; and it is from that period until May, that*the boats generally come down the river. The diftance of dcfcending is in proportion to the height of the water ; but the average diftance is about eighty miles in twenty-four hours, and from lixty to one hundred are the extremes ; fo that the mean time of going in a flat-bottomed boat from Pittlburgh to the rapids, is between eight and nine days, and about twenty days more to New Orleans ; which "will make a pal- fa ge from Pittlburgh to that place nearly a month. The little rivulets which chequer the country, begin to lefTen in June, and quite diS- appear in the months of Auguft, September, and October. The autumnal rains, however, in November replenish them again. The method of getting a fupply of water in the dry feafon is by linking wells, which are eafily dug, and afford excellent water. The want of water in autumn is the great complaint. Mills, that may be Supplied with water eight months in a year, may be erected in a thoufand different places. Wind-mills and horle-mills may fupply the other four months. The banks of the rivers are generally high and composed of liine-ftone. After heavy rains, the water in the rivers rifes from 10 to 30 feet SPRINGS.] There are iive noted /alt fprings or licks in this country ; viz. the higher and lower Blue Springs, on Licking -river, from Some of which, it is laid, ifluc ilreams of brinifh water the Big Bone lick, Drenn oil's licks, and Bullet's lick, at Saltiburgh. The'laSt of thefe licks, -though in low order, has Supplied this country and Cumberland with fait, .at twenty Shillings the bulhel, Virginia currency ; and fome is exported to the Illinois country. The method of procuring water from thefe licks is by linking wells from 30 to 40 feet deep. The water drawn from thefe wells is more ftrongly im- pregnated with fait than the water from the fea. A flrait road, 40 feet wide, has beea cut from Saltiburgh to Louifville, 24 miles. FACE OF THE COUNTRY, SOIL, AND PRODUCE.] This whole country, as far as has yet been . discovered, lies upon a bed of lime-Hone, which in general is about lix feet below the furface, except in the vallics, where the foil is much thinner. A tracl of - about twenty miles, along the banks of the Ohio, is hilly, broken land, interfpericd with many fertile fpots. The reft of the country is agreeably uneven, gently afcending and defeending at no great difianres. The angles of aScent are from eight to twenty- four degrees, and fometimes more. The vallies in common are very narrow, and the foil in them is very thin, and of an inferior quality ; and that along the afcending ground is frequently not much better ; for where you fee a tree blown up, you find the roots clinging to the upper parts of the rock. The foil, on tlrcfe agreeable afcents, (for they cannot be called hills) is Sufficiently deep, as. is evident from the lize of the trees. The foil is either black, or tinged with a lighter or deeper vermilion, or is of the cojourof dark alhes. In many places there are appearances of potter's clay, and coal in abundance. The country promifes to be well Supplied with wholelbme, well-tailed water. In NelSon county, north- weft of Rolling fork, a branch of Salt river, is a tract of about forty miles Square, moftly barren, interSpcrSed with plains and Strips of good land, which are advantageous lituations for railing cattle, as the neighbouring barrens, as KENTUCKY. 507 as they are improperly fiyled, are covered with grafs, and afford good pafturage. The lands eaft of Nolin Creek, a branch of Green river, are in general of au inferior quality ; but the banks of Green river afford many defirable iituations. Towards the head waters of Kentucky river, which interlock with the waters of Cumberland and Sandy rivers, and the whole country eaftward and fouthward as far as the Holftein river, is broken, mountainous, and almoft impenetrable ; and from the description given by burners, it is much doubted whether it will ever be practicable to fnake a paflable road from Kentucky acrofs to Winchefter, in Virginia, on the eaft fide of the mountains, which, on a ffrraight line, is not perhaps more than four hundred miles, and the way now travelled is fix hundred. No country will admit of being thicker fettled with farmers, who confine themfelves to agriculture, than this. Elkhorn river, a branch of the Kentucky, from the fouth-eaft, waters a country fine beyond delcription. Indeed, the country eaft and fouth of this, including the head waters of Licking river, Hickman's and Jeffairrine Creeks, and the remarkable bend in Kentucky river, may be called an extenfive garden. The foil is deep and black, and the natural growth, large walnuts, honey and black locuft, poplar, lm, oak, hickory, fugar tree, &c. Grape vines run to the tops of the trees ; and the furface of the ground is covered with clover, blue grals, and wild rye. On this fertile tract, and the Licking river, and the head waters of -Salt river, are the bulk of the fettlements in this country. The foil within a mile or two of Kentucky river is generally of the third and fourth rates ; and as you advance towards the Ohio, the land is poor and hilly. v Dick's river runs through a great body of firftrate land, abounding with cane, and affords many excellent mill feats. Salt river has good lands on its head waters, except that they are low and unhealthy, >but for twenty-five miles before rt empties into thc< Ohio, the land on each fide is level tind poor, and abounds with ponds. . Cumberland river, lb-much of it as paifes through Kentucky, iraverfes, fome parts excepted, a hilly, poor country. Green river overflows its banks a conliderable way up, at the feafon when the Ohio fweTls, which is in April. This fwell in Green river occafions feveral of its branches to overflow, and cover the low grounds with water, leaves and vegetable fubftances, which, in fummer, become noxious and unhealthy. Its banks are fine and fertile. There is a great body of good land near the falls and rapids in the Ohio, called Bare Grafs ; but the climate is rendered unhealthy by ponds of flagnant water, which may be eafily drained. This country in general is well timbered. Of -the natural growth which is peculiar to this country, we may reckon the fugar, the coffee, the papaw, and the cucumber tree. The two laft are foft wood, and bear a fruit of the fhape and fize of a cu- cumber. The coffee tree refembles the black oak, and bears a pod, which inclofes a feed, of which a drink is made not unlike coffee. Befides theie, there is the honey locuft, black mulberry, wild cherry, of a large fize. The buck-eye, an exceedingly foft wood, is the horfe chefnut of Europe. The magnolia bears a beautiful bloffom, of a rich and exquifite fragrance. Such is the variety and beauty of the flowering Ihrubs and plants which grow fpontaneouily in this country, that in the proper feafon the wildernefs appears in bloffom. The accounts of the -fertility of the foil in this country have, in fome inftances, -ex- ceeded belief ; and probably have been exaggerated. That fome parts of Kentucky, particularly the high grounds, are remarkably good, all accounts agree. The lands of the tirft rate are too rich for wheat, and will produce 50 or 60,, and in fome inftances, T it 5 c3 KENTUCKY. it is affirmed, 100 bufhels of good corn, an acre. In common, the land will produce thirty buShels of wheat or rye an acre. Barley, oats, cotton, flax, hemp, and vege- tables of all kinds, common in this climate, yield abundantly. The old Virginia planters fay, that if the climate does not prove too moilt, few foils known will yield more or better tobacco. Experience has proved, that the climate is not too moift. Great quantities of this article have been exported to France and Spain, through New- Orleans ; and it is a well-known fact, 'that Philadelphia is a profitable market for the Kentucky planter, notwithstanding all the inconveniencies and expenfes of re-fhipment at New Orleans, under a Spanifh government. What advantages then may not this country expect from a free navigation of the MiSTitlippi, unrestrained by Spanifh policy ! In the \veftern territory is found all the variety of foil and climate neceSTary to the culture oi' ever) kind of grain, fibrous plants, cotton, fruits, vegetables, and all for t3 of provisions. The upper fettlements on the Ohio produce chiefly wheat, oats, barley, rye, Indian corn or maize, hemp, and flax. The fruits are, apples, pears, cherries, peaches r plums, ftrawbcrries, rafpberries, currants, goofeberries, and grapes ; of cu- linary plants and vegetables, there are turnips, potatoes, carrots, parfnips, cymbiline or fqualli, cucumbers, peas, beans, afparagus, cabbages, brocoli, celery, and fallads ; beSides- which, there are melons and herbs of every fort. The provisions conSiSt of beef, pork, mutton, veal, and a variety of poultry, Such as ducks, Mulcovy ducks, turkies, geefe, dunghill fowls, and pigeons. Some considerable quantity of fpirits diftilled from rye, and likewife cyder, are fent down the river to a market, in thoSe infant fettlements where the inhabitants have not had time to bring orchards to any perfection, or have not a Superfluity of grain to diSlil into fpirits. The beef, pork, and flour are difpofed of in the fame way. The flax and hemp are packed on horfes and fent aerofs the mountain to the inland towns of Pennsylvania and Maryland. In the rivers are plenty of buffalo, pike, and catfifh, of uncommon Size ; falmon, mullet, rock, perch, garfiSh, eel, fuckers, funfiSri, &c. Shad have not been caught in the western waters. Swamps are rare in Kentucky ;, and of courfe the reptiles which they produce, Such as fnakes, frogs, &c. are not numerous. The honey-bee may be called a domeftic infect, as it is faid not to be found but in civilifed countries. This is confirmed by a faying, which is common among the Indians, when they fee a Swarm of bees in the woods " Well, brothers, it is time for us to decamp, for the white people are coming." Neverthelefs bees, of late years, have abounded, to their amazement, even 200 miles N. and N. W. of the Ohio. The quadrupeds, except the buffalo, are the fame as in Virginia and the Carolinas. CLIMATE.] Healthy and delightful, fome Sew places in the neighbourhood of ponds and'low grounds excepted. The inhabitants do not experience the extremes of heat and cold. Snow feldom falls deep or lies long. The winter, which begins about Chriftmas, is never longer than three months, and is commonly but two, and is fo mild that cattle can fubSiSV without fodder. CHIEF TOWNS.] LEXINGTON, which Stands on the head waters of Elkhorn river, is reckoned the capital of Kentucky. Here the courts are held, and buSinefs regularly conducted. In 1786 it contained about 100 houfes* and feveral Stores, with a good aSTortment of dry goods. It has greatly increafed Since, and* contains about 900 in- habitants. WASHINGTON, the fliire town of Mafon county, is the fccond town in this State, containing about 500 inhabitants. i LEESTOWN KENTUCKY. LKESTOWN is weft of Lexington, on the eaftern bank of Kentucky river ; it is regu- larly laid out, and is rlouriihing. The banks of Kentucky river are remarkably high, in fome places 300 and 400 feet, compofed generally of flupendo us perpendicular rock the confcquence is, there are few crofting places ; the befl is at Leeftown,. which is a circumflance that mufl contribute much to its increafe. LOUISVILLE is at the rapids of the Ohio, in a fertile country, and promifes to be a place of great trade; it has been made a port of entry. Its unhealthinefs, owing to ftagnated waters at the back of the town, has confiderably retarded its growth. Belides thefe, there is Beardftown, in Nelfon county; and Harrodfburg, in Mercer oounty ; both on the head waters of Salt river. Danville, Boonfborough, and Gran- ville, are alfo increafing towns. POPULATION AND CHARACTER.] The population of this State in 1790, is given in -the preceding table. In i 783, in the county of Lincoln* -only, there were on the militia rolls 3570 men, chiefly emigrants from the lower parts of Virginia. In 1784, the number of inhabitants were reckoned at upwards of 30,000. It is aflerted, that at leafl 10,000 migrated here in the year 1787. Thcfe people, collected from different States, of different manners, cuftoms, religions, and political fentiments, have not been long enough together to form an uniform national character. Among the fettlers there are gentlemen of abilities, and many genteel families, from feveral of the States, who give dignity and refpectability to the fettlement They are, in general, moto regular than people who generally fettle new countries. RELIGION.] The Baptilts are the moll numerous religious feel: in Kentucky, There are feveral large congregations of Prcfbyterians, and ibme few of other deno- minations. CONSTITUTION.] By the conftitution of this State, formed and adopted in 1792, the powers of government are divided into three diftinct departments ; legiflative, execu- tive, and judiciary. The legiilative power is veiled in a General Alfemby, confiftih** of a fenate and houfe of reprefentatives ; the fupreme executive, in a governor ; the judiciary, in the fupreme court of appeals, and fuch inferior courts as the legiflature may eilabliih. The reprefentatives are cholen annually by the people; the lenators and governor are chofen for four years, by electors appointed for that purpofe ; the judges are appointed, during good behaviour, by the governor, with advice of the fenate. An enumeration of the free male inhabitants, above twenty-one years old, is to be made once in four years. After each enumeration, the number of fenators and reprefentatives is to be fixed by the legiflature, and apportioned among the fevera] counties according to the number of inhabitants. There can never be fewer than 40, nor more than i oo representatives. The fenate at flrfl confifted of eleven members ; and for the addition of every four reprefentatives, one fenator is to be added. The .reprefentatives mufl be twenty-four years old ; the fenators twenty-feven ; the governor thirty, and all of them mufl have been inhabitants of the State two years. The go- vernor can hold no other office. The members of the General AfTembly none but thole of attorney at law, juftice of the peace, coroner, and in the militia. The judges, and all other officers, mult be inhabitants of the counties for which they are appointed. The governor, members of the General Affembly, and judges, receive itated falaries out of the public treafary, from which no money can be drawn, but in confequence of appropriation by law. AH officers take an oath of fidelity to difcharge ihe duties of their offices, and are .liable to impeachment for mifconduct. Elective * The county, it is to be remembered, has fince been divided and fubdivided. 3 T -2 officers 510 KENTUCKY. officers muft Swear that they have not ufed bribery in obtaining their elections. AIT free male citizens, twenty-one years old, having refidcd in the State two years, or in the county where they ofcr to vote, one year, have a right to vote for representatives,, and for electors, of fcnntors and governor, and are privileged from arreft, ia civil ac- tions, while attending that bufincfo. The General ASTemby meets on tlic Suit Mon- day in November in each year, unlc> fooner convened by the governor. Each honfe choofes its fpeaker and other officers, judges of the qualification of its members, and determines the rules of its proceedings,, of which a journal is kept and publifhed weekly, iinlcts Secrecy be requisite. The doors of both houfes are kept open. The members of the legislature, while attending the public bufincfs, are privileged from arrefts in. civil, aclions, and may not be questioned elfewhere for any thing faid in public debate. * Impeachments are made by the lower houfe, and tried by the upper. All revenue bills originate in the houfe of reprefentatives, and are amendable by the fenate, like- other bills. Each bill pafTcd by both houfes is prefented to the governor, who muSl iign it if he approve it ; if not, he muft return it within ten days to the houfe in which it originated ; if it be not returned, or if, when returned, it be re-paSTcd by two thirds of both houfes, it is a law without his Signature. The governor has power to appoint inoft of the executive offices of the State ; to remit fines and forfeitures, and grant re- prieves and pardons, except in cafes of impeachment ; to require information from ex- ecutive officers ; to convene the General Aflembly on extraordinary occalions, and adjourn them in cafe they cannot agree on the time themfelves. He muft inform the legislature of the ftate of the commonwealth ; recommend to them fuch meafures as he Shall judge expedient ; and fee that the laws are faithfully executed. The fpeaker of the fenate exercifes the office of governor in cafe of vacancy. The legislature has power to forbid the farther importation of Slaves, but not to emancipate thoSe already in the State without the confent of the owner, or paying an equivalent. Trcafon. againft the commonwealth confifts only in levying war againft it, or in adhering to its* enemies, giving them aid and comfort. The declaration of rights aSTerts the civil equality of all ; their right to alter the go- vernment at any time ; liberty of confcience ; freedom of eleclions, and of the prels ; trial by jury ; the fubordination of the military to the civil power ; the rights of cri- minals to be heard in their own defence; the right of the people to petition for the redrefs of grievances, to bear arms, and to emigrate from the State. It prohibits un- reafonable Searches and feizures ; exceffive bail ; confinement of debtors, unlefs there be prefumption of fraud ; fufpenSion of habeas corpus writ, unlefs in rebellion or in- vafion - r ex poft faclo laws; attainder by the legislature ;. ftanding armies ; titles o nobility and hereditary distinction.. LITERATURE AND IMPROVEMENTS.] The legislature of Virginia, while Kentucky belonged to that State, made provision for a college in it, and endowed it with very confiderable landed funds. The Rev. John Todd gave a very handSbme library for its life. Schools are eftablillicd in the feveral towns, and in general regularly and h'and- Ibmely fupported. They have a printing-office, and publish a Weekly Gazette. They have creeled a paper mill, an oil mill, fulling mills, faw mills, and a great number of valuable grift mills. Their fait works are more than fufficicnt to fupply all their inhabitants, at a low price.. They make confiderable quantities of Sugar from the fugar trees. Labourers, particularly tradefmen, are exceedingly wanted here.. CURIOSITIES.] The banks, or rather precipices, of Kentucky and Dick's river, are fo be reckoned among the natural curiofities of this country. Here the aftonifhed eye beholds 300 or 400 feet of folid perpendicular rock, in forae parts, of the lime-ftone kind, KENTUCKY. 51 r kind, and in others of fine white marble, curioufly chequered with (Irata of aftonifh- ing regularity. Thefc rivers have the appearance of deep artificial canals.. Their high rocky banks are covered with red cedar groves. Caves have been difcovered in this country of feveFal' miles in length, under a fine lime-flone rock, fupportcd by curious arches and pillars. Springs that emit fulphu- reous matter have been found in feveral parts of the country. One is near a fait fpring in the neighbourhood of Boonfborough. There are three fprings or ponds of bitumen, near Green river, which do not form a ftream, but empty themielves into a common refervoir, and when ufed in lamps, anfwer all the purpoles of the beft oil. Copperas and alum are among the minerals of Kentucky. Near Lexington are found: curious fepulchres full of human fkeletons. It has been afferted, that a man,, in or near Lex- ington, having dug five or fix feet below the furface of the ground, came to a large- flat ftone, under which was a well of common depth, regularly and artificially: ftoned, HISTORY.] Though the war which took place between- England and France in the- year 1755, terminated fo glorioufly for Great Britain, and fecurely for the then colo- nies, ftil-1 we remained ignorant of the whole- o the fine country lying between the high hills, which rife from Great Sandy river y approximate the Allegany Mountain, and extending down the Ohio to- its confluence with the Miflifiippi, and. bacl r to thofe ridges of mountains which traverfe America in a S. W. by W. direction, until they are loft in the flat lands of Weft Florida. However, certain men, called Long Hunters, from Virginia and ^Norrh Carolina, by penetrating thefe mountains, (which ramify into a country 200 miles over from E. to W. called the wilderrrels,) were fafcinated with the beauty and luxuriance of the country on the weftern fide. A grant had been fold by the Six Nations of Indians to fome Britifh. commiflioners at Fort Stanwix in 1768, which comprehended this country, and which afforded the Americans a pretext for a right to fettle it ; but thofe Indian natives who were not- concerned in the grant, became diflatisfied with the profpect of a fettlement which,, might become fo dangerous a thorn in their fide, and committed forne mafFacres upon the firft explorer? of the country. However, after the expedition of Lord Dunmore in 1774, and the battle at the mouth of the Great Kanhaway, between the army of Colonel Lewis and the confederated tribes of Indians, they were in fome meafure quiet. The ArTcmbly of Virginia began now to encourage the peopling that diftrict of coun- try called Kentucky, from the name of a river which runs nearly through the middle of it. This encouragement confifted 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 Indian corn. This was called a fettlement right. Some hundreds of thefe fettlements were made ; but, in the mean time, Mr. Richard Henderfon, of North Carolina, a man of no in- confiderablc abilities, and more enterprifc, had obtained a grant from the Cherokee tribe of Indians for this fame tract of country ; and though it was contrary to the laws of the land for any private citizen to make purchafes of the IndiaRSj itill Mr. Hen- derfon perfevered in his intention of eftablifhing a colony of his own. He actually took pofieffton of the country, with many of his followers* where he remained pretty (jniet, making very little improvement, Virginia being at that time entirely occupied-- with the war, which had commenced between Great Britain and the confederated States. Moft of the young men from the back fettlements of Virginia and Pennfylva- nia, who. would have migrated- to this country, having engaged in the war. formed that body of men, called Rifle-men ; which not only checked; the growth of the fettle- merit, but fo dried up the fources of emigration, that it was near being annihilated by the fury of the Ikvagcs, ,1^ K KENTUCKY. *-'. * The legality of Mr. Henderfon's claim was inveftigated by the State of Virginia in 1781 ; and though there could be n fort of equity in it, he having acted in contempt of the State, the legiflature, to avoid feuds or dhhirbanccs, (for Henderfon itill had influence) agreed, as an indemnirication for the expcmc and trouble he had been at, that he ihould be allowed a tradt of country 12, miles fquarc, lying in the forks of the Ohio and Green rivers : a tract of his own chafing. Virginia gave farther rewards and encouragements at this time to the firfl fcttlers, for the perils they had undergone in the eitabiifhment of their ietdement, of a tract of 1000 acres, called a pre-emption right, to be laid off adjoining to the fettlement of 400 acres, the grantee only paying office-fees for the lame. After this period, (i. e. 1781) a land orHce was opened by the State, granting warrants for any quantity of unlocated land, upon condition of certain turns of the depreciated continental cur- rency being paid into the treafure, at fo much for 100 acres. The great plenty and little value of this money foon caufed the whole country to be located, which was one of the material caufes of its rapid population. It was ncceffitry, in the management of this buiinefs, that care fhould be taken to prevent that perplexity and litigation, which the vague manner in which that buiinefs was executed in many instances would ncceiTarily produce. For this purpofe, three principal iiirveyors were appointed, who were to lay or caufe to be laid off, by their deputies, the different locations within the limits of their diltricts : this being done, and recorded in the office, the original furvey was fent to the deputy regifter's office, there to be recorded ; from which it was fent to the principal regifter's office at Rich- mond, the feat of government, there to remain twelve months, in order that any per- ibn having a claim, by virtue of a prior location, might have an opportunity to enter a caveat, and prevent a furreptitious grant from iffumg. Commiflioners were allb fent to adjufr. the claims of fettlement and pre-emption rights ; by which means order was preserved, and the government of a diftricl: of country, detached, and feparated at that time more than 2,00 miles from any other fettled country. The years 1783 and 1784 brought out vail numbers of emigrants from all parts of America, particularly the latter year, when it was fuppofed that in Kentucky alone, not lefs than 12,000 fouls became fettlers; feveral Europeans from France, England, and Ireland, were among the number. In 1783, 1784, and 1785, great part of the country was furveyed and patented, and the people in the interior fettlements purfued their buiinefs in as much quiet and fafety as they could have done in any part of Eu- rope. Court-houfes were built in the different counties, and roads were opened for carriages, which feven years before had not been feen in the country. The only roads hitherto were for fingle horfes. In 1/85, the diftricl had grown fo confiderable from the great number of emi- grants which had arrived, and that refpectability which it had acquired produced a difpofition in the inhabitants to become an independent State, and to be admitted as another link in the great federal chain. A convention was immediately formed by fending deputies from the different counties, who met at Danville, for the purpofe of taking the matter into conlideration ; when it was determined, after fome debating, to petition Virginia for that purpofe. However, this bufinefs was procraitinated ; for finding, though they might feparate whenever theychofe, yet that it was optional with the legiflature of Virginia to recommend them to be taken into the federal government (which they were not likely to do, and which it was certain could not be done with- out,) they were content to remain as they were for that time. The NORTH CAROLINA,. 513 The federal government in the courfe of the year 1785, undertook to lay off the country weft of the Ohio, in fuch manner as would anfwer the purpofe of felling the land, and fetting the country; but, owing to a variety of caufes, their progrefs was very flow. However, fome land was furveyed in 17 86 and 1787, and in the latter year a fettlement was formed upon the Muffcingum, which may be looked upon as the commencement of the American fettlements upon the weftern iide of the Ohio. In 1788 and 1/89, fomc farther furveying was done; but little iince has been tranfated in thofe purts, except wars between the Indians and the fettkrs. NORTH CAROLINA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles.- Sq. -Miles. Length 2001 t r i -' and 6 so' W. Long. i Breadth 120} between ! 3 3>'and 36 30' N. Lat. " } 34, 1 TJ O U N DE D north, by Virginia ; eaft, by the Atlantic ocean ; 13 fouth, by South Carolina and Georgia; weft, by a chain of mountains a few miles to the weft ward of the Groat Appalachian Mountain. This chain of mountains, taking the whole for a part, has occasionally been called the Great Iron Mountain. All 'that vaft country which lies on the weft of the Iron Mountain, was furrendered to the United States by the State of North Carolina in the year 1789, It has lince beerii creeled into a feparate government, comr&only called the Territory South of Ohio, or the TennefTee government.* CIVIL DIVISIONS.! This State is divided into eight di&iab, which are fubdivided- into 54 counties,, as follows : * The charter limits of North Carolina are a line, beginning on the fea fide, at a cedar flake, at or near the mouth of a little river, (being the fouthern extremity of Brimfvvic county) and running thence a north- weft courfe through the boundary-houfe, in lat. 33 56' to Int. 35, and on that parallel weft as far as is men- tioned in the charter of K. Charles II. to the original proprietors of Carolina, viz. to the South Sea. Their northern line begins on the fea-coaft in lat. 36 30', and runs due weft to the termination of the fouthern line.- This line itrikes the Mifltffippi i 5 miles below the mouth of the Ohio. Thefe limits were afcertained and confirmed agreeably to an order or' George II. in council, in the year . Great Britain, by the treaty of 1763, which was made with France and Spain, furrendered hej claim to all the territory wcftward of the Miffilfr.pi ; and thofe nations, by the fame treaty, granted to Great Britain the free navigation of the Miflif- iippi. By the treaty of 1783, be'tvveen Spain and Great Britain, his Catholic Majefty exprefsly confirms the former treaty of 1763, except fuch parts as are there excepted ; corifequently he confirms to Great Britain the navigation of the'Miffiflippi ; and Great Britain, on her part, yields to the United States her entire right to the navigation of the Miffiffipp:. But fince Spain now claims the exelufive navigation of the Miffiflippi, which me had formerly furrendered, it is very probable that the United States, to whom North Carolina has- ceded her weftern territory, may claim the lands on tbe weft fide- of the Mifliflippi, which were within the owginfll charter bounds of that Slate, TABLE. 54. .NORTH CAROLHSTA. TABLE. Counties. ard 'o o G 4i . S "Chowan Currituck Camden EBENTON. | Paf tank 9 counties, 53,770; p er Q U : mms ihhabitants. Chief) 5S3 ] Gates town, Edenton. Hertford Bertie TTT WILMINGTON. 5 counties, 26,035 inhabitants. Chief -,-ITT.! .town,Wilmuigtpn. f, Hanover Brunfwick Duplin Bladen Onflow NF.WBERN, inhabitants. Chief town, Newbern. "Craven Beaufort Carteret . Johnfton 9 counties, 5 5 , 540^ fa Dobbs Wayne Hyde , Jones I? A <4-> V-i . O " f'l- 2 u a n .S a, K- bA S W c .0 il Counties. Diftrifts. "Halifax Northampton Martin r counties, 64,6 70 . -^ j , t i * r^u- rX Ed^ecomb inhabitants. Chief TT T^ WajTen town, Halifax HALIFAX. HlLLSBIOROUGH. Franklin Nalh Orange Chatham 6 counties^ 59,983^' Granville Cafvvell Wake ^Randolf Rowan Mccklenburgli Rockingham Iredell Surry Montgomery Stokes LGuilford Burke Ruthford Lincoln Wilkes f Cumberland FAYETTE. j Moore 6 counties, 34,020! Richmond inhabitants. Chief \ Robifon town, Fayetteville. I Sampfon inhabitants. Chief town,Hilliborough SALISB!JRY. 8 counties, 66,480 , inhabitants. Chief town, Salilbury. MORGAN. counties, 33,293 inhabitants. RIVERS.] Chowan river is formed by the confluence of three rivers, viz. the Me- herrin, Nottaway, and Black rivers; all of which rife in Virginia. It falls into the north-weft corner of Albemarle Sound, and is three miles wide at its mouth, but nar- rows faft as you afcend it. Roanoke is a long rapid river, formed by two principal branches, Staunton river, which rifes in Virginia, and Dan river, which rifes in North Carolina. The low lands -on this river are fubject to inundations. it is -navigable only for Hiallops, nor for thcfe, but about 60 or 70 miles, on account of falls, which in a great mcafure obftru6l the water communication with the back .country. Jt empties, by feveral mouths, into the Fouth-weft end of Aibemarle Sound. The planters, on the banks of this river, are fappofed to be the wealth iefl in North Carolina. One of them, it is faid, raifes about 3000 barrels of corn, and 4000 bufhels of peas, annually. Cufhai is a fmall river, which empties into Albemarle Sound between Chowan and j the Roanoke.* Pamlico NORTH CAROLINA. Pamlico or Tar river opens into Pamlico found. Its courfe is from north-weft to fouth-eaH, It is navigable for vcflcls drawing nine feet water to the town of Warn- ington, about forty miles from its mouth ; and for fcows or flats", carrying thirty or forty hogmcads, fifty miles further, to the town of Tarborough. Beyond this place the river is inconiiderable and is not navigable. Neus river empties into Pamlico found below Ncwbern. It is navigable for fea veflels about twelve miles above the town of Ncwbern ; for fcows fifty miles, and for fmall boats two hundred miles. Trent river, from the fouth- weft, falls into the Neus at Newbern. It is navigable for fea veflels about twelve miles above the town, and for boats thirty. There are feveral other rivers of lefs note, among which are the Pafquotank, Per- qnimins, Little river, Alligator, &c. which difcharge themfelves into JUbemarle found. All the rivers in North Carolina, and, it may be added, in Soutji Carolina, Georgia, and the Floridas, which empty into the Atlantic ocean, are navigable by any veffci (hat can pafs the bar at their mouth. While the watercourfes continue 'wide enough for veflels to turn round, there is generally a fufficient depth of water for them to proceed. , Cape Fear, more properly Clarendon river, opens into the fea at Cape Fear, in about latitude 33 45'. As you afcend it, you pals Brunfwick on the left, and Wil- mington on the right. The river then divides into north-call and north-weft branches, as they are called. It is navigable for large veflels to Wilmington, and for boats to Faycttevillc, near ninety miles further. This river affords the bell navigation in North Carolina. Yadkin river rifes in this State, and running fouth-eaftwardly, crofles into South Carolina, where it takes the name of Pedee, and pafles to fea below Georgetown. This State would be much more valuable, were it not that the rivers are barred at their mouths, and the coaft furnifhes no good harbours. Thcfe circumftances witt prevent the State from building large fhips, for which they have an abundance of excellent timber. Several caufes have been afligned for all the harbours and rivers being barred, fouth of the Chefapeak. Some fuppofc the bars are formed by the current of the long rivers throwing up the funds, where their rapidity terminates; others fay that a bank is thrown up by the Gulf Stream, which runs near thcfe ihores. The banks of the rivers in thi>, and the other neighbouring States, often overflow after great rains; which does much damage to the plantations. A gentleman on the fpot aflerts, that he has feen the water thirty feet below the banks of the river, juft after it had been ten feet above them. This is owing to the narrownefs of the mouths of the rivers, which do not afford a fufficient channel for the waters, accumulating every mile, to discharge themfelves into the ocean. SOUNDS, CAFKS, INLETS, &c.j Pamlico found is a kind of lake or inland fea, from, ten to twenty miles broad, and nearly one hundred miles in length. It is leparatcd from the fea, in its whole length, by a beach of laud hardly a mile wide, generally covered with fmall trees or bullies. Through this bank are feveral fmall inlets, by which boats may pats. But Ocrecok inlet is the only one that will admit veflels of burden into the diftridts of Edenton and Newberu. This inlet is in latitude 35 10% and opens into Pamlico found between Ocrecok illand and Core bank; the land on the north is called Ocrccok ; and on the fouth Portlmouth. A bar of hard fand croflH this inlet, on which, at low tide, there arc fourteen feet water. Six miles within this bar is a hard (hud thonl, called the Swath, lying acrofs the channel. On each iide 3 U of 5 i6 X O R T-II e A R O L I N A. of the channel arc" dangerous fhoals, foinetimes dry. There is from eiglvt to nine water at full tide, according to the winds, on the S\\afh. Common tides rife eighteen* inches on the l>ar, and ten oi> tlie Swafh. Between the bar and the - Swafh is good anchoring ground, called the Upper and Lower anclwrages. Ships drawing ten feet water do riot come farther than the firft Anchorage, till lightened. Few mariners, though acquainted whh the inlets, chooie to bring in their own velTels, as the bar' often ill i Us during their abtence on a voyage. North of Pamlico found, and commu- nicating witn it, is Albemaiie' found, iixty miles in length, and from eight to twelve in breadth. Core found lies fouth of Pamlico, and communicates with it. Thefe found* are fo large when compared with their inlets from the tea, that no tide can be per- ceived in any of the rivers which empty into them ; nor is the water fait even in the mouths of thefe rivers. Cape Hatteras is in latitude 35 15'. At the time of Sir Waller Raleigh's approach- ing the American fhores, the ihoals in the vicinity of Hatteras were found to- be extremely dangerous, and no veffels., in that latitude, ventured within feven leagues of the land. From a furvey of the ancient drafts of this part of the coafl, there can be no doubt but the fears of former navigators were not without foundation, as thefe fhoals are laid down very large in extent, and in many places covered with not more than five or fix feet water, at a great diftance from the land. The conltant experience of the coafting trade of the United States demonftratcs, cither that the ancient drafts were purpofcly faifified in order to deter feamen from venturing too near a coaft, with which they had as- yet a very flender acquaintance, o* (which is the moil prpbaJble) that by the itrong, currents hereabouts, which are only counter currents dime Gulph Stream, the fands, which were originally heaped up in (his part of the ocean by Ionic ancient eonvtillion of nature, have been gradually. wearing away, and diminifhing to what we find them to be at this time; At prelent the out fhoals^ which lie about fourteen miles fouth-weff of the Cape, are but of five or fix acres extent, and where they are really dangerous to veffels of moderate draught, not more than half that number of acres. On the fhoalefi part o thefe is, at low water, about ten feet, and here at times the ocean breaks in a tre- incndous manner, fpouting, as it were, to the clouds, from the violent agitations of the Gulf Stream, which touches the eaftern edge of the banks, from whence the decli- :y is fudden, that is to fay, from ten fathoms to no foundings. On the tpot above- mentioned, which is firm fand, it has been the lot of many a good veficl to ftrike > in a gale of wind, and to go to pieces. In moderate weather, however, thefe fhoals may be paffed over, if ncceffary, at full tide, without much danger, by veffels not tlruwiug more than eight, nine, or ten feet water. From this bank, which was formerly of vail extent, and called the Full Moon Shoal, a ridge runs the whole diftance to the Cape, about a north-weft courle : this ridge, which i* about half a mile wide, has on it at low tide generally ten, eleven, and twelve feet water, with gaps at equal intervals, affording good channels of about fifteen or fixtecn feet water. The moll noted of thefe channels, and moft ufed by coafting veflels, is about one mile and a half from the land, and may eafily be known by a range of breakers which are always feen on the weft fide, and a breaker head or two on the t .Hern fide, which, however, are not fo conltant, only appearing when the fea is considerably agitated. This channel is at lead two and a half miles wide, and might at full fea be lately pa (fed by the largeil fhips. Thefe, however, rarely attempt it. The common tides fwcll about fix feet, and always come from the fouth-eaft. A little north N O R T H C A TV O L I N A. 5 , 7 .'i of the Cape is good anchoring in four or five fathoms, and with the wind to the ,\velhvard, a boat may land in lafety, and even bring off calks of fre/b water, plenty of nvhirh is fa be found every where on the beach, by digging- a foot or tnvo y and putting a barret into t/:e fiin'd. Cape Lookout is fmith of Cape Hatteras, oppofite Core found, and has already been mentioned as having had an excellent harbour entirely filled up with land fince the year 1777. Cape Fear is' remarkable for a dangerous fhoal called, from its form, the Frying pan. This Ihoal lies at the entrance of Cape Fear river, the fouth part of it, fix miles'from. -Cape Fear pitch, in latitude 33 32'. SWAMPS.] There are two fwamps that have been called Difmal. Great Dilinal is on the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina. It is chiefly owned by two companies. The Virginia company, of whom the Preiident of the United States is one, owns 100,000 acres. The North Carolina company owns 40,000 acres. In the midfl of this Difmal there is a lake about leven miles long, called Drummond's pond. The waters of that lake in rainy feafons difeharge themlclves to the fouthward into Pafquetank of North Carolina, and to the north and eailward into the branches of the Nanlemond, Elizabeth river, and a river which runs into Currituck found ; a navigable canal is to be dug from the head of Pafquetank to the head of Elizabeth river in Virginia, the diflance about fourteen miles. This canal will pajs about a mile to the cathvard of Drummond's pond, and will receive water from that lake : to pafs through the lake would not be fafe for low-fidcd veftels. The company by whom this canal is to be cut, have been incorporated by the concurring laws of Virginia, and North Carolina. In September, 1791, the fubfcription being nearly fnll^ the company chofe their directors, and other officers. By the canal the exports of Norfolk muft be greatly increafed. The other Difmal is in Currituck county on the fouth fide of Albemarle found. This Difmal had not drawn the public attention as an object of importance before the end of the late war, at which time it was chiefly taken up. It is now fuppofed to contain one of the moil valuable rice eftatcs in America. In the midfl of this Difmal there is a lake of about eleven miles long, and feven miles broad. In the year 1785, or 1786, Jofiah Collins, Efq. of Edenton, in company with Meffrs. Allen and Dickinfon of that place, luiving taken up near 100,000 acres of land round the lake, refolving to make a navi- gable canal from the lake to the head of Skuppernong river : the diflance five and a half miles. This canal, twenty feet wide, was finifhed in 1790, and the company in 1791 railed above one hundred and twenty acres of rice on the margin. The natural channel by which the lake ufed to difeharge its waters is now flopped, and the waters pafs off by the canal. About five hundred yards from the lake, the company have erected feveral law mills. The water in the lake is higher than the furface of the ground for about half a mile from the lake on both fides of the canal ; whence it follows, that the company can at any time lay under water about ten thoufand acres of a rich iwamp, which proves admirably fitted for rice. PRINCIPAL TOWNS.] Newbern, Edenton, Wilmington, Halifax, Hillfborough; Salifbury, -and Fayetteville, each in their turns have been the feat of the General Affembly. At prefent they have no capital. According to the confutation of this State, the General AffcmbHc> are to meet at any place they think fit on their own ad- journments. The effect of this power was fuch as might be expected, in a flate where there is no very large city or town nearly central ; it was the fource of contlant intrigue arid difquietude. The affembly feldom, fat twice in fucceffion in the fame 3 U 2 place. NORTH CAROLINA, place. The public officers were fcattcrcd over every part of the country. You could icldom vifit the governor, the fccretary, the treasurer, or the comptroller, in lefs riding than two or three hundred miles. Hence records were loft, accounts were badly kept r and the State from that fmglc misfortune is iuppofed to have loft more than a million? of dollars. It was equally clear to all parties that the government fhould not be itinerant, and the convention which met in the year 1788, to coniider of the new federal conftitution according to their inftruclions, took this part of their own confti^ tution into their consideration, and by a very fmall majority ivfolved that the feat of* government fhould be fixed at fome place to be agreed on by commiflioners, within- ten miles of Wake court houie. This is a healthy and central fituation. But an acl: of the legiflature became neceflary to give effect to this ordinance, and in fubfcquent affemblies, there has generally been a Imiilar majority, that is to fay, a majority or one or two to oppofe the ordinance. The profits that might arife to a few publicans and Ihopkecpers at fome other town in which the Alfembly might meet., oceafioned more activity and procured more votes than the patriotic deiire of terminating diiputes and* fecuring a quiet, orderly, and good government. For the honour of reafon, by which we fhould be governed rather than by pafiion, it is to be wiihed that omf legislatures, in fimilar circumftanccs, had not acted in a limilar manner. The General Affcmbly of the State, at their feflion in December, 1791, pafifcd a la\v .for carrying the ordinance into effect, and appropriated lo^Dool. towards creeling, public building?. NEWBER.N is the largeft town in the State. It ftands on a rla-t, fandy point of land, formed by the confluence of the riVcrs NeuS ort tlie north, and Trent on the fbuth 1 . Opposite the town, the Neus is about a mile and a half, and the Trent three quarters- of a mile wide. The town contains about four hundred houies,* all built of weod, excepting the palace, the church, the gaol, and two dwelling houfes, which are of brick. The palace is a building creeled by the province before the revolution, and was formerly the relidence of the governors. It is large and elegant, two ftories high, with two wings for offices, a little advanced in front towards the town ; thefe wings are connected with the principal building by a circular arcade. This once handfome and wcll-furnillicd building is now much out of repair. One of the halls is uied for a* dancing, and another for a fchool-room ; wlxich are the only prefent tiles of this palace, The arms of the king of Great Britain ftill appear in a pediment in front of the building, The Epifcopal church is a final! brick building, with a bell. It is the only luraic for public worfhip in the place. A rum diftillery has lately been erected- in this town. It is the county town of Craven county, and has a court houle and gaol. The court Jioufc is raifed on brick arches fo as to render the lower part a convenient market place ; but the principal marketing is done with the people in their canoes and boats at the river fide. EDENTON is fituated on the north fide of Albemarle found ; and has about one hundred and fifty indifferent wood houfes, and a few handfome buildings. It has n t>rick church for Episcopalians, which for many years has been much neglected, and fcrves only to (hew that the people once had a regard, at leaft, for the externals of religion. Its local, fituation is advantageous for trade, but not for health. It is the county town of Chowan county, and has a court houfe and gaol. In or near the town lived the proprietary, and the firft of the royal governors. * la September 1791, near one third part of this town wus confuraed by fire. NORTH CAROLINA. 519 is a town of about one hundred and eighty houfcs, fituatcd on the eaft fide of (he cailern branch of Cape Fear or Clarendon river, thirty-four miles from the ica. The courlc of the river, as it paries by the town, is from north to fouth, and is about one hundred and fifty yards wide. In 1786 a fire broke out, fuppofed to have been kindled by negroes, and confumed about twenty-five or thirty houies. The town is rebuilding flovvly. HILLSBOROUGH is an inland town, fituated in * high, healthy, and fertile country, one hundred and eighty miles north of the welt from Ncwbcrn. It is fettled by about lixty or feventy families. SALISBURY is agreeably fituated, about five miles from Yadliin river, and contains about ninety dwelling houfcs. HALIFAX is a pretty town, and fund's on the wefrern bank of the Roanoke, about fix miles below the falls, and has about thirty or forty dwelling houfes. ..FAYETTEVILLE ftands on the weft fide of Clarendon, commonly called Gape Fear river, and about a mile from ks banks. It is well-built on both fides of a creek, from which the town was formerly called Crofs Creek. Two fmail creeks unite near the town, andanifland, juft below the junction, divides the creek. Some perfon took it into his head that the creeks crofted each other without mixing their waters;- and the ftrangenete or improbability of the thjng, as in many other cafes, feerns to have been the reafon, why it was believed. Since the peace, this town has flourifhed, but a coniiderable part of it was burnt in- 1792. It is fituated on a- fettlement of Scotch Highlanders. WASHINGTON is fituated in the county of Beaufort, on the north fide of Tar river, in latitude 35 30', diftant from Ocrecok inlet ninety miles. From this town is exported tobacco of the Peterllmrgh quality, pork, beef, Indian corn^ peas, beans, pitch, tar, turpentine, rofin, &c. and pine boards, mingles, and oak ft'avcs. About one hundred and thirty veifels enter annually at the cfcftom houfe in this town. GREENEVILLE, fo called after Major-general Nathaniel Greene, is fituated in Pitt county, on the fouth bank of Tar river, in latitude 35 35', diftant from Ocrecok inlet one hundred and ten miks. At this towi* there is an academy eitablimedy called the Pitt Academy r TARBORGVGH is fituated in the comity of Ecfgecmnb, on the fouth bank of Tar fiver, in, latitude 35 45', diftant from Ocrecok inlet oe hundred and ; forty miles. At this- town- large quantities of tobacco of the Peterfburgh- quality-, porky beef, and Indian 1 com, are collected for exportation. FACE OF THE COUNTRY, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] Nortii Carolina*, in its whole width, for fixty miles from the lea, is a dead level. A great proportion of this tract lies in foreft, and is barren. On the banks of feme of the rivers, particularly of the Roanoke, the land is fertile and good. Interfperlcd through the other parts are glades of rich fwamp, and ridges of oak land, of a black, fertile foil. In all this cham- paign country, marine productions are found by digging eighteen or twenty feet bclcnv the iurface of the ground. The fea coaft, the founds, inlets, and the lower parts of ^le rivers, have uniformly a muddy, fort bottom. Sixty or eight)* miles from the fea, the country rites into hills and mountains, as dcfcribcd under this head in South Caro- lina and Georgia. Wheat, rye, barley, oats, and flax, grow well in the back hilly country. Indian com and pulfe of all kinds in all parts. "Ground peas run on the furface of the earth, and are covered by hand with a light mould, and the pods grow under ground : they are eaten raw or roailed, and taile'much like a auzlemnY Cotton and hemp are alfo confi- .$20 NORTH CAROLINA. ronfiderably cultivated hero, and might be railed in much greater plenty. The rottor. ).- planted yearly : the lialk dies with the .fro it. The labour of one man will produce ,one thouiand pounds in the ictxjs, or two 'hundred and fifty fit for manufacturing. The. country is generally friendly to the railing of iheep, which yield from three quarters of a pound to two pounds and .a half of wool, -which is fhort and not very fine. It is.no uncommon thing: for the farmer to- mark -from five hundred to one thoufand calve* in a year. No farther attention i-o paid to them till -they are fit for flaughter, then they are taken up, killed, barrelled, and lent to the Well India market. Thrr ; pork is railed with as little; trouble, large quantities of which, before -the war, were font to New England, particularly to Bofton and Salem. THADE.] A great proportion of the produce of the back country, confining of tobacco, wheat, -Indian corn, &c. is carried to market in. South Carolina and Virginia. The fouthern: interior countries, carry their produce to Charlcttown ; and the northern to Peierlburgh in Virginia. The exports from the lower parts of the State are tar, pitch, turpentine, rofm, Indian- corn, .boards, Scantling, ftavcs, ibingles, furs, tobacco, pork, lard, tallow, bees-wax, myrtle-wax, and a tew other articles, amounting in the .year, ending in September 3oth, 1791, to 524,548 dollars. Their trade -is chiefly .with the Weft Indies and .the northern States. -From the latter they receive flour, cheefe, . cyder, .apples, potatoes, iron wares, cabinet wares, hats, and dry goods of all JdofK. imported from Great Britain, France, .and Holland, teas, &c. From 4he Weil Indies, rum, fugar, and coffee. CLIMATE, DISEASES, &c.] -In the flat country, near the fea coaft, the inhabitants, during the fummer and autumn, are fubjec! to intermitting fevers, which often prove fatal, as bilious or nervous .fyinptoms prevail. ^Thefe fevers are fcldom immediately jdangerous to the. natives who are temperate, or to ftrangers who are prudent. The}', however, if fuffered to continue for any length of time, bring on other disorders, which greatly impair the natural vigor of the mind, debilitate the conftitution, and -terminate.. in death. The, countenances of the inhabitants during thcfc fcafous, have generally a .pale yeljowifli .caft, .occafioned by the prevalence of bilious fymptoms. They have yery little of the bloom and frellmeis of the people in the northern States. It has been obferved that more of the inhabitants, of the men efpecially, die during .jfche w< inter by pleurifies and peripneumonies, than during the warm months by bilious complaints. Thefc pleurilies are brought on by intemperance, and by an imprudent cxpofure to the weather. Were the inhabitants cautious and prudent in thefe refpects, it is alledged by their phyiicians, that they might in general efcape the danger of thefe fatal difeafcs. The ute-of flannel next to the Ikin during the winter, is reckoned an excellent preventative of the difeafes incident to this climate. The wefiern hilly parts of the State are as healthy PS any of the United States. That country is fertile, full of fprings and rivulets of pur? water. The air there is ferene a great part of the year, and the inhabitants live to old age, which cannot fo generally be laid of the inhabitants of the flat country. Though the days in fummer are extremely hot, the nights are ccfll and refreming- Autumn is very pleafant, both in regard to the temperature and fercnity .of the weather, and the riehnefs and variety of the vegetable productions which the (baton affords. The winters are fo mild in fome years, that autumn may be laid to continue till ipring. \V heat harvcit is the beginning of June, and that of Indian corn ,arly in September. NATURAL NORTH' CAROLINA. 52I NATURAL HISTORY, MANUFACTURES, &c.] The large natural growth of the plains in (he low r.onntry is almoft univertally pitch pine, which, is a tall, handfome tree, far fupcrior to the pitch pine of the northern States. This tree may be; callod the ftaplc commodity of North Carolina. It affords pitch, tar, turpentine, and various kinds of lumber, which together conftitute at leaft one half of the exports of this State. This pine is of two kinds, the common and the long-leaved. The latter has a leaf ihaped like other pines, but is nearly half a yard in length,- hanging in large clutters. No country produces finer white and red oak tor Itavcs. The fwamps abound with Cyprus and bay trees. The latter is an evergreen, and is food for the cattle in the winter; The leaves are fhaped like thole of the pencil tree, but larger; The moil common kinds of timber in the back country are, ak, walnut, and pine. A fpecics of oak grows in the moiit, fandy foil, called blackjack. It feldom grows larger than eight or nine inches diameter. It is worthy of remark, that the trees in the low country, near the fca coalt,. arc loaded with vafl quantities of a long fpccies of mofs, which, by abforbing the noxious vapour that is exhaled from ftagnated waters, contributes much, it is fup- pofed, to the hcalthincfs of the climate. This hypothecs is confirmed by experience, - lincc it is commonly oblcrved, that the country is much lei's healthy for a few years after having been cleared, than while in a Irate of nature. The Mifstetoe is common in the back country. This is a ihrub which differs in kind, perhaps, from all others. It never grows out of the earth, but on the tap's of trees. The roots (if they may be focal-led) run under the bark of the tree, and incorporate v-'ith the wooeK It is on evergreen, refembling the garden box w-ood. The principal wild fruits- arc plums, grapes, ftrawberries, and blackberries. The country is generally covered with herbage of various kinds* and a fpecies of wild grats. It abounds with medicinal plants and roots ; among others are the ginieng ; Virginia make root ; Seneca fnake root, an herb of the emetic kind, like epicaouana ; L) on's heart, which is a fovereign remedy for the bite of a ferpent, A fpecies of the fenfitive plant ie alfo found here ; it is a fort of brier, the ftalk of which dies with the froft, but- the- root lives through the winter, and Ihoots again in the fpring. The lighted touch of a leaf caufes it to turn and cling clofe to the ftalk* Although it ib eafily takes the alarm, and apparently fhrinks from 'danger, in the fpace of two minutes after it is touched, it perfectly recovers its former fituation. The mucipula vrneris is alfo found here. The rich bottoms are overgrown with canes. The leaves arc green all the winter, and afford an excellent food for cattle. They are of a fwcctifh tafte, like the ftalks of green corn, which they in many reipecls referable. There is a long ridge of lime-Hone, which, extending in a fouth-weftcrly direction, crolfes the whole State of North Carolina. It croiTes Dan river to the weflward of the Sawro towns, erodes the Yadkin about fifty miles north-weft from Salisbury, and thence proceeds by the way of King's mountain to the fouthcrn States. No lime-it one- has been - found to the eaftward of tlrat ridge. A Ipecies of rock has been found in feveral places, of which lime is made, which is obvioufly a concretion of marine fhells. The State is travelled nearly in the tame direction by another ftratum of rocks which .pafles near Warrenton. It is a circumftance worthy of obfcrvation that the fprings of water on UK- north-weft fide of the ridge are apt to fail in dry feafons; on the fouth-weft fide they feldom fail. The river Yadkin, where it pafies Saliibury, is about- four hundred yards broad, but it is reduced between t\vo hills, about twenty-five miles to th& ibuthward of that town, to the width of eighty or one hundred icet. For two miles it is narrow and rapid, but the moil narrow and moft rapid part is not above half a mile in length. In 52i - NORTH CAROLINA. In this narrow part, fhad arc caught in the fpring of the year, by hoop nets, in the eddies, as fall as the ftrongeft men are able to throw them out. Perhaps there is not in the United States a more eligible fi.tuat.ion for a large manufacturing town. Boats \vith forty or fifty hogfheads pals eafily from thele rapids to Georgetown. 'Hie late war, by which North Carolina was greatly convulfcd, put a flop to feveral iron works. At prefent there are four or live furnaces in the State that are in blaft, and a proportionable number of forges. There is one in Guilford county, one in Surry, and one in Wilkes, all on the Yadkin ; and one in Lincoln. The quality of the iron is excellent. One paper mill has lately been erected at Salem, by the Moravians, to great advantage. RKLIGION.] The wcftern parts of this State, which have been fettled within the lafl forty years, are -chiefly inhabited by Prefbyterians from Pcnnfylvania, the defccn- dants or people from the north of Ireland, and are exceedingly attached to the doctrines, difcipline, and ufages of the church of Scotland. They are a regular induririous people. Almoil all the inhabitants between the Catawba and Yadkin rivers are of this denomination, and they arc in general well fupplicd with a feniible and learned miniftry. There are intcrfperfed fome fettlements of Germans, both Lutherans and Calvinifts, but they have very few miniflers. The Moravians have feveral flourifhing fettlements in this State. In 1751, they purehafed of Lord Granville one hundred thoufand acres of land, between Dan ami Yadkin rivers, about ten miles fouth of Pilot mountain, in Surry county, and called it "Wnrhovia, after an ellate of Count Zinzcndorf, in Auftria. In 1755, this tract, by an act of AiTcmbly, was made a feparate parifh by the name of Dobb's parifh. The iirll fettlement, called Bethabara, was begun in 1753, by a number of the brethren from Pennfylvania, in a very wild, uninhabited country, which, from that time, began to be rapidly fettled by farmers from the middle States. In 1759, Betliany, a regular village, was laid out and fettled. In 1766, Salem, \\hich is now the principal iettlement, and nearly in the center of Wachovia, was fettled by a collection of tradcfmen. The fame constitution and regulations are eftablifhed here, as in other regular fettlements of the united brethren. Beiides, there arc in Wachovia three churches, one in Friedland, one in Friedburg, and another at Hope, each of which has a minifter of the brethren's church. Thefe people, by their indultry and attention to various branches of manufacture, are very ufeful to the country around them. The Friends or Quakers have a iettlement in New Garden, in Guilford county, and fevcral congregations at Perquimins and Pafquetank. The Methodius and Baptiils are numerous and increafing. Beiides the denominations already mentioned, there is a very numerous body of people in this, and in all the fouthern States, who cannot properly be claficd with any icct of Chriftians, having never made any pro- leifton of Chriftianity. The inhabitants of Wilmington, Ncwbcrn, Edenton, and Halifax diflri^s, making about three-fifths of the State, once profelled themfclros of the cpifcopal church : the clergy in thefc diilricts were chiefly miflionaries, and in forming their political at- tachments, at the commencement of the late \vrnr, pcrlbnal fafcty, or real intereft, or perliaps a'conviclion of the impolicy of oppofing Great Britain, from whence they received their talaries, induced them almolt imiverfally to declare themfelves in favour of the Britifli government, and to emigrate. There may be one or two of the ori- ginal clergy remaining, but at prefent they have no particular paftoral charge; indeed 2 the NORTH CAROLINA. 5 2 3 the inhabitants in the diftric"ts above mentioned feem now to be -making the experi- ment, whether Christianity can exift long in a country where there is no vifible Chriftian church : the^ Baptifts and Methodifts have fent a number of miffionary preachers into thefe diflricls, and fome of them have pretty large congregations ; it is not improbable, that one or the other of thefe denominations, and perhaps both, may acquire confiflency, and eftablifh permanent churches. COLLEGES AND ACADEMIES.] The General Aflembly of North Carolina, in De- cember, 1789, palled a law incorporating forty gentlemen, five from each d 1 . truftces of the imivcrlity of North Carolina; to this univerfity they gave, by a fub~ fequent law, all the debts due to the State from fheriffs or other holders of public money, and which had been due before the year 1783 ; they alfo gave, it all eickeatGc! property within the State. Whenever the trufiees fhall have collected a f : fum of the old debts, or from the fale of efcheated property, the value of which lr, confiderable, to pay the cxpcnfe of erecting buildings, they are to fix on a proper place and proceed to finifh the buildings : a confiderable quantity of land has already been given to the univerfity. The General Aflembly, in December, 1791, loaned 5000!. to the truftces, to enable them to proceed immediately with their buildings. There is a very good academy at Warrenton, another at Williamfborough in Gran- ville, and three or four others in the State, of confiderable note. POPULATION, CHARACTER, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS.] From the marshal's re- turn it appears, that the number of inhabitants, in the year 1791, was 393,751, oi whom 293,179 were citizens : perhaps there are few infiances of fuch a rapid increafe of inhabitants as we find in this State; in the year 1710, we are well allured, that the number of inhabitants in North Carolina did not exceed 6000 : this extraordinary increafe muft arife, in a great meafure, from the migration of inhabitants from other States, or from diftant countries ; but this will not fully account for the prefent flate of population in North Carolina. By examining the return, we find there are 147,494 white male inhabitants ; we alib find, that the number of males under fixteeii \ exceeds the number above fixteen by 7518, which is about one-nineteenth of the whole. This is a very remarkable fact, as it refpects the increafe of the human fpecies We find a final 1 difference in the States of Delaware, Virginia, and Georgia, in fa- vour" of thofe under' fixteen. The difference in Kentucky is fimilar to that in North Carolina. In the other States, the number above fixteen is greatcft, and in the feveral kingdoms in Europe, as far as our information reaches, the inhabitants above lixteen are univcrfally much more numerous than thofe under that age. The great difference that appears in North Carolina in favour of children, cannot be explained by.fup- pofing that the climate is fickly, for we know that fuch climates are equally fatal to young and old. The idea too of a fickly climate does not accord with the prodigious increafe of inhabitants in this State, nor with another faclt, viz. that there is a con- fiderable proportion of very old inhabitants in the Slate. To explain this we muft obferve, that the human fpecies, and all other animals, are found to increafe in pro- portion to the comforts of life, and the eafe with which they can fupport their pro- geny. Remove the rigours of an inhofpitable climate, and the more uniform dhlua- live to matrimony, the apprehended difficulty of fupporting a family, and the human fpecies would double, not in twenty*but in fifteen years. In North Carolina, neither the cold of winter, nor the heat of fummer, are in the back country at all difagrce- able ; land continues to be plenty and cheap ; grain is raifed with fo much eafe, and the trouble of providing for cattle in winter ib trifling, that a man fupports his fa- mily with half the labour that is required in the cold climates. Under thefe ad- 3 X vantages, 524 NORTH CAROLINA. vantages, we are not to \\onder that people in all ranks of life fhould marry very young; we have heard of grandmothers in that State who were not more than twenty- leven years old. The North Carolinians are moftly planters, and live from half ,a mile to three and four miles from each other on their plantations ; they have a plentiful country, no ready market for their produce, little intercourfe with Grangers, and a natural fond- ncfs for fociety, which induce them to be hofpitable to travellers. The general topics of converfation among the men, when cards, the bottle, and occurrences of the day do not intervene, are negroes, the prices of indigo, rice, tobacco, &c. They appear to have little taftc for the fciences. Political inquiries and philo- fophical difquifitions are attended to but by a few men of genius and induilry, and are too laborious for the minds of the people at large. Lefs attention and reipect arc paid to the women here, than in thofe parts of the United States where the inhabi- tants have made greater progrefs in the arts of civilized liie ; indeed it is a truth con- firmed by obfervation, that 'in proportion to the advancement of civilization, in- the fame proportion will refpect for the women be increafed ; fo that the progrefs of ci- vilization in countries, in ftates, in towns, and in families, may be marked by the degree of attention which is paid by hufbands to their wives, and by the young men to the young women. Temperance and induftry are not to be reckoned among the virtues of trie North Carolinians ; the time which they wafte in drinking, idling, and gambling, leaves them very little opportunity to improve their plantations or their minds ; the improve- ment of the former is left to their overfeers and negroes ; the improvement of the latter is too often neglected. Were the time which is thus wafted, fpent in cultivating the foil, and in treafuring up knowledge, they might be both wealthy and learned ; for they have a productive country, and are by no means deftitute of genius. Time that is not employed in ftudy or ufeful labour, in every country, is generally fpent in hurtful or innocent exercifes, according to the cuftom of the place, or the tafte of the parties. The citizens of North Carolina, who are not better employed, ipend their time in drinking, or gaming at cards and dice, in cock fighting or horfe- racing. We are told, that a ftrange and very barbarous practice prevailed among the lower clafs of people, before the revolution, in the back parts of Virginia, North and South Carolinas, and Georgia ; it was called gouging, and was neither more nor lefs than a man, when boxing, putting out the eye of his antagonift with his thumb. How quick, under a mild government, is the reformation of manners ! We have lately been told, that in a particular county, where, at the quarterly court twenty years ago, a day feldom palled without ten or fifteen boxing matches, it is now a rare thing to hear of a fight. North Carolina, as already obferved, has had a rapid growth ; in the year 1710 it contained but about 1200 fencible men ; it is now, in point of numbers, the fourth State- in the Union. During this amazing progrefs in population, which has been greatly aided by emigrations from Pennfylvania, Virginia, and other States, while each has been endeavouring to increafe his fortune, the human mind, like an un- weeded garden, has been fuffered to fhoot up "in wild diforder. But when we con- fider, that, during the late revolution, this State produced many diitinguifhed pa- triots and politicians, that fhe fent her thoufands to the defence of Georgia and South Carolina, and gave occafional fuccours to Virginia ; when we confider too the difficulties fhe has had to encounter from a mixture of inhabitants, collected from dif- ferent NORTH CAROLINA. 525 icrcut parts, Grangers to each other, and intent upon gain, we fhall find many things worthy of praile in her general character. CONSTITUTION.] By the conltitution of this State, which was ratified -in Dcccm- 'ber, 1776, all legiflative authority is vefted in two diftinct branches, both dependent on the people, viz. a Senate and Houfe of Commons, which, when convened for bufinefs, are ftyled the General Aifembly. The fenate is compofed of representatives, one for 'each county, chofen annually by ballot. The houfe of commons confifts of reprefentatives chofen in the fame way, two for each county, and one for each of the towns of Edenton, Newbern, Wilmington, Salifbury, Hillfborough, Halifax, and Fayetteville. The (qualifications for a fenator, are one year's refidence immediately preceding his election in the county in which he is chofen, and 300 acres of land in fee. A member of the houfe of commons mull have ufually refided in the county in which he is elected one year immediately preceding his election, and for fix months fhall have pofleifed, and continue to po fiefs, in the county which he reprefents, not Ids than 100 acres of land in fee, or for the term of his own life. A freeman of twenty-one years of age, who has been an inhabitant in the State twelve months immediately preceding the day of any election, and who had poffefled a freehold of fifty acres of land within the county for fix months next before, and at the day of election, is entitled to vote for a member of the fenate. All freemen of twenty-one years of age, who have been inhabitants of the State the year next before the election, and have paid public taxes, may vote for members of the houfe of commons. The fenate and houfe of commons, when convened, choofe each their own fpeaker, and are judges of the qualifications and elections of their members: they jointly, by ballot, at their firfl meeting after each annual election, choofe a governor for one year, who is not eligible to that office longer than three years, in fix fuccelfive years, and who muft poflefs a freehold of more than icool. and have been an inha- lant of the State above five years. They, in the fame manner, and at the fame time, jelect feven perfons to be a council of Hate for one year, to advife the governor in the execution of his office. They appoint a treafurer or treafurers for the State. They trennially choofe a ftate fecretary. They jointly appoint judges of the fupreme courts of law and equity ; judges of admiralty, and the attorney general, who are commiffioned by the governor, and hold their offices during good behaviour. They prepare bills, which muft be read three times in each houfe, and be figned by the Ipeaker of both houfes before they pafs into laws. Judges of the fupreme court, members of the council, judges of admiralty, trea- furers, lecretaries, attorney-generals for the State, clerks of record, clergymen, per- fons denying the being of a God, the truth of the Proteftant religion, or the divine authority of the Old and New Teftament, receivers of public monies, whofe accounts are uniettled, military officers in actual fervice, are all ineligible to a feat either in the fenate or houfe of commons ; juftices of the peace, being recommended by the reprefentatives, are commiffioned by the governor, and hold their offices during good behaviour. The conftihition allows of no religious eflablifhment, the legiflature are authorized to regulate entails fo as to prevent perpetuities. A majority of both houfes as neceffary to do bufinefs. HISTORY.] The hiftory of North Carolina is lefs known than that of any of the other States ; from the befl accounts that hiftory affords, the firfl permanent fettle- 3X2 ti6 NORTH CAROLINA. J merit in North Carolina was made about the year 1710, by a number of Palatines from Germany, who had been reduced, to circumftances of great indigence by a ca- lamitous war. The proprietors of Carolina, knowing that the value of their lands depended on the ftrength of their fettlements, determined to give every poflible en- couragement to fuch emigrants. Ships were accordingly provided for their tranfporta- tion, and infmictions were given to Governor Tynte, to allow 100 acres of land for every man, woman, and child, free of quit rents, for the firft ten years ; but at the expiration of that term, to pay one penny per acre annual rent for ever, according to the ufages and cuitoms of the province. Upon their arrival Governor Tynte ited them a tract of land in North Carolina, iince called Albemarle and Bath precincts, where they fettled, and flattered thcmielves with having found in the hi- deous wildernefs, a happy retreat from the defolations of a war which then raged in Europe. In the year 1712, a dangerous confpiracy was formed by the Coree and Tufcorora tribes of Indians, to murder and expel this infant colony. The foundation for this confpiracy is not known ; probably they were offended at the encroachments upon their hunting ground. They managed their confpiracy with great cunning and pro- found fecrecy. They furrounded their principal town with a breafl work to fecure their families. Here the warriors convened to the number of 1200. From this place of rendezvous they fent out fmall parties, by different roads, who entered the fettlement under the malk of friendfhip. At the change of the full moon all of them had agreed to begin their murderous operations the fame night. When the night came, they entered the houfes of the planters, demanding provilioris, and pre- tending to be offended, fell to murdering men, women, and children, without mercy or diftinction. One hundred and thirty-feven fettlers, among whom were a Swifs baron, and almoft all the poor Palatines that had lately come into the country, were flaughtered the firft night. Such was the fecrecy and difpatch of the Indians in this expedition, that none knew what had befallen his neighbour until the barbarians had reached his own door. Some few, however, efcaped, and gave the alarm. The militia affembled in arms, and kept watch day and night, until the news of the fad difafter had reached the province of South Carolina. Governor Craven loft no time in fending a force to their relief. The Affembly voted 4000!. for the fervice of the war. A body of 600 militia, under the command of Colonel Barnwell, and 366 Indians of different tribes, with different commanders, marched with great expedition through a hideous wildernels to their affiftance. In their firft encounter with the Indians they killed 300 and took 100 prilbners. After this defeat, the Tufcororas retreated to their fortified town, which was fhortly after furrendered to Colonel Barn- well. In this expedition it was computed that near a thoufand Tufcororas were killed, wounded, and taken. The remainder of the tribe foon after abandoned their country, and joined the Five Nations, with whom they have ever fince remained. After this, the infant colony remained in peace, and continued to flourish under the general government of South Carolina till about the year 172,9, when feven of the proprietors, for a valuable consideration, vefted their property and jurifdiction in the crown, and the colony was erected into a feparate province, by the name of North Carolina, and its prefents limit eftablifhcd by an order of George II. From this period to the revolution in 1776, the hiftory of North Carolina is unpubliihed, and of courfe unknown, except to thofe who have had accefs to the records of the province.. Some of the moft important events that have fince taken place, have been already, mentioned in the general hiftory of the United States. TER- TERRITORY SOUTH OF OHIO, OR THE TENNESSEE GOVERNMENT. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 360 1 , r 6 20' and 16 30' W. Longitude Breadth 105! 1 35 and 36 30' N. Latitude BOUND UUES 1 r T HE Tennefl * ee government, or the territory of the United States, J. fonth of the river Ohio, is that tract of country which was ceded to the United States by the State of North Carolina in the year 1789. It is bounded north, by Kentucky and part of Virginia ; earl, by the Stone, Yellow, Iron, and Bald mountains, which divides it from North Carolina ; fouth, by South Carolina, and Georgia ; weft, by the Miffiffippi* GIVIL DIVISIONS AND POPULATION.] This exteniive diilrict is divided into the fol- lowing counties : r Counties. No. Inhabit. Davidfon, 3459 Sumner, 2196 Tenneflee> I 387 Counties. No. Inhabit, Wafhington, 5872, Sullivan, 4447 Green, 7741 Hawkins, 6970 South of French Broad, 3619 The above is according to the returns made by the governor of this territory in 1791. Owing to imperfect returns made to him, it does not comprehend the whole number of inhabitants. We have no data on which to calculate the probable defi- ciency. In 1788, the number of inhabitants were reckoned at about 40,000 ; they muft have greatly increafed fince that period. In 1765, there .were but abou* ten< families- fettled weft of the Kanhawa; fo many had joined them in 17.73, that the fcttlement weft of the Kanhawa was erected into a county, and in 1776 fubdivided into three counties. The 1 inhabitants of this diftrict emigrated chiefly from Pennsylvania, that part of Virginia which lies weft of the Blue Ridge. The anceftors of thefe people were gene-- rally of the Scotch nation; fome of whom emigrated firft to Ireland, and from thence to America. A few Germans and Englifh are intermixed. The proportion of the whites to the black in this diftrict, judging from the foregoing imperfect cenfus, is as ten to one. In 1788, it was thought there were twenty white perfons to one ncgroe. The erection of this territory into a feparate government, it is believed, will tend to leffen the negroe population. SOIL.] The farmers on Cumberland river, for the fake of defcribing their lands, diftinguifti them by firft, fecond, and third quality. Land of the firft quality will bear Indian corn or hemp, but it will not bear wheat without great reduction. Land of the fecond quality does not bear wheat to advantage until it has been reduced by two or three crops of corn, hemp, tobacco, or cotton. Land of the third quality bears every kind of grain that is ufually fown on dry ground in the Atlantic States. * About feven and a half millions of acres of this trat only has been yet purchafed from the Indians.. 5 i3 TERRITORY SOUTH OF OHIO. It is agreed by all who have vifitcd the Cumberland fettlcment, that 100 buflicls o Indian corn are frequently gathered from an acre of their bell land; iixty orfeventy bufhcls from an acre is very common, but the farmer who expects to gather fuch a crop, mult be careful, while the corn is foft, to guard it againil bears and racoons. 'Wheat, barley, oats, lye, buckwheat, Indian, corn, peafe, beans, potatoes of both forts, flax, hemp, tobacco, indigo, rice, and cotton, have already been planted in that lettlemcnt, and they all thrive in great perfection ; the ufual crop of cotton is 3o.o -.pounds to the acre; the Itaple is long arid tine. It is alleclged, however, that the lands on the fmall rivers that run into the MiHiffippi, have a decided preference to thole on the Cumberland river, for the production of cotton and indigo. No expe- riments have been made on land near the MiffifTippi within the ceded territory ; but there is a fmall fettlement farther down the river, within the limits of the United States, on a limilar foil, where the growth and quality of cotton is fo remarkable, that its culture is more profitable than any other crop. The foil on thofe rivers is deep and light, having a fmall mixture of find with a black earth ; hence, 'as the planters alledge, it proves favourable to the culture of all kinds of roots, as well as of indigo and cotton. CLIMATE.] Moderate and healthy. In the tract lying between the Great Ifland, as it is called, and the Kanhawa, the fummers are remarkably cool, and the air rather moift. South-weft of this, as far as the Indian towns, the climate is much warmer, and the foil better adapted to the productions of the fouthern States. The difeafes to which the adult inhabitants are mofl liable, are pluriiies, rheuma- tifms, and rarely agues and feyers : fo healthy have been the inhabitants, that from the firft fettlement of the country to 1788, not a lingle phyfieian had fettled among them. It is to the inhabitants a real advantage, that they are almoft beyond the reach of thofe luxuries which are enjoyed, and thofe epidemical difeafes which are confe- quently frequent, in populous towns on the fea coaft. An inhabitant of this diftrict writes., f( Our .phyficians are, a fine climate, healthy, robuft mothers and fathers, plain and .plentiful diet, and enough of exercife : there is not a regular bred phyiician reiiding in the whole diftrict." RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS.] The Tenneffee, called alfo the Cherokee, and ab- furdly the Hogohege river, is the larger! branch of the Ohio ; it rifes in the moun- tains of Virginia, latitude 37, and purfes a courfe of about 1000 miles fouth and foutll-weft, nearly to latitude 34, receiving from both fides a number of large tribu- tary flreams ; it then wheels about to the north, in a circuitous courfe, and mingles with the Ohio, nearly fixty miles from its mouth : from its entrance into the Ohio, to the Mufcle ihoals, 250 miles, the current is very gentle, and the river deep enough, at all feafons, for the largefl row boats : the Mufcle Ihoals are about twenty miles in length. At this place the river fpreads to the width of three miles, and forms a number of iilands, and is of difficult pafTage, except when there is a fwell in the river. From thefe fhoals to the whirl or fuck, the place where the river breaks through the Great Ridge, or Cumberland mountain, is 250 miles, the navigation all the way excellent. The Cumberland mountain, in its whole extent, from the Great Kanha\va to the Tenneffee, conliils of the moft Itupendous piles of craggy rocks of any mountain in the weftern country ; Ln feveral parts of it, for miles, it is inacceffible even to the Indians on foot ; in one place particularly, near the lummit of the mountain, there is a moft remarkable ledge of rocks of about thirty miles in length and 200 feet thick, fliewing a perpendicular face to the fouth-eafi more noble and grand than any arti- 4 ficial TERRITORY SOUTH OF OHIO. 52? ficial fortification in the known world, and apparently equal in point of regularity. Through this flupendous pile, according to a modern hypothecs, had the waters of all the upper branches of the Tenneflce to force their way ; the attempt would have been impracticable at any other place than the otie mentioned for more than 100 miles eaftwardly. Here then fecms to have been the chafm, left by the Creator, to con- vey oft' thole waters which mufl otherwilc have overflowed, and rendered ufelefs a vail tract of valuable country, encompafled within the mountains. The Whirl, as it is called, is in about latitude 35 ; it is reckoned a greater curioiity than the burfting of the Patomak through the Blue Ridge, which is fo inimitably de- icribed by Mr. JefFerfon. The river, which a few miles above is half a mile wide, is here comprefied to the width of about 100 yards ; iuft as it enters the mountain, a , large rock projects from the northern iliore in ah oblique direction, which renders the bed of the river flill narrower, and caufes a fudden bend ; the water of the river is of courfe thrown with great rapidity againfl the fouthern fhore, whence it abounds around the point of the rock and produces the whirl, which is about eighty yards in circumference. Canoes have often been carried into this whirl, and efcaped by the dexterity of the rowers without damage. In lets than a mile below the whirl, the river fpreads into its common width, and, except Mufcle Shoals, already mentioned, flows beautiful and placid till it mingles with the Ohio. Six miles above the whirl are the Chiccamogga towns, on the banks of the river, and of a large creek of the fame name ; from thefe towns to the mouth of the Hi- waflfee is flxty miles by water, and about forty by land ; this river is a fouth branch of the TennelFee, and navigable till it penetrates the mountains on its fouth fide ; up this river, in thefe mountains, a mine has been difcovered and ore taken, from which, it is laid, gold was extracted by an artifl, while the Britifh were in pofleflion of Georgia : it is certain, but few Indians know the fpot, and thofe who do are very anxious to keep it a fecret : the gentleman who gave the author this information lias been within view of the place. The mountain is very high and barren, and has feveral of the appearances defcribed by mineralifts. The difcovery was made by means of the river's undermining the bate of a large cliff or fpur of the mountain, which occalioncd a great column of the earth or rock to tumble into the river ; this difrupture difcovered the vein of yellow metal at a great depth. The climate, the fine fprings, and fertile plains, render the banks of this river a moft delightful place of fettlement. From a branch of the Hiwaflee, called Amoia, there is but a ftiort portage to a branch of the Mobile, and the road all the diftance firm and level. Palling up the Tenneflee, fixty miles from the mouth of the Hiwaflee, you come to the mouth of Peleibn or Clinch river, from the north, which is large and naviga- ble for boats upwards of 200 miles, receiving in its cburfe, belides inferior ftreams, Powell's river, which is nearly as large as the main river, and boatable LOO miles-: this lail-mentioned river runs through Powell's valley, an excellent tract of country abound ing with fine fprings. From the Peleibn to the junction of the Holftein and Tenneflee is computed forty miles ; this lafl is the branch which formerly gave its name to the main river, not from its fize, but from its notoriety, having on its banks a vail number of Indian villages, and the chief town of the Cherokee Indians, called Chota, and was there- fore called Cherokee river ; but the name of Tenneflee has of late obtained : it croflcs the valley at nearly right angles with the mountains, and has on its banks a number of beautiful plains, which are chiefly improved as corn fields by the Indians. In 1788, the whites had advanced their iettlements within ten miles of the Indian villages. Forty 53 o TERRITORY SOUTH OF OHIO. Forty milt's from the TcnncfFee, up the Holftein branch, comes in Frank river, vul- garly called French Broad, four or live hundred yards wide ; thence, purfuing the Holitcin 200 miles, you come to Long Illand, which is the higher! navigation yet uled; thence about 100 miles is the fource of the river. One mile below Long Illand comes in North Holiiein, and 20 miles above it the Wattago ; the former is 100 yards wide at its mouth, and, with a fmall expcnfe, might be made navigable to Campbell's Salines, feventy miles farther up. On the banks of the Holiiein are many mines of iron ore, of the beft kind, fome of which have been opened and worked to advantage, and enough might be made to fupply the whole weftcrn country ; and thefe mines are the more valuable, as there is faid to be none of this ore near the Mifliflippi, and very little north of the Ohio. In the TennerTee and its upper branches are great numbers of fifh, fome of which are very large and of an excellent flavour. The head waters of the great Kanhawa are in the weftern part of North Carolina. in the moil eaftern ridge of the Allegany or Appalachian mountains, and fouth of the 36th degree of latitude. Its head branches encircle thofe of the Holftein, from which they are feparated by the Iron mountain, through which it paries, ten miles above the lead mines ; thence fleering its courfe along the foot of the Allegany mountain, until it receives Little river from the call, it turns to the north,, which is its general courfe till it meets the Ohio. About 60 miles from Little river it re- ceives Green Briar river from the eaft, which is the only confiderable tributary liream in all that diilance. About forty miles below the mouth of Green Briar river, (in Virginia) in the Kanhawa, is a remarkable cataract. A large rock, a little elevated in the middle, crofles the bed of the river, over which the water fhoots and falls about fifty feet perpendicularly, except at one lide, where the deicent is more gradual. The Shawanee, now called Cumberland river, of the Ibuthern brunches of the Ohio, is next in fize to the TennerTee, and extends eaftwardly nearly as far, but runs a much more direct courfe ; it is navigable for fmall craft as far as Nafhville ; from the fouth it receives Harper's, Coney, Obey's, and Clear Fork rivers ; and from the north, Red and Rock Caftle rivers, betides many fmaller flreams. The land on the waters of Tenneflee and Cumberland rivers is generally well tim- bered ; in fome places there are glades of rich land without timber, but thefe are not frequent nor large. The general growth is poplar, hickory, black walnut, buck eye, or the horfe chelhut, fycamore, locuit, and the fugar maple. The under growth, in many places, is cane fifteen or twenty feet high, Ib dole together as to exclude all other plants ; where the cane does not abound, we find red bud, wild plum, fpice wood, red and white mulberry, ginfeng, Virginia and Seneka lhake root, angelica, fweet anife, ginger, and wild hops. The glades are covered with clover, wild rye, buffalo grafs, and pea vine. On the hills, at the head of rivers, *we find /lately red cedars ; many of thefe trees are four feet in diameter, and forty feet clear of limbs. It would take a volume to defcribe particularly the mountains of this territory, above half of which is covered with thofe which are uninhabitable ; fome of thefe mountains, particularly Cumberland, or Great Laurel Ridge, are the moft ftupendous .piles in the United States ; they abound with ginfeng and itone coal. Clinch moun- tain is fouth of thefe, in which Burk's Garden and Morris's Nob might be delcribed as curioiities. The Iron mountain, which conftitutes the boundary between this diflricl and North Carolina, extends from near the lead mines, on the Kanhawa, through the Cherokee county, to the fouth of Chota, and terminates near the fources of the Mobile. The caverns and cafcades in thefe mountains are innumerable. ANIMALS."] TERRITORY SOUTH OF OHIO. ANIMALS.] A few years fmce, this country abounded with large herds of wild cattle, improperly called buffaloes ; but the improvident or ill-difpofed among the firil lettlers, have dcftroyed multitudes of. them out of mere wantonnrfs ; they are flill to be found on fjme of the fouth branches of Cumberland river. Elk, or moofe, arc icon in many places, chiefly among the mountains. The deer are become com- paratively fcarce, fo that no perfon makes a bufmefs of hunting them for their lldns only. Enough of bears and wolves yet remain. Beavers and otters are caught in plenty in the upper branches of Cumberland and Kentucky rivers. They have pheasants, partridges, or quails, and turkies in abundance through the year. During the winter their waters are covered with the fwan, wild go ofe, brant, and duck. Cat-flfh have been caught in thefe rivers that weighed above 100 pounds, and perch that weighed above twenty pounds. The mammoth, the king of the land animals, was formerly an inhabitant of this country, as appears from his bones, which have been dug up by labourers at Camp- bell's Salines, on North Holftein, when finking fait pits ; they were from three to feven feet below the furface of the earth. SALINES, MINES, SPRINGS, &c.] Campbell's Salines, juft mentioned, are the only oo BOUNDARIES.] (OUNDED north, by North Carolina, and the Tenneflee govern- ) ment ; eaft, by the Atlantic Ocean ; fouth, and fouth-wcft, by Savannah river, and a branch of its head waters, called Tugulo river, which divides this State from Georgia.* CIVIL DIVISIONS AND POPULATION.] The proprietors who firft fent fettlers to Caro- lina, divided it into counties and parifhes. The counties are generally named after the proprietors. No county courts, however, were eftablifhed, and this divilion, tholigh for a long time kept up in the province, became in a great meafurc obfolete, previous to the revolution. Since the revolution, county courts have been eftablifhed, where a majority of the inhabitants have petitioned for them, and the State is now divided into diftricts and counties ; and the counties are fubdivided, in the lower country, into parifhes ; and in the upper country, into fmaller or voting diftricts. There are feven diftricls, in which are 36 counties, as follows : Diftrifts. BEAUFORT diftricl:, on- the fea coaft, be- tween Combahee & Savannah rivers. Chief town BEAU- FORT, 18,753 inha- bitants. Counties. Hilton, Lincoln, Granville, Shrewfbury. ORANGEBURGH diltricl" weft of Beaufort dif- tricl;. Chief town ORANGEBURGH, 18,513 inhabitants.^ Lewifburgh, Orange, 'Lexington, Winton. GEORGETOWN diftric~t,"i between Santee ri- Winyah, ver and North Ca- WiHiamiburgh, rolina. Chief town ^Kir;gfton } GEORGETOWN, Luert/. 22,132 inhabitant?. J Diftri6ls. Counties. CHARLESTOWN diftricl:, Charleftown, between Santee and Wafhingtoii, Combahee rivers. Marion, Ch. town CHARLES- Berkley, TOWN, 76,985 in- Colleton, habitants. Bartholomew "Clarendon, C AMD EN diftricl, weft Richland, of Georgetown dif- Fairrield, tricl:. Chief towrK Claremont, CAMDEN, 38,065 in- Lancafter, habitants. York, Chefter. NINETY-SIX diftricl:, \ comprehends all other parts of the State, not included in the other diftrict" Chief town CAM- BRIDGE, 73,729 in- habitants. Abbeville, Edgefield, Newbury, Union, Laurens, Spartanburgh, Greenville, Pendleton. CHE RAW s SOUTH CAROLINA, 337 CHERAWS diftrict,weft") of Georgetown dif- Maryborough, tria. Chief town >Chellerfield, ,. 10,706 in- Darlington. habitants. Total number of inhabitants in 1791, 249,073, of whom 107,094 were flaves. The committee, appointed by act of Arfembly to divide the diftricts into counties, were directed to lay them as nearly 40 miles fquare as was practicable, due regard being paid to lituations, natural boundaries, &c. As the lower country was originally fettled by people from Europe, under the pro- prietary government and influence, all the then counties were divided into parifhes : and even now, although the old counties are done away, the boundaries altered, and new ones cftablifhed, the divifion of parifhes fublifts in the three lower diftricts, the people chufe their lenators and reprefentatives by parifhes, as formerly. But in the middle and upper diilricls, which were fettled by people of various nations from Europe, but principally by northern emigrants, parifhes are hardly known, except per- haps in Orangeburgh tliflrict. In thcfe diilricts the people vote in fmall divifions, as convenience dictates. CLIMATE.] The climate is different in different parts of the State : along the fea eoaft, bilious difeafes, and fevers of various kinds, are prevalent between July and October. The probability of dying is much greater between the zotli of June and the 2oth of October, than in the other eight months in the year. One caufe of thcfe difeafes is, a low marfhy country, which is overflowed for the fake of cultivating rice. The exhalations from thefe flagnated waters, from the rivers, and from the neighbouring ocean, and the profufe perfpiration of vegetables of all kinds, which cover the ground, fill the air with moifture : this moifiure falls in fre- quent rains and copious dews. From actual obfervation it has been found that the average annual fall of rain for ten years was 42 inches ; without regarding the moifture that fell in fogs and dews. The great heat of the day relaxes the body, and the agree- able coolnels of the evening invites to an expofure to thefe heavy dews. The difagreeable effects of this climate, experience has proved, might in a great meafure be avoided by thofe inhabitants, whole circumftances will admit of their re- moval from the neighbourhood of the rice fwamps to healthier fituations, during the months of July, Auguft, September, and October; and in the worft fituations, by temperance and care. Violent exercife on horfeback, chiefly, expofure to the meridian rays of the fun, fudden fhowers of rain, and the night air, are too frequently the caufes of fevers and other diforders. Would the fportfinen deny themfelves, during the fall months, their favourite amufements of hunting and fifhing, or confine themfelves to a very few hours, in the morning or evening ; would the induftrious planter vifit his fields only at the fame hours ; or would the poorer clafs of people pay due attention to their manner of living, and obferve the precautions recommended to them by men of knowledge and experience, much ficknefs and many diftreffing events might be pre- vented. The upper country, fituated in the medium between extreme heat and cold, is as healthful as any part of the United States. RIVERS.] This State is watered by four large navigable rivers, befides a great num- ber of fmaller ones, which are pafTable in boats. The river Savannah wafhes it in its whole length from fouth-eaft to north-weft, The difto riles in two branches from a remark- 533 S X) U T H C A R O L I N A. remarkable riugc in the interior part of the State. Thefe branches unite below Orange- burgh, which ii antU on the North Fork, and form Ediilo river, which, having palled Jaoklbnfburglr, leaving it. on the louth, branches and embraces Edifto ifland. Santee is the largcil and Jongcft river in this State : it empties into the ocean by two mrmths, a little fouth of Georgetown. About 120 miles in a direct line from its '.mouth, it branches into the Congarec and Wateree ; the latter or northern branch ^paries the Catabaw nation of Indians, and bears the name of the Catabaw river from this fetflement to its fource. The Congarce branches into Saluda and Broad rivers. Broad river again branches into Enoree, Tyger, and Pacolct rivers , on the latter of which are ihe celebrated Pacolet fpring?. Pedee river rifes in North Carolina, where it is called Yadkin river : in this State, 'however, it takes the name of Pedee ; and, receiving the waters of Lynche's creek. Little Pedee, and Black river, it joins the Wakkaniaw river, near Georgetown. Thefe united ftreams, with the acceffion of a fmall creek, on which Georgetown frauds, form Winyaw bay, which, about 12 miles below, communicates with the ocean. All the fbrementioned rivers, except Ediilo, riles from various fources in that ridge of moun- tains which divides the waters which flow into the Atlantic ocean, from thofc which lall into the Miffiffippi. The rivers of a fecondary lize, as you pafs from N. to S. are Wakkamaw, Black river, Cooper, Afhepoo, and Combahee. Thefe rivers afford, to the proprietors of their bank?, a conllderable quantity of tide fwamp or rice land, flowable from the jrivers, except in extraordinary droughts. In the third clafs are comprehended thofe rivers which extend but a fhort diftance from the ocean, and ferve, by branching into numberlefs creeks, as drains to take off fhe quantity of rain water, which comes down from the large inland fwamps ; or are merely arms of the fea : of this kind, are Amley, Stono, Coofaw, Broad, Colleton, May, New, and Right's rivers. The tide, in no part of the State, flows more than 25 miles from the fca. CANAL.] A company has been incorporated for the purpofe of connecting Cooper and Santee rivers by a canal of 2,1 miles in length. The fum fuppofed to be necefTary to complete this extenfive work is 55,620!. fterling. Twenty-live per cent, are allowed by the legiflature in tolls for all monies advanced by ftockholders. The advantage of canal at this place, ta one who inlpects a map of the Carolinas, mull appear to be great, both to the public and to the proprietors. MOUNTAINS.] Except the high hills of Santee, the Ridge, and fome few other hill?, this country is like one extenlive plain, till you reach the Tryon and Hogback moun- tains, 220 miles north-well of Charleftown. The elevation of thefe mountains above their bafe is 3840 feet, and above the fea coaft 4640. There is exhibited from the top of thefe mountains an extenfive view of this State, North Carolina, and Georgia : and as no obje6t intervenes to obftruc"l the view, a man with tekfcopic eyes might difcern vef- fcls at fea. The mountains weft and north-weft rife much higher than thefe, and form a ridge, which divides the waters of Tenneffce and Santee rivers. HARBOURS.] The only harbours of note are thofe of Charleftown, Port Royal, and Georgetown. Charleftown harbour is fpacious, convenient, andlfafe : it is formed by the junction of Afhley and Cooper rivers : its entrance is guarded by Fort Johnfon. Twelve miles from the city is a bar, over which are four channels ; one, by the name of Ship Channel, has 18 feet water ; another i6| ; the other two are for mialler veffels. The tide.; rife from five to eight feet. Port Royal has an excellent harbour, of fuffi- extent to contain the largeft fleet in the world i The SOUTH CAROLINA. 539 The bar at the entrance of Winyaw bay, which leads to Georgetown, docs not ad- mit of vciTels drawing more than 1 1 feet water ; and is, in many refpecls, a very dan- gerous place. This circumfrance has proved injurious to the growth of Georgetown, which is other wife exceedingly well fituated for all the purpofes of an extenftve trade. ISLANDS.] The fca coaft is bordered with a chain of fine fea iflands, around which the lea flows, opening an excellent inland navigation, for the conveyance of produce to market. ' North of Charleftown harbour lie Bull's, Dewee's, and Sullivan's iflands, which form the north part of the harbour. James ifland lies on the other fide of the harbour, oppofite Charleftown, containing about fifty families. Further S. W. is John's ifland' larger than James ; Stono river, which forms a convenient and fafe harbour, divides thefe iflands. Contiguous to John's ifland, and connected with it, by a bridge, is Wndmelaw ; eaft of which are the fmall ifles of Keyway and Simmon. Between thefe and Edifto ifland is N. Ediilo inlet, which alfo affords a good harbour for vefTels of afy draft of water. South of Edifto ifland is S. Edifto inlet, through which enter, from the northward, all the rebels bound to Beaufort, Allieepoo, Combahee and Coofaw. On the S. W. fide of St. Helena ifland lies a clufter of iflands, one of the largeft of which is Port Royal. Adjacent to Port Royal lie St. Helena, Ladies ifland, Paris ifland, and the Hunting iflands, five or fix in number, bordering on the ocean, fo called from the number of deer and other wild game found upon them. All thefe iflands, and fome others of lefs note, belong to St. Helena parifh. Croffing Broad river, you come to Hilton Hrth 500!. fterling clear of debt. The fenators are chofen for four years, and divided into two claffes, one clafs being chofen every fecond year. They muft be free white men, thirty years old, and have been inhabitants five years. If reftdent in the diftrict, they muft have a freehold worth 30oL fterling, clear of debt; if non-reiident, a freehold worth loool. fterlingj clear of debt. Every free white man, twenty-one years old, having been an inhabitant of the State two years, and been a freeholder of fifty acres of land, or a town lot, fix months, or having been refident in the diftrict fix months, and paid a tax of 38. fterling,. has a right to vote for members of the legiflature. The General Aflembly is chofen on the fecond Monday of October, and meets on the fourth Monday in November annually. Each houfe choofes its own officers, judges of the qualifications of its members, and i:as a negative on the other. A majority of each make a quorum from day to day, and compel <44 SOU T H C A R O L I X A. compel the attendance of members. They are protected, in their perfons and eftatcs, during the Seffions, and ten days hetbre and after ; except in cafes of treafon, felony, and breach of the peace. They are paid cut of the public trcafury, irom which no money is drav/n but by the legislative authority. Revenue bills originate in the lower houfc, but may he altered or rejected by ihe Senate. Army and navy contractors, and all officers, excepting officers in the militia, julHc.es of the peace, and jufticcs of the county courts which have no falaries, are excluder.! from the General Affcmbly. The clergy are excluded from civil offices. The executive authority is veiled in a governor, chofcn for two years, by both houfes of alfembly jointly ; but he cannot be re-rlected till after four years. He mull be thirty years old, have been an inhabitant of the State ten years, and have an eilate in it worth 1500!. fterling, clear of debt. Pie. can hold no other office, .except in the militia. A lieutenant-governor is chofen in the fame manner, for the fame time, and poffeffing the fame qualifications ; and holds the office of governor in cafe of vacancy. The governor is commander in chief of the military force; has pow.er to remit fines and forfeitures, and grant reprieves and pardons, except in cafes of impeachment ; to require information of executive officers; to convene the General Affembly on extraordinary occafions, and to adjourn them to ?my time not beyond the fourth Monday in November next entiling, in cale they ean- not agree on the time themfelvcs. He mull inform the General AfFembly of the condition of the State; recommend fuch meafures as he Shall judge expedient ; and take care that the laws are faithfully executed in mercy. The legiilature has power to veft the judicial authority in fuch courts as it fhall think proper. The judges hold their commiffion during good behaviour. Thofe of the fuperior courts are elected by joint ballot f both houfes. of aflembly ; have a Hated falary, and can hold no other office. All officers take an oath of fidelity to their duty, and to the conflitution of this State, and of the United States ; and, for malconduct, may be impeached by the Houfe of Reprefcntatives, and tried by the Senate. This constitution afferts the Su- prcme power of the people .; liberty of confcience ; trial by jury; and fubordination of the military to the civil pow^r. It excludes ex pojl faQo laws; bills of attainder; ex- ceffive bail; and titles .of nobility and hereditary distinction. The legiilature foas power, under certain regulations, to make amendments to the conftitution. And a convention may be called by a vote of two thirds of both branches of the whole representation. This conftitution was ratified June 3d, 1790. LAWS.] The laws of this Stale have nothing in them of a particular nature, ex- cepting what aritcs from the permiffion of flavery. The evidence of a flave cannot be taken againft a white man ; and the maSter who kills his flave is not punishable othcrwife than by a pecuniary mulct, and twelve months imprisonment. A committee was appointed, at the feffion of the legiflature in 1792, to put in train the buiincfs of reviling and amending the negro act, or the law .for governing the flavcs. The i Hue we hope will meliorate the condition of the flaves, and afford an evidence to the world of the enlightened policy, and increasing humanity of the citizens of this State. W.e anticipate an ilTuc of this nature the rather, bccaufc a diS- pofition to Soften the rigors of ilavery lias of late been manifested, by allowing them lift), tobacco, and Summer clothing, which formerly was not cuStomary. A law, altering :he n.odc of dclcent of inteftate eStates, which formerly dcfcended according to the ! -uvs of England, was paffcd in 1792. According to trie prelent law, a more equal pariition takes place, and more conformable to a republican government, and to the dictates of natural affection. 2 By S O U T H C A R O L I N A. 545 By a late regulation, the judges of the court, who before had a falary of 500!. each, .and fees, have now 6ool. and no fees. The chief juftice has 8ool. STATE OF LITERATURE.] Gentlemen of fortune, before the late war, fent their Ions to Europe for education, During the war and iince, they have generally fcnt them to the middle and northern States. Thofe who have been at this expenfe in edu- cating their fons, have been but comparatively few in number, fo that the literature of the State is at a low ebb. Since the peace, however, it has begun to flourifh. There are feveral refpeclable academies at Charleftown; one at Beaufort, on Port Royal Ifland, and feveral others in different parts of the State. Three colleges have lately been incorporated by law ; one at Charleftown, one at Winniborough, in the diitrict of Camden, the other at Cambridge, in the diflricl of Ninety-Six. The public and private donations for the fupport of thefe three colleges were originally intended to have been appropriated jointly, for the erecting and fupporting of one refpeclable college. The divilion of thefe donations has fruilrated this delign. Part of the old barracks in Charleftown has been handfomely fitted up, and converted into a college, and there are a number of {Indents ; but it does not yet merit a more dignified name than that of a refpeclable academy. The Mount Sion College, at Winniborough> is fupported by a refpeclable fociety of gentlemen, who have long been incorporated. This inftitution flourifhes and bids fair for ufefulnefs. The college at Cambridge is no more than a grammar fchool. That the literature of this State might be put upon a refpeclable footing, nothing is wanting but a fpirit of enterprize among its wealthy inhabitants. CHARITABLE AND OTHER SOCIETIES.] Thefe are the South Carolina, Mount Sion, Library and St. Cecilia Societies ; a fociety for the relief of the widows and orphans of clergymen, a medical fociety lately inftituted in Charleilown, and a mufical fociety. _A.t Beaufort and on St. Helena are leveral charitable focieties, incorporated with funds to a coniiderable amount, deligned principally for tl*e education of poor children, and which promife, at a future day, to be of great public utility. What arc called Jockey Clubs, have increafed within a few years. INDIANS.] The Catabaws are the only nation of Indians in this State. They have but one town, called Catabaw, iituated on Catabaw river, in latitude 34^ 49', on the boundary line between North and South Carolinas, and contains about 45,0 inha- bitants, of which about 150 are fighting men. It is worthy of remark, that, this nation was long at war with the Six Nations, into whofe country they often penetrated, which it is laid no other Indian nation from the iouth or weft ever did. The Six Nations always coniidered them as the braveit of their enemies, till they were furrounded by the fettiements of wliite people, whole neigl*- bourhood, with other concurrent caufos, have rendered them corrupt and nerveleis.. RELIGION.] Since the revolution, by which all denominations were put on an equal footing, there have been no dilputes between different religious leets. They all agree to differ. - The upper parts of this State are fettled chiefly by Prefbyterians, Baptift* and Methodifts. From this moil probable calculations it is fuppoied that the religious denominations of this State, as to numbers, may be Tanked as follows: Prciby- ierians, including the Congregational and Independent dmrches r Epifcop:-ilians jr BaptiUs, JVIethodifts, &c. CHARACTER.] There is no peculiarity in the manners of the inhabitants of this State, -except what ariles from the miiUiievous influence of ilavery ; and in this, indeed, they do not diiiej: from the inhabitants of the other fouthern .States.. Slavery, by / SOUTH CAROLINA. by exempting great numbers from the ncccflities of labour, leads to luxury, diffipaiion, and extravagance. The ablblute authority which is exercifed over their f laves, too much favours a haughty fupcrcilious behaviour. A difpofition to obey the Chriftian .precept, " Do to others as you would that others fhould do unto you," is not cherifhed by a daily exhibition of many made for one. The Carolinians fooncr arrive at maturity, both in their bodies and minds, than the natives of colder climates. They poffefs a natural qiwckncfs and vivacity of genius, fupcrior to the inhabitants of the north ; but too generally want that cnterprize and perfeverance, which are ncceffary for the highcfi attainments in the arts and fcicnces. They have, indeed, few motives to cnterprize. Inhabiting a fertile country, which, by the labour of Haves, produces plentifully, and creates affluence ; in a climate which favours indulgence, cafe, and a difpofition for convivial pleafures, they too generally reft contented with barely knowledge enough to tranfacl the common affairs of life. There are not a few inflances, however, in this State, in which genius has been united with application, .and the effects of their union have been happily experienced, not only by this State, but by the United States. . The wealth produced by the labour of the flaves, furnifhcs their proprietors with the means of hofpitaiity ; and no people in the world ufc thcie means w r ith more liberality. Many of the inhabitants fpare no pains or expenfe in giving the higheft polifh of education to their children, by enabling them to travel, and by other means unattainable by thofe who have but moderate fortunes. The Carolinians are generally affable and eafy in their manners, and polite and .attentive to flrangers. The ladies want the bloom of the north, but have an engaging foftnefs ad delicacy in their appearance and manners, and many of them poffefs the polite and elegant accompli fhments. Hunting is the mofl fafhionable amufement in this State. At this the country gen- tlemen are extremely expert, and with furpriling dexterity purfuc their game through ,the woods. Gaming of all kinds is more difcountenanced, among fafhionable people, in this than in any of the fouthcrn States. Twice a year, flatedly, a clafs of fportive gentlemen, in 'this and the neighbouring States, have their boric-races. Bets of ten or fifteen hundred guineas have been fometimes laid on thefe occalions. There is no inftance, perhaps, in which the richer clafs of people trefpafs more on the rules of propriety than in the mode of conducting their funerals. That a decent fefpecl be paid to the dead 9 is the natural diclate of refined humanity ; but this is not done by fumptuous and expenlive entertainments, fplendid decorations, and pompous ceremonies, which a mifguided fafhion has here introduced and rendered neceffary. In Charleftown, and other parts of the State, no pcrfons attend a funeral any more than a wedding, unlefs particularly invited. Wine, punch, and all kinds of liquors, tea, coffee, cake, &c, in profulion, are handed round on thefc folemn occalions. In ihort, one would fuppofc that the religious proverb of the wife man, " It is better to go to the houfe of mourning than to the houfe of feafting," would be unintelligible .and wholly inapplicable 'here, as it would be difficult to diiiinguifh the houfe of mourn-, ing from the houfe of feafling. MILITARY STRENGTH] . There are between 20,000 and 30,000 fighting men in this State. About ten men are kept to guard Fort Johnfon, on James Itland, at the en- trance of Charleftown harbour, by which no veflel can pafs, unlefs the mafler or mate smakeoath that there is no malignant diflemper on board. The militia laws, enacting that every freeman, between 16 and 50 years of age, ihall be prepared for war, have been but indifferently obeyed lince the peace. An 'uuufual degree of military fpirit, j however, 3 O U T H C A R O L I N A. 547 however, teems lately to have arifen among the citizens of Charleftown. No lefs than eight volunteer uniform companies have lately formed in this city, betides a troop of boric, and the ancient battalion of artillery. PUBLIC REVENUE AND EXPENSES.] The public revenue of this State is, nominally, 90,000!. fterling ; but a great part of this is either not collected, or paid in fecurities^ which are much depreciated. The expenfes of government are about i6,oooU fterling. MODE OF LEVYING TAXES.] The great bulk of the revenue of the State is raifed by a tax on lands and negroes. The lands, for the purpofe of being taxed according to- their value, are divided into three grand divifions ; the firft reaches from the fea-coaft to the extent of the flowing of the tides ; the fecond> from thefe points to the fall of the rivers ; and thence to the utmoft verge of the wcftern fettlement makes the third. Thefe grand divifions, for the fake of more exactly afcertaining the value of the lands, are fubdivided into 2,1 different fpecies ; the moft valuable of which is eftimated at fix pounds, and the leail valuable at one fhilling per acre. One per cent, on the value thus eftimated is levied from all granted lands in the State. The collection of taxes is not annexed to the office of Iheriff, but is committed to particular gentlemen ap- pointed for that purpofe, who are allowed two and a half per cent. in. Charleftown, and five per cent, in the other parts of the State, on all they collect.. BANKS.] Befides a branch of the national bank, a bank, by the name of the South Carolina bank, was eftablifhed in 1792 in Charleftown. DAMAGE BY THE LATE WAR.] The damages which this State fuftained in the late- war are thus eftimated : the three entire crops of 1779, 1780, and 1781, all. of which were ufed by the Britifh ; the crop of 1782, taken by the Americans ; about 25,000 negroes ; many thoufand pounds worth of plate, and houfhold furniture in abun- dance ; the villages of Georgetown and Camden burnt ; the lots to the citizens di- rectly by the plunderings and devastations of the Britiih army, and indirectly by Ame- rican impreifments, and by the depreciation of the paper currency, together with the heavy debt of 1,200,000!. fterling, incurred for the fupport of the war, in one aggre- gate view, make the price of independence to South Carolina, exclufive of the blood' of its citizens, upwards of 3,000,000!. fterling. COMMERCE.] The little attention that has been- paid to manufactures, occafibns a vaft confumption of foreign imported articles ;. but the quantities and value of their exports generally leave a balance in favour of the State, except when there are large importations of negroes. The amount of exports from the port of Charleftown, in the year ending November 1787, was then eftimated, from authentic documents, at 505,279!. 193. $d'. fterling money. The number of veflels cleared from the cuftom-houfe the fame year, was 947^ meafuring 62,118 tons; 735 of thefe, meafuring 41,531, tons, were American ; the others belonged to Great Britain, Spain, France, the United Netherlands, and Ireland. The principal articles exported from this State are, rice, indigo, tobacco, ikins of various kinds, beef, pork, cotton, pitch, tar, rofin, turpentine, myztle wax, lumber, naval ftores, cork, leather, pink root, fnake root, ginfeng, &c. In the moft fuccefs- ful fcatbns, there have been as many as 140,000 barrels of rice, and i,3OO,occlbs.. of indigo, exported in a year. From the 1 5th of December, 1791, to September, 1792, 108,567 tierces of rice, averaging 55olbs. nett weight ea^h, were exported' from Charleftown. In the year ending September 3oth, 1791, exclufive of twa " 4 A. quarter&j. 54 8 SOUTH -CAROLINA. quarter?, for which no returns were made, the amount of exports from this State was 1,866,021 dollars. PRACTICE OF LAW, COURTS, &c.] From the ftrft fettlement of this country in 1669, to the year 1 769, a fmgle court, called the Court of Common Pleas, was thought fufficient to tranfact the judicial bufinefs of the State. This court was invariably held at Charlef- town, where all the records were kept, and all civil bufinefs tranfacled. As the pro- vince increafed, inconveniencies arofe, and created uneafinefs among the people. To remedy thefe inconveniencies an act was patted in 1769, by which the province was divided into fevcn diftricls, which have been mentioned. The court of common pleas (inverted with the powers of the fame court in England) fat four times a year in Charlellown. By the above-mentioned act, the judges of the court of common pleas were empowered to lit as judges of the court of feffions, invefted with the powers of the court of king's bench in England, in the criminal jurifdiction. The act likewife directed the judges of the courts of common pleas and feffions in Charleftown diflricl, to divide, and two of the judges to proceed on what is called the northern circuit, and the other two on the fouthern circuit, distributing juftice in their progrefs. This mode of adminiilering juflice continued till 1785, when, by the unanimous exertions of the two upper diltricts, an act was patted, eitablifhing county courts in all the counties of the four diftricts of Camden, Ninety Six, Cheravvs, and Orangeburgh. The county courts are empowered to lit four times in a year. Before the cltablilh- ment of county courts, the lawyers all refided at Charleftown, under the immediate eye of government ; and the Carolina bar was as pure and genteel as any in the United -States. Since this eftablifhment, lawyers have flocked in from all quarters, and fettled in different parts of the country, and law fuits have been multiplied beyond all former knowledge. HISTORY,.] The reformation in France occalioned a civil war between the Proteftant and Catholic parties in that kingdom. During thefe domeftic troubles, Jafper de Co- ligni, a principal commander of the Proteflant army, fitted out two fhips, and fent them with a colony to America, under the command of Jean Ribaud, for the purpofe .of fecuring a retreat from profecution. Ribaud landed at the mouth of what is now called Albemarle river, in North Carolina. This colony, after enduring incredible .hardfhips, were extirpated by the Spaniards. No further attempts were made to plant a colony in this quarter, till the reign .of Charles II. of England. Mention is, how- ever, made of Sir Robert Heath's having obtained a.grant of Carolina, from Charles I. in 1630 ; but no fettlements were made in confcquence of this grant. In 1662, after the re florati on of Charles II. Edward, Earl of -Clarendon, and fevcn others, obtained a grant of all lands lying between the 3ift and 36th degrees of north latitude. A fecond charter, given two years after, enlarged their boundaries, and compre- Jicndcd all that province, territory, &c. extending eaflward as far as the north end of Currituck Inlet, upon a ftrait line wefterly to Wyonoke Creek, which lies within or about latitude 36 30' ; and fo weft, in a direct Tine as far as the South Sea ; and fouth and weltward as far as 2,9 north latitude inclufive ; and fo weft in direct lines to the South Sea.* Of this large territory, the .King constituted thefe eighi perfons abfolutc Lords * Various cnufes have rendered it expedient to divide this extenfive territory : in 1728, North Carolina was erefted into a feparate province. In 1732, George II. granted to certain truftees therein mentioned, and to their fucceflbrs, a charter of all that part of Carolina, tying between the moft northern ftream of Savannah SOUTH CAROLINA. 549 Lords Proprietors ; invefting them with all neceflary powers to fettle and govern the fame. Nothing was lucccfsfully done towards the fettlement of this country till 1 609 ; at this time, the proprietors, in virtue of their powers, engaged the famous Mr. Locke to frame for them a conftitution and body of laws. This conftitution, confiiling of 120 articles, was ariftocratical, and though ingenious in theory, could never be iiiccefsfully reduced to practice. Three dalles of nobility were to be eftablifhed, viz. barons, cafliques, and land- graves. The firft to poffefs twelve ; the fecond, twenty-four ; the third, forty-eight thoufand acres of land, which was to be unalienable. In 1669, William Sayle being appointed firft governor of this country, embarked with a colony, and fettled on the neck of land where Charleftown now ftands. During the continuance of the proprietary government, a period of 50 years, (reckoning from 1669 to 1719) the colony was involved in perpetual quarrels. Often- times they were haraffed by the Indians ; fometimes infeiled with pirates : frequently invaded by the French and Spanifh fleets ; conilantly uneafy under their injudicious- government ; and quarrelling with their governors. But their mofl bitter duTenlions were refpecling religion. The Epifcopalians being more numerous than the diflenters, attempted to exclude the latter from a feat in the legiflature. Thefe attempts fo far fucceeded, as that the Church of England, by Savannah river ; along the fea coaft, to the moft fouthern dream of Alatamaha river ; weftward, from the* Jieads of thefe rivers, refpedively iu direct lines to the South Sea, inclufivel/, with all iflands within twenty leagues of the feme. In 1762, the governor of South Carolina, conceiving that the lands lying fouth of Alatamaha river be-, longed to South Carolina, granted feveral tracts of faid land. Upon complaint being made by the govern- ment of Georgia, of this fuppofed encroachment on their territory, hisMajefty iflued a proclamation in 1763, annexing to Georgia all the lands lying between the rivers Alatamaha and' St_ Mary's, but did not by this annul the Carolina grants. The boundary line, dividing the two provinces (now States) of South Carolina and Georgia, had long been the fubject of controversy; the former claiming the lands lying between the North Carolina line, and a line to run due weft from the mouth of Tugulo and Keowee rivers ; confequently, that that fpot was the head of Savannah river; the latter contended, that the fource of. Keowee river was to>' be confidered as the head of Savannah river. For the purpofe of fettling this controverfy, commiffioners were appointed in April, 1787, by the contend- ing States, vefted with full powers to determine the controverted boundary, which they fixed as follows : " The moft northern branch or ftream of the river Savannah,, from the fea or mouth of fuch ftream, to the fork or confluence of the rivers, now called Tugulo and Keowee, and from thence the moft northern- branch or ftream of the faid river Tugulo, till it interiecls the northern boundary, line of South Carolina, if the faid branch of Tugulo extends fo far north, referving all the iflands in the faid rivers Savannah and Tu- gulo to Georgia: but if the faid branch or ftream of Tugulo does not extend to the north boundary line of South Carolina, then a weft line to the Miffiffippi to be drawn from the head fprrng or fource of the faid branch of Tugulo river, which extends to the higheft northern latitude,. fhall for ever hereafter form the fepa rating limit and boundary between the States of South Carolina and Georgia." It is fuppofed r in the map of this State, that the moft northern branch of the Tugulo fiver interfe&s the northern boundary of South Carolina, which, if it be fact, brings the State to a point in latitude 35, and about 8 35' weft longitude from Philadelphia ; but it is not yet afcertained whether this will be the cafe. If it fliall be found that th moft northern fource of the Tugulo does not extend to latitude 3 5, then South Carolina, or the United States by her affignment, will claim a ftrip of country extending from the meridian weft to the Miffiffippi, in breadth from the moft northern fource of the Tugulo to latitude 35?, unlefs the treaties fub- fitting between the United States and the Creek Indians fhall interfere and bound them as they do Georgia. It ought to be here noted, that South Carolina, in the forementioned treaty with Georgia, gave up a claim which it had till then retained, to the lands fouth of the Alatamaha, as a return to Georgia for agreeing that the boundary between the two States fhould be the moft. northern branch of the Tugulo, initead of the Keowee, as had been originally infilled on by the State of Georgia. This confirms to the State of South Carolina a very rich tract of-country, which had been referved by that State for the officers and foldiers of the. fete army. x 4 A & a ma- 55 o GEORGIA. a majority of votes, was eflablrfhed by law. This illiberal act threw fhe colony into the utmoft confufion, and was followed by a train of evil confequences, which proved to be the principal caufe of the revolution which foon followed. Notwithstanding the aft eftablifhing the Church of England was repealed, tranquillity was not rcftored to the colony. A change of government was generally dcfired by the colonifts. They found that they were not luiTiciently protected by their proprietary conftitution, and effected a revolution about the year 1719, and the government became regal. In 1728, the proprietors accepted 22,500!. fterling from the crown, for the property and juril'dietion, except Lord Granvillc, who referred his eighth of the property, which has never yet been formally given up. At this time the conftitution was new- modelled, and the territory, Jimited by the original charter, was divided into North and South Carolinas. From this period the colony began to flouriih. It was protected by a government, formed on the plan of the Englifh conftitution. Under the foftering care of the Mo- ther Country, its growth was alk>nifhingly rapid. Between the years 1763 and 1775, 'the number of inhabkants was more than doubled. No one induiged a wifh for a change in their political conflitution, till the memorable ftamp act pafled in 1765. From this period till 177-5, various attempts were made by Great Britain to tax her colonies without confent ; thefe attempts were invariably oppofed. The congrefs, who met at Philadelphia this year, .unanimoufly approve^ the oppoiition, and on the ipth of April war commenced. During the vigorous conteft for independence, this State -was a great fufferer. For three years it was the feat of the war. It feels and laments the lofs of many refpectable citizens. Since the peace, it has been emerging from that melancholy confulion and poverty, in which it was generally involved by the devaluations of a relentlefs enemy- The inhabitants are faft multiplying by emigrations from other States ; the agricultural interefts of the State are reviving ; commerce is flourifhing ; economy is becoming more fafhionable ; and fcience begins to fpread her falutary influences among the citizens. And under the operation of the prefent government, this State, -from her natural, commercial, and agricultural advantages, and the abilities of her leading characters, promifes to become one of the richeft in the Union. See Ramfay's Hiftory of the Revolution in South Carolina, and the Hiftory of Caro- lina and Georgia, anonymous, fuppoied to >be by Hcwett GEORGIA. SITUATION AKD EXTENX. Miles. Xcngth 600-, . 1-5 and 36 W. Long. Breadth 2,50! " vsccn i* lo ^3 ic*> N. Lat. 'BOUNDARIES 1 ~R OUNDED caft > % the Atlantic ocean ; fouth, by Eaft and Weft J JJ Floridas ; weft, by the river Mifliflippi ; noxth and north-eaft, by SoAith Carolina, .and by lands ceded to the United States by South Carolina. ClYli. GEORGIA. 551 CIVIL DIVISIONS AND POPULATION.] That part of the State which has been laid out in counties, is divided into three diitricts, which are fubdivided into n counties, which, with the number of inhabitants, arc as follows : Counties. Chief Towns. f Camden St. Patrick's Lower diftricr, Glyn Brunt wick contains 21,566 1 Liberty Sunbury inhabitants. Chatham SAVANNAH L Effingham Ebenezer Middle diftrict, f contains 25,336 1 Burke f Wayneiborougli inhabitants. Ittr ^ 1 Louifville V, W afhington Golphmton Upper diftrict, r Wilkes "Wamington contains 37,946 j Franklin inhabitants. I Green Greenfburgh Total number of inhabitants in the State, 82,548, of whom 29,264 are flaves. Before the revolution, Georgia, like all the Southern States, was divided into parifhes; "but this mode of divilion is now .abolifhed, and that of counties has fucceeded in its room. FACE OF THE COUNTRY.] The eaflern part of the State, between the mountains and the ocean, and the rivers Savannah and St. Mary's, a tract of country more than 120 miles from north to fouth, and 40 or 50 eaft and weft, is entirely level, without a hill or ftone. At the diitance of about 40 or 50 miles from the fea-board, or fait- marfh, the lands begin to be more or lefs uneven. The ridges gradually rife one above another into hills, and the hills fucceflively increafing in height, till they finally ter- minate in mountains. That vaft chain of mountains which commences with theKatt's Kill, near Hudfon's river, in the State of New York, kiaown by the names of the Alle- gany and Apalachian Mountains, terminate in -this State, about 60 miles fouth of its northern boundary. From the foot of this mountain Ipreads a wide extended plain, of the richeft foil, and in a latitude and climate well adapted to the cultivation of moft of the Eafl India productions. CLIMATE, DISEASES, &.] In fome parts of this State, at particular feafons of the year, the climate cannot be eiteemed falubrious. In the low country near the rice fwamps, bilious complaints, and fevers of various 'kinds, are pretty univerfal during flie months of July, Auguil, and September, which, for this reafon, are called the fickly months. The dilbrdcrs peculiar to this climate originate partly from the badnefs of the water, which in the low -country, except in and about Savannah and fome other places, where good fprings arc found, is generally brackifh, and partly from the noxious ptitrid vapours which are exhaled from the ftagnant waters in*the rice fwamps. Beiides, the long continuance of warm weather .produces a general relaxation of .the n&rvous fyftcm, and as a great proportion of the inhabitants have no neceflary labour to call fhem to exercifc, a large fhare of indolence is the natural conicquence ; .and mdolence, especially amongft a luxurious people, is ever the parent of difeafe. The immenie quantities of fpirituous liquors which are ufed'to correct the brackiflmefs of the water, 553 GEORGIA, water, form- a fpocics of intemperance which too oi'tcn proves ruinous to the conftitu- lioti. Parents of infirm, iickly habits, often, in more fenfcs than one, have children of their own likenefs. A confiderable part of the difeafes of the prefent inhabitants may ^icrefore be conli tiered as hereditary. " -'ore the-fickly ieafon commences, many of the rich planters of this State remove i their- families to the fea iflands, or fome elevated h,ealth-y fituation, where they de three or four months, for the benefit of the frefh air. In the winter and fpring, pleurifies, peripncumonies, and other inflammatory diforders, occalioned by fudden 1 violent colds, arc considerably common and frequently fatal. Confumptions, Uepfies, cancers, palfies, and apoplexies, are not fo common- among the inhabitants of the fouthern as northern climates. The winters in Georgia are very mild and pleaflint. Snow is feldom or never feen, ^etation is not frequently prevented by fevere frofts. Cattle fubiift tolerably well through the winter, without any other food than what they obtafn in the woods and favannahs, and are fatter in that Ieafon than in any other. In the hilly country, which begins about fifty, and in fome places one hundred miles from the lea, the, air is pure and falubrious, and the water plenty and good. From June to September, the mer- cury in Fahrenheit's thermometer commonly fluctuates from 76 to 90 ; in winter, from- 40 t@ 60". The mofl prevailing winds are fouth-weft and eaft ; in winter, north-weft. The eaft wind is warmeft in winter and cooleft in fummer. The tbuth wind, in fummer and fall particularly, is damp, fultry, unelaftic, and of courfc unhealthy. In the fouth-eaft parts of this State, which lie within a few degrees of the torrid zone?-, the atmofphere is kept in motion by impreflions from the trade winds. This iervcs to purify the air, and render it fit for rerpiration ; fo 'that it is found to have a very advantageous effect on perfons of confumptive habits. RIVERS.] Savannah river divides this State from South Carolina. Its courfe is nearly from north-weft to fouth-eaft. It is formed principally of two branches, by the names of Tugulo and Keowee, which fpring from the mountains, and unite fifteen- miles north-weft of the northern boundary of "Wilkes county. It is navigable for large veffels up to Savannah, and for boats of one hundred feet keel as far as Augufta. After rifing a fall juft above this place, it is paflable for boats to the mouth of Tugulo river. After it takes the name of Savannah, at the confluence of the Tugulo and Keowee, it receives a number of tributary ftreams, from the Georgia fide, the principal of which is Broad river, which rifes in the county of Franklin, and runs fouth-eaft through part of Wilkes county, and mingles with Savannah at the town of Peterfburgh, and might, with a trifling expenfe, be made beatable twenty-five or thirty miles through the beft fettlements in Wilkes county. Tybee bar, at the entrance of $avannah river, in latitude 31 57', hasfixteen feet water at half tide. Ogeechee river, about eighteen miles fouth of the Savannah, is a mialler river, and nearly parallel with it in, its courfe. Alatamaha,* about fixty miles fouth of Savannah river, has its fouree in. the- Cherokee mountains, near the head of Tugulo, the great weft branch of Savannah, and, before it leaves the mountains, is joined and augmented by innumerable rivulets ; thence it dcfeends through the hilly country, with all its collateral branches, and winds rapidly amongft hills- two hundred and fifty miles, and. then enters the flat, plain, country, by the name of the Oakmulge ; thence meandering one hundred and fifty miles, it is joined on the eaft fide by th& Ocone, which likewife heads in the lower Pronounced Oltamawhawv ridges GEORGIA, 553 tidges of the mountains. After this confluence, having now gained a vaft acquifitton of waters, it aifumesthe name of Alatamaha, when it becomes a large majeftic river, flowing \vith gentle windings through a vaft plain foreft, near one hundred miles, and enters the Atlantic by feveral mouths. The north channel, or entrance, glides by the heights of Daricn, on the eaft bank, about ten miles above the bar, and, running from thence with feveral turnings, enters the ocean between Sapello and Wolf illands. The fouth channel, which is eftccmedthe largeft and dcepeft, after its reparation from the north, defccnds gently, winding by M'lntofh's and Broughton i (lands ; and laftly, by the welt coaft of St. Simon's iiland, enters the ocean, through St. Simon's found, between the fouth end of the ifland of that name and the north end of Jekyl ifland. On the weft banks of the fouth channel, ten or twelve miles above its mouth, and nearly oppofite Darien, are to be feen the remains of an ancient fort, or fortifica- tion ; it is now a regular tetragon terrace, about four feet high, with baftions at each angle ; the area may contain about an acre of ground, but the foffc which furrounded it is nearly filled up. There are large live oaks, pines, and other trees, .growing upon it, and in the old fields adjoining. It is fuppofcd to have been the work of the French or Spaniards. A large fwamp lies betwixt it and the river, and a confiderable creek runs ciofe by the works, and enters the river through the fwamp, afmall diftance above Broughton ifland. About feventy or eighty miles above the confluence of the Oak- mulge and Ocone, the trading path from Augufta to the Creek nation, croffes thefe fine rivers, which are there forty miles apart. On the eaft banks of the Oakmulge, this trading road runs nearly two miles through ancient Indian fields, which are called the Oakmulge fields ; they are the rich low lands of the river. On the heights of thefe low grounds are yet vifible monuments or traces of an ancient town, fuch as artificial mounts or terraces, fquares, and banks, encircling coniiderablc areas. Their old fields ?nd planting land extend up and down the river, fifteen or twenty miles from this lite. And, if we are to give credit to the account the Creeks give of thcmfelves, this place is remarkable for being the firft town or fettlement, when they fat down (as they term it) or eftablifhcd themfelvcs, after their emigration from the weft, beyond the Milfiflippi, their original native country. Befides thcfc, there is Turtle river, Little Sitilla or St. Ille, Great Sitilla, Crooked .river, and St. Mary's, which form a part of the fouthern boundary of the United States. St. Mary's river has its fonrcc from a vaft lake, or rather marfh, called Ouaquaphcnogaw, hereafter dcfcribed, and flows through a vaft plain and pine foreft, about one hundred and fifty miles to the ocean, with which it communicates between the points of Amelia and Talbert's iflands, latitude 30 44', and is navigable for vcflels of confidcrable burthen for ninety miles. Its banks afford immenfe quan- tities of fine timber, luited to the Weft India market. Along this river, every four or five miles, arc bluffs convenient for veffels to haul to and lead. The rivers in the middle and weftern parts of this State are, Apalachicola, which is formed by the Chatahouchee and Flint rivers, Mobile, Pafcagoula, and Pearl rivers. All thefe running fouthwardly, empty into the Gulf of Mexico. The foremcntioned rivers abound with a great variety of fifh, among which are the mullet, whiting, flicepfhead, cat, rock, trout, drum, bafs, brim, white, fhad, and fturgeon. The bays and lao-oons arc ftored with oyftcrs, and other fhell fifh, crabs, fhnmps, Sec. clams, in particular, are large, their meat white, tender, and delicate. Ih.ark and great black ftingray are infatiable cannibals, and very troublefbjnc to the iifliennen. 554 GEORGIA. LAKES A\*D S\v.tSips.j The lake, or rather marili, raided Ouaquaphenogaw, fie* betv. L'cn Hint and OaXmulge rivers, and is nearly three hundred miles in circum- ference; In wet feafons it appears like an inland fea, 'and has fcvcral large iflands o rich, land ; one of which the prefent generation of Creek Indians reprefent as the molt blilsi'ul ipot on curth. They lay it is inhabited by a peculiar race of Indians, whole, women are incomparably beautiful. They tell you ahb that this tcrreitrial paradife has been fern hy foine cnterprifing hunters, when in purfuit of their game, who being loir, in. inextricable iwarnps and bogs, and on the point of pcrifhing, were unexpectedly relieved by a company of beautiful women, whom they call daughters of the Sun, who kru'ily gave Iheirt fueh provifions as they had with them, confirming oCfruit and com -,. and then enjoined them to fly for faiety to their own country, bec.au te their huibands were tierce ruea, arid cruel to fi rangers. They further lay that thele hunters hacl.a view of their felt lenient?, lituated on the elevated banks of an illand, in a beau- tiful, lake ; but tliat in their endeavours to approach it, they were involved in perpetual labyrinths, and, like enchanted land, liill as they imagined they had juft gained it, it feerned to fly before them. They determined at length to quit the deluiive purfuit, and with much difficulty effected a retreat. When they reported their adventures to their countrymen, the young warriors were inflamed with an irreiirtible deflre to invade and conquer fo charming a country, but all their attempts had hitherto proved fruitlefs, they never being able again to find the fpot. They tell another ftory concerning this fequeitered country, which lecms not improbable, which is, that the inhabitants are the polrerity of a fugitive remnant of the ancient Yamafes, who eieaped mafTacre after a bloody and decisive battle between them and the Creeks, (who, it is certain, con- quered and nearly exterminated that once powerful people) and here found an aiylum, remote and fecure from the fury of their proud conquerors. The rivers St. Mary, Sitilla or St Ille, and the beautiful Little St. Juan, which empties into the Bay of Apalachi at St. Mark's, are faid to flow from this lake.* About fixteen miles from the mouth of Broad river, on its fouth fide, is what is called the Goofepond, a tract of about one hundred and eighty acres, covered with living water about two feet deep. It difchargcs into the river, and is fed by two iprings. CHIEF TOWNS.] The prefent feat of government in this State is AU&USTA. It is. fituated on the foulh-wefl bank of Savannah river, which is here about five hundred yards wide, about one hundred and forty-four miles from the fea, and one hundred and twenty-feven north-wefl of Savannah. The town, which in 1787 contained two hundred houfes, is on a fine large plain, at the foot of the firft falls in the river, which in a dry feafon are four or five feet in height ; and as it enjoys the bell foil, and the advantage of a central fituation between the upper and lower counties, is riling fall into importance. In 1782 there were but three or four houfes in the town. SAVANNAH, the former capital of Georgia, ftands on a high fandy bluff, on the fouth fide of the river of the fame name, and feventeen miles from its mouth. The town is regularly built in the form of a parallellogram, and, including its fuburbs, contained, in 1787, two hundred and twenty-feven dwelling houfes, one Epifcopal church, a Prelbyterian church, a Synagogue, and a court houfe. The number of its inhabitants, cxclufive of the bjacks, amounted at that time to about eight hun- dred arjd thirty, feventy of whom were Jews. * Bartranv's Travels., GEORGIA. 555 In Savannah, and within a circumference of about ten miles from it, there were, in the fummer of 1787, about 2300 inhabitants. Of thefe one hundred and ninety-two were above fifty years of age, and all in good health. The ages of a lady and her fix children, then living in the town, amounted to three hundred and eighty-five years. This computation, which was a dually made, ferves to fhew that Savannah is not really Ib unhealthy as Ir.is been commonly reprefcnted. SUN BURY is a lea port town, favoured with a Iafe and very convenient harbour. Several fmall i Hands intervene, and partly obftrucl a diftant view of the ocean 4 and, interlocking with each other, render the paffage out to fea winding, but not difficult. It is a very pleafant, healthy town, and is the refort- of the planters from the adjacent places of Midway and Newport, during the fickly months. It was burnt by the Britifh in the late war, but has iince been rebuilt. An academy was eftablifhed here in 1788, which, under an able inflruclor, has proved a very ufeful inftitution. BRUNSWICK, in Glynn county, latitude 31 10', is iituated at the mouth of Turtle river, at which place this river empties itfelf into St. Simon's found. Brunfwick has a iafe and capacious harbour ; and the bar, at the entrance into it, has water deep enough for the largejft vcffel that fwims. The town is regularly laid out, but not yet built. From its advantageous fituation, and from the fertility of the back country, it promifes to be hereafter one of the fi rft trading towns in Georgia. FREDERIC A, on the ifland of St. Simon, is nearly in latitude 31 15' ; it is one of the oldeft towns in Georgia, and was founded by General Oglethorpe. The for- trcfs was regular and beautiful, conftructed chiefly with brick, and is now in ruins. The town contains but few houfes, which ftand on an eminence, if conlidered with regard to the marfhcs before it, upon a branch of Alatamaha river, which wafhes the welt iidc of this agreeable ifland, and forms a bay befpre the town, affording a fafe and fecure harbour lor vcffels of the largeft burthens, which may lie along the wharf. WASHINGTON, the chief town in the county of Wilts, is fituated in latitude 33 -22,', about fifty miles north-weft of Augufta ; it had, in 1788, a court houfe, gaol, thirty- four dwelling houfes, and an academy, whole funds amounted to about 8ool. flerling, and the number of Undents to between fixty and leventy. The town of LOUISVILLE, which is defigned as the future feat of government in this State, has been laid out on the bank pf Ogecchce river, about feventy miles from its mouth, but is not yet built. SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, &c.] The foil and its fertility are various, according to fitu- ation and different improvement. The iflands on thefea board, in their natural flate, are covered with a plentiful growth of pine, oak, and hiccory, live oak, (an uncommonly hard and a very valuable wood) and Ibme red cedar. The foil is a mix- ture of land and black mould, making what is commonly called a grey foil. A con- liderable part of it, particularly that whereon grow the oak, hiccory, and live oak, is very rich, and yields, on cultivation, "good crops of indigo, cotton, corn, and po- tatoes. Thefe iflands are furrounded by navigable creeks, between which and the main land is a large extent of fait marfh, fronting the whole State, not iefs, on an avcrgr, than four or five miles in breadth, interfered with creeks in various directions, admitting, through the whole, an inland navigation between the iflands and main land, from the north-caft to the fonth-caft corners of the State. The eaft fides ol thefe iflands are, for the molt part, clean, hard, fandy beaches, cxpoied to the wall of the ocean. Between thefe iflands are the entrances of the rivers from the interior countrv, winding through the low fait marines, and delivering their waters into the 4 B iounds, 556 GEORGIA. founds, which form capacious harbours of from three to eight miles over, and whicTi* communicate with each other by parallel fait creeks. The principal iflands are Skid- away, WaHaw, Oilkbaw, St. Catharine's, Sapelo r Fredcrica, -Jekyl, .Cumberland, and- The foil of the main land, adjoining the mar/lies and creeks, i<; nearly ef the lame quality with that of the ifland-s except that which borders on thole rivers and creeks which fr retch far back into the country. On thefe, immediately after you leave the falts, begin the valuable rice fwamps, which, on cultivation, afford the prcfent prin- cipal lt;i pie of commerce.. The moft of the rice land*?- lie on rivers, which, as far as the tide flows, arc called tide lands; or on creeks and particular branches of water,. flowing in- (bme deeper or lower parts of the lands, which are called inland twamps, and extend back in the country from fifteen to twenty-five miles, beyond which very little rice is planted, though it will grow exceedingly well, as experiment has proved, one hundred and twenty miles back from the fea. The intermediate lands, between- thefe creeks and rivers, are of an inferior quality, being of a grey foil, covered chiefly with pine, and a fort of wild grafs and fmall reeds, which afford a large range of feeding ground for ftoek both fummer and winter* Here and there are interlperfcd*. oak and hiccory ridges, which- arc of a better foil, and produce good crops of corn and indigo ; but thefe are very little elevated above the circumjacent lands. The lands adjoining the rivers, and, for an hundred miles in a direct line from the fea, continue a breadth from two to three or four miles, and wherever, in that diftance, you find a piece of high land that extends to the bank of the river on one fide, you may expect to find the low or fwamp ground proportionally wide on the oppofite fide of the river. This leems to be an invariable rule till you come to 'that part where the river cuts the mountains. The foil between the rivers, after yon leave the lea board and 'the edge of the fwamps, . at the diftance of twenty or thirty miles, changes from a grey to a red colour, on which grows plenty of oak and hiccory, with* a cortfiderable intermixture of pine. In fome places it is gravelly, but fertile, and fo continues for a number of mile?, gradually deepening the reddifh colour of the earth, till it changes into -what is called the Mu- latto foil, confiding of a black mould and red earth. The composition is darker or lighter according as there is a larger or linaller proportion of the black* or red earth in it. The mulatto lands arc generally Itrong, and yield large crops of wheat, tobacco, corn, &c. To this kind of hind fucceeds by turns a foil nearly black and very rich, on which grow large quantities of black walnut, mulberry, &c. This fuccefiion of different foils continues uniform and regular, though there are fome large veins of all fhe different foils intermixed - r and what is more remarkable, this fucceffion, in the order mentioned, ftretches acro& this State nearly parallel with the fea coaft, and extends through the fcveral States,, nearly in the fame direction, to the banks of Hud- fon's river. In this State arc produced by culture, rice, indigo* cotton, lilk, (though not in large quantities) Indian corn, potatoes, oranges,, figs, pomegranates, &c. Rice, at prcfent, is the Itaple commodity ; and as a fmall proportion only of the rice ground is under cultivation, the quantity raifcdin future mult be much greater than at prefent. But the rapid increafc of the inhabitants, chiefly by emigrations, whofc atten- tion is turned to the raifing of tobacco, and the vaft extent oHand, with a richnefe of fcilfuitcd to the culture of that plant, renders it probable, that tobacco will fhortly become the Itaple of this State. Cotton was formerly planted only by the poorer clais of people, and that only for family v.li\ They planted of two kinds, the annual and the Welt Indian- ; the former is low and planted every year. The balls of this are very a large, GEORGIA, large, and the phlox long, ftrong, and perfectly white. The latter is a tall perennial plant, the ftalk ifomewhat ihrubby, fcveral of which rife up from the root for fcveral years fucceflively, the Items of the former year being killed by the winter frofts. Tlie balls of Weft India cotton are not quite lo lar^e as the other, but the phlox or wool is long, extremely fine, iilky, and white. \ plantation of this kind will laft fcveral years with moderate labour and care. The culture of cotton is now much more at- tended to : feveral indigo planters have converted their plantations into cotton fields. The tobacco lands are equally well adapted to wheat, which may hereafter make an important article of commerce. On the dry plains grow large crops of fweet potatoes, which arc found to afford a wholcfomc nourifhment, and from which is made, by diftillation, a kind of whiiky, tolerably good, but inferior to that made of rye. It is by properly macerating and wafhing this root that a fedimcnt or ilarch is made, which has obtained the name of iago, and anfwers all the purpoies of the Indian fago. Moil of the tropical fruits would nourifh in this State with proper attention. The rice plant has been tranfplanted, and allb the tea plant, of which Inch immcnfe quan- tities are confumed in the United States, was introduced into Georgia, by Mr. Samuel Bowen, about the year 1770, from India. The feed was dirleminated, and the plant now grows, without cultivation, in moil of the fenced lots in Savannah. From many confiderations we may, perhaps, venture to predict, that the fouth- Tvcftern part of the State, and the parts of Eaft and Weil Florida, which lie adjoining, will, in fome future time, become the vineyard of America. REMARKABLE SPRING.] In the county of Wilkes, within a mile and a. half of the town of Wafhington, is a medicinal fpring, which rifes from a hollow tree, four or five feet in length. The iniide of the tree is covered with a coat of matter, an inch thick, and the leaves around the ipring are incruited with a fubilance as white as fnow. It is fa id to be a fovereign remedy for the fcurvy, fcrophulous diforders, confumptions, gouts, and c\ery other difeatc anting from humours in the blood. Aperfon, who had a. feverc rheumatifm in his right arm, having, in the fpace of ten minutes, drank two quarts of the water, experienced a momentary chill, and was then thrown into a per 1-pi ration, which, in a few hours, left him entirely free from pain, and in perfe& health. This fpring, fituatcd in a fine healthy part of the State, in the neighbourhood of Waihington, where are excellent accommodations, will no doubt prove a,pleafant and iulutary place -of -retort lor invalids from the maritime and unhealthy parts of this and the neighbouring States. CURIOSITIES.] One of the greatcft curioiitics in this State is the bank of oyfter fhells m the vicinity of Augu'fta, 90 miles from the fea, already defcribed, page 139. COMMERCE. MANUFACTURES, AND AGRICULTURE.] The chief articles of export arc rice, tobacco, (of which the county of Wilkcs only exported, in 1788, about 3000 hogfhead.s) indigo, fago, lumber of various kinds, naval flares, leather, deer {kins, iakc root, myrtle and bees wax, corn, and live ilock. The planters and farmers raife large ftocks of cattle, from roo to 1500 head, and fome more. The value, in ftcrling money, of the exports of Georgia, for eighteen years, from 17 5 $ to 1 772, was as follows.; 48.4'- '75JL '755' - '757 1758 '759 1760 8,613 12,694 20,8:52 , . . 15*870 1767 - 27,021 1768 - 92,284 47.55 * 1769 - 86,485 55> o:L 5 1770 - 99,383 73,426 1771 - 1 06,3 2 7 81,228 1772 - 121,677 mm 3er of ve ffels cleared out of ( jcorgia, from 1755 to i ged. Sloops. Tons. Square rigged. Sloops. Tons. 9 43 1,899 1764, 36 79 5.586 7 35 M99 1765* 54 94 7,685 33 M59 1766, 68 86 9'974 4 17 665 1767* 62 92 8,465- 3 35 1,981 1768, 77 109 10,406 7 3 1,457 1769, 87 94 9,276 9 36 1,604 1770, 73 113 10,514 2 35 2,784 1771, 64 121 9>553 4 5 8 4,761 1772, 84 *33 11,246 *'759> 1760, 1761, 1762, i7 6 3, The amount of exports in the year ending September 3oth, 1791, was 491,472 dol- lars. In return for the enumerated exports are imported Weft India goods, teas, wines, various articles of clothing, and dry goods of all kinds From the northern States, cheefe, fifh, potatoes, apples, cyder, and fhoes. The imports and exports of this State are principally to and from Savannah, which has a fine harbour, and is a place where the principal commercial bufinefs of the State is tranfacted. The trade with the Indians in furs and fkins was very confiderable before the war, but has fince been in- terrupted by the wars in which they have been involved. The manufactures of this- State have hitherto been very inconfiderable, if we except indigo, filk, and fago. The manner in which the indigo is cultivated and manufactured is as follows : The ground, which muft be a flrohg rich foil, is thrown into beds of feven or eight feet wide, after having been made very mellow, and is then raked till it is fully pulverized : the feed is then fown in April, in rows at fuch a diftance as conveniently to admit of Hoeing between them. In July the firfl crop is fit to cut, being commonly two and a half feet high ; it is then thrown into vats conftructed for the purpofe, and Iteeped about 30 hours ; after which, the liquor is drawn off into other vats, where it is btat,- as they call it, by which means it is thrown into much fuch a flate of agitation as cream is by churning. After this procefs, lime water is put into the liquor, which caufes the particles of indigo to fettle at the bottom. The liquor is then drawn off, and the fedi- ment, which is the indigo, is taken out and fpread on cloths, and partly dried; it is then put into boxes and prefTed, and, while it is yet foft, cut into fquare pieces, which - are thrown into the fun to dry, and then put up in calks for the market. They have commonly three cuttings a feafon. A middling crop for 30 acres is 1300 pounds. The culture of filk and the manufacture of fago arc at jirefent-but little attended to. The people in the lower part of this State manufacture none of their own clothing for themtelves or their negroes : for almoft every article of their wearing apparel, as well as for their hufbandry tools, they depend on their merchants, who import them from Great Britain and the northern States. In the upper parts of the country, however, the GEORGIA. 559 the- inhabitants manufacture the chief part of their clothing from cotton, hemp, and flax. CHARACTER AND MANNERS.] No general character will apply to the inhabitants at large. Collected from different parts of the world, as intereft, neceffity, or mclina- tfon led them, their character and manners mu ft, of courfe, partake of all the varieties which distinguish the fcveral ftates and kingdoms from whence they came. There is fo little uniformity, that it is difficult to trace any governing principles among them. An averfion to labour is too predominant, owing in part to the relaxing heat of the climate, and partly to the want of neceffity to excite industry. An open 1 and friendly hofpitality, particularly to Strangers, is an ornamental characteristic of a great part of this people. Their diversions are various. With fome, dancing is a favourite amufement ; others take a fancied pleafure at the gaming table, which, however, frequently terminates in the ruin of their happineSs, fortunes, and conftitutions. In the upper counties, horfer racing and cock-fighting prevail, two cruel diverfions imported from Virginia and the Carolinas, from whence thoic who practife them principally emigrated. But the moft rational and univerfal amufement is hunting ; and for this Georgia is particularly well calculated, as the woods abound with plenty of deer, racoons, rabbits, wild turkeys, and other game ; at the fame time the woods are fo thin and free from obstructions, that you may generally ride half fpeed in chace without danger : in this amufement plea r fare and profit are blended. The exercife, more than any other, contributes to health, fits for activity in bufinefs and expertnefs in war ; the game alfo affords them a palata-r blc food, and the fkins a profitable article of commerce. RELIGION.] The inhabitants of this State, who profefs the Christian religion, are of the Preibyterian, Epifcopalian, Baptist, and Methodift denominations. They have but a few regular ministers among them. CONSTITUTION.] The prclent conftitution of this State was formed and established in the year 1789, and is nearly upon the plan of the conftitution of the United States. STATE OF LITERATURE.] The literature of this State, which is yet in its infancy, is commencing on a plan which affords the moft flattering profpects. It feems to have been the dciign of the legislature of this State, as far as poffible, to unite their literary concerns, and provide for them in common, that the whole might feel the benefit, and no part be neglected or left a prey to party rage, private prejudices and contentions, and confequent ignorance, their infeparable attendant. For this purpofe^the literature of this State, like its policy, appears to be considered as one object, and in the fame manner Subject to common and general "regulations for the good of the whole. The charter, containing their prefent lyftem of education, was paffed in the year 1785. A. college, with ample and liberal endowments, is instituted in Louifville, a high and healthy part of the country, near the center of the State. There is alfo provision made for the inltitution of an academy in each county in the State, to be Supported from the fame funds, and confidered as parts and members of the fame inftitution, under the general fuperintendence and direction of a prelident and board of trustees, appointed, for their literary accomplishments, from the different parts of the State, inverted with the cuftomary powers of corporations. The institution thus compofed, is denomi- nated, 4 ' The Univerfity of Georgia." That this body of literati, to whom is intrufted the direction of the general literature of the State, may not be fo detached and independent, as not to poSFefs the confidence of the State ; and, in order to fecure the attention and patronage of the principal of- ficers of governine-nt, the governor and council, the Speaker of the Houfe of Aflembly 560 G E O RGI A. and flic chief in ll ice of.thc State, arc afTociated with tlie board of tmilec?, in fomc of the great and more iblemn duiics of their office, fuch as making the laws, appointing the prefident, fettling; the property, and militating academies. Thus affociatcd, they are denominated, " The Senate of the Univerfity," a-nd arc-to-hold a Itated, annual meeting, at which the governor of the State prefides. The Senate appoint a hoard of commiHioncrs in each county, for the particular ma- nagement and direction of the academy, and the other fchools in each county, who are to receive their inftructions from, and arc accountable to ihe fenate. The rcclor of each academy is an officer of the univerfity, to be appointed by the prefident, with tlie advice of the tmltccs, and commiffioned under the public ieal, and is to attend with the other officers at the annual meeting of the feuate, to deliberate on the general inte- rcfls of literature, and to determine on the courfe of inftruclion for the year, through- out the univerlity. 1 he prefident has the general charge and overfight of the whole, hnd is from time to time to viiit them, to examine into their order and performances. The funds -for the fupport of their inftitution are principally in lands, amounting in the whole to about fifty thoufand acres, a great part of which is of the beft quality, and at prefent very valuable. There are alfo nearly fix thoufand pounds Sterling in bonds, houfcs and town lots in the town of Augufta. Other public property, to the amount of loool. in each county, has been fet -apart for the purpofes of building and furniJliing their respective academies. INDIANS.] The Mu Ik ogee or Creek Indians iimabit the middle part of this State, and air the moll numerous tribe of Indians of any within the limits of the United States : their whole number ibme years fince was 1 7,280, of which 5,860 were righting men. They are compofed of various tribes, who, after bloody wars, thought it good policy to unite and iupport-thcmfclvcs agairrft the Chactaws, &c. They confift of the Appalachics, Alibamas, Abecas, Cawittaws, -Coofas, Conlhacks, Coofaclecs, Chacfi- hoomas, Natchez, Oconies, Oakmulgies, Okohoys, Pakanas, Taenfas, Talepoofas, Weetumkas, and ibme others. Their union r has rendered them victorious over the Cha&aws, and formidable to all the nations around them. They are a well-made, expert, hardy, iagacious, politic, people, extremely jealous of their rights, and averfc, to parting with their lands. They have abundance of tame cattle and Twine, turkeys, ducks, and other poultry ; they cultivate tobacco, rice, Indian corn, potatoes, beans, peas,, cabbage, melons, and have plenty of peaches, plums, grapes, ftrawberries, and other fruits. They are faithful friends, but inveterate enemies ; hofpitable to ftran- gers, and honeft and fair in their dealings. No nation has a more contemptible opi- nion of the white mens' faith in general than thefe people, yet they place great confi- dence in the United States, and vvim to agree with them upon a permanent boundary, over which the fouthern States fhall not trefpafs. The country which they claim is bounded northward by about the 34th degree of latitude, and extends from the Tombeckbee, or Mobile river, to the Atlantic ocean, though they have ceded a part of this tra6l on the lea coatf, by different treaties, to the State of Georgia. Their principal towns lie in latitude 32, and longitude 1 1 20' from Philadelphia. They are fettled m a hilly but not mountainous country. The foil is fruitful in a high degree, and well watered, abounding in creeks and rivulets, from whence they are called the Creek Indians.* The * General M'Gillivray, the celebrated Chief of the Creeks, is a half-blooded Indian, his mother being a woman ot' high rank in the Creek nation. He was fo highly efteemed among them, that they in a formal man- ner defted him their fovereign, and vefted him with confiderable pow-ers. He has fcveral fibers married to leading GEORGIA. 561 The Chaftaws, or flat heads, inhabit a very fine and extenfive tradl of hHly country, with large and fertile plains intervening, between the Alabama and Mifliflippi rivers, in the wcftern part of this State. This nation had, not many years ago, 43 towns and villages, in three divifions, containing 12,123 fouls, of which 4,041 were fighting men. ^ The Chickafaws are fettled on the head branches of the Tombeckbee, Mobile, and Yazoo rivers, in the north-weft corner of the State. Their country is an extenfive plain, tolerably well watered from fprings, and of a pretty good foil. They have feven towns, the central one of which is in latitude 34 23', and longitude 14 30' weft. The number of fouls in this nation have been formerly reckoned at 1725,, of which 575 were fighting men. HISTORY.] The fettlcmcnt of a colony between- the rivers Savannah and Alatamaha was meditated in England in 1732, for the accommodation of poor people in Great Britain and Ireland, and for the further fecurity of Carolina. Private compaffion and public fpirit confpired to promote the benevolent defign. Humane and opulent men fuggefted a plan of tranfporting a number of indigent families to this part of America, free of cxpenfe. For this purpofe they applied to the King, George the II. and obtained from him- letters patent, bearing date June pth, 1732, for legally carrying into execution what they had generoufly projected. They called the new province GEORGIA, in honour of the King, who encouraged the plan. A corporation, conlifting of twenty-one peribns, was conftituted by the name of the truftees for fettling and eftablifhing the colony of Georgia ; which was feparated from Carolina by the river Savannah. The truftees having firfl fet an example themfelves, by largely contributing to the fcheme, undertook alfo to folicit benefactions from others, and to apply the money towards rlothing, arming, purchaling utenlils for cultivation, and tranfporting fuch poor peo- ple as fhould content to go over and begin a fettlement. They did not confine their charitable views to the lubjedls of Britain alone, but wifely opened a door for the in- digent and opprefied proteftants of other nations. ' To prevent a mifapplication of the money, it wus depofited in the bank of England. About the middle of July, 1732, the truftees for Georgia held their firft meeting, and chofe Lord Percival prelident of the corporation, and ordered a common leal to be made. In November following, 116 fettlers embarked for Georgia, to be conveyed thither free of expcnfe, furnifhed with every thing requisite for building and for culti- vating the foil. James Oglethorpe, one of the truftees, and an active promoter oi the fc-Ulernciit, embarked as the head and director of thefe fettlers. They arrived at Charlcftown early in the next year, where they met a friendly reception from the gover- nor and council. Mr. Oglethorpc, accompanied by William Bull, fhortly after his arrival viiited Georgia, and after reconnoitering the country, marked the fpot on which Savannah nowftands, as the fitteit to begin a fettlemont. Here they accordingly began and built a finall fort,, and a number of linall huts for their defence and accom- modation. Such of the fettlers as were able to bear arms were embodied, and well ap- pointed with orEcers, arms, and ammunition. A treaty of friendfhip was concluded httween the fettlers and their neighbours, and the Creek Indians, and every thing wore the afpe6t of peace and future prolperity. i leading men among the Creeks. This gentleman wcmM gfodly have remained a citizen of the United States ; but having ferved under the Britilh during the late war, his property in Georgia, which was confidetab'e, -was confilcated. This circumftance induced him to retire among his friends the Creeks, fince which he ha bten an a&ive and zealous partiian in their imerefb and politics. In $6z G E O R G I A. In the mean time the trustees of Georgia had been employed in framing a plan of fettlcment, and eltablilhing tiich public regulations as they judged molt proper for an- fwering the great end of the corporation. In the general plan they conlidcrcd each in- habitant both as a planter and a ibldier, who mult be provided with arms and ammuni- tion for defence, as well as with tools and utenfils for cultivation. As the ftrcngth of the. province was the object in view, they agreed to eltablifh fuch tenures for holding lands in it as they judged molt favourable for military dtablifhment. Each tract of land granted was coniidered as a military fief, for which the porTefTor was to appear in arms, and take the field, when called upon for the public defence. '10. prevent large tracts from falling, in procefs of time, to one perfon, they agreed to grant their lands in tail male, in preference to tail general. On the termination of the eftate in tail male, the lands were to revert to the truit ; and fuch lands thus reverting were to be granted again to fuch perfons, as the common council of th iliould judge moil advantageous for the colony; only the trufrees in fuch a cufr fpecial regard to the daughters of fuch perfons as had made improvements on their lots, efpecially when not already provided for by marriage. The wives of fuch perfons as fhould fur- vive them, were to be, during their lives, entitled to the manlion houfe, and one half of the lands improved by their hulbands. No man was to be permitted to depart the province without licenfe. If any of the lands granted by the trultees fhall not be cul- tivated, cleared, and fenced round about with a worm fence, .or pales, fix feet high, within eighteen years from the date of the grant, fuch part was to revert to the truit, and the grant with refpecl to it to be void. All forfeitures for* lion-refidences, high .treafons, felonies, &c. were to the trultees for the ufe and benefit of the colony. The ufe of negroes to be abfolutely prohibited, and a lib the importation of rum. None of the colonilts were to be permitted to trade with the Indians, but fuch as fhould obtain a fpecial licenfe for that purpofe. Thefe were fome of the fundamental regulations eftablifhcd by the tmftees of Georgia, and perhaps : the imagination could fcarcely have framed a fyitem of rules worfc adapted to the circumltances and fituation of the poor fettlers, and of more pernicious confequence to the profperity of the province. Yet, although the truitees were greatly miltaken, with refpect to the plan of fettlement, it mult be acknowledged their views were generous. As the people lent out by them were the poor and unfortunate, who were to be provided with neceffaries at their public Itore, they received their lands upon condition of cultivation, and, by their perfonal refidence, of defence. Silk and wine being the chief articles intended to be railed, they judged negroes were not reuui- fite for thefe purpofes. As the colony was defigned to be a barrier to South Carolina againft the Spanifh fettlement at Augultine, they imagined that negroes would rather weaken than ftrengthen it, and that fuch poor colonilts would run in debt, and ruin themfclves by purchafing them. Rum was judged pernicious to health, and ruinous to the infant fettlement. A free trade with Indians was a thing, that might have a ten- dency to involve the people in quarrels and troubles with the powerful favages, and ex - pofe them to danger and deltruction. Such were probably the motives which induced thofe humane and generous perfons to impofe fuch foolifh and ridiculous reftricTtions 'on their colony. For by granting their fmall eltatcs in tail male, they drove the fettlers from Georgia, whofoon found that abundance of lands could be obtained in America upon a larger fcale, and on much better terms. By the' prohibition of negroes they rendered it impracticable in fuch a climate to make any imprellion on the thick forefts, Europeans being utterly unqualified for the heavy talk. By their dilcharging a trade jvith the Welt Indies, they deprived the colonilts of an excellent and convenient mar- kct kol for then-lumber, of which they had abundance on their lands. Thetraftces, like other diftant legiflators, who framed their regulations upon principles of fpeculation, were liable to many errors and miftakes ; and however good their defign, their rules were found improper and impracticable. The Carolinians plainly perceived that they would prove insurmountable obltacles to the progrets and profperity of the colony, and therefore from motives of pity began to invite the poor Georgians to come over Savan- nah river and fettle in Carolina, being convinced that they could never fueeecd under fuch impolitic and opprefiivc reftriciions. Befides the large liims of money which the tniftces had expended for the fettlement of Georgia, the parliament had alfo granted, during the two 1 aft years, .36,000!. to- wards carrying into execution the humane purpofe of the corporation. But after the representation and memorial from the legiflature of Carolina reached Britain, the nation conlidcred Georgia to be of the utmoft importance to the Britifh fettleraents in America, and began to make frill more vigorous efforts for its fpeedy population. The firft em- barkations of poor people from England, being collected from towns and cities, were found equally idle and nfelefs members of fociety abroad as they had been at home. An hardy and bold race of men, inured to rural labour and fatigue, they were per- fuaded would be much better adapted both for cultivation and defence. To find men pofTefled of thcfe qualifications, they turned their eyes to Germany and the Highlands of Scotland, and refolvcd to fend over a number of Scotch and German labourers to their infant province. When they publifhed their terms at Invernefs, an hundred and thirty Highlanders immediately accepted them, and were tranfported to Georgia. A town- fhip on the river Alatamaha, which was confidercd as the boundary between the Bri- tifti and Spanifh territories, was allotted for the Highlanders, in which dangerous litua- lion they fettled, and built a town, which they called New Inverness. About the .fame time an hundred and fevcnty Germans embarked with James Oglcthorpe, and were fixed in another quarter; fo that, in the fpace of three years, Georgia received above four rmndrcd Britiih fubjeels, and about an hundred and feventy foreigners. Afterwards, levcral adventurers, both from Scotland and Germany, followed their countrymen, and added farther ftrength to the province, and the tmftees flattered 'thcmfelves with the hope of loon feeing it in a promiiing condition. Their hope?, however, were vain: their injudicious regulations and reftriciions, the wars in which they were involved with the Spaniards and Indians, and the frequent infiirrecYions among thcmfelves, threw the colony into a ftate of confufion and wretch- etlnefs too o-reat for" human nature to endure. Their oppferTed fituation was reprelented to fhe truftccs by repeated complaints ; till at length, finding that the province Ian- cmifhcd under their care, and weary with the complaints of the people, they, in the vear 1752, furrendercd their charter to the King, and it was made a royal govern- ment In confeqncnce of which, his Majcfty appointed John Reynolds an officer of thenavv, governor of the province, and a legiflature, fimilar tp that of the other royal ffovcnmienTs in America, was efrabliflicd in it. Great had been the expenfe which mother country had already incurred, befidcs private bencfadions, for fupportmg this colony ; and linall had been the returns yet made by it. The veftigcs 01 cultiva- tion were icarcely perceptible in the forefts, and in England all commerce with it was 56*4 GEORGIA. of industry broke out in it, which afterwards diffufed its happy influence over the country. In the year 1740, the Rev. George Whitefield founded an orphan houfe academy in Georgia, about 12 miles from Savannah. For the fupport of this, in his itinera- tions, he collected large firms of money of all denominations of Chriftians, both in England and America. A part of this money was expended in creeling proper build- fngs to accommodate the Undents, and a part in fupporting them. In 1768, it was propolcd that the orphan houfe ih-ould be creeled into a college ; whereupon Mr. Whilcfield applied to the crown for a charter. In confequence of Ibme difpute, the affair of a charter was given up, and Mr. Whitefield made his alignment of the or- phan houlc in trull to the Countefs of Huntingdon. Mr. Whitefield died at Newbury Port, in New England, September 3oth, 1770, in the 56th year of his age, and was buried under the Prefbytcrian church in that place. Soon after his death, a charter was granted to his inftitution in Georgia, and the Rev. Mr. Percy was appointed president of the college. Mr. Percy accordingly came over to execute his office, tut, unfortunately, on the 3oth of May, 1775, the orphan hcmfe building caught fire, and was entirely confumed, except the two wings, which are ftill remaining. The American war foon after came on, and put every thing into confufion, and the funds have ever fincc lain in an unproductive ftate. It is probable that the college eftate, by the confent of the Countefs of Huntingdon, may hereafter be Ib incorporated with the univerfity of Georgia, as to fubferve the original and pious purpofes of its founder. From the time Georgia became a royal government, in 1752, till the peace of Paris, in 1763, fhe ftruggled under many difficulties, arifing from the want of credit from friends, and the frequent moleftations of enemies. The good effects of the peace were fenfibly felt in the province of Georgia. From this time it began to flourifh, under the fatherly care of Governor Wright. To form a judgement of the rapid growth of the colony, we need only attend to its exports in the foregoing table. During the late war, Georgia was over-run by the Britifh troops, and the inhabi- tants were obliged to flee into the neighbouring States for fafety. The furTerings and lofles of her citizens were as great, in proportion to their numbers and wealth, as in any of the States. Since the peace, the progrefs of the population of this State has been rapid : its growth in improvement and population has been checked by the hof- tile irruptions of the Creek Indians, which have been frequent, and very diftreffing to the frontier inhabitants. Treaties have been held, and a cefTation of hoililities agreed. to between the parties; and it is expected that a permanent peace will foon be con- cluded, and tranquillity restored to the State. See Hewctt's Hift. S. Carolina and: Georgia. SPANISH SPANISH DOMINIONS. EAST AND WEST FLORIDA. Miles. Length 6ool betw _ n ("25 and 31 N. Latitude. Breadth 130! I 5 and 17 W. Long, from Philadelphia. BOUNDARIES n"D OUNDED north, by Georgia ; eaft, hy the Atlantic ocean ; fouth* ' J J3 by the Gulf of Mexico ; weft, by the Mifliflippi ; lying in the form of an L. RIVERS, LAKES, AND SPRINGS.] Among the rivers that fall into the Atlantic, St John's and Indian rivers arc the principal. St. John's river rifes in or near a large iwamp, in the heart of Eaft Florida, and purfues a northern courfe Ln a broad, navi- gable ftream, which, in feveral places, Ipreads into broad bays or lakes. Lake George, which is only a dilatation of the river, is a beautiful piece, of water, generally about 15 miles broad, and from 15 to 20 feet deep. It is ornamented with feveral charming iilands, one of which is a mere orange grove, interlperfed with magnolias and palm trees. Near Long Lake, which is two miles long and four wide, which communicates with St. John's river by a Imall creek, is a vaft fountain of warm or rather hot mineral water, Milling from a high bank on the river : it boils up with great force, forming immediately a vaft circular bafon, capacious enough for feveral fhallops to ride in, and runs with rapidity into the river, three or four hundred yards diftance. The -water is perfectly clear ; and the prodigious number and variety of fifti in it, though many feet deep, appear as plainly as though lying on a table before your eyes : the water has a dilagrecablc tafte, and finells like bilge water. This river enters into the Atlantic, north of St. Auguftine. Indian river rifes a Ihort diftance from the fea coaft, and runs from north to fouth, forming a kind of inland pafTage for many miles along the coaft. Scguana, Apalachicola, Chatahatchi, Efcambia, Mobile, Pafcagoula, and Pearl rivers, all rife in Georgia, and run foutherly into the Gulf of Mexico. CLIMATE.] Very little different from that of Georgia, SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.] There are, in this country, a great variety of foils. The eaftern part of it, near and about St. Auguftine, is far the mo'ft unfruitful ; jet even riere two crops of Indian corn a year are produced. The banks of the rivers which water the Florida*, and the parts contiguous, 'are of a fuperior quality, and ^yell adapted to the culture of rice and corn, while the more interior country, which is high andpleafant, abounds with wood of almoft every kind; particularly white and red oak, live oak, laurel magnolia, pine hiccory, cyprefs, red and white cedar. The live oaks, though not tall, contain a prodigious quantity of timber.: the trunk is generally from 12 to 20 feet in circumference, and riles 10 or 12 feet from the earth, and then branches into four or five great limbs, which grow in nearly a horizontal direction, forming a gentle curve. "I have ftcppcd," fays Bartram,* " above 50 paces, on a * Travels, page 85. 4 C 2 ftraight 5 65 SPA NTS ft DO BUNIONS. ftraight line, from the trunk of one of thcfe trees to the extremity of the limbs." 7 are ever green, and the wood almoft iiu-omiptible. They bear a great quantity of fmall acorus, which is agreeable food, when roafted, and from which the Indians extract a fwect oil, which they ufc in cooking homminy and rice. The laurel magnolia is the /noil beautiful among the trees of the forefr, nnd is ufually 100 feet high, though ibme arc much higher. The trunk is perfectly c: riling in the form o? a beautiful OUNDED by the Miffiffippi eaft; by the Gulf of Mexico .LJUuIS U AKlCi3. I |^ r A -i i x -j Jit i . , - . -LJ louth; by JNew Mexico well; and runs indefinitely north, Under the French government Louifiana included both fides of the Miffiffippi, from it> mouth to- the Illinois, and back from the river, eaii and weft indefinitely. RIVERS.] It is interfered by a number of fine rivers, among which are St. Francis, \vhich empties into the Miffiffippi at Kappas Old Fort; navigable about 250 or 300 miles; its courfe is nearly parallel with the Miffiffippi, and from twenty to thirty miles diflant from it. The Natrhitoches, which empties into the Miffiffippi above Point Coupec, and the Adayes or Mexicano river, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico, and the River Rouge, on which, it is well known, are as rich filver mines as any in Mexico. This is fuppofed to be one principal reafon, why the exclufive navigation of the Miffiffippi has been ib much infifted on by Spain. CAPITAL.] NEW ORLEANS. It {lands on the eafl fide of the Miffiffippi, 105 miles from its mouth, in latitude 30* 2' north. In the beginning of the lafl year it contained about 1 100 houfes, feven eighths of which were confumed by fire^ in the fpace of five hours, oil the 19111 of March, 1788. It is now faft rebuilding. Its advantages for trade are very great. Situated on a noble river, in a fertile and healthy country, within a week's fail of Mexico, by fea, and as near to the Britifh, French, and Spaniih Weft India iflands, with a moral certainty of its becoming the general receptacle for the produce of that extenfive and valuable country, on the Miffiffippi and Ohio ; thefe cireumftances are fufficient to enmre its- future growth and commercial im- portance. RELIGION, GOVERNMENT, &c.] The greater part of the white inhabitants -are Ro- Tli a n Catholics. They arc governed by a Viceroy from Spain, and the number of in- habitants is unknown. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCE.] Louifiana is agreeably fituated between the ex- tremes of heat and cold. Its climate varies as it extends towards the north. The lout hem parts, lying within the reach of the refrefhing breezes from the fca, are not fcorchcd like thofe under the fame latitudes in Africa; and its northern regions arc colder than thole of Europe under the. fame parallels, with a wholefome fcrenc air. To judge of the produce to be expeclcd from the foil of Louifiana, let us turn our eyes to Egypt, Arabia Felix, Perfia, India. China, and Japan, all lying in corrcfpond- ing latitudes. Of thefe, China alone has a tolerable government ; and yet it mult be .iowle s dged they all are, or have been, famous for their riches and fertility. From- vhe favourableness of the climate, two annual crops of Indian corn may be produced; and the foil, with little cultivation, would furnifh grain of every kind in me greateft abundance. Their timber is as fine as any in the world, and the quantities of live oak, aih, mulberry, walnut, cherry, cyprefs, and cedar, are aftonilhing. The neigh- bourhood of the Miffiffippi, befides, furnifhes -the richeit fruits in great variety ; the foil is particularly adapted for hemp, flax, and tobacco ; and indigo is at' this time a ftaple commodity, which commonly yields the planter three or four cuttings a year. In a word, whatever is rich and rare in the moft defirablc climates in Europe, fcems to be the fpontarieous production of this delightful country. The Miiliilippi and the neighbouring lakes furnifh in great plenty fcveral forts of fifh, particularly perch, pike, fturgeon, and eels. 2 In LOUISIANA. In the northern part of Louifiana, forty-five miles below the mouth of the Ohio river, on the weft bank of the Miffiffippi, a fettlement is commencing, conducted by Colonel Morgan of New Jcrfey, under the patronage of the Spanifh king. The fpot on which the city is propofed to be built is called New Madrid,, after the capital of Spain, and is in north latitude 36 30'. The limits of the new city of Madrid are to extend four miles fouth, and two miles weft from the river, fo as to crofs a beautiful, living, deep lake, of the pureft fpring . water, one hundred yards wide, and feveral miles in length, emptying itfeLf, by a con- iiant rapid narrow ftream, through the center of the city. The banks of this lake, which is called St. Annis, are high, beautiful, and pleafant ; the waters deep, clear, and fweet ; the bottom a clear fand, free from woods, fhrubs, or other vegetables, and well ftored with fifh. On each fide of this delightful lake ftreets are laid out, 100 feet wide, and a road to be continued round it, of the fame breadth ; and the ftreets are directed to be preferred for ever, for the health and pleafure of the citizens. A ftreet 120 feet wide, on the banks of the Miffiffippi, is laid out ; and the trees are directed to be preferved for the fame purpofe. Twelve acres, in a central part of the city, are to be referved in like manner, to be ornamented, regulated, and improved by the magiftracy of the city for public walks ; and forty half acre lots for other public ufes ; and one lot of twelve acres for the king's ufe. New Madrid, from its local fituation and adventitious privileges, is in profpect of being the great emporium of the weftern country, unlefs the free navigation of the Miffiffippi fhould be opened to the United States. And even fhould this delired event take place, which probably will not without a rupture with Spain, this muft be a place of great trade. For here will naturally center the immenfe quantities of* produce that will be borne down the Illinois, the Miffiffippi, the Ohio, and their various branches ; and if the carriers can find as good a market for their cargoes here, as at New Orleans or the Weft Indies, and can procure the articles they defire, they will gladly fave them- felves the difficulties and dangers of navigating the long Miffiffippi. The country in the vicinity of this intended city is reprefcnted as excellent, in many parts beyond defeription. The natural growth confifts of mulberry, locuft, faffafras, walnut, hiccory, oak, am,- dog-wood, &c. with one or more grape vines running up almoft every tree ; the grapes yield, from experiment, good red wine in plenty, and with little labour. In fome of the low grounds grow large cyprefs trees. The country is interfperfed with prairies and now and then a cane patch of 100, and fome of 1000 acres. Thefe prairies have rio trees on them, but are fertile in grafs, flowering plants, ftrawberries, and, when cultivated, produce good crops of wheat, barley, Indian corn, flax, hemp, and tobacco, and are eafily tilled. The climate is laid to be favourable for health and to the culture of fruits of various kinds, #nd particularly for garden vegetables. Iron and lead mines and fait fprings, it is afferted, arc found in fuch plenty as to afford an abundant fupply of thefe neceifary articles. The banks of the Miffif- fippi, for many leagues in extent, commencing' about twenty miles above the mouth of Ohio, are a continued chain of lime-ftone. A fine tradl of high, rich, level land, S.W.W. and N.W. of New Madrid, about twenty-five miles wide, extends quite to the River St. Francis. It has been fuppofed by fome that all fcitlers who go beyond the Miffiffipi, will be for ever loft to the United States. There is, I believe, little danger of this, provided they are not provoked to withdraw their friendfliip. The emigrants will be made up of the citizens of the United States. They will carry along with them their manners and cuftoms, their habits of government, religion and education ; and as they are to be in- dulged LOUISIANA. 569-. dulled with religious freedom, and with the privilege of making their own laws, and of conducting education upon their own plans, thefe American habits will undoul ; be cherifhed. If fo they will be Americans in fad, though nominally the fu Spain. It is true Spain will draw a revenue from them, but in return they will enjoy j> commercial advantages, the benefit of which will be experienced by the United and perhaps be an ample compenfation for the lofs of fo many citizens as may mi thither. In fhort, this fettlement, if conducted with judgement and prudence, may ue mutually ierviceable both to Spain and the United States ; it may prevent jealouiies ; leflcn national prejudices ; promote religious toleration ; preferve harmony, and be a medium of trade reciprocally advantageous. Befides, it is well known that empire has been travelling from eaft to weft. Proba- bly her laft and broadeft feat will be America. Here the fciences and the arts of civi- lized life are to receive their higheft improvements : here civil and religious liberty are- to flourifh, unchecked by the cruel hand of civil or eccleliaftical tyranny : here genius, aided by all- the improvements of former ages, is to be exerted in humanizing mankind, in expanding and enriching their minds with religious and philofophical knowledge, and in planning and executing a form of government, which fhall involve all the ex- cellencies of former governments, with as few of their defects as is confident with the imperfection of human affairs, and which fhall be calculated to protect and unite, in a manner confident with the natural rights of mankind, the largeft empire that ever* exifted. Elevated with thefe profpects,^ which are not merely the vifions of fancy, we cannot but anticipate the period, as no far diftant, when the American Empire will- comprehend 'millions of fouls weft of the Miffiffippi. Judging upon probable grounds, the Miffiffippi was never defigned as the weftern boundary of the American empire. The God of Nature never intended that fome of the beft part of his earth fhould be in- habited by the fubjects of a monarch 4000 miles from them. And may we not venture to predict, that, when the rights of mankind ihall be more fully known, (and the knowledge of them is faft increafing both in Europe and America) the power of Eu- ropean potentates will be confined to Europe, and their prefent American dominions become, like the United States, free, fovereign, and independent empires. It feems to depend on a timely adoption of a wife and liberal policy on the part of Spain, whether or not there fhall be a fpeedy revolution in her American colonies. It is afferted by the beft informed on tlie fubject, that there are not a hundred Spanifh families in all Louifiana and Weft Florida ; the bulk of the inhabitants are French peo- ple, who are inimical to the Spaniards, and emigrants from the United States, and a few Englifh, Scots, Dutch, and Irifh. This was the cafe in 1791 ; and as all emigra- tions to this country have fince been, and will probably in future be from the United States, and thefe emigrations are numerous, the time will foon come, when the Anglo Americans in this country will far exceed the number of all other nations. The wretched arid wicked policy of New Orleans, unlefs changed, will haften a re- volution in the Spanifh colonies. So long as the governor can dictate laws- and dif- penfe with them at his pleafure, and create monopolies in trade for his own and his favourites' advantage, as is now the cafe, there can be no ftability in the commerce of this place. The exclufive right, even of fupplying the market with frefh beef, port,., veal, and mutton, is monopolized. No farmer or planter is allowed to kill his- own- beef, fwine, calf, or fheep, and fend it to market ; he muft fell it to the King's butcher, as he is called, at the price he is pleafed to give ; and this man retails it out at a certain price agreed upon by the governor, in juft fuch pieces as he thinks proper^ i. through 570 L.O UISI AN A, through a v.indow or grate. Afk for a roafring piece, and he witl give yon a fhin or briiket 01 href: poir.t t;> .the piece you want, and he will tell you it is engaged to your liiperior. From fnnihr conduct, turkies no\v fell for four or five dollars a piece, which, under the French government, were in abundance for "half a dollar. The monopoly of flour is, ifpoffible, on ft ill a worle footing for the inhabitant: and the tobacco in- fpcclion yet more difcouraging to the planter. The governor, or the crown, as it is called, muft have an undefined advantage in every tiling. Hence all are ripe for a /iition the moment one fha 11 oiler with profpeft of being fupportcd, whether it lliall come from the United States, England, France, or internally from the in- habitants. It is faid to be the fixed refolution of the Britim miniftry to feize on New OrH <". firft initance,, in cafe of a rupture with Spain, as a necefTary prelude to ai attack on the Spaniih pofTcffions in the Welt Indies and on the main : it 'lias beeto their p uniformly, and orders have be\*n given accordingly at different times. For this pur- pole ever}- bend of the river, every bay and harbour on the coaft, have been fun md founded with the utmofl cxactncfs, and all of them are better known to the Britilli than to the Spaniards themfelves. Whilil the United States were engaged in the revolution war a gain ft England, the Spaniards attacked and porTefTed tliemfelves of all the Englilh polls and fettlemeHts on the Miliiffippi, from the Iberville up to the Yazoos river, including the Natchez country; and by virtue of this conqucft are now peopling and governing an extent three degrees north of the United States' fouth boundary, claiming the exclulive navi- gation of the other. This alone will probably be deemed fufncient caufe for the United States to unite with any other power againft Spain, the firft opportunity, ao both of right, they conceive, belong to them by treaty. It is aftcrted that the Kentucky country alone could, in one week, raife a fufricient force to conquer all the Spaniln, poffeffions on the Miffiffippi ; whilft one thoufand men would be equal to defend the whole country of New Orleans and Louifiana from any enemy approaching it by lea. The greater a hoftile fleet entering the Miffiffippi, the greater and more certain would be their deltruction if oppofed by men of knowledge and refolution.* HISTORY, The following extraft of a letter from a gentleman at New Orleans, dated September, 1 790, contains much ufeful information, in confirmation of the above. " When I left you and my other friends in Baltimore, laft year, I promiled to write to you by every op- portunity, and -to^mmunicate to you every information which 1 could derive from my excursion to the Ohio, down that beautifnf ftream, during my flay at Kentucky and the weftern ports, my vifit to .the Illinois and the different fettlements on the Miffiffippi, from thence downward to New Orleans. ' As I have devoted more than twelve months in making this tour, with the determination to judge for iryfelf, and to give you and my other friends information to be depended upon, regarding the climate, foil, natural productions, population, and other advantages and disadvantage;, which you may depend on finding in the country I have pafled through, I cannot, within the narrow bounds of this letter, comply with my in* tention, :-i\d your wifh, but 1 muft beg of you to reft fatisfied with what follows: * * i. * ft'*-:';****.** __ * .* * J Nearly oppofite to Louifville is a ftockade fort, garrifoned by two companies of the ift United States regiment. What ufe this poft of, I never could learn It is a mere hofpital in the dimmer feafon, and the grave of brave men, who might be ufcfully employed dfeAvhere. Fort Harmar is as remarkably healthful ; fo is the New England fettlement at Mulkingum; ;'.;id I th'r.k the Miami fetrlement will be healthful when the people have the comforts of good living about them ; at prefent they are thepooreft among the poor emigrants to this country, and not the beft managers. Below the falls, on the weft fide, is a miferable fettlement, called Chrkfville, frequently flooded, and compofcd of people who cannot better themfelves at prefent, or I fnppofe they would not continue here. From' hence. I made an excuriion by land to Poft Vincent, diftant about 100 miles: the fort here is garrifoned by two companies, at great expenfe, but little ufe,. Not liking the country on account of the many hoftile neighbouring Indians, I haftened out of it, and went with a parry ef LOUISIANA. HISTORY.] The Mifliffippi, on which the fine country of Louifiana is fituated, was firlt difcovered by Ferdinand de Soto, in 1541. Monfieur de la Salle was the firfl who traverfed it. He, in the year 1682^ having patted down to the -mouth of the Miifiilippi, and furveyed the adjacent country, returned to Canada, from whence he took paitage to France. From the flattering accounts which he gave of the country, and the confequential advantages that would accrue from fettling a colony in thofc parts, Louis XIV. was induced to eflablifh a company for the purpofe. Accordingly a fquadron of four veflcls, amply provided with men and provifions, under the command of Monfieur de la Salle. embarked, with an intention of fettling near the mouth 'of the Miffiffipi. But he unintentionally failed a hundred leagues to the weftward of it, where he attempted to eftablifh a colony ; but through the unfavourablenefs of the climate^ moft of his men miferably periflied, and he himfelf was villainoufly murdered, not long after, by two of his own men. Monfieur Ibberville fuccecded him in his laudable attempts. He, after two fuccelsful voyages, died while preparing for a third. Crozat fucceeded him ; and in 171 2, the king gave him Louifiana. This grant continued but a ftiort time after the death of Louis XIV. In 1 763, Louifiana was ceded to the King of Spain, to whom it now belongs. of Frenchmen to Kafkaflcias, in the Illinois country, and vifited Prairie des Rochers, St. Philip's, Belle Fon- taine, and Kahokia; from whence making up a party to purfue fome hoftile Kukapoos, and ileering due eaft, we fell on the head waters of the Kafkafkia river, which we crofled at fome diftance. This is a delightful country! On our return to Kahokia, I crofled over to St. Louis, on the Spanifh fide, but I did not proceed far into the country ; what I did fee I did not like, and therefore bought a canoe and went down the Miffif- fippi to St. Genevieve and the Saline. Not being pleafed with thefe places, nor the country around, I em- braced the company of fome French hunters and traders going towards the St. Francis river, in a fouth-weft direction from St. Genevieve. After travelling thirty miles nearly, I came to afweet country; here meeting with fome Shawanefe Indians going to 1'Ance la Graife and New Madrid, I made them a fmall prefent, and engaged them to efcort me there, which they did through a country fine and beautiful beyond defcription ; variegated by fmall hills, beautiful timber, and extenfive plains of luxuriant foil. Here the Spaniards are building a handfome fort, to encourage the fettlement by Americans, on a plan of Colonel Morgan's, of New Jerfcy; which, had it been purfued, as propofed by him, would have made this the firft in all the weftern country ; but they have deviated from it, fo much as to difcourage the fettlement, and many have left it. The banks of the Mifiiffippi overflow above and below the town, but the country back from the river is in- comparably beautiful and fine. I made a tour back to the river St. Francis, diftant about twenty-eight or thirty miles, and returned by another route more fouthward, to my great fatisfacftiou. Expreffing to fome of the people, at New Madrid, my furprife at Colonel S***'s account of this country, I was told that he never went 100 yards back from the river, either on the Ohio or Mifliffippi, except once, and that was at 1'Ance la Graife, where a horfe was provided for him, and he rode fifteen or twenty miles, and returned fo enraptured with the country, that he would not Men to the propofed fettlement of New^Iadi id being fixed at any other place ; and he actually applied to Colonel Morgan for forty furveys, moft of which were ex- ecuted; and he entered into obligations for fettlements thereof; but the Colonel refufing to grant bite 300 acres of the town lots, for a farm, as it would be injurious to other applicants of equal merit,^ S* ' * fwore he would do every thing in his to do, to the ruin, however owing to a narrow policy the caufes reprefented by fettle in, had Col. Morgan's plan been adopted, or carried into execution ; and thoufands among the belt people of the wetfern country would already have been fettled here. Why it was not, I know not; but lam told jealoufy of his fuccefs was the caufe. " After continuing two months in this delightful country, I proceeded to 'the Natchez, which has already tecome a confiderabfe fettlement, and is now tuider the government of Don Gayofo, a man greaMy beloved ; but the Spanifh government, though I think it liberal at prefent, will not long agree with American idea's^ ot liberty and juftice ; and a revolution is now in embryo, which a fmall matter will blow to a flame; aiyl Ne\r Orleans itfeJf will be at the mercy of new fubjeftr, if joined by a handful of the Kentucky people. * 4 D MEXICO, ( 57* ) MEXICO, or NEW SPAIN. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length suool , r 9 and 40 N. Latitude Breadth 1600 J ' Ii8* and 50 W. Longitude n -i TJOUNDED north, by unknown regions; eaft, by Louiiians, -L> and the Gulf of Mexico ; fouth, by the Ifthmus of Daricn, which feparates it from Terra Firma in South America ; weft, by the Pacific ocean. GRAND DIVISIONS.] This vaft country is divided as follows : Grand Divifions, Audieacs. Province*. Chief Towns. e Galicia, 7 / Guadalaxara OLD MEXICO. \ Mexico, 9 \ MEXICO, N. lat. 9 16' t Guatimala, 6 I Guatimala.* NEW MEXICO f Apacheira 1 c -^ XT , . ,<> , PROPER. I Sonora I ST ' FE > N ' lat 3 6 3 CALIFORNIA, on the weft, a peninfula. ST. JUAX. RIVERS, LAKES, AND FOUNTAINS.] The land is in great part abrupt and moun- tainous, covered with thick woods, and watered with large rivers. Some of theie run into the Gulf of Mexico, and others into the Pacific ocean. Among the firft are, Alvarado, Coatzacualco, and Tabefco. The Alvaraclo has its principal fource in the mountains of the Zapotecas, and after making a circuit through the province of Ma- zaltan, and receiving other fmaller rivers and ftreams, is discharged into the Gulf by three navigable mouths, at thirty miles diftance from Vera Cruz. The river Coatza- cualco, which is alfb navigable, empties into the ocean near the country of Onohualco. The river Tabafco begins its courle from the mountains, which leparate the diocefe of Chiapan from that of Guatimala, and afterwards that of Onohualco, where it runs into the fea. Amongft the rivers which run into the Pacific ocean, the principal is the river Gua- dalaxara, or Great River. It takes its rife in the mountains of the valley of Toloccan, waters the country of Tonollan, where at prcfent flands the city of Guadalaxara, the capital of New Gallicia ; and after running a courfe of more than 600 miles, dil- charges itfelf into the ocean, in the latitude of 22 degrees. There are feveral lakes, which do not lefs embellifh the country than give conveni- v ence to the commerce of the people. The .lakes of Nicaragua, Chapallan, and Paz- quaro, are among the largeft. The lakes Tetzcuco and Chalco occupy a great part of the Vale of Mexico, which is the fineft tracl of country in New Spain. The waters of Chalco are fwect, thofe of Tetzcuco are brackilh. A canal unites them. The lower lake, Tetzcuco, was formerly as much as 2.0 miles long and 1 7 broad, and lying at the bottom of the vale, is the reiervoir of all the waters from the furrounding This city was fwallowed up by an earthquake, June yth, 1773, when 8oo families inftantly perifhed. New Guatimaia is well inhabited. 2 mountains. SPANISH DOMINIONS. 573 mountains. The city of Mexico flands on an ifland in this lake. Thefe two lakes, \vhofe circumference was not left than 90 miles, rcprefented the figure of a camel. At prefcnt the extent of thefc lakes is much lets, for the Spaniards have diverted into new channels many rivers which formerly ran into them. All the water which is collected there is at firll fweet, and becomes fait afterwards, from the nitrous bed of the lake where it is received. M. De Bomare fays, that the fait of the Mexican lake may pro- ceed from the waters of the ocean in the north being filtered through the earth. But this is truly a grofs error, becaufe that lake is 180 miles diflant from the ocean ; be- fidcs, the bed of this lake is fo elevated, that it has at leafl one mile of perpendicular height above the level of the fea. The lake of Tocktlan makes a fine profpect, and its banks a moft delightful dwelling. In this country are interfperfed many fountains, of different qualities. There are an infinity of nitrous, fulphurcous, vitriolic, and aluminous mineral waters, fome of "which fpring out Ib hot, that in a fhort time any kind of fruit or animal food is boiled in them. There are alfo petrifying waters, namely, thofe of Tehuacan, a city about 1 20 miles fouth-eaft from Mexico ; thofe of the fpring of Pucuaro, in the States of the Conte di Miravalles, in the kingdom of Michuacan, and that of a river in the pro- vince of the Queleni. With the waters of Pucuaro they make little white finooth ftones, not difplcafing to the tafle ; fcrapings from which taken in broth, or in gruel made of Indian corn, are mofl powerful diaphoretics, and are ufed with remarkable fuccefs in various kinds of fevers. The citizens of Mexico, during the time of their kings, fupplied themfelves with water from the great fpring of Chapoltepec, which was conveyed to the city by an aqueduct. We might here defcribe the ftupendous falls or cafcades of feveral rivers, particularly that in the river Guadalaxara, 15 miles louth of that city; and the famous PONTI DI Dio, which is a natural bridge thrown over the deep river Atoyaque, 100 miles fouth- eaft of Mexico, over which coaches and carriages conveniently pafs. CLIMATE.] The climate of this extenfive country is various. The maritime parts are hot, and for the mofl part moifl and unhealthy. Their heat, which occafions fwcat even in January, is owing to the perfect flatnefs of the coafts compared with the inland country ; or from the mountains of fand that gather upon the fhore. Xands which are very high, or very near to high mountains, which are perpetually covered with mow, are cold ; there has been white frofts and ice, in the dog-days. AH the other inland parts which are the mofl populous, enjoy a climate mild and benign, that they neither feel the rigour of winter, nor the heats of fummer. No other fire than the Tun's rays is neceifary to give warmth in winter ; no other relief is wanted in the leafons of heat than the fhade ; the fame clothing which covers a man in the dog- days, defends him in January ; and the animals fleep all the year under the open Iky. The mildnefs and agrecablenefs of the climate under the torrid zone is the effect of feveral natural caufes, entirely unknown to the ancients, who believed it uninhabita- ble ; and not well underilood by fome moderns, by whom it is efleemed unfavourable to thofe who live in it. The purity of the atmofphere, the fmaller obliquity of the fo- lar rays, and the longer ftay of this luminary upon the horizon in winter, in comna- rifon with other regions farther removed from the equator, concur to lefTen the cold, and to prevent all that horror which disfigures the face of nature in other climes. During that feafon, a ferene fky, and the natural delights of the country are enjoyed; whereas under the frigid, and even for the mofl part under the temperate zones, the clouds rob man of the profpect of heaven, and the fnow buries the beautiful produc- 4 D 2 574 SPANISH DOMINIONS. tions of the earth. No lefs caufes combine to temper the heat of fummer. The plen- tiful fhowers which frequently water the earth after mid-day, from April or May, to September or October ; the high mountains continually loaded with mow, fcattered here and there through the country; the cool winds which breathe from them in that feafon ; and the fhortcr flay of the fun upon the horizon, compared with the circum- fiances of the temperate zone, transform the fummer of thole happy countries into a cool and cheerful fpring. But the agreeablenefs of the climate is counterbalanced by thunder ftorms, which are frequent in fummer, and by earthquakes, which at all feafons are felt, although with lefs danger than terror. MOUNTAINS.] The fire kindled in the bowels of the earth by the fulphureous and bituminous materials, has made vents for itfelf in fome of the mountains, or volcanos, from whence flames are often feen to iffue, and afhes and fmoke. There are five mountains in the diftric"t of the Mexican empire, where, at different times, this dread- ful phenomenon has been obferved. Pojauhtecal, called by the Spaniards, Volcan de Orizaba, began to fend forth fmokc in the year 1545, and continued to do fo for twenty years ; but after that, for the fpacc of more than two centuries, there has not been obferved the fmallefl fign of burning. This celebrated mountain, which is of a conical figure, is indifputably the higheft land in all Mexico ; and, on account of its height, is the firft land defcried by feamen who are fleering that way, at the diftance of fifty leagues. It is higher than the peak of Teneriffe. Its top is always covered with mow, and its border adorned with large cedars, pine, and other trees, of valuable wood, which make the profpecl of it every way beautiful. It is diflant from the capital upwards of ninety miles to the eafl- ward. The Popocatepu and Tztaceihuatl, which lie near each other, thirty-three miles fouth-eafl from Mexico, are alfo of a furpriling height. Popocatepu, for which they have fubflituted the name Volcan, has a mouth or vent more than half a mile wide, from which, in the time of the Mexican kings, it frequently emitted flames ; and in the lafl century many times threw out great quantities of afhes upon the places adjacent ; but in this century hardly any fmoke has been obferved. Tztaceihuatl, or Seirra Ne- vada, threw out alfo at fome times fmoke and afhes. Both mountains have tops always covered with fnow, in fuch quantities, as to fupply, with what precipitates on tfye neighbouring rocks, the cities of Mexico, Gilopoli, Cholula, and -the adjoining places, to the diftance of forty miles from thefe mountains, where an incredible quan- tity is yearly confumed in cooling and congealing liquors. The mountain Juruyo, fituated in the valley of Urecho, is a great curiolity. Before the year 1760, there was nothing of it but a fmall hill, where there was a fugar plan- tation. But on the 29th of September, 1760, it burft with furious mocks, and en- tirely ruined the fugar works, and the neighbouring village of Guacana ; and from that time has continued to emit fire and burning rocks, which have formed themfelves into three high mountains, whofe circumference \vas nearly fix miles in 1766, accord- ing to the account communicated by the governor of that province, who was an eye- witnefs of the fac~t. The afhes, at the irruption, were forced to the almoft incredible diftance of 150 miles. In the city of Valadolid, 60 miles diftant, it rained afhes in fuch abundance that they were obliged to fweep the yards of the houfes two or three times during the day. Befides thefe there are others alfo, which, though not burning mountains, are yet of great celebrity for their height. STONES SPANISH DOMINIONS. 575 STONES AND MINERALS.] The mountains of Mexico abound in ores of every kind of metal, and a great variety of foffils. The Mexicans found gold in various parts of their country : they gathered this precious metal chiefly in -grains among the fand of the river. Silver was dug out of the mines of Ilachco, and others ; but it was not fo much prized by them as it is by other nations. Since the conqueft, fo many lilver mines have been difcovercd in that country, efpecially in the provinces which are to the north-well of the capital, it is quite impoffible to enumerate them. Of copper, they had two forts ; one hard, which they ufed inftead of iron to make axes, hatchets, mattocks, and other inltruments of war and agriculture ; the other flexible, for making of bafons, pots, and other veflels. Of tin, they made money, and lead was fold at market. There are alfo mines of iron, quickiilver, and in many places mines of ml- phur, alum, vitriol, cinnabar, ochre, and a white earth flrongly relembling white lead. Of amber and afphaltum, or bitumen of Judea, there was and ftill is great abundance on both coafls ; amber was ufed to let in gold for ornaments ; afphaltum was em- ployed in certain incenfe offerings. With refpecl: to precious flones there were, and ftill are, diamonds, though few in number ; amethyfts, cats eyes, turquoifes, cornelians, and fome green ftones re- fembling emeralds, and not much inferior to them. There are quarries of jafper, and marble of different colours, in the mountains of Calpolalpan. The ftone Tetzontli is as he is called, wifhes to change his iituation, to get out of a bad neighbourhood, or to come nearer to his family, he gets into his little boat, and, by his own lirength alone, if the garden is fmall, or with the afliftance of others, if it is large, conduces it wherever he pleafes, with the little tree and hut upon it. That part of the ifland where thefe floating gardens are, is a place of delightful recreation, where the fenfes receive the higheft poflible gratification. * Pulque is the ufual wine or beer of the Mexicans, made of the fermented juice of the Maguei. This liquor will not keep but one day, and therefore what is made is daily confumedt JL 1 1C- 578. SPANISH DOMINIONS. The building?, which arc of ftone, are convenient, and the puhlic edifices, efpecially the churches, are magnificent, and the city has the appearance of im- menfe wealth. The trade of Mexico confTfls of three great branches, which extend over the whole world. It carries on a traffic with Europe, by La Vera Cruz, fituated on the Gulf of Mexico, on North Sea; with the Eafl Indies, by Acapulo on the South Sea, two hundred and ten miles fouth-weil of Mexico ; and with South America, by the fame port. Thefe two fea ports, Vera Cruz and Acapulco, are admirably well iituated for the commercial purpofes to which they were applied. It is by means of the former that Mexico pours her \vealth over the whole world ; and receives in return the numberlefs luxuries and necefTaries which Europe affords her. To this port the fleet from Cadiz, called the Flota, conlifting of three men of war, as a convoy, and fourteen large mer- chant fhips, annually arrives about the beginning of November. Its cargo confifls of almoft every commodity and manufacture of Europe ; and there are few nations but have more concern in it than the Spaniards, who fend out little elfe except wine and oil. The profit of thefe, with the freight and comrniffion to the merchants, and duty to the king, is all the advantage which Spain derives from the American commerce. When all the goods are landed and difpofed of at La Vera Cruz, the fleet takes in the plate, precious flones, and other commodities for Europe. Some time in May they are ready to depart. From La Vera Cruz they fail to the Havannah, in the Ifle of Cuba, which is the rendezvous where .they meet tl>e galleons, another fleet which carries on the trade of Terra Firma by Carthagena, and of Peru by Panama and Porto Bello. When all are collected and provided with a. convoy necelfary for their fafety, they fleer for Old Spain. Acapulco is the fea port by which the communication is kept up between the dif- ferent parts of the Spanifh empire in America, and the Eafl Indies. About the month of December, the great galleon, attended by a large lliip as a convoy, which make the only communication between the Philippines and Mexico, annually arrive here. The cargoes of thefe fhips, (for the convoy, though in a clandeftine manner, likewife carries goods) confifl of all the rich commodities and manufactures of the eafl. At the fame time the annual fliip from Lima, the capital of Peru, comes in, and is computed to bring not lefs than two millions of pieces of eight in filver, befides quickfilver, ' arid other valuable commodities, to be laid out in the purchafe of the galeons cargoes. Several other fhips, from different parts of Chili and Peru, meet upon the lame occa- iion. A great fair, in which the commodities of all parts of the world are bartered for one another, lafls thirty days. The galeon then prepares for her voyage, loaded with filver and fuch European goods as have been thought neceflary. The Spaniards, though this trade be carried on entirely through their hands, and in the very heart of their dominions, are comparatively but fmall gainers by it. For as they allow the Dutch, Great Britain, and other commercial States, to furnifh the greater part of the cargo of the flota, fo the Spanifh inhabitants of the Philippines, tainted with the indolence which ruined their European anceftors, permit the Chinefe merchants to furniih the greater part of the cargo of the galeon. Notwithstanding what has been laid of Vera Cruz and Acapulco, the city of Mexico, the capital of the empire, ought to be con- lidered as the center of commerce in this part of the world ; for here the principal merchants refide, and the greatefl part of the bufinefs is negociated. The Eafb India goods from Acapulco, and the European from Vera Cruz, alfo pals through this city. Hither all the gold and iilver come to be coined, here the king's fifth is deposited, 3 and SPANISH DOMINIONS. and here arc wrought all thofe utenfils and ornaments in plate which are every year font into Europe. HISTORY.] The empire of Mexico was fubdued by Cortes, in the year 1521. 'Montczuma was at that time emperor of Mexico. In the courfe of the war, he was treacheroufly taken by Cortes, and held as a prilbner. During the imprifonment of Montczuma, Cortes and his army had made repeated attacks on his fubjeds, but without fuccefs. Cortes was now determined, as his lafl refource, to try what effect the interpolition of Montezuma might have to foothe or overawe his fubjecls. This unfortunate prince, at the mercy of the treacherous Spaniards, and reduced to the fad neccffity of becoming the inltrument of his own difgrace, and of the ilavery of his fubjecls, advanced to the battlements in his royal robes, in all the pomp in which he ufed to appear on folemri occafions. At light of their fovereign, whom they had long been accuftomed to honour, and almoft to revere as a god, the weapons dropped from their hands, every tongue was lilent, all bowed their heads, and many proftrated themfclves on the ground. Montezuma addrefled them with every argument that could mitigate their rage, or perfuade them from hoftilities. \yhen he ended his dif- courfe, a fullen murmur of difapprobation ran through the crowd ; to this fucceeded reproaches and threats ; and their fury riling in a moment, they violently poured in whole flights of arrows and vollies of Hones upon their unhappy monarch ; two of the arrows llruck him in his body, which, with the blow of a ftone on his temple, put an end to his life. Guatimozin fucceeded Montezuma, and maintained a vigorous oppo- lition againft the avTaults of Cortes ; but he, like his predecefTor, after a noble defence, was forced to fubmit. Previous to this, being aware of his impending fate, he had ordered that all his treafures Ihould be thrown into the lake. While a prifoner, on fufpicion of his having concealed his treafure, he was put to the torture, which was done by laying him on burning coals ; but he bore whatever the refined cruelty of his tormentors could inflict with the invincible fortitude of an American warrior. One of his chief favourites, his fellow fufTerer, being overcome by the violence of the anguiih, .turned a dejected eye towards his mailer, which feemed to implore his permiffion to reveal all that he knew. But the high-fpirited prince darted on him a look of autho- rity, mingled with fcorn, and checked his weaknefs by alking, " Am I repolin go a bed flowers ? " Overawed by the reproach, he perfevered in dutiful nlenee, and expired. Cortes, alhamed of a fcene fo horrid, refcued the royal victim from the hands of his torturers, and prolonged a life for new indignities and fufTerings. Cortes died in Spain, in the year 1547, in the lixty-fecond year of his age. Envied by his contem- poraries, and ill requited by the court which he ferved, he has been admired and celebrated by fucceeding ages. By his own delire he was carried to Mexico, and buried there. Cortes, the great conqueror of Mexico, difcovered the extenlive penihfula of Cali- fornia in the year 1536, after enduring incredible hardfhips, and encountering dangers of almolt every fpecies. During a long period it continued to be fo little frequented, that even its form was unknown, and in moft maps it was reprefented as an ifland. Sir Francis Drake was the firft who took poffeffion of it in 1578, and his right was confirmed by the principal king or chief in the whole country. SOUTH AMERICA. WE now enter upon the defcription of that part of the globe, where the human mind will be fucceffively furprifed with the fublime and aftonifhing works of nature; where rivers of amazing breadth flow through beautiful and widely-extended plains, and where lofty mountains, whofe fummits are covered with eternal fnow, intercept the courfe of the clouds, and hide their heads from the view of mortals. In fome parts of this extenlive region, nature hath bountifully beftowed her treafures, and given every thing neceffary for the convenience and happinefs of man. We have only to regret that a fet of avaricious men have fucceffively drenched with innocent blood thefe plains, which are fo beautifully formed and enriched by the hand of nature ; and that the rod of Spanifh delpotifm has prevented the population of a country which might have fupported millions of beings in affluence. DIVISIONS.] South America, like Africa, is an extenlive peninfula, connected with North America by the ifthmus of Darien, and divided between Spain, Portugal, France, Holland, and the Aborigines, as follows : Chief Towns. 'Terra Firma, Panama and Carthagena, Peru, Lima, Chili, St. Jago, ,.Paragua > Buennos Ayres. PORTUGUESE.] Brazil, St. Salvador. FRENCH.] Cayenne, Caen. DUTCH.] Surrinam, Paramaribo. A T f Amazonia, ABomoiNEs.] {p ata gonia. Of thefe countries we ihall treat in their order.* * For the beft hiftory of South America and Mexico, the reader is referred to Robertfon's Hiftory of America, and the Abbe CJavigero's Hiftory of Mexico. SPANISH DOMINIONS. TERRA FIRMA, OR CASTILE DEL ORO, SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 1400] bt f 60 and 82 Weft Longitude. Breadth 700) l \The Equator, and 12 North Latitude, BOUNDARIES.] "QOUNDED north, by the Atlantic ocean, here called the North J3 Sea ; eaft, by the fame ocean and Surrinam ; .fouth, by Amazonia and Peru ; weft, by the Pacific ocean. JT SPANISH AMERICA. 5 8i IT IS DIVIDED INTO Chief Towns. Terra Firma Proper, or Darien, [ ?*&&Q, Carthagena, Carthagena. St. Martha, Venezeula, Comana, Paria. New Granada, Popayan. Popayan. BAYS.] In the South Sea the principal Lays are thole of Panama and St. Michael; in the North Sea are the bays of Porto Bello, Sino, Guiara, 8tc. RITERS.] The principal rivers are the Darien, Chagre, Santa Maria, Conception., and Oronoko. The peculiarities of this laft-mentioned river require a particular defcription. It was Columbus, who, in 1498, firft difcovered the Oronoko, the borders of which have lince been named Spanifh Guiana. This great river takes its rile among the Cordeleras mountains, and is faid to difcharge itfelf into the ocean by forty openings, after it hath been increafed, throughout an immenfe tract, by the afflux of a prodi- gious number of rivers more or lefs considerable. Such is its impetuoiity that it flems the flrongeit tides, and preferves the frefhnefs of its waters to the diltance of twelve leagues from the mouth of that vail and deep channel within which it was confined. Its rapidity, however, is not always the fame, which is owing to acircumilance perhaps entirely peculiar. The Oronoko, which begins to fwell in April, continues riling for five months, and during the fixth remains at its greater! height. From October, it begins gradually to fubfide, till the month of March, throughout the whole of which it remains in the fixed flate of its greateft diminution. Thcfe alternate changes are re- gular, and even invariable. Perhaps the riling of the waters of the Oronoko may depend entirely on the rainy feafbn. The river is not fo ealily navigated as might be prefumed from its magnitude; its bed being in many places filled up with rocks, which oblige the navigator, at times, to carry both his boats and the merchandize they are laden with, by land round the obftruction. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] The climate here, efpecially in the northern parts, is extremely hot and fultry during the whole year. From the month of May to the end of November, the feafon called winter by the inhabitants, is almolt a continual fucceffion of thunder, rain, and tempefts ; the clouds precipitating the rains with luch impetuoiity, that the low lands exhibit the appearance of an ocean. Great part of the country is of confequence almoil continually flooded; and this, together with the exceffive heat, fo impregnates the air with vapours, that in many provinces, particu- larly about Popayan and Porto Bello, it is extremely unwholefome. The foil of this country is very different, the inland parts being extremely rich and fertile, and the coafts fandy and barren. It is impoffible to view without admiration the perpetual verdure of the woods, the luxuriancy of the plains, and the towering height of the mountains. This country produces corn, fugar, tobacco, and fruits of all kinds ; the moil remarkable is that of the manzanillo tree ; it bears a fruit rtfembling an apple, but 582 SPANISH AMERICA. but which, under this fpecious appearance,, contains the moil fubtile poifon. The bean of Carthagena is the fruit of a fpecies of willow, about the bignefs of a bean, and is an excellent remedy for the bite of the moft venomous ierpents, which are very frequent nil over this country. Among the natural merchandize of Terra Firma, the pearls found on the malt, particularly in the bay of Panama, are not the leail conliderable. An immcnfe number of negro flaves are employed in fiihing for thefe, and have arrive'd at a \vonderful dexterity in this occupation. They are fometimes, however, devoured by iharks, while they dive to the bottom, or arc cmfhed againft the fhelvcs of tlie ro< : CHIEF Towxs.] CARTHAGENA is the principal fea port town in Terra Firma. It i< Gtttatcd on the Atlantic ocean, in North latitude 10 26', and about three degrees v, eu. of the meridian of Philadelphia. The bay on which it ftands is feven miles wide from north to fouth ; abounds with variety of good rim ; and has a fufficient depth of water, with good anchorage, and fo fmooth that fhips are no more agitated than on a river. The many fhallows .at its entrance, however, make the help of a good pilot necefTary. The town and its fuburbs are fortified in modern ftyle ; the ilreets are ftraight, broad, and well-paved. The houfes are principally brick, and one ftory high. All houfes have balconies and lattices of wood. This city is the residence of the governor of the province of Carthagena, and of a bifhop, whofe fpiritual jurif- diclion extends over the whole province. There is here alfo a court of inquiiition ; ieveral convents and nunneries ; a church, a chapel of eafe, and a college of Jefuits. The city is well peopled with Indians, Europeans, Negroes, and Creoles. The Euro- peans, who are not numerous, and the Creoles, manage the whole trade of the place; the other inhabitants are poor, and work hard for fubiiftence. The inhabitants are univerfally fond of chocolate and tobacco ; and the mofl fober feldom fail of drinking a glafs of brandy in the morning. PANAMA is the capital of Terra Firma Proper, and Is fituated upon a capa- cious bay to which it gives its- name. It is the great receptacle of the vaft quan- tities of gold and iilver, with other rich merchandize, from all parts of Peru and Chili ; here they are lodged in ftore houles, till the proper feafon arrives to tranfport them to Europe. PORTO BELLO is iituated clofe to the fea, on the declivity of a mountain which furrounds the whole harbour. The convenience and fafety of this harbour is fuch, that Columbus, who firfi difcovered it, gave it the name of Porto Bello, or the Fine Harbour. HISTORY.] This part of South America was difcovered by Columbus, in his third voyage to this continent. It was fubdued and fettled by the Spaniards about the year 1514, after deftroying, with great inhumanity, Ieveral millions of the natives. This country was called Terra Firma, on account of its being the firfl part of the continent which was difcovered, all the lands difcovered previous to this being iflands.. PERU. ( 583 ) PER U. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 1 800 1 , r the Equator and 25 South Latitude. Breadth 500 J 1 60 and 8 i Weft Longitude. BOUNDARIES T~R UNDED n rth ' by Terra Firma ; weft > by the Pacific ocean; J -U fouth, by Chili ; and eaft, by the mountains called the Andes. DIVISIONS.] Peru is divided into the following provinces i Provinces. Chief Towns. Quito, , Quito, Payta, Lima, Lima, latitude I2 u' South. Los Charcos, Potofi, Porco. RIVERS.] There is a number of rivers which rife in the Andes, but moft of them run to the eaftward. Among thefe are the Grande, Oronoko, Amazon and Plate. The Amazon rifes in Peru, but directs its courfe eaftward, and after running between three and four thoufand miles, falls into the Atlantic ocean, under the equator. This river, like others between the tropics, annually overflows its banks, at which time it is one hundred and fifty miles wide at its mouth. It is fuppofed to be the largeft river in the world, either with regard to the length of its courfe, the depth of its waters, or its aftonifhing breadth. There is one river in Peru, the waters of which are faid ta be as red as blood ; but this is doubted by fome : it is probable, however, that there may be qualities in the earth through which this river runs, which may tinge the waters and give them fome refemblance to blood. CLIMATE, AIR, AND SOIL.] From the lituation of this country, which is within the torrid zone, it is natural to fuppofe that it would be almoft uninhabitable ; but the Andes mountains being on the one lide, and the South fea on the other, it is not fo prodigioufly hot as tropical countries in general are ; and in fome parts it is difagreeably cold. In one part are mountains of a ftupendous height and magnitude," having their fummits covered with fnow ; on the other, volcanoes flaming within, while their fummits, chafms, and apertures are involved in ice. The plains are temperate, the beaches and vallies hot; and laftly, according to the difpofition of the country, its high. or low fituation, we find all the variety of gradations of temperature between the two extremes of heat and cold. It is remarkable, that in fome places it never rains, which defect is fupplied by a dew that falls every night, and fufficiently refrefhes the vegetable creation ; but in Quito they have prodigious rains, attended by dreadful ftorrns of thunder and lightning. In the inland parts of Peru, and by the banks of the rivers, the foil is ufually very fertile ; but along the fea coaft it' is a barren fancl. ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS.] Vaft numbers of cattle were imported by the Spaniards into Peru, when they took pofleflion of that country ; thefe are now fo amazingly increafed, that they run wild and are hunted like game. The molt remarkable animals in this country are the Peruvian flieep, called the lamas and vicunnas. The lama, in feveral particulars, refembles the camel, as in the fhape of the neck, head, and fome other parts ; but has no bunch, is much fraaller, and is cloven-footed. Its upper lip is cleft like that of a hare, through wliich, when enraged. 584 SPANISH AMERICA. it fpits a venomous juice, that inflames the part on which it falls. The wool with which it is covered is of different colours, but generally brown. Th '" Is are generally docile, Ib that the Indians uie them as beafts of burden. For icy ufed to eat their flefh, and Ttill continue to make that ufe of fuch us ave patt labour, ettecming it preferable to mutton. The vicunna refernbles the lama in fhape, but is much Imaller, and its wool fhorter and finer. The moft remarkable birds found in Peru are the condors and hummers. The condor is prodigioufly h'.v^v and carnivorous, and very voracious, frequently feizing the lambs as they are feeding upon the heath. The hummer is a night bird, peculiar to the mountainous deferts of Peru. They are lehlora feen, though frequently heard, both by their finging, and a ftrange humming made in the air by the rapidity of their flight, which when near makes a noiie like that of a rocket. The infects found in Peru are muiquetoes in prodigious numbers, miguas, and levcral others equally venomous ; alfo a variety of beautiful butterflies. This country produces fruits peculiar to the climate, and moft of thofe in Europe. The culture of maize, of pimento and of cotton, which was found eftablifhed there, has not been neglected ; and that of wheat, barley, caflava, potatoes, fugar, and of the olive and vine is attended to. The goat has thriven very well; but the iheep have degenerated, and their wool is become extremely coarfe. MIXES.] In the northern parts of Peru are feveral gold mines ; but thofe of filver are found all over the country, particular^ in the neighbourhood of Potofi. Nature never offered to the. avidity of mankind, in any country on the globe, fuch rich mines as thofe of Potofi. Thefe famous mines were accidentally difcovered in the year 1545, in this manner ; an Indian, named Hualpa, one day following fome deer, they made directly up the hill of Potofi ; he came to a fteep craggy part of the hill, and the better to enable him to climb up, laid hold of a fhrub, which came up by the roots, and laid open, a mafs of filver ore He for fome time kept it a fecret, but afterwards revealed it to his friend Guanca, who, becaufe he would not difcover to him the method of refining it, acquainted the Spaniard his mailer, named Valaroel, with the difcovery. Valaroel regiftered the mine in 1545 ; and from that time till 1638 thefe mines of Potofi had yielded 395,619,000 pieces of eight, which is about 4,255,000 pieces a year. Potofi is about twenty or twenty-five leagues from the city of La Plata. The hill, and alfo the country for a confiderable diflance round, is quite barren and defert, and produces neither tree, plant, nor herb, fo that the inhabitants of Potofi, which is fituated at the foot of the hill, on the fouth fide, are obliged to procure all the necefTaries of life from Peru. Thefe mines begin to decreafe, aud others rife ia reputation. MANUFACTURES, TRADE, AND CITIES.] We join thefe articles here becaufe of their intimate connection; for, except in the cities we fhall defcribe, there is no com-' merce worth mentioning. The city of Lima is the capital of Peru, and of the whole Spanim empire : its fituation, in the middle of a fpacious and delightful valley, was fixed upon by the famous Pizarro, as the moft proper for a city, which he expected would preferve his memory. It is fo well watered by the Rimac, that the inhabitants, like thole of. London, command a ftream, .each for his own ufe. There are many very magnificent ftructures, particularly churches, in this city ; though the houfes in general are built of flight materials, the equaiity of the climate, and want of rain, rendering ftone houfes unneceflary ; and beiides it is found, that thefe are more apt to iuffer by fhocks of the earth, which are frequent and dreadful all over this province, is about two leagues from the fea, .extends in length two miles, and in breadth one SPANISH AMERICA. 5 8 5 one and a quarter. One remarkable fact is lufficient to demonstrate the wealth of this city. When the viceroy, the duke de la Palada, made his entry into Lima in 1682, the inhabitants, to do him honour, caufed the ftreets to be paved with ingots of filver' amounting to feventeen millions fterling. All travellers fpeak with amazement of the decorations of the churches with gold, filver, and precious Hones, which load and ornament even the walls. The only thing thatcould juftify thefe accounts, is the im- menfe richnefs and extenlive commerce of theinhabitants. The merchants of Lima may be faid to deal with all the quarters of the world, and that both on their own accounts, and as factors for others. Here all the products of the fouthern provinces are con- veyed, in order to be exchanged at the harbour of Lima for fuch articles as the inha- bitants of Peru Hand in need of; the fleet from Europe and the Eaft Indies land at the fame harbour, and the commodities of Alia, Europe, and America, are there bartered for each other. What there is no immediate vent for, the merchants of Lima purchafe on their own accounts, and lay up in warehoufes, knowing that they mult foon find an outlet for them, lince by one channel or other they have a communication with almoft every commercial nation. But all the wealth of the inhabitants, all the beauty of the fituatio-n, and the fertility of the climate of Lima are not fufficient to compenfatc for one difafter, which always threatens and has Ibmetimes actually befallen them. In the year 1747, a moft tremendous earthquake laid three fourths of this city level with the ground, and entirely demolifhed Callao, the port town belonging to it. Never was any deftruction more perfect, not more than one of three thoufand inhabitants being left to record this dreadful calamity, and he, by a providence the moil lingular and extraordinary imaginable. This man, who happened to be on a fort which overlooked the harbour, perceived in one minute the inhabitants running from their houfes in the utmolt terror and confulion ; the fea, as is ufual on fuch occaiions, receding to a con- liderable diltance, returned in mountainous waves, foaming with the violence of the agitation, buried the inhabitants for ever in its bofom. and immediately all waslilent : but the fame wave which deftroyed the town, drove a little boat by the place where the man ftood, into which he threw himfelf, and was laved. Cufco, the ancient capital of the Peruvian empire, lies in this mountainous country, at a diftance from the lea, and has long been on the decline, but k is yet a very coniiderable place. The inhabitants, three parts of whom are Indians, are very induftrious in manufacturing baize, cotton, and leather. They have alii) both here and in Quito, a particular taile for painting ; and their productions in this way, lome of which have been admired in Italy, are difperfed all over South America. Quito is next to Lima in populoufnefs, if not fuperior to it. It is like Cufco, an inland city, and having no mines in its neighbourhood, is chiefly famous for its manufactures of cotton, wool, and flax, which fupply the consumption over all the kingdom of Pern. INHABITANTS, MANNERS, ANB GOVERNMENT.] It is impolTible to afcertain with any degree of precilion the number of inhabitants in Peru. The city of Lima- is faid to contain 54,000; Guagaquill 20,000; Potoli 25,000; La Paz 20,000, and Cufco 26.000. Among all the inhabitants of Peru, pride and lazinefsare faid to be the moll predominant paffions. Avarice may likewife be attributed to fome of them with a great deal of propriety rt - for truil for the prefervation lute but it beinc impoffible for him to fuperintend the whole extent of fes govern- ment 5 86 S P A N I S H A M E R I C A. xnent, he delegates a part of his authority to the feveral audiences and courts, efta- blifhed at different places throughout his territories. At Lima there is a trealury court for receiving a fifth of the mines, and certain taxes paid by the Indians, which belohg to the King of Spain. NATURAL HISTORY.] There are certain waters in this country, which, in their courfe, turn into itone ; and fountains of liquid matter, called coppey, refembling pitch and tar, and ufed by fcamen for the fame purpofc. On the coails of Guagaquill and Guatimaia are found a certain fpecies of fnails, which yield the purple dye fo celebrated by the ancients, and which the moderns have fuppofed to have been loft. The fhell lhat contains them is fixed to rocks, watered by the fea : it is of the lize of a large nut. Various methods are ufed to extract the purple matter from the animal. There is no colour that can be compared to this either in luftre or permanence. Under this head it may not be improper to make fome obfervations upon that new fubflance called the Platina, and which may be confidered as an eighth metal. In its native ilate it is mixed with gold and iron, and this at fir/I gave rife to 'a fufpicion that it was nothing more than a combination of thefe two metals ; but late experiments of chymifts fully prove, that it is a pure and limple metal, with properties peculiar to it- felf. It cannot be afTecled by any limple acid, or by any known folvent, except the aqua regia ; it will not tarnifh in the air, neither will it ruft ; it unites to the fixed- nefs of gold, and to the property it has of not being fufceptible of denruction, a hard- nets almoft equal to that of iron, and a much greater difficulty of fuiion : it is of an intermediate colour between that of iron and lilver ; it can be forged and extended into thin plates ; and when diflblved in aqua regia, it may be made to aiTume, by preci- pitation, an infinite diverlity of colours : and Count Milbey has fucceeded in varying thefe precipitates fo much, that he has had a piclure painted, in the colouring of which, there is fcarce any thing but platina made ufe of. Upon the whole, from confidering the advantages of the platina, we cannot but conclude that this metal de- ferves, at leaft, from its Superiority to all others, to fhare the title of king of the metals, of which gold has fo long been in porTeffion. The Peruvian bark, fo famous at pre- fent for curing intermittent fevers, may likewife be mentioned in this place. The tree from which it is taken grows upon the flope of mountains, and is about the fize of a common cherry tree. It is diftinguifhed into three kinds ; the red, yellow, and the white ; but the red is found to be the befl and moil efficacious. The Jefuits carried this bark to Rome as early as 1639 ; but the natives are fuppofed to have been ac- quainted with i{s medicinal qualities many ages before. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.] In treating of this country the mind is naturally led back to the barbarous and cruel conquerors of it, who, coming from the old world in quefl of gold to fatisfy their avarice, difplayed fcenes Shocking to humanity. After the con- queft, the country fcarcely preferved any thing but its name, every thing arTumed a new face. There were other edifices, other inhabitants, other occupations, other preju- dices, and other religions. See Robcrtfon's Hiftory of America. CHILL CHILI. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 1 260 1 k* J 2 5 and 44 S. Lat. Breadth 580} 1 65 and 85 W. Long. BOUNDARIES 1 T3 OUNDED on tlie north, hy Peru ; by Paragua or La Plata, on the J J3 eaft ; by Patagonia, on the fouth ; and by the Pacific ocean, on the weft. It lies on both fides of the Andes ; Chili Proper lies on the weft, and Cuyo or Cutio, on the eaft. The principal towns in the former are St. Jago and Baldivia ; in the latter, St. John de Frontiera. CLIMATE AND SOIL.] The climate of Chili 'is one of the moft delightful in the world, being a medium between the intenfe heats of the torrid, and the piercing colds of the frigid zones. Along the coaft of the Pacific ocean, they enjoy a fine temperate air, and a clear ferene iky, moft part of the year ; but fometimcs the winds that blow from the mountains, in winter, are exceedingly iharp. There are few places in this extenlive country where the foil is not exuberantly rich ; and were its natural advan- tages feconded by the induftry of the inhabitants, Chili would be the moft opulent kingdom in America. ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS.] The horfes and mules of Chili are in great cfteem, particularly the former. This breed of horfes was originally carried from Old Spain, and inftcad of degenerating, have now become fuperior to the Spaniih horfes themfelves : in beauty and gracefulnefs, they are not inferior to the famous Andalulian horfes ; and fiich is their value, that one of them is thought a prcfent worthy the ac- ceptance of a crowned head. Prodigious numbers of oxen, goats, and fhcep, arc fattened in the luxuriant paf- turcs of Chili, and indeed this is the only part of hufbandry to which the inhabitants pay any considerable attention. An ox well fattened may be purchafed for four dol- lars. Turkeys, geefe, and all kinds of poultry are found here in the fame profulion ; wild fowl are alfo common, among which are wood pigeons, turtle-doves, partridges, and royal cirapicos. A very particular fpecies of bird is found in Chili, called the awakcncr; it is about the lize of a middling fowl ; its plumage is black and white; lias a thick neck ; the head rather large, creel, and beautifully adorned with a tuft of feathers; its eyes are large, fharp, and lively ; on the fore part of its wings, are two fpurs, about an inch in length, thefe are its weapons of defence againft all other birds. It has obtained the name of the awakener from the notice it gives to all birds in tirne.cf danger ; and this it does, by making a loud chattering noiic, which immediately in- duces the other to ily from the enemy. The coaits abound with ma.ny excellent fifh : there arc alfo vaft numbers of whales and lea wolves. The foil produces Indian and European corn, hemp, grapes, and aU other fruits. The European fruit trees are obliged to be propped to enable them to iul- ta'm the weight of the fruit; the orchards in particular yield great quantities of all ii>>is of apples ; the ftrawberrics are very large and moft commonly red. but fometimes u hire and yellow. In many places orange trees are in bloom, and bear fruit throughout the year: olives alfo, and almond trees, thrive exceedingly well, and the inhabitants prcfs 4 F* a kiud 5 88 S P A N I 6 H A M E R I C A. a kind of mufcadec wine from their grapes, which far exceeds any of the kind made in Spain. The trunks of the vines are, in ibmc places, laid to be as thick as a man'fr body, and the grapes are amazingly large. MINES.] Mines of gold, iilver, copper, tin, quickfilvcr, iron and lead, abound in this country. Vaft quantities of gold are wafhed down from the mountains by brooks and torrents ; the annual amount of which, when manufactured, is eftimated at no left than 8cb,ooo dollars, COMMERCE.] Chili has always had commercial connections with the neighbouring Indians on its frontiers, with Peru and with Paragua. The Indians in their tranfac- lions are found to be perfectly honeft. Chili fupplies Peru with hides, dried fruit, cop- per, fait meat, horfes, hemp, and corn; and receives in exchange tobacco, fugaf, co- coa, earthen ware, fome manufactures made at Quito, and fomc articles of luxury brought from Europe. The fhips lent from Calao on this traffic, which is reciprocally ufeful, were formerly bound for Conception bay, but now come to Valparaifo. During' the courfc of near a century, no navigator in thefe tranquil fcas would venture to lofe light of land, and then thefe voyages lafted a whole year. A pilot of the old world, having at length obferved the winds, performed the navigation in one month. He was confidered as a wizard, and was taken up by order of the inquifition, whofe igno- rance becomes an object of ridicule, when its cruelty doth not excite our abhorrence.. The journal he produced was his vindication ; and it plainly appeared that to perform the fame voyage it was only neceffary to keep clear of the coafts : his method was therefore univerfally adopted. Chili fends to Paragua wines, brandy, oil, and chiefly gold ; and receives in pay- ment mules, wax, cotton, the herb of Paragua, negroes, and allb much of the mer- chandize of the ancient hemifphere, before the merchants of Lima had obtained, either by bribery, or by their influence, that this laft branch of commerce fhould be prohi- bited. The commerce between the two colonies is not carried on by fea ; it hath been found more expeditious, fafe, and even lefs expensive to go l>y land, though it is 354 leagues from St. Jago to Buennos Ayres, and more than forty leagues of the way are amtdft the fnows and precipices of the Cordeleras. INHABITANTS, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS.] The Indians in this country are ftill in a- great meafure unconquered ; they live fcattered in the deferts and the forefts, and it is impoffible to afcertain their numbers. It has already been mentioned, that thofe In- dians, which are not fubject to the Spanifh yoke, are very honeft in their commercial tranfactions, performing to a punctilio whatever they have promifed ; but, like almofl all other Indians, they are very fond of fpirituous liquors, and are eager to purchafe them from every quarter. They live in fmall huts, which they build in the courfe of a day or two at fartheft ; and which they abandon when hard pufhed by an enemy. They are brave and warlike, and all the attempts of the Spaniards to fubdue them have proved ineffectual. It is almoft equally difficult to afcertain the number of Spaniards in Chili. The Abbe Raynal fays, there are 40,000 in the city of St. Jago ; if this be true, the aggregate number in all the provinces of Chili muft be more confidcrable than has been generally fuppofed. The character and manners of thefe people do not differ materially from thofe in Peru. GOVERNMENT.] St. Jago is the capital of the State and the feat of the empire. The commandant there is fubordinate to the viceroy of Peru in all matters relating to the government, to the finances, and to war ; but he is independent of him as chief admi- niftrator of juftice, and prelident of the royal audience. Eleven inferior officers, dif- tributed in the province, are charged, under, -his orders, j^ith the details of admi- milration. PARA- ( 5*9 ) PARAGGUA, OR LA PLATA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 15001 hpfw _, / 12 and 37* S. Lat. Breadth loooj 1 50 and 75 W. Long. BOUNDARIES 1 "R OUNDE D by Amazonia, on the north ; by Brafil, eaft; by Pata- J *-* gonia, fouth ; and by Peru and Chili, weft. It contains the following provinces : Paragua, Parana, Guira, Uragua, Tucuman, Rio de la Plata. RIVERS.] Befides a vaft number of fmaller rivers which water this country, there is the grand river La Plata, which deferves a particular defcription. A Modenefe Jefuit, by the name of P. Cattanco, who failed up this river, fpeaks in the following language concerning it : " While I refided in Europe, and read in books of hiftory or geogra- phy that the river de la Plata was 150 miles in breadth, I conlidered it as an exagge- ration, becaufe in this hemifphere, we have no example of fuch vaft rivers. When I approached its mouth, I had the moft vehement defire to afcertain the breadth with my own eyes, and I have found the matter to be exactly as it was reprefented. This I deduce particularly from one circumftance : when we took our departure from Monte Viedo, a fort iituated more than 100 miles from the mouth of the river, and where its breadth is confiderably diminifhed, we failed a complete day before we difcovered the land on the oppoiite bank of the river ; and when we were in the middle of the chan- nel, we could not difcover land on either fide, and faw nothing but the fky and water, as if we had been in fome great ocean. Indeed, we ihould have taken it to be fea, if the frefh water of the river, which was turbid like the Po, had not fatisried us that it was a river." CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCE.] From tho iituation of this country, fome parts of it muft be extremely hot, from the almoft vertical influence of the rays of the fun ; while other parts muft be pleafant and delightful. But the heat is in fome meafure abated by the gentle breezes, which generally begin about nine or ten o'clock in the morning, and continue the grcateft part of the day. Some parts of the country are very moun- tainous ; but in many others you find extent! ve and beautiful plains, where the foil is very rich, producing cotton, tobacco, and the valuable herb called Paragua, together with a variety of fruits. There are alfo prodigioufly rich paftures, in which are bred fuch herds of cattle, that, it is faid, the hides are the only part exported ; while the flefh is left to be devoured by the ravenous beafts of the wildernefs. Not long iince, a horfe might be purchafed here for one dollar, and an ox, choferi out of feveral hun- dred, for a iiill more trifling fum. COMMERCE A:CD CHIEF CITY.] Paragua fends annually into the kingdom of Peru as many as 1500 or 2000 mules. They travel over dreary deferts for the diftance of 8 or 90.0 leagues. What is not man capable of doing when ncccffity, refolution, and avarice are united ? neither deep and miry fwamps, nor fummits of lofty mountains covered with eternal iho\v, can bar his progrefs. The province of Tucuman furinfhes to Potoii, annually, 16 or 18,000 oxen, and 4 or 5000 horfes, brought forth and A F 2 reared 590 SPANISH AMERICA. reared upon its own territory. Paragua fends fovcral articles of commerce to Spam, but they are all brought from neighbouring diiiricts. The only article it iurniihcs from its own territory is hides. Bncnnos Ayres is the capital of this country : its lituation on the river La Plata is healthy and pleafant, and the air temperate : it is regularly built ; its ftreets are wide, the houfesarc extremely low, and each of them is accommodated with a garden. The public and private buildings which, fixty years ago, were aii made of earth, arc of more folid and commodious conitruchon, lince the natives have learned the art of making brick and Jime. The number of inhabitants is about 30,000. One iide of Jie town is defended by a fortrefs with a garrilbn of 6 or 700 men. The town Hands i So miles from the lea'; the fhips get to it by tailing up a river that wants depth, is full of i (lands, fhoals, and rocks, and where florins are more frequent and more dreadful than on the ocean. It is neceflary to anchor every night on the fpot where they come to ; and on the mod moderate days a pilot muft go to found the way for the fliip : after having furmounted thefe difficulties, the fhips arc obliged, at the diftance of three leagues from the town, to put their goods on board tome light veflel, and to go to re- fit, and to wait for their cargoes at Incunado de Barragan, fituated feven or eight leagues below. INHABITANTS.] As to the number of inhabitants in this country, from the befl in- formation that can be obtained, there are not more than 100,000, including Spaniards, Indians, Negroes, and the mixed blood or Cicoles. The Spaniards exhibit much the fame character here as in the other kingdoms already defcribed. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.] It is a circumftance well knoxvn to all who are ac- quainted with the hiftory of South America, that long ago the Jefuits introduced them- ielves into this country, and made great efforts to civilize and chriftianize the natives. Their conduct and inflitutions open an abundant fource of refleclion. We are natu- rally led to inquire what could induce men to abandon the feat of eafe and tranquil- lity ; to traverfe immenfe deferts ; to climb the craggy cliffs of lofty mountains ; to plunge into deep and miry fwamps ; to fubjecl: themfelves to hunger, to thirft, to dan- ger and mifery of every kind ; furrounded by fierce and unknown favages, w r lio(e cha- raclers they were unacquainted with, and whofe fufpicions might have armed them with vengeance in an inftant ; who neither knew nor cared to know the errand on which thefe miffionaries came ; whofe manner of life was independent, and whofe minds difdained the burdens of civilized life : I fay, we wifh to know what powerful motives could have inclined thefe miffionaries to leave cultivated fociety, and encoun- ter all thefe dangers ? Was it the love of riches, a thirft for glory, or the good of mankind, that influenced their conduct ? or were they influenced by a blind and mif- guided fuperflition ? Whatever may have been their motives, if hiilory fpcaks the truth, they have really made the inhabitants of this part of the new world more virtu- ous, more civil, and more happy. POR- PORTUGUESE AMERICA. B R A Z I L. SITUATION AND EXTENT. . Miles. Length 2500 i , rthe Equator and 35 S. Lat. Breadth 700 J 1 35 and 60 W. Longitude. BOUNDARIES 1 "K OUNDED by tnc mouth of the river Amazon and the Atlantic 1 *-* ocean, on the north ; and by the fame ocean, on the eafl ; on the fouth by the river Plata ; on the weft, by morafles, lakes, torrents, rivers,, and moun- tains, which feparate it from Amazonia and the Spanifh pofleffions. On the coart are three fmall iflands, where fhips touch for provifions on their voyage to the South Seas, viz. Fernando, St. Barbaro, arid St. Catherine's. BAYS, HARBOURS, AND RIVERS.] Thefe are the harbours of Panambuco, All Saints, Rio Janeiro, the port of St. Vincent, the harbour of Gabriel, and the Port of St. Sal- vador. There are a great number of noble flreams, which unite with the rivers Ama- zon and Plata, betides others which fall into the Atlantic ocean. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] The climate of Brazil has been defcribed by two eminent naturalifts, Pifo and Margrave, who obferved it with a philofophical ac- curacy, to be temperate and mild, when compared with that of Africa : they afcribe this chiefly to the refrefliing wind which blows continually from the lea. The air is not only cool, but chilly through the night, fo that the natives kindle a fire every even- ing in their huts. As the rivers in this country annually overflow their banks, and leave a fort of flime upon the lands, the foil here muft be in many places amazingly rich ; and this correfponds with the belt informatioif upon the fubject. The vegetable productions are Indian corn, fugar canes, tobacco, indigo, hides, ipccacuana, ballam, Brazil wood, which is of a red colour, hard and diy, and is chiefly ufecl in dying, but not the red of the bell kind. Here is alfo the yellow fuflic, of ufe in dying yellow; and a beautiful piece of fpeckled wood, made ufe of in cabinet work. Here are five different forts of palm trees, fome curious ebony, and a great variety of cotton trees. This country abounds in horned cattle, which are hunted for their hides only, 20,000 being fcnt annually into Europe. There is alfo a plenty of deers, hares, and other game. Amongft the wild beails found here, are tygers, porcupines, janouveras, and a fierce animal, fomewhat like a greyhound ; monkeys, floths, and the topiraffou, a creature between a bull and an afs, but without horns, and entirely harmlefs ; the flefh is very good and has the flavour of beef. There is a numberlefs variety of fowl, wild and tame in this country : among thefe are turkeys, fine white hens and ducks. The remarkable birds are the humming bird ; the lankima, fometimes called the unicorn bird, from its having a horn, two or three inches long, growing out of its forehead ; the guira, famous for often changing its colour, being firft black, then alh-coloured, 3 next 59* PORTUGUESE AMERICA. next white, afterwards fcarlet, and laft of all crimfon : which colours grow richer and deeper the longer the bird lives. Among the abundance of fifh with which the feas, lakes, and rivers of this country are ftored, is t he globe fifh, fo called from its form, which is fo befet with fpines like a hedge-hog, that it bids defiance to all fifh of prey. But the molt remarkable creature is the fea bladder, fo called becaufe it greatly, refembles <5ne, and fwims on the furface of the waves; the infide is filled with air, except a finall quantity of water, that ferves to- poife it. The fkin is very thin and transparent, and, like a bubble raifed in the water, reflects all the colours of the iky. Brazil breeds a great variety of ferpents and venomous creatures, among which are the Indian falamander, a four-legged infect, the fling of which is mortal ; the ibivaboca, a fpecies of ferpent, about feven yards long, and half a yard in circumference, whole ,poifon is inflantaneoufly fatal ; the rattle fnake, which there attains an enormous fize ; the liboyd or roe-buck fnake, which authors informs us are capable of fwallowing a roe-buck whole with his, horns, being between twenty and thirty feet in length, and two yards in circumference. Betides thole there are many other infects and ferpents of a dangerous a.nd venomous nature. COMMERCE AND CHIEF TOWNS.] The trade of Brazil is very great, and increafes every year ; which is the lefs furprifing, as the Portuguefe have opportunities of fup- plying themfelves with flaves for their feveral works, at a much cheaper rate than any other European power that has fettlements in America, they being the only European nation that has eftablifhed colonies in Africa, and from whence they import as many a> 40,000 negroes annually. The exports of Brazil are diamonds, fugar, tobacco, hides, drugs and medicines ; and they receive in return, woollen goods of all kinds, iinens, laces, ftlks, hats, lead, tin, pewter, copper, iron, beef, and cheefe. They alfo receive from Madeira a great quantity of wine, vinegar, and brandy ; and from Azores, 25,000!. worth of other liquors. ST. SALVADOR is the capital of Brazil. This city, which has a noble, fpacious, mid commodious harbour, is built on a high and fteep rock, having the fea upon one fide, a lake forming a crefcent on the other. The fituation makes it in a manner impregnable by nature, and they have befides added to it very flrong fortifications. It is populous, magnificent, and beyond comparifon the mo-ft gay and opulent in all Brazil. MINES.] There are gold mines in many parts of this country, which have been wrought with confiderableproftt to government. The extraction of gold is neither very laborious nor dangerous in Brazil. It is fometimes on the furface of the foil, and this is the pureft kind, and at other times it is necerTary to dig for it 18 or 20 feet, but Seldom lower. It is found in larger pieces upon the mountains and barren rocks than in the valleys, or on the borders of the river. Every man who difcovers a mine, muft give notice of it 'to the government. If the vein be thought of little confequence by perfons appointed to examine it, it is always given up to the public. If it be declared to be a rich vein, the government referve a portion of it to thcmfelves. Another fhare is given to the commandant, a third to the intcndant, and two Shares are fecured to the difcoverer. The mines are obliged to deliver to the king of Portugal a fifth part of all the gold which is extracted. There are alfo many diamond mines, which have been difcovcred in this country ; they are' of all colours and alfo of every fhade. The diamond has the red of the ruby, the orange of the hyacinth, the blue of the fapphlre. and the green of the emerald. The laft is the moll fcarce and deareft, when it is of a 'beautiful tint. Tranfparency and clearnefs arc .the natural dlential properties of the xiiamond. NATIVES.] PORTUGUESE AMERICA. 59J NATIVES.] The native Brazilians anrab'out the lize of the Europeans, but not fo flout. They are fubjeft to fewer diftempers, and are long lived. They wear no (loathing ; the women wear their hair extremely long, the men cut thefr's fhort ; the women wear bracelets of bones of a beautiful white, the men necklaces of the lame; the women paint their faces, and the men their bodies. The food of the Brazilians is very fimple ; they live upon Ihell fiih by the fea fide, along the rivers by filhing, and in the fore%> by hunting ; and when thefe fail, they live upon caflava and other. roots; They are extremely, fond of dancing and other amufements, and tliefe amufements are not interrupted by the worlhip of a Supreme Being, for it is faid they know of none, nor is their tranquillity diiturbed by the dread of a future ftate, of which they have no idea. They have however their magicians, who, by ftrange contortions, fo far work upon the credulity of the people, as to throw them into violent convulsions. If the impoftures of thefe magicians are detected, they are immediately put to death, which ferves in fome meafure to check the fpirit of deceit. Every Brazilian takes as many wives as he choofes, and puts them away when he gers tired of them. When the women lie in, they keep their bed but a day or two ; then the mother, hanging the child to her neck in a cotton fcarf, returns to her ufual occupation, without any kind of inconvenience. Travellers are received with diftinguifhed marks of civility by the native Brazilians. Wherever they go they- are furrounded with women, who waih their feet, and welcome them with the moft obliging expreffions. But it would be an unpardonable affront if they fhould leave the family where they were firfl enter- tained, in hopes of better accommodation in another. Some of thefe virtues, however, were more applicable to thefe natives, before they were corrupted by an intercourfe with Europeans; RELIGION.] Though the king of Portugal, as grand 'matter of the order of Chrirl, be folely in poffeiTion of the titles ; and though the produce of the crufade be- longs entirely to him ; yet in this extenfive country, lix bilhoprics have been fucccf- iively founded, which acknowledge for their fuperior the archbifhopric of Bohia, eftablifhed in the year 1552. The fortunate prelates, moft of them Europeans, who fill thefe honourable fees, live in a very commodious manner, upon the emoluments attached to the function of their miniftry, and upon a peniion of 50!. and from that to 1250!. granted to them by the government. Among the inferior clergy, none but the miffionaries, who are fettled in the Indian villages, are paid ; but the others find fuf- iicient refources among the fuperiritious people, whom they are to edify, to inftrucl, and to comfort. Beiides an annual tribute, paid by every family to the clergyman, he is -entitled to two fhillings for every birth, for every wedding, and every burial. Though there be not abfolutely an inquilition in Brazil, yet the people of that country are not protected from the outrages of that barbarous inftitution. GOVERNMENT.] The government of Brazil is in the viceroy, who has two councils; one for criminal, the other for civil affairs, in both of which he prefides ; but there is no part of the world where the lawyers are more corrupt, or the chicanery of their profevlion more praclifed. Only half of the 16 Captainries, into which this country is divided, belong to the - crown, the reft being fiefs made pver to fome of the nobility, ia reward of- their ex- traordinary fcrvices, who do little more than acknowledge the fdvereignty of the king ; of Portugal. HISTORY, &c.] The Portuguefe difcovered this country in the year 1500, but did not plant it till the year 1549, when they took poffeffion of AH Saints Bay, and bwilt the city of St. Salvador, which is now the refidenee of the viceroy and archbifhop, a The 594 FRENCH AMERICA. The Dutch invaded Brazil in 1623, and fubclued the northern provinces ; but the Por- tuguefe agreed in 1661, to pay the Dutch eight tons of gold to relinquifh their intereft in this country, which was accepted, and the Portugncfe remained in peaceable poilcf- iion of all Brazil till about the end of 1762, when the Spaniih governor of Buennos Ayres, hearing of a war between Portugal and Spain, took, after a month's fiege, the Portuguefe frontier fortrefs, called St. Sacrament ; but by the treaty of peace it was reftored FRENCH AMERICA. -CAYENNE. 1 TJOUNDED north and eaft, by the Atlantic ocean; fouth, byAma- J J3 zonia ; and \veft, by Guiana, or Surrinam. It extends 240 miles along the coaft of Guiana, and nearly 300 miles within land, lying between the equa- tor and the 5th degree north latitude. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCE.] The land along the coaft is low, and very fubjecl *o inundations during the rainy feafons, from the multitude of rivers which rufh down from the mountains with great impetuofity. Here the atmofphere is very hot, moilt and unwholefome, efpecially where the woods are not cleared away; but on the higher parts where the trees are cut down, and the ground laid out in plantations, the air is more healthy, and the heat greatly mitigated by the fea breezes. The foil in many parts is very fertile, producing fugar, tobacco, Indian corn, fruits, and other necef- iaries of life. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.] The French have taken poiTeffion of an ifland, upon this coaft, called allb Cayenne. It is about 30 miles in circumference, and is very un- healthy ; but having fome good harbours, they have here fome fettlemcnts, which raife fugar, coffee, and fome other kinds of produce. The French eftabliihcd themfelves here in 1635 ; but they afterwards abandoned the ifland, and the Englifh took poilef- fion of it. Soon after the French returned and drove out the Engliili, but were ex- pelled in their turn by the Dutch, who kept their conqucft but a ihort time, and then vwere fubdued by the French, who Hill keep polfeilion of it. The whole of Cayenne is an inconiiderable province, and therefore very little is related of it. DUTCH AMERICA. SURRINAM, OR DUTCH GUIANA. THIS province, the only one belonging to the Dutch, on the continent of America, islituated between 5 and 7N. lat. having the mouth of the Oronok. ) and the Atlantic on the north j Cavenac eaft ; Amazonia fouth, and Terra Finna welt. The DUTCH AMERICA. 59S The Dutch claim the whole coaft from the mouth of Oronoko to the river Marowyne on which are fituated their colonies of ErTequebo, Demerara, Berbice, and Surrinam' The latter begins with the river Saramacha, and ends with the Marowyne, including a length of coaft ot 120 miles. ful river, three quarters of a mile wide, navigable for the largeft veflels four leagues, and for fmullcr veflcls 60 or 70 miles further. Its banks, quite to the water's edge, arc overcd with evergreen mangrove trees, which render the paflage up this river very delightful. The Demerara is about three quarters of a mile wide where it empties into the Surrinam, is navigable for large veflels 100 miles; a hundred miles further arc feveral falls of eafy afcent, above which it divides into the fouth-wcfl and fouth-eaft branches. CLIMATE.] In the months of September, Oclober, and November, the climate is unhealthy, particularly to ftrangers. The common difeafes are putrid and other fevers, the dry belly-ach, and the dropfy. 100 miles back from the lea, you come to quite a different foil, a hilly country, a pure, dry, wholefome air, where a fire ibme^ times would not be difagreeable. Along the fea coaft the water is brackiih and un- wholcfome, the air damp and ful try. The thermometer ranges from 75 to 90 through the year. A north-eaft breeze never fails to blow from about 9 o'clock in the morning through the day, in the hotter! feafons. As the days and nights throughout the year are very nearly of equal length, the air can never become extremely heated, nor the inhabitants fo greatly incommoded by the heat, as thofe who live at a greater diftance from the equator. The feafons were formerly divided regularly into rainy and dry; but of late years fo much dependence cannot be placed upon them, owing probably to the country's being more cleared, by which means a free paflage is opened for the air and vapours. WATER.] The water of the lower parts of the river is brackifh, and unfit for ufex and the inhabitants are obliged to make ule of rain water, which is here uncommonly 1 \veet and good. It is caught in ciilerns placed under ground, and before drinking, is let in large earthen pots to fettle, by which means it becomes very clear and whole- fome. Thcfe cifterns are fo large and numerous, that water is feldom fcarce. CHIEF TOVV.XS AND POPULATION.] Paramaribo, fituated on Surrinam river, 4 leagues from the fea, N. Lat. 6 W. Lon. 55 from London, is the principal town in Surrinam. It contains about 2000 whites, one half of whom are Jews, and 8000 flaves. The houfes are principally of wood, fome few have glafs windows, but generally they have wooden flmtters. The flrcets are fpacious and Itraight, and planted on each fide with orange or tamarind trees. About feventy miles from the fea, on the fame river, is a village of about 40 or 50 ho'UeH, inhabited bv Tews. This village and the town above mentioned, with the in- w +S trvveniiii 1 ; plantations, contain all the inhabitants in this colony, which amount to 3 co whites, and 43,000 (laves. The buildings on the plantations are many of them < oftlV; convenient, and airy. The country around is thinly inhabited with the native Indians, a harm! els friendly let of beings. They are, in general, Ihort of fiature, but remarkably well made, of a light copper colour, ftraight black hair, without beards, high, cheek bones and broad ihouidcrs. In their cars, notes, and -hair, the women wear ornaments of iilver, &c. Both men and women go nuked. One nation or tribe r.f thrm tie the lower part of the leg of the female children, when young, with a -cord 4 G bound 596 DUTCH A M ERICA. bound very tight for the breadth of 6 inches about the ancle, which cord is' never after- wards taken off but to put on a new one, by which means the lielh, which ihould otherwife grow on that part of the leg, increales the calf to a great lizc, and leaves the bone below nearly bare. This, thoagli it muft render them very weak, is reckoned a great beauty by them. The language of the Indians appears to be very loft. They arc mortal enemies to every kind of labour; but nevcrthelefs manufacture a feu* articles, iiuli as very fine cotton hammocks, earthen water pots, baikets, a red or yellow dye rallt-d Rov.cau, and fome other trifles, all which they bring to town and exchange lor tueh articles as they ftand in need of. They paint themlelves red, and fome arc curioufly figured with black. Their food confifts chiefly of fifh and crabs, and caflava, of which they plant great quantities, and this is almofl the only produce they attend to. They cannot be faid to be abfo- lutely wandering tribes, but their huts being merely a few crofs fticks covered with branches, fo as to defend them from the rain and fun, they frequently quit their habi- tations, if they fee occasion, and eftablifh them elfexvhere. They do not fhun the whites, and have been fcrviceable againft the runaway negroes. Dr. Bancroft obferves, that the inhabitants of Dutch Guiana are either whites, Blacks, or the reddifh brown aboriginal natives. The promilcuous intercouiie of thcfc different people have generated feveral intermediate calls, whofe colours depend on their degree of confanguinity to either whites, blacks, negroes, or Indians. SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, TRADE, &c.] Through the whole country runs a ridge of eyfter-fhells,. nearly parallel to the coaft, but three or four leagues from it, of a con- fiderable breadth, and from four to eight feet deep, compofed of fhells exaclly of the fame nature as thofe which form the prefent coaft : from this and other circumftances, there is great reafon to believe that the land, from that diftance from the fea, is all new land, reicued from the fea, either by fome revolution in nature, or other unknown caufe. On each fide of the rivers and creeks are fituated the Plantations, containing from 500 to 2,000 acres each, in number about 550 in the whole colony, producing at pre- fent annually about 16,000 hhds. of fugar, 1 2,000,000 Ib. coffee, 700,000 Ib. cocoa, 85o,ooolb. cotton : all which articles (cotton excepted) have fallen off within 15 years, at leaft one third, owing to bad management, both here and in Holland, and to other caufes. Of the proprietors of thefe plantations, not above 80 refide here. The fugar plantations have many of them water-mills, which being much more profitable than others, and the lituation of the colony admitting of them, will probably become general ; of the reft, fome are worked by mules, others by cattle, but from the low- nefs of the country none by the wind. The eftates are for the greateft part mortgaged for as much or more than they are worth, which greatly difcouragcs any improvements which might otherwife be made. Was. it not for the unfortunate lituation of the colony in this and other refpects, it is certainly capable of being brought to a great height of improvement ; dyes, gum, oils, plants for medical purpofes, &c. might, and undoubtedly will, at fome future period, be found in abundance. Rum might be diftilled here; indigo, ginger, rice, tobacco, have been, and may be farther culti- vated, and many other articles. In the woods are found many kinds of good and durable timber, and fome woods for ornamental purpofes, particularly a kind of ma- hogany called copic. The foil is perhaps as rich and as luxuriant as any in the world ; it is generally a rich, fat, clayey earth, lying in fome places above the level of the rivers at high water, (which riles about 8 feet) and in moft places below it. Whenever, from a continued courfe of cultivation for many years, a piece of land becomes im- 3 poveriihcd. DUTCH AMERICA. 597 poverifhed, (for manure is not known here) it is laid under water for a certain number of years, and thereby regains its fertility, and in the mean time a new piece of wood land is cleared. This country has never experienced thofe dreadful fcourges of the Weft Indie; hurricanes ; and droughts from the lownefs of the land it has not to fear, nor has the produce ever been dcftroyed by infects or by the blaft. In fhort, this colony, by pro- per management, might become equal to Jamaica, or any other. Land is not want- ing ; it is finely interiected by noble rivers, and abundant creeks ; the foil is of ihc belt kind ; it is well iituated, and the climate is not very unhealthy, and is growing better, and will continue fo to do, the more the country is cleared of its woods, and. cultivated. ANIMALS, FISH, SERPENTS, &c.] The rivers abound with fifh, fome of which are good ; at certain feaibns of the year there is plenty of turtle. The woods, abound with plenty of deer, hares, and rabbits, a kind of buffaloe, and two fpccies of wild hogs, one of which (the peccary) is remarkable for having its navel on the back. The woods are infcfted with feveral fpecies of tygers, but with no other ravenous or dangerous animals. The rivers are rendered dangerous by alligators, from four to feven feet long, and a man was a fhort time fince cruflied between the jaws of a fifh, but its name is not known. Scorpions and tarantulas are found here of a large lize and great venom, and other infects without number, fome of them very dangerous and troublcfomc. The torporific eel alfo, the touch of which, by means of the bare hand or any conductor, has the effect of a flrong electrical fhock. Serpents alfo, fome of which are venomous, and others, as has been atferted by many credible pcrfons, arc from 2,5 to 50 feet long. In the woods are monkeys, the floth, and par- rots in all their varieties ; alfo fome birds of beautiful plumage, among others the flamingo, but few or no ringing birds. MILITARY STRENGTH, GOVERNMENT, Sec.] The river Surrinam is guarded by a fort and two redoubts at the entrance, and a fort at Paramaribo, but none of them of any ftrength, fo that one or two frigates would be fufficient to make themfelves matters of the whole colony, and never was there a people who more ardently wifhed for a change of government than the inhabitants of this colony do at this time. The many grievances they labour under, and the immenfe burthen of taxes, which almcxft threaten the ruin of the colony, make them in fbme meafure excufable in their general defire fo change the Dutch for a Britifh or French government. The colony is not imme- diately under the States General, but under a company in Holland, called the Direc- tors of SuiTinam, (a company firft formed by the States General, but now fupplying its own vacancies) by them are appointed the governor and all the principal officers both civil and military. The interior government confifts of a governor, and a ftipreme and inferior council ; the members of the latter are cho&n by the governor from a double nomination of the principal inhabitants, and tliofe of the former in the lame manner. By theie powers, and by a magistrate prefiding over all criminal affairs, jnfuce is executed, and laws arc enacted neceflary for the interior government of the colony ; thofe of a more general and public nature are enacted by the directors, and require no approbation here by the court. The colony is guarded farther by about 1600 regular troops paid by the directors. Thefe troopsj together with a corps of about 250 free negroes, paid by the court here, and another fmall corps of chaffeurs, and fo many flaves as the court thinks fit to order from the planters, from time to time, are difperfed at polls placed at proper dif- on a 'Cordon, furrounding the colony on the land fide, in order, as far as pof- 4 G 2 fiblc. 5 9 8 ABORIGINAL AMERICA. fible, to defend the diftant plantations and the colony in general, from the attacks or feveral dangerous hands of runaway Haves, which from very final 1 beginnings have, from the natural prolificacy of the negro rare, and the continual addition of freili fugitives, arrived at fucli an height as to have coft fhe country very great fums of money and much lofs of men, without being able to do thefe negroes any effectual injury.* HISTORY.] This colony was tirft pofTcllcd by the French as early as the year 1630 or 40, and wa> abandoned by them on account of its unhealthy climate. In the year j6;o it was taken by fome Englifhmcn, and in 1662 a charter was granted by Cha. II. About this time it was confiderably augmented by the fettlement of a number of Jews, who had been driven out of Cayenne and the Brazils, whole defcendants (with other Jews) compote at prefent one half of the white inhabitants of the colony, and arc allowed great privileges. In 1667 it was taken by the Dutch, and the Englifh having got pofleflion about the fame time of the then Dutch colony of New York, each party retained its conqueft; the Engliili planters mofl of them retired to Jamaica, leaving their (laves behind them, whofe language is full Englifhj but fo corrupted as- not to be understood at firfl by an Englifhman. ABORIGINAL AMERICA, Or tbat Part which the ABORIGINAL INDIANS poflefs* AMAZONIA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 14001 , . f the Equator and 20 Breadth 900] I South Latitude. BOUNDARIES 1 "R OUNDED north> b y Terra Firma and Guiana ; ea ^y by Brazil ; JJ fouth, by Paragua,; and weft, by Peru. RIVERS.] The river Amazon is the largeft in the known world.. This river, fo famous for the length of its courfe, that great vaffal of the fea, to which it brings the tribute it has received from fo many of its own vaflals, feems to be produced by in- numerable torrents, which rufh down with amazing impetuofity from the ealtern de- clivity of the Andes, and unite in a fpacious plain to form this immenfe river. In its progrefs of 3300 miles, it receives the waters of a prodigious number of rivers, fomc of which come from far, and are very broad and deep. ^It is interfperfed with an in- finite number of iilands, which are too often overflowed to admit of culture. It falls into the Atlantic ocean under the equator, and is there 150 miles broad. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] The air is cooler in this country than could be expecled, confidering it is fituated in the torrid zone. This is partly owing to the * The foregoing account of Snrrinam was principally taken from a letter of Mr. Apthovp to his father. See American ApoUo. heavy ABORIGINAL AMERICA, 599 heavy rains which occafion the rivers to overflow their banks one half of the year, and partly to the cloudinefs of the weather, which obfcures the fun great part of the time \\c is above the horizon. Daring the rainy fealbn the country is lubjecl to dread- ful ilorms of thunder and lightning. on The foil is extremely fertile, producing cocoa nuts,, pine apples, bananas, plantains/ and a great variety of, tropical fruits ; cedar, redwood, pak, ebony, logwood, and ' many other ibrts of dying wood ;- together with tobacco, tugar canes, cotton, potatoes; baliam, honey, &c. The woods abound with tygers, wild boars, buffaloes, deer, and - grime of various kinds. The rivers and -lakes abound with fifh. Here are alfo fea- cows and turtles ; but the crocodiles and water ferpents render fifhing a dangerous employment. WOMEN.] As early as the time of Hercules and Thefeus, the Greeks had imagined ' the exiftcnce of a nation of Amazons ; with this fable they embellifhed the hiftory of all their heroes, not excepting that of Alexander; and the Spaniards, infatuated with this dream of antiquity, transferred it to America. They reported that- a republic of female warriors actually exifted in America, who did not live in fociety with men, and only admitted them once a year for the purpofes of procreation. To give- the more credit to this romantic ftory, it was reported, not without reafon, that the women in America were all fo unhappy, and were treated with fuch contempt and inhumanity by the men, that many of them had agreed to fhake off the yoke of their tyrants. It > was further laid, that being- accuftomed to follow the men into the forefts, and to carry their provilions and baggage when they went out to fight or to hunt, they mufl necef- farily have been inured to hardfhips, and rendered capable of forming fo bold a refolu- tion. Since this ftory has been propagated, infinite pains have been taken to find out the truth of it, but no traces could ever be difcovered.- NATIVES.] Thefe natives, like all the other Americans, are of a good ilature, have* handfome features, long black hair, and copper complexions. They are faid to have a tafle for the imitative arts, especially painting and fculpture, and make good mechanics. Their cordage is made of the barks of trees, and their fails of cotton, their hatchets of tortoife fhells or hard flones ; their chifTels, plains, and wimbles, of the horns and teeth of wild beafts, and their canoes are trees hollowed. They ipin and weave cotton cloth, and build their houfes with wood and clay^ and thatch them with reeds. Their arms in general are darts and javelins, bows and arrows, with targets of cane or fifh Ikins. The feveral nations are governed by their chiefs or cachiques ; it being obicrvable that the monarchical form of government has prevailed almoft uni- vcrfally, both among the ancient and modern barbarians, doubtlefs, on account of its requiring a much' 1 els refined policy than the republican fyftem. The regalia, which diltinguifh.the chiefs are a crown of parrots' feathers, a chain of tygers' teeth or claws, which hangs round the waift, and a wooden Iword. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.] The mind of a good man is pleafed with the reflection, that any part -of 'South America has efcaped the ravages of European conquerors. This country has hitherto remained uniubdued. - The original inhabitants enjoy ;their < native freedom and independence. PATAGONIA* PATAGONIA. SITUATION AND EETENT. "Miles. Length 1 1 oo I brt (35 and 54 South Latitude. Breadth 350! l J y ~ ^ T3OUNDED north, by Chili and Paragua ; carl, by the Atlantic SOUXDARIES.J JD b e Straits of Maellan w ocean; fouth, by the Straits of Magellan; weft, by the Pacific ocean. CLIMATE, SOIL, AND PRODUCE.] The climate is faid to be much colder in this country, than in the north, under the fame parallels of latitude ; which is imputed to its being in the vicinity of the Andes, which pafs through it, being covered with eter- nal fnow. It is almoft impoflible to fay what the foil would produce, as it is not at all cultivated by the natives. The northern parts are covered with wood, among which is an inexhauftiblc fund of large timber ; but towards the fouth it is faid there is not a iingle tree large enough to be of ufe to mechanics. There are, however, good paftures, which feed incredible numbers of horned cattle and horfes, firft carried there by the Spaniards, and now increafed in an amazing degree. INHABITANTS.] Patagonia is inhabited by a variety of Indian tribes, among which .are the Patagons, from whom the country takes its name ; the Pampas and the Coftbres. They all live upon fifh and game, and what the earth produces fpontancoufly. Their huts are thatched, and, notwithftanding the rigour of the climate, they wear no other clothes than a mantle made of feal fkin, or the fkin of fome beaft, and that they throw off when they are in action. They are exceedingly hardy, brave, and active, making ufe of their arms, which arc bows and arrows headed with flints, with amazing dexterity. Magellan, who firft difcovered the ftraits which bear his name, and after him Commodore Biron, have reported, that there exifts, in thefe regions, a race of giants ; but others, who have failed this way, contradict the report. Upon the whole we may conclude that this ftory is like that of the female republic of Amazons. The Spaniards once built a fort upon the ftraits, and left a garrifon in it to prevent any other European nation pairing that way into the Pacific ocean ; but moft of the men perilhed by hunger, whence the place obtained the name of Port Famine ; and fince that fatal event, no nation has attempted to plant colonies in Patagonia. As to the religion or government of thefe favages, we have no certain information. Some have reported, that thefe people believe in invifible powers, both good and evil ; and that they pay a tribute of gratitude to the one, and deprecate the wrath and vengeance of the other. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS UPON SOUTH AMERICA. We have now traverfed the feveral provinces of that exteniive region, which is com- prehended between the ifthmus of Darien and the fifty-fourth degree of South latitude. We have taken a curfory view of the rivers, the foil, the climate, the productions, the commerce, the inhabitants, &c. It only remains now, that we fhould make fuch other general obfervations as naturally occur upon the fubject. The hiftory of Columbus, together with his bold and adventurous actions in the difcovery of this country, are fufficiently known to all who have paid any attention to hiftory. ABORIGINAL AMERICA. 601 hi flow. Ills elevated mind fugged ed to him ideas fuperior to any other man of his age, and his afpiring genius prompted him to make greater and more noble efforts for new ditcovcTics. He crofled the extenfive Atlantic, and brought to view a world unheard of by the people of the ancient hemifphere. This excited an enterprifing, - avaricious fpirit among the inhabitants of Europe ; and they flocked to America for the purpofes of carnage and plunder. Accordingly, a fcene of barbarity has been acted, of which Soutli America has been the principal theatre, which fhocks the human mind, and almoft itaggers belief. No fooner had the Spaniards fet foot upon the American. continent, than they laid claim to the foil, to the mines, and to the fervices of th& natives, wherever they came. Countries were invaded, kingdoms were overturned,- innocence was attacked, and happinefs had no afylum. Defpotifm and cruelty, with all their terrible fcourges, attended their advances in every part. They went forth, they conquered, they ravaged, they deitroyed. No deceit, no cruelty was too great to be- made ufe of to fatisfy their avarice. Juftice was disregarded, and mercy formed no part of the character of thefe inhuman conquerors. They were intent only on the pro- fecution of fchemes moft degrading and moil fcandalous to the human character. In South America, the kingdoms of Terra Firma, of Peru, of Chili, of Paragua, of Brazil, and of Guiana, fucceilively fell a facrifice to their vicious ambition. The hillory of their fevcral reductions is too lengthy to be inferted in a work of this kind.* Let us then turn from thefe diflrefling fccncs ; let us leave the political world, where nothing but fpectacles of horror are prefented to our view ; where fcenes of blood and carnage diftract the imagination ; where the avarice, injuftice, and inhumanity of men furnifh nothing but uncafy fenfations ; let us leave thefe, I fay, and enter the natural world, whole laws are conftant and uniform, and where beautiful, grand, and fublime objects continually preient themfelves to our view. We have already given a defcription of thofe beautiful and Ipacious rivers which ever}' where interfect this country ; the next thing that will engage our attention is that immenfe chain of mountains, which runs from one end of the continent to the other. At light of thefe enormous mafTes, which rife to fuch prodigious heights above the humble furiacc of the earth, where almoft all mankind have fixed their relidence ; of thofe marTes, which in one part are crowned with impenetrable and ancient forelts, that have never refounded with the ftroke of the hatchet, and in another, raife their towering tops, and ftop the clouds in their courfe, while in other parts they keep the travelled at a diftance from their lummits, either by ramparts of ice that furround them,- or from vollies of flame ifluing forth from the frightful and yawning caverns ; mafles giving rife to impetuous torrents defcending with dreadful noife from their open fides, to rivers, fountains, and boiling fprings : at thefe appearances, I fay, every beholder is fixed in aitonifhnient. The height of the molt elevated point in the Pyrenees is, according to Mr. Coffin!,, 6,646 feet. The height of the mountain Gemmi, in the canton of Berne, is 10,110 feet. The height of the pike of Teneriffe is 13,1 78 feet. The height of the Chimbo- Tazo, the moft elevated point of the Andes, is 20,280 feet. Upon comparilbn, the highcft part of the Andes is 7,102 feet higher than the pike of Teneriffe, the molt-ele- vated mountain known in the ancient hemifphere. * The reader will find the beft hiftory of thefe tragical fcenes in Dr. Robertfon's Hiftory of South America. THIS THIS LIST OF AMERICAN QUADRUPEDS Js borrcKved from Mr. PENNANT'S Second Edition of bis ARCTIC ZOOLOGY, $age CCLXIX of the INTRODUCTION. The references are to the Second Edition of bis Hijlory of Qnadru- peds, publifiedln 1792. 'The Editor mujl exprefs his Gratitude t& Mr. PENNANT for bis obliging Pernrijfion. TABLE OP QUADRUPEDS. HOOFED. GENUS. 'I. Ox. II.. SHEEP., III. DEER. HIST. QUADR. No. 6. Mulk, No. 9. Wild, p. 36. Moofe, No. 42. Rein, No. 43. OLD WORLD. [n parts of Lithuania, and about mount Caucafus ; except there, univerfally domefticated. Sardinia. Corfica. Crete. North of India. Periian Alps. About the Onon and Argun, in Siberia. Mongalia, to lat. 60. Eaft of the Lena, and quite to Kamtfchatka. Norway. Sweden, tolat.64. Ruilia. Siberia, as low as Lit. 53. As far eaft as Lake Baikal ; and in the north of China to the north of Corea. lat. 45.* Lapland. Norway. Samoi- edea. Along the Arctic coaits, to Kamtfchatka. In the Urallian moun- tains NEW WORLD. To the weft of Canada, and as low as Louiliana. In New Mexico, on the weftern lide of North America. To the north of Hudfon's Bay,fromChurehill river to lat. 73, and among the Chriltinaux, and in New Mexico. Sufpeclied to be found in California; but not on the belt authorities. lindfon's Bay. Canada. Nova Scotia. New Eng- land; and near the nor- thern part of the river Ohio. Hudfon's Bay. Northern parts of Canada. La- brad or. I fl an d o i New foundland. Or lat, 42. according to Mr, Zimmerman's new map. TABLE OF QUADRUPEDS. 603 OENUS, HIST. GlUADR. Stag, No. 45. Great Stag Virginian, No. 46 i Mexican Roe, ^ No. 52,.) Roe, No. 5 1 OLD WORLD. tains to Kungur, in lat. 57. 10. About Lake Baikal. Spitzbergen. Greenland. Norway, and moft part of Europe to the ibuth. In the north of Alia. China. Barbary. E. [n various parts of North America ; from New England, to the Allega- ny Chain behind Penn- fylvania. It is in Ame- rica ufually called the round-horned Elk. See JerTerfon, p. 88. Thi as yet has never been fully defcribed. Commu- nicated by Mr. Pennan from his MS. notes. Norway. Sweden. Mof part of Europe, excep Ruffia. Scotland. NEW WORLB. 'rom. Canada, over all parts of North America. Mexico. From the provinces fouth of Canada to Florida. Perhaps in Guiana. Interior north weflern parts of America? Mexico. According to Charlevoix, in Canada ? IV. DOG. DIGITAT. DIV. t. WOLF, No. 137. 'From the Arclic circle, to the moft fouthern! part of Europe. In Alia, from the circle to Perlia. Kamtfchatka. All parts of Africa. Within the whole ' Arclic circle. Iceland. Spitz- bergen. Greenland. Fin- mark. North of Sibe- ria. Kamtfchatka, and its iflcs. In all parts of Europe, and the cold and tem- 4 II perate ArclicFox,No.- 140. / Common Fox, No. 139. From Hudfon's Bay to the moft fouthern parts of North America, Hudfon's Bay. The ifles in the high latitudes on the weftern lide of Ame- rica. From Hudfon's Bay, crois the continent to the Fox 604 TABLE OF QUADRUPEDS, GENUS. V. CAT. HIST. QUADR. Grey, No. 142. livery, 'uma, No. 143. No. 1 60. 35> 2 35 12 672,616 > 23,000 "Whites. 10 i, 5 1 2, 1 49 J 300,000 Negroes. Total Three 20 37 3,500,000 3 2 3> This ifland is interfered with a ridge of fleep rocks, tumbling, by the frequent earthquakes, in a itupendous manner upon one another. From the rocks iflue a vaft number of final 1 rivers of pure wholefome water, which fall down in cataracts, and, together with the ftupcndous height of the mountains, and the bright verdure of the trees through which they flow, form a moft delightful landfcape. On each fide of this chain of mountains are' ridges of lower ones, which diminifh as they remove from it. On thcfe, coffee grows in great plenty. The vallies and plains between thefe ridges are level, and the foil is prodigioufly fertile. * If the reader is defirons of the fulleft information concerning fuch part of the Weft India Mauds as belong to Great Britain, he is referred to the very extenfive and valuable hiftory of thofe iflands, by Bryan Edwards, Kfn. publilhed in 1793, by Mr, Stockdal'e, 4 I The BRITISH -WEST INDIES. The longeft day in fummcr is about thirteen hours, and the fhorteft in winter about eleven ; but the moft ufual divifions of the feafons in the Weft Indies are into the dry and wet fealbns. The air of this ifland is' in moft places excefiively hot, and unfavour- able to European conftitutions ; but the cool fea breezes, which fet in every morning at ten o'clock, render the heat more tolerable ; and the air upon the high grounds is tem- perate, pure, and cooiing. It lightens almoft every night, but without much thunder, which when it happens is terrible, and roars with afloniihing loudnefs ; and the lightning in thefe violent ftorms frequently does great damage. In February or March, they expect earthquakes. During the months of May and October, the rains are extremely violent, and continue fometimes for a fortnight together. In the plains are found leveral fait fountains ; and in the mountains, not far from Spanifh Town, is a hot bath, of great medicinal virtues: it gives relief in the dry belly-ach, which, excepting the bilious and yellow fever, is one of the mail terrible cndemial diftempcrs of Jamaica. Sugar is the grea'teft and moft valuable production of this ifland. In 1 787, 824,706 cwt. of this article was exported to Great Britain; and in 1790, 1,185,519 cwt. Cocoa was formerly cultivated in it to great extent. It produces akb ginger and the pimento, or, as it is called, Jamaica pepper, and vulgarly allfpice ; the wild cinnamon tree, whofe bark is fo ufeful in medicine ; the machineel, whofe fruit, though uncom- monly delightful to the eye, contains one of the worft poifons in nature ; the maho- gany, and of the moft valuable quality ; but this wood begins to be fcarce, and of late is very dear. Excellent cedars, of a large fize and durable ; the cabbage tree, remark- able for the hardnefs of its wood, which, when dry, is incorruptible, and hardly yields to any kind of tool ; the palma, affording oil, much efteemed by the favages, both in food and medicine; the foap tree, whofe berries anfwer all purpofes of wafhing- the mangrove and olive bark, ufeful to tanners ; the fuftic and redwood to the dyers ; and lately the logwood. The indigo plant was formerly much cultivated, and the cotton tree is flill fo. They have maize, or Indian corn, Guinea corn, peas of various kinds, with a.variety of roots. Fruits grow in great plenty ; citrons, Seville and China oranges, common and fweet lemons, limes, fhadocks, pomegranates, mamees, four- fops, papas, pine apples, prickly pears, allicada pears, melons, pompions, guavas, and feveral kinds of berries ; alfo garden fluffs in great plenty, and good. The cattle bred on this ifland are but few ; their beef is tough and lean ; the mutton and lamb are tolerable ; they have plenty of hogs ; many plantations have hundreds of them, and their flefh is exceedingly fweet and delicate. Their horfes are fmall, mettlefome and hardy, and when well made generally fell for thirty or forty pounds fterling. Jamaica likewife fupplies the apothecary with guaiacum, farfaparilla, china, caffia, and tama- rinds. Among the animals are the land and fea turtle, and the alligator. Here are all forts of fowl, wild and tame, parrots, parroquets, pelicans, fnipes, teal, Guinea hens, geefe, ducks, and turkies, the humming bird, and a great variety of others. The rivers and bays abound with fifh. The mountains breed numberlefs adders, and other noxious animals, as the fens and marfhes do the guana and gallewafp ; but thefe lafl are not venomous. Among the infects are the ciror, or chegoe, which eat into the nervous and membranous parts of the flefh of the negroes, and the white people are fometimes plagued with them. Thefe infects get into any parts of the body, but chiefly the legs and feet, where they breed in great numbers, and fhut themfelves up in a bag ; as foon as the perfon feels them, which is not perhaps till a week after they have been in the body, they pick them out with a needle or the point of a penknife, i taking BRITISH WEST INDIES. 613 taking care to deftroy the bag entirely, that none of the breed, which are like nits, may be left behind. They fometimes get into the toes and eat the fiefh to the very bone. Port Royal was formerly the capital of Jamaica. It flood upon the point of a narrow neck of land, which, towards the fea, formed part of the border of a very fine harbour of its own name. The convenience 6f this harbour, which was capable of containing a thoufand fail of large fhips, and of fuch depth as to allow them to load, and unload with the greateft eafc, weighed fo much with the inhabitants, that they chofe to build their capital on this fpot, though the place was a hot dry fand, and produced none of the neceflaries of life, not even frefh water. But the advantage of its harbour, and the relbrt of pirates, made it a place of great confideration. Thefe pirates were called Buccaneers ; they fought with a defperate bravery, and then fpent their fortune in this capital with as inconliderate diffipation. About the year 1692, no place for its lize could be compared to this town for trade, wealth, and an entire corruption of manners. In the month of June, in this year, an earthquake, which fhook the whole ifland to its foundations, totally overwhelmed this city, fo as to leave in one quarter, not even the fmalleft veitige remaining. In two minutes the earth opened and fwallowed up nine tenths of the houfes, and two thoufand people. The water gufhed out from the openings of the earth, and tumbled the people on heap's ; but fome of them had the good fortune to catch the beams and rafters of houfes, and were afterwards faved by boats. Several fhips were call away in the harbour ^ and the Swan frigate, which lay in the dock to careen, was carried over the tops of linking houfes, and did not overfet, but afforded a retreat to fome hundreds of people, who faved their lives upon her. An officer who was in the town at this time, fays, the earth opened and fhut very quick in fome places, and he faw fevcral people fink down to the middle, and others appeared with their heads juft above ground and were fqueezed to death. At Savannah, above a thoufand acres were funk, with the houfes and people in them ; the place appeared for fome time like a lake, was afterwards dried up, but no houfes were feen. In fome parts mountains were fplit; and at one place a plantation was removed to the diftance of a mile. They again rebuilt the city; but it was a fecond time, ten years after, deftroyed by a great fire. The extraordi- nary convenience of the harbour tempted them to build it once more ; and once more, in 1782, was it laid in rubbifh by a hurricane the moft terrible on record. Such re- peated calamities fecmed to mark out this place as a devoted fpot ; the inhabitants therefore refolved to forfake it for ever, and to refide at the oppofite bay, where they built Kingiion, which is now the capital of this ifland. It confifis of upwards of one thoufand houfes, many of them handfomely built, and in the tafte of thefe ifiands, as well as the neighbouring continent, one ftory high, with porticoes, and every con- venience for a comfortable habitation in that climate. Not far from Kingfton ftands St. Jago de le Vega, or Spanifh Town, which, though at prefent inferior to Kingfton, was once the capital of Jamaica, and is flill the feat of government, and the place where the courts of juflice are held. On the 3d of October, 1780, was a dreadful hurricane, which almoft overwhelmed the little feaport town of Savannah le Mer, in Jamaica, and a part of the adjacent country. Very few houfes were left ftanding, and a great number of people were killed. Much damage was alfo done, and many lives loft, in other parts of the ifland. The whole produft of the ifland may be reduced to thefe heads. Firft, fugars, *which they exported in 1787, 824,706 cwt. 1788, 1,124,017 cwt. 1789, 1,236,603 4 I 2 6i 4 BRITISH WEST INDIES. CAV t. 1790, r, i 85,; 1 9 cwt. Moll of this. goes to London, Briitol, and Glafgow, and fonic part of it into the United States, in return for the beef, pork, chccfe, corn, pea?, Haves, plunks, pitch and tar., which thq have from thence. Second, rum, of whit h they export about 4000 puncheons annually. The rum of this illand is generally efteemcd the belt, and is the molt nied in Great Britain. Third, inolailcs, in which they formerly made their remittances for the produce of the grand Itaple the fuga-r rune. According to the late teilimony of a refpechible planter in Jamaica, that ifland hath 280,000 acres in canes, of which 210,000 are annually cut, and make from 68 to 70,000 tons of fugar, and 4^200,000 gallons of rum. Fourth, cotton, of which they feud ont two thoufand bags. The indigo, formerly much cultivated, is now incon- iiderable ; but fome cocoa and coffee are exported, with a confiderable quantity of pepper, ginger, drugs for dyers and apothecaries, fwcct meats, mahogany and machi- neel planks. But Ibme of the moil confiderable articles of their trade are with the Spanim continent of New Spain and Terra Firma ; for in the former they cut great quantities of logwood, and both in the former and latter they carry on a vail and profitable trade in negroes and all kinds of European goods. This ifiand was originally a part of the Spaniih empire in America. Several dc- feents had been made upon it by the Englilh, prior to 1656 ; but it was not till this year that Jamaica was reduced under the Britifh dominion. Cromwell had fitted out a fquadron, under Perm and Venables, to reduce the Spanifh ifland of Hifpaniola, but there this fquadron was unfucccfsful. The commanders, of their own accord, to atone for this misfortune, made a defcent on Jamaica, and having carried the capital, St. Jago, foon compelled the whole ifland to furrendcr. liver fince it has been fubjeci to the Englilh, arid the government of it is one of the richeft places, next to that of Ireland, in the difpofal of the crown, the Handing falary being 2,500!. per annum, and the affcmbly commonly voting the governor as much more ; which, with the other perquifites, make it on the whole little interior to io,ocol. per annum. BARBADOES. This ifland, the moft eafterly of all the Caribbees, is 'fituated in 59 degrees Weft longitude, and 13 degrees North latitude. It is twenty-one miles in length, and fourteen in breadth. When the Englifh, fome time after the year 1625, firlt landed here, it had not the leaft appearance of ever having been peopled even by favages. There was no kind of beafts, no fruit, no herb nor root, fit for fupporting the iffe of man ; yet, as the climate was fo good, and the foil appeared fertile, fome gentlemen of frnall fortunes in England refolvcd to become adventurers thither. The trees were fo large, and of a wood fo hard and ftubborn, that it was with great difficulty they could clear as much ground as was neceflary for their fubfiflence. By unremitting perfeverance, however, they brought it to yield them a tolerable fupport ; and they found that cotton and indigo agreed well with the foil, and that tobacco, which was beginning to come into repute in England, anfwered tolerably well. Thefe profpe&s, together with the fform between the king and parliament, which was beginning to break out in England, induced many new adventurers to tranfport themfelves to this ifland. And what is remarkable, twenty-five years after its firft fettlement, in 1650, it contained more than 50,000 whites, and a much greater number of negro and Indian Haves ; the latter they acquired by means not at all to their honour ; for they feized upon all thofe unhappy men, without any pretence, in the neighbouring ifiands, and carried them into flavery ; a practice, which has rendered the Caribbee Indians irre- concilcable BRITISH WEST INDIES. 615 concileable to the Englifh ever fincc. They had begun, a little before this, to cultivate fugar to great advantage. The number of llaves was, in confequence of their wealth, ftill augmented ; and in 1676, it rs fuppofed that their number amounted to 100,000, which, together with 50,000 whites, make 150,000 on this fniall fpot, a degree of population unknown in Holland, in China, or any other part of the world molt re- nowned for numbers. At this time Barbadoes employed 400 fail of fhips, one with another of 150 tons, in their trade. Their annual exports in fugar, indigo, ginger, cotton, and citron water, were about 350,000!. and their circulating cam at home was 200,000!. Such was the mcrcafe of population, trade, and wealth, in the courfe of fifty years. But fin.'.- i' :it time, this ill and has been much on the decline, which is to be attributed partly to the growth of the French fugar colonies, and partly to the other Englifh eftabliihmcnts in the neighbouring iiles. Their numbers at prefent are faid to be 20,000 whites, and 100,000 ilaves. Their commerce confifts in the fame articles as formerly, though they deal in them tolefs extent. In 1787 they exported to Great Britain upward,; of 130,000 cwt. of fugar, and in 1790, but about 1 15,000 cwt. Their capital- is Bridgetown, where the governor refides, whole employment is faid to be worth 5000!. per annum. They have a college, founded, and well endowed by Colonel Codrington, who was a native of this ifland. Barbadoes, as- well as Jamaica, has fuffcred much by hurricanes, fire, and the plague. On the loth of October, 1780, a dreadful Imrrirane occafioned vafl devaftation in Barbadoes, great numbers of the houfes were deftroyed, not one houfe in the ifland was wholly free from damage, many iierfons were buried in the ruins of the buildings, and great numbers were driven into the lea, and .there peri&ecL S T. C H'R I S T O-P H E R's. This ifland, commonly called by the failors St. Kitt's, is iituafed in 62 degrees Weft longitude, and 17 degrees North latitude, about fourteen leagues from Antigua, and is twenty miles long, and feven broad. It has its name from the famous Chriflopher Columbus, who difcovered it for the Spaniards. That nation, however, abandoned it, as unworthy of their attention; and, in 1626, it was fettled by the French and Englifh conjunclly ; but entirely ceded to the latter by the peace of Utrecht. Befides cotton, ginger, . and the tropical fruits, it produced, in 1787, 231,397 cwt. of fugar, and in 1790, but about 1 1 3,000 cwt. It is computed that this ifland contains 6000 whites and 36,000 negroes. In February, 1782, it was taken by the French, but reftored to England ~by the treaty of 1 783. A-N T I G U A. Situated in 6 1 degrees Weft longitude, and 17 degrees North latitude, is of a circular form near twenty miles over every way. This ifland, which was formerly thought ufeleis, has now got the ftart of the reft. It has one 'of the bet! harbours in the Weft Indies;' and its capital St. John's, -which, before the fire in 1769,, was large and wealthy, is the ordinary feat of the governor of the Leeward iflands. Antigua is fuppofed .to contain about 7000 whites, and 30,000 Haves.' In 1787. 254,706 cwt. of fugar was fent from this ifland to Great Britain, and in 1790, only 65,022 cwt. GRENADA 6x6 BRITISH WEST INDIES. -R E N A D A AND THE GRENADINES. Grenada is fituated in 12 North lat. and 62 Weft Ion. about thirty leagues S.W. of Barbadoes, and almoft the fame diftance north of Andalufia, or the Spanifh Main. This ifland is faid to he thirty miles in length, and fifteen in breadth. Experience has proved, that the foil of this ifland is extremely proper for producing fugar, coffee, to- bacco, and indigo; and upon the whole it carries with it all the appearance of becom- ing as flourishing a colony as any in the Weft InoUes, of its dimenlions. A lake on the top of a hill, in the middle of the ifland, fupplics it plentifully with fine rivers, which adorn and fertilize it. Several bays and harbours lie round the ifland, foine of which may be fortified with great advantage, which render it very convenient for Shipping ; and has the happinefs of not being fubject to hurricanes. St. George's Bay has a fandy bottom, and is capacious, but open. In its harbour, or careening place, 100 large veflels may be moored with perfect fafety. This ifland was long the theatre, of bloody wars between the native Indians and the French, during which thefe handful of Caribbees defended themfelves with the moft refolute bravery. In the laft war but one, when Grenada was attacked by the Eng-lifh, the French inhabitants, who were not very numerous, were fo amazed at the reduction of Guadalupe and Martinico, that they loft all fpirit, and furrendered without making the leaft oppofition ; and the full property of this ifland, together with the fmall iflands on the north, called the Grena- dines, which yield the fame produce, were confirmed to the crown of Great Britain by the treaty of Paris in 1 763. But in July 1 779, the French made themfelves mafters of this ifland, though it was reftored to Great Britain by the late treaty of .peace. In 1787, 172,880 cwt. of fugar was exported from thefe iflands to Great Britain, and in 1790, 191,625 cwt. DOMINICA, Situated in 16" N. lat. and in 62* W. Ion. lies about half way between Guadalupe and Martinico. It is near twenty-eight miles in length, and thirteen *m breadth ; it obtained its name from being difcavered by Columbus on a Sunday. The foil of this ifland is thin, and better adapted to the rearing of cotton than fugar ; but the fides of the hills bear the fineft trees in the Weft Indies, and the ifland is well fupplied with rivulets of good water. By the peace of Paris, in 1763, it was ceded to the Englifh - but they have derived little advantage from this conqueft, the ifland being, till lately, no better than a harbour for the natives of the other Caribbees, who being expelled their own fettlements, have taken refuge here. But, on account of its fituation be- tween the principal French iflands, and Prince Rupert's Bay being one of the moft capacious in the Weft Indies, it has been judged expedient to form Dominica into a government of itfelf, and to declare it a free port. Jt was taken by the French in 1778 ; but it was reftored again to Great Britain by the late peace. It exported to Great Britain, in 1790, upwards of 50,000 cwt. of fugar, and confiderably more in 1787. ST. VINCENT, Situated in 13 N. lat. and 610 W. long. 50 miles north-weft of Barbadoes, 30 miles fouth of St. Lucia, is about 24 miles in length, and 18 in breadth. It is very fruitful, being a black mould upon a ftrong loam, the moft proper for the railing of fugar. Indigo thrives here remarkably well; but this article is lefe cultivated x than BRITISH WEST INDIES. 617 than formerly throughout the Weft Indies. Many of the inhabitants are Caribbeans, and^many here alfo fugitive, from Barbadoes and the other iffands. The Caribbeans were treated with fo much injuftice and barbarity, after this ifland came into pofleflion of the Englifh, to whom it was ceded by the peace in 1763, that they greatly contributed towards enabling the French to get pofleffion of it again in 1 779 ; but it was reftored to Great Britain by the late treaty of peace. It fent to Great Britain in 1790, 76,747 cwt of fugar. NEVIS AND MONTSERRAT. Two final 1 iflands lying between St. Chriftopher's and Antigua, neither of them ex- reeding 1 8 miles in circumference, and are faid to contain 5000 whites, and 10,000 flaves. The foil in thefe four iflands is pretty much alike, light and fandy, but not- withftanding fertile in an high degree ; and their principal exports are derived from the fugar cane. Both thefe iflands were taken by the French in 1782, but were reftored at the peace. They fent to Great Britain, in 178 7, * 108,324 cwt. of fugar, but mucfe lefs in 1790. BARBUDA. Situated 170 49' N. lat. 61 50' W. long. 35 miles north of Antigua, is 20 mites irr length, and 1 2 in breadth. It is fertile, and has a good road for fhipping, but no direct trade with England. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in husbandry, and raifing frefh proviflons for the ufe of the neighbouring ifles. It belongs to the Cod- rington family, and the inhabitants amount to about 1500. A N G U I L L A. Situated in i8 N. lat. 60 miles N. W. of St. Chriftopher's, is about 50 miles long,, and 10 broad. This ifland is perfectly level, and the climate nearly the fame with that of Jamaica. The inhabitants, who are not numerous, apply themfelves to hulbandry and feeding of cattle. B-ERMUDAS, OR SOMMERS' ISLANDS. Thefe received their firft name from their being difcovered by John Bermudas, a Spaniard ; and were called Sommers' Iflands from Sir George Sommers, who was fhipwrecked on their rocks, in 1609, in his paflage to Virginia. They are fituated, at a vaft diftance from any continent, in 320 N. lat. and in 65 W. long. Their diftance from the Madeiras is about 1200 leagues, and from Carolina 300. They are nearly in the form of a fhepherd's crook ; the main ifland is about 16 miles in length, and from one to two in breadth. The parifh of St. George's is an ifland to the eaftward of the main land, on which ftands the town of St. George's, containing about 500 houfes. Contiguous to this is the ifland of St. David's, which fupplies the town with butter,, milk, vegetables, poultry, and frefh meat. In the bofom of the crook lie a vaft num- ber of fmall iflands, uninhabited. The ifland is rocky, and the ground hilly. In the main road a fulky may pafs ; and even there, in many places, with difficulty ; but turn to the right or left, aiicl it is paflable only on horfeback. The air is healthy ; a continual Ipring prevails : cedars, mantled in green, always adorn the hills : the paf- ture ground is ever verdant ; the gardens ever in bloom. Moft of the productions of the: 618 B-RITISII -WEST INDIES. ihe Weft Indies might be here cultivated. The houfes are built of a loft ftone, \\hich is fo.\vn like timber ; when expofed to the weather, and wafhed with lime, it becomes hard. .The houfcs are white as fnow, which, beheld from an eminence, contraflcd with tbe grecnncfs of the cedars and pa it arc ground, and the multitude of iflands, lull in view, realize what the Poets have feigned concerning the Elyliaii iields. The inha- bitants are numerous; the -whole ifland is a continued village ; no lets, perhaps, than 15 or 20,000 are collected on this fmall Vpot. The blacks are twice as numerous as ihe whites. Happy for the country, were' the colour unknown among them ! The Bermudians are chiefly feafaring people ; few of the men are ever at home ; 3 or 400 go annually to Turk's Ifland if, rake fait, which is carried to America for provisions, or fold to.fuch as may call at Turk's liland, for cam. However indiiftrious the men -are abroad, at home they are indolent; much given, particularly of late, to gambling and luxury. The women are generally handfome and comely ; they love their hufbands, their children, and their clrefs. Dancing is their favourite amufement. The men mult be equipped in taiic when they appear in company, ihould they not have a dollar in the pound to pay their creditors ; the women mutt array themlelves like the belles of Paris, fhould they not have amorfel of bread to preferve their blooming complexion. They are thoroughly acquainted with one another's families, and from their tea tables, as from their atmofphere, arifes conftant gufts of fcandal and detraction. To ftran- gers they are kind, but among themfelves are quarrelfome : their friendly intcrcourfe is too much confined within a narrow circle, bounded by coulins or tecond coufins. The common food of the Bermudians is coffee, fifh of different kinds, a fweet po- tatoe, Indian corn, and American flour. Their water is rain preferved in ciilenis ; the general drink is grog. The men arc amphibious animals ; from their being a yard long they fwim out of their depth, and fifhing is their favourite amufement when grown up. The government is conducted under a governor named by the crown of England, a council, and general affembly. The eitablifhed religion is Epifcopacy. There are nine churches ; three clergymen have the charge of thefe nkic : there is one Prcfbyterian church. A regard for religion is not the characteriftic of the Bermudians; they feldom go to church, except it be to attend .a funeral; or get their children bap- tifed, or to hear a ftrangcr.* LUC AY's, OR BAHAMA ISLANDS, The Bahamas are lituated between 22 and 27 degrees North latitude, and 7 3 and 81 degrees Weft longitude. They extend along the coaft of Florida quite down to Cuba, and are faid to be 500 in number, fome of them only rocks, but twelve of them are large and fertile ; all are, however, uninhabited, except Providence, which is 2,00 miles eaft of the Floridas ; .though fome others arc larger and more fertile, on v> Inch the Euglifh have plantations. Thefe iflands were the firfl fruits of Columbus's difcoveries ; but they were not known to the Englilh till 1667. The Ifle of Providence became an harbour for the buccaneers, or pirates, who for a long time infefted the- American navigation. This obliged the government, in 1718, to fend out Captain Woodes Rogers with a fleet to diflodge the pirates, and for making a fettlement. This the captain effected ; a fort was creeled, and an independent company was llationed in the ifland. Ever iincc this * The foregoing ilefcription of thefe iflands was fent the author by an intelligent gentleman, who had re- fuled a number of jean in Bermuda. 3 bft SPANISH WEST INDIES. 619 laft fettlement, thefe iflands have been improving, though they advance but flowly. In time of war, people gain considerably by the prizes condemned there ; and at all times by the wrecks, which are frequent in this labyrinth of rocks and fhelves. The Spaniards and Americans captured thefe iflands during the laft war, but they were re- taken by a detachment from St. Auguftine, April 7th, 1783. FALKLANDISLANDS. Though thcfe are not among the Weft India Iflands, we ihall mention them in this place. They lie in the 5 ad degree of fouth latitude, near the Straits of Magellan, at the utmoit extremity of South America. Falkland lilands wcrcfirft discovered by Sir Richard Hawkins in 1504, the principal of which he named Hawkins' Maidenland, in honour of Queen Elizaoeth. The pre- fent Englifh name Falkland was probably given them by Captain Strong, in 1689, and, being adopted by Halley, it has from that time been received into maps. Cap- tain M'Bride, who visited them in 1766, thus defcribes them : " We found," fays he, f( a mafs of iflands and broken lands, of which the foil was nothing but a bog, with no better profpecl than that of barren mountains, beaten by ftorms almoft peqDctual. Yet this is fiimmcr ; and if the winds of winter hold their natural proportion, thofe who lie but two cables length from the fhore, muft pafs weeks without any commu- nication with it." The plants and vegetables which were planted by Mr. Byron's peo- ple, and the fir trees, a native of rugged and cold climates, had withered away ; but goats, fheep, and hogs, that were carried thither, were found to thrive and increafe as in other places. Geefe, of a fifhy tafte, fnipes, foxes, fea lions, penguins, plenty of good water, and, in the fummer months, wild celery and forrel, are the natural luxu- ries of thefe iflands. But though the foil be barren, and the fea tempeftuous, anEng- lifh. fettlement was made here, of which they were difpofleffed by the Spaniards in 1770. SPANISH WEST INDIES. THE ifland of Cuba is fituatcd between 19 and 23 N. lat. and between 1 74 and 87 W. long. 100 miles to the fouth of Cape Florida, and 75 miles north of Ja- maica, and is nearly 700 miles in length, and generally about 70 miles in breadth. A chain of hills runs through the middle of the ifland from eaft to weft ; but the land near the fea is in general level and flooded in the rainy fcafon, when the fun is verti- cal. This noble ifland is fuppofed to have the beft foil, for fo large a country, of any in America : it produces all the commodities known in the Weft Indies, particularly ginger, long pepper, and other fpices, caffia, fiftula, maflich, and aloes. It allb produces tobacco and fugar ; but from the want of hands, and the lazinefs of the Spa- niards, not in fuch quantities as might be expeded. It is owing to the lame caufc 4 K 420 P A N I S II W E S T INDIE S. (hat this large i/land doefc not produce, including all its commodities., To much lor ex- portation as the fmall iiland of Antigua. The co uric of the livers is too fhort to be of any coniequencc to navigation ; but there are feveral pood harbours in the iiland, which belong to the principal towns, as that of St. Jago, facing Jamaica, ftrongly iituateu and well fortified, but neither populous nor rich. That of the Havannah, facing Florida, which is the capital of Cuba, and a place of great llrength and importance, containing about 2000 houfes, with a great number of churches and convents. It was taken, However, by the Englifh in the year 1762, but reftored in the fubfequent treaty of peace. Bdid^ thcfe, there is alfo Cum- berland harbour, and that' of Santa Cruz, a conlidcrable town thirty miles eaft of the Havannah. HISPANIC LA, OR ST. DOMINGO. This ifland was at firfl poffcired by the Spaniards alone ; but by far the moft conii- derable part is now in the hands of the French; however, as the Spaniards were the original poifeffors, and frill continue to have a fhare in it, Hilpaniola is commonly re- garded as a Spanifh iiland. It is lituated between the i7th and 2 lit degrees N. lat. and the 6jtb and 74th of W. long, lying in the middle between Cuba and Porto Rico, and is 450 miles long, and 150 broad.- When Hiipaniola was firft difcovered by Columbus, the number of its inhabitants was computed to be at leal! one million. But fuch was the cruelty of the Spaniards, and to fo infamous a height did they carry their oppreffion of the poor natives, that they were reduced to iixty thoufand in the fpacc of fifteen years. Tne face of the iiland prefents an agreeable variety of hills, vallies, woods, and rivers; and the foil is allowed to be extremely fertile, producing fugar, cotton, indigo, tobacco, maize, and caflava root. The European cattle are fo multiplied here, that they run wild in the woods, and, as in South America, are hunted for their hides and tallow only. In the moft barren parts of the rocks, they difcovered formerly iilver and gold. The mines, however, are not worked now. The north-weft parts, which are in the- poiTeilion of the French, .confift of krge fruitful plains which produce the articles al- ready mentioned in vail abundance. This indeed is the belt and moft fruitful part of the heft and moft fertile iiland in the Weft Indies, and perhaps in the world;. The moft ancient town in this iiland, and in -all America, built by Europeans, is St. Domingo. It was founded by Bartholomew Columbus, brother to the admiral, in 1504, who gave it that name in honour ef -his fotlier-Doniinic, and by which the whole iiland is fometimes named. It is iituated on a fpacious harbour, and is a large well- built city, inhabited, like the other Spaiiiih towns, by a mixture of Europeans, Creoles,. Meftizos, and Negroes. The French towns are Cape Francois, the capital, containing, fevenil years agQ, about 8000 white and blacks. Leogane, though inferior in point of lize, is a good port, a place of coniiderable trade, and the feat of the French government in that ifland. They have two other towns, coniiderable for their trade, Petit Guaves, and Port Louis. The following is faid to be an exact ftatement of the product, population, and com- merce of the French colony of Hifpaniola, in the year 1788, and may ferve to fhew the immenfe loifes fuftained by the late infurrection of the negroes. POPULATION.] White people 27,717 ; viz. 9,699 men ; 2,401 males above 12 years old; 4,296 wider 12 years; 1,269 hufbandmcn of plantations ; 1,832 plantation ma- nagers; 2 SPANISH WEST INDIES. 6*1 ringers ; 345 fugar refiners ; 308 phylicians 5510 mechanics ; 614 clerks ; two whito. icrvants ; 8,511 women and girls. Free people of colour 21,808 ; of which 3,493 were men ; 2,892 males above la years; 2,892 under 12 ; 2,700 fervants ; 9,833 women or girls ; Haves 405,528. PLANTATIONS AND MANUFACTORIES.] Sugar 792 ; indigo 3,097 ; cotton 705; cof- -fee 2,810 ; diftillerics 173 ; brick and potter's ware 63 ; cocoa 69 ; tanners 3. PRODUCTIONS EXPORTED TO FRANCE. 70,227,709 pounds of White Sugar, 930,016 pounds of Indigo, 93,177,518 ditto Brut ditto, 6,286,126 ditto Cotton, 68,151,181 ditto Coffee, I2 >995 Drolled Skina. SOLD TO AMERICAN, ENGLISH, AND DUTCH SMUGGLERS. 25,000,000 pounds of Brut Sugars, 3,000,000 pounds of Cotton. 1 2,000,000 ditto Coffee, The molalles exported in American bottoms, valued at 1,000,000 dollars ; precious wood, exported in French fhips, 200,000 dollars. TRADE.] Five hundred and eighty large ihips, carrying 189,679 tons, in which the imports amounted to 12,000,000 dollars, of which more than 8,obo,coo dollars were in manufactured goods of France, and the other 4,000,000 in French produce. The Spanifh fhips exported in French goods or money 1,400,000 dollars, for mules imported by them into the colony. Ninety-eight French fhips, carrying 40, 1 30 tons, imported 29,506 negroes ; which fold for 8,000,000 dollars. The negroes in the French diViiron of this ifland have, for feveral' } r ears part, been in a flate of infurrcction. In the progrcfs of thefe disturbances, which have not yet fubfidcd, the planters and others have fuitaincd immcnfe loifes. - As this unhappy af- fair has engaged much of the attention of the public, we are happy in being'able to give a fummary ftatcment of the caufes of this infurrection.* " The lituation of the French colonies early attracted the attention of the ConfH- tuent Affembly. At this time all was as tranquil as fuch a ftate of oppreffion would permit. Political health can only be attributed to a country with a free conititution. The fituation of the iflands is that of a paralytic : one part is torpid, whilft. the other is affected with the frantic motions of St. Vitus's Dance. " The firft interference of the National Aflembly in the affairs of the colonies, was by a decree of the 8th of March, 1 790, which declared, " That all free perfons, who were proprietors and refi dents of two years ftanding; and who contributed to the exi- gencies of the State, fhould excrcife the rights of Toting, which c6nftitutc the quality of French citizen*." This decree, though in fact it gave no new rights to the people of colour, was re- garded with a jealous eye by the white planters, who evidently faw that the generality of the qualification included all defcriptions of proprietors ; they affected, however, to impole a different contraction upon it. The people of colour appealed to common juftice and common fenfe ; it was to no purpoie ; the whites repelled them from their affemblies : fome commotions enfncd, in which' they mutually fell a facriffce to their pride and rcfcntment. * From a pamphlet publiflied in 1792, fowled, An Inquiry into the Caufes of the Infiirreftioa of the Negroes in the Ifland of St. Domingo." $22 SPANISH WEST IN DI ES. Thefe difturbances again excited the vigilance of the N T ational AlTerably : a decree was patted on the I2th day of Odtober, 1790, hy which the Alfembly declared, as a constitutional article, "That they would citablifh no regulations refpecting the internal government of the colonies, without the prceife and formal requelt of the Colonial Aflemblies." Peace, however, was not the confequcnce of this decree. The proprietors, it is tms, had obtained a legal right of tyrannizing; but the unfortunate quefiion full recurred,. Who fhould be permitted to exercife that right ? On this head the decree was filent. New dhTeafions arofe ; each of the parties covered, under a faclious patriotifm, the mofl atrocious defigns. Affaftination and revolt became frequent. Mauduit, a. French officer of rank,, loft his life by the hands of his own countrymen. The unfortunate Oge, a planter of colour, who had exerted himfelf in France in the caufe of his bre- thren, refolved to fupport by force their juft pretenlions. He landed in the Span ifli territory of St. Domingo, where he affembled about 600 mulattoes. Before he pro- ceeded to hoftilities, he wrote to the French general, that hisdelirc was for peace, pro- vided the laws were enforced. His letter was abfurdly confidered as a declaration of war. Being attacked and vanquished, he took refuge amongft the Spaniards, who de- livered him up to his adverfaries. The horrors of his death were the harbingers of fu- ture crimes. Thcfe difturbances ftill increafing, the National Afiembly found it necelFary, at length, to decide between the contending parties. On the 1 5th of May, 1791, a decree was made, confining of two articles, by the firfl of which the AfTembly confirmed that of the i2th of October, fo far as refpccted the flaves in their iflands. It is true, that the word flave was cautioufly omitted in this- document, and they are only characterized by the negative dcfcription of fi men not free,"- as if right and- wrong depended on a play of words, or a mode of expreffion. This- part of the decree met with but little opposition, though it palled not without fevere reprehenfion from a few enlightened members. The fecond article, refpecling. the people of colour, was flrongly contended : thofe who were before known by the ap- pellation of patriots divided upon it. It was, however, determined in the relult, that the people of colour, born of free parents, fhould be considered, as active citizens, and be eligible to the offices of government in the itlands.. This fecond article, which decided upon a right that the people of colour had' been entitled to for upwards of a century, inilead of reftoring peace, may be coniidered as the caufe, or rather the pretext, of all the fuhfequent evils that the colony of St. Do- mingo has fuftained. They arofe not indeed from its execution, but from its counter- action by the white colonifls. Had they, after the awful warnings they had already experienced, obeyed the ordinances of an Allembly they pretended to revere ; had they imbibed one drop of the true fpirit of that confutation to which they had vowed an in- violable attachment ; had they even fupprefled the dictates of pride in the fuggeftions of prudence ; the ftorm that threatened them had been averted,, and in their obedience- to the parent State they had difplaycd an acl; of patriutifm, and preferred themfclves from all pofvibility of danger. But the equalization of the people of colour flung the irritable nerves of the white coloniils. The descendant? of Haves might have loft the refcntments of their fathers j. but the hatred of a defpot is hereditary. The European maxim allows, " That they never pardon who have done the wrong ;" but in the colonies this pcrveriity attains a more monltrous growth, and the averlion to African blood deicends from generation to generation. No fooner kid the decree palled, than deputies from the iflands .to the National Afiembly withdrew their attendance : the colonial committee, always under 2. the SPANISH WEST INDIES. 625 the influence of the planters, fufpendcd their labours. Its arrival in the ifland ftruck the whites with conftcr nation : they vowed to facrifice their lives rather than fuffer the execution of the decree. Their rage bordered upon phrenzy : they propofed to impri- fon the French merchants then in the ifland, to tear down the National flag, and hoifl the Britiih ftandard in its place. Wliilft the joy of the mulattoes was mingled with ap- preheniioos and with fears, St. Domingo re-echoed with the cries of the whites, with their menaces, with their blafphemies againft the confutation. A motion was made in the ftreets to fire upon the people of colour, who fled from the city, and took refuge in the plantations of their friends and in the woods : they were at length recalled by a proclamation ; but it was only to fvvear fubordination to the whites, and to be witnefTes of frefh enormities. Amidft thefe agitations the flaves had remained in their accufc torned fubordination. Nor was it till the month of Auguit, 1791, that the fymptoms of the infurrecHon appeared amongft them.. A confiderable number, both of whites and people of colour, had loft their lives in thefe commotions before tho flaves had given, indications of difaffeclion ; they were not, however, infenfible of the opportunities of revolt afforded by the diflenfions of their mailers : they had learnt that no alleviation of then: miferies was ever to be expected from Europe ; that in the flruggle for colonial dominion, their humble intereils had been equally facrificed or forgotten by all parties. They felt their curb relaxed by the difarming and difperlion of their mulatto mafters, who had been accuftomed to keep them under rigorous difcipline. Hopelefs of relief from any quarter, they rofe in dif- ferent parts, and fprcacl defolation over the ifland. If the cold cruelties of defpotifm have no bounds, what fhall be expecledfrom the paroxifms of defpair ? On the nth of September, 1791, a convention took place, which produced the agreement called the Concordat, by which the white planters ftipulated, that they would no longer oppofe the law of the i5th of May, which gave political rights to the people of colour. The Colonial AfTembly even promifed to meliorate the iituation of the people of colour, born of parents not free, and to whom the decree of the i^Ui of May did not extend. An union was formed between the planters, which, if it had fooner taken place, had prevented the irrfurreclion. The infurgents were every where difpirited, repulled, and difperfed; and the colony ilfelf preferved from total de- ft nk c ion. By a decree of the National Aflembly, the a/jlh of September, the people of colour were virtually excluded from all right of colonial legiflation, and exprefsly placed in the power of the white colorrifts. If the decree of the 151!) of May could infligate the white colonifts to the frantic acls of violence before defcribed, what fhall we fuppofe- were the feelings of the people of co- lour on that of the 24th of September, which again blatfcd thofe hopes they had juftty founded on the conftitntional law of the parent flate, and thefolemn ratification of the white colonifts ? No iboner was it known in the iflands, than thofe difrenfions which the revolt of the negroes had for a while appeafed, broke out with frefh violence. The apprehenfions entertained from the flaves had been allayed by the effecls of the Con- cordat ; but the whites no fooner found themfelves relieved from the terrors of im- mediate deftrudion, than they availed themfelves of the decree of the 2/s-ih of Scptem- 1. Fort St. Louis, and defeated their opponents in ieveral engagements. A powerful body (unrounded Port au Prince, the capital of the ifland, and. claimed the execution of the? Concor- 624 S P A N I S H W E S T I N D I E S. Concordat. At three different times did the whites affent to the requilition, and as often broke their engagement. Gratified with the predilection for ariftocracy, which the Conftitucnt Affembly had in its dotage avowed, they affected the appellation of patriots, and had the addrefs to transfer the popular odium to the people of colour, who were contending for their indifputable rights, and to the few white colonifts who had virtue enough to efpoulc their cauit 1 . Under this pretext, the municipality of Port au Prince required M. Grimoard, the captain of the Boreas, a French line of hattle fhip, to bring his guns to bear upon, and to cannonade the people of colour affembled near the town : he at firft refufed, but the crew, deluded by the cry of patriotifm, enforced his compliance. No iboncr was this meafure adopted, than the people of colour gave a loofe to their indignation ; they fpread over the country, and fet fire indifcriminately to all the plantations ; the greateft part of the town of Port au Prince foon after ftiared the fame fate. Nothing feemed to remain for the white inhabitants but to feek their fafety in quitting the colony. In the northern parts the people of colour adopted a more magnanimous and perhaps a more prudent conduct. " They begun," fays Mr. Verniaud, " by offering their blood to the whites. We fhall wait," faid they, " till we have faved you, before we affert our own claims." They accordingly oppofed thcmfelves to the revolted negroes with unexampled courage : they endeavoured to foothe them by attending to their rea- fonable requisitions ; and if the colony of St. Domingo be preferred to the French na- tion, it will be by the exertions of the people of colour. After this recital of authentic and indifputable facts, it is not difficult to trace the <:auies of the infurrection. The effects of this dreadful infurrection we leave to be dc- fcribed by the profeffed hiftorian. PORTO RICO. Situated between 64 and 67 degrees W. long, and in 18 degrees N. lat. lying between Hifpaniola and St. Chriliopher's, is 100 miles long, and 40 broad. The foil is beau- tifully diverfified with woods, vallies, and plains ; and is very fertile, producing the fame fruits as the other iflands : it is well watered with fprings and rivers ; but the ifland is unhealthy in the rainy feafons. It was on account of the gold that the Spa- niards fettled here ; but there is no longer any conliderable quantity of this metal found in it. Porto Rico, the capital town, {lands in a little ifland on the north Tide, forming a capacious harbour, defended by forts and batteries, which render the town almoft in- acceflible. It was, however, taken by Sir Francis Drake, and afterwards by the Earl of Cumberland. It is better inhabited than moft of the Spanifh towns, becaufe it is the center of the contraband trade carried on by the Englifh and French with the King of Spain's fubjects. VIRGIN ISLANDS, fituated at the eafl end of Porto Rico, are extremely fmall. TRINIDAD. Situated between 59 and 62 degrees W. long, and in 10 degrees N. lat. lies between the iiland Tobago and the Spaniih Main, from which it is Separated by the ft raits of Paria : it is about 90 miles long, and 60 broad, and is an unhealthful but fruitful fpot, producing fugar, fine tobacco, indigo, ginger, a variety of fruit, and feme cotton tree?, and FRENCH WEST INDIES. 625 and Indian corn. It was taken by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595, and by the French ia 1676, who plundered the ifland, and extorted money from the inhabitants. MARGARETTA. Situated in 64 degrees W. long, and 1 1 30 N. lat. feparated from the northern coaft of New Andalufia, in Terra Firma, by a ftrait of 24 miles, and is about 40 miles in length, and 24 in breadth ; and being always verdant, affords a moft agreeable profpecl:. The ifland abounds in pafture, maize, and fruit ; but there is a fcarcity of wood and water. There was once a pearl fimery on its coaft.. There are many other fmall iflands in thefe feas, to which the Spaniards have paid no attention. We fhall therefore proceed round Cape Horn into the South Seas, where the firft Spanifh iflarid of any importance is CHILOE, on the cpafl of Chili, which has a governor, and fome harbours well fortified.. JUAN FERN ANDES. Lying in 83 degrees W. long, and 33 S. lat. 300 miles weft of Chili. This ifland is uninhabited ; but having fome good harbours^ it is found extremely convenient for the Englifh cruifers to touch at and water. This ifland is famous for having given rife ta the celebrated romance of Robinfon Crufoe. It feems one Alexander Selkirk, a Scotch- man, was left afhore in this folitary place by his captain, where he lived for fome years, until he was difcovered by Captain Woodes Rogers, in 1709; when taken up, he had almolt forgotten his native language : he was drefled in goat's fkins, and would drink nothing but water. During his abode in this ifland, he had killed 500 goats, which he caught by running them down ; and he marked as many more on the ear, which he let go. Some of thefe were caught thirty years after by Lord Anfon's people ; their venerable afpect and majeftic beards difcovered ftrong fymptoms of antiquity. Selkirk, upon his return to England, was advifed to publifh an account of his life and adventures in his little kingdom. He is faid to have put his papers into the hands of Daniel Defoe, to prepare them for publication ; but that writer, by the help of thofe papers, and a lively fancy, transformed Alexander Selkirk into Robinfon Crufoe, and returned Selkirk his papers again ; fo that the latter derived no advantage from them. They were probably too indigefted for publication, and Defoe might derive little from them but thofe hints which might give rife to his own. celebrated per- formance.* 1 FRENCH WEST INDIES. THE French were among the laft nations who made fettlements in the Weft Indies r but they made ample amends by the vigour with which they purfued them, and by that chain of judicious and admirable meafurcs which they ufed in drawing from * A fplendid Edition of Robinfon Crufoe, with feventeen Copper Plates, and' a very intending account of the Vfe of Daniel.Defoe ;- by George Chalmers, Efq. is published by Mr. Stockdale, m 2 vols. 8vo. them 626 F R E N C H W E S T I N D I E S. them every advantage that the nature of the climate would yield ; and in the contend- ing againit the difficulties -which it threw in their way. We have already mentioned the French colony upon the SpanifK ifland of Hifpa- niola, or St. Domingo, as the molt important of all their foreign fettlements. \Ve fhall next proceed to the iflands of which the French have thetble poflcfllon, beginning with the large and important one of MARTIN1CO, Which isiituated between 14 and 15 degrees of N. lat. and in 61 degrees W. long. 3ying about 40 degrees N. W. of Barbadoes, is about 60 miles in length and 30 in breadth. The inland part of it is hilly, from which are poured out upon every fide, a number of agreeable and ufeful rivers, which adorn and enrich this ifland in a high degree. The produce of the foil is fugar, cotton, indigo, ginger, and iuch fruits as are found in the neighbouring iflands : but fugar is here, as in all the Weft India iflands, the principal commodity of which they export a coniiderable quantity annually. Martinico is the rcfidence of the govenor of the French iflands in thefe feas. Its bays and harbours are numerous, fafc, and commodious, and well fortified. In the year 1 756 this ifland was added to the Britifh empire, but it was given back at the treaty of peace. GUADALOUPE, So called by Columbus, from the refemblance of its mountains to thofe of that name in Spain, is fituated in 1 6 degrees N. lat. and in 62 degrees W. long, about 30 leagues north of Martinico, and almoft: as many fouth of Antigua ; being 45 miles long, and 38 broad. It is divided into two parts by a fmall arm of the lea, or rather a narrow channel, through which no fhips can venture ; but the inhabitants pals it in a ferry boat : its foil is equally fertile, and in the fame productions with that of Martinico. This ifland is in a flourifhing condition, and its exports of fugar almoft incredible. ST. LUCIA, Situated in 14 degrees N. lat. and in 61 degrees W. long. So miles north- weft of Barbadoes, is 23 miles in length, and 1 2 in breadth. It received its name from being difcovered on the day dedicated to the virgin martyr St. Lucia. The Englifh firit fettled on this ifland in 1637. From this time they met with various misfortunes from the na- tives and French ; and at length it was agreed on between the latter and the Englifh, that this ifland, together with Dominica and St. Vincent, fhould remain neutral. But the French, before the war of 1756 broke out, began to fettle thefe iflands ; which, by the treaty of peace were yielded up to Great Britain, and this ifland to France. The foil of St. Lucia, in the vallies, is extremely rich : it produces excellent timber, and abounds with pleafant rivers and well fituated harbours ; and is now declared a free port under certain reftricHons. The Englifh made themfelvcs mafters of it in 1778 ; bat it was reftored again to the French in 1783. TOBAGO. This ifland is fituated n degrees odd minutes, N. lat. 120 miles fouth of Barbadoes, arid about the fame diftancc from the Spanifh Main. It is about 32 miles in length, and DUTCH WEST INDIES. 62-7 and nine in breadth. The climate here isnotfo hot as might be expected Co near the equator ; and it is faid that it lies out of the courfe of thofe hurricanes that have fome- times proved fo fatal to the other Weft India iflands. It has a fruitful foil, capable of producing fugar, and indeed every thing elfe that is raifed in the Weft Indies, with the addition (if we may believe the Dutch) of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and gum copal. It is well watered with numerous fprings ; and its bays' and rivers are fo difpofed, as to' 1 be very commodious for all kind of ihipping. The value and importance of this ifland appears from the expcnlive and formidable armaments fent thither by European powers in lupport of their different claims. It fcems to have been chiefly pofFefled by the Dutch, who defended their pretenfions againft both England and France with the moft obfti- natc perleverance. By the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, in 1748, it was declared neutral ; ' though, by the treaty of peace in 1763, it was yielded up to Great Britain ; but in'< June, 1 7,8 1, it was taken by the French, and ceded to them by the treaty of 1 783. ST. BARTHOLOMEW, DESEADA, AND MARIGALANTE, Are three fmall iflands lying in the neighbourhood of Antigua and St. ChriftopherV, and arc of no great confequence to the French, except in time of war, when they give fhelter to an incredible number of privateers, which greatly annoy the Britifn Weft India trade. St. Bartholomew is now to be confidered* as belonging to the crown of Sweden, being ceded to it by France, 1785. UTCH WEST INDIES. ST. EUSTATIUS, OR EUSTATIA, SITUATED in 17 29' N. lat. and 63 10' W. long, and three leagues north- weft of St. Chriftopher's, is only a mountain, about 29 miles incompals, riling out of the fea, like a pyramid, and almoft round. But, though fo fmall and inconveniently laid out by nature, the induftry of the Dutch have made it to turn to very good ac- count ; and it is faid to contain 5000 whites, and 15,000 negroes. The fides of the mountains are laid out in -very pretty fettlements ; but they have 'neither fprings nor rivers. They raife here fugar and tobacco ; and this ifland, as well as Curaifou, is engaged in the Spanifh contraband trade, for which, however, it is riot fo well fituated ; and it has drawn the fame advantage from its conftant neutrality. But when hoftilities were commenced by Great Britain againft Holland, Admiral Rodney was font with a confiderable land and fea force againft St. Euftatius, which, being incapa- ble of any defence, furrendered at difcretion, on the 3d of February, 1781. The pri- vate property of the inhabitants was confiscated, with a degree of rigour very uncom- mon amono- civilized nations, and very inconfiftent with the humanity and generofity bv which the Endifli nation ufed to be charaderifed. The reafon affigned was, that the inhabitants of St. Euftatius had affifted the United States with naval and other. foS DUTCH WEST INDIES. {tores. But on the 27th of November, the fame year, St. Euftatius was retaken by 'the French, . under the command of the Marquis de Bouille, though their force con- filled of -only three frigates and fome fmall craft, and about 300 men. C U R A S S O U, Situated in 1 twelve decrees north latitude, nine or ten leagues from the continent of Terra Firma, is thirty miles long, and ten broad. It feems as if it were fated, that the 'ingenuity and patience of the Hollanders Ihould every where, both in Europe and America, be employed in fighting againlt an unfriendly nature ; for the ifland is riot - only barren, and dependent on the rains for its water, but the harbour is naturally one of the worft in America ; yet the Dutch have entirely remedied that defect ; they hi; -.: upon this harbour one of the larger! and by far the molt elegant and cleanly towns in the Weft Indies. The public buildings are numerous and handlome ; the private houfes commodious ; and the magazines large, convenient, and well filled. All kind of labour is here performed by engines ; fome of them ib well contrived, that fhips are at once lifted into the dock. Though this ifland is naturally barren, the induftry of the Dutch has brought it to produce a conliderable quantity both of tobacco and fugar; it has, befides, good liilt works, for the produce of which there is a brilk demand from the Englifh iflands, ami /the .colonies on the continent. But what renders this ifland of moft advantage to the Dutch, is the contraband trade which is carried on between the inhabitants and the ^Spaniards, and their harbour being the rendezvous to all nations in time of war. The Dutch mips from Europe touch at this ifland for intelligence, or pilots, and then proceed to the Spanifh coafis for trade, which they force with a ftrong hand, it being -very difficult for the Spanifh guarda coftas to take thefe vefTels ; for they are not only ; itout fhips, with a number of guns, but are manned with large crews of cholen feamen, deeply interefted in the fafety of the veffel and the fuccefs of the voyage. They have .-..each a fhare in the cargo, of a value proportioned to the flation of the owner, fupplied by the merchants upon credit, and at prime coft. This animates them with an uncom- mon courage, and they fight bravely, becaule every man fights in defence of his own property. Befides this, there is a conftant intercourfe between this ifland and the 'JSpanifh continent. Curaflbu has numerous warehoufes, always full of the commodities of Europe and sthe Eaft Indies^ Here are all forts of woollen and linen cloth, laces, filks, ribands, iron utenfils, naval and military ftores, brandy, the fpices of the Moluccas, and the calicoes of India, white and painted. Hither the Dutch Weft India, which is allb itheir African Company, annually bring three or four cargoes of flaves ; and to this .mart the Spaniards themfelves come in fmall veffel s, and carry off not only the beft of the negroes, at a very high price, but great quantities of all the above forts of goods ; and the feller has this advantage, that the refute of warehoufes and mercers' fhop?, and every thing that is grown unfafhionabLe and unfaleable in Europe, go off here extremely well ; every thing being iufriciently recommended by its being European. 1-he Spaniards pay in gold and filver, coined or in bars, cocoa, vanilla, jefuits bark, .cuchineal, and other valuable commodities. The trade of Curaffou, even in times of peace, is laid to be annually worth to the Dutch -no lefs than 500,000!. but in time of war the profit is lull greater, lor then it .becomes the common emporium of the Wefc Indies-; it affords a retreat to ihips of .all nations, asd at the fade time rcfules none of them arms and ammunition to deiiroy one DANISH WEST INDIES. 629 one another. The intercourfe with Spain being then interrupted, the Spanifh colonies- have fcarcely any other market from whence they can be well fupplied either with flaves or goods. The French come hither to buy the beef, pork, corn, flour, and lumber, which are brought from the continent of North America, or exported from Ireland; fo that, whether in peace or in war, the trade of this ifland flouriihes- extremely. if The trade of all the Dutch American fettlements was originally earned on by the Writ India Company alone ; at prelent, fuch ihips as go upon that trade, pay two and a half per cent, for their licenfes ; the company, however, referve to themfelves the whole of what is carried on between Africa and the American iflands. The other iflands, BONAIRE and ARUBA,^are inconiiderable in themfelves, and fliould be regarded as appendages to CuraiTou, for which they are chiefly employed in railing cattle and other provisions. The ifland of SABA, fituated at no great diilance from St. Euftatius, is finall and-* *' deierves to be mentioned. DANISH WEST INDIES. AN inconiiderable member of the Caribbees, fituated in 64 degrees Weil longitude, and 18 degrees North latitude, about 15 miles in circumference, and has a fafe and commodious harbour. ST. CROIX, OR SANTA CRUZ, Another fmall and unhealthy iiland, lying about five leagues eafl of St. Thomas, ten or twelve leagues in length, and three or four where it is broaden 1 . Thefe iflands, fo long as they remained in the hands of the Daniih Weil India Company, were ill- managed, and of little confequence to the Danes ; but that wife and benevolent prince, the late king of Denmark, bought up the company's flock, and laid the trade open ; and iince that time the ifland of St. Thomas, as well as this, has been fo greatly im- proved, that it is faid to produce upwards of 3000 hogfheads of fugar, of 1000 weight each, and other of the Weil India commodities in tolerable plenty. In time of war, privateers bring in their prizes here for fale ; and a great many veflels trade from hence along the Spaniih main, and return with money in fpecic or bars, and valuable mer- chandife. As for Santa Cruz, from a perfect defert a few years iince, it is beginning to fettle fail ; feveral perfons from the Engliih iflands, fome of them of great wealth, have gone to iettle there, and have received very great encouragement to do fo. Thefe two nations, the Dutch and the Danes, hardly deferve to be mentioned among the proprietors of America ; their poifeflions there are comparatively nothing. But, 4 L 2 Botwith- N E W D I S C O V E R I E S. notwiihfianding they appear extremely worthy of the attention of thefe power?, as flic ihare of the Dutch only .is -worth to them at leaf! 6oo,oool. a year. There fecms to be a remarkable ^providence," fays an ingenious and political writer, " in calling the parts, if I may ufc that expreifion, of the feveral European nations who act upon Ihe ll age of America. Tlics Spaniard, proud, lazy, and mascni- rkrnt, has an ample walk in which to expatiate, a foft climate to indulge his love of rate, and a profulion of gold and filver to procure him all thole luxuries his pride de- mands, "but which his lazinefs would refufe him. " The Portuguefe, naturally indigent at home, and cnterprifing rather than induf- trious abroad, has gold and diamonds as the Spaniard has. wants them as he does, but polVciles them in -a more ufeful though a lets oftcntatious manner. " The Englifh, of a rcafoning difpofition, thoughtful and cool, and men ofbnfinefs .rather than of gtvat indufiry, impatient of much fruitlels labour, abhorrent of con- iiraint, and lovers of a country lire, have a -lot which indeed produces neither gold nor filver ; but they have a large tract -of a fine continent ;* a noble field for the cx- ercife of agriculture, and furficient tofurnifh their trade without laying them under any great difficulties. Intolerant as they are of the molt ufeful reftraints, their commerce flouriiries from the freedom every man has of purfuing it according to his own ideas, and directing his life after his own faihion. " The French, aclive, lively,' enterprifing, pliable, and politic ; and though changing their purfuits, always purfuing the prefent object with eagernefs, are, not- withstanding, tractable, and obedient to rules and laws, which bridle their dilpolitions, and wind and turn them to proper courfcs Thcfe people have a country (when Canada \\as in their poffeilion.) \vhete more is to be, effected by managing the people than by cultivating the ground ; where a peddling commerce, thai requires conilant motion, flourifhes more than agriculture, or a regular traffic ; where they have difficulties which keep them alert by ftmggling with them, and where their obedience to a wile government (meaning the excellent regulations reflecting the French colonies in Ame- rica) ferves them for pcrfonal wifdom. In the iflands, the whole is the work of their policy, and a right turn their government has taken. " The Dutch have a rock or two, on which to difplay the miracles of frugality and diligence (which are their virtues) and on which they have exerted thefe virtues, and fhewn thole miracles." NEW DISCOVERIES. OUR knowledge of the globe has been confiderably augmented by the late dif- coveries of Ruffia, Britilh, and American navigators, which have been numerous and important. Of thefe difcoveries we have already given Tome account, page 98, To the account we have given., we add the following. * Tbefe obfervatiorvs were made before -the United States were frparated from Great Britain, and by an >. NOR NEW DISCOVERIES. 631 NORTHERN" ARCHIPELAGO. This confitrs of fevernl groups of iflands, which are fituated between the eaftent coalt of Kamtfchatka, and the weftcrn coalt of the continent of America.* Some of t'hefe iflands arc only inhabited occafionally, and for Ibme months in the yrar, and others are very thinly peopled ; but others have a great number of inhabi- tants, who confiantly reticle in them. The inhabitants of thefe iflands are, in general, of a fhort llaturc, with ftrong and robuft limbs, but free and fupple. They hare lank black hair, and little beard, rlattilh faces, and fair fkius. They are for the molt part well made, and of ftrong conftitutions, fuitablc to the boifterous climate of their iiles. The Fox Klands, one of the groups, arc fo called from the great number of black, grey, and red foxes, with which they abound. The drefs of the inhabitants confifts of a cap and a fur coat, which reaches down to the knee. Some of them wear com- mon caps of a party-coloured bird fkin, upon which they leave part of the wings and tail. On the fore part of their hunting and fifhing caps, they place afmallboard like a ikrecn, adorned with the jaw bones of fea bears, and ornamented with glafs beads, which they receive in barter from the Ruffians. At their festivals and dancing parties they ufe a much more fhewy fort of caps. They feed upon the flefh of all forts of lea animals, and generally cat it raw ; but if at any time they choofe to drefs their victuals, they make ufe of a hollow ftone ; having placed the fifri or flefh therein, they cover it with another, and clofe the interftices with lime or clay ; they then lay it horizontally upon two ftones, and light a fire under it. The provifion intended for keeping is dried without fait in the open air. Their weapons conlifl of bows, arrows, and darts, and for defence they ufe wooden fhields. The moft perfect equality reigns among thefe iflanders. They have neither chiefs nor fupcriors, neither laws nor punifhments. They live together in families, and fo- cicties of fcveral families united, which form what they call a race, who, in cafe of an attack, or defence, mutually help and fupport each other. The inhabitants of the fame ifland always pretend to be of the fame race ; and every perfon looks upon his ifland as a poflbtfion, the property of which is common to all the individuals of the fame fociety. Fealts are very common among them, and more particularly.when the inhabitants of one ifland are vifitcd by thofe of the others. The men of the village meet their gucfts beating drums, and preceded by the women, who dance. At the conclufion of the dance, the hofts ferve up their beft provifions, and invite their giiefts to partake of the fea^t. They feed their children when very young with the coarfeft flelh, and for the moft part raw. If an infant cries, the mother immediately carries it to the fea-fide, and, whether it be fummer or winter, holds it naked in the water until it is quiet. This cuilom is fo far from doing the children any harm, that it hardens them againft the cold, and they accordingly go barefooted through the win- ter without the leaft inconvenience. They feldom heat their dwellings ; but, when * Mr. Coxe obferves, that, " the firft project for making difcoveries in that tempeftuous fea, which lies, between Kamtfchatka and America, was conceived and planned by Peter I." Voyages with that view were accordingly undertaken at the expenfe of the crown ; but when it was difcovered that the iflands m that 1 abounded with valuable furs, private merchants immediately engaged with ardour in fimilar expeditions ; a tvithin a period of ten vears, more important difcoveries were made by thefe individuals, at their own private coft, than had hitherto been effetfed by all the efforts of the crown. The inveftigation of ufefql knowledge has alfo been 'greatly encouraged by the prefent emprels of Ruffia ; and the moft diftant parts oi dominions and other countries and'iflands, have been explored, at her expenfe, by perfoos of abilities an< learning, in confcquence of which fcveral difcoveries have been made. 63* NEW DISCOVERIES. they are dcfirous of wanning themfelves, they light a bundle of hay, and ftand over it ; or elfe they fet fire to train oil, which they pour into a hollow flone. They have a good fhare of plain natural fenfe, but are rather flow of underfianding. They leem, cold and -indifferent in rnoft of their actions ; but let an injury or even lufpicsou only roufe them from this phlegmatic ftate, and they become inflexible and furious, taking! 1 the moft violent revenge, without any regard to the confluences. The Icall afflic- tion prompts them to filicide ; the apprchenfion of even an uncertain evil often leads them to defpair ; and they put an end to their days with great apparent infeniibility.. THE PELEW ISLANDS. * The exigence and fituation of thefe iflands were probably known to the Spaniards at a dillant period ; but from a report among" the neighbouring iflands, of their being: inhabited by a favage race of cannibals, it appears that there had never been the lea ft communication between them arid any of the Europeans, till the Antelope Packet, (belonging to the Eaft India Company) was wrecked on one of them, in Auguft 1783. From the accounts given of thefe iflands, by Captain Wilfon, who commanded the packet, it appears that they are iituated between the 5th and 9th degrees north lati- tude, and between 130 and 136 degrees of eaft longitude from Greenwich, and lie in a N. E. and S. W. direction ; they are long but narrow, of a moderate height, and well covered with wood ; the climate temperate and agreeable ; the lands produce fugar cane, yams, cocoa nuts, plantains, bananas, oranges, and lemons ;. and the furrounding feas abound with the fineft and greateft variety of fifh. The natives of thefe iflands are a ftout, well-made people, above the middle ftature ; their complexions are of a far deeper colour than what is underftood by the Indian copper, but not black. The men go entirely naked, and the women wear only two fmall aprons, one behind and one before, made of the hulks of the cocoa nut, dyed with different ihades of yellow. The government is monarchical, and the king is abfolute, but his power is exercifed more with the mildnefs of a father than a fovereign. In the language of Europeans, he is the fountain of honour. He occafionaHy creates his nobles, called Unpacks or Chiefs, and confers a fingle honour of knighthood, called the Order of the Bone, the members of which are diftinguifhed by wearing a bone on their arm. The idea of thefe iflanders, as communicated in the publilhed account of Captain Wilfon, is that of a people who, though totally ignorant of the arts and fciences, and living in the fimpleft ftate of nature, yet poffefs all that genuine politenefs, that de- licacy and chaftity of intercourfe between the fexes, that refpect for perfonal property, that fubordination to government, and thofe habits of induftry, which are fo rarely united in the more civilized focieties of modern times. It appears that when the Englifh were thrown on one of thefe iflands, they were received by the natives with the greateft humanity and hofpitality ; and till their departure, experienced the utmoft courtefy and attention. " They felt our people were diftrefTed, and in confequence wifhed they Ihould fhare whatever they had to give. It was not that worldly munificence, that beftows and fpreads its favours with a diftant eye to retribution ; it was the pure emotion of native benevolence ; it was the love of man to man ; it was a fcene that pictures human nature in triumphant colouring, and whilft their liberality gratified the fenfe, their virtue ftruck the heart!" THE NEW DISCOVERIES. 633 THE MARQUESAS ISLANDS Are five in number, firft difcovered by Quiros, in 1595, and their fltuation better afcertained by Captain Cook, in 1774. St. Dominica is the largeft, about 16 leagues in circuit. The inhabitants, their language, manners, and clothing, with the vegeta- ble productions, are nearly the fame as the Society Ifles. INGRAHAM's ISLANDS. Thefe iflands were difcovered by Captain Jofeph Ingraham, of Bofton, commander of the Brigantine Hope, on the igth of April, 1791.. They lie N. N.W. from the Marquefas iflands, from 35 to 50 leagues diftant, and arefeveti in number, which Cap- tain Ingraham named as follows, viz. Names. Lat. S. Long, from Lon. Circuit. Washington, 8 52' 140 19' f Thefe 5, except Adams, 9 20' 140 54 j Federal IfL which Lincoln, 9 24^ 140 54 ^ is fmaller, are about Federal, 8 55' 140 50^ j 10 leagues in cur- Franklin, - 8 45' 140 49, ^cuit. Hancock, - 8 3^ 141 14- 6 or 7 leagues, Knox, 8 5 141 1 8 5 ditto. Mo ft, if not all thefe iflands are inhabited, and appear generally to be diveriified with hills and vallics, and to be well wooded, and very pleafant. The people refera- ble thofe of the Marquefas iflands, as do their canoes, which are carved at each end. They appeared friendly. OTAHEITE, OR KING GEORGE's ISLAND. This ifland was difcovered by Captain Wallis, in the Dolphin, on the I9th of June, 1/67. It is fituated between the 171!! degree 28 minutes, and the i7th degree 53 minutes fouth latitude, and between the I49th degree n minutes, and the 1 49th degree 39 minutes, wefl longitude. It confifts of two peninfulas, of a fomewhat circular form, joined by an ifthumus, and is furrounded by a reef of coral rocks, which form feveral excellent bays and harbours, where there is room and depth of water for almoft any number of the largeft fhips. The face of the country is very extraordinary, for a border of low land almoft entirely furrounds each peninfula, and behind this border the land rifes in ridges that run up into the middle of thefe divifions, and thefe form mountains that may be feen at fixty leagues diftance. The foil, except upon the very tops of the ridges, is remarkably rich and fertile, watered by a great number of rivulets, and covered with fruit trees of various kinds, forming tnc moft delightful groves. The border of low lands that lies between the ridges and the fea, is in very few places more than a mile and a half broad, and this, together with fome of the vallies, are the only parts that are inhabited. Some parts of the ifland of Otaheite are very populous ; and Capt. Cook was of opinion that the number of inhabitants on the whole ifland amounted to 204,000, in- rhuling women and children. They are of a clear olive complexion ; the men are hill, ftroiis;, well limbed, and finely fhaped ; the women are of an inferior fize, but haiulfome, and very amorous, and indeed generally fomewhat licentious. Their cloth- 634 NEW DISCOVERIES. ing confifts of cloth or matting of different kinds ; and the greateft part of the food eaten here Is vegetable, as cocoa nuts, bananas, bread fruit, plantains, and a great variety of other fruit. They have no tools among them made of metal ; and thole they ufc arc made of flone, or foine kind of bones. The inhabitants of Otatheite are remarkable for their cleanlinefs ; for both men and women conftantly walh their \vholc bodies in running- water three times every day. Their language is foft and melodious, and abounds with vowels. There were no tame animals on this ifland but hogs, dogs, and poultry ; and the only wild animals are tropical birds, paroquets, pigeons, ducks, a few other birds, rats, and a very few ferpents. The fea, however, lupplies the inhabitants with a great variety of the moft excellent fifh, and by the kindnefs of the Englifh and the. Spa- niards, they have now bulls- and cows, fheep, goats, a hoiie and mare, geeie, ducks> peacocks, and turkeys, and alib cats. The inhabitants of Otaheite believe in one Supreme Deity, but at the fame time ac- knowledge a variety of fubordinate deities : they offer up their prayers without the ufe of idols, and believe the exiftence of the foul in a feparate ftate, where there are two fituations, of different degrees of happinefs. Among thefe people a fubordination is eftablifhed, which fomewhat refembles the early ftate of the European nations, under the feudal fyftem. If a general attack happens to be made on the ifland, every diftrict is obliged to furriifh its proportion of foldiers for the common defence. Their weapons are flings, which they ufe with great dexterity, and clubs of about fix or leven feet long, and made of a hard heavy wood. They have a great number of boats, many of which are conftrucled for warlike operations. Otahcke is faid. to be able to fend out 172.0 war canoes, and 68,000 fighting men. % s o c i E; T Y ISLANDS. Of the feveral iflands fo called in honour of the Royal Society, whicK were difco- vered by Captain Cook, in the year 1769, the principal are, HUAHEINE, ULITEA, OTAHA, and BOLABOLA. Huaheine is about 31 leagues to the north-weft of Otaheite, and its productions are the fame. The inhabitants feem to be larger made and more flout than thofe of Otaheite. Mr. Banks meafured one of the men, and found him to be fix feet three inches and a half high ; yet they are fo indolent, that he could not perfuade one of them to go up the hills with him ; for they faid, if they Ihould at- tempt it, the fatigue would kill them. Ulitea is about feven or eight leagues to the fouth-weftward pf Huaheine, and is a much larger ifland, but appears neither fo fer- tile nor fo populous. Otaha is divided from Ulitea by a ftrait, that in the narroweft part is not above two miles broad. About four leagues to the north-weft of Otaha lies Bolabola, which is furrounded by a reef of rocks, and feveral fmall iflands, all which are no more than eight leagues in compafs. To thefe iflands, and thofe of Maura, which lie about 14 miles to the weftward of Bolabola, containing fix in all, Capt. Cook gave the name of Society Iflands. THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS. Thefe iflands were fo named by Capt. Cook, in the year 1773, on account of the friendfhip which appeared to fubfift among the inhabitants, and from their courteous behaviour to ftrangers. The NEW DISCOVERIES. 635 Hie plantation^ on fome of theie iflanda arc both more numerous and more r?A- n- five, and encloled by fences, which running parallel to each other, form fine ipacious public roads, which would appear beautiful in countries where rural convenience.-, have been carried to the greateft perfection. They are in general highly cultivated, and well iiocked with the levcral roots and fruits which thefe iflands proauce ; and Capt. Cook endeavoured to add to their number by planting Indian corn, and the feed of melons, pumpkins, and the like. Eooa, when viewed from the fhip at anchor, formed one of the moft beautiful profpe&a in nature, and very different frorp the others of the Friendly liles, which being low and perfectly level, exhibit nothing to the eye but the trees which cover them; whereas here, the land riling gently to a, confidcrable height, prefents us with an extenfwc profpecl, where groves of tree's are 'only interfperfed at irregular diftances, in beautiful diforder, and all the reft is covered with grats, except near the fhores, where it is covered with fruit and other trees, amongft whioh are the habitations of the natives. We are informed that the bulk of the people of thefe iflands are fatisfied with one wife, but the chiefs have commonly feveral women, though it appeared as if one only was looked on as a miftrefs of the family. Though female chaftity was frail enough in fome, it is highly probable that conjugal fidelity is feldom violated, as it does not appear that more than one inftance of it was known to our voyagers ; and in that, the man's life who was the caufe of it paid the forfeit for his crime. Nor were thofe of the better fort who were unmarried more liberal of their favours ; thofe who were being obvious profiitutes by profeffion. When they are afflicled by any diforder which they deem dangerous, they cut off the joint of one of their little fingers, fondly believing that the Deity will accept of that, as a fort of facrifice efficacious enough to procure the recovery of their health. It was fuppofed from fome circumftances, that though they believe in a future ftate, they have no notion of future rewards nor punifhments " for the tilings done here. They believe in a Supreme Being, but they believe alfo in a number of inferior ones : every ifland has its peculiar god, as every European nation has its peculiar faint. Capt. Cook thinks he can pronounce that they do riot worfhip any thing that is the work of their own hands, or any vifible part of the creation. They make no offering of hogs, dogs, or fruit, to the Otooa, as at Otaheite ; but it is abiblutcly certain that even this mild, humane, and beneficent people life human iacrificcs. The government, as far as could be difcovered, appears to approach nearly to the feudal fyftem, formerly eflablifhed all over Europe. When any perfon of con- fequence dies, his body is wafhed and decorated by fome women, who are appointed on the occafion, and thefe women are not, by their cufloms, to touch any food with their hands for many months afterwards; and it is remarkable, that the length of the time they are thus profcribed is the greater in proportion to the rank of the chief they had'wafhcd. Their great men are fond of a fingular piece of luxury, which is to have women fit beiide them all night, and beat on different parts of their body until they go to fleep ; after which they relax a little of their labour, unlefs they appear likely to awake, in which cafe they redouble their drumming, until they are again iafl afleep. Thefe are fome of the moft remarkable opinions, cufloms, laws, and ceremo- nies obferved at the Friendly Illands, and which we have endeavoured to colic S. into one point of view for the information of cur more mquifitivc readers. 4 M NEW 636 NEW DISCOVERIES. NEW ZEALAND. Thjs country was firft difcovercd by Tafman, the Dutch navigator, in the year 1642,, who gave it the name of Staten Land, though it has been generally dillinguiihcd in our maps and charts by the name of New Zealand, and was fuppofed to be part of a foul hern Continent ; but it is now known, from the late difcoveries of Capt. Cook, who failed round it, to coniiii of two large iflands, divided from each other by a ft rait lour or five leagues broad. They are lituatcd between the latitudes of 34 and 48 degrees S. and between the longitudes of i6t> and 180 degrees E. of Greenwich. One of thefe iflands is for the molt part mountainous, rather barren, and but thinly in- habited; but the other is much more fertile, and of a better appearance. In the opi- nion of Sir Jofeph Banks and -Dr. Solander, every kind of European fruits, grain, and plant?, would flouriih here in the utmoft luxuriance. From the vegetables found here, it is fuppofed that the win^rs are milder than thole of England, and the fummers not hotter, though more- equally warm; fo that it is imagined that if this country were icttli'd by people from Europe, they would, with moderate induftry, be foon tupplied not only with the .neceifaries but the luxuries of life in great abundance. Here are forefts of valt extent, filled with very large timber trees ; and near four hundred plants were found here that had not been defcribed by naturalifts. The inhabitants of New- Zealand are-ftout and robult and equal in ftature to the larger! Europeans. Their colour in general is brown, but in few deeper than that of a Spaniard who has been expofed to the fun, and in many not fo deep ; and both fexes have good features, Their drefs is very uncouth, and they mark their bodies in a manner iirnilar to thole; of Otaheite, which is called tattowing. Their principal weapons are lance?, darts, and a kind of battle-axes;, and they have generally iliewn themfelves very hoftile to the Europeans who have vifited them. As to their religious principles, they believe that the fouls of fuch as are killed in battle, and their flefh afterwards eaten by the enemy,, are doomed to perpetual fire ; while the fouls of thole who die a natural death, or whofe bodies are preferyed from fuch ignominious treatment, afcend to the habitations- of the gods. The common method' of di-fpofing of their dead rs by interment in the earth; but if they -have more of their Slaughtered enemies than they can eat, they throw them into the fea. They have no fufh things a? niorais, or other places of public \vorfhip ; nor do they ever affcmble together with this view. We conclude this article with the following character of Capt. Cook, to perpetuate- the memory and ferviccs of fo excellent a navigator and commander: Perhaps no feience ever rt rcatcr additions from the labours of a fingle man,, than geography ha- d<.nc from thle of Capt. Ccok. In his firft voyage to the South red the Society lilaiids ; determined the infularitv of New Zealand;. difcovered _thc itraijs which feparate the two iflands, and are called after his name ; and made a complete limey of both. lie afterwards explored the en Hern con It of New Holland, hitherto unknown ; an extent of Uventy-fcven degrees of latitude, or - cf 2 coo miles. lu his fecond expedition he folved the great problem of a {but hern continent, having, travcrfed that hcmifphcre between the latitude of 40 and 70, in fuch a manner as -not to leave a ppfiibility of its cxiiienoe, unit-is near the pole, and out of the reach of navigation. During this voyage, he diicovercd New Caledonia, the larger!: iiland in. the Southern Parjiic, except /.caland ; the iiland of (xeorgia, and an unknown c<.'U(t, which lie uaitred Sandwich Lund, the Txuie oif the lout hem hcmifphere ; and 2 having N EW DISCOVER! E S. 637 having twice vifited the tropical feas, he fettled the fituations of the old, and made ieveral new difcoveries. But the laft voyage is diftinguifhed above all the reft by the extent and importance of its difcoveries. Betides fevcnd imaller iflands in the Southern Pacific, he diico- vered, to the north of the equinoctial line, the group called the Sandwich Iflands, which, from their lituation and productions, bid fairer for becoming an object of con- lequence in the fyftem of European navigation, than any other difcovery in the South Sea. lie afterwards explored what had hitherto remained unknown of the wefterrt coaft of America, from the latitude of 43 to 70 north, containing an extent of 3,500 miles; afcertained the proximity of the two great continents of Alia and America-; paired the ilraits between them, and furveyed the coaft on each lide- to iuch a height of northern latitude, as to demonftrate the impracticability of a palTage, in that he.mi- fpherc, from the Atlantic into the Paciiic ocean, cither by an eaftern or 'ar weftern courfe. In Ihort, if we except the Sea of Amur, and the Japanefe Archipelago, which Itill remain imperfectly known to Europeans, he has completed the hydrography of the habitable globe. As a navigator, his fervices were not, perhaps, lefs fplendid ; certainly not lefs im- portant and meritorious. The method which he difcovered, and fo fuccefsfully purfued, of preferring the health of feamen, forms a new sera in navigation, and will tranfmit his name to future ages among the friends and benefactors of mankind. Thole who arc converfant in naval hiftory need not be told at how dear a rate the advantages which have been fought, through the medium of long voyages at fea, have always been purchaled. That dreadful diforder which is peculiar to their fervice, and whole ravages have marked the traces of difcoverers with circumftances almoft too fhocking to relate, muft, without exerciling an unwarrantable tyranny over the lives of our leamen, have proved an infuperablc obftacle to the prolecution of fueh enterprizes. It was refervcd for Capt. Cook to lliew the world, by repeated trials, that voyages mi "lit be protracted to the unufual length of three, or even four years, in unknown, regions, and under every change and rigour of the climate, not only without affecling the health, but even without diminiihing the probability of life, in the fmalleft degree. OF the difcoveries which have been made in the eaftern hemifphere, that merit particular notice, are New Holland, New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland. We Ihall alfo here add a more particular account of the Sandwich Iflands, CONTINENT OF NEW HOLLAND. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length \ 2400 1 , f 1 10 and 153 E. Long. Breaath I 2300 } ^^1 I n" and 43* S. Lat. IT lies S.E. of the illand of Java, and fouth of New Girne.i, in the Great South Sea For more than a century after its firft difcovery by the Dutch, in 1616, it was thought to be a part -of a vail fouthern continent, the exiftence of which had been a favourite idea with many experienced navigator?. The great extent of New Holland cnvcs it an unqueftionable claim to the name'of CONTINKXT. 4 M a The. 638 NEW DISCOVERIES. The principal rapes are, Capo York and South Cape, which form th v e extreme N. and S. points of the continent. Between thefc capes, along the cailcrn Shore, arc Cape Flat- tery, Cape Gloucester, Cape Townfend, Sandy Cape, Smoakley Cape, and Cape Howe. The moft novd 'bays are Botany Bay, on the eaSt iide of the continent, Batcmrm Bay, fouth of it, itnd GJafehotife Bay, Harvey's, Kepple, Halifax, and Trinity Bay'?, all between Botany Bay and York Cape, on the eaftern fhorc. Shark Bay lies on the well Iide of the continent, ahout ibuth lat. 25. The capacious gulf of Carpentaria, difoovered in 1618, lies on the north ; York Cape and Anieim's land make the t\vo points of it. The whole eaitern coaft of this continent, except t!ie very foiithern point, was discovered and explored by Capt. Cook, in 1770, and is called NEW SOUTH WALES. Ii is claimed by England on the old principle of prior difcovcry. From want of opportunity to examine, no considerable rivers have yet been AiC- : covered; but from the appearance of the country, it is conjectured that it is well watered. Two kinds of gum are produced here, called red and yellow gums ; the former rekmbles fanguis draconis, bat is perfectly foluble in water. It is drawn from the tree by tapping, or taken out of the veins of the wood, when dry, in which it is copiouSly distributed. It is a very powerful remedy in the dylcntcry. The yellow gum, as it is called, is Strictly refin, not being at all foluble in water : it has the refemblance of gamboge, but has not the property of Staining. The plant that produces it is low and fmall, with long graSfy leaves ; but the fructification of it fhoots out in a Singular manner from the center of the leaves, on a iingle Straight Hem, to the height of twelve or fourteen feet. Of this ft em, which is like Some of the reed clafs, the natives ufually make their Spears. The reSin is generally dug up out of the foil under the tree, not collected from it, and may perhaps be that which TaliSman calls " gum lac of the ground." There are a great variety of birds and animals found here, feveral of which, before/ the difcovery of this place, were non-defcripts.* The natives go always uncovered, although it is obferved they AifFer fometimes from the cold. Thofe on the borders of the Sea coaSt fubfiSr principally on fifh. On that part of the coaSl which the Englifh have invaded, the natives have retired, and, from accounts, are much diStrerTed for provision. A kind of twine is manufactured among them, which, with their fiShing nets, is very neatly made from the flax plant. This plant promifes to be very valuable for the purpoSe of making cordage, and the fincSt manufactures : it grows in Norfolk ifland (a fmall HI and N.W. of New Hol- land, on which the Englifh are like\vife making a Settlement) in great plenty and with lur.h luxuriance as to reach the height of eight feet. Their cutting implements are made of Stone. Several figures of animals, of Shields and weapons, and even of men, have been feen carved upon the rocks roughly, indeed, but Sufficiently well executed to indicate the object intended by them. On the top of the hills is the figure of a man, in the attitude aSFum-ed by them when they begin to dance, executed in a Still fuperior Slile. That the arts of imitation Should thus precede in any degree thofe of neeeSIity, Seems to be an exception to the rules laid down in theory Sbr the progrefs of invention. Though they have made no attempts- towards clothing themfelves, they are by no means infenfible of the cold, and appear very much to diflike the rain. During a Shower, they have been obfeA-ed to cover * The reader will find cuts, and n defcription of a number of thefe animals and birds, in w The Voyage of Governor Philip to Botany Bay," publifhed by John Stockdale, London, in 1790. their N.EW DISCOVERIES. 639 tlieiHieacls with pieces of bark, and to fhiver exceedingly. Their method of kindlin* lire is probably very laborious, as they are rarely feen without a fire actually made* or a piece of burning wood, which, they carry with them from place to place, and even in their canoes. The perpetual fires, which in fome countries formed a part of the national religion, had perhaps no other origin than a fimilar inability to produce it at pleafure, and if we fupppfe the original flame to have been made from lightning, the fi&ion of its coining down from heaven will be found to deviate very little from the truth. In May 1787, the Britifli government fitted out a fquadron of eleven vefTels, with 850 convicts, under the command of Arthur Philip, Efq. in order to form a fettlement on this continent. The fituation determined upon has been named Port Jackfon ; fouth lat. 32 52', eail long, from Greenwich, 159* 19' 30". This place is about nine miles from Botany Bay, and has a harbour capable of containing IOOQ fail of the line in perfect fccurity. A plan of a town has been regularly laid out, and from the latell accounts, the profpect was flattering to the new fettlers. On the firil arrival of the Englifh, the natives were found amicable, hofpitable, un- accuftomed to act with treachery, or to take the leafl advantage, and jyrery pre- caution was taken to prevent this harmony from being interrupted ; but from fome dif agreement with individuals, or what is more probable, a diflike of the encroach- ments on their territories, they appear to avoid any intercourfe with their new neigh- bours. The natives, like all other barbarous nations, have fome cuftoms peculiar to them- felves. Governor Philip, in the interviews he had with the natives, obferved that the women in general had lofl two joints from the little finger of their left hands. He was not able to find out the occaiion of this mutilation, but noticed that it was con- fined to the females.* The men are difHnguifhed in a different manner : their fingers are not mutilated, but moll of them want the right front tooth in the upper jaw. They alto have a cuflom of perforating the cartilage that divides the noflrils, and thrufting through it a long bone or flick. The women are not treated with much tendernefs ; and are kept in great fubordi- nation by their hufbands. They appear to be employed chiefly in the canoes, in which women have frequently been feen with young children at the breafl. The inhabitants are not numerous, and are of a chocolate colour, middle ftature; and very active and courageous. Their food is chiefly fifh, birds of various kinds-, yams, fruit, and the flefh of the kanguroo, an animal refembling the opofTum, and peculiar to this continent. Their weapons are fpears and lances of different kinds, which they throw with great dexterity. They alfo ufe ihields ef an oblong form, made of bark.-j~ * Patterfon, in his Travels in Africa, tells us that he met with a tribe of Hottentots near Orange River, all of whom had loft the firft joint of their little finger : the reafon they gave for cutting it off was, that it was a cure for a particular ficknefs to which they were fubjeft when young. It would be a curious coincidence fhould it be difcovered that the natives of New Holland do it for any fimilar reafon. f For a continuation of the Difcoveries in New South Wales and in the South Seas, with, a particular ac- count of the natives and of the new fettlements, the reader is referred to The Hiftorica] Journal of the Tranfaftious at Port Jackfon and Norfolk Jflaud, by Governor Hunter* in one volume 410. printed for Mr. Stockdale, THE 640 N E W D I S C O V E R I E S. THE NEW HEBRIDES. This name was given by Captain Cook to a clufter of iflands, the moft northerly of which was feen by Quiros, the Spanifh navigator, in 1606, and by him named Tierra del Efpiritu Santo. From that time, till Bougainville's voyage in 1768, and Capt. Cook's voyage in the Endeavour, in 1769, this land was fuppofed to be pnrt of a great fouthern continent, called 'Terra Aujlralis incognita. But when Capt. Cook had failed round New Zealand, and along the eaftern coaft of New Holland, tin's opinion was fully confuted. On his next voyage, in the Resolution, he refolved to explore thole parts accurately ; and accordingly, in 1774, bcfides afcertaining the extent and fituation of thefe iflands, he difcovered feveral in the group, which were before un- known. The New Hebrides are fttuated between the latitudes of 14 29' and 20* 4' fouth; and between 169 41', and 170 21' eaft longitude. They coniift of the fol- lowing iflands, fome of which have received names from the different European navi- gators, and others retain the names which they bear among the natives, viz. Tierra del Efpiritu Santo, Mallicolla, St. Bartholomew, Ifle of Lepers, Aurora, Whitfuntide, Ambrym, Immer, Apee, Three Hills, Sandwich, Montagu, Hinchinbrook, Shepherd, Eorromaflft, Irrougn, Annatom, and Tan na. Not far difiant from the New Hebrides, and fouth- weft ward of them, lies NEW CALEDONIA, a very large ifland, firft difcovered by Capt. Cook, in 1774. It is about eighty-feven leagues long, but its breadth is not considerable, nor any where exceeds ten leagues. It is inhabited by a race of ftout, tall, well-proportioned Indians, of a fwartly or dark chcfnut brown. A few leagues difiant are two fmall iflands, called the Iflands of Pines and Botany Ifland. N E W G U I N E A, Till the late difcoveries, was thought to be the north coaft of an extenftve con- tinent, and to be joined to New Holland ; but Capt. Cook difcovered a flrait between them which runs north-eaft, through which he failed. Thus it was found to be a long narrow ifland, extending north-eaft from the lecond degree of fouth latitude to the twelfth, and from one hundred and thirty-one to one hundred and fifty degrees eail longitude ; but in one part if does not appear to be above fifty miles broad. The country confifts of a mixture of very high hills and vallies, interceded with groves of cocoa nut trees, plantains, bread fruit, and moft of the trees, fhrubs, and plants, that are found in the other South Sea iflands. It affords from the fea a variety of delight- ful profpecls. The inhabitants make nearly the fame appearance as the New Hol- landers on the other fide the ftraits. North of New. Guinea is NEW* BRITAIN, which is fituated in the 4th degree of fouth latitude, and 152, 19' eaft longitude from Greenwich. It was fuppofed to be part of an imaginary continent, till Capt. Dampier found it to be an ifland, and failed through a ft rait which divides it from New Guinea. Capt. Carteret, in his voyage round the world, 1767, found that it was of much lefs extent than it was till then imagined to be, by failing through another ftrait to the north, which feparates it from a long ifland, to which he gave the name of New Ireland. There are many high Mils in New Britain, and it abounds with Inrge and ftately trees. To the eaft ward of New Britain, and in both the above ftrait?, are many iflands, moft of which are laid to be extremely fertile, and to abound with plantains and cocoa nut trees.* * The reader will be much gratified in the peryfal of a new work of real merit, entitled " Difcoveries of the French and Spaniards to the fouth-eaft of New Guinea," by Capt. Fleurieu, in one volume 410. with twjtve large plates, printed for Mr. Stockdale. NEW N E W D I S C O V E R I E a 641 N E W IRELAND Expends in length, from the north-caft to the fouth-eaft, about two hundred and feventy miles, but is in general very narrow. It abounds with a variety of tree? and plants, and with many pigeons, parrots, rooks, and other birds. The inhabitants are black and woolly headed, like the negroes of Guinea, but have not, like them, flat nofes and thick lips. North- weft ward of New-Ireland, a elufter of iflands was feen by Capt. Cartcret, lying very near each other, and fuppofed to confift of twenty or thirty in number. One of theie, which is of a very confiderabl-e extent, was named NEW HANOVER ; but the reft of the duller received the name of the ADMIRALTY ISLANDS. SANDWICH ISLANDS. Befides the voyages already mentioned, another voyage was performed by Capt. Cook and Capt. Cierke, in the Refolution and Difcovery, during the years 1776, 1777, 1778, and 1779, in feareh of a north-weft paflage between the continents of Afja and America. After they had arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, they proceeded from thence to New Holland. In this courfe they difcovered two iflands, which Capt. Cook called Prince Edward's Ifles. The largett, about fifteen leagues in circuit, is in lat. 460 53' fonth, long. 37 46': the other about nine leagues in circuit, lat. 46 40', and long. 38 8' caft, both barren and ahnoit covered with fnow. From thence they pro- ceeded to New Zealand, and afterwards they vifited the Friendly and the Society Ifles, In January 1777, they arrived at the Sandwich Ifles, which are twelve in number, and arc iituated between 22 0/ i5' and i8 3 53' N. lat. The air of thefe iflands is in general falubrious, and many of the vegetable productions are the- fame with thofe of the, Society and Friendly Ifles. The inhabitants are of a middle fize, flout and well made^ and their complexion in general a brown olive. Ovvhyhee is in circumference about 300 Englilh miles, and the number of inhabitants is computed at 150,00-0. The others are large and well peopled. The natives are defcribed as of a mild and friendly temper and carriage, and in hofpitality to ftrangers not exceeded by the inhabitants of the Friendly Ifles. On the yth of February, being nearly in lat. 4^0 33' north, and long. 235 36' eaft, they law part of the American continent bearing north-eaft. Capt. Cook afterwards difcovered King George's Sound, which is iituated on the north-weft coaft of America, and is extenfive ; that part of it where the fhips under his command anchored, is in lat. 49 36' north, and long. 233 28' eaft. The whole found is fin-rounded by high laud, which in fome place appears very broken and rugged, and is in general covered with wood to the very top. They found the inhabitants here rather below the middle lize, and their complexions approaching to a copper colour. On the I2th of May, they difcovered Sandwich Sound, in lat. 59 54' north. The harbour in which the fhips anchored, appeared to be almoft furrounded with hicrh land, which was covered with fnow; and here they were vifited by fome of the Americans in their canoes. They afterwards proceeded to the iiland of Unalafchka, and after their departure from thence frill continued, to trace the coaft. They arrived -on the 2oth of Auguft, 1778, in lat. 70 54', long. 194 55% whcre *^ found them- felvcs almoft farrounded with ice, and the farther they proceeded to the eaftward, the clofer the ice became compared. They continued labouring among the ice till 25th, when a ftorm came on, which made it dangerous for them to proceed ; and a confutation was therefore held on board the Refolution, as foon as the violence of the o-ale abated, when it was refolved, that as this paflage was impracticable for any uietuj. A O purpoic N E W D I S C O V E R I E 3. purpofe of navigation, which was the great object of the voyage, it fhould be profe-- cute'd no farther ; and cfpccially on account of the condition the fhips were in, the approach of winter, and their great diftance from any kno\vn place of refrefhment.. Tfee voyage, indeed, afforded furEeient evidence, that no practicable pafTage exiits be- tween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans towards the north ; and this voyage alfo aiccr- taincd the weftern boundaries of the great continent of America. On their return it un- fortunately happened, that the celebrated and able navigator Capt..Cook was killed in an affray with the natives, by an act of fudden refentment and fear, rather than from a bad difpolition, on the ifland of Owhyhee, the large ft of the Sandwich- Ifles, on the 1 4th of February 1779 ; and his death was univerfally regretted, not only in Great Britain, but alfo in other parts of Europe, by thole to whom his merits and public fervices were known. In his laft voyage he had explored the coaii of America, from 42 27''to 70 40' 57"' north. After the death of'Capt. Cook, the command' devolved' on Capt. Clerke, who died at fea on IMS return to the fouthward, on the 22d day of Auguft 1 779. The two fhips returned' home by the Gape of Good Hope, and on the^ 5th of October 1780, anchored at the-Nore.* * For a full account of- the Difcoveries on theCoaft of " NEW HOL LAND," 'prior to the Britifli Settle- ment, fee- the following work, printed for Mr. Stockdale,. in one volume 8vo. THE HISTORY OF NEW HOLLAND, From its firfl Difcovery, in 16 16, to the prefent Time ; with a particular Account of its Produce and Inhabi- tants, and a Defcription of Botany Bay : alfo a Lift of the Naval, Marine, Military and Civil Eilablifliment. To which is prefixed, au Iptroduftory Difcourfe on BauiAunent, By the Right Hon. .Lord. Auckland, II- luftratcd with Maps, EUROPE. EUROPE. SITUATION AND EXTENT.* Miles. Length 3000 1 , f j 10 W. and 65 E. Lon. from London. Breadth 2500 J 1 36 and 72 N. Lat. BOUND \RIES 1 T^OUNDED north, by the Frozen Ocean ; eaft, by Afia ; fouth, by i -O the Mediterranean Sea ; weft, by the Atlantic Ocean, which fe- paratcs it from America. Europe is the leafl extehfive quarter of the globe, containing only about 2,62,7,574 fquare miles, whereas the habitable parts of the world in the other quarters, are efti- mated at 36,666,806 fquare miles. Here the arts of utility and ornament, the fcienc.es, both military and civil, have been carried to the greateft perfection. If we except the earlieft ages of the world, it is in Europe that we find the greateft variety of cha- racter, government, and manners, and from whence we draw the greateft number of facts and memorials, both for our entertainment and inftruc"lion. Befides monarchies, in which one man bears the chief fway, there ai'e, in Europe, kriJtocracieSi or governments of the nobles, and democracies, or governments of the people. Venice is an- example of the former ; Holland, and fome ftates of Italy and Switzerland, afford examples of the latter. There are likewife mixed governmentSj which cannot be afiigned to any one clafs. The Chriftian religion is eftablifhed throughout every part of Europe, except Tur- key ; but from the various capacities of the human mind, and the different lights in which fpeculative opinions are apt to appear, when viewed by perfons of different edu- cations and paffions, that religion is divided into a number of different feels, but which may be comprehended under three general denominations : ift* The Greek church ; ad, The Roman Catholic ; and 3d, Proteftantifm : which laft is again di- vided into Lutheranifm and Calvinifm, fo called from Luther and Calvin, the two diftinguilhed reformers of the 1 6th century* The number of Roman Catholics is about 65,000,000 ; the number of Proteftants, about 2J, coo, coo. The languages of Europe are derived from the fix following : the' Greek, Latin, ^Teutonic or old German, the Celtic, Sclavonic, and Gothic. The armies of all the countries iii Europe amount to about two million of men ; fo that fnppoling 140 million of inhabitants in Europe, 110 more than 7% of the whole population are foldiers. 402 EUROPE. The greateil part of Europe being lituated above the 45th degree of nortliern lati- tude, and even its mofl fouthern provinces being far diftant from the torrid zone, the fprcks of qna^rwpeds in iiurope that in America, as i to 2Jv and to that in Africa, as i to i o, and the number of the vegetable fpecies in the other three divifions of the globe is greatly fuperior to that jn Europe. But nature has enriched the European continent with every fpecies of mi- nerals ; diamonds and platina, perhaps,, exct.-pted. Gold, the firft of metals, is not found in Europe fa plentifully as in the other continents. However, as the European nations have the ikill of making the bell ufe of their natural productions, and have taken care to tranfplunt into their own foil as many of the foreign productions as their nature will permit, Europe, upon the whole, mull be allowed to be one of the richer! parts of the globe. The greateltpart of Europe is under the influence of a climate, which, being tem- pered with a moderate degree of cold, forms a race of men, ftrong, bold, aclive, and ingenious ; forced by neceflity to make the beft ufe they can of the fmaller fharc of vegetable and animal treafures, which their foil produces. GRAND DIVISIONS. Kingdoms. Len. f Br. Chief Cities. Diftanre and bear- ing from London. Religions. England - - Scotland - - Ireland - - - 3 8c 300 285 300 I 5 160 London Edinburgh Dublin M i.e.. * * * 400 N. 270 N. W Lut. Cal. &c. Calvinifts, &c. Lut. Cal. & R. C. Norway - - Denmark - - I COG 240 300 1 80 Bergen Copenhagen 540 N.' 500 N. E. Lutherans Lutherans Sweden - 8cc 500 Stockholm 750 N. E. Lutherans Ruiiia - - - i <;oc I IOO Peteriburgh 1140 N. E. Greek Church Poland 700 680 Warfaw 760 E. R. C. Lu. & Cal. Pruffian Dominions ,609 35 Berlin 540 E. Luth. and Cal. Germany - - 'oo 500 Vienna rcc E. R. C. Lut. & C al. Bohemia 300 250 Prague 600 E. Roman Catholu s Holland - - 150 IOC Amfterdam .80 E. Calv'miJr-> Flanders - - 20C 2CO Bruflels 1808. E. Roman Catholics Fiance - - 60O 500 Paris 200 S. E. Unknown Spain - 7OO 5cc Mr.d -id 8co S. Roman Catholics Portugal - - 300 IOC Lilbon 850 S. W. Roman Catholics Switzerland 260 ,100 Bcrn,Coire,&c. 420 S. E. Calv. & Rom. Ca. Italy. EUROPE. 645 1 Several f'mall fFi-Juv-nt, j Montfivrat, Milan, Parma, | Modena, Mantua, Venice, j Genoa, Tuicany, T ' States. \ i " '> 1 Cafnl. Milan. Parms. | M )icna. Mantua. Venice. | Genoa, j Floienc e . J Kingdoms. Len. Br. Chief Cities. Dift. and bearing from London. Religions. Jt'opedom '- 2,0 Ron ic 8-0 S. '$. voman Catholics Naples 1 20 IN a;; les .170 S. K. UOIMHQ Ca 1 holies Hungary 3<- c : ., Buda 78; S. L. K CJ. and l-'rotei. Danubiun i j Conltanti- Provinces J 600 420 1 nople . &. Mahometans and Lower Tartary* 380 240 Precop 1500 E. Gieek Church. ' Greece 400 240 Athens 1360 S. E. Exclufive of the Britifh liles, Europe contains the following principal iilands : Baltic Sea. I (lands. Chief Towns. Ill the Northern Ocean. Iceland "j Skalholt. f Zealand, Funen, Alfen, Fal- 1 fler, Langland, Laland, Fe- I J meren, Mona, Bornholm 5 J 1 Gothland, Aland, Rugen, " lOfel, Dagho, lUiedom, Wollin, rlvica, Majorca, Mediterranean Sea. }- - j - Minorca,-^. CorliCa r - Sardinia, Sicily, IP , T . fLuiiena, Corfu, Cephalonia,! Adriatic, or Gulf \ emce. { ^^ ^^^ Candia, Rhodes, Negropont,^ Lemnos, Tenedos, Scyrps, | Mytelene, Scio, Samos, Pat- mos, Paros, Cerigo, Santo- rin, &c. being part of an- cient and modern Greece. Subje6t to Denmark Denmark Swedea Ruffia Pruffia i Spain Ditto Ditto France K. of Sard. K. of 2 Sic. Ivica, Majorca, Port Mahon, Baftia, Cagliaria, . Palermo, , Archipelago, and Levant^ beas. Venice. Turkey. * This includes Crim Tartary, now ceded to Ruffia. 4 Minorca was taken from Spain by General Stanhope, 1708, and confirmed to Great Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht 1713, but was befieged and taken by the Spaniards, February 13, 1782, and conhnned to them by the definitive Treaty of Peace, figned at Paris, September 3, 1783, POSSESSIONS 646 DEN MA R K. POSSESSIONS OF DENMARK IN EUROPE. LL the Danifli provinces contain 182,400 fquare miles, and, including the co- lonies, 2,500,000 inhabitants. A Divifions. Sq. Miles. Population. Chief Towns. Inhab. i Denmark Proper on the l T> ] t -.c % ,, r i3 5 ooo 1,125,000 COPENHAGEN, 07,000 a Duchy of Holftein in i r^\ i n n. Germany, 2 ' 8o 3*0,000 Glukftadt, 2,483 3 Norway, which has the 1 T> Atlantic weft, j "2,000 723,141 Bergen, 18,000 4 Faro lilands, 5,000 5 Iceland. 46,400 46,201 Skalholt. The whole of Denmark contains 68 towns, 22 boroughs, 15 earldoms, 16 baronies, 932 eftates of the inferior nobility, and 7000 villages. Norway contains only 1 8 towns, 2 earldoms, and 27 eflates x>f the other nobility. The Danes have fettlements at Coromandel in Afia, on the coafl of Guinea, and other places in Africa, and in Greenland, in America. Greenland is divided into eafl and wefl Greenland, a very extenlive country, but thinly inhabited. Crantz rec- kons only 957 ftated, and 7000 wandering inhabitants in Weft Greenland. The Danes are the only nation who have fettlements in Welt Greenland ; where, under their protection, the Moravian brethren have miffionaries, and very ufeful eftablifh- inents. WEALTH- AND COMMERCE.] If the cold and barren kingdom of Norway did not require large fupplies of corn from Denmark, the latter could export a considerable quantity of it. Slcfwick, Jutland, Zealand, and Leland, are very rich corn coun- tries, and abound in black cattle. . The chief produce of Norway is wood, timber, and a great variety of peltry. The mines of Norway are very valuable, as well as its fifheries. Only one fourteenth part of it is fit for agriculture. The balance of trade is in favour of Norway, and againft Denmark. The whole of the exports of Denmark and Holftein amounted, in .1768, to 1,382,681 rix dollars ; the imports to 1,976,800. The exports of Norway to 1,71 1,369, and the imports to 1,238,284 dollars. Manu- factures do not thrive in .Denmark. CAPITAL.] COPENHAGEN is the capital of Denmark, and the refidence of the king. It lies in north lat. 53 41' and eaft long. 12 50', and Hands on a low marfhy ground, on the margin of the Baltic Sea, and has a beautiful and commodious harbour, which admits only one fliip to enter it at a time, but is capable containing 500. The road for the (hipping begins about two miles from the town, and is defended by 90 pieces of cannon. On the land ride are fome lakes which furnifh the inhabitants with plenty of frefh water. The adjacent country is pieplant ; and oppolite the city lies the ifland of Amae, which is very fruitful, and forms the harbour. It is joined to the town by two bridges. This city is more than fix miles in circumference, and makes a fine appearance at a diftance. RELIGION.] The eftablifhed religion is the Lutheran. GOVERNMENT.] Denmark is an hereditary kingdom, and governed in an abfolute manner ; but the Danilh Kings are legal foyereigns, and perhaps the only legal fove- reigns LAPLAND. 647 reigns fn the world ; for the fenators, nobility, clergy, and commons, diverted them- felves of their right as well as power, in the year 1661, and made a formal furrencler of their liberties to the then king Frederick III. HISTORY."] Denmark, the ancient kingdom of the Goths, was little known till the year 714, when Gormo was king. Chriflian VII. is the prefent fovereign ; he vi- iited England in 1768. His queen, the youngeft filter of George HI. king of Great Britain, was fuddenty feized, confined in a caftle as a itatc prifoner, and afterwards bunifhed the lingdbnu* The Counts Struenfee and Brandt (the firft prime mini it cry and the queen's phyfician) were feized at the fame time, January 1772, and beheaded the fame year. Bartholinus, celebrated for his knowledge of anatomy, and Tycho Brahe, the fa- mous aflronomer, were natives of this country. LAPLAND. THE whole country of Lapland extends, fo far as it is known, from the North Cape in 71 30' north lat. to the White Sea, under the arctic circle. Part of Lapland belongs to the Danes, and is included in the government of Wardhuys ; part to the Swedes, which is by far the moft valuable ; and fome part in the eaft, to the Mufcovitcs or Ruffians. It is impoffible to point out the dimenlions of each. It has been generally thought, that the Laplanders are the defendants of Finlanders driven out of their own country, and. that they take their name from Lappes^ which fignifies exiles. In Lapland, for fome months in the'fummer, the fun never fets ; and during the winter it never riles : but the inhabitants are fo well affiiled by the twilight,, and the aurora borealis, that they never difcontinue their work on account of the darkncis. CLIMATE.] The winters here, as may eafily be concluded, are extremely cold. Drifts of fnow often threaten to bury the traveller, and cover the ground four or five feet deep. A thaw fomctimes takes place ; and, then, the froft that fuc- ceeds, prefents the Laplander with a fmooth level of ice, over which he travels with a rein-deer, in a fledge, with inconceivable fwiftnefs. The heats of fummer are, exceflive for a fhort time ; and the cataracts, which dafh from the mountains, often'- prelent to the eye the moft picturefque appearances. PEOPLE, CUSTOMS, AN-D MANNERS.] The majority of the Laplanders are Pagans.- The number and oddities of their fuperftitions have induced the northern traders to believe that they are fkilled in magic and divination. They ftill retain the worfhip of many of the Teutonic gods; but have among them great remains of the Druidical inftitutions. They believe the transmigration of the foul ; and have feftivals fet apart for the worfhip of certain genii, called Jeuhles, who they think, inhabit the air, and have great power over human actions ; but being without form or fubftance, they aflign to them neither images nor ftatues. The employment of the women confiits in making' nets for Ihe fifhery, in drying jifh.and meat, in- milking the rein-deer, in making cheefe, and in tanning hides ; but- * For a- faithful account of this tragical event , tie reader is referred to a true and intertjling work, in/it tiled, An authentic Elucidation of the Hiitory of Counts Struenfee and Brandt, and of the Revolution in Denmark in the year 1772. Printed privatdy, but not publificd, by a Perjonage principally interejlcd. Iravjlated from Ibe German by B, H. Latrobe, Printed for ], STOCKDALE. 648 SWEDE N. it is undcrftood to be the bufmefs of the men to look after the kitchen, in which, it is laid, the women never interfere. The Laplanders live in huts in the form of tents, from 25^0 30 feet in diameter., and not much above fix feet in height. They cover them according to the leafon, and the means of the poflefibr ; fome with briars, bark of birch, and linen ; others with, turf, coarfe cloth, or felt, or the old Ikins of rein-deer. The door is of fch, made like two curtains, which open afunder. A little place, furroimded with ftones, is made in the micWle of the hut, for fire, over which a chain is fufpended to hang the kettle upon. In winter, at night, they put their naked feet into a fur. bag. Lapland is but poorly peopled, owing to the general barrennefs of its foil. The whole number of its inhabitants may amount to about 60,000. Both men and wo- men are in general conliderably fhorter than more fouthern Europeans. Mauper- tuis meafured a woman who was fuckling her child, whofe height did not exceed four feet two inches and a half; they make, however, a much more agreeable appear- ance than the men, who are often ill fhaped and ugly, and their heads too large for their bodies. The women are complaifant, chafte, often well, made, and extremely- nervous ; which is alfo obfervable among the men, although more rarely. When a Laplander intends to marry a female, he, or his friends, court her father with brandy ; when with fome difficulty he gains admittance to his fair one, he offers her a beaver's tongue, or fome other eatable, which fhe rejecls before company, but accepts of in private. Cohabitation often precedes marriage ; but ever} 7 admittance to the tair one is purchafed from her father by her lover with a bottle of brandy, and this prolongs the courtfhip fometimes for three years. The prieft of the parilh at lait celebrates the nuptials ; but the bridegroom is obliged to ferve his father-in-law for four years after. He then carries his wife and her fortune home. S W E D E N. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length .800 l bchvcen { 5 a nd 70 N.Lat. Breadth 500 J 1 10 and 30 E. Lou. B * -I "OOUNDED north, by the Frozen Ocean; eaft, byRuffia; foutn, '-J-I3 by Denmark and, the Baltic; weft, by Norway. The whole kingdom of Sweden contains 104 towns, 80,250 villages, and 1200 eftates of the nobility. Divifioas. Sq. Miles. Population. 'Capital Towns. i Sweden Prqper r STOCKHOLM, ,-, ,11 i \ 64,000 2,100,000 \ Q . , 2, Gothland J t 80,000 inhabitants. 3 Nordland 95>47 2 150,000 Lund. 4 Lapland 5 Finland 48,780 624,000 Abo. 6 Swedifh Poinerania 1,440 100,550 Bergen. j In the Weft Indies, Sweden obtained from France,, in the year 1785, the ifland of Barthelemi. CAPITAL.} SWEDEN, 649 CAPITAL.] STOCKHOLM, tlie capital of Sweden, and the residence of the kinff, is fituated in north hit. 59 ic', and caft long. 19 30', 760 miles N. E. from Lon- don. Standing at thejtm&idn of the Baltic Sea, and 'the lake Maler, it has the ad- vantage of both Lilt and freih water. It is built, partly on fix iflands, and partly on pehinfulas, and in its circuit is computed at 12 miles. 'Mod of the Greets are broad, and the market places Ipacious. In the quarter of the town properly called the city, are above 5000 honfes, moft of them (landing on piles. They are built entirely of It one, and are four or five ftbries high: but fome are covered with copper or 'iron plates, and others with tiles. All parts of this city are connected by bridges. It affords a fine pro /perl of the lake Malcr on one fide, and -of the harbour on the other. The number of inhabi- tants who pay taxes, is computed at 6c,ooo, CLIMATK, EXPORTS, AND IMPORTS.] Sweden has an mhoipitablc climate, and the greater part of the foil is barren ; upwards of 110,000 fquare miles lie uncultivated ; yet the induiiry of the inhabitants in arts and agriculture has raifed it to the raiik of a fecondary European power. Sweden imports 300,000 tons of corn, 4,535 hogfheads -of fpirituous liquors, belidcs henip, flax, ialt, wine, beef, fiik, paper, leather, and Eaft and Weil India goods. The exports of Sweden confift chiefly of wood, pitch, tar, fifh, furs, copper, iron, fome gold and lilver, and other minerals, to the amount, in the year 1768, of upwards of 13,000,000 of dollars ; and their imports in the fame year amounted to little more than 10,000,000 of dollars. The Swedes trade to all parts of Europe, to the Levant, the Eaft and Weft Indies, to Africa and China. REVENUE.] In 1784, four millions of rix dollars. GOVERNMENT.] Since the memorable revolution in 1772, Sweden may be called a monarchy. The fenate dill claim fome ihare in the adminifrration, but its mem- bers are cho(en by the king. The king has the abfolute difpolal of the army, and lias the power of calling and of difTolving the aflembly of the ftates ; but he cannot impofe any new tax without confulting the diet. The fenate is the higheft court or council in the kingdom, and is compofed of feventeen fenators, or fupreme counfcl- lors. The provinces are under governors, called provincial captains. ARMY.] In 1784, it confifted of 50,421 men, RELIGION.] The religion efiablifhed in Sweden is the Lutheran, which the Sove- reign mtift profeis, and is engaged to maintain in the kingdom. Calvinilts, Roman Catholics, and Jews are tolerated. The fuperior clergy of Sweden have preferred the dignities of the Roman Catholic church; it is compofed of the archbifhop of Upfal, of 14 bifhops, and of 192 prelidents. The jurifdiction in ecclefiaitical matters is in the hands of 19 confiftories. The number of the inferior clergy, comprehend ing the minilters of parifhes, &c. amounts orily to 1387. HISTORY.] We have no account of this country till the reign of Bornio III. A. D. 7 1 4. Margaret, queen of Denmark and Norway,' was called to the throne of Swe- den, on the forced resignation of Albert their king, A. D. 1387. It remained united to the Danilh crown titl 1523, when the famous Gnftavus Vafa -expelled the Danes, and ever fince it has remained independent ; but was made an abfolute monarchy, by Guftavus III. in 1772. The late king, Guftavus IV. was afTaffinated by Ankerftrorn, on the 1 6th of March, 1792 ; and w^as fuccecded by his fon, the prelent king, then j 4 years old. The enthuriaftic affaflin, amidft the greatest fullering*, gloried in hi* yillany. , p MUSCOVY* MUSCOVY, OR THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE IN EUROPE AND ASIA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length unknow n i , r 23 and 1 80 E. Long. Breadth 1 500 f ' I 44 40' and 72. N. lat. THIS immenfe empire ftretches from the Baltic Sea and Sweden on the weft ; to Kamtfchatka and the Pacific Ocean on the eaft ; and from the Frozen Ocean on Hie north, to about life 44th deg. of lat. on the fouth, on which fide it is hounded by Poland, Little Tartary, Turkey, Georgia, the Euxitie and Cafpian Seas, Great Tar- tary, Chineie Tartary, and other unknown regions in. Aria. The country now coinprifed under the name of Ruflia or the Ruflias, is of an ex- tent nearly equal to all the reft of Europe, and greater than the Roman empire in the zenith of its power,, or the empire of Darius fubdued by Alexander,, or both put together. DIVISIONS.] Ruflia is at prefent divided into 42 governments, which are compre- hended again under 19 general governments,, viz... Governments* Inhab. Capitals, Ihhab. European part of Ruflia, 30 20,000,000 Peterfburg, 170,000 Aiiatic Ruflia, 12 4,000,000- Cafan, 25,000 The fuperiority of the European part over, the vafl, but uncultivated provinces of A'fia, is ilriking. The provinces acquired by the divifion of Poland, are highly, va- luable to Ruflia,. to which the acquisition of Crimea is by no means comparable in value. This immenie empire comprehends upwards of fifty different nations, and the, number of. languages is fuppoled not to.be lefsthan the number of nations. WEALTH AND COMMERCE.] In fo vaft a. tract of country as the empire of Ruflia, . fpreading under many degrees of latitude,, watered by more than eight rivers, which run through the fpace of 2000 miles^. and- : crofled by an extenfive chain of mountains, we may expect to. find., an infinite number of natural productions, though .we mufl make fome aUbwan-ees for the great deferts-of Siberia, a-nd the many parts, not yet thoroughly investigated by natural hiftorians. The fpecies of plants peculiar to- this part of the globe, which have already, been difcovered, amount to many thou- fands. The foil contains almoft all minerals, tin, platina, and fome iemi- metals- cxcepted. Ruflia abounds with animals of almoft all the various kinds, and has- many that -have never been defcribed. It has the greateft variety of the fmeft furs, . In 178 1, there were exported from. Peterfburgh aloiic^ 428,877 Ikins of hares, 36,904 of grey fquirrels, 1,^54 of bears, 2,018 of ermine,. 5,639 of foxes^ 300 of wild: rats, befidcs ihofc of wolves, and of the fitfick (a beautiful animal of tlie rat kind) e.xclufive of tlie exportation of the fame articles from Archangel, Riga, and the Cafpian Sea. In one year there were -exported from Archangel, 783,000. pud of tal- fow (a pud is equal to 40 Ib.) 8,602, pud of candies, and 102 pud of butter. In, 1781 from Peter iburg, 148,099 .pud of red leather, 10,885 pud of leather for ibals^. pud;.o candles, 50.000., pud of foap, 27,416 pud of ox bones, 090 calve ikins. "RUSSIA. 31 (kins. The nfrieries belonging to Ruflia are very productive. The forefts of fir trees arc immenlely valuable. ^Oak and beech do not grow to an ufeful fize beyond Uie 6oth degree of north latitude. They export timber, pitch, tar, and potash, to a yaft amount. Rye, wheat, tobacco, hemp, flax, fail cloth, linked oil, flax feed, iron, lilver, copper, fait, jalpcr, marble granite, &c. are among -the productions of Ruflia. The whole of the exports of Ruffia amounted in 1783, to near 13,000,000 of rubles or dollars ; the imports did not much exceed the fum of 1 2,000,000. The imports conftft chiefly of wine, fpices, fruits, fine cloth, and other manufactured com- modities and articles of luxury. There are at prefent no more than 484 manufac- turers in the whole empire. ARMY.] It conlificd in 1772, of 600,000 men. NAVY.] Sixty-three armed fhips, and 20,000 tailors. GOVERNMENT.] The emperor or autocrator of Ruilia, (the prefent eraprefs ftyles herfelf autocratrix) is abfolute. He muft be of. the Greek church, by the ancient cuftom of the empire. The only written fundamental law exifting is that of Peter I. by which the right of fucceflion to the throne depends entirely on the -choice of the .reigning monarch, who has unlimited authority over the lives and property of all his fubjccis. The management of public affairs is entrufted to feveral departments. At the head of all thofe concerned in the regulation of internal affairs (the ecclefiaftical fynod exceptcd, is the fenate, finder the prefidency of a chancellor and vice-chan-* cellor. The fovereign nominates the members of this fupreme court, which is divided into fix chambers, four at Peterlburgh, and 2 at Mofcow. The provinces are ruled by governors appointed by the fovereign. CHIEF CITIES.] PETERSBURG, the capital of Ruflia, lies at the juncl:ioii of the river Neva with the lake Ladoga, in north lat. 59 57', ,and eaft long. 31; but the reader may have a better idea of its fituation, by being informed that it ftands on both fides the river Neva, between that lake and the bottom of the Finland gulf. In the year 1703, this city confined of a few fmall fifhing huts, on a fpot fo marfhy, that the ground was formed into nine iflands. It now extends about fix miles every way, and contains every ftructure for magnificence, the improvement of the arts^ revenue, navigation, war, and commerce, that are to be found in the moft celebrated cities in Europe. The city of Mofcow, formerly the capital of this great empife, ftands on a pleafant plain, in north lat. 55 40% eaft long. 38 ; 1414 miles N. E. of London. The rive? Molkwa running through it in a winding courfe, and feveral eminences, mteriperfM with gardens, groves, and lawns, form moft delightful profpecls. It feems rather to be a cultivated country than a city. The ground' it ftands on is computed to be fixteen miles in circumference. It contains 1600 churches. The number erf inhabitants is about 150,000. The great bell of Mofcow, the largest in the world, weighs 443,772 pounds. RELIGION.] The religion eftabliihed in the Ruflian empire, is the Greek. The moft eflcntial point in which their proteflion of faith differs from that of the Latin .church, is the doctrine, that the Holy Ghoft proceeds from the Father qnly._ Their worfhip is as much overloaded with ceremonies as the Roman Catholic. Saints are held in veneration, and painted images of them, but not ftatues, arc luffered in the churches. The church lias been governed, finee the time of Peter the Great, by a national council, called the Holy Synod- Marriage is forbidden to the archbifliops and bifhops, but is allowed to the inferior clergy. There are 479 convents for men, 74 for women, in which are about 70,000 perfons. Above 900,000 pealants belong to the -eftates in poffeflion of the clergy. 4 P a HISTORY,] 652 GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND^ HISTORY.] The carliefr' authentic account we have of Ruffia, is A. D. 862, when-- Ruvic was Grand Duke of Novo John Hufs and Jerome of. Prague, two of .the firft. reformers, and Bo- hemians, were burnt at* the council ~of Con-ftancc, though the Ernpe'for of Germany had given them his protection. This occalibned an infurrection in Bohemia: the people of Prague threw. tiie Emperor's officers out of the windows of the council chamber ;- and the famous Rifca, arlembling an army of 40,000 Bohemians, defeated the Em- peror's forces in feveral engagements, and drove the Imperialifts out of trie kingdom. The clivifipns of the Hulriles among themfelves enabled the emperors to keep poffef- fion of Bohemia, though an attempt was made to throw off the Imperial yoke, by electing, in the .year 1618, a Proteiiant king, in the perfon of the Prince Palatine, fon-in-law to James I., of England. Pie was driven from Bohemia by the emperor's generals, and, being ilripped of his other dominions, w r as forced to depend on the court of England for a fubiiftencc. After a war of thirty years duration, which dcib- lated the whole empire, the Bohemians, lince that time, have remained fubjecl to the houfe of Auflria. BELONGING TO THE HOUSE OF AUSTRIA - SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Sq. Miles. Length 3001 V f 17 and 23 E. Longitude,! Breadth f oo } betwcen {450 and 49 N, Latitude. ) ^ BOUNDAHIES 1 "D OUNDED north, by Poland : eaft, by Tranfylvania and Wala- J -13 chia ; 'fouth, by Sclavonia ; weft, by Auftria and Moravia. Di- vided into Upper Hungary, north of the Danube, capital, Prefburg ; and Lower Hungary^. fouth of the Danube, capital, Buda, lat. 47 40' north, long. 19 20' eaft. POPULATION.] Hungary contains 3,170,000 inhabitants. AIR, SO-IL, AND PRODUCE.] The air in the fouthern parts of Hungary is very unhealthy, owing to ftagnated waters in lakes and marfhes. The air in the northern part is more ferene and healthy. The foil in fome parts is very fertile, and produces almoft every kind of fruits. They have a fine breed of moufe-coloured horfes, much efleemed by military officers. RELIGION.] The eftablifhed religion in Hungary is the Roman Catholic, though the greater part of the inhabitants are Proteftants or Greeks ; and they now enjoy the full exercife of their religious liberties. GOVERNMENT.] By the conftitution of Hungary, the crown is ftill held to be elective. This point is not difputed. All that is inlifted on is, that the heir of the houfe of Auftria Ihall be elected as often as a vacancy happens, The TRANSYLVANIA, SCLAVONIA, CROATIA, &c. 66 1 Tin?; regalia of Hungary, confining of the crown and fcepter of St. Stephen, the firft king, arc depofitcd in Prefburg. Thefe are carefully fecurcd by feven locks, the keys of \vliich are kept by the fame number of Hungarian Noblemen. No prince is held by the populace as legally their fovereign, till he be crowned with the- diadem of King Stephen ; and they have a notion that the fate of their nation depends upon this crown's remaining in their .poffeffion ; it has therefore been always removed, in times of danger, to places of the greateft fafety.- CHIEF TOWNS.] PRESBURG, lat. 48 20' north, long. 17* 30' eaftj in Upper Hungary, is the capital of the whole kingdom. It is well built on the Danube, and, like Vienna, has fuburbs more magnificent than itfelf. In this city the Hates of Hun^ gary hold their aiTemblits, and in the cathedral church the fovereign is crowned. HISTORY.] This kingdom is the ancient Pannonia. Julius Caefar was the firft Roman that attacked Hungary, and Tiberius fubdued it. The Goths afterwards took it ; and in the year 376, it oecame a prey to the Huns and Lombards, . It was an- nexed to the empire of Germany under Charlemagne, but became an independent kingdom in 920. It was the feat of bloody wars between the Turks and Germans,, from 1540 to 1739, when, by the treaty of Belgrade, it was ceded to the latter, and is now annexed to the German empire. Formerly it was an allemblage of different Hates, and Stephen was the firft who affumed the title of king, in the year 997. He was diftinguifhed with the appellation of Saint, becaufe he firft introduced Chriflia- nity into this country.. TRANSYLVANIA, SCLAVONIA, CROATIA, AND HUN- GARIAN DALMATIA. WE have thrown thofe countries under one divifion, for feveral reafons, and par- ticularly becaufe we have no account fufficiently exaft, of their extent and boundaries. The beft account of them follows : Tranfylvania belongs to the houfe of Auftria, and is bounded on the north, by the Carpathian mountains, which divide it from Poland ; on the eaft, by Moldavia and Walachia ; on the fouth, by Walachia ; and on the weft, by Upper and Lower Hungary. It lies between 22 and 25 degrees- of eaft longitude, and 45 and 48 of north latitude. Its length is extended about 185, and its breadth 120 miles; and contains nearly 14,400 fquare miles, but it rounded on all fides by high mountains. Its produce, vegetables, and animals, are almoft the fame with thofe of Hungary. Catholics, Lutherans, Calvmifts,, Socimans,- Arians, Greeks, Mahometans, and other fedaries, here enjoy their feveral religions Tranfylvania is part of the ancient Dacia, the inhabitants of which long employed the Roman arms, before they could be fubdued. The Tranfylvamans can bring to the field 30,000 troops. Stephen I. king of Hungary, introduced Chnftiamty ther about the year 1000. ... , -,. ,, Sclavonia lies between the i6th and 2 3 d degrees of call longitude and and 47 th of north latitude. It is thought to be about 200 miles *?^* in breadth, and contains about 10,000 fquare miles. Ins bounded by the the north; by the Danube on the eafl ; by the Save on the fouth ; and by 3 Kma Auilria on the welt. The Sclavonians are zealous Roman Catholics, though Greek and Jews are tolerated. In 1746, Sclavonia was united to Hungary, and the Hates fend reprefentatives to the diet of Hungary, Croatia, 662 POLAND AND LITHUANIA. Croatia lies between the i5th and iyth degrees of eaft longitude, and the 45th and Aytli of north latitude. It is So miles in length, and 70 in breadth, and contains about 2,500 fquare miles. The manners, government, religion, language, and cufiotns of the Croats are fimilar to thole of the Sclavonians and Tranfylvanians, who are their neighbours. Carolliadt is a place of fome note, but Zagrab is the capital of Croatia. Hungarian Dal mat ia lies in the upper part of the Adriatic fea, and conftfts of five diftricts, ,in which the mod remarkable places are Segna, which is a royal free town fortified both by nature and by art, and fituatecl near the fea, in a bleak, mountainous, and barren foil ; and Ottofchatz, a frontier fortification on the river Gatzka. POLAND AND LITHUANIA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length Breadth ivincs. h 700 "1 , f 16 and 34 E. Lon. th 680 I l 146 30' and 570 35' N. Lat. >EFORE the extraordinary partition of this country by the King of Pruffia, aided by the Emperor and Emprefs Queen, and the Emprefs of Ruffia, which event happened ii nee the year 1771, the kingdom of Poland, with the duchy of Lithuania annexed, was bounded north, by Livonia, Mufcovy, and the Baltic ; eaft, by Muf- covy ; fouth, by Hungary, Turkey, and Little Tartary ; weft, by Germany. Con- taining 230 towns. In Poland, are villages 2377, convents of nuns 86, noblemen's eftates 22,032, ab- beys 37, convents of monks 579, houfes in general 1,674,328, pcafants 1,243,000, Jews 500,000. DIVISIONS.] The kingdom of Poland contains 155 towns, and is divided into, i. Great Poland, which is fubdivided into 12 diftricls, called woiwodfhips. 2. Little Poland, three woiwodfhips. 3. Polachia, three counties, 4. Chelm, remaining part of Red Ruffia. 5. Podolia and Bratzaw. 6. Kow. 7. Volhynia. 8. The great duchy of Lithuania, which includes White Ruflia, Black Ruffia, Polefia, and the duchy of Szamaite. WEALTH AND COMMERCE.] Poland is one of the weakeft ftates in Europe, owing to the oppreffion of the trades people in the towns, and the flavery of the peafantry. If the ikill of the natives in agriculture bore any proportion to the fertility of the foil, Poland might be one of the richeft countries in the world ; for though a large part of it lies uncultivated, it exports no inconnderable quantity of corn. Want of induftry and of freedom are the chief reafons that .the balance of trade is fo much againft Poland. The exports are corn, hemp, flax, hortes, cattle, (about 100,000 oxen every year) peltry, timber, metals, manna, wax, honey, &c. the value of them in the year 1777, amounted to nearly 30 millions of dollars, The imports, confid- ing chiefly in wine, cloth, iilk, hard ware, gold, filver, Eaft and Weft India goods, were fuppofed to amount to no lefs than 47 millions of dollars. GOVERNMENT.] What their more powerful and tyrannical neighbours are plcafed to appoint. RELIGION.] SWITZERLAND. RELIGION.] The eftablifhed religion is the Roman Catholic. Proteflants, to whom the name of Difiidents is now confined, are tolerated. The power of the pope and of the priefts is very great. CAPITAL.] WARSAW, fituated on the river Viftula, in the center of Poland, con- tains 50,000 inhabitants. . HISTORY.] Poland was anciently the country of the Vandals, who emigrated from it to invade the Roman empire. It was creeled into a duchy, of which Lechus was thefirft Duke, A. D. 694. In his time the ufeof gold and filvcr was unknown to his iubjccts, their commerce being carried on only by exchange of goods. It be- came a kingdom in the year 1000; Otho III. emperor of Germany, conferring the title of king on Boleflaus I. Red Rulfia was added to this kingdom by Boleflaus II. who married the heireis of that country, A. D. 10,9. Difmembercd by the emperor of Germany, the emprefs of Ruffia, and the king of Pruffia, who, by a partition treaty, leizcd the moft valuable territories, 1772. Thefe nations have lately made Another partition of this kingdom. SWITZERLAND. SITUATION AND EXTEXT. Miles. Length 2,60! , r 6 and i T E. Longitude. Breadth 100 J 1 45 and 48 N. Latitude. lOUNDED north, by Germany; eaft, by Tirol, Trent, and Lake Conftance; ) fouth, by Italy ; well, by France. DIVISIONS.] Switzerland is divided into thirteen cantons, which Hand in point of precedency as follows; i. Zurich; 2. Bern; 3. Lucerne; 4. Uri ; 5. Schwetz ;. 6. Underwalden ; 7. Zug ; 8. Claris; 13. Appenzel. CITIES.] BERN, on the river Aar, is the molt considerable city in Switzerland. BASIL, on the banks of the Rhine, contains 220 ftreets, and by fome is reckoned the capital of all Switzerland. RTVERS.] The principal rivers are Rhine and Rhone, both of which rife in the Alps. AIR, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS.] This country is full of mountains; on the tops of fome of them the fnow remains the year round ; the air, of coiilequence, is keen, and the trolls fcverc. In the fummer the inequality of the foil renders the fame province very unequal in its lea Ions. On one fide of the mountains, called the Alps, the inhabitants are often reaping, while they are fowing on the other. The vallies, Lowever, are warm, fruitful, and well cultivated. The water of Switzerland is ex- cellent, defcending from the mountains in beautiful cataracts, which have a molt plealing and delightful effect. Its productions are fheep, cattle, wine, flax, wheat, barley, apples, peaches, cherries, chefnuts, and plums. POPULATION AND CHARACTER.] The number of inhabitants are reckoned at 1,500,000. The Swifs are a brave, hardy, indnltrious people, remarkable for their fidelity, and their zealous attachment to the liberties of their country. A general Simplicity of manners, an open, unaffected franknefs, together with an invincible Ipirit of free- . dona* 4 NETHERLANDS. dom, are the moft diflinguifhing characterises of the inhabitants of Switzerland, On the firil entrance into this country, travellers cannot but obferve the air of con- tent and fatisrhclion which appears in the countenances of the inhabitants A taite for literature is prevalent among them, from the L > the loweit rank. Thefe are 'the happy eonfequences of a mild republican government. RELIGION.] The eftablifhcd religions are Calvjnifm aad Popery ; though, in fome do6trinal points, they differ much from Calvin. 1 heir fentiments on religious tole- ration are much Jefs liberal than upon civil government. GOVERNMENT.] Switzerland comprehends thirteen cantons ; that is, fo many dif- ferent republics, all united into one confederacy, for their mutual prcfervation. The government is partly ?riflocratical, and partly democrat ical. Every canton is ab- iblute in its own jurifdiclion. But whet hi r the government be ariftocratical, de- mocratical or mixed, a. general fpirit of liberty pervades and actuates the feveral coiiftitiitious. The real interefis of the people appear to be attended to, and they en- joy a degree of happinefs not to be expected in derpotic governments. HISTORY.] The old inhabitants of this country were called Helvetii ; they were defeated by Julius Caefar, 57 years before Chrift, and the territory remained iubject to the Romans, till it was conquered by the Alemans, German emigrants, A. D. 395 ; who were expelled by Clovis, king of France, in 496. It underwent another revolution in 888, being made part of the kingdom of Burgundy, to Conrad li. em- peror of Germany ; from which time it was lield as part of the empire, till the year 1307, when a very fingular revolt delivered the Swifs cantons from the German yoke. Grifler, governor of thefe provinces for the emperor Albert, having ordered one Wil- liam Tell, an illuflrious Swifs patriot, under pain of death, to fhoot at an apple, placed on the head of one of his children, he had the dexterity, though the diiiance was very considerable, to ftrike it off without hitting the child. The tyrant, perceiving that he had another arrow under his cloak, afked him for what purpoie he intended it ? he boldly replied, " To have fhot you to the heart, if Yd had the misfortune to kill '" myfon." The enraged governor ordered him to be hanged, but his fellow citizens, animated by his fortitude and patriotism, flew to arms, attacked and vanquished Grifler, who was fhot dead by Tell, and the independency of the feveral ftates of this country, now called the Thirteen Cantons, under a republican form of government, took place immediately; which was made perpetual, by a league among themfelves, in the year 1315 ; and confirmed by treaty with the other powers of Europe, 1649, Seven of thefe cantons are Roman Catholics, and fix Proteftants. NETHERLANDS. THE feventeen provinces, which are known by the name of the Netherlands, were formerly part of Gallia Belgica, and afterwards of the circle of Belgium, or Burgundy, in the German empire. They obtained the general name of Netherlands, or Low Countries, from their fituation in reipect of Germany. EXTENT, SITUATION, AND BOUNDARIES, OP THE SEVENTEEN PROVINCES. Miles. Length 3601 , , f 49 and 54' N. Latitude, Breadth 260 J* D een 1 2 and / E. Longitude. i The H O L L A N D. 6615 They arc bounded by the German fea on the north ; by Germany, eaft : by Lor- ram and trance, fouth ; and by the Britifh channel, weft. We lhall, for the lake of perfpicuity, and to avoid repetition, treat of the fcventeen Provinces under two great diviiions : firft, the Northern, which contain the Seven United Provinces, ufually known by the name of HOLLAND- : fccondly,- the Southern containing the Auftrian and French Netherlands. Miles. Length 180 i , r Breath 14, | behveen { HOLLAND, OR THE SEVEN UNITED PROVINCES. Miles. ;i 20' and 52 N. Latitude. 7 2 and 7 E. Longitude. S IO ' OC BOUNDARIES] "D OTJNDED eaft, by Germany; fouth, by the Auftrian and JL> French Netherlands; weft and north, by the German ocean. Containing 113 towns, 1400 villages. DIVISIONS AND POPULATION-. . Population. Provinces. Guelderland, Holland, Utrecht, Zealand, Friefland, - Overyffel, Groningen, 980,000 85,000 - 85,000 140,000 100,000 Chief Towns. Nimeguen, Amftcrdam, Utrecht, Middleburg, Leuwarden, Deventer, Inhabitants. I2,OOO 2I2,OOO 30,000 24,OOO Groningen. Total, 2,758,632 in 1785 Country of Drenthe, under the protection of the United Provinces. Lands of the Generality, commonly called Dutch Brabant, 435,000 inhabitants. Chief town, Bois le Due, 12,000 inhabitants. POSSESSIONS.] i. In AJia. The coaft of the ifland of Java; the capital of which is Batavia, the teat of the governor-general of all the Eail India fettlements of the Dutch. 2. Some fettlements on the coafts of Sumatra. 3. The greateft part of the Molucca, or Spice Iflands ; chiefly Amboyna, Banda, Ternate, Tidof, Motyr, Ba- chian ; fettlements or factories on the ifland of Celebes, &c. 4. On the coafts of Malabar and Coromandel ; Sedraipatam, Bimlipatan, Tepatam, Cochin, and Ca- nannore ; factories at Surat, Petra, &c. alfo in the gulf of Perlia, at Gamron, Baffora, &c. 5. On the ifland of Ceylon, the chief place is Colombo; they have belides, Trincomale, Jafnapatam, Negambo, and a great number of lodges, or factories. 2. In Africa, i. The Cape of Good Hope, a large fettlement, of which the Cape- town, with its fortrefs, is the capital. There is alfo a French colony at the Cape, called Nouvelle- Rochelle. The governor of the Cape doe? not depend on the go- vernor of Batavia, but is under the immediate control of the States of Holland. 2. George dc la Mina, and other fortrefles, and factories in Guinea. 4 R 3- & 666 HOLLAND. 3. In America, i. The iflands of St. Eultatia, Saba, Curacoa. i. The colonIe-3 of EfTequibo, Dcmarara, Surinam, and Berbice, on the continent of Guiana. WEALTH AND COMMERCE.] The Seven United Provinces afford a linking pr- that unwearied and perfevering induilry is capable of conquering ev< [vantage of climate and lituation. The air and water are bad ; the foil naturally produce's fcarcely any thing but turf; and the pofleflion of this foil, poor as it is, is difpuled by the ocean, which, rifing conliderably above the level of the land, ran only be prevented by ftrong and expenlive dykes, from overflowing a fpot which leem-; to be'ftolen from its natural domains. Notwithstanding thefe difficulties, which might ieem infurmountable to a lefs induftrious people, the perfevering labours of the patient Dutchmen have rendered this fmall, and- feemingly infignificant territory, one of the richeft fpots in Europe, both with refpecl to population and property. In other countries, which are pofTeffed of a variety of natural productions, we are not mrprited to find manufacturers employed in multiplying the riches, which the bounty of the foil bellows ; but to fee, in a country like Holland, large woollen manufactories, where there are fcarcely any flocks ; numberlefs artilts employed in metals, where there is no mine; thoufands of law mills, where there is Icarcely any foreft ; an irnmenfe quantity of corn exported from a country where there is not agriculture enough to fupport one half of its inhabitants, mult ftrike every obferver with admiration. Among' the mofl valuable productions" of this country may be reckoned their excellent cattle. They export large quantities of madder, a vegetable much ufed in dying. Their fifheries yield a clear profit of many millions of florins.. The trade of Holland extends to almofl every part of the world, to the .exclufion, in ibme branches, of all their European competitors. CAPITAL.] AMSTERDAM, which is built on piles of wood, and is one of the mofl commercial cities in the world, has more than one half the trade of Holland r and, in this celebrated center of an immenfe commerce, a bank is eftablifhed of that ipecies, called a Giro Bank, of very great wealth and greater credit. GOVERNMENT.] Since the great confederation of Utrecht, made in the year 1579, the Seven United Provinces mull be looked upon as one political body, united for the prefervation of the whole, of which each lingle province is governed by its own Jaw?, and exetcifes rjiofl of the rights of a fovereign Irate. In confequence of the union, the Seven Provinces guarantee each other's, rights ; they make war and peace, , they * levy taxes, art of the world. . , c , GOVERNMENT 1 The Auftrian Netherlands are ftill confidered as a circle of th empire, of winch the archducal houfe, as being ^^ ^^ i'm ofts of direaor and fnmmoning prince. This circle contributes its fliare to the impofts ot 4 R a 663 FRANCE. the empire, nnd fends an envoy to the diet, but is not fubjecl to the judicatories of the empire. It is under a governor-general, appointed by the court of Vienna. The face of an afTcmbly or parliament for eaeh province is frill kept up, ap,d conliils of the clergy, nobility, and deputies of towns, who meet at BruiFels. Each province claims particular privileges, but they are of very little effect ; and the governor feldom or never finds any reiiflance to the will of his court. Every province has a par- ticular governor, fubjecl to the regent ; and caufes are here decided according to the civil and canon law. HISTORY.] Flanders, originally the country of the ancient Belgae, was con- quered by Julius Coefar, forty-feven years before Chrift ; paffed into the hands of France, A. D. 412 ; and was governed by its carls, fubjeel: to that crown, from 864 to 1369. By marriage, it then came into the houfe of Auftria; but was yielded to Spain in 1556. Shook off the Spanifh yoke 1572, and in the year 1725, by the treaty of Vienna, was annexed to the German empire. FRANCE. Miles. Length 5001 between (-45 ad 51 N. Lat, Breadth 600 / if and 8 E. Long. BOUNDED north, by the Englifh. channel and the Netherlands ; eaft, by Ger- many, Switzerland, and Italy ; fouth, by the Mediterranean and Spain ; well., "by the Bay of Bifcay. Containing, before the revolution, 400 cities, 1500 fmaller towns, 43,000 parilhes, 100,000 villages. POSSESIONS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE GLOBE.. i- In AJla. Some diftricts on the coaft of Coromandel, of which Ponclicherry is- the capital. Some lets conliderable fettlements on the Malabar coafb, and in Bengal, and feveral factories. 2. In Africa. In'Barbary, Baftion de France. The ifland of .Gorce, part of Se- iiegambia, Fort Louis' ori the Senegal, anil Podar, Galam, Portendic^ Fort Arguin. On the coaft of Guinea, Francois. In tlie Indian Sca> the iflands of Bourbon and; Ifle de France. 3. In America. The .North American inands, , of St. Pierre and Miquclon. In the Weft' Indies, part of the ifland of St. Domingo, the iflands of Martinique, Guadaloupe, St. Lucia; Maria Gahnte, St. Martin, and: ' Tobagb. In South Ame- rica, fome fettlements jn Guiana and Cayenne. All thefe pofterrions, "according, to Neckar, contain' about 600.000 inhabitants. Moft of thefe places have lately fallen into the hands of 'the Britifli. Since the Revolution, a new divilion of the kingdom has been made as follows: " Each diflricl to be divided into cantoris, of about four fquare leagues eachj with- at leaft one primary anenibly in e!ach cknton. If the number of citizens in a canton do not amount to 900, there is to be -only-one afiembly; but if they amount to that number, there are to be two afTemblies of 450 each. Each ordinary afTembly to coniift as nearly as poffible, of 600, which fhall be the mean number : the lean: to be 440. The number of deputies fent to the national arTembly by each dinner, to be in proportion to the population, taxes, and territory, jointly considered." This FRANCE. 669 . This new political diviiion of France correfponds, in fome refpecls, with the divi- fmns of New England: Diftricts in France aniwer to counties in New England cantons to townfhips, and affemblies to town meetings. CLIMATE, SOIL, RIVERS, COMMERCE, &c.] France is fituated in a very mild cli- mate. Its toil in molt parts is very fertile; it is bounded by high ridges of moun- tains, the lower branches of which crofs the greater part of the kingdom ; it abounds with large river.;, viz. the'Rhone, the Loire, the Garonne, the Seine, &c. to the amount of 200, many of which are navigable ; and it is contiguous to two oceans. Thcle united advantages render this kingdom one of the richeft countries in Europe, both with refpecr. to natural productions and commerce. Wine is the ftaple commo- dity of France. One million fix hundred thoufand acres of ground are laid out in vineyards ; and the net profit from each acre is eftimated at from-' four to feven pounds fieri ing. France annually exports wines to the amount of twenty-four millions of livres. The fruits and other productions of France' do not much differ from thofe of Spain, but are raifed in much greater plenty. France has very important fifheries, both on her own and on the American coaft. In 1773, there were in France 1500 filk mills, 21,000 looms for filk fluffs, 12,000 for ribands and lace, 20,000 for filk ftockings, and the different filk nranufacVories employed 2,000,000 of people. In point of commerce, Fiance may be ranked next to England and Holland. Be- fore the revolution, tlie French had the greateft fhare of the Levant trade they en- joyed fome valuable commercial privileges in Turkey; but their Weft India pofleflions; whrch were admirably cultivated and governed, were the richeft. Before the late American war, the balance of commerce, in favour of France, was eftimated at 70,000,000 livres.* COVER NMENT.] Republican unfettled". In this country there were 18 archbifhops, in bimops, 166,000 clergymen, 5,400 convents, containing 200,000 perfons devoted to monaftic life. Thefe are all abo- limcd fince the revolution. LEARNING.] The fciences have rifen to-a very great height in this nation, which can boail of having produced great matfer-pieces in almoft every branch of fcientific knowledge, and elegant literature. There are 20 univerfities in France. The royal academies, of fciences, of the French language, and of infcriptions and antiquities at Paris, are juftly celebrated. HISTO.IIY.] France was originally the country of the ancient Gauls, and was con- quered by the Romans twenty-five years before Chriil. The Goths, Vandals, Alans, and Suevi, and afterwards the- Burgundi, divided it amongfc them irom A. D. 400 to* 476, when the Franks, another fet of German' emigrants, who had iettled between, the Rhine and the Maine, completed the foundation of the prefent kingdom under and homage paid to hirn accordingly. The Engli: France dmm- the reign of Henry VI. between 1434 and 1450. The laft kino- o f this potent empire, was Louis XVL the friend of America and of Hie rights of mankind. He was born Auguft 23, 1754; married Maria Antomctta of Auitria, May 16, 1770 ; acceded to the throne upon tfie death of his -grandfather * k J_*Ol.ilS * By the lofs of her valuable poffeffibns in the Eaft and Weft Indies, and the ifland of Gorfica, her com- jjience is nearly annihilated, i 670 SPA I N. Louis XV. Ma)' 10, 1774; and was crowned at Rhcims, June 12, 1775. He was beheaded January 21, 1793, and his queen met with the fame untimely fate, Oct. 16, in the4ame year. S P A I N. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Length 700 1 between [ & and 44 N. Lat. Breadth 500! 1 3 and 10 E. Long. T T3OUNDED weft, by Portugal and the Atlantic; north, by the BOUNDARIES.^ rS , cr> - r j i ^ , \ r -, ./,. -*-* , cr> - r j ^ , r -, .,. bay or Bilcay and the ryrenean mountains, which divide it from, France ; eaft and fouth, by the Mediterranean Sea, and the Straits of Gibraltar. Spain is divided into 14 diltricls, in which are 139 towns, and 21,083 villages and boroughs.,. POSSESSIONS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE GLOBE. 1. In Africa. On the coaft of Barbary, the towns of Ceuta, Oran, Melilla, and Mafalquivir : the Canary Wands, viz. Canaria, Ferro, TenerifTe, &c. The iilands of Annabou and.Delpo, under the equator. 2. In AJla. The Philippine Iflands, the principal of which is Luzon, whofe capi- tal is Manilla. The Marian, the Caroline, and Palaos iflands. 3. In America. Immenfe provinces, much larger than all Europe, moft of which are ailonifhingly fertile. (i.) In North America, Louifania, California, Old Mexico, or New Spain, New Mexico, both the Floridas. (2.) In the Weft Indies, the ifland of Cuba, one half of St. Domingo, Porto Ri- co, Trinidad, Margaretta, Tortuga, &c. (3.) In South America, Terra Firma, Peru, Chili, Tucuman, Paraguay, Patagonia. Thefe extenlive countries we have already mentioned. RIVERS.] The Deuro, the Tagus, the Guadiana, the Guadalquivir, all which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, and the Ebro, the ancient Iberus, which falls into the Me- diterranean. CAPITAL.] MADRID, iituated on a branch of the river Tagus, contains 140,000 inhabitants.^ CADIZ, Iituated on the Atlantic, a little to the northward of the Straits of Gibraltar, is the great emporium of Spain, and contains 80,000 inhabitants. WEALTH AND COMMERCE.] The advantages of Spain as to climate, foil, natural productions, rivers, navigation, and foreign pofTeflions, which are immensely rich, ought to raife this monarchy high above all the other powers of Europe ; yet the re- verfe is the cafe : Spain is but thinly peopled has but little commerce few manu- factures- and what little commerce it has, is almoft entirely in the hands of itrangers, notwithftanding the impediments thrown in their way by government. Spain produces excellent oranges, lemons, almonds, figs, grapes, pomegranates, dates, piflachios capers, chefnuts, tobacco, foda, faffron, honey, fait, faltpetre, wines -of a rich and delicious flavour, cotton, rice, corn, oil, wool, filk, hemp, flax, &c. which, with proper induftry, might be exported to an amazing amount. And yet all the PORTUGAL. 671 the exports of Spain, moil articles of which no other country can fupply, are efti- iaa(cd ut only 3,333,333/. ftcrling. Spain docs not produce corn enough for its own comumption, and is under the ncccffity of importing large, quantities. GOVERNMENT.] Spain is an abfolute monarchy. The provinces of Navarre, Bif- cay, and Arragon, have preferved fome of their ancient privileges. The king's edicts mull be regiiVa-d in the court of Caftile before they acquire the force of laws. The crown is hereditary both in the male and female line. By a law made in 1715, female heirs cannot fucceed till after the whole male line is extinct.. RELIGION.] The Roman Catholic religion, to the exclufion of all others, is the religion of the Spaniih monarch ; and it is in thefe countries, of the mofl bigotted, fuperilitious, and tyrannical character. All other denominations of Chriftians, as well as Jews, are expoicd to all the feverities of perfecution, The power of the court of Jnquilition, eftablifhcd in Spain in 1578, has been diminifhed in fome refpects by the interference of the civil power. It is fuppofed that the clergy of this kingdom amount to 200,000, half of whom are monks and nuns, diftributed in 3000 convents. The revenue of the archbifhop pf Toledo is 300,000 ducats. There are in the king- dom of Spain, 8 archbifnops, 46 bifhops ; in America, 6 archbifhops and 28 bifhops; in the Philippine illes, i archbilhop and 3 bifhops. All thefe dignities are in the gift of the King. Fifty-two inferior ecclefiaftical dignities and offices are in the gift of the Pope. HISTORY.] The firft inhabitants of Spain were the Celta?, a people of Gaul ; after them the Phoenicians pofTeffed themfelves of the mofl fouthern parts of the country, - and may well be fuppofed to have been the firft civilizers of this kingdom, and the founders of the moft ancient cities. After thefe followed the Grecians ; then the Car- thaginians, on whole departure, lixteen years before Clirift, 'it became fubject to the Romans, till the year 400, when the Goths, Vandals, Suevi, Alans, and Sillingi, on Gonilantine's' withdrawing his forces from that kingdom to the eaft, invaded it, and divided it amongft themfelves ; but the Goths in a little time were ible matters of it, under their king Alarick I. who founded the Spanifh monarchy. After a regular fuc- eetlion of monarchs, we come to the prefent king Charles IV. who'afcended the throne in the year 1788.. PORTUGAL.. "SITUATION A^D EXTENT. Miles. Length c?oo 1 , f37 and 4^ N - Latitude. Breadth loo} between 1 7 and 10 Weft Longitude.. -i "ROUNDED- north and eaft, by Spain; fouth and weft; by the & Atlantic Ocean. Containing 19 towns, 527 villages, 3343 parifh.es. . c . RIVERS.] Every brook in Portugal is called a river. Its rivers rife in Spam and run weft through Portugal, into the Atlantic. The moft noted is the Tagus. CAPITAL.! LISBON, at the month of the Tagus, contains about 150,000 mnabi tauts. In 1755, it was laid level with the ground,' by a tremendous earthquake which was fucceeded by a general conflagration, in which cataftrophe upward 10,000 people loft their lives. MATE 672 I T A L Y. Cr.niATK, PRODUCTIONS, AND COMMERCE.] Portugal, fituatcd in a genial climate, abounds in excellent natural productions, and is well watered. It porTeifes very rich provinces in, and upon the coafls of Aiia, Africa, and America. It is, however, not proportional)!)' powerful ; its inhabitants are indigent, and the balance of trade is againft it. It is even obliged to import the neceffaries of life, chiefly corn, from other countries. Portugal produces wine, wool, oil, honey, anife feed, fumac, a variety of fine fruits, fome corn, flax, and cork. In 1785, the goods imported from Great Bri- tain and Ireland into Portugal, confifting of woollens, corn, fifh, wood, and hard ware, amounted to upwards of 96o,ooo/. ftcrling. The Englifh took in return, of the produce of Portugal and Brazil, to the amount of 728,0007. fterling. Only 15 millions of livres are fuppofed to circulate in a country which draws annually upwards of 1,500,0007. fterling, or 36 millions of livres, from the mines of Brazil. Since the difcovery of thcfe mines, that is, within 60 years, Portugal has brought from Brazil about 2,400,000,000 of livres, or 1 00,000, oop/. fterling. GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION.] Since the council of the three eftates, viz. the clergy, the nobility, and the cities, the members of which are nominated by the king, was iubftituted in the room of the diets or meetings of the ftates (which event took place the latter end of the laft century) the government of "the kingdom of Portugal has been abfolutely monarchical. The proceedings of the courts of juftice are flow and arbitrary, and the number of lawyers and law officers is exceedingly great. The ftate of religion in Portugal is the fame as in Spain. The Portuguefe clergy conlifl of one Patriarch, a dignity granted to the church of Portugal in the year 1716, of 3 archbifhops and 15 bifhops. The whole number of cccleiiaftics is 200,000 : 30,000 of which, and fome fay 60,000, are monks and nuns.- The number of con- vents is 745. The number of clerical perfons to that of the laymen, is as i to 1 1. HISTORY.] Portugal was anciently called Lufitania, and inhabited by tribes of wandering people, till it became fubjecl: to the Carthaginians and Phoenicians, who were difpoffeffed by the Romans -250 years before Chrift. In the 5th century, it fell under the yoke of the Suevi and Vandals, who were driven out by the Goths of Spain, in the year 589; but when the Moors of Africa made themfelves mafters of the great- eft part of Spain, in the beginning of the eighth century, they penetrated into Lufi- tania; there they eftablifhed governors, who made themfelves kings. It became fubjecl: to Spain in 1580; but in 1640, the people rebelled, fhook off the Spanifh yoke, and elected for their king the duke of Braganza, who took the name of John IV. in whofe family it has ever fince remained, independent of Spain. Her prefent majefty's name is Mary Francis Ifabella, who acceded to the throne in the year 1777. ITALY. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Square Miles. Length 600 \ , [38 and 47 N. Lat. i Breadth 400 1 between i T and Jy E. Long, j ?^ 6 TTALY is a large peninfula, fhaped like a boot and fpnr ; and is bounded north, by JL the Alps, which divide it from France and Switzerland ; eaft, by the gulf of Ve- nice, or Adriatic fea ; fouth and weft, by the Mediterranean fea. The I T A L Y. 673 The whole of the Italian dominions, comprehending Corfu a and Sardinia, are di- vided as follows : To the king- dom of Sar-< dinia belong Tothekingdom of Naples, "Piedmont, Savoy, Montierrat, To their refpcc- AlefTandrine, Oncglia, . Sardinia Ifl. Naples, I Sicily ifland, tive princes, Tufcany, Mafia, Parma, fMilan, To the Emper.-j Mantua, LMirandola, Pope's dominions. Modena, Piombino, . Monaco, f Lucca, 4 St. Marino, j^ Genoa. Cornea ifland. f Venice, To the Republic 1 Iftria, of Venice, j Dalmatia, Uflesof Daimat. Iflands in the Venetian dominions. Republics, To England, AIR, SOIL, AND PRODUCTIONS. 1 Italy is the moft celebrated country in Europe, having been formerly the feat of the Roman empire, and is at prefent of the Pope. The country is fo line and fruitful, that it is commonly called the garden of Europe. The air is temperate and vvholefome, excepting the territory of the Church, where it is very indifferent. The foil is fertile and produces wheat, rice, wine, oil, oranges, and all forts of fruits, flowers, honey, lilk ; and in the kingdom of Naples are cot- ton and fugar. The forefls are full of all kinds of game. On the mountains are fine paftures, which feed great numbers of cattle. INHABITANTS/] Italy is thought to contain upwards of fourteen millions of inhabi- tants. The Italians excel in complaifant, obliging behaviour to each other, and affability to foreigners; muiic, poetry, painting, fculpture, and architecture, are their favourite ftudies, and there are no people who have brought them to greater per- fection. RELIGION.] The Italians are zealous profefTors of the doctrine of the church of Rome. The Jews are here tolerated in the public exercife of their religion. The natives, either in reverence to the Pope, or by being induilrioufly kept in ignorance of the proteftant doctrines, entertain monftrous notions of all the diflenters from the church of Rome. The inquilition here is little more than a found. In Naples, there are 20 archbifhops, icybiihops: in Sicily, 3 archbifhops, and 8 biihops. In the year 1782, there were in Naples alone, 45,525 priefts, 24,694 monks, 20,793 nuns, In 1783, government refolved to diflblve 466 convents of nuns. CHIEF CITY.] ROME, once the capital of the world, is now the chief city in Italy. It contained, in the year 1714, 143,000 inhabitants, and is Htuated upon the river Tyber. It was founded by Romulus 750 years before Chriit, and was formerly three tiines as large ns at prefent ; and is now one of the largeit and handlbmeft cities in Europe. . MOUNTAINS.] Mount Vefuvius, in the kingdom of Naples, and jfitea, ia Sicily, arc remarkable for their fiery eruptions, which frequently bury whole cities in ruins. GOVERNMENT.] The government of Venice is ariftocratical, under a chief ma- giftrate called a Doge, who is laid to be a king as to robes, a fenator in the counc;! houfe, a prifoner within the city, and a private man out of it. 4 S Inere 674 TURKEY. There are many different fovereignties in Italy. It is divided into little republics, principalities, and dukedoms, which, in fpiritual matters, are fubject to the po^e, whoj like the ghoft of the deceafed Roman empire, fits crowned upon its grave. HISTORY.] The aera of the foundation of Rome begins April 20, 753 years before the birth of Chrift. Authors generally affign the honour to Romulus its firft king, who was but eighteen years old. He was a wife, courageous, and politic prince. St. Peter is placed at the head of the popes or bifhops of Rome, in the 33d year- of the common cera. The prefent pope is Pius VI. elected February 15, 1775. TURKEY.. The Grand Sign'tor's. Dominions are divided into Inhabitants. Sq. Miles, i-, Turkey in Europe.T 2. Turkey in Alia. I 49,000,000 OUNDED by Ruffia, Poland, and Sclavonia,- on the north; BOUNDARIES.] [^ PSrrafllj,. thp Rlarlr Spa. flip Prnnnntis. FTpllpfnnnt. anH Ar > the Black Sea, the Propontis, Hellefpont, and Archi- pelago, on .the eaft ; by the Mediterranean, on the fouth ; by the fame lea, and the Venetian and Auftrian territories, on the weft. SOIL, AIR, AND PRODUCTIONS.] Nature has been lavr/h of her bleffings upon the inhabitants of Turkey in thefe particulars-. The foil, though unimproved, through the indolence of the Turks, is luxuriant beyond defcription. The air is falubrious and friendly to the imagination, unfefs corrupted by the neighbouring countries, or through the uncleanlinels of its inhabitants. The feafons here are regular and plea- 1 fant, and have been celebrated from the remotefl times of antiquity. The Turks are invited to frequent bathings, by the purity and wholefomenefs of the water in every part of their dominions. Raw lilk, cotton, -oil, leather, tobacco, cake foap, honey, wax, manna, and various fruits and drugs, are here produced in plenty. CHIEF CITIES.] CONSTANTINOPLE, the capital of this empire, {landing on the weft fide of the Bofphorus 3 in the Province of Romania, was rebuilt by the emperor Conftantine in the fourth century, .who transferred hither the feat of the Roman go- vernment ; upon his death it obtained the name of Conftantinople. It is of a trian- gular fhape, warned by the lea on .two iides, and riling gradually from the fhore, in the form of an amphitheatre. The view of it, from the harbour, is confefledly tho iineft in the world. The city is furrounded by a wall about 1 2 miles in circumference, . and the fuburbs are very extenlive. It contains 1,000,000 fouls, of which 200,000 are Greeks, 40,000 Armenians, and 60,000 Jews. RELIGION.] ISLANDS, SEAS, MOUNTAINS, &c. 675 RELIGION.] The eftabliflied religion in this empire is the Mahometan, of the fecft of the Sunnites. All other religions are tolerated, on paying a certain capitation. Among the Chriftians rending in Turkey, thole of the orthodox Greeks are the mofl numerous, and they enjoy, among other privileges, that of being advanced to dignities and polls of trufl and profit. The Turkifh clergy are numerous, being competed of all the learned in the empire, and are the only teachers of the law, and muft be con- fulted in all important cafes. GOVERNMENT.] See Turkey in Afia. HISTORY.] The Ottoman empire, or fovereignty of the Turkifh empire, was founded at Conftantinople by Othman I. upon the total deftruclion of the empire of the (-a {tern Greeks, in the year 1300, who was fucceeded by a race of the moil war- like princes that are recorded in hiftory. The Turkifh throne is hereditary in the fa- mily of Olmun. The prelent Ottoman or Turkifh emperor is Abdelhamet or Achmet III. who had been in confinement 44 years. He fucceeded his brother Muftapha III. January ai, 1774.* ISLANDS, SEAS, MOUNTAINS, Sec. OF EUROPE. principal iflands of Europe are, Great Britain and Ireland in the north. la the Mediterranean fea are, Yvica, Majorca, and Minorca, fubject to Spain. Cor- lica, fu' jcct to England by conquer!. Sardinia is iubjec~t to its own king; and Sicily is governed by a viceroy under the king of Naples, to whom the ifland belongs. The iflands of the Baltic, the Adriatic, and Ionian feas are not worthy of notice. T'ie principal feas, gulfs, and bays in Europe, are the Adriatic fea, between Italy and Turkey ; the Baltic fea, between Denmark, Poland, and Sweden ; the bay of Bifcay, between France and Spain ; the Englifh channel, between England and France ; the Euxine or Black fea, between Europe and Afia ; the German ocean, be- tween Germany and Britain ; and the Mediterranean fea, between Europe and Africa. The chief mountains in Europe are, the Alps, between France and Italy; the Ap- pennine hills in Italy ; the Pyrenean hills, that divide France from Spain ; the Carpa- thian mountains, in the fouth of Poland ; the Peak in Derbyfhire ; the Plinlimmon in Wales ; befides the terrible volcanoes, or burning mountains of Vefuvius and Stromboli, in Naples ; ^Etna in Sicily, and Hecla in the cold ifland of Iceland. * See the Hiftory of the Turkith or Ottoman Empire, by A, Hawkins, Efq. in 4 rols. 8vo. Printed For J. Stockdale. ASIA, ASIA r pHIS hnmenfe tract of country Itretches into all climates, from the frozen wilds of Siberia, where the hardy inhabitants, clothed in fur, are drawn in fledges over the fnow to the lultry regions of India and Siam, where, leated on huge elephants, the people fhelter themfelves from the fcorcliing rays of the fun by the fpreading um- brella. This is the principal quarter of the globe ; for in Alia, the All-wife Creator planted the garden of Eden, in which Adam and Eve. were formed, from whom the whole human race have derived their exiftence. Afia became again the nurfery of the world after the deluge, whence the defcendants of Noah difperfed their various colonies into all the other parts of the globe. It was here our Saviour was born, and accom- plilhecl the great and merciful work of our redemption, and it was hence, that the light of his glorious gofpel was carried, with amazing rapidity, into all the furround- ing nations, by his difciplcs and followers. This was, in fhort, the theatre of almoil e"very action recorded in the Holy Scriptures. This vaft tract of land was, in the earlieft ages, governed by the Affyrians, Mcdes, Perlians, and Greeks. Upon the cxtindlion of thefe empires, the Romans carried their arms even beyond the Ganges, till at length the Mahometans, or as they are ufually called, Saracens, fpread their devaluations over this country, deftroying all its ancient fplendour, and rendering the moil populous and fertile Ipots of Alia, wild and uncultivated deferts. Among the remarkable mountains of Alia are, Ararat, near the Cafpian fea; on which the ark of Noah refted, when the waters of the deluge fubiided ; and Horeb and Sinai, in Arabia. The principal languages fpoken in Alia are, the modern Greek, the Turkilh, the Ruffian, the Tartarian, the Perlian, the Arabic, the Malayan, the Chinefe, and the Japanefe. The European languages are alfo fpoken upon the coaits of India and China. The continent of Alia is lituated between 25 and 1 80 degrees of eaft longitude, and between the equator, and 80 degrees of north latitude. It is about 4740 miles in length, and about 4380 miles in breadth. It is bounded north, by the Frozen Ocean ; welt, by the Red Sea, Levant, or Mediterranean, and Europe; eafr, by the Pacific Ocean, or South Sea, which feparates it from America ; fouth, by the Indian Ocean ; fo that it is almoft Surrounded by the fea. . This vaft tract of country is divided as follows, viz. Nations. ASIA. 677 Nations; Square Miles. Chief Cities. Diftance and bear- ing from London. Religions. Rullian - - - Chi lie ie - Mogulean - - Indepeoden. 3,50 5 000 644,000 185,350 600,060 Tobollk Chynian Tibet Samarcand | 2160 N. E." 4480 N. E. 378o E. 2800 E. 4310 Chrift. and Pag. Pagans Pagans Pagans China - 1,105.000 Pekin 4320 S. E. Pagans Moguls - - - 1,916.500 Delhi 3720 S. E. Mahom. & P:-:g. India beyond the 1 Ganges - J 74' ? 5 QO Siam Pen;u 5040 S. E. Mahom. & Pag. Perlia 800,00 j L pa hah 2460 S. E. Mahometans" Part oi Arabia - 7OO,OOO Mecca 2640 S. E. Mahometans by; :i - - - 29,^00 Aleppo 1866 S. E. Chrift, & Mah. JHoly Land - - ~,6:x JeiuiaK m 1920 S. E. Chrift. & Mah. Natolia - - - 195,000 Buna, or Smyrna 1440 S. E. Mahometans Diarbeck of Me- 1 potam. - - I 27,600 Diarbeck 2060 S. E. 1 Irac or Chald/a. 50,. too Bagdajt 2240 f with fome few Turcomania or i Armenian - J 55, coo Erzerum 1860 S. E. Chriftians. Georgia - - - 25,600 lY-lis 1920 E. J Curdiftan or Aifyria 23,900 Scherazer 2,220 E. Mahometans. o 3 H All the iflands of Afia (except Cyprus, already mentioned, in the Levant, belonging to the Turks) lie in the Pacific or Eaftern Ocean, and the Indian Seas, of which the principal, where the Europeans trade, or have fettlements, are, Towns; Jeddo, Meaco - - Guam Tou-ouan-fou - Kionteheow Manilla Victoria fort, Ternate Lantor Amboyna MacarTar Gilolo Borneo, Caytongee - Achen, Eencoolcn - Batavia, Bantam Andaman, Nicobar - Candy The Japanefc iiles - - - The Ladrones - Formofa - - - - - - Anian The Philipines- - The Molucca or Clove ifles - The Banda, or Nutmeg ifles Amboyna ^ furrounding the -j Celebes [the Molucca [ Gilolo, &c. J and Banda ifles J ( Borneo The Sunda iHes \ Sumatra I Java, &c. The Andama and Nicobar ifles Ceylon Sq. Miles. Trade with or belong. 38.000 Dutch Spain 17,000 1 China I I,90O J 133,700 Spain Dutch Dutch 400 Dutch 68,4"oo Dutch 10,400 Dutch 228,000 All nations 129,000 Eng. & Dt. 38,250 Dutch All nations 27,730 Dutch The TURKEY IN ASIA. Iflands. Towns. Sq. Miles/ Trade with or belong. The Maldives -Caridon All nations Bombay Bombay Englilh The "Kuril e iflcs, and thofe in the fea of Kamtfchatka, Jatcly difcovcrcd by the Ruffians* Ruffia, TURKEY IN ASIA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. "Sq. Miles. Length 1000 i , - r 2,7 and 16 E. Long, i \ between ] ' 00 , . XT T v 152,0.020 Breadth 800 J I 28 ,and 45 N. Lat. J 9 n -.TJOUNDED by the Black Sea and Ci.-cafTia, on the north ; by Per- S '-l 13 fia, on the eaft ; by Arabia and the Levant Sea, on the fouth; and by the Archipelago, the Hellefpont, and Propontis, which feparate it frurn Eu- rope, on the weft. MOUNTAINS.] Thefe are famous in facred, as well as profane writings. The mod remarkable are, Olympus, Taurus, and Antitaurus ; Caucafus and Ararat ; Lebanon and Herinon. RIVERS.] The fame may be obferved of the rivers, which are the Tigris, Oromos, Meander, Sarabat, Kara, and Jordan. WEALTH AND COMMERCE, j The Turkifh dominions, including, beiides the above fpecificd pofTeflions in Europe, the provinces of Afia Minor, Georgia,* Min- grelia, Armenia, Bagdat, Aleppo, Damafcus, Falasflii'a, part of Arabia and Egypt, belong to thofe parts of the world which enjoy the molt delightful climate, and the happieft lituation for -commerce and the acquifition of opulence. Nature has poured out her gifts on thcfe provinces with profuiion : but the tyrannical government no\v prevailing in this large part of the world, being hoftile to induftry anil population, renders this immenfe empire wretched and indigent. Beiides the fineft natural productions which are found in Spain and Italy, Turkey in Afia abounds in horfes, and in various forts of excellent peltry, fupplied by the wild beafls in the mountainous and woody parts of the provinces. It produces alfo a great deal of cotton, maftich, manna, goats hair, which refembles lilk in foftnefs., clpecially the fort called camel-hair. The principal trading towns in Turkey are the cities of Conftaminople, Smyrna, Aleppo, Damafcus, Alexandria, and Salonichi. GOVP;RNMENT.] The government of the Turkifh empire is defpotic ; the life and property of the fubjecl: depend on the will of the Sultan, who is the only free mar in his dominions, and who exacts a blind obedience to 'his will, as a civil and religi- ous duty : yet the emperor is retrained, in fome meafure, by the. fame religious fy tern on which his arbitrary power is founded, and Hill more by the intrigues of the principal officers -of 'his court or feraglio, who are pofTefTed of the actual power, of which the Sultan enjoys only the appearance. Georgia hath lately claimed independence, and put itfelf under the protection of i The TURKEY IN ASIA. 6?9 The fupreme council of ftate is called the Divan. The regular or ordinary divan is eompofed of the high officers of ftate ; and, on particular emergencies, an extraor- dinary divan is held, which confifts, befides thefe officers, of other perfons of ex penence and knowledge of the law, called in by the ministers to affift in their delta rations. The Turkim laws are contained in the Koran, in the code of laws col lected bv Sohman II. and, in dubious caies, the decifions of the Mufti, the chief of the Ma- hometan church, have the authority of \a\\i. FINANCES.] The public revenue amounts to 30,000,000 dollars. ARMY.] It is ufually citimated at 300,000 men. NAVY.] About 60 Ihips of war. In the year 1786, the Turks had actually 30 fliipg ot the line, of 800 men each, and 40 gallies, of 140 men each ; and this num- ber was intended to be increafed, RELIGION.] See Turkey in Europe. MARRIAGES.] Marriages in this country are chiefly negociated by the ladies. When the terms are agreed upon, the bridegroom pays down a fum of money, a licence is taken out from the Cadi, or proper magistrate, and the parties are married. The bargain is celebrated, as in other nations, with mirth and jollity ; and the monev is generally employed in furnifhing the houfe of the young couple. The*' are not allowed, by thrir law, more than four wives, but they may have as many concubines as they can maintain. Accordingly, belides their wives, the wealthy Turks keep a kind of ieragiio of women : but all thefe indulgencies are fometimes infufficient to gratify their unnatural deiires. ANTI04Jir:hS AND CuRIOSITIESj NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL.] Thefe are fo various, that they have fumimed matter for many voluminous publications, and others are appearing every day. Among the moft noted are thofe of Balbec and Palmyra. Balbec is iituated on a rifing plain, between Tripoli in Syria and Damafcus, at the foot of Mount Libanus. Its remains of antiquity difplay, according to the beft. judgi s, the boldclt plan that ever was attempted in architecture. Various have been the conjectures concerning the founders of thefe immenfe build^ ings, 'i he inhabitants of Alia aicribe them to Solomon, but others, with more pro- bability, afcnbe them to Antoninus Pius. Balbec is at prcfent a little city encompaifed^ with a wall ; inhabited by about 5000 Greeks.. Palmyra, or, as it was called in Scripture, Tadmor in the defert, is fituated in the wilds of Arabia Fetraea, about 33 north lat. 2,03 miles to the fouth-eafl of Aleppo, and about oo from the river Euphrates. This city, formerly one of the molt fuperb in. the world, is now in ruins. It was built by Solomon, for the convenience of trade with the Eaft Indies ; and was formerly the great emporium of the eafrem world. Mecca and Medina are curiosities only through the fuperflilion of Mahometans; Their buildings are mean when -compared to thofe of England ; and even the tem- ple of Mecca, in point of architecture, makes but a forry appearance, though erected on the loot where Mahomet is laid to have been born. The fame may be faid of the moftjue at Medina, where that impofbr was buried. CITIES AXD PRINCIPAL TOWNS.]. TJiopgh thefe are innumerable, and moft of them once remarkable for the beauty and magnificence of their buildings, the numb'er of their inhabitants, and the prodigious extent of their trade ; they are at prefent fo fallen from their former grandeur, that very few of them are worthy our. notice. Natolia, or Alia, Minor, comprehending the ancient provinces of Lydia, Pamphy- lia Piiklia, Lycaonia, Cilicia, Cappadocia, and Pontus or Amaiia, territories cele- brated 680 TURKEY IN AS! A. brated In the Greek and Roman hiilork 1 ?, arc now mollly forfakcn, ahd 'become a heap of ruins. The lame late has likewife attended the oncoflouriihmg countries of ]Vlcf'in' and Judea. Old Troy cannot be di Covered by the fmalleft vcftige, and the place \vhere it flood is only known by its being oppofite to the ifle of Tenedos. Scanderoon liands upon the lite of Old Alexandria, and i< only remarkable for the remains of antiquity found in its neighbourhood. Turkilh Curdiftan, part of which is fubjeiH to the Pcr- iians, is the ancient ArTyria, and Curdilian, the capital, i? laid to be el li oily cut out of a mountain : astoXineveh, the former capital of this country, it is now entirely deftroyed, and even its lituation hardly kno\vn. Smyrna, the capital of Ionia, is lituated at the bottom of a bay of the Archipela- fro, and is efteemed one of the fineft ports in the Levant. Its form is that of a tri- angle, its circumference about four miles, and the number of its inhabitants, inclu- ding Turks, Greeks, Jews, Armenians, and Europeans, is computed at 27,000. The heft commodities of Alia and Europe are ioM here remarkably cheap. Aleppo, the capita] of Syria, Hands on four hills, twenU'-two leagues call of Scan- deroon : this city is about three miles in circuit. The whole number of inhabitants, Jews, Turks, and Chriitians, in the city and luburbs, is about 250,000. The trade of this city is very confiderable, for hither are brought all the commodities of Europe on the one hand, and thofe of Alia on the other ; and from hence they are again ex- ported, the former into Alia, and the latter to Europe. Damafeus, now called Sham, is fituatcd on the river Barada, and was formerly a -very celebrated city, having been long the reiidence of the Syrian kings, and after- wards oi the Caliphs of the Saracens. In the neighbourhood of the city is an hofpi- tal for pilgrims and ft rangers of all religions, who are maintained at the Grand Seig- nor's expence. The great mofque, formerly a Chriitian church, is a very magnificent edifice, into which it is death for any but Muilelmen to enter. The chief trade of Damafeus coniifls in fcimetars, fword blades, knives, bridle bits, and all kinds of iron and fteel wares, in which it is fuppofed above 20,000 of the inhabitants are employed. They likewife manufacture thofe beautiful lilks, which, from this city, obtained the appellation of dainalks. Tyre and Sidon, formerly fo diftinguifhed by their grandeur and opulence, are al- mofl entirely decayed : the latter, indeed, has a good harbour, and Itill carries on a trifling trade ; but Tyre, which is now called Sur, is only inhabited by a few mifera- ble fifhcrmcn, who live in the ruins of its primitive ftate. Bagdat, the capital of Babylon, is lituated on a delightful plain, on the" call ern .banks of the Tigris. Jerufale-.fi, formerly the capital of Judea, is now called by the Turks, Cudfemba- ric, and Cudtcherif : it is about three miles in circumference, and lifuated on a rocky mountain, with very fteep afeents on all fides, except to the north : the vallics being deep, and at fome di fiance, environed with hills. From the opprcfiive tyranny of the Turks, it is now but thinly inhabited, and the private bnildin xceedingly mean. Though common feme muil fusrgcft, that from the rmmber^of times this city has been deftroyed and rebuilt, there cannot remain the lead veilige of thofe places where the feyeral parts of our Redeemer's paflion were tranfacletl ; Vet the Greek and Armenian prielts fubfilt by guiding travellers and pilgrims to particular fpots, \vhich they pretend are thofe pointed out in the New Teitament. The chief of tliefe, however, are laid to be incloled in the church of the Holy Sepulchre, built by He- jena, mother to Conftantine the Great. This edifice is frill in good repair ; tlie eaft 3 end TARTARY IN ASIA, 68t end contains Mount Calvary ; and in a chapel, the afcent to which is by 12 fleps, they (hew the very hole where the crofs was fixed : here is a fuperb altar,, with three rroilos, before which hang forty-fix lamps of great value, kept continually burning. At the welt end is the Holy Sepulchre, covered with a ftately cupola, fupported by fixteen maifivc columns, incruiled with marble. The center of this dome is open ; .-.t top, juft over the lepulchre; and the chapel of the fepulchre is hewn in the iblid rock, mid has a iinall dome or lanthern on the top, fupported by pillars of porphyry. The cloiiter round it is divided into feveral chapels, appropriated to the different feels of Chriftians who reiide there. This church is the chief fupport of the town ; the whole bufinefs of the city being to accommodate pilgrims, &c. with conveniences ; and the fees which they pay to the government for the liberty of going into this holy edifice, alib yield a very confidcrable revenue. Befides this church, there are fome others erected by the fame cmprefs, over fiich places as were fuppoled to have been the fcene of any remarkable tranfaclion ; as, where Chrift eat his iaft fupper ; where the palace of Caiaphas Hood ; where our Saviour was buffeted and mocked ; the lioufe of Pontius Pilate ; the Field of Blood ; that part of the garden on Mount .Olivet where Chrift prayed in his extreme agony ; on the fummit of this mount a chapel is built over the place of our Saviour's afcenfion, the floor of which is the folid rock, and the crafty priefts pretend to ihe\v therein the print of one of his feet, which has remained ever fince that period. Theie hnpoftors do not wholly confine them- felves to the places mentioned in the New Teftament, they diftinguiih many re* corded in the Old ; and to an edifice twenty cubits fquare, and fixty high, they haYe .given the appellation of Abfalom's Pillar. At the fouth-eaft part of the city, upon Mount Moriah, there is an edifice,, commonly called Solomon's Temple. It cer- tainly Hands on the fpot where the ancient temple did ; but that, according to the prediction of our Saviour, was fo effectually demolimed by the Romans, that not one ftone remained upon another : it is uncertain by whom this mock fabric was railed. About feven miles fouth of Jerufalem ftands the once famous city of Beth^ lehem, juftly celebrated for being the birth place of our Saviour, but now reduced to ^n inconfiderable village. A noble temple was erected by the emprefs Helena, over the fpot where the ftable is fuppoled to have ftood, in winch Chrift was born, and hi- ther a prodigious number of pilgrims daily refort. - T A R T A R Y IN ASIA. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Etength 40001 , , r , J 50 and 15 c E. Longitude. Brerfdth2 4 oo] bctv/een I 30 and 72 N. Latitude. ^IpARTARY, taken in its fullefl extent, is bounded by the Frozen Ocean, on the JL north ; by the Pacific Ocean, on the eaft ; by China, India-, Periia, and the Cafpian Sea, on the fouth : and by Mufeovy, on the weft. RIVERS 1 The principal rivers are, the Wblga, which runs a courle of 2000 imles; the Oby, which divides ACa from Europe; the Tabol, Irtis, Genefa, ^ Jenlka;, the Burrumpooter, the Lena, and the Argun, which divides the Ruffian and.Ch -empires. T The northern parts are executively cold and barren, but the Ibuthern more temper rate and fertile. The country abounds with imwholefome lakes and marines, moun- tains and fandy deferts. Their commodities are chiefly Ikins of foxes, fableSj ermine, lynxes, and other furs alfo ; flax, mulk, rhubarb, and cinnamon. The Tartars are chiefly Pagans, Mahometans, and Chrifiians ; the firft are molt numerous. Mufcovite Tartary is fubject to the emprefs of Ruffia ; Chinefe Tartar)' to the emperor of China ; other parts of Tartary have their own princes or cbams, and Ibme are fubject to Perfia and the Great Mogul. The Tartars are in general Itrong made, itout men ; fome are honeft: and hofpita- ble ; others barbarous and live by plundering. The beauty of the Circallian women if a kind of ftaple commodity in that country ; for parents there make no fcruplc of felling their daughters to recruit the feraglios of the great men of Turkey and Peril a. They avoid all labour as the grcateft flavery. Their only employment is tending their flocks, hunting, and managing their horles. If they are angry with a perfon, the woril they wifh him is, that he may live in one fixed place, and work like a Ruffian. The full acknowledged fovereign of thefe difmal territories was the famous Zin- ps, or Jenghis Khan, A. D. 1206. His defcendants poflelfed it till 1582, when Mungk revolted to Manchew Tartars, who reign in China. The Eluths became an, ; independent flate about 1400, andfo remain. THE EMPIRE OF CHINA; SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Sq. Miles. Length 14^0 1 n f 20 and 42 N. Lat. 1 n ^-v f between i ^ T? T r 1,10:5,000 Breadth 1260 J 198 and 123 E. Lon. J D > To which fhould be added Chinefe Tartary - 644,000 n iT^ * s bounded ^7 the Chinefe Tartary and an amazing ftone wall, orr *J the north ; by the Pacific Ocean, which divides it from North Ame- rica, oh the eaft ; by the Chinefe Sea, fouth ; and by Tonquin, and the Tartarian countries and mountains of Thibet and Ruffia, on the weft. DIVISIONS.] The great divifions of this empire, according to the authors of the Univerfal Hiltory, are into fifteen provinces (exclutive of that of Lyau-tong, which is fituated without the Great Wall, though under the fame dominion) each of which might, for their largenefs, fertility, populoufncfs, and opulence, pals for fo many diftincl: kingdoms. China, excepting to the north, is a^ plain country, and contains no remarkable mountains. RIVERS, BAYS, &c.] The chief rivers are the Yamour, and the Argun, which are the boundary between Ruffian and Chinefe Tartary; the Crocceus, or Whambo, or the Yellow River ; the Kiam, or the Blue River, and the Tay. Common water. in China is very indifferent, and is in fome places boiled to make it fit for ule. The chief bays are thofe of Nankin and Canton. CANALS.] C H I N A. 63 3 CANALS.] Thefe are fufficient to entitle the ancient Chinefe to the character of being the wifell and moft i ml nil rious people in the world. The commodioufnefs and length of their canals is incredible. The chief of them are lined with hewn ftone on the -lidcs, and they are fo deep that they carry large veffels, and fometimes they extend above 1000 miles in length. Thofc veffels are fitted up for all the convenicncies of life ; and it has been thought by fome, that in China, the water contains as many inhabitants as the land. They' are furnifhed with ftone quays, and fometimes with bridges of an amazing conftruction. The navigation is flow, -and the veffels fometimes drawn by men. About 10,000 boats from 260 tons and under, arc kept at the public expenfe. No precautions are wanting, that could be formed by art or perfeverance, for the fafety of the paffengers, in cafe a canal is crof- icd by a rapid river, or expoled to torrents from the mountains. Thefe canals, and the variety that is fern upon the borders, render China the moft delightful to the eye, of any country in the world, as well as fertile, in places that are not fo by nature. SOIL AND PRODUCE.] The foil is, either by nature or art, fruitful of- every thing that can minifter to the neceffities, oonveniencics, or luxuries of life. The culture of the cotton, and the rice fields, from which the bulk of the inhabitants are clothed and fed, is ingenious almoft beyond defcription. The rare trees, and aromatic productions, either ornamental or medicinal, that abound in other parts of the world, are to be found in China. The tallozv tree is about the height of a common cherry tree. The~ fruit it pro- duces has all the qualities of our tallow, and when manufactured with oil, iervcs the natives as en n dies ; but they fmell ilrong, nor is their light clear. The tea plant^ or fhrub, is planted in rows, and pruned to prevent its luxuriancy. The culture of this plant fccms to be very limple ; and it is certain that fome kinds are of a much higher and delicious flavour than others. The greateft difference is between the bohea and the green. The ginfeng is a native of Chinefe Tartary. POPULATION AND INHABITANTS.] Much has been faid of the population of China. jHs undoubtedly great. According to Le Compte, the 15 provinces contain 2357 fortified town?/ 10,128,789 families, 58,916,783 men. But it appears from later and more authentic accounts, that this great empire contains at leaft two hundred millions of inhabitants. Notwithstanding the indultry of the people, their amazing population frequently occalions a dearth. Parents, who cannot fupport their fe- male children, are allowed to call them into the river ; but they faften a gourd to the child, that it may float on the water ; and there are often compaffionate peo- ple of fortune, who are moved by the cries of the children to fave them from death. The Chinefe, in their perlbns, arc middle lized, their faces broad, their eyes black and fmall, their nofes rather fhort. The Chinefe have particular ideas of beauty. They pluck up the hairs of the lower part of their races by the roots with tweezers, leaving a few ftraggling ones by way of beard. Their Tartar princes compel them to cut 3 off the hair of their heads, and, like Mahometans, to wear only a lock on the crown. Their completion towards the north is fair, towards the fouth, fwarthy, and the fatter a man is, they think him the handfomer. Men of ^quality and learning, who are not much expofed to the fun, are delicately complectioned, and they who are .bred to letters let the nails' of their fingers grow to an enormous length, to fhew that they are not employed in manual labour. The women have little eyes, plump rofy lips, black hair, regular features, and a -delicate, though florid complection. The fmallnefs of their feet is reckoned a prm- 4 T 2 684 CHINA. cipal part of their beauty, and no fvvathing is omitted, when they are young, to give them that accompliihment ; fo that when they grow up, they may be faid to totter rather than walk. MARRIAGES.] The parties never fee each other, in China, till the bargain is concluded by the parents, and that is generally when the parties are perfect children. FUN ERA;/*.] People of note caufe their coffins to be made, and their tombs to be built in thc-ir life-time. No pcribns are buried within the walls of the city. LA" The Chinefe language contains only 330 words, all of one fyllablc ; but tlvn each word is pronounced with fuch various modulations, and each v/ith a different meaning, that it becomes more copious than could be eafily imagined, and enables them to exprefs themfelvcs very well on the common occaiions of life. CURIOSITIES.] The artificial curiolities of China are ftupendous. The great wall feparating China from Tartary, to prevent the incurfion of the Tartars, is fuppofed to extend from 1200 to 1500 miles. It is carried over mountains and vallies, and reaches from the province of Xenfi to the Kang lea, between the provinces of Pekin and Laenotum. It is in molt places built of brick and mortar, which is fo well tempered, that though it has flood for 1800 years, it is but little decayed. It is terraifed and cafed with bricks, and is from twenty to twenty-five feet high. It is paved wide enough on the top for five or fix horfemen to travel abreaft with cafe. The Chinefe are remarkably fond of bells. One at Pekin, weighs 120,000 pounds, but its found is faid to be difagreeable. CHIEF CITIES.] Thefe are Pekin, Nankin, and Canton. Pekin,* the capital of the whole empire of China, and the ordinary refidencc of the Emperors, is iituated in a very fertile plain, 10 leagues diflant from the great wall. It is an oblong fquare, and is divided into two cities, fix leagues in compafs. The walls and gates of Pekin are of the furprifing height of fifty cubits, fo that they hide the whole rity ; and are fo broad, that centinels are placed upon them on horfeback ; for there are ilopes within the city of confiderable length, by which horfemen may afcend the walls. Moft of the ftrccts arc built in a direct line ; the largc.it are about 120 feet broad, and a league in length. The fhops, where they fell filks and china ware, generally take up the whole ftreet, and afford a very agreeable profpecl:. Each fhop- keeper places before his fhop, on a fmall kind of pedeltal, a board about twenty feet high, painted, varnifhed, and often gilt, on which is written in large characters, the names of the feveral commodities he fells. Thefe being placed on each fide of the ttreet, at nearly an equal distance from each other, have a very pretty appearance. The city of Pekin is faid to contain two millions of inhabitants. Nankin is faid to exceed Pekin, both in extent and population. But if we may judge from the account which M. Bourgeois, miflionary at Pekin, gives of it, in a letter of his, dated in 1777, we are to believe that there is nothing remarkable in this- celebrated city, but its famous fteeple, its vaft circumference, the barren hills, and 1 uncultivated tracls of land that are inclofed within its walls, and which make a ftran- ger think that he has left it far behind him, when he is in the midrl of it. Canton is the greateft port in China, and the only port that has been much fre- quented by Europeans. The city wall is about five miles in circumference, with very pleafant walks around it. The city is entered by feven iron gates, and within * There is reafon to hope that the public Avill foon be favoured with a particular account of the city of Pekin, &c. from the able pens of Lord Macartney and Sir George Staunton, Bart, who are juft returned to England from their embaffy to the Emperor of China. fide CHINA. 68 5 lide of each, there is a guard-houfe. The ftreets of Canton are very ftraight, but generally narrow, and paved with flag ftones ; they are fo crowded, that it is diffi- culty to walk in them ; yet a woman of fafhion is feldoirr to be feen, unlefs by chance, when coming out of their chairs. There are great numbers of market-places for M\, flelh, poultry, vegetables, and all kinds of provifions, which -are fold very cheap. Tlu-y have all fuch a regard to privacy, "that no windows are 'made towards the ftrccts, but in fliops and places of public bulinefs ; nor do any of their windows look towards thofe of their neighbours. The fhops of thofe that deal in filk, are very neat, make a fine fhow, and are all in one part of the city ; for tradefmen, or dealers in one kind of goods herd together in the fame ftreet. It is computed that there are in this city, and its fuburbs, 1,200,000 people ; and there axe often 5000 trading veffels lying; before the city. MANUFACTURES.] China is fo happily lituated, and produces fuch a variety of materials for manufactures, that it may be faid to be the native land of induftry; and wliu-h is cxerdfu'.J with vaft art and neatnefs. Tlie manufacture of that earthen ware, generally known by the name of China, was long a fecret in Europe, and brought knmenle turns to that country. The ancients knew and eftoemed it highly under .the name of porcelain, but it was of a much better fabric than the modern. The ChiiKjie iilks are generally plain and flowered gauzes, and they are faid to have been originally labricated in that country, where the art of rearing iilk worms was firft discovered. They manufacture ftlks likewise of a more durable kind ; and their cotton, and other cloths, arc famous for furnifhing a li.iht warm wear. Their trade is open to Americans, and to all the European nations, with whom they deal for ready money ; for fuch is the pride and avarice of the Chinefe, that they think no manufactures equal to their own._ GOVERNMENT.] The original plan of the Chinefe government was patriarchal, almofl in the ftricteft fenfe of the word. Duty and obedience to the father of each family, was recommended and enforced in the moil rigorous manner ; but, at the 1 fame time, the Emperor was confldered as, the father of the whole. His mandarins, or great officers of ilate, were looked upon as his fubftitutes ; and the degrees of fubmiflion which were due from the inferior ranks to the fuperior, were fettled and obferved with the mofl fcrupulous precifion. This fimple claim of obedience re- quired great addrefs and knowledge of human nature to render it effectual ; and *he Chinefe legiflators, Confucius particularly, appear to have been pofleffed of wonderful abilities. They enveloped their dictates in a number of myftical appear- ances, fo as to iirike the people with awe and veneration. The mandarins had modes of fpcaking and writing different from .thofe of other fubjects, and the people were taught to believe that their princes partook of divinity, fo that they were ieldom feen, and more feldom approached. But flnce the conqueft of China -by the Tar- tars, about 1 60 years ago, the patriarchal form of government'has been changed for the monarchical. The prefent emperor, who defcended from a Tartarian 'family, .is ftyled < Hdy Son of Heaven, Sole Governor of the Earth, Great Father of bis People. RELIGION.] This article is nearly connected with the preceding. Utongh ancient Chinefe worshipped idols, yet their philosophers and legiiktors bad jfcifter fentiments of the Deity, and indulged the people in the worfhip oi leniible objects, only to make them more lubmifiive to government. Confucius, and legiflators,. introduced a mofl excellent fyftem of morals among the people, ^ endeavoured to fupply the want of juil ideas of a future ftate, by prefjnt I N B O S T A'N, fee. the worihip of interior Their morality approximated to that of Chriliianrty , but as we know little of their religion, only through the Jefuits, -we cannot adopt: for truth, the numerous inftances which they tell us of the conformity of the Chinefe with the Chriliian -religion. HISTORY.^ The Chinefe pretend, as a nation, to an antiquity beyond all meafure of credibility ; and their annals have been carried beyond the period to which the 'icripturc chronology affigns the creation of the \\ oriel. Poan Kou is laid by them to have been the firft man, and the interval of time betwixt him and the death of the celebrated Confucius, -which was in the year before Chrift, 479, lias been reckoned from 276,000 to 96.961,740 years. But upon, an accurate inveftigation of this fub- thefe extravagant pretenlions to antiquity appear to be wholly unfupported. All hillorical relations of events prior to r the reign of YAO, who lived 2057 years before Chriii, are entirely fabulous, compofed in modern times, unfupported by au- thentic records, and full of contradictions. The origin of the Chinefe empire cannot be placed higher than two or three gene- rations before Yao. In the year 1771, all the Tartars which compofed the nation of the Torgouths, left the fettlements which they had under the Ruffian government on the banks of the "VVolga, and the laick, at a fmall diftance from the Cafpian lea, and in a vail body of 50,000 families, they pafled through the country of the Hafacks. After a march of 8 months, in which they funnounted innumerable difficulties and dangers, they arrived in the plains that lie on the frontier of Carapen, not far from the banks of the river I ly, and offered themfelves as fubjecls to Kien-long, Emperor of China, who was then in the 36th year of his reign. He received them graciouily, furnifhed them with provilions, clothes, and money, and allotted to each family a portion of land for agriculture and pafturage. The year following there was a fecond emigration of about 30,000 other Tartar families, who alfo quitted the fettlements they enjoyed under the Ruffian government, and fubmitted to the Chinefe fcepter. The Emperor caufed the hiftory of the emigrations to be engraven upon Hone, in four different languages. INDOSTAN, HINDOOSTAN, or INDIA on this fide the GANGES. SITUATION AND 1 HTHIS fine country, one of the mofl celebrated in the world for its BOUNDARIES. I antiquity, population, and opulence, is fttuated between 66 and 92 3' of eaftern longitude, and between the 8th and 36th degrees of northern lati- tude, and is confequently, partly in the torrid., and partly in the northern temperate zone. It is wafhed on the fouth-weft, "by that part of the Indian Ocean, called the Arabian Sea ; on the fouth-eafl, by another large inlet of the fame ocean, called the Bay of Bengal; and bounded on all other lides by Perfia, Independent Tartary, Thibet, and India beyond the Ganges. The principal divilions of this country, as they flood in 1782, are as follow, viz. The Britifhpoffeffions; States in alliance with Britain; Tippoo Saib's territories ; Mah- ratta flates and their tributaries ; and the territories of .the Subah of the Decan. BRI- &c, 687 BRITISH POSSESSIONS.*] The British pofleffions contain about 150,000 fquare Bri- tifh miles- (which is about i8,coo more than is contained in Great Britain and Ireland) and about 10 millions of inhabitants. They conlifl of three diftincl go- vernments, viz. Government of Calcutta or Bengal On the Ganges. Government of Madrafs On the coaft of Coromandel. Government of Bombay On the gulf of Cambay. AIR AND SEASONS.] The winds in this climate generally blow for fix months from ' the fouth, and iix from the north. April, May, and the beginning of June, are ex- celfively hot, but refrefhcd by lea breezes; and in fome dry feafons, the hurricanes, which tear up the lands, and let them fall in dry fhowers, are exceffively difagreeable. RIVERS.] Of the rivers of Indoftan three, far exceed the reft in magnitude and utility; the Indus, the Ganges, and the Burrampooter. The Ganges is one of the finer! rivers in the world. It is revered by the Hindoos - as a deity that is to walh away all their ftains. The entire courfe of the Ganges is : 2, 100 miles. POPULATION-, INHABITANTS, RELIGION, &c.j The Mahometans, who are called Moors, of Indoftan, are computed to be about ten millions, and the Indians about 100 millions. The original inhabitants of India are called, Gentoos, or, as others call them,.- Hindoos, and the country Hindooftan. They pretend that Brumma, who was their legiflator both in politics and religion, wjas inferior only to God, and that he exifted many thoufand years before our account of the creation. The foundation of Brumma's doctrine eonftited in the belief of a Supreme Being, who created a regular gradation of beings, fome fuperior and fome inferior to man; in the immortality of the -foul, and a future ftate of rewards and punilhments,, which is to confiit of a tranfmigration into different bodies, according to the lives they, have led in their pre-exiftent Irate. The Hindoos have from time immemorial been divided into four great tribes. The iirft and moll noble tribe are the Bramins, who alone can officiate in the priefthopd, like the Jewilh tribe of LevL The fecond in order is the Sittri tribe, who, according to their original inllitution, ought to be all military men. The third is the tribe of, Beife, who are chiefly merchants, bankers, andbanias-or fhopkcepers. The fourth tribe is that of Sudder, who ought to be menial fervants ; and they are incapable of railing themielves to any fuperior rank. Belides this divilion into tribes, the Gentoos are alfo fubdivided into cajff, or fmal- ler clafles and tribes ; and it has been computed that there are eighty-four of thefe-' cafts The cuftom of women burning themielves upon the death of their hufbands frill continues to be pradifed among fome of high call and condition, though much lefs * frequently than formerly. The Gentoos are as careful of the cultivation of their lands, and their public works and conveniences, as the Chinefe ; and remarkably honeft and humane: There is fcarcly an inftance of a robbery in all Indoftan, though the diamond merchants ' travel without defenlive weapons. *'For the Confutation, Government, end tie rljing Advantages of the Raft Mies to Great Britain, we mil ft beg leave to refer our Readers to a new Work, intituled, A Sketch of tl>e late Arrangements, and a Rc-v^o of the rijing Refources of Bengal^ by .Thomas Law, -Eft. late vMembtr of the Gnttftil ot fe*kaw in Fort William. '"'Printed for'y. Stockdale. 1/92. The"" ,683 THE PENINSULA, Sec, Their perfons ar6 ftraight and elegant, their limbs finely proportioned, their fingers long and tapering, their countenances open and pleafant, and their features exhibit the moft delicate lines of beauty in the females ; and in the males, a kind of manly foftncfs. Their walk and gait, as well as their whole deportment, is in the higheft degree graceful. The Gentoos marry early, the male before fourteen, and the female at ten or ele- ven years of age. A man is in the decline of life at thirty, and the beauty of the women is on the decay at eighteen: at twenty-five they have all the marks of old age. We are not therefore to wonder at their being foon Itrangers to all perfonal ex- ertion and vigour of mind: and whatever maybe the caufe, a recent traveller among Ihcm obferves, it is certain, that death is regarded with lefs horror in India, than in any other country in the world. The origin and the end of all things, fay the philo* fophers of India of the prcfcnt times, is a vacuum. A ttate of repofe is the ft ate of grcateft perfection : and this is the itate after which a wife man afpires. It is better, fay the Hindoos, to fit than to walk, and to flecp than to wake j but death is bell of all. Fort St. George, better known by the name of Madrafs, is the capital of the Englifh Eaft India Company's dominions in that part of the Eaft Indies, and is diliant eaftward from London, about 4800 miles. Near Bombay are feveral iflands, one of which, called Elepbanta, contains the moft inexplicable antiquity perhaps in the world. A figure of an elephant, of the natural lize, cut coarfely in ftone, prefents itfelf on the landing place, near the bot- tom of a mountain. An eafy flope then leads to a Itupendous temple, hewn out of the folid rock, 80 or 90 feet long, and 40 broad. The roof, which is cut fiat, is fup- ported by regular rows of pillars, about 10 feet high, with capitals, rciembling round cufhions, as if prefled by the weight of the incumbent mountain. At the farther end are three gigantic figures. Befidcs the temple, are various hr ; ; . -.d groups on each hand, cut in the ftone: one of the latter bearing a rude r of the judgment of Solomon ; alfo a colonnade, with a door of regular arc :e; but the whole bears no manner of refemblance to any of the Gentoo rfdi The PENINSULA of INDL\ beyond the GANGES, called the FARTHER PENINSULA. Miles. 'Square Miles. ) . r r" & 30 N. Lat. i between { & > _ Long _ j Length 2000 . V between i J ^ T } 741,^00 Breadth iooc r, i T'HIS pcninfula is bounded by Thibet and China, on the north ; by BOUNDARIES. A f ^_- r , ., ^-, < ,~ J ^ .- t .- r i 4 \ China and the Clnnefe lea, on the calt; by the lame lea and the Straits of Malacca, on the foutli ; and by the Bay of Bengal and the Hither India, * For a very intereftvng Account of India by one of its Native?, fee Feri(hta*s lljjiory of Deltkan from the firft Maljumniedan -Con.jufjis : w hich divide it from Circaffian Tartary, on the north- weft ; by the Cafpian Sea, which divides it from Ruffia, on the north ; by the river Oxus', which divides it from Ufbec Tartary, on the north-eaft ; by India, on the eaft ; and by the Indian Ocean, and the gulfs of Perfia and Ormus, on the fouth ; and ty Arabia and Turkey, ' on the weft. The chief city and refidence of the fovereign is Ifpahan, a fine fpacious city. The north and eaft parts of Perfia are mountainous and cold; the provinces to the fouth-caft are fandy and defert : thofe on the fouth and weft are very fertile. The air in the fouth is extremely hot in fummer, and very unwholefome. There is fcarcely any country that has more mountains and fewer rivers. The produftions of Perfia are fimilar to thofe of India. ThePerfians, are a brave, polite, and ingenious people ; honeft in their dealings, and civil to.ftrangcrs. Their great foible feems to be oftentation in their equipages. 4 U * ne 690 ARABIA. The Perfians; in general, are ftrift followers of Mahomet's doctrine, but differ confiderably from the Turks. There are many Chriftians in Periia, and a ledl who worfhip fire, the followers of Zoroafter. Periia is governed by an abfolute monarch, called Shaw or king, and frequently Sophi. The crown is hereditary, but females are excluded. The Per/ian empire was founded by Cyrus, after his conqueft of Media, 536 years before Chrift. It continued till it was overthrown by Alexander the Great 33 1 before Chrill. A new empire, ftiled the Parthian, was formed by the Perfians under Ar- baces, 250 years before Chrift; but in A. D. 229, Artaxerxes reftored it to its ancient title ; and in 651, the Saracens put an end to that empire. PYom this time Periia was a prey to the Tartars, and a province of Indofhm, till Thomas Kouli Khan, once more raifed it to a powerful kingdom. He was aflaffinated in 1747. F . A R A B I A. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles. Sq. Miles. Length 1430 1 , r 2*0 and 60 E. Lon. i D r between i OJ -M T f 700,000 Breadth 1200 \ 1 12 and 30 N. Lat. \ ' BOUND A s 1 "O OUNDED b Y Turkey on the north ; by the Gulfs of Perfia or ' 'il -13 Baftbra, and Ormus, which feparate it from Periia, on the call ; by the Indian Ocean, fouth ; and the Red Sea, which divides it from Africa, on the weft. Divifions. Chief Towns. 1. Arabia Pctraea, north-weft. Suez, E. Lon. 33 27'. N. Lat. 29 50'. 2. Arabia Deferta, in the mid- ^^ T? T >'''* o / i, Mecca, Jj/. Lon. 43 30 Lat. 21 20. 3. Arabia Felix, fouth-eaft. Mocha, E. Lon. 44 4'. N. Lat. i345'. It is remarkable that this country has always preferred its ancient name. The word Arab, it is generally faid, iignifies a 7 robber, or freebooter. The word Saracen, by which one tribe is called, is laid to fignify both a thief and an inhabitant 'of the dcfert. Thefe names jullly belong to the Arabians, for they feldom let any merchandize pals through the country without extorting Ibmething from the owners, if they do not rob them. We are told, that fo late as the year 1750, a body of 50,000 Arabians attacked a caravan of merchants and pilgrims returning from Mecca, killed about 60,000 per- fons, and plundered it of every thing valuable, though efcorted by a Turkifh army. As a conliderable part of thir> country lies under the Torrid Zone, the air is cxcci- .fivdy dry and hot, and the country is fubjecl to hot poilbnous 'winds, which often prove fatal, efpecially to ftrangers. The ibil, in fome parts, is notliing more than immenfc lands, which, when agitated by the winds, roll like the troubled ocean, and fometimes form mountains, by which whole caravans have been buried or lofl. In thefe deferts, the caravans, having no tracks, are guided, as at fea, by a compafs, or by the ftars ; for tiiey travel chiefly in the night. Here, fays Dr. Shaw, are no paf- tures clothed with flocks, nor valiies Handing thick with corn ; here are no vineyards or oliveyards ; but the whole is a lonefome, defolate wilderneis, no otherwile diverfi- than by plains covered with land, and mountains that are made up of naked rocks ARABIA. 691 rocks and precipices. Neither is this country ever, unlefs fometimcs at the eqiiinoxes, 1 refrefhcd with rain ; and the intenfenefs of the cold in the night is almoft eoual to that of the heat in the day-time. But the fouthern part of Arabia, defervedly called the Happy, is blefled with an excellent foil, and, in general, is very fertile. There the cultivated lands, which are chiefly about the towns near the fea coafi, produce balm of Gilead, manna, myrrh, caffia, aloes, frankincenfe, fpikenard, and other va- luable gums ; cinnamon, pepper, cardamum, oranges, lemons, pomegranates, figs, and other fruits ; honey and wax in plenty, with a finall quantity of corn and wine. This country is famous for its coffee and its dates. The mofi ufeful animals in Arabia are camels and dromedaries; they are amazingly fitted by Providence for travelling the dry and parched deferts of this country ; for they are fo formed, that they can throw up the liquor from their ftomach into their throat, by which means they can travel fix or eight days without water. The camels ufually carry 8oolb. weight upon their backs, which is not taken off during the whole jour- ney, for they naturally kneel down to reft, and in due time rife with their load. The Dromedary is a fmaller animal, nearly refembling a camel, that will travel many miles a day. It is an obfervation among the Arabs, that wherever there are trees, the water is not far off; and when they draw near a pool, their camels will fmelL it at a diflance, and fet up their great trot till they come to it. In the Temple of Mecca, or fufpended on its walls and gates, are feven Arabian poems, called Moalacat, which have been lately tranilated into Englifh by Sir Wil- liam Jones : the following Ilanzas of one of the poems are tranfcribed, as they ferve to gratify the curiofity, and alfo difplay a lively and entertaining view of the Arabian cuftoms and modes of living : i. " Defolate are the manfions of the fair, the fiations in Minin, where they refted,, and thofe where they fixed their abodes ! Wild are the hills of Goul, and deferted is the fummit of Rijaam. a. The canabs of Rayann are deftroyed ; the remains of them are laid bare, and fmoothed by the floods, like characters engraved on the folid rocks. 3. Dear ruins ! Many a year has been clofed, many a month, holy and unhallowed, has elapfed fince I exchanged tender vows with the fair inhabitants. 4. The rainy confiellations of Ipring have made their hills green and luxuriant : the drops from the thunder-clouds have drenched them with profuie as well as gentle fhowers. 5. Showers from every nightly cloud, from every cloud veiling the horizon at day- break, and from every evening cloud, refponiive with hoarfe murmurs. 6. Here the wild cringo plants raife their heads ; here the antelopes bring forth their - ' young by the fides 'of the valley ; and here the oilriches drop their eggs. 7. The\re-eycd wild cows lie 'ruckling their young a few days old ; their young, who will' loon become an herd on the plain. 8. The torrents have cleared the rubbifli, and difclofed the traces o f habitations, as the reeds of a writer refiorc effaced letters in a book. 9. Or as the black duit, fpririkled over the varied marks on a fair hand, brings to view, with a brighter tint, the blue Trains of woad. I flood afkin* news of the ruins concerning their lovely inhabitants; but what 10. avail my qucftions to dreary rocks, who aniwcr them only by their echo r T* - * 11 1 A !J.^. ,--,/. j 4*- f \f\f\ * r^llf" 691 A R A B I A. 12. How were thy tender affections railed, when the damiels of the tribe departed? when they hid themfelves in carnages of cotton, like antelopes- in their lair ; and the tents, as they were Itruck, gave a piercing found ! 13. They were concealed in vehicles, whole iides were well covered with awnings and carpets, with fine fpun curtains, and pictured veils. 14. A company of maidens were feated in them, with black eyes and graceful mo- tions, like the wild heifers of Tudah, or the roes of Wcgera, tenderly gazing on their young. 15. They haftened their camels, till the fultry vapour gradually ftole them from thy fight ; and they feerncd to pals through a vale, wild with tamarifks, and rough with large Hones, like the valley of Belfoa" What is called the Defert of Sinai, is a beautiful plain near nine miles long, and above three in breadth ; it lies open to the north-cart, but to the fouthward is doled by fome of the lower eminences of Mount Sinai ; and other parts of that mountain make fuch encroachments upon the plain as to divide it into two, each fo capacious as to be fufficient to receive the whole camp of the Ifraelites. From Mount Sinai may be feen Mount Horeb, where Mofes kept the flocks of Je- thro, his father-in-law, when he faw the burning bufh. On thofe mountains are many chapels and cells polTefled by the Greek and Latin monks, who, like the reli- gious at Jerufalem, pretend to fhew the very Ipot where every miracle or tran faction recorded in the fcripture, happened. At Mecca, the capital of all Arabia, and the birth place of Mahomet, is a mofque fo glorious, that it is generally counted the moll magnificent of any temple in the Turkifh dominions. The number of Pilgrims, who yearly vilit this place, is almofl incredible, every muffulman being obliged, by his religion, to come hither once in his life-time, Or fend a deputy. At Medina, about 50 miles from the Red Sea, the city to which Mahomet fled when he was driven out of Mecca, and the place where he was buried, is a ftately mofque fupported by 4.00 pillars,* and furnifhed with 300 filver lamps, which are continually burning. It is called Mqft Holy by the Turks, becaufe in it is placed the coffin of their prophet Mahomet, covered with cloth of gold, under a canopy of lilver tiffue. Hither the Pilgrims refort, as to Mecca, but not in fuch numbers. The Arabs are defcended from Ifhmael, of whofe pofterity it was foretold, that they fhall be invincible, " have their hands againfl every man, and every man's hands- againfl theirs." They are at prefent, and have remained from the remotefl ages, du- ring the various conquefts of the Greeks, Romans, and Tartars, a convincing proof of the divine origin of this prediction. The famous Mahomet was born in the year 569, at Mecca. From his flight to Medina, which happened in the 622dyear of Chrifl, the 54th year of Mahomet's age, and the tenth of his miniflry, his followers, the Mahometans, compute their time, and the sera is called in Arabic, Hegira, " the Flight." Mahomet, by the afliftance of the inhabitants of Medina, and of others, whom his addrefs daily attached to him, brought over all his countrymen to a belief, or at leaft to an acquiefcence in his doctrines. The fpeedy propagation of his fyflem among the Arabians, was a new argument in its behalf among the inhabitants of Egypt, and the Eafl, who were previoufly difpofed to it. Arians, Jews, and Gentiles all forfook their ancient faith, and became Mahometans. In a word, the contagion Ipread over Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Perlia ; and Mahomet, from a deceitful hypocrite, became the moil powerful monarch in his time. He was proclaimed king at Medina, in the 4 ASIATIC ISLES. 6 93 year 627, and after lubduing part of Arabia and Syria, he died in 632, leaving two touches ot his race, both efteemed divine among their fubjedts. See < The Hiftory of the Turkifti or Ottoman empire, from its foundation in 1300, to the peace of Belgrade, in 1740; to which is prefixed an Hiftorical Dif- courle on Mahomet and his fucceffors;" tranflated from the French of Mignot, by A. Hawkins, Efq. publilhed in 1787, by Stockdale, London. ASIATIC ISLES. "^HE Japan Iflands, forming an empire, governed by a moft defpotic king, lie *- about 150 miles eaft of China. The foil and productions of thefe iflands are much the fame as thofe of China. The Japanefe are the groffeft idolaters, and irre- concilcable to Chriftianity. They are of a yellow completion, narrow eyes, ftiort notes, black hair. A famenefs of drefs prevails through the whole empire, from the emperor to the peafant. The firft compliment offered to a ftranger in their houfes, is a difh ot tea, and a pipe of tobacco. Obedience to parents, and refpect to fupe- riors, characterize the nation. Their penal laws are very fevere, but punifhment is feldom inflicted. , The inhabitants have made great progrefs in commerce and agri- culture. Formofa, is a fine ifland eaft of China, abounding in all the neceffaries of life. The Philippines, noo in number, lying 200 miles fouth-eaft of China, belonging to Spain, are fruitful in all the neceffaries of life, and beautiful to the eye. They are, however, fubject to earthquakes, thunder, and lightning, venemous beafts, and noxious herbs, whole poifon kills inftantaneoufly. They are fubject to. the Spanifh government. The Sultan of Mindanao is a Mahometan. Borneo, 800 miles long, and 700 broad, next to New Holland, is thought to be the largeft ifland in the world. It lies on both fides of the equator, and is famous for being the native country of the Ouran Outang, which, of all irrational animals, refembles a man the moft. Sumatra, weft of Borneo, produces fo much gold, that it was thought to be the Ophir mentioned in the Scriptures. But Mr. Marfdcn, in his late hiftory of this ifland, thinks it was unknown to the ancients ; and Mr. Bruce has pretty clearly Ihewn that the Ophir mentioned in the Scriptures is in Africa. Ceylon belongs to the Dutch, and is laid to be by nature, the richeft and fineft ifland in the world. The natives call it, with fome fhew of reafon, the terreftrial paradife. They are a fober, inoffenilve people ; but idolaters. This ifland is noted for the cinnamon tree. Java principally belongs to the Dutch, who have here erected a kind of commer- cial monarchy, the capital of which is Batavia, a noble and populous city, lying in the latitude of fix degrees ibuth, at the mouth of the river Jucata, and furmfhed with one of the fineft harbours in the world. The Chinefe, rending in this ifland, are computed at 100,000 ; about 30,000 of that nation were barbaroufly maflacred, without the fmallcft offence ever proved upon them, in AFRICA? AFRICA. AFRICA, the fourth grand divilion of the globe, bears ibme refemblance to the form of a pyramid, the bafe being the northern part of it, which runs along the ihores of the Mediterranean, and the point or top of the pyramid, the Cape of Good Hope. Africa is a peninlula of a prodigious extent, joined to Alia only by a neck of land, about 60 miles over, between -the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, utually called the lithmus of .Suez., and its utmoft length from north to fouth is 4300 miles ; and the broadeft part is 3500 miles from eaft to weft. It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean fea, which feparates it from Europe ; on the eaft, by the Ifthmus of Suez, -the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean, which divide it from Alia ; on the fouth, by the Southern Ocean ; and on the weft, by the great Atlantic Ocean, which feparates it from America. The molt conliderable rivers in Africa are, the Niger, which falls into the Atlantic or Weftern Ocean, after a courfe of 2800 miles. It increales and dccreafes as the Nile fertilizes the country*, and has grains of gokl in many parts of it. The Gambia and Senegal are only branches of this river. The Nile, which dividing Egypt into two parts, difcharges itfelf into the Mediterranean, after a prodigious courfe from its fburce in Abyfliriia. The moft conliderable mountains in Africa are the Atlas, a ridge extending from the Weftern Ocean, to which it gives the name of Atlantic Ocean, as far as Egypt, and had its name from a king of Mauritania, a great lover of aftronomer, who ufed to obferve the ftars from its fummit ; on which account the poets reprefenthim as bearing the heavens on his fhoulders. The Mountains of the Moon, extending themlelves between Abyffinia and Monomopata, and are ftill higher thanthofe.of Atlas. Thole of Sierra Leona, or the mountains of the Lions, which divide Nigritia from Guinea, and extend as far as Ethiopia. Thole \\cre ftylcd by the ancients, the Mountains of God, on account of their being fubject to thunder and lightning. The Peak of TenerirTe, which the Dutch make their meridian, is about two miles high, in the form of a fugar loaf, and is lituated on an iiland of the fame name near the coalt. The moft noted capes or promontories, in this country, are Cape Verd, the moft weftcrly point of the continent of Africa, and the Cape of Good Hope (ib denominated by the Portuguefe, when they firft went round it in 1498) the fouth extremity of Africa, in the country of the Hottentots. There is but one ftrait in Africa, which is called Babclmandel, and is the communication be- tween the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Africa once contained .feveral kingdoms and ftates, eminent for the liberal arts, for wealth and power, and the moft extenlive commerce. The kingdoms of Egypt and Ethiopia, in particular, were much celebrated ; and the rich and powerful llate of Carthage, that once formidable rival to Rome rtfelf, extended her commerce to every art of the then known world. Upon the decline of the Roman empire, in the * fifth EGYPT: 605 fifth century, . the north of Africa was overrun by the Vandals, who contributed It ill 'more to the defh-uctiori of arts and fciences ; and, to add to this country's cala- mity, the Saracens made a Hidden conquer! of all the coafts of Egypt and Barbary, in the fevemth century. Theie were fucceecled by the Turks ; and both being of the Mahometan. religion, who ft profeJibrs carried defolation with them wherever they came, the ruin of that once flouriming part of the world was thereby completed. The inhabitants of this continent, with refpect to religion, may be divided into three forts ;. namely, Pagans, Mahometans, arid Chriftians. The firft are the moft numerous. Having given the reader fome idea of Africa in general, we fhall now consider it under three grand divifions : firit, Egypt ; fecondly, the ftates of Barbary, ftretching along the coall of the Mediterranean from Egypt, on the eaft, to the Atlantic Ocean, weft ; and, laftly, that part of Africa, between the tropic of Cancer and the Cape of Good Hope ; the laft of thefe divifions, indeed, is vaftly greater than the other two ; but the nations which it contains are fo little known, and fo barbarous, and, like all barbarous nations, fo fimilar in moil refpecls to one another, that they may, without impropriety, be thrown under one general head. E G Y P T. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Miles Square Miles. TT is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea, north ; by the Red Sea, BOUNDARIES.] J_ eaft . by ^byffinia, or the Upper Ethiopia, on the fouth ; by the Defert of Barca, and the unknown parts of Africa, weft. It is divided into Lower and Upper Egypt. CLIMATE.] It is obferved by M. Volney, that during eight months of the year (from March to November) the heat is almoft inmpportable by an European. " rino- the whole of this fcafon, the air is inflamed, the Iky fparkhng, and the heat oppreffive to all unaccuilomed to it." The other months are more temperate. foutherly winds, which fometimes blow in Egypt, are, by the natives, called pcnjonous winds, or the J:ot muds of the defert. They are of fuch extreme heat and dry r^efs that no animated body expofed to it can withftand its fatal influence. During, the thfe days which it generally lafts, the ftreets are deferted ; and woe to the traveller, whom this wind furprizes remote from Ihelter : when it exceeds three days, i fUP The tiMs exceedingly fruitful, occafioned by the overflowing of the Nile, which leaves fattening flimS Lhirid it. Thofe parts not overflowed by the Nile : are un- cultivated, fandy! and barren. Egypt produces corn rice, fugar, flax, linen, fait, fal ammoniac, balfam, and various forts of fruits and drugs. E$ is -overned by a Bafhaw, fent from Conftantmople, being a province of TurkSh empire. The Turks and Arabs are Mahometans. Mahometannm is StSgion of Egypt ; but there are many Chriftians called Copts, and Jews are very numerous. 696 THE STATES OP BARBARY. The number of inhabitants in Egypt, according to M. Volney, is about 2,300,000; of which Cairo, the capital, contains 250,000. Egypt is famous for its pyramids, thofe ftupendous works of folly. The Egyptians wen; the only people who were acquainted with the art of embalming or preferring dead bodies from putrefaction. Here is the river Nile, celebrated for its fertilizing inundations, and for the fubtle, voracious crocodiles which inhabit its fhores. The natives at the head of this famous river pay divine honours to it. Thou&nds of cattle are offered to the Deity, who is fuppofed to relide at its fource. This was the theatre of thofe remarkable tranfaclions, which make up the beautiful and af- fecling hiftory of Jofeph. Here, Pharaoh exhibited fcenes of cruelty, tyranny, and oppreffton, towards the Ifraelites, in the courfe of their 400 years bondage to the Egyptians. Here, too, Moles was born, and was preferred in the little ark, among the flags on the banks of the Nile. Here, through the irtftrumentality of this great man, the Egyptians were afflicted with many grievous plagues, which induced them at laft to let Ifrael go. Here, Motes, with his rod, divided the Red fea, and Ifrael parted it on dry land ; which the Egyptians, attempting to do, were overwhelmed by the returning of the waters. To this fcene, lucceeded the Ifraelites' memorable 40 years march through the deferts of Arabia, before they reached the land of Canaan. THE STATES OF BARBARY. UNDER this head, we fhall rank the countries of, i. Morocco and Fez; 2.- Al- giers ; 3. Tunis ; 4. Tripoli and Barca. The empire of Morocco, including Fez, is bounded on the north, by the Medi- terranean fea ; on the fouth, by Tafilet ; and, on the earl, by SegelmelTa and the kingdom of Algiers ; being 500 miles in length, and 480 in breadth. Fez, which is now united to Morocco, is about 125 miles in length, and much the fame in breadth. It lies between the kingdom of Algiers to the eaft, and Mo- rocco on the fouth, and is furrounded on other parts by the fea. Algiers, formerly a kingdom, is bounded on the earl, by the kingdom of Tunis ; on the north by the Mediterranean ; on the fouth, by Mount Atlas, and on the weft, by the kingdoms of Morocco and Tafilet. According to Dr. Shaw, w r ho re- lided 12 years at Algiers, this country extends in length 480 miles along the coaft of the Mediterranean, and between 40 and 100 miles in breadth. Tunis is bounded by the Mediterranean on the north and call ; by the kingdom of Algiers on the weft ; and by Tripoli, with part of Biledulgerid, on the fouth ; being 220 miles in length, from north to fouth, and 170 in breadth, from call to weft. Tripoli, including Barca, is bounded on the north, by the Mediterranean fea ; on the fouth, by the country of the Beriberies ; on the weft, by the kingdom of Tunis, Biledulgerid, and a territory of the Gadamis ; and on the eaft, by Egypt ; extending about 1 100 miles along the fea coaft ; and the breadth is from 100 to 300 miles. Each capital bears the name of the ftatc or kingdom to which it belongs, but the capital of Biledulgerid (the ancient Numidia) is Dara. The Barbary ftates form a great political confederacy, though each is independent as to the exercife of its internal policy. The THE STATES OP B A R B A R Y. The air of thcfe Hates is mild and agreeable. Under the Roman empire, they were juftly denominated the garden of the world ; and to have a refidcnce there, : \vas confidered as tlic high oil itatc oflux-urv. The produce of their foil formed thole magazines, which fumifhed all Italy, and great part of the Roman empire, with corn, ; vnnej, and oil. Though the lands are now uncultivated, through the opprefiion and barbarity of their confutation, yet they are Hill fertile, not only in the above-mentioned commodities, but in dates, JigS raifins, almonds, apples, pears, cherries, plums, citrons, lemons, oranges, pomegranates, with plenty of roots and herbs in their kitchen gardens. Excellent lu ip and flax grow on their plains. MOROCCO, the capital of the empire of the fame name, is thought to contain 25,000 inhabitants. The city of Algiers is iaid to contain 100,000 Mahometan?, 15,000 Jews, and 2oco Chriftian flaves ; among whom are a number of unfortunate Americans ; but no eflimate can be formed as to the populoufnefs of its territory. Tunis is the moft polifhed republic of all the Barbary Hates, The capital contains 10,000 families, and above 3000 tradcimen's fhops, and its fuburbs confilt of icoo houfes. The Tuniflne women are very handfome in their perfons ; and though the men arc funburnt, the completion of the ladies is very delicate, nor are they lefs neat and elegant in their drefs ; but they improve the beauty of their eyes by art, particularly the powder of lead ore, the fame pigment, according to the opinion of the learned Dr. Sha\v, that Jezebel made ufe of when fhe is faid (2 Kings, chap. ix. verfe 30.) to have painted her face ; the words of the original being, that fhe fet off her eyes with the powder of lead ore. Tripoli was once the richefl, moft populous and opulent, of all the Hates on the coaH ; but it is now much reduced, and the inhabitants, who are faid to amount to between 4 and 500,000, have all the vices of the Algerines. All foreigners are here allowed the open profeffion of their religion, .but the in- habitants of thefe Hates are Mahometans ; and many fubjects of Morocco follow the tenets of one Hamed, a modern fe&arifi, and an enemy to the ancient dodlrine of the califs. The Moors of Barbary, as the inhabitants of thefe Hates are now promifcuoufly called (becaufe the Saracens firH entered Europe from Mauritania, the country of the Moors) have adopted the very worH parts of the Mahometan religion, and feem to have retained only as much of it as countenances their vices. The emperor of Morocco is an arbitrary prince. Algiers is governed by a prince, called the Dey, elected by the Army. The fovereigns of Tunis and Tri- poli, called Beys, are not fo independent as the former. Thefe three Hates may be looked upon as republics of foldiers, under the protection of the Grand Seignior. On this coafl Hood the famous city of Carthage, which was deftroyed by the Ro- mans. Among the great men Africa has produced, are, Tertullian, Cyprian, Julius Africanus, Arnobius, Laftantius, and St. AuHin, all bifhops of the church. The warriors of note are, Hamilcar, Hannibal,* and Afdmbal. Among the poets are, Terence arid Apuleius. * For a very learned and ingenious work relating to this great general, fee The Courfe of Hannibal over the Alps, afcertained by Jolm Wbitaktr, 3. D. In a vols. 8vo. Printed tor &**4*j in 1794. * X C OF AFRICA, FRCW THE TROPIC OF CANCER, TO THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. immenfe territory is, comparatively fpeaking, very litlle known ; there is. * no modern traveller that hath penetrated into the interior parts ; fo that we arc ignorant not only of the bounds, but even of the names of feveral inland coun- tries. In many material circumfbinccs, the inhabitants of this extenfive continent agree with each other. If we except the people of Abyffinia, they are all of a black completion : in their religion, except on the fea coafts, which have been vifited and fettled by Grangers, they are pagans ; and the form of government is every where monarchical or defpotic. Few princes, however, poffefs a very cxten- iive jurifdiclion ; for as the natives of this part of Africa are faid to be grofsly igno- rant in all the arts of utility or refinement, they mufl be little acquainted with one another; and generally united in fmall focieties, each governed by its own prince. We are but imperfectly acquainted with the manners and cufloms of the people of this exteniive country. The accounts given us by Mr. Bruce, of the Abyffini- ans, repreient them as in a flate of very great barbarifm. Their manner of feeding is beyond a parallel, if we may believe the report of our author. He informs us, that having fallen in with fome foldiers driving a cow before them', he was furprifed to fee them throw down the animal, cut off pieces of her flefh, and then flapping the fkin over the wound, make her get up and walk on as before. He, found this - to be the common practice of the country. The religion of the Abyffinians is a mixture of ChrifKanity, Judaifm, and Pa- gan ifm ; the two latter of which are by far the moil predominant. There are here more churches than in any other country, and though it is very mountainous, and cojufeqiiently the view much obftructed, it is very feldom you fee lefs than five or fix churches. Every great man when he dies, thinks he has atoned for all his wick- ednefs, if he leaves a fund to build a church', or has one built in his life-time. The churches are full of pictures, flovenly painted on parchment, and nailed upon the walls. There is no choice in their faints, they are both of the Old and New Teirament, and- thole that might be difpenfed with from both.- There is St. -Pontius Pilate and his wife ; there is St. Balaam and his afs : Sampfon and his jawbone, and' la of the reft. The fertility of a country fo prodigioufly exteniive might be fuppofed more v;; rious than we find it is; in fact, there is no medium in this part of Africa with regard to the advantages of foil ; it is either perfectly barren or extremely fertile ; this' arifes from the intenfe heat of the fun, which, where it meets with fufru ient moififure, ! uc.es with.thc utmoft luxuriancy ; and, in thofe countries where there are few rivers, .i-jduccs the furfacc of the earth to a barren fatid, -Of this fort are the countries of Anian and Zaara, which for want of water, and confequeritly of all other ncceflliries, are reduced to perfect deferts, as the name of the latter denotes. In thofe countries; on the other hand, where there is plenty of water, and particularly where the rivers overflow the land, part of the year aa in Abyffinia, the productions of nature,, both. of the animal and vegetable kinds, arc found in the higheil perfection and great eir abundance. The countries of Mandingo, Ethiopia, Congo, Angola, ' Batua, Tru- ticui, Moiumotapa, Caiati 3 and Mchenemugi, are extremely rich in gold and fU- ver. a- Gondar, OP THE SLAVE COAST, &c. 699 Gon "^ AMERICA. OUNDARIES and extent Chronological order of difcovery and Page. 52 fettlement - -85 Darien, Ifthmnsof - 54 Difcovered by Columbus - 51 General defcription of - 52 Gulph ftream defcribed - ~ 53 Inhabitants defcribed - 62 Mountains, the principal ones enumerated 54 Newdifcoveries on the N. W. coaft 77 Peopled, by whom - 56 Population eftimated - 54 Rivers, names of the principal ones 53 NORTH AMERICA. Bays, their fituation and extent Boundaries - Divisions GREENLAND. Animals, various kinds of Air and feafons Boundaries and extent Curiofities Face of the country defcribed Hiftory Population, eftimate of Productions, mineral and vegetable Religion Tides, fprings, and rivers Divifions, general Situation and extent NEW BRITAIN. Animals defcribed Climate 9 l 96 102 IOI 99 IOO ib. 103 IOO 1 02 ib. 101 107 ib. 109 108 Commerce and difcovery Face of the country, foil, &c. General defcription of the country Inhabitants, their manners, Cuftoms, &c. Rivers, their fource and extent Pnge. ICQ 1 08 IO7 1 08 107 UPPER AND LOWER CANADA. Boundaries and divifions 1 12 Climate - - ib. Government - -' 114 Hiftory - 115 Population 114 Religion, various fec~ls of 115 Situation and extent - - m Soil and produce - 112 Towns, the principal ones defcribed 113 Trade, value of 115 ISLAND OF CAPE BRETON. Face of the country, climate 1 , foil, and productions Hiftory of - - Population - - Situation and extent Towns, the chief defcribed Trade, different branches of NOVA SCOTIA. Boundaries and extent Climate, foil, and productions Divifions, a table of Forts, their ftrength Hiftory, general, of Indians, different tribes of Rivers, bays, lakes, and capes, defcribed Towns, defcription of the principal ones Trade, account of exports, &c. 116 117 116 115 116 ib. 118 121 118 121 ib. ib. 1 20 ib. 121 ISLAND OP ST. JOHN. Situation and extent 4 Y 122 ISLAND 706 D E X. ISLAND CF NEWFOUNDLAND. Situation and extent Trade, value ot P??.:. 122 ib. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Agriculture, prefent (late of. Animals, a catalogue of . defcribed Bank, account of Bays enumerated Birds, a catalogue of , defcription of Boundaries Cincinnati, a fociety fo called Commerce, general account of 196 148 '5 218 136 160 168 123 197 ommercial regulations, the reciprocracy of 207 Confederation, articles of, ratified -- r , defects of - Conftitution, general hiftory of Credit, bills of - Debt, foreign, amount of Duties on goods imported, abftracl; of -- on the tonnage of veffels, general abftradtof - - Exports, fummary of Face of the country defcribed Filhes, a catalogue of defcribed 185 263. 217 199 ib. 207 136 174 ib. Flowering trees and fhrubs, a catalogue of 146 Foreft trees, do. - ib. Fruits, wild, do. - 144 . , exotic, account of 146 Finances,, flate of - 216 Fruits, nut, catalogue of - 144 Government, the form of 184 Grain, cultivation of 142 Grafles, various forts cultivated - 143 - , native, in New England ib. Hiftory, general, of the late war - 236 Infe&s, a catalogue of - 176 - defcribed 178 Inhabitants, their character and manners 181 Lakes, their fituation and extent - 125 Map of Northern and Middle States 272 Manufactures, obfervations thereon 210 Military ftrength - - 216 Mountains enumerated and defcribed 1-40 Merchandife exported, abftradl of 201' Plants medicinal, a catalogue of - 145 Population - - 179 - i a table of - - 180 Peace, conclufion of * - 257 Rivers defcribed - l^O Reptiles, amphibious, defcription of 169 Religion, various denominations of. Baptifts Congregationalifts Epifcopalians Methodifts Moravians Mennonifts Prefoyterians Quakers Roman Catholics Swinfeildians Tunkers Univerfalifts Situation and extent of the United States Soil and vegetable productions Serpents, amphibious, a catalogue of defcribed United States, grand divifion of , their independence acknow- ledged - - Waftiington, George, chofen prefident of the United States NEW ENGLAND. Climate ~ - Divifions enumerated Difeafes, a lift of Face of the country defcribed Hiftory, general Inhabitants, their character Mountains Population, abftract of Productions from culture Rivers, their fource and extent Situation and boundaries Shrubs and plants, a catalogue of 258 279 273" 274 279 2 7 6 274 276 ib. 275 2 73 275 VERMONT. Climate - - 286 Conftitution defcribed - - 289 Curiofities - - 288 Divifions, a table of - 284 Hiftory, general 290 Lakes extent of - 285 Literature - - 287 Military ftrength - jb. Mountains, their extent, &c. - 285 Population, eftirrute of 286 Rivers,, their fource and extent - 284 Situation and extent of - ib. Springs, account of - . 285 Soil and produce 286 Towns, INDEX. Towns, the chief, defcribed Trade, articles of NEW HAMPSHIRE. Agriculture, ftate of Bank, cftablifhtnent of Canal, defcription of Country, the face of it defcribed Clearances, table of Curiofities, account of Conftitution defcribed Divifions civil, a table of Exportation, a table of Fisheries, ftatement of Hiftory Inhabitants, their character Lakes, their fituation and extent Mountains - Population, &c. abftrat of Religion - Rivers, their fource, &c. Situation and extent Soil Towns, the chief dtfcribed Trade, general account of DISTRICT OF MAIN. Boundaries ... Bays and capes Climate - Commerce and manufactures, account of Country, the face of it defcribed Divifions, general Exports, general abftract of Hiftory of Indians, different tribes of Lakes, defcription of Literature, ftate of Minerals, account of Productions, various kinds of Situation and extent Soil, variety of Rivers, fource and extent of Towns, the principal ones defcribed MASSACHUSETTS. Academies, account of Banks, account of Boundaries of Bridges Cap<-of Canals defcribed 287 286 299 3' 35 291 301 34 35 291 300 301 35 302 298 291 302 3S 296 290 298 33 299 306 39 306 310 306 ib. 310 312 3 11 37 3" 310 39 206 ib. 37 310 Curiofities, account of Colleges, their eftablifhent Conftitution, when eftablifhed Exports, a table of I Hands of - Inventions and improvements Light-houfes enumerated Literature, hiftory of Manufactures, account of Minerals and mineral fprings Military ftrength Population, abftral of Rivers, their fource and extent Religion, different denominations of Revenue, account of Situation and extent Societies,' literary and humane Taxes, how raifed Towns, hiftory of the principal Page. ibl 33 3 6 7 3*9 3i 337* 3 J 9 328 322 3 2 5 335 337 3'3 33 6 337 326 337 33* RHODE- ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS. Bays enumerated Boundaries defer! bed Bridges, fituation of Climate, variety of - Conftitution, eftablifhed Curiofities - Divifions, civil, account of Fifties, variety of - Harbours, description of Hiftory of - I {lands - Indians, various nations of Light-houfe defcribed Literature, hiftory of Manufactures, defcription of Minerals Mountains, extent of Population, abilrjift of Productions Religion Rivers, their fource ami extent Situation and extent Societies, account of the different ones Soil, nature of Towns, the principal ones defcribed Trade, general account of 339 338 342 340 347 346 338 340 339 347 339 346, 344 CONNECTICUT. Boundaries Climate 4 Y 2 344 ib. 342 339 343 340 ib. 338 342 343 344 343 349 353 Curl- INDEX, Curiofities defcribed Conftitution, general account of Diviiions, civil, table of Damages fuftained by the late war Governors, lift of Hiftory ' Harbours, defcription of Inventions, new, by whom Juftice, account of the different courts of Literature, colleges, 'academies and fchools defcribed Law, the practice of Manufadlures, different kinds of Minerals, variety of Population and character of the inhabitants Productions, various kinds of Rivers, their fource and extent Religion - - Situation and extent of Soil, account of Springs, mineral ones defcribed Towns, the chief ones defcribed Taxes, mode of levying them Trade, account of MIDDLE STATES. Bays, defcription of Boundaries - Climate - - - Different provinces, account of Rivers, their fource and extent NFW YORK. Academies defcribed Agriculture, ftate of Banks, account of Bays - - Boundaries Bridges, defcription of - Canals defcribed Country, the face of it defcribed Colleges, endowments of Conftitution, hiftory of Curiofities, defcription of Diviiions, civil, a table of Finances, ftate of Foffils, enumeration of Forts, where fituated Governors, lift of Hiftory .... Inhabitants, character of Indians, different tribes of I (lands belonging to New York 357 360 350 355 3 6 4 3 6 3 35 2 362 360 358 3(12 353 359 354 353 35 355 349 353 360 35 6 359 353 370 ib. ib. ib. ib. 39 2 387 397 37 6 37 377 373 378 392 394 398 372 397 39 ' 39 6 403 402 379 399 ,401 Page. 394 376 392 387 39 1 396 37 37 V 373 377 372 378 389 39i 397 38i 387 Juftice, adminiftration of Lakes, their fituation and extent Literature, the ftate of - - Manufactures defcribed Minerals, variety of Military ftrength Mountains defcribed Productions, variety of Population fummary of Rivers, their fource, &c. Roads, principal ones defcribed Situation and extent - Soil, nature of Springs, medicinal ones Societies, literary and humane, intention of Taxes, mode of railing them Towns, the chief ones defcribed Trade, account of it NEW JERSEY. Agriculture, ftate of - 408 Bays, defcription of 404 Boundaries - - 403 Canals defcribed - - 404 Country, the face of it defcribed 406 Caves, remarkable ones - - 411 Conftitution, when eftablimed 416 Courts of Juftice, account of . 417 Divifions, civil, enumerated 403 Governors, lift of - 418 Hiftory, civil and commercial ib. Inhabitants, their character, &rc. 412 Literature, colleges, academies and fchools, foundation of - - 413 Law, the practice of 416 Laws, code of - - 417 Manufactures, ftate of " - 418 Mines and minerals, defcription of 409. Mountains defcribed - - 406 Monuments, where erected 41 1 Military ftrength, account of 418 Population, a table of 404 Phyfic, prefent practice of - 416 Rivers, their fource and extent 404 Religion - 41 2 Situation and extent of the province 403 Soil and produce - - 4-3 Springs, fome curious ones defcribed 410 Towns, defcription of the principal ones 414 PENNSYLVANIA. Agriculture, ftate of Antiquities defcribed 428 444 Advantages INDEX. Page. 425 419 42O 443 423 444 419 428 448 445 429 445 Advantages natural to the province Boundaries defcribed Canals, where fituated Caves, remarkable ones Country, the face of it defcribed Conftitution, hiitory of Divifions, civil, table of Exports, fummary of Governors, lift of Hiitory, general, of the province Inhabitants, their charadter and manners Inventions, new, account of Learning, account of colleges, academies and fchools 431 Manufactures, prefent ftate of 427 Mountains, account of remarkable ones 423 Productions, variety of 426 Rivers, their fource and extent 420 Religion, various fects - 429 Situation and extent - 419 Soil defcribed - - 424 Societies, literary and humane, account of 430 Springs, fome curious ones defcribed 443 Swamps, where fituated - 422 Towns, the chief defcribed 432 DELAWARE. Boundaries afcertained - - 449 Country, the face of it defcribed 450 Conftitution, hiftory of 453 Divifions, civil, table of - 449 Light-houfe, where erected 453 Manufactures, ftate of 45 2 Minerals, different forts of 453 Rivers and creeks, their number and fource 449 Religion, account of 453 Soil defcribed - 45 Towns, the principal defcribed ib. Trade, prefent ftate of 45 2 TERRITORY NORTH-WEST OF THE OHIO. Antiquities defcribed - Boundaries afcertained - Country, the face of it defcribed Curiofities, fome remarkable ones Divifions, civil, table of Forts, where erected Government, form of it defcribed Population, a table of Rivers, their fituation and extent Situation and extent of the province 454 457 460 4^o ib. 457 455 454 SOUTHERN STATES. Boundaries Provinces, account of Population, table of 709 Page. 464 ib. ib. MARYLAND. Boundaries afcertained 464 Conftitution, account of 471 Country, face of it defcribed 465 Curiofities, natural, fome remarkable ib. Divifions, civil, account of 464 Government, expences of 471 Governors, a, lift of 474 Hiftory, general, of the province 472 Inhabitants, their character and manners 466 Learning, account of different feminaries 470 Mines and manufactures, ftate of ib. Population, table of 466 Produce, account of ib. Religion - . 470 Rivers and bays, their fituation and extent 465 Situation and exient of the province 464 Soil defcribed 466 Towns, the principal ones defcribed 467 Trade, principal articles of - 470 , VIRGINIA. Boundaries Climate Canals - Country, the face of it defcribed Colleges and academies Commerce, total of exports Conftitution - Divifions, civil, table of Governors, lift of Hiftory, general, of Inhabitants, their character and manners Law, different courts of Manufactures, various kinds of Mountains Mines and minerals Militia Population, table of Productions, account of Rivers, their fource and extent Religion Towns, the principal ones defcribed INDIANA. General account of 475 KEN- 710 I N D E X. KENTUCKY. Page. 504. 507 509 506 505 5 11 59 507 55 59 506 ib. 507 Boundaries - Climate - Conftitution, account of Country, the face of it clefcribcd Curiofities Divifions, civil, a table of Hiftory Inhabitants, their character, &c. Literature and improvements Population - - Productions Rivers, their fource and extent Religion Springs Soil - Towns, the principal ones defcribed NORTH CAROLINA. Boundaries Climate and difeafes Colleges and academies Country, the face of it defcribed Conftitution of Divifions, civil, table of Hiftory Inhabitants, their character, manners, cuftoms Manufactures Natural hiftory Population, abftract of Rivers, their fource and extent Religion, different fects of Situation and extent Sounds, capes, and inlets Swamps Soil and produce Towns, the principal defcribed Trade, general account of TERRITORY SOUTH OF THE OHIO. and Academy and fociety Animals defcribed Boundaries Climate Commerce Divifions, civil, a lift of Government, origin of Hiftory Indians, different tribes of Inhabitants, their character, &c. Militia Population 532 53' 527 52* 531 527 S3 2 533 ib. 532 ib. 527 Revenue, account of Roads, table of Rivers and mountains Religioa - Situation and extent Soil Salines, mines, and fprings To\vns, the principal ones defcribed War, damages fuftained by it SOUTH CAROLINA. Banks, account of Canal, origin of Climate - Country, the face of it defcribed Conftitution, hiftory of Commerce, abftract of Divifions, civil, table of Harbours - Inhabitants, their manners and cuftoms Indians, different tribes of Iflands - Law, the different courts of Laws, abftract of Literature, ftate of - Manufactories Mountains, their extent Military ftrength Rivers, their fource and extent Rice, the mode of cultivation Religion, different fects of Revenue, amount of Soil and produce Societies, charitable, account of Towns, the principal ones defcribed Taxes, mode of levying them War, .damages fuftained by it GEORGIA. Boundaries afcertained Climate and difeafes Country, the face of it defcribed Commerce, ftatement of Conftitution defcribed Curiofities, remarkable ones Divifions, civil, table of - Hiftory, general, of Indians, different tribes of Inhabitants, their character and manners Lakes and fvvamps, their fituation and ex- tent Literature, ftate of 53" 533 5^ 53 2 5-7 ib. 53 1 547 53* 537 5-4-1 5+3 ^l S3 6 538 539 544 545 543 53 * 546 537 542 545 547 54i -545 539 547 ib. 550 55i ib. 557 559 557 559 554- 559 Manu- Manufactures and agriculture, prefent ftate of Population, table of Religion, various fe&s of Rivers, their fource and extent Situation and extent Soil and productions, nature of Spring, a remarkable one defcribed' Towns, the chief ones defcribed SPANISH DOMINIONS. EAST AND WEST FLORIDA. Boundaries of Extent - - - . Hiftory Rivers, their fituation and extent Soil and productions,, the nature of Towns, principal ones defcribed LOUISIANA. Boundaries afcertained Climate, account of Hiftory Produce, various kinds of Religion - Soil defcribed Town, the capital defcribed MEXICO OR NEW SPAIN. Birds, variety of Boundaries afcertained Climate, defcription of Commerce, abftraft of Divifions, table of Fifh, the different fpecies enumerated 1 Government, account of Hiftory, general, of Mountains, their names and fituation Population, abftraft of Religion, various fedls of Rivers, lakes, and fountains, general de- fcription of each Situation and extent Towns, the principal ones defcribed SOUTH AMERICA. Divifions, table of FNDEX. 71I Page. SPANISH AMERICA: 55-3 TERRA FIRMA, OR CASTILE DEL 55 1 ORO. 559 Page. Bays enumerated - - 581 C"0 Boundaries afcertained - 580 c-e Climate - - - 581 --- Divifions, table of - ib. 554 Hiftory, general, of . 582 Rivers, their extent - 581 Situation and extent of - 580 Soil and produce, account of - 581 Towns, the chief defcribed . 582 _/ PERU. 5 6 5 ib. Boundaries afcertained 583 566 Climate, air, and foil - ib. 565 Cities defcribed - 584. ib. Divifions, table of - 583 566 General obfervations - 586 Inhabitants, their manners and govern- ment - - 585 Manufactures and trade, general account 567 of - 584 j / ib. Mines - ib. C7I Natural hiftory, principal fubjects of 586 J 1 C68 Productions, animal and vegetable, account J of 583 c68 Rivers defcribed - - ib.. J VV. . 566 Situation and extent - ib. . CHILL Boundaries afcertained - 587 576 Climate and foil defcribed - ib. 572 Commerce, abftract of 588 573 Government, account of- ib. 577 Inhabitants, their manners and cuftoms ib. 57 2 Mines defcribed - ib. 576 Productions, animal and vegetable 587 ib. Situation and extent ib. 579 575 PARAGUA OR LA PLATA. 577 576 Boundaries afcertained 589 Climate, foil and produce, account of ib. 572 Commerce, fummary of ib. ib. City, the principal one defcribed 590 577 General obfervations - ib. Inhabitants, their number, &c. ib. Rivers, their fource and extent 589 Situation, and extent - W 580 pn;?_ 712 INDEX. PORTUGUESE AMERICA. BRAZIL. Bays, harbours, and rivers, defcription of Boundaries afcertained Climate, foil, and productions Commerce and chief towns, account and defcription of Government, hiftory of Hiftory, general of Mines, account of Natives, general defcription of Religion, account of Situation and extent FRENCH AMERICA. CAYONNE. Boundaries afcertained Climate, foil, and produce General obfervations DUTCH AMERICA. Page. 59 1 ib. ib. 592 593 ib. 592 593 ib. 594 ib. ib. SURINAM OR DUTCH GUIANA. Animals, fifli, ferpents, various fpecies of 597 Climate defcribed Hiftory, general, of - Military ftrength and government Population Rivers, their fource and extent Situation and extent of Soil, produce, and trade, general abftracl: of Towns, trie chief defcribed Water, the properties of ABORIGINAL AMERICA. , AMAZONIA. * Boundaries afcertained Climate, foil, and productions General obfervations Natives defcribed Rivers, account-of Situation and extent Women, general xrhara&er of them PATAGONIA. Boundaries afcertained Climate, foil, and produce 595 598 597 59 6 595 594 59 6 595 ib. 598 ib. 599 ib. 598 ib. 599 600 ib. Inhabitants, defcription of " Situation and extent SOtJTH AMERICA. General obfervations on Quadrupeds, American, a lift of WEST INDIA ISLANDS. General account of them BRITISH WEST INDIES. JAMAICA. Country and produce, account of Divisions and population Situation and extent BARBADOES. General account of - ST. CHRISTOPHERS. Produce of - Situation and extent ANTIGUA. Situation, extent, and produce GRENADA. Situation, extent, and prpduce DOMINICA. Situation, extent, and produce i ST. VINCENT. Situation, extent, and produce NEVIS AND MONSERRAT Situation and extent BARBUDA. Situation and extent ANGUILLA. Situation and extent Page. 600 - ib. 60O 6O2 608 612 611 ib. 614 ib. 616 616 616 6,7 617 617 BER- INDEX, 7'J' BERMUDAS OR SOMERS' ISLANDS. Page. Situation and extent - - 617 LUCAY's, OR BAHAMA ISLANDS. Situation and extent - 618 FALKLAND ISLANDS. Account of - 619 SPANISH WEST INDIES. CUBA. Situation, extent, and produce 619 HISPANIOLA OR ST. DOMINGO. Plantations and manufactures Population, abftral of. Productions exported, table of Situation and extent Towns, the chief, defcribed Trade, articles of PORTO RICO. Situation and extent Towns, the capital defcribed 621 620 621 620 ib. 621 624 ib. TRINIDAD. Situation, extent, and general hiftory ^ 624 MARGARETTA. Situation, extent, and general hiftory 625 JUAN FERNANDES. Situation of 625 FRENCH WEST INDIES. MARTINICO. Situation and extent of - - 626 ST. LUCIA. Situation and extent of 626 TOBAGO. Situation and extent of 626 ST. BATHOLOMEW, DESEADA, ANH MAR1GALANTE. Page. Situation and extent of - . 627 DUTCH WEST INDIES. ST. EUSTATIUS, OR EUSTATIA, Situation, extent, and general hiftory 627 CURASSOU. Situation, extent, and general hiftory 628 DANISH WEST INDIES. ST. THOMAS'S. Situation of 629 ST. CROIX, OR SANTA CRUZ. General hiftory of Situation, extent, and produce. 630 629 NEW DISCOVERIES. NORTHERN 4RCHIPEL4GO. FOX ISLANDS. Inhabitants defcribed Situation of PELEW ISLANDS, Inhabitants defcribed Situation and extent of 631 ib. 632 ib. MARQUESAS ISLANDS. Difcovery and fituation of 633 INGRAHAM's ISLANDS* General defcription of, names, and fitua- tion 633 Inhabitants, their manners and cuftoms 634 Population, abftracl of 633 Produce, account of ib. 4 z so- INDEX. SOCIETY ISLANDS. General account of them THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS. General dcfcription of them ZEALAND. Defcription and general hiftory Situation and extent THE NEW HEBRIDES. General account of them NEW GUINEA. Defcription of Europe Denmark Lapland Sweden Mufcovy Great Britain and Ireland Germany Pruflia Auftria Bohemia Hungary Page. 634 6 35 638 640 640 643 646 647 648 650 652 655 657 658 659 660 Page. Tranfylvania - 66 r Poland ... 662 Switzerland - 663 Netherlands - 664 Holland - . - 665 Auftrian and French Netherlands 667 France - 668: Spain - 670 Portugal J- - 671 Italy - 672 Turkey in Europe - - 674 Iflands, feas, mountains, &c. of Europe 675: Alia - 676 Turkey in Afia - - 678 Tartary in Afia - 681 The empire of China - - 682 Indortan, or India on this fide the Ganges 686 The peninfula of India beyond the Ganges 688 Perfia - - 689 Arabia - - 690 Aliatic ifles w - - 693 Africa ... 694 Egypt - 695 The ftates of Barbary - - 696 Of Africa, from the tropic of Cancer to the Cape of Good Hope . - 698 African iilands - 700 General remarks - 701 Federal money 703 Calculations upon population ib. Lift of Books and Authors quoted and re- ferred to in the preceding Work 7*5 LIST D' " ""' " "iii in 000 721 858 3 1158 00388 1876